v
JOYCE'S DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE
OW, isn't that pink
lovely!".
A merry group of
girls were chatter
ing on the lawn of
Miss Floyd's Acad
emy for Girls on a
bright morning in
. June. School "was
just, over, and they
were planning great
; things for the"
Fourth of July,
when Miss Floyd
held her commence
ment exercises.
"Of course, we'll
wear white for the
-exercises," said pretty June Winthrop.
"But I rather think we can have what
we like for the reception in the even
ing; ,1 shall coax mamma into getting
me that pink chiffon indeed I shall."
"I'll ha ve the c'rep de chine I told you
of," declared Laura Dean, a gypsy
beauty of sixteen.
"Do you remember that Miss Floyd
asked us not to buy expensive
dresses?" Beulah Wilson reminded
them. "She said she didn't wish Joyce
Harwood and Kathleen Hunt to feel
uncomfortable."
June tossed her head.
"I really cannot dress down to Miss
Floyd's charity pupils. I don't think
they ought to come if they can't keep
up to our standards of dress."
Beulah Wilson was rich, and her pro
test had been made solely on behalf of
lier friend Joyce, who could with the
utmost difficulty present a neat and
fresh appearance.
"Blue-for you, June; leave the pink
for me," cried Laura. "Do have pale
.green, Beulah."
"I shall have a new white lawn for
the Fourth," replied Beulah, firmly.
"I think it's absurd to have two dresses
for what is, after all, one occasion."
"Here comes Joyce and Kathleen,"
remarked June.
"Were talking of our commencement
dresses. Joyce."
The words were not without malice.
Both" Joyce and Ivathleen had made
June feel small in the: classroom.
"I think my dress! is bought," re
plied Kathleen, a tall girl of fifteen,
with a pretty, irresolute face.' She
looked wistfully at
dainty lawn, inset w
her questioner's
th lace, her rich
ribbons and gold buttons. She could
not hdve imagined greater bliss than
possessing such things herself.
"But we mean to wear colors in the
evening."
Kathleen almost turned pale.
"You will have two new dresses for
commencement?" sl gasped, in alarm.
She turned to Joyce strong, beauti
ful. Joyce, whom no one ever snubbed
or put down, and whose clear, dark
eyes were now fixed, in some contempt,
upon June' and Laura.
'Shall you not get two?" persisted
June.
"Oh, if you do " began Kathleen,
hplnlpsssl v.
' - i
Jovce had not spoken. The whore
question seemed very trivial to her
Not tbat she did not care for pretty
things, but just now her thoughts were
with her sick mother.
"This is an important occasion,
struck in Laura, returning to the
AMEBIC A DISCOVERED!
From Collier's Weekly.
charge. "Miss Floyd's two married
sisters will be. here, and she will want
everything and everybody at their best
They are so wealthy."
"And alone in the world widows and
childless," remarked Joyce. "It seems
to me wealth is not of much good un
der such circumstances. Come,
Kathie."
"What shall we do?" asked Kathleen,
when they were alone.
"Do?" inquired Joyce, vaguely.
"About the Fourth," said Kathleen.
'My lawn cost just fifteen cents a yard,
and I can't have any lace. How I hate
to be so poor."
'Kathie," ,said her friend, earnestly.
'don't care about it. I'm not even go
ng to have a new lawn only my last
summer's let down. I don't intend to
worry about it. I was sorry not to
hear you speak more decidedly about
the two dresses. You know you can't
have two."
'I did wonder, for a minute, if
mother wouldn't let me have her wed-
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
ding dress made over," hesitated the
the other. "She ,never goes anywhere
hardly, and so doesn't need it as I
do."
Joyce's dark eyes flashed.
"And you would make her ging out
at all quite impossible by taking her
only good dress?'! she cried, indignant
ly. Then, softening in a moment, she
added. "No, dear, don't do that."
They reached Joyce's own home at
that point, and Joyce went in without
waiting for a reply.
"Mother, darling," she called softly.
as she entered the darkened room, "is
your head better? Did I wake you?"
Mrs. Harwood smiled faintly.
"You did not wake me I was listen
ing for your steps," she answered.
"Did Mrs. Jones come in?" went on
Joyce.
'Yes," was the reply. "But, my
child, she must not come again. We
cannot afford her. And this is so near
the end of the term. You will soon be
at home."
Joyce did not answer at once. She
went into the kitchen and soon re
turned with a slice of golden brown
toast and a cup of fragrant tea.
"Now, try this," she said, coaxingly.;
"Oh, mother mine, I do wish you'd con
sent to my giving up school and getting
some work."
"We will see after the Fourth," said
Mrs. Harwood. "Now, dear, get your
own luncheon while I take a nap."
The Fourth of July dawned as that
historic day should dawn showing a
cloudless sky, a blazing sun.' Miss
Floyd was in a pleasant flutter of ex
citement. Her sisters; Mrs. Danes-ford-and
Mrs. Jerome, sat beside her
near the platform.. She felt very
proud of her school The girls were
charming in their snowy frocks as they
sat, looking like white winged birds,
on the platform.
"That is a lovely child at the end of
the front row," said Mrs. Danesford
suddenly. "Who is she?"
"That is Kathleen Hunt," replied
Miss Floyd. "And the dark one next
her is Joyce Harwood. They must
both work soon, for their mothers are
widows and poor. I have given them
their schooling and hope to start them
in some way."
The' exercises passed off delightfully,
and after them the parents and other
"grown cpaF cajoyed the lawn tea.
But the girls flurried home to change
their dresses or freshen up for the
evening reception.
It was a little after dusk. , The dim
streets grew ever and again momen
tarily brilliant with the light of Roman,
candles or the radiance of Catherine
wheels. The cheerful "pop" "of count
less firecrackers resounded through the
air
The reception was in full swing when
Mrs. Danesford sought a moment's
rest and quiet in the breakfast room.'
A screen had been pushed, 'near an
open window, and she sat down be
hind it. She had determined to take
Kathleen Hunt home with her, if she
would come, as reader and companion.
She would offer the widowed mother
a cottage near her own magnificent
mansion cn the banks of the Hudson.
The daughter should be hers by day,
the real mother's by night.
"Try it," Mrs. Jerome had said. "If
the plan succeeds I may try the other."
A group of girls, merry, chattering,
flocked into the room. A torn skirt
seemed to have been the cause of their
coming. Mrs. Danesford did not move,
thinking they would go out in a mo
ment. "Did you see that dress of Joyce's?"
demanded June. "Her last summer's
one, and darned, at that."
"Kathleen's looked about ten cents a
yard," added Laura. "If they're as
poor as that comes to they have no
business here."
She stopped abruptly. Mrs. Danes
ford thought at first that they had seen
her behind the screen, but the silence
was caused by the entrance of Joyce
and Kathleen.
"We couldn't help hearing you," re?
marked Joyce.
"You have no right to decide that
we are poor because we don't dress as
you do," said Kathleen. "Some people
think it in bad taste to dress much be
fore you come out."
Mrs. Danesford could see them all
Joyce and Kathleen, in their shabby
frocks, contrasting so. painfully with
the chiffons and crepe de chines of the
others. But Joyce stood, erect and
proud, her eyes aglow. Laura and
June looked at them coolly.
"I fully admit it was no business of
mine," replied June icily.
"You are right it is no business of
yours," here struck in Joyce. "And,
for my part, it does not matter to me
at all that you should know we are
poor, very poor. Poverty is no dis
grace. This is the Fourth of July,"
she went on, her color rising. "It is
the anniversary of the day when our
fathers shook off unjust and galling
bondage. Let us, Kathleen," she said
to her friend, "shake off an allegiance
to a lie. No, we do not dress like .this
from choice. We prefer crepe de
chines to ten-cent lawns. But, not to
have every dress in New York, would
I care as much for such things as you
do!" Her eyes blazed upon the girls in
front of her. "Nor choose my friends
by the amount of their drygoods' bills.
No, poverty is no disgrace, and wealth
you have not earned no merit, no
honor, except as it is well and nobly
spent."
"What a Fourth of July oration!"
sneered Laura. "It's a pity none of the
guests can hear you.."
"One of them has," said Mrs. Danes
ford, coming forward. She put her
hand on Joyce's shoulder. "Come with
me, my dear. I want a little talk with
you an3d my sister."
Joyce and her mother are very happy
in the little cottage ("part of your sal
ary, my dear," Mrs. Danesford had
said) by the waters of the noble Hud
son. Kathleen never knew how near
that dainty home came, to being hers-,
nor did Joyce ever learn that she owed
it to her "Declaration of Independ
ence." Frances Harmer.
FROM MARS.
- "Is it a new comet, or the destruction
of some planet?"
"Neither, Your Majesty. It is the
celebration of the Fourth of July on
the earth."
The Strenuous Life.
Uncle Sam's Patriotic Celebration of
Independence Day.
DIARY
I had a diary Christinas,
And father laughed and said,
"If you'll keep that till the Fourth of July
I'll give you a dollar, Ned."
Queer way to earn a dollar,
But easy as a b c ;
So I put it in my secret box
Safe under lock and key.
It's a pretty book bright red leather
And Spud Jones wants to swap.
He said he'd give me his two-blade knife
And his second-best spinning top.
But I'd rather have the dollar,
So I put it away again;
The pages are just as clean and white
Not a bit of a spot or stain.
Father asked me .last Sunday,
"Are you keeping that diary, Ned?"
And when I said "Yes," he looked sur
prised. "Well done, little son," he said.
Fourth comes a week from Tuesday, '
And oh, I can't hardly, wait,
For Spud's got a dollar, too, and so
I tell you we'll celebrate!
We're going to buy some pinwheels, .
Those things that whiz round in rings
Crackers, of course, like we always have,
And whole heaps of other things
Big Roman pandles that send up stars
AIT yellow and red and blue
Oh, I just hope father'll want me to keep
A diary next year, too!
ALL NATURE CELEBRATES
1
-Puck
Thought For the Fourth.
To have freedom-is only to have that
which is absolutely necessary to enable
us to be what we ought to be, and to
possess what we ought to possess.
Rahel.
Countries are well cultivated, not as
they are fertile, "but as they are free
Montesquieu. The cause of freedom is identified
with the destinies of humanity and in
whatever part of the world it gains
ground, by and by it will be a common
gain to all who desire it Kossuth.
Best Anti-Toxin For the Fourth.
The Health Department in its weekly
bulletin urges that the anti-toxin treat
ment for Fourth of July tetanus vic
tims be not neglected. Quoting an
Eastern medical journal to the effect
'that not a single blank cartridge wound
.treated with anti-toxin injection has
been known to develop lockjaw, the
idepartment insists that with such a
valuable remedy available every effort
should be made to use it in all cases of
wounds of the dangerous class on the
Fourth.
That is excellent advice and it is to
be hoped that parents and doctors
alike will heed it. But there is even
better advice than this to be giyen.
There is an even better anti-toxin
against Fourth of July deaths than the
doctors use. It consists in repeated
applications of strict law enforcement,
both before the Fourth and upon the
Fourth.
Toy pistols, all kinds of blank car
tridges and dynamite crackers are the
most active agents in the production
of lockjaw. The sale of toy pistols to
minors is forbidden. ,The less danger
ous explosives are permitted only upon
the Fourth, but not before it.
If the ordinances are strictly en
forced we may pass through the cele
bration this year without the sacrifice
of a single victim to the Fourth of
July lockjaw. The next two weeks
should be a period of steady applica
tion of the variety of anti-toxin which
the Poliee Department makes its spe
cialty. Chicago Record-Herald.
liist Days of Molly Pitcher.
Molly Pitcher left the army soon
after the Battle of Monmouth and died
near Fort Montgomery, : among the
Hudson Highlands, soon after the close
of the war. She was buried at Gar
lise, Pa., where a handsome monument
has been erected over her grave by the
patroitic citizens in the town.
NORTH STATE NEWS
.
e
Items of Interest Gleaned From
Various Sections
FROM MOUNTAIN TO SEASHORE
Minor Occurrences of the Week of
Interest to Tar Heels Told in Para
graphs. '-
Charlotte Cotton Market.
These prices represent the prices
Daid to wagons :
3ood middling. .. . .. ......111-8
Strict middling. .. .. .. ..111-8
Middling.... t .111-8
jood middling, tinned.. .. ....11
Stains.
9 to 10
Market.
... .111-16
.. ..1015-16
10 5-S
. . ... ..10 3-4
.. ..10 9-16
10 3-4
.. ... ..111-8
111-8
.V .. ..10.90
10.90
General Cotton
jalveston, steady. . .
New Orleans, easy.. .
Mobile, quiet... ...
Savannah, quiet ....
Charleston quiet.. . .
Wilmington, steady . .
Norfolk, quiet . . ....
Baltimore, nominal . .
New York, steady..
Boston, quiet. . . . .
Houston, steady.. .. .. .. ....11
Augusta, steady 11 1-S
Memphis, quiet . . .. .. .. .4... 10 7-8
Carolina Summer School.
Wilmington, Special. The Carolina
Summer School for Sunday school
workers of all churches in the Caro
linas and along the Atlantic Teaboard
which has been in session the past
week at the Seashore Hotel, Wrights
ville beach, came to a close with
what was termed a closing recognition ,
service. The institute was conducted
largely by Dr. H. M. Hamill, of
Nashville, Tenn., superintendent of
training work of the Southern Meth
odist Church, and- his wife, a primary
sepeialist. The sesions have brought
between three and four hundred vis
itors to the beach and the school is
declared to have been a great success
in every way. Among the prominent
teachers in the school were Prof. H.
B. Carr, of the chair of Greek in
Vanderbilt University ;. Dr. J. A. B.
Sherer, the gifted president of New
berry College, S. C. ; Miss Hida North
I of the Washington public schools, and
Kev. N. M. Watson of Grace church,
Wilmington. Excellent music has been
furnished by the North Carolina Con
ference Quartette composed of Mr. It.
M. Phillips of Raleigh; Rev. "A. J.
Parker, of Wilmington; Rev. Euclid
McWhorter, of Maxton, and Rev, J.
H. Frizell, of Simford.
Officers Elected.
Lake Toxaway, Special.-The tenth
annual convention of the State Bank
ers' Association closed last week. The
principal business was 'the election
of officers for thu following year. The
election resulted, as follows :
John F. Wiley, of Durham, presi
dent; H. J. Jackson, of Raleigh; W.
T. Old, of Elizabeth City, and W; C.
Wilkinson, of Charlotte, vice-presidents;
W. A. Hunt, of Henderson,
secretary and terasurer ; Charles N.
Evans, of Wilmington; E. Sluder, of
Asheville; J. 0. Ellington, of Fa'y
etteville : George W. Maslin, of Way
nesville: J. F. Watlington, of Reids
vills; J. S. Little, of Greenville, and'
J. S. Bradshawof Roxboro, members
of the executive committee; Georare
Stevens, of Charlottee; W. G. Brad
shaw, of High Point; G. S. Coving
ton, of Rockingham, and J. V. Grain
ger, of Wilmington, delegates to the
convention of the American Bankers'
Association; alternates, H. I. Wood
house, of Concord; C. P. McNeely, of
Mooresville; R. W. Grainger, of North
Wilkesboro, and' R. W. Taylor, of
Morehead City. .
Arm Torn From His Body.
Greensboro, Special. Eugene
G.
West was the victim of a most hor
rible accident at the plant of the
Greensboro Wood Fibre Pfaster Com
pany, of which he is secretary and
treasurer, Thursday afternoon, when
he lost an arm by injuries necessitat
ing an amputation of the member,
just below the right shoulder.
North Sate News. -
R. B. Hewitt conductor on a car
of the Charlotte Railway and Elec
tric company was instantly killed last
week by being run over by his own
car.
In the suit of the State Corpo
ration Commission to compel the
Southern Railway to retain its for
mer schedule ot of Raleigh in or
der to make connections with the
Seaboard Air Line the matter was
hnally settled by the - State with-
drawing
its order and paying the
costs
in the case.
Postmaster Bailey of Raleigh,
nounces that he is not applying
reappointment
Friends of Chairman McNeill,
the 'corporation commission
an
for of
say
enough counties have instructed for
him to make his renomination cer
tain. The Governor appoints L. G. Dan
iels, of Newbern, a director of the At
lantic & North Carolina Railway
vice C. T. Watson, deceased.
NORTH CAROLINA CROPS
General Summary of Condition of
North Carolina Crops for Week
Ending Monday, June 25, 1906.
The weather during the fore part
of the week was partly -cloudy with
numerous thunderstorms, while dur
ing the latter Dortiori, there were
less cloudiness and fewer thunder
storms. The rainfall over the State
as a whole was somewhat below hor
mal and was not well distributed. At
New Bena 3.26 inches was reported
which is much above normal, wihle at
Hatteras sonly 0.01 inch fell which
is much below .normal. In Beaufort
county there- is some complaint of
too much rain, the fields being un
der water one-fourth of the time ;' and
in Montgomery and Forsyth counties
the land rains were scr heavy as to
cause damage. In Chatham county
the land is reported as being badly
washed. In Burke, Davidson and
Wilkes counties, damage by hail
which accompanied a thunderstorm
on the 21st was reported, which dam
age in places was severe. A corre
spondent of Montgomery county re
ports that after his report of the
week ending June 18th was maiTed
a severe wind accompanied by a de
structive hail storm occurred on that
day.
The average temperature for the
State was about normal. The day
temepratures rose very high, while
the nights were relatively cool. The
highest temperature reported was 95
degrees on the-21st in Johnston coun
ty; and the lowest was 52 degrees
on the 23rd in Buncombe county.
RURAL CARRIERS' CONVENTION
Third Annual Convention to be Held
at Kinston July 3rd and 4th.
Following is the programme of the
North Carolina Rural Letter Carriers '
Association, which is to be held at
Kinston, July 3rd and 4th.
July 3, 11 A. M. Preliminary Meeting
July 3, 1 P. M. Call to order by
President C. U. Monday," calling roll ,
of Officers and' Representatives, Read
ing Minutes, Report of , Credentials,
and Auditing Committees, Report of
Officers, Address of Welcome . bv
Mayor of Kingston, Response by Mrs.
D. Mille and others.
Subject. "Relationship which
should .exist between Postmaster and
Carrier." Discussion by B. L. Hester,
C. H. Baines and Postmaster of Kins
ton. . Subject "Insurance." S. H.
Rogers, J. M. Hartis, T. S. Royster
and 'others.
Subject "Penny Nnisances and -How
to Overcome It. ' ' Discussion by
W. G. Gore, C. B. Satterfield, P. C.
Dillard and others.
Wednesday, July 4th, 9 A. M. Call
to order by President.
'Report of Standing Committees.
Subject "Good Roads and how to
obtain them." Discussion by W. G.
Foard, J. W. Hollifield, C. J. South
erland and others.
Subject "Does a Rufal Carrier
Grow old." Discussion by B. L.
Hester, E. D. Pearsall, Oscar Sutteri
and others.
uesuon as iu aixiers jutiessy
Privileges, etc., by all Delegates.
Subject ' 1 Organization. ' ' Discus
sion by the Officers and others.
Adjournment for Photograph.
1 P. M.--Call tQ Order, Report of
Standing Committee, Report of Com
mittee on Constitution, Report of
Committee on Resolutions, Electing
Officers , Selecting' Place for Next
Meeting. . .
Body Found in Well.
Elm City, Special. The body . of
Mr. H. C. Braswell, who resides on
his farm at Upper Town Creek church
was found in a well and the remains
were br6ught here for burial. Mr.
Braswell probably committed suicide
while suffering temporary insanity.
No one- saw him, jump in the well,
but a broken window in his rooom
Avould lead to the impi'ession that he
jumped through that andu running to
the well jumped in. His body was
in three or four feet of water, head
downward.
Struck by Lightning.
Salisbury, Special. During a hard
rain and electrical storm here Sunday
afternoon at. 4 o'clock lightning
struck the rectifying house of J. G.
Broadnax and Company, located in
the southeastern part of the city and
set it on fire. The firemen responded
to the alarm but the building, being a
frame structure and cotaining large
quantities of whiskey burned rapidly.
The loss iss heavy. The company will
re-enter business. . .
New Enterprises.
Charters are granted the Tar River
Manufacturing Company of Louis
burg to manufacture -anything out of"
cotton, wood or grain? capital stock
$20,000. Robert G. Allen chief stock
holder; the White-Jetton Company to
deal in general merchandise at Liu
colnton, capital $25,000.