"THE PHANTOM EMPIRE"
Ftctinized by David Fluurnoy
From the MASCOT Motion Picture Serial
In Twelve Thrilling Chapter* ? Eplarodf No. 1
"THE THUNDER RIDERS"
Synopsis: Gene Autry's radio
broadcasts have made hi# Radio
Hanch a popular spot. Prof. Beet
son, coveting the radium on the
land, attempts Gene's murder.
Gene's death is also decreed by
Tika, Queen of the lost under
ground nation of Murania lying
under the ranch. Her horsemen
send Gene with t rankle and Betsy
Baxter, Ibis two youthful pals,
plunging over a clif.
As Queen Tika's terrible mask
ed Thuudir Kiders swept away,
Gene managed to grasp a bush
Just below the cliff-brink, Frankie
and Betsy ciung to nim as their
fall toward death was arrested.
But the bush was pulling loose.
In another minute ?
"Look"! cried Frankie in sud
den hope. "Our Junior Thunder
RtitersH"
The young members of his club
had galloped to the edge of the
opposite precipice. They now
burled a lariat across the gaping
chasm and Gene quickly looped
it about a tree. Then he, Frankie
and Betsy climbed hand-over-hand
to safety' among their friends.
"There's just time to reach
Radio Ranch for, your two o'clock
broadcast Gene," Betay reminded.
"And if you don't get there
you'U loae the contract." added
her brother.
They mounted and galloped for
Radio Ranch, arriving Just in
time.
^ sinister
Prof. Beetson beckoned to bis
Iriends. Cooper and Saunders.
??Autry doesn't suspect that we
tried to kill him; yet 1 know a
better means of getting rid of him.
If his partner Baxter were shot
if shells were found in Gene a
rifle ? yon see?"
Steathily they planted exploded
shells in Gene's rifle. Later, dur
ing the radio play, a shot rang out
and poor Baxter, father of Frankie
and Betsy, tell dead. An examina
tion disclosed the bullets in Gene s
'""Hold him for the sheriff'. '
Prof Beetson loudly ordered.
Frankie and Betsy hurried to
their friend's side.
"We know you would not shoot
our dad. Gene!" said Betsy, try
ing bravely to fight back the tears.
"And I'm going to prove 1
didn't Gene declared. "When the
sheriff gets here I'll be gone. If
I went to Jail I'd never llnd the
real murderers."
The secret killers clamored for
the sheriff to take Gene away.
But as the officer arrived, the two
fisted rancher broke from his cap
tors and vaulted into tne saddle^
In another moment faithful "Pico
had galloped with him Into the
hills.
"After htm," cried Beetson, in'
my plane!"
Never suspecting he was aiding
the actual murderers of Baxter,
the sheriff took a supply of tear
gas bombs and boarded the mad
Professor's airplane with Beet
sons henenman, Sharpe. as pilot.
And the rest of the plotters gloat
ed. sure that Gene Autry would
soon be killed or captured, leav
ing them free to seixe his radium
laden land. r
But they reckoned without the
dread men of Muranla!
Far down in that underground
nation, the cruel but beautiful
Queen Tika stared baiefully into
the marvellous television scre?n
which pictured all these foregoing
events. Around her in the con
trol-room* of gleaming bejewelled
metal were a myriad 01 miraculous
Inventions such as earth-men
would not achieve in the next yt 0
years. /
"Gene Autry must be captured
at all costs!" She cried. /?y war
rior. Drd. has failed Ui his first
attempt." Her beatftlful hand
swept up In an imperious gesture
to Argo, her stMamc chancellor.
"Give Ord ten lashes; then send
him again to [ake Autry ? or-lose
his head!//
Burning with shame and pain,
her Thunder tinard Captain. Ord.
swept surfaceward In the great
Muranian elevator and soon was
leading his iroupe of masked
horsemen after Gene Autry.
Gene saw the Muiantans sweep
ing towar'd him, ahd urged tirea
Pico to greater bpeed. He glanced
up as an ominous hum filled the
heavens. Beetson's piane was
looming toward him, too.
In the parachute compartment,
unknown to anyone, Frankie and
Betsy were hiding.
Rifles began to crack and
Gene's horse fell. Gene stumbled
along on foot, then the Thunder
Riders were upon him. They swept
him np and thundered away to
ward the secret mountain entrance
to Murania.
Miles underground, blonde
Queen Tika raged as she watched
the television screen.
"The airplane dares attack my
troop* with gas bombs!" . She
shrieked. "Suma, destroy It with
an aerial torpedo!"
Her gunner made ready an en
ormous radio-controlled torpedo,
pressed a button, and It flashed
out through the mountain-side, up
through the iky, straight toward
the doomed plane. Sharpe, the
pilot, saw it. He screamed. Then
torpedo met plane in a deafen
ing explosion.
(I/eara Frankie aad faUj
la this newspaper sort weea.) |
RECORD TRUCK SALES
Oetrolt. April 24.? The Chevro
let Motor Company to<}ay reported
that retail sales of trucks this year
to April 1, totalling 40,332. have
set a record for first quarter salet
for the last six years, and have
been exceeded only once before in .
the history of the company, in
the first quarter of 1929.
Special significance is seen in a
marked intaease in registrations
of 'half-ton Wucks, says the Chev
rolet announcement Issued by W.
E. Fish, manager of the truck
division, who declared that this
gain is a particularly healthy sign
in that it is conclusive evidence
that small merchants, whose busi
ness was the first to suffer in the
depression, are now coming back.
Chevrolet's smaller trucks, of
half-ton capacity, such as are
largely used by these small bust- ?
ness places, showed a 93 per cent
gain in registrations so far offici
ally reported, said Mr. Fish.
The high rate of sales, of all
classes of trucks, which establish- *
ed the first quarter of the year '
as the second highest In the hla- 1
tory of Chevrolet, says the com- '
pany's statement. Is ' continuing -
unabated, sales for the first ten c
days in April having shown a '
greater increase per cent over the *
same period of last year than did
the first quarter. Total truck sales
for the first ten-day period of "
April were 53SS. !e
Baraca-Philathea
Convention
The Franklin County Baraca- ,
Phitathea Convention will meet t
with the White Level Baptist ,
Church Sunday, May 5th, at 10 j
o'clock.
We are urging all classes to
have delegates at this meeting to {
represent your class. r
The following program will be ?
given: F
10 o'clock ? Opening Song Audi
ence.
Devotional O. A. Nelms,
White Level.
Welcome ? P. B. Murphy, White i
Level.
hesponse ? Albert Joyner, San ?
dy Creek.
Special Music ? Lawrence Bros. 1
Quartette, Raleigh.
Special Music? Durham Male
Quartette, Durham.
Heading of minutes of last
meeting.
Appointment of Judges and
compilttees.
Special Music ? Lawrence Bros.
Quartette. Kaleigh.
Special Music ? Durham Male
Quartette, Durham.
Roll Call by ciaases. j
Address ? Mr. Hubert May, i
Nashville, N. C. 1
LUNCH i
1:15 Special Music ? Mr. and]
Mrs. Lawrence Miller.
Introduction of Speaker ? Rev.
P. G. Walker, Castalia.
Address ? Rev. L. B. Reavls, '
Henderson. N. C.
Special Music ? Lawrence Bros. I
Quartette. Raleigh. 1
Report of judges and commit- ?
tees. / ' ?
Special Music ? Durham Male ?
Quartette, ^urham. j
Awarding of Banners. (
Benediction. "
_/ ' '
.In March the Catawba FCX
experienced its best month's busi
ness so far. First reports on April
indicate that it will exceed March, i
Protracted rainy weather over
much of the State haa delayed
spring plowing in many sections. '
Planting may also be delayed if J
l>ad weather continues.
Beer's Next Foe
NEW YORK . . . James J. Brad
dock (atove), New Jersey heavy-'
w fight, gets his chance at Max
Bacr 'a world heavyweight crown in 4
IS round June battle here. The New
York State Athletic Commission hai
approved the match. *
RECORD POURING
'Saginaw, Mich.. April 28. ? The
xay Iron foundry of the Chevrolet
lotor Company aet a new all
ime record for a single day's
louring on April IS with a total of
306 tona. The previous high re
ord waa 2162 tona, set one year
igo. The new record ? was made
vith twelve cupolas in operation. ?
On four aucceaalve days, end- "
ng with the record day, an aver
.ge of 2103 tons a day was pour
d. The total for the five-day week
ras 10,279 tons.
The foundry makes castings for
Chevrolet passenger cars and
rucka. including cylinder blocks,
ilstons, and clutch and transmis
ion housings. Parts are shipped
o the company'a aeveral manu
acturing planta to be machined
md finished ready for dispatch
o the ten Chevrolet assembly
ilanta throughout the United
itatea.
A recent carlot shipment of
toultry from. Martin County car
ied 15.256 pounds of poultry that
old for (2.282.84.
Halifax County rarmers are
ihowing more Interest in produc
ng certified seed for sale.
SPRING
t /
is now
HERE
Ind we are all ready for the sprint;
-uwh of cleaning, pressing and re
tiring of those almost an good a*,
new spring clothes laid away last i
rear' for wear this year.
We Make Them
Look Like New I
Be prepared for the coming of nice
tv eat Iter and step out in old clothe*
nade new by our modern processes
Ladies,' Men's and Child
re n ' 8 Wearing Apparel i
Cleaned, Pressed and Repair- 1
;d at Most Reasonable prices
PEARCE'S
DRY CLEANERS
H. R. PEARCE, Proprietor
HAIN 8T. LOtTISBCRG, N. C.
1935 CROSLEf
Shelvador Refrigerators
BEFORE YOU BUY SEE THESE
BEAUTIFUL MODELS
$79.50 and up
Easy Payments
Ask the owners of CROSLEY in Lonisbnrg:
Mrs. Wm. Barrow, Miss Virginia Foster, Mrs.
0. A. Raglan d, Mrs. J. E. Fulghum and
Mrs. Lewis Word.
BECK'S GARAGE
LOUMBURCrS OLDEST GARAGE
,.,7 - 1986 Ml
tl'TH GIBSON'S ENGAGEMENT
Wide Interest will be centered
ii the announcement made Sun
ay by Mrs. William Asa Gibson
f the engagement of her daugh
Br, Ruth Elaine, to Lawrence Clif
outon Houck. of Philadelphia,
ormerly of New Orleans.
Miss Gibson Is one of three love
y sisters, all of whom are general
avorltes In the younger set. Her
ather, the late William Asa Glb-j
on. was one of Birmingham's!
nost popular business men, and!
er mother is a charming repre-;
putative of distinguished South
ilabama families, prominently
dentified with the history of the
tate.
Mr. Houck Is the son of Mr,|
'rank Houck and the late Mrs.
louck of Henderson, N. C. His
?oyhood was spent In North Caro
Ina, but he has h??n in v?'w Or
eans for the past 10 years where
le has been associated with the
v n> ?? n a n n
The Well Knows Bye Specialist
Will be at Dr. A. H. Fleming's
Office, Louis burg. N. a
THURSDAY, MAY 16th
Prom 10 A. H. to 9 P. H.
Bohn Motor Company. He is now
connected with Neiman Motors.
Inf., in Philadelphia, where he
and his bride will make their
home.
Plans for the wedding are to
be announced later. ? The Birm
ingham News.
Mr. Houck was a former Louis
burg boy and Is the son of Mr. M.
F. Houck, who was a popular con
tractor in Loulsburg several years
ago.
Good lespedeza growing weath
er this year has aided the balanc
ed farming program in Martin
County. The county agent says
some of the lespedeza stands are
the prettiest he has ever seen.
PLANTS
TOMATOES
CABBAGE
SWEET PEPPER
HOT PEPPER
Ready for delivery. Ex
tra Strong, well grown.
Prices Reasonable
Phi Tomlinson
R. 2 Franklinton, N. C.
LOOK FOR THE SEAL
It is a guarantee of real used car value. It assures
you that the car has undergone the Ford Laboratory
tests and Reconditioned by experts. We have a
number of these R & 6 cars on hand now that we are
offering at reasonable prices. Whether you are in
terested in buying or not, come in and look them
over. Of course we have the New Fords, the world's
popular car, that gives real economic performance.
Let us demonstrate a Mew Foj-d to yoa. It costs you ^
nothing and may save you many' dollars.
HODGES-GREEN MOTOR CO.
MARKET STREET LOUISBURG, N. C.
THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT
INSURANCE CORPORA
TION PROTECTS YOUR
FUNDS IN.THIS BANK
There can be no question about the security
of funds entrusted to this institution.
Through the Fetleral Deposit Insurance
Corporation, created bv Congress as a per
manent Federal agency, all of our deposi
tors are protected against loss of their de
posits to the extent of $">,000 in each ac
count.
The additional security for deposits made
(xissible by this insurance should be a real
incentive for you to open an account here.
It furnishes a sound basis for confidence in
the safety of your funds under all condi
tions. . i
CITIZENS
BANK & TRUST COMPANY
Forty-Six Years of Security
And Service.
The PURE WHITENESS of new snow
Women say from experience that ''??
new Duco White is the whitest >
they ever law. Perfect finish for kiu iico,
bathroom. Quick-drying. Stayt white.
Durable. Easy to clean.
WHITE and 20 colon
AT LOW PRICES
J. T. PRUITT LUMBER
COMPANY
DANGER OF
FIRE
Never ceases. The safest plan is to
insure youself against any possible loss
with a reliable agent. It will surprise
you the low cost of this much-needed
protection.
Windstorm and Tornado Insurance is
a specialty with us. Let us discuss with
you the matter of eliminating the $25
Limitation Clause. Also, we are in posi
tion to write hail insurance for you.
t :
G. M. BEAM, Agent
(18 years' Fire Insurance Writing)
LOUISBURG, N. C.
PAINTS
ALL GRADES AND COLORS
OR EVERY PURPOSE
m ?| 20 Gal^- ,T
. - -1
Ball Bearing Lawn Mowers
? Special ?
'5.95 10 '8.50
? ney are
? > beauties
YARD GOODS ^JcSq.Yd.
H. C. TAYLOR
HARDWARK STORE
Phone 305 Louitburg, N. 0.