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.,..,.. -n i.i!, I . 1 " 1 -' " ..I.I .1 , , " 1 ' "' ' 11 " .... ' . . . . ' - , , , , , i
Vol.1. LINCOLNTON, N. C. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1907. No. 80.
i I
IN SEARCH OF ELDORADO.
Two Lincoln Counly Boys, Bill Blunt And Jim Swinks, Ltxvt Home And Cross Tfc
Mountains To Seek Their Fortunes. A True Story.
(CONTINUED FROM TUESDAY.)
CHAPTER V.
Time drug slowly ou till a little
nigger with his blacking outfit
came by and looking at Jim said
"shine?," Jini reached down and
picked up a piece of cinder threat
eningly, saying, "I'll give you
shine! I'll make them eyes shine
for sumpthin, you little feather
legged nigger." I laughed heart
ily for his eyes sure did shine.
I began to think there was go
ing to be another stampede, but
the little negro didn't run, I guess
hot had been up against hard luck
and had a sour temper too fer he
walked away looking back, every
few steps, with his little monkey
face twisted into cussword express
ions. Jim looked after him with
his brows knit into hard knots and
and when he was gone Jim turned
to me aud said. "Bill, you'd
better lock your hen houses and
unchain your dogs if you lived in
Asheville. nitreers here are as
thich as freckles on the nose of a
South Carolina horse swapper."
Soon the train rolled in and we
left Asheville in a whiz as the
train went thundering on toward
Bryson City.
"We had not gone far when the
flagman came through and said
Hominy next stop; "I guess hog
"will.. be a little further on" said
Jim.
Then as the train rumbled on
Jim and I talked about our future
prospects. There was no doubt
of us getting a job, we thought, as
the man we had slept with at the
hotel ' had told us all about the
work.
Jim says "We are leavin Ashe
ville sky hootin aint we Bill?
Seventy-five miles to Bryson City,
diat my times, that much nearer
thejumpin-olTplaceaintit?" hecon
tinned slowl "We wouldn't stay
iu a little place , like Ashcille for
the water to get hot. We are
goin to the city now. And $10 a
month is good money. You know
that man said we'd get it." He
kept ou "why Bill, our pocket
books will' get so heavy that we
can't get over a fence, we'll have
to crawl through like a little pug
dog."
Kow we were beginning to be in
better spirits and with hope of
success at Bryson City we were jm:
joying the ride immensely till three
fellows got on - the train at a little
station called Clyde. These three
boys were not sailors though some
one said they had about three
alinita rv 1ia irinfl "Taitlinr U'firA
unvv.vw w " ..
they capitalists (I suspect they are
beggars now) but they seemed to
have monopolized all the enjoy
ment there Was on the train.
Whether it increased their stock
or not they spoiled that of others.
I guess they .had on too much
"conversational water" they
talked all the time, anyway. They
wanted to make all the fun they
could but were not willing to di
vide any with you. One of them
seemed to be the leader. He was
a red-eyeu, long-nosca ieiiow ana
"so tall that if he got his feet wet
in the winter it wouldn't be much
danger or him taknig cold in his
head before the next Summer,"
it seemed. Before they had been
in there long they began to sing,
"There's a hole iu the bottom of
the sea," and "How Dry I Am."
Then they had the porter to send
them some ham sandwiches and
ate and sang and drank water, you
never saw the like. Thev drank
water till it looked like they had
camel in them but I guess it was
something else. Directly the tall
fellow passed us and said "Hello
boys, my name's not Jack what's
yours?" "Your name oughtto be
Jack, you look awful likea, jack "
growled Jim, but I just smiled as I
thought lit the best, way to keep
out of a difficulty. But the burly
brute turned on Jim with a string
of oaths not lit to go in this story.
And then he threw back his coat
and showed us his pistol in his
hip pocket, saying "I'm an armed
man, just look here. " I looked
for. Jim to get us into big trouble
but he just sat there and eyed the
fellow and "gritted" his teeth till
the fellow walked away.
It was not because Jim wouldn't
fight but the bold manner of his as
sailant kind of cowed him for a
little while. Jim always did like
to mouth around and shoot off his
lip when the other fellow hadn't
much to say, . anyway, but sang
small when he saw the odds were
against him. And I believe we
are all somewhat that way. I
guess those fellows were too much
of an unknown quantity for Jim,
he got up and went out on the
platform. When I went out I
found Jim sitting on the platform
Avith his feet down on the steps.
Jim had assumed the bedside man
ner of a frozen', turnip and the so
ciability of a Rattlesnake and there
was no sunshine in his countenance
when he looked up, 1 can assure
you. And I felt about the same
way too. "Bill, it's no use for us
to be run over by them sapheaded
pluguglies" he commenced. I told
him that was right and that I
would stand right by him. That
encouraged him. "You ot any
rocks in your pockets?" he asked.
I told him 1 hadn't and he says
"I've not neither, but just let 'um
come out one at a time now I'll try
'um; I'll give 'um an exemplicash
ion of strength that'll hang fresh
beef over his eyes for the better
part of two weeks." I told him to
just wait and see if they said any
thing more to us, then I went back
into the car and listened at them.
I heard oue of them tell a man
that they had just opened a keg of
nails, got out a cup of coffee and
sweetened it with clabber till it
was as thick as his head. Well
sirs, at every station those fellows
would poke their heads out a win
dow and ask somebody if they
wanted to sell that town and then
tell them if they did just to wrap
it up. JBut J.hey didn't say any
thing about us. I guess they had
forgotten us, or either, they didn't
care to, rub up too hard against us
But just after we passed Dillsboro
those fellows began to raise a rack
et, right, and the sta.ll fellqwjbegan
firing his pistol out the window.
Then in came the conductor aud I
saw the game would have to change.
He didn't come in with any milk
and watef statements He asked
them what in the H they meant.
One of them cussed him, another
said, "We're so combamdicated we
can't coabdihoot." He didu't ask
them to take a knife and cut that;
word down so he could understand
it either. He simply reached up
and pulled the cord and when the
train stopped he opened the door
iu such an authoritive manner thai
those fellows asked no questions
but-j ut -marched- out -car ry i wj4
their bottles and jugs with them.
It was strange to me that they be
came as gentle as a lamb all at
once but I understood as soon as
they got outside, for they began to
bow and scrape and raise their
hats. "Thank you, thank you
very much for stopping at our sta
tion," said the tall fellow. "We
live right up there on the hill"
and I knew it was true by the ex
pression on their faces. , But this 1
was one time the conductor didn't
smile wheu people thauked him.
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The Ancient Art
Of Helping Yourself.
Ever go to a Sunday school picnic when you were a boy ?
Course you did. -
llniiembcr how all the women folks used to spread the
' tablecloths ' end. to end on the grass, then dump, 'em thick
with the best eatables you ever ate? My! Fried chicken 'bout
every two foot, with roll
jelly cake in . between.
We'U, yes!
.'.''Recollect how the Su
perintendent would stick
his handkerchief under his
collar and say cheerfully:
"Now all help your
self!"'. .
Then everybody fell to
and helped himself. If
you were a timid boy and
held back till all the chick
en was gobbled up, you re
gretted it you regret it
still. You didn't help
yourself, and nobody else
helped you.
Remember that picnic
when the gang of fellows
from the city happened
along and lit into the fried
fowl ? City chaps are al
ways hungry. They help
ed themselves, and there
. wasn't anything left for
the town boys but the
bones.
Life is a picnic. Not a
Sunday school picnic not
exactly. But it's a picnic dinner all the same. The feast is
spread for you. Everybody help himself now !
SUPPOSE YOU'RE A MERCHANT IN THIS
TOWN. THERE'S FRIED CHICKEN AND ROLL
JELLY CAKE ALL AROUND YOU, BUT YOU LET
THE CITY CROWD COME IN AND SNATCH IT
RIGHT FROM UNDER YOUR NOSE. ALL YOU
GET IS THE BONES AND SCRAPS.
The city fellows are helping themselves. They reach out
long fingers the mail order monthly and the price catalogue
and pick up the choice bits. Why don't you try a few fingers
of advertising in your local paper, dive in ahead of the gang
from outside, get there first and help yourself to the chicken?
"Now all help yourself !"
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MORAL: OUR ADVERTISING RATES FUR
NISHED ON APPLICATION.
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When the train started again I
saw Jim coming iu at the other
end of the car looking as bold as
a lion. It seems that he did not
know what the train stopped for.
He had been sitting there on the
steps and when those men were
getting out Jim was out on the
other side getting him some rocks.
That why he-was walkiug so bold-L
ly. "Where are they Bill?" he
asked. "I 'nr armed - too,- now,-21
as he took his hand out of his
coat pocket and let the corner of
his coat hang "down to show me
what he had.
I told him about them being
gone. "Well, its a mighty good
thing cause I'd aimed to make um
smell trouble a right smart," said
Jim. But I'll just keep them in
case we get into anymore trouble,
I'll be ready. But he did not lind'
any use for them. V (sa pi u - on
that train then were ns ml. ss as
a hay rake at the Nri.h 'pole.
When .liquor was put o if peace
and tranquility returned and hap
piness reigned the same it
would all over North Carol ir .' to
nay if "hells populatoi "' i "
( linunated from her boun.ivir;.
thoroughly, but without success.
Then we were told to go upon
Johnophau's Creek. This we did
inquiring for work everywhere.
. ,, (Continued next Tuesday.)
The Editor.
An editor is a millionaire with
ouff money, a congressman out of
a job, a king without' a throne.
He constructs without, ahammer
or saw, builds a railroad without
rails or spikes, and farms without
a plow. He runs a butcher shop
in the journalistic world and deals
out brains for cash or credit. He
loves thos who advertise with him
like a brother. The editor is a
teacher, a lawyer, a preacher; he
sends forth truth to save souls and
gets lost himself. ; He heals the
wounded,.- cares for the. dying,
rescues the perishing, and then
starves himself when a ham sand
wich of kindness would jerk him
from the jaws of death. Exchange.
A Smile.
On and on the train sped 3-( ') i ;
those mountaius, taking us ; ) ' .Vt
city where we could get vo;'Jc-.. ud
make money and grow great..
When the train stopped aud we
got off at Bryson City, we were
surprised indeed to find it om! u
villrgo instead of the great C' ty n
were expecting to see. But- -e
were searching for work and ,'.ot
for a city, so this did not cut s ch
ice .with us. We started o.t'i I
ing for a job at oncc I w i t A: t
long till we had canvassed the town
Who can tell the value of a
Muilet It costs the gi v r nothing,
jjiiit-is-JjieYOnd.. priee to'- the' err-
ing' and releotiug, fie sad and
oh 'crlesSj the lost and iaken.
It disarms malice, su idr..',s tem
per, turns hatied intiv 1 ", re
venge into 'kirsdness, and );. ves
the darkest pnriw wiu gems of
iiiulightr ,A smile on tl mi brow
iiettajsa kind heart, a pleasant
fit ti 1. iui afi'ectioivitc brother,' a
dutiful sou, a happy iiiHbtMii1. It
ad "'is a oliarm to lewty, ,'t dt-
i")V3tcsthe face of the defo.ir.Ml,
sind makes a lovely voni'in l win-1
ble an ai.gel in K'ra'lise. Ex. !
Alpha's Letter.
Your correspondent is suffering
from a carbuncle.
Mrs. Dellinger,. who w as so se
verely hurt by falling last week, is
in a critical condition.
One of our young men rented a
farm from a landlord in our sec
tion some weeks ago, telling the
gentleman he rented it from that
he expected1 to take to himself a
helf-mate before he moved, but to
keep the matter a prot'oiind secret,
some how or other the matter has
leaked out, and now the joke is on
the young man.
Mr. Sam Xeever is smiling from
ear to ear, his wife having presen
ted him with a 12 1-2 lb boy;
Sam says it is the finest boy ever
born in America, and that he has
not yet decided whether he will
be president or contest Mr. Over
man's seat for the senate, but that
nothing short of the Presidency,
or the U. S. senate w ill satisfy his
ambition.
There is strong talk of a cotton
mill at Denver, Mr. Tompkins, of
Charlotte, we learn will visit Den
ver in the near future with a view
to locating a mill "there, and the
citizens of Denver seem to be will
ing to give him all the encourage
ment in their power. We hope
the factory will be built for it will
not only help Denver and sur
rounding country but will be a
stepping stone toward getting a
railroad.
We believe the people of the
county will be glad to learn that
Lincolntoii is to have a cotton
buyer this year. We have sold
cotton to Mr. Bagley, and have al
ways found him a fair dealer.
Most of the cotton raised in the
eastern end of the county goes to
Cornelius, because the cotton buy
ers at that place, for some reason,
always manage to give a little
above the Charlotte market, now
if Mr. Bagley will raise his fig
ures to correspond witn trie price
at that market he'would, no doubt
get most of the cotton raised in
the eastern part of the county, for
sellers could avoid crossing the
river.
"Does the moon inlluence plant
growth?" We answer: So far as
the Little Mountain section is con
cerned emphatically, yes. It ef
fects things animate and inani
mate. We don't know how' long
the theory has thrived here, it
may have had its origin here, for
ought we know. It was here when
we, came, audis in a thriving con
dition to-day -and bids fair-to Jive
on, and on. Why, Mr. editor,
many of our" farmers 'will : wait a
week or longer if necessary in or
der for the moon to get right be
fore planting. : One of our farmers
always planted - his- bottom -eoru
just after the full moon in May,
and a few years ago he waited for
the full moon and just before the
full, it commenced raining and
kept the ground wet until the mid
dle of June; of course it put him
to great inconvenience, but his
faith remains unshaken. Why
sir, our farmers plant their corn
when the Little Moon is turned
down. Their cotton seed when
the Little Moon is turned up.
They put out : their manure and
guano when the Little Moon is on
the upward turn," why Mr. editor,
if you were forming in, , our sec
tion and w ere to spreli(I-Mriiia-i
tire Wheu the Little Moon' was on
the downward turn some of ou r
farmers would say you did'nt know
any more about farming than
"Horace Oreclv." You see the
strength of the manure would all
sink into the earth. Yes sir the
moon not ouly affects the vegeta
ble kingdom but invades the ani
nuil kingdom as well.
Some of our farmers will wait a
wvk, or two weeks for the .moon
to ;cfc right, before penning their
fattening hogs, then they will wait
just as long' for the "increase of
the moon" for killing their pork.
You see, to kill at any other time
your meat would make only. gravy,
then, if they wish" to move, they
will wait just any length of time
for the "increase of the moon."
To move on the "decrease" would
be sure to work some dire calami
ty. Not only the moon, but the
stars, come in for their share of
inlluence w ith .some, especially as,
regards the weather.
Some years ago one of our old
widowers, who was our most fam
ous weather prophet, concluded
that he would take unto himself a
help mate. The lady of his choice
lived some 20 miles distant. All
arrangements were made for the
marriage, and our weather prop
het - told his allianced that they
would have the knot tied on Wed
nesday -before Christmas, that the
"planet Herchell" : w ould be the
ruling star during Christmas week
and that Ave always had balmy
weather during his reign. Well,
the time rolled around and all
preparations were made ready for
the journey, when lo, it began to
snow and snowed ' until it was 12
inches deep on the ground. The
thermoneter fell almost to zero, all
vehicles had to be abandoned aud
the trip had to be made on horse
back, and the result was the weath
er prophet's nose, which was of the
Roman variety, wtis almost frozen
off, aud his wife never did tire of
telling the joke ou him. Did this
break him from prophesying? No
sir: though now about 90 yeans old
he is still a weather prophet. .
But some one will say: "Alpha
do you believe in all this bosh!"
We answer no, but perhaps it is
impossible to live among people
54 years" who do believe in - these
extraordinary inlluenct'S of the
moon without being tainted a lit
tle. ".Environment may be the
cause of our belief, but we not ou
ly believe but know by actual ex
periment that timber cut on w hat
we call 'the'" light of the moon will
dry out quicker than that cut on
the old moon, that corn planted
just after the moon news will grow
taller than corn planted at any
other time." We don't know any
reason for it, and cannot give any,
but we know it is so all the same.
And if any one wishes to stand us
a law suit on this proposition we
are ready.
Our good friend, Mr. C. W.
Ward, of Iron Station, was a visi
torto ourpinjninityihisjv'('ek,
ou business, he says, but we are
nf h (minimi Mint-, it .is jjnmft kind
ola magnetic inlluence that brought
him over here, and of course it
was not the moon. , . ..
-. Wv 4i'nt,lifr.Tii inhn- n ICids-
ville, we will say that we consider
that we tied our own hands from
organizing baptism some time ago,
through the Xews when we ad-
..".- . ..I...!... ........ ..rtl" . . .... . - 4lrt
mode of water baptism. However
as we arc always willing to give a
reason for the faith that is in us,
if some one else, more competent
to answer his argument, does not
reply, we will untie our own hands.
In the meantime we would advise
all those who think that there is
not two sides to this question to
in Webters old blue back spelle
w men rcaus suiiscuiiug hko mis:
"A bigot is one who is too strong
ly attached to Some religion or op
inion.
'. -. " . Alpha. .
"I wish I was au angel I" little
Johnny Blairastonished his mother
by exclaiming. Wondering why
holy thoughts were filling his
young mind, she Avaited for the
reason. "Then I could fly up
higher than the fence and see all
the ball games."