North Carolina Newspapers

I MMaMMMMMMlWWMMMMMMMlMMaMMMMMlWW lj IMM MMMibmpm 1 1 111 II HIllHMaHIIMIMl II l III I III I I II II I r V OL. XXII. WELDON, N. C THURSDAY, DECEMBER Hi, 1891. NO. 3S n laliiiiMllffll THE I'.XKXri'CTEiXiUEST. Au Cdd Cliri3tma3 Story of Twin HOU308. i;on- .OXGF.Il was very eccentric, v c r,v peculiar. IK' was learned ami I'ii'li but e (i n spicuotisly lacked coiumon- MM-.v. XoVlT tiic'.ss ho WHS lucky t-i u: c.- tl'llt (Kissing belief, mli it men 1 1 i 1 u d ".'OS v ,'1 J t'::it liii: 1 1 v for yours ami used the best jiiik'tucnt, but their ventures failed. Kate was their relentless enemy, lion luiM.vr would do something which in t!,v eyes of the wise stamped him as a ft ,t,l. and yet his seemingly brainless net would living liim a small fortune. lis li ','liood was one of ease, his father Ij in' in good circumi.tanees and requiring m t ! iti more of his son than that lie should go to school nnd college ami learn from boohs all that he could. Uudolph had a splendid memory, and absorbed pvint -d knowledge as readily as a snoii;;,' sucks up water, lie gave no attention to anything except hooks until tli" death of his father compelled him to thin!; how ho should live and pay his Pills. 'Hie fortune left him was im.ile.-t. ai.d his friends, knowing what a lamentably impractical person he was. advised liim to put Ids money in a savings li;"-.li, not to marry, and to live economically, lie rejected their ad vice with scorn, lie wished to travel alir a. I and enjoy luxuries, lie in vested nearly all of his fortune in a gold laiue. His friends were horror-stricken. Tin y said his money would surely he lost in the wildcat scheme, and that, us he was utterly incapable of making a living, he would be obliged to go to the noorhouse, an. I eventually, perhaps, tii the retreat for imbeciles. I'.ut to thu surprise of the foreboders the mine sonn proved to he one of the richest on tins continent and in a few years l'u ilnlp'i ..M'ssed 11 half million dollars. Henceforth his career was marked by a succession (if lucky blunders. lie would liny real estate in n wilderness where ot.lv ti c remains of Indian tribes could he per-ii;:i'i d to dwell, and in a year's time a nu, road would he run through lu.s lainiaad he would sell building lots at it ha;.i!.-oi;ie profit for the establish ment of 11 villa g. lie did other things equally absurd, but made money every time. In spite of his many eccentricities he secured for a wife a beautiful und ac I'oaiplidicd girl. How she ever allowed herself to marry liim was a inarvel to those v.lio knew them. Hut they ap peared to live happily together. Their children, twins named .lames and Edith, were sensible like their mother. The family resided in a tine country mansion about a wile from the out skirts of lloston. Their nearest neigh I'or was a well-to-do farmer whose son, Mm lleiidriekson, a sturdy and prac tical young man, fell In love with kilith i;,iu!oiH'cr when she was eighteen .Tears old. Hut .Mr. Iioulonger wished liis daughter to marry u college-bred man who was the descendant of an old md cultured family. Another require- "-III . . t t 'i s it 7k ro,: CAN .'.I.VKU MAIIKY MT DAL'OUTER." faent tV:s Hat the 8iitor should either r, ,K' er: n;'h to frail a life of elegant 'troor else sluniUI be n professional w! iloctor or lawyer 'admissible, but l.','.r Pfoferred. Th:t Edith should v i icre fanner wan preposterous. imm vim mm s; . .-''tip wi Air. JJoulonjrer Uii not UW llenaricli.son tor a reason that will late appear. "It will be useless to speak to father." said Edith to John one Christ mas eve. "He will never yivo his con sent to my marrying you." "Nevertheless I will speak to him," replied the bold lover. "Ho shall know that I dare to face him." Mr. Iloulonper sat in his library when the .young man Was ushered into his presence. The eccentric gentle man assumed an air of dignity and clothed his countenance with an ominous frown. He believed that his demeanor alone would dishearten his intended victim. I!ut llendriclcson was not awed at all. Aristocratic preten sions had midfeet upon the independent American except to make him despise them. "You can never marry my daughter," said Mr. I'.oulonger, in weight v tones. "Why?" "For varioii'.-; reasons. The most im portant one is that you do not belong to 11 cultured family und are not college bred. You are neither an Artium Dacca lanrcus nor an Artium Mivjixttr. More over, you deceived me when 1 bought that .Jersey cow of you. As soon as she was in my stable 1 ordered my hired man to milk her. Ho reported that he could not obtain any milk Thinking the pail might leak, I ordered him to go to a tin shop and buy a new, tight pail, lie at once obeyed. He placed the new pail under the cow and again manipulated the udders. There was nc How whatever. The cow's bag was small and shrunken. It was a cleai case of desiccation. For lacteal pur poses the animal was useless. I sold her that very day." Ilendriekson could scarcely restrain a shout of laughter. "There was nothing the matter with the cow," he exclaimed. "I had milked her just before sending her to your place and of course her bag was empty." Kudolpli was not astonished. Evi dences of his stupidity were tro fro- OH, FATIIKRl SPARK HIM!" quently brought to his attention U cause him any uneasiness. Moreover he was too pigheaded to acknowledge an unwelcome truth while he could think of any pretest with which to com bat it. "An ingenious excuse on your part,'' he replied, stillly, "but it will not an swer. You must recollect that I have studied the genus bovine scientifically. 1 have one hundred books relating U) t'.ie breeding nnd nurture of cattle aud to the discas.'s to which they are liablo. I have read every one of them books through and can speak with nil authori ty unknown to the empirical fanner in this neighborhood. I know when a cow is in a normal condition; nnil 1 say lioil the Jersey that ymt sold me wim h farrow cow that had longceased to yield unv lacteal lluid." Hciiili u !;soti s'-hiii left In dispist. Had he not loved the daughter deeply, he would have objected to marryin;; into a family the head of which was so great u fool. It was n snd Christmas eve for the lovers. John bade Edith farewell with Hie knowledge that a long time would eioh:;bly elapse before they could meet again. As for Mr. Houlonger, he made up his mind that his children were being vul pii'iA'd by too much contact with rural influences, nnd the family moved into the city, where they boatded at a hotel during the greater part of tlie next year. In conformity with his eccentric 'tendencies Mr. lioulonger, when spring arrived, set about carrying Into effect a lot r i !'eri..'.:eii plan. 11c purchased two ad;Oi:-.ing building lots in the sub s of liostoii nnd erected upon them two largo square houses that wt nunt ami patntea just aiine. lie also furnished the houses so carefully and ar ranged their ontents so systematically that the interiors of the structures wen exactly similar. His son and daughter were twins, he said, and ought to live in twin houses, his design being to have James live in one house aud Edith in the other after each had succeeded in getting married, lie selected a minis ter for Edith; but the young lady did not favor her father's plan, and thu dominie made as poor progress in his courtship as he did in writing sermons that contained original and interesting Ideas. Finding that his children would not marry immediately. Mr Iloulonger moved with his family into one of the furnished houses and rented the other house to a Mr. llclnnp, a friend who also knew John Ilendriekson and liked him well. Meanwhile .lames Iioulonger had act ed as a confidential messenger between his sister and her lover; and the three, with Mr. Eeluap and Mrs. Iioulonger as confederates, devised an artful plan by which it was hoped the elder Iiou longer might bo persuaded to accept Ilendriekson as a urn-in-law. At the approach of the holiday sea son the young fanner came to l'.oston and became the guest of Mr. Ilelnap, much to the annoyance of Rudolph Iioulonger. Nothing of interest occurred until Christmas eve. Then in the midst of a blinding snowstorm James Iioulonger returned home at midnight. The rest of the family were abed and asleep aud James retired to his couch without delay. An hour later the household were startled from their slumbers by theory! "Robbers, robbers!" James Iioulonger dashed out of his bedroom and Bred his pistol. Old Rudolph was aroused, and with a rifle in his hand ran out, of his sleeping apartment on the first floor. Father and son met in the dining-room where much expensive silverware, which it had been hoped would grace the (.'lnv.t mas dinner the next dav. had been stored in a sideboard. 'li,e sliver hud not been disturbed. "We are just in time," cried Rudolph. "The rascals would soon have secured all of our silver had they not been frightened. 1 do not hear them, but they have probably not gone from the house. They are undoubtedly armed and may fight desperately." His ardor was not so great ns it was at first. Hut James was full of prowess and his father reluctantly followed him to the kitchen. "There he is!" cried Rudolph. as he saw a man dart into an entry that led to the cellar. With hands that trembled vio lently the old man raised his rifle and fired at random. The room was filled with smoke, and Rudolph was at the same moment filled with confidence. He was not afraid of a robber who re treated ns if he were unarmed. Ru dolph put another cartridge in his gtia and quite boldly opened the door con necting the entry with the cellar. "For God's sake!" cried a voice in the darkness, "do not shoot again. I am John Ilcndricksun." "Ha! it is you, you rascal. Just what I've expected; you've become a robber. I'll dispose of you so that you'll never sell another dried up cow," shouted Rudolph; and again he blazed away, although he could not see Ilendriekson. "Father, oh, father, spare him! It is all a dreadful mistake!" cried Edith, as she pinioned her infuriated parent's arms with her own. "Listen to me just n moment," said Ilendriekson in excited tones as he ap peared from behind a barrel when he saw that there was to be a cessation in the hostilities. "You know that 1 have been visiting Mr. Ilelnap. and that this house ami the one in which he lives are just alike outside and in. I approached this house in the midst of blinding snow, thinking it was the right one. I found the door unlocked, bat supposed Mr. Ilelnap had forgotten to secure it u f lor him. I entered and locked the door. Every object 'about me was fa miliar. I descended to the kitchen and left my eoat and rubbers there. 1 then returned to the parlor and lighted a lamp. Not feeling sleepy I read for about an hour, having found a copy of the sanv; boo!: which I had been read ing at Mr. Rclnnp's. A bout one o'clock I went to the bedroom which 1 sup posed was mine, and to my intense sur prise found your son in it. He was awake and was after me with a pistol in an instant. You know the rest." "Did you leave the door unlocked?" nsked Mr. Iioulonger, turning toward his son. "I declare, I believe I did," said James. lie did not add, however, that he had left the door unlocked purposely nnd wa.i not surprised by what had subse quently occurred. Rudolph Iioulonger shuddered, rot know ing that he had been firing blank cartridges that had thoughtfully been provided for his use, nnd was glad that ho had not killed au Innocent man. He felt that ho had greatly wronged John Ilendriekson; he observed with alarm the highly-wrought feelings of his daughter; his nerves were too much shaken for him to deny that the twin boue which his ecoeatricity had cnuKo,, cr-c- Illrnlsh aiiko were responsible for the unwelcome oc currence, and he was glad to make peace by giving the intruder permission to marry Edith. The next day the family sat down to a splendid Christmas dinner in their home, and John Ilendriekson, the un expected guest, was entertained by them in a very pleasant manner. "It is a fitting occasion for a reconcil iation," said Rudolph Iioulonger, whose recent experience had made liim un usually regardful of religion. "I for one am glad to feel the influences of a mi 7 i'k ' m iikpmm W VIM "I'KAl'K ON r.AKTII.' day that has brought 'peace on curth and good-will to mci.'" The others acquiesced in the worthy sentiment. Mr. and Mrs. John Ilendriekson and Mrs. and Mrs. James Iioulonger now re side in the twin houses, and every Christmas the two families and Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Iioulonger dine together in one of the peculiardwellings. It is said that on one of the happy oc casions Rudolph Iioulonger was gently told of the ruse by which he had been deceived, Edith and her husband ex cusing themselves by saying that there had been love and war and that all tactics wore fair in both. It is further reported that the old gentleman for gave the couple, having in the mean time learned from the owner of the Jersew cow that that animal had given a good mess of mill: eight hours after shu had left the Iioulonger farm. J. A. liol.I.KS. More H i viiiiitf Tl'.ia Timo. Mrs. Cobwigger Now, my dear, if you will cook the plum pudding just as I tell you. it will keep a year. Mrs. Ilrowii Alii You don't know lohnnie. Lif Ttiu AlsHtliio I'hriHt-C'liiltl." In France it is the J.kiik bain-bin, Christ-chil I, w ho comes. Among the Alsatians a beautiful young girl person ates this character, and, with a bell iu one hand aud sweetmeats i-i the other, sl'.e goes about tlie village distributing the coveted gifts among the children. WhikIimi Shoes fur KrU Uriiilu All over Germany Christmas is cole. brated with much ceremony, and hun dreds of little wooden shoes wait for Kris Ivringle's coining. There is noth ing that clings so tenaciously to the childish mind as the advent of Christ mas. IX THE VUAK OF HIJACK, ISO I. r - j V- 4 ' ,'5' i "liow foolish It is. Aunt Sadie, for mamr.ia to try and make me believe that 'Santa Claus' comes down the chimney and fills my stockings. I sup pose it worked all right when you were j a little girl, but it is such a chestnut j now! However, it pleases mamma, so I don't let on that I know." Life. Sober Seroml TIloilRht. Head of Firm (to office boy) Here, take this box of iifirs anil distrinuie j them around the office for Christmas. Ofdce Hoy Yes sir. (Hurries off). Head of Firm-Hold on. I guess you'd ; better wait uutil after I go home. Life, j (Jtilte Surprlrtins. Mr. Green No, my dear, I will not tell you what I'm going to give you for Christmas. Why can't you women be content to wait nr.d be surprised? Mrs. Creeii-Ua, tell me now. If you keep your word, I'll be surprised enough. Puck. . i SOME CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS. How a HuinorNt Secured a I'sefut 1'reneut lor II in Wifo. CS2 HKiJvraiAS. as has been said, I think by some great writer, comes but once a year. It is a mighty fortunate thing &1&S!vS2j ii,, i, .i, .,. come twice. 1'e rh aps it doesn't crow d even- one to the uut tnen every one hasn't such a penchant for keeping always in the neighborhood of penury as I have. Awhile ago my father took it into his head that there was money in ra -ing hogs, so he paid 10 for some squei crs, fed them g(u worth of corn a 1 sold S7S.G0 wortii of pork. A dri. ing toward a sort of pig penury, '. says. One Christinas followeth so close upon the heels of another that the spa of time, after it is past, is but as a ts that is told or a Wnterhury watch : the night. A Christmas past dclightol us not, but a Christmas present is a ja, to our sonl. And it is the Christmt present, Heaven strengthen us, that w all have to deal with. For my part I never know what t buy. Only once have I had things nl cut and dried for me. A little while he fore last Christmas I gave my celebrated funny lecture in a New England village, doing a one night stand for the benefit of the h. S. K. (i. S. S. II. society of the brick church with shingle roof sifr uate on the west side of the street as you leave the town. The name of tha lie 7 "001x0 at rrvn!" organization I found was thci Ladles Sewing, Reaping, Gossiping and Send ing Socks to the Heathen society. Which Heathen society they sent them to I never learned. Quite a good many people listened to my remarks, without more signsof pain than I have noticed everywhere. As one of the commiltecwomen remarked, facetiously, afterward, "there was more in the audience than there was in the lecture." I noticed that no one seemed to be putting on overshoes, while I was slow ly running down, or letting the cat die, as you might say, and after 1 had got off my final bon mot and didn't have a single bong mo' to get off, I sat down, but everybody stayed. Then the presi dent of the society came to me and said: "Mr. Hood, our society has been making a autograph quilt. Ten cents to put your name on a block, you know. It's got over 400 blocks into it, iii.d we've raised pretty near S"'U for the heathen now. We thought, while everybody was here and it was so near Christinas, we'd have you auction the quilt off." So 1 got up and held up the quilt nnd stepped on the edge of it and fell down, ami everybody applauded and seemed to think it was a real clever thing to do. Mr. Hood then spoke iu substance ns follows: "How much am I offered for this quilt'.' It is a well-made quilt and is strictly non-partisan. The names, you will notice, are iu blocks of live; it is designed for protection; it won't tariT you're careful of it, will keep Silver Hill or any other man warm, and how much am I offered for it'.1" Then everybody laughed quite n lot iind nobody bid. I thought that they were afraid to speak up, so I said: "Well, now, I'll just start it at five dol lars. Who'll make it six'.' Going nt five at five. Give me the half. Five I have; six will you give me'.' Going at five-five-fi-fi-G-n-fi-fi-a do I hear the .dx? Five I'm bid; are yon all done? Going ut five, fi-fl-fi-fi-tl-fl-'u-fi-live. Give me a quarter somebody. Five I have; do I hear the quarter? Five I have going at five. Must I knock it down for such a paltry sum? Five I have; make it live dollars and ten cents. Five I have. Are you all done? Going, once going, twice going, twice going, three times. Won't some one please bid? nnd sold to a poor, misguided fool of a funny-lecture man for Bve dollars." And then the society all crowded mmi iff around me ami tnauKen me, and said that I was suuh a clever auctioneer, and if I hadn't been there to run the auction they wouldn't have got half so much. So they deducted a fiver from my fee, said they didn"', understand about the "local .," so I'd have to pay, my own hotel bill, and then they left me alone with my quilt,, I tried to giva it to the. landlord, but he said: "(Hi, hades, I wouldn't have the dumb thin;' around tlie house!" So a bright idea struck me, und I sent it home to my wife for a Christ mas present. She keeps it i:p on the spare bed. and I notice that folks that come to see us nowadays, expecting t stay several months, always begin tu weaken along about, the third night, and we never had a guest yet who could stand that quilt with four hun dred names on it for more than, a week without going stark mad. CuAHiJifi Nkwt'jn Hood. r HU'RoAll FOR CHRISTMAS. UKRAU fur men? , -VfcS'f'i C'arl.stmas with 1st U toe and ' i 3 K J l.v eheer ' "'slSS'f' !". cvervone is j.uy; ;$r-- I!ui ::! U-r good Iv r i s s lirinijle. :;, who brings !;U sleigh of To fill t!:e call area's stockings wt:!i bvcIi over flowing ru o a 8 ures. -1.1! II,. tn tu, 'hen fa- . , hear: .Tien gill , i,,VfM-) r-3!':i) '3 Christmas !it,-st ; Rita jcy divlno ana then are !:r!.ttt; iff i.i!-: pleasure crowoeu an ure. receiving Jutglai'.J r. i i. ircthoso v.ho Uno'.T the sweeter bliss i ! (.-ivfn The girls an. I t:iyg Iiafl Cirbtsms Joys with ea'.'ia excited, 1'ho h;'.!;i' In i r.ns at Christians charms claps 1IOV i:, '.'.Is. (!eli!.-l.teil-I lilt OU! '' . .s;.:i. v;!:n Ihfh icflll encct chf4 !i "i i s r.i v.'lcs c!:ir:!i,.f. Have t.. ! .. lis.' fiei ot t!iyo:.t' vhen Christmas !,:, . !.! ri.T.:iiyv When rn'.il v.-:n 1.: Mow an-1 h'a-i the snon tat v.-.i'.::; u;v Hr., a .lr -on. The C!!if'-.li..;t ire astow we sua in homos iS. v.::-.:: it-..: c !.;ry. Anil !. s I r ::'::t reiicct Its l'lfiit and merrj V.'hhv If i:.i h:m' Inolt down with love glad a,".;:e'.3 r.iai Kriss Krinrjo. Hurrah lor merry Chrlsicas vrlicn wc nil are O, Anil yule in n.:7r with brightest rav on mi- tlet,:,:' a:.,! :,ily; And pie uia! c.:':.; nail ;iuila,ng,-i aia'.ie the fea5 er-i r' nii''r grev.ing, And.'i''l Saat W'li Til - stool;!:. 's (luic!; Titt. tre ns u re i iverll o v. I r, g. II. C DODCE. Tho notion C.lrl's CI:-1st mas. Khe tossed her Christians toys a-,l,lrt. Her face with disappointment frownlnj. "Oh, de ir!" little maiden l;;hel "1 did so .,rt tmottier lirnwnui.T I" inry. I'ver.vl'uini: I'i f.ovi'W, unil Mr. Kano i-He And now wouldn't you like me, for u Christnuis present? Miss Alert Certainly, if you'll hang yourself on the Christmas Gee. Puck. novo:: ay sa.vt cl.us. '4 M.ilrWg Ivy Say, Dolph, I hope Santa Claus is, honest. Dolph Why? Ivy Cos them's my new stockings,, and I don't want them stole. Once a Week. THE MIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. ' "I don't expect ter git nothin', gentsr In it; but I jest hang it up because l' think it's de proper thing ter encourage, and keep up deso old and timo hotioredi customs." I'uck. III mi it . -V s ..) s