CHARLOTTE MESSENGER.
Published every Saturday at Charlotte, N. C.
J, By W. C. Smith.
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IV. C. SMITH. Charlotte, N. C.
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<MJR LEADING MEX.
In speaking of leading colored men
we refer to all leaders in trades, pro
fessions and in society, especially the
lawyers, doctors, preachers and those
who get their living from the public.
Colored men need to be pulled up by
all above them and pushed up by all
below them. We must strive to go
up ourselves and carry all others up
with us. We must go up at no man's
expense and stay down for the sake
of no man.
We believe it is necessary for us
all to manifest much race pride by
patronizing our colored lawyers where
we have them, our colored doctors,
merchants, mechanics and teachers
and in paying our worthy preachers.
It is as nepessary for us all to do this as
it is for us to have such men. We
must encourage them by patronage in
order to keep the ways open for onr
youth, and it is necessary for our youth
to learn all the trades professions,&c.,
to make us a race equal and to cope
with other races.
But how do many of our leading
m,on stand on this question? We
have seen some small hearted, selfish
professional men, who are looked np
to as representatives of the race, yet
have no race pride. They have grown
above it—but how did they get there
and what keeps them there? We
might name some of our big colored
preachers, doctors and professors who
say they cannot bother with’ colored
newspapers but must take the new
York World, Tribune or Atlanta Con
stitution. They do not seem to think
of their own position or the impor
tance of any other branch of colored
industry being maintained.
If it is necessary for colored men to
practice law, colored people should
support colored lawyers and our
leading men are the ones to set the
example. If we ueed colored preach
ers, they should he heard and paid
for their services. If colored doctors
are any good, they should be employ
ed by their peers. If colored teachers
are a necessity, they should be respect
ed If the colored newspaper is a proper
thing, most of all, it deserves the
support of the lawyer, the docter, the
preacher and the teacher.
The colored man who thinks him
self too big to encourage by patro
nizing colored lawyers, doctors,
papers, preachers, teachers and me
chanics, is unworthy the support of
the masses and deserves to be left
alone to drift back to his proper level.
There are some in the trades and
professions who get more than they
arc entitled to. It is only the deserv
ing we speak for. If a lawyer is not
talented, it would be better for him
and his race if he turned his attention
to some other calling. If a preacher
docs not his honor profession, he
should not be honored by his people
and should cease to disgrace the pulpit
The newspaper is different. The
preacher, teacher, lawyer and all
should take a part in making the news
paper what it ought to be. But when
the editor fails to puff some self
esteemed leader or says something that
he don’t like, the custom of many of
our leaders is to work at once to
break down the paper. They refuse
to take it and will not writ* for it.
They speak ill of it and thereby show
their uuworthiness of the support they
receive
Great men should be great in senti
ment and in charity. They should
know small things as well as large
things. They must be willing for
their lives and works to hold them
up and not their diplomas or some
past oratoraial effort. The press
is a power and should have the sup
port of our leading men and they
should have the support of the press.
While it may not be expressed who
will lead, it is admitted that intelli
gence will not long be ruled by ig
norance. Then the intelligence of
the Negro race should be united.
Let it unite in each locality, and it
will not be difficult to unite it
throughout the country.
The best sign of Negro possibilities
in slavery times was the advance
made in the trades which he was al
lowed to learn. His most remarkable
strides since, have been discovered in
his excellence in the professions, un
til to-day be is represented in almost
every known trade and profession.
Let us, therefore forget self and en
courage those who make sacrifices for
the sake of the race. Let us hold up
our leading men in every good work
and all will be bettered by it and no
one hurt. Let each leading man do
all in his power to encourage every
other man in a race enterprise. Pat
ronize our lawyers, doctors, preach
ers and teachers and subscribe and
pay for every colored paper in his
State, at least. When a personal
difference will cause a man to neglect
a worthy enterprise, that man is too
small and insignificant to occupy a
prominent place.
OHIO FOR SHERMAN.
In the Ohio State convention, on
Thursday, Gov. Foraker, cx-Gov.
Foster, Congressman MeKinley and
Congressman Butterworth were* elect
ed delegates to the Chicago conven
tion, and the delegates were instructed
to support John Sherman for president.
FAYETTEVILLE NOTES.
The weather is quite pleasant, the
leaves of the trees are bursting forth
while mother earth is beginning to
spread her rich green carpet.
Mr. Cornelius Waddell’s school will
close on Friday of this week. A
grand time is anticipated.
The time for picnics is drawing
near, and it is then the little ones
enjoy rambling through the woods,
gathering flowers and partaking of
many other amusements.
The time for General Conference is
fast approaching. The delegates and
ministers are making preparations to
attend.
There will be a festival giveu in
Hogan’s building Thursday and Fri
day nights of this week.
Last Sunday was grand rally day
at Evans Chapel (Zion) and it may
well be called by that name. The
day was set apart to raise money for
the bell, and as there were about onc
hundred or two-hundred and fifty
canvassers out seeking assistance it was
not long before a large sum was spread
out upon the tables. The amount
collected during the day was §207.00,
the amount collected prior to this was
something over eighty dollars. Zion
was in one of her gala ways, and
especial praise is due our beloved
pastor Rev. J. M. Hill. He is a zeal
ous worker in whatsoever enterprise
he undertakes. The Church has been
climbing, yes, with rapidness since the
pastoral charge of Rev. Hill and we
the members can boast of a church
both spiritually and temporally.
About a year or two ago we hardly
knew which way or what was best to do
in order to liquidate the indebtedness
which was hanging and oppressing us
so hard, but under the supervision of
that God-sent messenger we have
been uncovered from a fourteen hun
dred dollar debt, and been enable to
see the light once more. Now wc
will soon have a first-class belt to ring
out the old grudge, and ring in fresh
dew-drops, each to say. (that did his
and her duty) we are “climbing up
Zion’s hill.” Too much cannot be
said about our pastor; as to bis works,
we will say “Come and sec.” Our
Floral Exercises are fast approaching
and something rich is expected this
year. We have one of the most
flourishing Sunday Schools we ven
ture to say, in the district. The
Supt., Mr. Edward Evans is an earnest
worker. We could fill a whole column
about Zion but we will not say more.
Yes,Mr Editor wc intend to have a bell,
and if it was possible, wc would ring
you to church too; your church we
mean. Mary
April ID.
With a srent overland route across Si
lw:ia, -uch as the new railroad the Rus
sian government proposes to build, that
country will lie able to dominate very
largely Asiatic commerce.
SAVINGS ABOUT RALEIGH.
Dr. J. C. Price arrived in the city
Saturday morning and remained over
until Monday afternoon, at which
time be took the train for his old
home Newberne, N. C. During his i
stay in the city he occupied the pul
pit of the Rev. G. S. Smith, of the
Congregational Church Sunday even
ing. Raleigh people did as usual
gave him a hearty welcome by their
presence. I)r. Price is surely a pulpit
orator which reflects credit upon the
nineteenth century.
Your correspondent was handed a
democratic Weekly Journal a few
days ago known by a familiar title,
“Messenger,” edited by colored men
in Springfield, 111. There are in
stances when men deal with subjects
in a narrow manner, that is,
ideas are without the proper develop
ment, but judging from the above a
new discovery has been made. The
minds of those gentlemen seem to he
too broad for the age in which they
are living and for the surrounding
circumstances that hinder the progress
of the race to which they belong.
The State Bank boodlers are rest
ing quietly in their cells.
The First Baptist Church will
have a large baptizing the first Sun
day in May. Fifty one applicants
were examined on the 13th inst. for
certificates to teach school in Wake
county. Wc were informed that only
one received a First Grade. In such
a vast multitude his name is worthy
of mention, but he is unknown just
now. Every one expresses a desire
for the success of Prof. Atkins before
the local board of the State Normal
School. He is the man to fill the
vacancv. He is the man that will
adorn it with all the necessary re
quirements. Citizens of the State
should remember that after leading
your class in some college which de
termines scholarship there is some
thing else necessary. Especially
when it comes to a position like the
principal of a State Normal School.
Be careful upon whom you bestow
such honor; be careful in whose
hand you place the young mind, for
it is a delicate piece of mechanism.
Dr. D. A. Robinson a recent grad
uate of the Lenard Medical School
left for Danville, Va., Saturday, the
place of his contemplated practice.
Several colored men have been
handled quietly around the street
corners for the . legislative honor.
Hon. C. W. Hoover stands a fair
chance for re-nomination. A colored
Register of deeds also spoken of but
the nomination of a colored brother
is doubtful.
In our next we will report the re
sult of several ward meetings.
Primus.
National Conventions.
Republican—Chicago. June 19th.
Democratic —St. Louis, June sth.
Prohibition—lndianapolis May 30th.
State Convent ions.
Republican—Raleigh, May 23rd.
Democratic—Raleigh, May 30th.
Prohibition—Greensboro, May 16th
Congressional Convention*.
2nd District, Republican —Weldon,
May 30th.
3rd District, Republican —Golds-
boro, May 2nd.
4th District, Democratic—Raleigh,
May 29th. Republican—Raleigh,
May 22d
6th District, Democratic—Wil
mington, June 17th. Republican—
Maxton, May 22d.
7th District Republican—Sal
isbury, May 15th.
9th District, Republican—Ash
ville, May 10th.
Mecklenburg County Convention.
Charlotte—April 2Hth.
BOARDING HOUSE.
CONCORD, N . C .
Tlie traveling pnplic will be accommodated
with comfortable 100111. anil lxiurd. House
situated on Depot street, in front of the sem
inary, near ilepot, and convenient to all visi
tors. Terms reasonable.
J. E. JOHNSON.
I *1 I'RRKR .STAMP, with jour
JL\J name in Fancy Type, 25
visiting cards, and India Ink to mark
Linen. 25 for 25 cents (stamps.) Rook
of 2000 styles free with each order
Agents wanted. Big Pay. Tiiai.ma.
M’r’u Co , Baltimore, Md.
I
| PRESERVING NATURAL FLOWERS.
J A Long anti TcUioim Process- —A 'I rtulo
Secret—'The Results.
A neat little sign, on which was
j printed in gilt letters, ‘Natural Flowers
Preserved, ” attracted the attention of a
reporter while passing along. In a win
! dow near by was displayed a beautiful
cut flower design, made of roses, hya
cinths, lilies and carnations, with a
sprinkling of maiden hair fern and myr
tle. The unobstrusivo appearance of the
i sign and its accompaniment led tho re
porter to investigate as to the methods of
the profession of preserving natural
flowers. Mounting the steps he pulled
the doorbell gently and then waited for
an answer. It came in the person of a
pretty lady proprietress, who cordially
invited the newsgatherer into the ofllco
and then waited for the order, which sho
appeared to very confidently expect.
But it never came. When he explained
his mission, her face assumed a fright
ened look, such as all women wear when
they know they are going to be inter
viewed by a “horrid reporter,*’ and then
they seem to think they can’t talk. Fin
•ally, enough courage was mustered up
w by her to say:
“Yes, we preserve natural flowers.
The profession, if we may call it such, is
not a new one by any means. But there
are very few engaged in the business in
this city. In fact, there is only one other
who uses the same method that we do.
There is a lady in Alleghany who pre
serves the flowers by the old method,
that of dipping the flowers in wax; busy
we use the chemical process.”
“Is it very hard?”
“She rattled on, now that the ice had
been broken, and pleasantly responded:
‘‘Well, yes, it is very tedious work, and
requires ever so much patience to do it
right; and the work is so slow! Why, it
takes three weeks to preserve a little
single rose, and you have to bo so careful
that you have everything just so, or you
will ruin everything and have your cus
tomer angry with you. and know that all
your time is wasted and a lot of money
spent for nothing. That’s why it has
never been a craze among rich people,
like painting, music, the cooking school
and a dozen other different fads that
society girls rake up every year with
which to sorely punish their patient
friends.
“Again, it costs so much. Why, good
gracious I those instructors in the east,
who every year have some new method
of preserving a flower, demand a small
fortune for the information, and”
‘ ‘Whom do you find your best patrons?”
hurriedly asked the reporter, before she
could start out on something else, in
order to do a little of the interviewing
himself.
“Why, the middle classes, of course.
They have the most work of that kind
done. The rich haven’t got time, as they
must 6pend their spare moments with the
lawyers about wills, and tho poor can’t
afford it. Most of our work is the pres
ervation of decorations used at funerals.
Sometimes wo get an order to preserve
flowers used at a wedding or some other
pleasant place, but we get flowers from
funerals most. Sometimes the friends of
the deceased bring the flowers, and again
we get them from the funeral directors,
who take charge of them for their friends
and bring them to us. We get orders
from all over the state.
“How do we do it? Well, now,
really, that is a secret of the trade, and
wo women were never known to tell a
secret—that is, if another person wanted
to know it; but at other times, you know
it’s different. Why, we use a lot of
chemicals—about twenty-two or twenty
four different kinds—with names as long
and as hard to pronounce as the names
in a Polish directory. Chloride of lime
is used—a lot—and I can’t tell all the
rest.
“When the flowers como to us. wc
take the design apart, after we have
numbered its pieces and described its aj>-
pearance in a big book which we keep.
We then take off all the outer petals of
the flowers if they are wilted. If any of
the petals remaining are decayed and
liave tumecl color, we have to cut the de
cayed s|>ots out. We then put them
through the acid baths, which takes
three weeks on the average to ac
complish. We have to use two or three
different kinds of acid, and sometimes
as many as a dozen. After this is
done, we mount the flowers on
new toothpicks and wrap them with new
wire, and then put them together again,
just as they were when we got them.
The design is then put in a frame or
under a shade, and all the air pumped
out. All the seams in the frames are ce
mented. and everything possible Is done
to make the frame air tight, and it must
remain so or tho flowers will decay.”
“Do they never fade?”
“Yes. some of the flowers will lose
their color; but very rarely. And when
they do we have to explain the matter to
our customers, and that’s all t hat can lx*
done. We find the rose and the lily the
easiest flowers to keep. Any flower with
a big petal will keep nicely. The valley
lily and tho hyacinth, with their little
bell like petals, are the hardest. How to
keep tin* latter was only learned last
year. There are plenty of flowers yet
that we can’t preserve.
“How do wo charge? It just dojx'nda
upon who the patron is. If he can
afford it, why. a big price; if not, why,
not so much. Business is brisk just now,
and we have some good orders on hand.
“No, we don’t give anybody credit.
We did that for a prominent business
man down town, who owed us £BS for
work. lie gave us $5 when the work
was delivered. We went back to him
again for the remainder, and lie prom
ised to pay us 50 cents every two weeks
until the £BO was paid. We went to
him for that 50 cents several times, and
he was always out, so we gave it up.
They were flowers from the sum ral of a
brother of his, who, when he died, had
I left him a lot of money.”—Pittsburg
Dispatch.
II onr Fool lull It Look*.
There 70,000 different sorts of inxcctfl
in the United States, and how fooli.-li it
d<xw look in a full grown man to jump
out of bed at midnight ami go iiouudmg
around the room to take the life of one
poor, hard up mosquito in search of a
supper.—Detroit Free Press.
“Ilappy he,” says Thoreau. “whoa
l aspirations never strav lievond %hs houi«
circle.”
NEW COFFIN HOUSE.
I
i Largest Stock Coffins in the State.
! Wc arc prepared to furnish everything in the Undertaking Line.
Everything New. Open at all hours.
NEW HEARSE ESPECIALLY FOR THE
COLORED TRADE.
CLOTHING OF ALL KINDS ()IJ 551IMAL PURPOSES.
Charlotte I Undertaking Co.,
14 S. Tryon Street, opposite Central Hotel.
grand Display
of
LADIES’ DRESS MATERIALS,
at 10c.. 12Jc., 15c., 20c., 28c. and up, in l‘< of t!i«* newest shades.
3101 REE SILK, | SURAH SILK,
14 Shades, at 08 cents per yard. i 1!) Shades, at 00 cents per yard.
BUSTLES i CORSETS
at 25 cents each. These stand unsurpassed. | at 28 cents a pair. Perfect fitting.
LADIES’ MUSLIN UNDERWEAR,
CHEMISE at 25 cents and up.
DRAWERS at 25 cents and up.
CORSET COVERS at 25 cents and up.
SHIRTS, full long, 39 cents and up.
CORSET COVERS 25 cents and up
BRAND NEW STOCK
Gentlemen’s Clothing
has arrived. NO SHODDY GOODS.
-A. IDIES/X'VjS |AT 48 cents you buy a man’s uiilaiindried
IN THE Press Shirt, linen bosom, re-inforccd hack
HAPPY HIT SHIRT and front and Patent Seams.
H. BARUCH,
Regulator of Low Trices.
E. M. ANDREWS,
Has the largest and Most Complete Stoek of
PURNITURE
In North Carolina.
COFFINS & METALLIC CASES.
Pianos and Organs
Os the Best Makes on the Installment Plan. Low Prices and Easy Terms.
Send for Prices.
Chickering Pianos, Arion Pianos,
Bent Pianos. Mathushek Pianos,
Mason & Hamlin Pianos.
Mason & Hamlin Organs, Bay State
Organs, Packard Organs,
E. M. ANDREWS, : : : Trade Street, Charlotte, N. C.
T HE IE
Messenger
is published every Saturday at
CHARLOTTE, - - N. C.,
in the interests of the
COLO I? E D PEO PL E
AND THE
II EI*UBL IC A N PAR TY.
It is the only Republican paper in the
Western end of the sixth
Congressional District. •
Subscription, $1.50 per year.
W. c. Smith,
Editor and Proprietor, Charlotte, N. C.