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? t Seven Keys TO Baldpate if UUtLIDEMt BIGGERS CiwrtjAl 1913. by the ?I MsrHH "But Peters." pleaded Magee. "you ate Jiot going to leave us lu the hole like Abler, ??Sorry." replied Peters. "I can please men. but 1 can't please women. J tried to please one once?but let the dead pent bury Its dead. I live on Bs Ideate In a sbsck to escape the sei. and it wouldn't be consistent for me to stsj bere now. 1 got to go. I hate to. like a dog. but 1 got to." "HeereT ueJd Mr. Magee. *Tro sur? prised. After giving your word to ntay: And who knows?you may be ibis to gather valuable data for your hook. Stick around. These women tfhsuVt bother yon. And we'll pay you tad the dreams of avarice of a dway chef; Won't we.gentlemen?" ' The others nodded. Mr. Peters visi? bly weakened. "Well.- he began. -I"- Bis eyes wore on the stairs. Mr. Magee also looked In tbtrt direction and saw the girl of the ilaioo smiling down. She no longer wore coat and bat end the absence of the latter revealed a glory of golden hair that became Instantly n rival to the uftfteblae In that drear bare room. , "No. Peters." abe said, go. We couldn't permit and 1 will go." ; She continued to smile at the ob 'klonely dsriled Peters. Suddenly he (P*oke In s deterudued tone: "No. don't do that I'll stay." Then no turned to Magee and continued for that gentleman's ear alone: "Doggone , It We're all alike! We resolve and re nerve and then one of them looks at us nod It s all forgot I had a friend who TWrertised for a wife?'eastways, he ? ? a friend until he advertised. He 'you mustn't It Mamma not ninety-two replies, seventy of 'em from married men advlslna ssrslnst the step. 'I'm cured.' he nays to me. 'Not ^for mo.' Did he keep his word? No. A week after bo married a widow just to see If what the seventy said was true. I'm mortal. 1 bang around the bussesw. if you give me n little mon? ey. I'll go down to the village end buy the provisions for lunch." Gleefully Mr. Magee started the her? mit on his way. snd then went over to where the girl stood at the foot of the stairs. They went together to the kitchen, found s psll snd filled It with Icy wa? ter from the pump at the rear of the Inn. inside once more, Mr. Magee re? marked thoughtfully: "Who would have guessed a week ago that today 1 would bo climbing the broad staircase of a summer hotel car? rying a pall of wster for a lady fair?" They paused on tbe landing. There are more things In heaven snd earth. Horatio." smiled tbe girl, "thus are dreamed of. even by novel ?Ths mayor has the fhth key.* lets" Mr. Msgee started, nod she recognised him ss tbe Msgee of light Action? Her fsco went suddenly grsve She came closer. "1 can't helo won daring." abe aald. "which side you am on?" "Which side of what?" asked Magee. "Why, of this." sbe answered, wav? ing ber hand toward the nhVe below. -1 don't understand," objected Mr Msgee. "Let's not he silly." she replied. "You know what brought me here. 1 know what brought you. There sre three sides, sod only one Is honest. 1 hope, so very much, thai you are on tbst side," "Upon my word"? began Magee. -Will It Interest you to know." she continued. "1 saw the big mayor of Heoton lu the village ttis morning? With him wan his shadow, *'.ou Max. iso-you had the first key. Mr. tri the second, the professor tbe third and 1 b id tbe fourth. The mayor baa the fifth key, ol course. He'll be here nc a." ?'The mayor," gasped Mr. Magee. "Really, I haven't the slightest idea what you mean. Tin here to work"? "Very well," said the girl coldly, "If you wish It that way." They came to tbe door of 17. nud she took the pall from Mr. Mugee's hand. "Thanks." '?'Where nre you going, my pretty maid?'" asked Magee. Indicating tbe pall. .I'll see you at luncheon, sir," she said.' " responded Miss Norton, and tbe door of 17 slammed shut. Mr. Magee returned to No. 7 and thoughtfully stirred the fire. The tan? gle of events bade fair to swamp him. "The mayor of Reuton," he mused, "has the fifth key. What in tbe name of common sense Is going on? It's too much even for melodramatic me/' He leaned back In his chair. "Anyhow, I like ber eyes," be said. "And 1 shouldn't want to be quoted as disap? proving of her hair either. I'm on her side, whichever it may be." (To be Continued.) Some Random Though*. Yesterday I looked in on the pro? ceedings of the County Board of Equalisation and heard some of the discussions, pro and con on the tax as? sessments. The trouble seemed to be a protest on the part of numerous city taxpayers against a raise by the township board when it was alleged that city property was on a one-third ils, while county property was on a 1-4 to 1-10 basis of real value as alleged by some of the city taxpayers. Whether city property is 1-3 or less, (and I would not be surprised if some of the most valuable pieces are assess? ed for less than 1-3, while some less valuable are assessed more than 1-3) there is certainly a wide discrepency in the assessed values in the county. Some county property is on the tax books at nearly or quite its 'ull val? ue, and if properly classified some would be found to be above its true value, while other property if its true market value were known would be found to be worth more than 20 times what it Is returned at for taxes. I say this advisedly and without fear of contradiction. one As I see it there is more need of adjustment of returns of county property on its actual relative value than of adju tmcnt between city and where the principal money crop is an county. We all know that in a county export crop like cotton or tobacco, the county is what gives value to the city property. The trade of the city is based on the prosperity of the farmers, and it Is this trade that makes city property valuable. The business of farming is more ^hazard? ous than any other occupation It re? quires a greater Investment of capi? tal, and labor for a given return, and the returns are then based on the sen sons to a geuter extent than In man? ufacturing or In trade. And yet sea? sons affect trade, for we see how the papers are filled with cloumns about the weather, and a shower in Texas or a frost ip Minnesota Is reflected on the markeU of the world. There? fore no system, and no plan for equal? ization that does not recognir.e the farmers of the county as entitled to lower rate of taxation will ever be permanent. e o o If any man thinks a board of township assessors, or a county board of equalization has an cany time, he is badly mistaken. Their position is ione of extreme delicacy, and when composed of men who arc trying to do their duty as 1 urn sure tin Sum ter boards are doing, they arc to be sympathised with instead of harshly judged. We should have more neighborly, friendly discuHisons of val uo with a view to reaching an equl tuble return of our property. Instead of being a subject that is tabooed except to "cuss out" taxes in a ?eneral way, the relative values of all our property should hi a matter for friendly conversation. Then, and not until then, will there be much im? provement. e e e Tho articles by Poe and Given In tho Progressive Farmer should be read in this connection. 10. W. L>. SUssTRR COTTON MARKET. Corrected Daily By Ernest field, Cotton Buyer. Good Middling 13. Strut Middling || 7-8. Middling II 3-4. strict Low Middling || ;;-s. Low Middling ll 1*4. Strlvt Good < Hnlnary 11. Staplo cotton nominal. Now York Cotton Market. New York. Ma\ II, Opening Close. May.il.H 13.13 .Inly.ll.ei \'l 7<> net.12.23 13.81 CHICAGO PRODUCE EXCHANGE I Chicago, May Jl Pork.It.lf 8#*ll I Bibs?July . . . 11.?.7 11.11 |Blhn ? Bent, . . . 11.12 TILLMAN FOR REFORM. ^outh Carolina Senator Culls At? tention to (iinvc Danger to Primury Unless There Im? Proper Restrictions to Prevent Fraud?Proposes Plan Whereby Crookedness May be Eliminated?New Enrollment Nec? essary. Washington. May 19.?Senator Till man today gave out the following in? terview regarding the primary elec? tion soon to be held in South Caro? lina : "The near approach of the State convention and the importance of its expected action emboldens mo to give expression to some opinions on the subject of safeguarding the primary. I deem this more necessary because I know I shall not be able to attend the convention in person, and I have received many letters asking my ad? vice in this crisis. Almost every South Carolina newspaper I see has some? thing to say about this all-important subject, and there are scores of schemes, or propositions, as to how it ought to be done?some good, some bad, some indifferent, and many en? tirely Impracticable and unjust. "It will be remembered that just after the last primary two years ago, cries of fraud went up all over the State and the executive committee did not declare the result promptly. This caused intense anger on the part of the supporters of Gov. Blease, as they believed there was an effort being made to cheat him; and I raised my voice in no uncertain way urging promptness in investigating and re? porting the results of the election, and thus relieving the suspense. The gov? ernor was finally declared the nomi? nee of the party and things quieted down. "We have another primary coming on in August and there are many thousands of men in the State who boldly avow the purpose never to take part in the primary again unless there are some safeguards thrown around it to prevent fraud and cor? ruption. I have given the subject much thought and venture to make the following suggestions: "It is a pity the State legislature did not deal with this question and settle once for all by law the regu? lations that are to govern the pri? mary; but Cov. Mease by threats of the veto and with the powerful in? fluence he wields prevented any ac tiefe Therefore, the party must act,, if anything is to be done; and the white men of the State had just asj well realize that unless something is done this will be our last Democratic J primary of white men only. The probabilities are, the almost inevitable consequence indeed will be, a tight j to a finish in the November election, with the negroes holding the balance of power and thus controlling. "I lay down as a general principle, which no honest man can dispute safely, or object to, that every white Democrat who is entitled to vote un? der the rules and regulations of the! party should be allowed to vote once,' and once only, and that that vote should be counted honestly and the result declared promptly. No decent or honest man wants to cheat another white man out of his right to partici? pation in the government, and no patriot desires anything but fair play and equality of rights. Let every white man have tho same chance as any other white man, rich or poor, high or low, and let the majority rule. That is Democracy, or Tillamnism as I have taught it, and he who would not be content to abide by such an election is not patriot und no Demo? crat either. Our trouble heretofore, and our trouble this year, if we have trouble, will be dishonept and padded club rolls and stuffed ballot boxes. Tho club rolls We have now are old and have not been revised or cor? rected in a lung while. Our politics have been running along in a jog? trot, peaceful way. and dead inen'? names arc on the club lists, absentees who have moved away are on the club lists, and the names of men whom J nobody ever knew or saw and can not lind are on the club lists. This is a fruitful source of fraud, and our first effort should be to get an absolutely new enrollment of the Democrats who urc entitled to vote under the rules of the party. "Cor reasons that arc apparent to any man who thinks about it. after the new rolls are made Up?and this should be done by a given date?they should 1)0 filed in some convenient place where they van be examined to detect if there has been any fraud i practiced in placing names on them. Twenty <lays Should elapse between the Illing of the rolls and the pri? mary, and entry of no names be al I lowed after the period fixed. Nu name should be put on the roll unless the voter applies ill person ur sends writ* ten authorlt) asking that his name be enrolled, There should be three club rolls. one copy to be sent t" the county chairman, another cop. to the Clerk uf court, and the third copy remain with the secretary of ithe club as a registry list to govern Ion the duy of the primary election No man should be allowed to vote I whose name has not been enrolled I in accordance with the above regula ? tions. "If the money can be had, it would l)e well to have the club rolls pub? lished in some one county paper 20 I days before the primary; but as 1 : fear this may be considered too ex? pensive, the filing of them with the clerks of court and the county chair? men is sufficient, in my judgment. "Tho voters, when they enroll, should state the place of residence, giving the street and number of the house, if they live In a town, or the township when residing In the coun? try. No club roll should be made up of men from two townships or two wards but each subdivision of a coun? ty or city should have one club and no more. The residents of that political subdivision could then deter? mine whether any fraud has been practiced in the enrollment or not. This regulation will compel me to go six miles to vote in the primary, al? though there is at present a voting precinct within half a mlie of my home. But no inconvenience can be too sjreat to prevent our taking every precaution possible to prevent fraud or the charge of it. "The promiscuous enrollment such as we have always had, the freo and easy way In which we have conduct? ed our political affairs, will not do, now that white men have grown so suspicious and unscrupulous. The honors and emoluments of office are j so great that inevitably human sel? fishness and greed will cause men to act the rascal. "On the day of the election no man not enrolled according to these rules should he permitted to vote. Every ballot when deposited in the box Should be stamped and the voter's j name checked oft the club list, show- j lng that he has voted once at that ? precinct. Rubber stamps for this( purpose should be provided by thej county executive committee. The stamping of tho ballot will prevent voting several tickets at once so fold? ed together that they will fall apart after* they have gone in the box or be taken apart by the managers when they4 go to count them. This way of stuffing the ballot boxes was used throughout the State when it was necessary for us to cheat the ne? groes, as many of our older citizens j remember well. Indeed, I say without i hesitation, that the lessons we learn- j ed in '76, '78 and '80, until the 'eight box law' was enacted, are returning to pester us now. Dire necessity forced us to use our brains to cir GUmvent ignorant negroes. We felt the vital necessity then to our civil? ization to prevent Ignorant semi barbarous negroes from controlling our affairs. It is of equal importance now to prevent unscrupulous white men from cheating their fellow citi? zens and robbing them of their' rights. "I perhaps more than any other; one man am responsible for our pi es-, ent primary system. I wrote the con-| stitution of the Democratic party,1 and I wrote most of the rules and regulations governing the primary. 1 j therefore am an old hand at this bus Ihens, and having been charged with, being responsible for present condi- j tions, my advice should have weight I in pointing out the remedy as I now i see it. "1 always felt that white men WOUld be above cheating their own! ! brothers and that South Carolinians were too honorable and clean to at Itempt such a thing; but unhappy cx I perience has shown the falsity of my {confidence, and 1 am trying to make j reparation as best I can. i "When the State convention meets .1 anticipate that pride and authorship! ; and egotism will cause a very pro? tracted debate. Every man who has a scheme?and who has not??will , want his scheme to be adopted. 1 'do not c. urn that the suggestions 1 1 muke are perfect, but they are the best 1 have been able to think of a! (this time, and 1 feel sure that If 'adopted and carried out, they will im* ! prove conditions In the State so much that it will be a very long time, if ever, before we have further trou? ble with our primary, "it is all-Important that we should not attempt too much or make the regulations so strict or laborious und costly that it will tend to keep men from complying with the conditions.. a reasonable reform Insuring purity and honesty is all that can be accom? plished and it is nil that should be at ; tempted." i ?????? OpelOUsas, La.. May 10.?William Walters was convicted of kidnapping Hobble Dun bar this morning and sen? tenced to life imprisonment. He be? gins serving his term pending an ap? peal to the State Supreme Court. Geo H. Hurst, Undertaker and Embalmer. 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