7 ' I * '* f* '* ■ v’ * O , ' I “i/ L*S f* lii> IfS, 1^ rvy Vote Always F’or Your ScKool! Vote F’or THe 20c Le'vy Next 'IHiesdkiy’! HARNETT COUNTY NEWS DEVOTED TO THE INTEREST OF HARNETT COUNTY PRlBlARlLY. AND OF THE STATE (GENERALLY. VoL IX—No. 19 fl.90 PKR YKAR—5c A COPY Lillingtoiir N. C.« Thursday, May 12, 1927 If It Ccmcwm Harnatt, IFa in THE NEW!F* Haniett^s Peach Belt Approaching Harvest With Bumper Crop LOCAL SCHOOL TO OPEN FINALS IN PLAY FRI. NIGHT MAX QAKDNlSi TO OP£N DURHAM EXPOSmON Owing to Difficulty in Securing Speakers, Commencement Will be Drawn Out Over Long Period with ft lltUe less than five hund red scores of treoH heavily loaded with fruit, Hmrnet'.'s peach belt Is Just uow commaoding fulltime ates- tlon of the buBieist force I'nat ever tiUed the saudy-loam soil of these realljr-4rue sandhills. Besides the cultivating, dusting and spra3’ing which these well-manicured Efberta and Georgia Bell "srtalte” require, there Is the annual soil dinner of eight hundred pounds of “Peach Special” per acre that must be given in order to fatten the luscious fruit. For the maiden blush so much ad mired by peach-lovers, old Mother Nature has endowed Harnett soil with a clay underlay as smooth as if machlne-4aid. And then there is the aalulbrious climate that “chips in” with its share of the help which each year manages to ibrlng forth double-ifist size peaches that for beauty and flavor cannot ibe sur passed. All of which may seem to the un initiated as so much Ibraggadocio. But never does a visitor Iq Harnett's peach orchards claim the privilege of having seen finer fruit than that pro duced here. Harnett’s peaches have such winning ways, in fact, that a friendly crate sent by a local gentle man to New York last year ibrought reply that nothing of the kind had ever ‘been seen In Gotham, Such is fame, even for youth, for the Har nett orchards are Just coming into full growth. Reaching Maturitj' This season is the third year of bearing for the Fruit Growers and Edwards Orchards at Llllington, and the crop prosfpect is exceedingly bright. Dr. J. W. Halford, president and foremost promoter of the Fruit Growers, places a conservative esti mate at thirty to forty carloads from his company’s orchards. He states that the trees hold ninety-five per cent of full crop, and when one looks through the orchards the impression made is that there would be no place for the other five per cent because every tree is loaded to such an ex tent that when grown the fruit will weight the lirnib.s to the ibreakln'g point. This fact, coupled with the further circumstance that the peach crop elsewhere is remarkatoly short this year, should augur well for the local peachmen in the way of finan cial returns from the 1927 crop. The peaches are now a^bottt the .size of a guinea egg and are healthy in appearance with very slight drop pings. While the dusting, cultivating and fertilizing Is going on, pickers are going through the orchards gather ing up the droppings and 'burning them. In-sects- which have deposited eggs in these fallen peaches are not allowed to propagate their kind. Another dusting will be given aibout the imlddle of July. iT'he lasit week In July and the first weeks In August w'lll be harvest days. The Llllington Growers are memfliers of the Sand hill Fruit Grower-?’ Association, and all fruit Is marketed through that organization. Iced cars are .sent to the local orchards where they arc loaded. They are then billed to the association's dlfftriibuting points. Dr. Halfo-rd estimates that his force of peach harvedl.ers this year will need to be afbout 2^0 In number. Thus ll will be seen that a sizalbie payroll will be furnb-hed for a few weeks. 'Hie iPrettiest OrchanI One of the pr6ttle.t small or chards ever seen in the history of peach culture is the Edwards or chard. adjoining the Fruit Growers tract, Mr. Marvin Edwards, local manager, manicures his trees, thrush es and sweepis the hills and cultivates the soil with almost as much care as be would bestow upon his own prim person—and he is no slouch at all. Visitors as well as mere travel ers along the highway that leads by the Eld'wards orobirda gaze In wonder at the neatness that must require so much patience; ibut harvest time brings reward. Each season Mr. Ed wards fiills hundreds of orders that come from east, wefafl, north—coast to coast—for fancy peaches. These fancies are packed in what is called "flats," four dozen to the flat, and they bring fancy inlces. A shipment to Minnesota last year brought vol untary praise that would' have been appreciated by California fruitmen. On the big hUI that rises in the midlst of the targe Fruit Growers or- cbaiidK sMs a dwelling that is used by the 'field manager. iFrom this vantage point, the sandhills further to the south can be seen punctuattog the skyline. The view inspires one to speculation. What If the trees on a thousand bills were peach-laden iiiirtead of being merely blackjack! Some day, maytbe. they will. Or perhaj»s their high domes will point the way to independence, and the price of cotton will be the least thing to furrow the brow of Harnett farm ers. The Kind of Soil The way to find soil upon which peaches will thrive is to look first for the roumj-leaf blackjack—ailways the rouudleaf, not the forked. Un der the roundleat blackjack Is found a suibsoil of clay, smoo'th and even, twelve to eighteen inches below the topsoil of sandy loam. Peaches planted on such soil will thrive. If the extra care is taken to “spot” the orchard so that air drainage may be .Hccured. This thing called air drain age is funnj', but It is Just as im portant as soil drainage. Ever feel the air draining, as you pass along the way? You will note it ,by the warm air currents mingled with the coo), crisp air. Especially on a frosty spring evening, when traveling along the way, you may feel a balmy puff of “loose" atmosphere waiPt Its way across your face, to 'oe quickly fol lowed by a snappy, crisp current that causes you to unmindfully grasp fox the two hem.s of your coat. In one second it’s frosty, then in another it’s summertime. That’s air drain'* age on the drain. How to (Find It The air drains In these sanidbilis, and the soil drains. A small group of multimlilionalTes have built a pre tentious v/lnter clu'b further out in Wes^tern Harnett, They call it Ovw’- hills, pro'baibly because of the fact that if yau get anywhere In that nelgWbtorhood you must cert'adnly go overhills. But are these hills healthy? Lel'e see. The principal promoter of Overhills, Mr. Percy Rockefeller, has his own home there. Me spcii't thousands of dollars em ploying expert climatologists to rsearch out all data o'btainaible on healthy places in Atnerlca. They went everywhere in the country where they could find healthy look ing places. They noted this, that and the other advantage and disad vantage. And then they came back to Overhllls and reported to Mr. Reckefeller and his associates that here is the one 'best spot in America where every advantage can be found. Result: Overhills, where the richest people in the United States play in winter, and sometimes in summer.' The personnel ‘Ot the Overhllls group would make those of some other re sorts look rather cosmopolitan, if placed in com'pailson with wealth. But 'that Is not peaches, and this l.s a peach story. The sidestep y/as taken only to point out what a peach of a country Harnett county is. Those who have Invested in the In dustry ieel that this year they will e,xperieiicc a comeHbacfk In prices. They slrauld so. They have not made much money yet, because tbelr trees are Just now coming into full bearing, and' because of the further fact that the bottom dropped out of (he pes/Ch market la‘Jt season. If the country Is not all'ogether bank rupt, the local peach growers should receive ibetween thirty and forty thousand dollars for their fruit this year. Let u.s hoipe the market holds firm. Opening the commencement peri od with a playlet tomorrow night In high school auditorium, Llllington High School’s closing exercises wUi extend this season over two weeks. The closing program in full is as follows; Friday, May 13, 3:00 o’clock— High School Operetta. Sunday, May IB. 11:00 o’clock— Commencement Sermon, Dr. E. D. So*per, Dean School of Theology, Duke University. Monday, May 16, 3:00 o’clock— Senior Class Play. (Tuesday, May 17, 8:16 o’clock— Dedlaimation and Recitation Contest. Friday, May 20. 8:15 o’clock—(1) Seventh Grade Exercises, (2) Op eretta from Elementary Grades. 'Mon'day, May 23, 3;0'0 oclock'— High School Plano Recital. Tuesday, May 24, 8:15 o’clock— Class Day Exercises. IVednealday, May 26, 3:30 o’clock —Elementary Plano Recital. 'Wednesday, May 25, 8:16 d’clock — (1) Commencement Address, Dr. Oscar Haywood, formerly pa^or Cal vary Baptist church, New York City, (2) A'wardlng of Diplomas. There will be only two programs for the entire commencement for which there will be charged admis sion. Admission to the High School O'pefetta, F*riday night, May 13, will be SiBc and BOc. On Friday, May 29, aidmisslou of 20c and 3Be will be charged. There are seventeen students who will draw diplomas from the high school this year, twelve girls and five boys. TRIBUTE TO VETS DEAD AND LIVING ON MEMORIAL DAY Exercise* and Decoration of Graves at Cbicora Attended by Harnett’s Last of Thin Grey Line TELEGRAMS TO PAUL GREEN Former Mayor J. C. Thomson has received the following ielegram from Paul Green: “It pleases me more than ttny- thing to feel that my home folks are non entirely disappointed with what titlle I do. 1 congratulate myeelf on having such friends. May "we never fail each other.” N'umerous telegrams and letters of congratulation went from LilHng- ton and Harnett People to Mr. Green upon announcement that be had won the PuUtzer prize of 11,000 for excellence aa a pJaywrlght. “M Albraham’s Bosom" is the title of the play that won the prize -for Mr. Green a few days ago in New York where the awards were made. Mr. Green, now assistant proJes- sor of phtloeophy oit the University of Norlth Carolina, is a son of the late M-r. and Mrs. W. A. Green, the old home being -near Buie’s Creek. Harnett county''8 remnant of the thin grey line of the Confederacy was at Cbicora Tuesday to atte'nd memorial exercises and witness the decoration of heroes’ graves by the talr hands of the Daughters of the Confederacy and others. Only about twenty men now survive In this county, according to Captain J, H. M-cAllister of Daniel MbDougald camp No. 1662. Mr. Joe went down to attend the exercises an-d reported that he enjoyed it greatly. The veterans recently went to Tampa, Florida, to attend the annu al reunion , and they caime ‘back looking hale and hearty. They were dined and otherwise entertained to their heart’s content. Memorial Day (May lO'th) was quietly olbeerved'. The bank was the only business institution that closed. The day is a Southern holiday. iMay 30th is Federal Memeorial Day an-d Is declared a national h'olidky. Durham. May li.—0. Mitx Gard ner, conceded by many to be ^he next Governor of North Ctirolina,| has ac cepted the invitation extenJedi him to open the Durham exposlttcm which will be held In this city during the week of M»y 16.—The Shslfiy man. proflyabily one ot the best kfiown fig ures In North Carolina poUllcal life, Is one of the oUte’s best orafors, and officials of the exposl-tion feifi that he will attract an enoiunous srowd on the opening night of the e^osltlon. The exposition le being staged under the auspices of the Durham Mer chants’ Association wHth the view of showing to the people of this section of the Rtate the wide deversification of products made and Sold here. One of the most elaborate programs ever presen't'ed in this aei^on of the state has been prepared tofi the week and includes musicians and speakers of note, in addition to other features. WOMAN SH90TS HER HUSBAND IN PRESENCE or SON Quarrel in Dunn Home Results in Wife Slayinf Husband— She Says He Was Abusing Her “All Night” LOCAL PUPILS WIN HONORS Miss Josle Avent, memibey of the senior clash in the Llllington High School, wins second prize in the State Wide Essay Contest, which was en titled', "Safety First." Thle prise will be awarded Mise Avent along with ber dflploma, at coun-mencement. This is the fourth pupil in the Lillin'gtoa High School, who has 'been given etate honons within a year. In March Miss Kate Page was one of the ten best French contestants who took the examination at Chapel Hill. Two wee'ka ago Miss Margaret Bag gett won third place in the State Wide Music contest. This was con- sedered a great dMlnotion owing to the fact that Margaret had been trained'-almost solely 'by listening to the piano and In the conbeM at Ral eigh, the contest wan from pbonor graph records. Last spring Miss Mary Fuquay won fifet prize in the State Wide Latin Contest. We wish the pulbllc to realise that but few schools in tire etate have received such bon'brs In such a short time. Dunn, May 11.—Pearley H. Wade, 42, prominent farmer who lived one and a half miles east of Dunn, U dead and his wife, a few years younger, is In the custody of Sheriff Kyle Matthews, ot Harnett county, charged with firing the shot which bTtO.ugbt almost instant death to her husfba’nd at seven o’clock Sunday morning. iTlie fatal shooting -took place in the Wade home, the only eye-witness except the husAukud and wife being their only child, a son eleven years old. Mrs. Wade is iS a highly -nervous state and has been under the care of a physician. Owing to her condition she was not questioned by the coro ner’s jury "which adfoumsd after ex amining the son and C. H. Pope, a brother-in-law who Hived near the scene of the shooting. The Jury .met again on Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock to finish the Inquest. Sberifl Matthews did not place Mrs. Wade In Jail, but .she is bel'ng cared for in the home of a nelgbjbar under guard. According to the evi dence brought out by the coroner’s Jury today the victim of the shooting was drinking and was in the act of striking his wife when she fibred at close range, the bullet piercing Ms breast. The bullet was fired from a thirty-two caliber Smith and Wesson pistol which was found lying on the floor in the halt. The plstoQ con tained a full round of cartridges,' one of them hav.lag been fired. The -son stated that be was awakened by his father cursing his mother, -that he s&'w him' 'back her into a corner ol the room in which he slept and raise his hand as if to strike her. At that time the pistol fired and his father fell across the bed. The father had been abusing and threatening the mother moat of the night he said. Immediately following the shoot ing Mrs. Wade and the son ran from the house and to. the home of Mr. Wade’s mother near by. C. H. Pope, whom she first met after the shoot ing, Slated before the coronef’a Jury that Mrs. Wade told Mm that she had killed her hu^nd. Mr. 'Wade lived only a short time and never spoke after he was reached by aeighA>ora attracted by the shoot ing and the screams of the woman. Both 'Mr. Wade and his wife are! promlnentily conneoted being mem bers of highly respected families. They were regular attendants at church and Sunday school a-nd news of (the affair came as a distinct sur prise and created quite a sensation here. Tbe dead man was a large planter and one of the most success ful farmers In the Dunn dietrict. COUNTY CONVEN TION OF COTTON CO-OPS HERE FRI Tomorrow at 2 P. M. Harnett Members Will Meet to Se lect Five Delegates to 6th District Convention Calls are befing Issued to members of the North Carolina Cotton Grow ers Cooperative Aosoctattoo in Har nett County for their Annual County Convention to be held In the court house on Friday, May IS, at 2:00 P. M. The purpose of the Conven tion will be to select the county’s quota of five delegates to the Sixth DliOtrlot Convention which will be held at Raldigh on May 17, at 2:00 P. M. Llllington District To Vote Mainten ance High School SUPT. GENTRY MAKES IT PLAIN The County Convention wMch will be held Friday is a part of ,the Ae&o- clatlon’s annual election of directors. The memibera ot each county meet in the County Convention and select the county’s quota of delegates to their District Convention. The delegates from the various counties in each diattrlct wiM meet in 'the District Con vention and select two nominees to be voted upon lor Director for ihal district, In the General Election. The nasnes ot the candidates nomi nated will :be placed upon postal card ballots which will be mailed to all members in the district. The mem bers will return those ballMs to Dis trict Headquarters by not later than June 7th which is the day of the gen eral election. In this way the mem bers In each district elect the direc tor tor that dletrict. The County Conventlop is a very Invportant part ot the election pro gram and It is expected that a large number of members will attend. Mr. E. W. Smith of Dunn, R. 4, will open the Convention as tem-po- rary chairman. COMPLETE ROAD TO COUNTY LINE AT MANCHESTER Suparvisor Ballard Movc» His Forc« to Momors to Build Road to Spring Hill-— State to Build Angier- Erwin Road A CORRECTION In Itie News of March 10th ap peared an Item in Recorder’s Oo-urt Vtatlng that Boy Thomas was charg ed 'With hausfbreaklng and larceny. It was an error, and attention ol The News baring been called to the matter, it Is gladly eorreoted. The name should have been IU>y Adams a^ not Roy Thomas. RKV. S. T. MOYiJe IMPROVING Writing TiMiMi, • for BSc, at IHm 'Nevrs ofii^. Rev. 8. T. Moyle who bos been ooibflned to his katine with lllnees Is reported as being mach better. He was nnalUe-to fill bis appofutinents last Sunday sad former Senator J. R. Bagtett fiUad the palplt for him. The county highway from Lilling- ton to the Cumborland line near Manebester having been coonplet'ed. Road 'Supervisor M. L. Ballard' Tues day moved his ,furce to Mamers, where he began work on the highway from that point to Spring Hill church. Trafiac Is otpen on the Lil- lliVgton-iCumiberland road and travel ers can go alt the way through on the new road to -the cumiberland line, from tbence detouring a fraction of a mile to reach the Cu'mberlund county road into Manchester. It is expected that the Oumtberiand auth orities will soon order the short space beit'weeo the two roads built so that 'traffic may go straight on through. Except for some slight bumps caused bv newness of the road>, the LUllngton-KJumiberla'nd highway ie declared to be as good as any earth-surface highway in the State. On the 'propoeod road from Erwin to Angler the State Highway Com- missiou engineers are surveying 'with the idea of building the road on pbst Angler to connect with Route 21 into Raleigh. Maps, iprints, profiles, etc., made by Enlgineer-W. T. Smith have been turned over to the State high way forces, and it is expected that engineers will have the outline of the road ready for letting of contract soon. Gupervlaor Ballard has a force of about 25 con'vicU with which 'to cou- eiruct the Mamera-Rprlng Hill road. The county highway board has pur chased up-to-date 'machinery with which to build roads, and It Is ex pected that the State 'wiU ultimately take over for maintenance -punposes all of the principal roads so con structed. It has been suggested that the undersigned prepare a statement rel ative to the facts connected with the special tax election for schools to' be held in the Llllington district' on May 17th. These facts were given by the editor of The Ne(W8 lest we*ek. Due to the importance of this mat ter, we are repeating therm here: 1. The election was called think ing a term of nime months could b# financed. This does not appear to be possible with the present valua tion. It is our understanding that the term is to remain at eight months this election' will iprovide with the present pro’perty valuaKiion in the district. 2. The special tax rate at present is 65 cents, and should be divided as follows: 30 cents for maintenance, and 3i5 cents for luddhtedness for building and. equipment. Thirty cents is the only rate ever votfMl for maintenance so far as we can find. 3. The county authorities have assumed the indebtedness and the 35 cents mentiomed above cannot be levied anymore. 4. The remaining 30 cents main tenance rate 9s the only special school lax left on the Lilltngton dis trict. 5. The term for six months will be supplied entirely by the county. The two months ibeyon'd the six months will be furnished entirely by the district. 6. The total valuation at present ot all property in the Llllington dis trict ts $1,623,690. A 30c levy on .,thl8 valuation will amount to $4,- 8'7X.07 gross. We need to siilbtract at least $250.00 from this lor col lection and for uncollected taxes. This leaves a net amount ot $4,- 6t21.07. 7. It will require $6,700.00 to operate the Idllinfirtocn schoolc. on the present standard for two months. This means a shortage of $2,078.93 with the present local tax rate. The only way we know that this can be taken care of is by a vote of the peo ple to increase the special uax rate above 30 cents, 8. The district Is now paying a special tax rate of 65 cents. If the election is carried the special tax rate cannot be albove 60 cents. 9. The total tax rate for schools paid by the Llllington dliitrlct at present Is as follows: _ .82 General County 'Speciaf School Tax *65 Total $1.47 Since the coumty will imy all In debtedness and operate schools for six months, the general county rate will be increased. 'No one can know what this will be until property val uation has been totaled for tUe year and the school budget made. We think the Llllington schoiol can op erate on Its present 9t«.niiard next term with a special tax rate of 4>5c, but we may find that it will require BOc. The county tax rate can in crease to 97« be'fore total school tax for this district can be Increased 1£ the election carries. It may go to $1.0'2 before the total rate is in creased. We hope the voters will realize that a standard school vritb its pres ent degree of efficiency cannot (be maintained with the present availa ble special tax rate. Vie hope also that the voters will realize that the total maximum special tax rate that can be levied If the election carries Is 50 cents, or 15 cents lefts, than the rate now levied on the district. B. P. O'BNITRY, County Superintendent. DR. J. W. PBILLIFS TO MOVE 90 HIGH 'POINT Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Phillips, who recently moved from Lilllnlgton to Liberty to live, will next 'week move to High Point to 'make their home. Dr. Phillips, who was here Monday and Tuesday of this week, stated that he waa well pleased with Lfbeity, but that he had an opportunity tor wider practice In High Point. Or. Phillips 'praetlcedi here for severs) years, during which time he was county hsolte olBoer. DR. JOB M. McKAY CBIWaBRATHS H18 SKTY-BIXTH KIRTHDAY To The Hbrnetit County Nefwe: When Dr. McKay came home to dinner last PrMay, May 6, he was more 'pfleasurably surprised to find all of his children (ezicepi; John, who Is always so far away,) (prand-chlld- ren, 'brothers and sisters, who had come to celebrate bis Sdth birthday. In his busy routine, he had com- tpletbly foTgo'tten the d-ay, but we know he appreedaked the efforts of his family to show their love and appreciation of his I'on'g and loving service for them. It was indeed a happy 'day tor all of us, and we hope, Obd willing, tha t he may have 'many more birthdays. BttlA’s creek. N. C. To ithose citizens of Llllington School Distrl'Ct who "may be In doubt as to the Meaning of the special school election to be held nett Tues day It may be stated that the plain llact is that the effect of the electlom will 'be to replace the former special levy of 615. cents wMb the levy of 50 cents. If the election should fail, which is unthinkable, the special levy would be only SO cents, which would be sufficient to operate the school here for only six months. With the 20 cents added, makdng the total special levy 60 cents, the school can operate for eight months, as Is at present the case. The epee- iai levy cannot exceed' SO cents be cause that is the legaa limit. Any statement to the contrary is mis leading. Superintendent Oeiitry has estimated that it will not be neces sary for Llllington district to levy more than 46 cents special levy this year; if that be true, be rays, only 45 cents wUl be levied. •But what the people ot Llllington School District want Is an eight months school term. It was desired tbst the term be made nine months, but it has been clearly seen that the nine months term cannot be had at this time; therefore, all that is sought is to readjust the special tax rate so that the" school can operate as it hae been doing—^for eight months. Possibly at some future time the nine months term -may be secured In some other way. but that q'ueetlon is tfot before the people now. To repeat, the people of Llllington School District want school pC not than eight months. This length term is abeolutely necessary in or der to have an accredited high school. ChUdrec attending a school of less length ot term cannot gain credit for attendj^ng a high school. If it should so happen that this elec tion could be defeated, the' ficbool traaes which have been conveylM children from every point In tbw dis trict to Llllington aclioot would be used to carry the students to soms other point in the county where there Is a high school. For inetanoe, there is Anderson Creek where an excellent hlgK school is maintained; tlj^ere Is Lafayette; there Is Angier; there is CSoata, Bate’s Creek—all of these places have high eohoolS'where the students could be carried! But such a condition Is not what the peo ple oif Llllington want. The people of Llllington district want their children carried to LUlInglon school which already has all modern bnlld- Ings and facilities for graduating students with dlpN>maB that admK to the University and colleges. The News has tried to make the terms of the election plain. Last week a gentleman apiproached the editor and stated that the matter had not been made plain enough. The News has stated it as msarly as it knows bow to do. Furthormo/e, The Nc^e is of opinion that the mat ter is plain enough to everybody, ex cept possibly a few wh'o have been imposed upon by having wrong statements made*to 'tbern. It citi zens will got the facts straight, they will readily see that the protpoaltlon Is a fair and stralghtrofiwtird one, with no dedign whatever esoept to keep Harnett’s conntyseat in its present status with regard to school facilities. As was stated last week. The NeiwB would not undertake to advo cate something that ts not fair. Just and right. The News would not un der any cii’t^umstances presume that the people will conkioue tbelr faith in the paper’s Integrity if It shall favor something that le detiimentai to tbelr best interests. The Newn knows that the election nett Toes* day should be carried, and TYie Newii iMflleves thtt It will. .The News han more faith in the ipeople ot this community than to believe other wise. JUDGil TOWNBBNB €K>BB 90 HOLD OLAY COUBW Judge N. A. Townaend of Dub'S passed hbrougb LiUlngton last SaV urday on his way to day county where he is holding court this weak. Going such a distance away from hfs home county, the Judge felt that be was beginuing hla real Jndleial pil grimage and he stoppad' Jong enough to shake hande with trlcnda wko wished him great affocean on the bench. Ottaalng the dollar ao muck is prob ably rwhat makes It ahy and hard to oatoh. J f ■> 'M