THE DANBURY REPORTER.
VOLUME XXXIII.
p
WOLF GAP.
Bits of Wisdom and Chunks of Phi
losophy From the Sage of Saura
town Mountain.
Wolf Gap Rabbit F. D. No. 1,
19, 1907.
I think the Reporter should is
sue at sudden and unexpected in
tervals, a special sheet to be called
the "Matrimonial Intelligencer."
The mission of it to be to report
all marriage licenses issued by the
Register of Deeds from Thursday
morning until the next issue of
the Reporter goes out.
The reason for the "Matrimo
nial Intelligenoer" is apparent.
Young men have got into the
habit of waiting for the Reporter
to be printed, and then slipping to
Danbury and procuring their
license to marry, the event gen
erally happening on the following
S.unday, like a clap of thunder
from a clear sky. They love to
take the folks by surprise, and set
the neighborhood agog by pro
ducing the solemn dooument all
hitherto unbeknownst to anybody.
And before the dear people can
have time to think, much less dis
cuss, such a startling event, the
"happy couple" have done gone
and done got tied, and "two souls
with but a single thought, two
hearts that • beat as one,"
is the result, to the infinite prej
udice of all the noble gossips of
the neighborhood.
I have had some suspicion that
Charley Jones has been aiding
and abetting this thing by helping
to keep the affair shady, especially
in cases where the gal has meant
to be stole. I think that such is
an outrage on the rights of that
most important body of our oiti
zenship known as old maids,
as well as the old bachelors, and
extremely prejudicial to the pre
rogative of that distinguished cir
cle whose business it is to sit and
dip snuff and roll sweet morsels
of "news" beneath their tongues.
Fellow citizens, will we act!
Shall we submit to such injustice
longer ! Sic semper tyrannis, E
Pluribus Unum, modus operandi
—no!
A bird in the hand ia worth 400
in the "bush." Saw wood and say
nothing. He who laughs last
laughs best. Every dog has his
day.
I notice that millions of chinches
are eating up tobacco plants. This
ia awful to comtemplate. It seems
that oar downtrodden farmers are
doomed to experience every trial
that can be imagined. But I think
we should always try to look on
the bright side of everything, and
I find room for thankfulness even
in this distressing situation, for
imagine the oonsternation if this
vast aggregation should turn from
their agricultural depredations
and reinforce their domestio com
rades.
I have heard it sai I that musio
'* night when the silver moon
beams are shimmering through
the trees, and you ohance to be
perambnlatiug along with your
girlie at your side—you in the
throes of the "psychological mo
ment," and yet stricken with a
*#«
severe attack of word failure ; —I
say, I have heard it said that the
sudden starting of musio at auch a
time is purely divine, not alone
because of 4he responsive con
dition of the soul, which
immensely enhanoes the beauty
of the melody, but for the ad
ditional reason that it has the
power of breaking an awkward
silence. I suppose, however, that
the effect is sometimes qualified
by the personnel of the band.
But even a regiment of cats have
been known to start a conversation.
The Tabbit that oarries the mail
from Hard Batik via this point to
Stomping Ground is either a fool
or a knave. Half the time he
passes here without stopping, and
last Friday I didn't get my copy
of the Reporter because he didn't
have sense enough to stop. He
went up the road so fast that his
tail caught fire hy air friction, and
had to hasten on to Cascade Creek
to get it extinguished. I learned
afterwards that he was scared by
an account he read in one of the
papers he carried of the advance
in the price of bacon.
"Doodle-bug issue" may be de
fined to be a stationary or retro
grade condition diametrically op
posed to "great apeed of rapidity."
The phrase has been not inappo
sitely applied to a certain Stokes
oonnty town. By the way, I no
tice in a paper that Noah Web
ster's bones were exhumed from his
mausoleum iu a Massachusetts cem
etery recently, and the old fellow
was found to have not been resting
well lately. Indeed he had turned
clear over in his coffin. Scientific
investigations as to the cause of
the phenomenon were immediately
instituted, and a peculiar machine
invented by one Marconi traced a
record of certain etymological air
vibrations hundreds of miles,
finally losing them at the foot of
the Sauratown mountains.
I think that the most important
question that should be agitating
the minds of the people today is
the question of taking care of the
insane. Before this astounding
problem everything else pales into
a dreamy, opaque insignificance.
The last legislature was dereliot
of its duty when it failed to ap
propriate $20,000,000 for this pur
pose. Why even up here in the
mountain, in the most weird and
solitary fastnesses of the granite
liills, they are running loose in
gangs because of shameful lack of
facilities at Morganton and Ral
eigh. And they are generally
armed, too, with bats. They will
tight you over imaginary sit
uations and combinations between
others of their kipd. As for in
stance, suggest a game between
Sandy Ridge and Pinnacle. This
is enough, War follows imme
diately.
Mr. Rufus P. Mabe, of Danbury
Route 1, who is a prosperous far
mer of his neighborhood, visited
Danbury on business Thursday.
The sympathy of many friends
is felt for Mr. J. Walter Booth and
family in the recent loss of two
members of the family—two little
girls, who died with scarlet fever.
KEEP IN GOOD HEALTH.
There are many thousands of
people all over the wo.ld- who can
attribute their good health to tak
ing one or two Brandreth's Pills
every night. These Pills cleanse
the stomach and bowels, stimulate
the kidneys and liver and purify
the blood. They are the same fine
laxative tonic pill your grandpar
ents used, and being purely vege.
table they are adapted to children
and old people, as well as to those
in the vigor of manhood and
womanhood.
Brandreth's Pills have been in
use for over a century and can be
obtained in every drug and med
cine store, either plain or sugar
ooated.
DANBURY, N. C., APRIL 18, 1907.
REV. P. OLIVER WRITES AGAIN.
Replies To An Article Published In
the Reporter Of March 21st,
Signed "1861."
Mr. Editor :
I desire a little space in your
paper to offer a reply to an article
in your issue of March 21 over the
signature "1861." It was notice
able that my friend dropped the
most important matter that I men
tioned as though he was burnt.
As to the second matter if there
was ever a law passed by c.ur legis
lature to reimburse oertain town
ships, their subscription to the
railroads, I certainly knew nothing
of it. It would be just the same
unjust thing fostered by Repub
licans or Democrats. I did not
think there was any politics in my
letter except my reference to my
self. I thought it was right for
ministers to expose and condemn
sin, regardless of who might be
guilty, and as I could see nothing
in the bill but unreasonable and
uncalled for injustice, though it
originated with and was offered by
preferred Democrats, I desired to
show that there was not the sign
of Democracy in it. Reverse all
the oirouinstances and I would say
just the same things. No reader of
the Reporter, I imagine, under
atood me in my former article to
intend or to try to convey the
idea that I had been supporting
this latter day Democracy. I was
talking about principles and not
party. 1 know this is a fast age,
but my friend introduces an en
tirely new idea to me, that is that
Democracy, secession and anti
union must of necessity go to
gether. If this be true, what will
you do with the thousands of
Democrats north who gave their
blood and treasure to save the un
ion ?
You charge that I aui anti-Con
federate. To this, I plead guilty.
You ask if I was not in sympathy
with the union in 1861. I answer
yes, and for fear you disbelieve
me, will try to prove it now. As
"1861" seems to be about my own
age he will remember that when
the Democratic convention met in
1860 to nominate a man for Pres
ident that the majority of the con
vention were in favor of Stephen
A. Douglas, of Illinois. There
was a minority who refused to be
governed, bolted and re-organized
and put before the people Mr,
Bockenridge, of Kentucky. This
I insist was un-Democratic. There
were four candidates in the field
for President, two of them, Doug
las and Bell, were for the Union,
the other two were sectional. As
the Democ-ratio party had con
trolled the country in the main
through the past, I thought Doug
las was the stronger man, hence I
voted for him. He got only ten
votes at my precinct. I would have
voted for him had I been entirely
alone. My schoolmates for some
time called me "the ten cents
crowd." If the Southern Demo
crats had stuck to the national
party, perhaps Douglas would
have been elected. Mr. Lincoln
was legally elected, and my De
mocracy was to abide by his ad
ministration, majority rule. But
you know what followed in some
of the Southern States. In the
winter of 1861 the question of
convention or no convention was
i submitted to our people. I voted
for "no convention" and foy Union
candidates. This tioket was in the
majority and not a fair test, as
many strong Union men voted for
convention, believing it best, in
order to declare our allegiance to
the Union in this public way,
when this effort failed our Gover
nor called the legislature together,
the legislature called a convention
over the heads of the votes. That
body met and I believe voted the
State out of the Union the first
day of their session. By this time
many of our people became much
excited, and efforts were being
made to raise troops. One of my
schoolmates who had volunteered
asked me to join his company, I
said "for what ?" The answer was
"let us come out and show a bold
front, raise a strong force and scare
them to peace." I replied if this
is your object you had just as well
stop now, for they have more than
three fighting men to our one. I
confess that about this time I tried
to convince myself that the move
was right and for the best, but I
could not.
I want to quote here a sentence
that improssed me so much that I
retain it until this day. A prom
inent man in South Carolina was
canvassing his state in opposition
to secession. In one of his public
speeches he said, "if it ever does
take place (but I cannot believe
in such stupendous madness) I
shall oonsider the institution of
slavery as doomed, and that the
great God in our blindness has
made us the instruments of its
destruction." This has been lit
erally fulfilled.
The leaders in the South are or
were responsible for the abolition
of slavery at the time it occurred.
If we had held our places as we
should, all the blood and treasure
spent in the war might have been
saved, and for anything I know
slavery continued in the States
until this day. But now with all
the evils connected with the war
on both sides, lam forced to be
lieve that God had a purpose in
allowing these errors to be com
mitted, and that purpose has been
at least in part, accomplished.
The abolition of slavery was the
salvation (financially) of the
South. The poor white people,
I just such as this writer, have had
much better chances than they
could have had if slavery had con
tinued. I have voted, if my mem
ory sorves me correctly, in only
three state and county elections
in the past 39 years and voted for
President of the United 'States
only the one time in life (1860).
Never tried to make a political
speech in life, never wrote an ar
ticle for publication on politics,
unless this and my former letter
are of that character. So I leave
this matter of deserting my life
calling to the intelligent readers
of the Reporter. Now you will see,
as I see and understand this sub
ject, that I have not forsaken my
party but the party has forsaken
me. I claim to be a Democrat
after the order of Jefferson, Jack
son and others that I might men
tion, and not after those who claim
the name, but have lost the prin
ciple. The motto of so many has
been and is still as it seems to me,
"rule or ruin." '■'+£ '
T.May Ij ask'£"lß6l"J and'"any
others who may readjthis to
decide against me until you have
thought the matter over carefully
and oompared what I have said
with the history of our country ?
Let us forget the past so far as
our feelings are concerned. Work
together like brethren to build up
our beloved Southland by honor
able and fair means. This is my
native state ; all my earthly inter
ests are here, and certainly I am
for these measures which are for
our good, and for the good of our
entire country from 186J until
now. I claim the United States as
my country. lam an American.
P. OLIVER.
BITTEN BY A SPIDER.
Through blood poisoning caus
ed by a spider bite, John Wash
ington, of Bosqueuille, Texas,
would have lost his leg, which be
came a mass of running sores, had
he not been persuaded to try
Bucklen's Arnica Salve. He writes:
"The first application relieved,
and four boxes healed all the
sores." Heals every sore. 25c. at
all druggists.
| COMING BACK TO NORTH CAR
Mrs. H. C. Watkins lll—Smith School
Closes - Other Items.
Smith, April B.—Our school
j closed last week at the academy
here. Miss Maud Payne was our
teacher and we have had a good
school year. We were sorry to see
our teacher leave. All the scholars
went to her boarding place to tell
her good bye.
Mr. Percy Martin is going to
Virginia to school.
Mr. Sanders Hart, our mail car
rier, turned his cart over Saturday.
You bet he got muddy.
The young people of this section
went to Dan River Easter. I guess
they had a lively time on that day.
Mumps and measles are in this
section.
Mrs. W. S. Watkins has return
ed home from Providence, R. 1.,
where she has been visiting her
son and daughter. She reports
her daughter-in-law, Mrs. H. C.
Watkins, very low.
Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Lackey have
written that they would be back
to old North Carolina by the 20th
of April. We are glad to know
that they are coming back to their
native state.
BLACK RABBIT.
SANDY RIDGE ROUTE 1.
Sandy Ridge Route 1, April 4
Miss Lucie has the blues this
week as her best fellow didn't call
to get his hat Sunday.
Mr. C. W. Sisk and sisters,
Misses Carrie, Claudie and Lucie,
visited over on the Creek Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. R. VV. Covington
visited at Mr. P. H. Young's Sun
day.
Mr. O. F. Young gave a jolly
little party on Monday night.
Mr. T. Helon Sheppard left on
Monday March 25, for Charleston,
W. Va., where he expects to spend
the summer.
Mr. Lin Wilkins expects to call
to see his best girl some time
about the shank of the month.
Prestonville is preparing for a
grand ball team this summer.
Mr. R. W. Hill calls down on
the creek right often. We think
Miss Carrie is the attraction.
Wonder what Mr. Henry will say
to that ? You had better hurry if
you haven't already gone too fast.
Mr, J. F. Hawkins has decided
not to leave. He is going to get
•married soon.
Preparations are being made to
paint North View church soon.
Mr. Frank Mitchell calls to see
Miss Sibbie Sheppard every third
Sunday and I think he will call
again about the third Sunday.
Farmers are getting hopeless for
their tobacco plants. Some are
sowing their beds over.
APRIL FOOL.
Cleared $4,000.
Last fall Mr. M. F. Overby, of
Gap, sold the timber on several
hundred acres of land to High
Point parties for SI,OOO. Last
week these speculators re-sold the
same body of timber to a High
Point furniture company for
$5,000, realizing a clear profit of
$4,000.
Mr. S. F. Simmons, of Quaker
Gap township, was here Thursday.
"PNEUMONIA'S DEADLY
WORK
had so seriously agected my right
lung," writes Mrs. Fannie Connor,
lof Rural Route I, Georgetown,
Tenn., "that I coughed contin
uously night and day and the
neighbors, prediction—consump
tion —seemed inevitable, until my
husband brought home a byttle of
Dr. King's New Discovery, which
in my case proved to be the only
real cough cure and restorer of
weak, sore lungs." When all other
remedies utterly fail, you may still
win in the battle against lung and
throat troubles with New Discov
ery, the real cure. Guarantsed by
all druggists. 500. and SI.OO. Trial
bottle free.
. SANDY RIDGE AND PINNACLE.
' Will Probably Play At Danbury Some
Time Soon For the Championship
Of Stokes County.
The Danbury baseball enthu
siasts have invited Sandy Ridge
and Pinnacle, the two crack teams
of the county, to play for the
Stokes championship at Danbury.
Both teams have expressed their
willingness to play some time in
the near future.
The visiting teams will be
entertained at the hotels for
dinner, and guaranteed a big
crowd and a good time. Hundreds
of people will be here to see
the struggle between the two
best teams of the county.
Some Westfield News.
Westfield, April 8. —Mr. Reid
Jackson, who has been attending
school at Orange Grove, returned
homo Wednesday.
Mr. A. M. Smith, of Mt. Airy,
spent a few days in this vicinity
last week.
Misses Iris and Arma Crump
ler, of Germanton, who have been
visiting relatives here, returned to
their home Monday.
Rev. R. W. George, of Fran
cisco, was in town Monday.
Mr. Eliot Jessup, who has been
sick for some time, died Friday
morning and was buried Sunday.
Dr. J. T. Smith conducted the
funeral services after which the
remains were laid to rest in the
Baptist graveyard. The deceased
was a son of Mr. J. H. Jessup of
this place. He was a man who
was honest and upwright in all
dealings with his fellowman and
will be greatly missed in this com
munity. A wife and two small
children survive him.
Mr. Meiggs Simmons and Miss
Fannie Frans were married Sun
day morning at the home of the
bride's father, Mr. J. C. Frans,
The ceremony was performed by
Dr. J. T. Smith in the presence of
a few relatives and friends.
The popular young couple have
J a host of friends who wish them a
long and happy life. They left
Monday for a visit to the groom's
father near Stuart, Va.
Letter From Hallsviile, West Va.
Hallsville, W. Va., April 9.
As I have been in the state of
West Virginia for most 15 months
and have never written to my old
home paper, I will write a few
lines about what I know of this
jjart of this state. It has been
misrepresented to some extent. I
have found some as nice people
here as I ever met anywhere, lots
of good church members, while
there are some rough, wild people,
But I can say for Davy, it is as
nice a place as I ever saw, a large
church and there is preaching
and Sunday School every Sunday,
There is also a nice largo school
house, a three-story building with
three teachers and an 8-month
| school.
It is mountaineous, rivers and
; railroads and small towns between
the mountains. When it rains
very much the river gets under
our houses. We live on the bank
iof Tug River. As for the climate
J there is but little difference in
this part of West Virginia and
j North Carolina. Well, it snowed
here Easter Sunday and it is snow
, ing now.
The principal work that is go
j ing on here is mining, saw-milling
and railroading. Wages are from
$1.50 to $3.50 per day for com-
I mon labor. It is owing to what
i your trade is.
We have one good rule here. If
; anyone has a misfortune or gets
i in tough luck the people will look
after them until they are able to
i help themselves.
| DIXIE BOAZKfc
No. 11