ft Plil VOL IV LINCOLNTON, N. a, FRIDAY, MAIL 15, 1891. NO. 43 Professional Cards. BABTLETT SKIFF, ATTORNEY AT LAW, LINCOLNTON, N. C. Jaa, 9, 1691. Finley & Wetmore, ATTYS. AT LAW, LINCOLNTON, N. C. Will practice in Lincoln and surrounding counties. All business put into our Lands will be promptly atten ded to. April 18, lH'.tO. Iy. Wilt SURGEON DENTIST. OFFICE IN COBB BCILUIN'G, MAIN ST., LINCOLNTON, N. C July 11, 1800. ly Sr..ip. strode DENTIST. LINCOLNTON, N. (J. Cocaine used for painless ex tracting teeth. With thirty tears experience. Satisfaction given in all operations Terms cash and moderate. Jan 23 '91 ly GO TO BARBER SHOP. Newly titled up. Work aways. -waited npoa. Everything pertain iDg to the tonsorial art is done accordiug to latest styles. HjrXttV TAyt.mk. Rarber. Many ierson are broken lown from overwork or household cares. Brown's Iron Bitters FebuiWtthe fyitem, aids digestion, removes excesa of bile, tad cures malaria. Get the genuine. TO k HONEST PRICES. Listen FAIR DEALING. To What I Say. I begin the New Year determined to create such an advantage that my friends who haven't time to come down t Charlotte and see my im mense stock can stay at home and buy as satisfactorily as if they saw the goods on the floor. I have out a complete line of photos of FURNITURE, PIANOS, AND ORGANS, which shows up Quality aud Styles almost as well as if you saw the goods themselves. I guarantee every article just as represented, and if you do not find it so you can return the goods to me and I will bear the expense both ways aud REFUND YOUR MONEY. By ordering from me through photos vou save paying the big prices smaller dealers charge yon, and your railroad fare to Charlotte. Write me for photo3 of what you want and 1 will guarantee to ootn please ana save von money. E.M.ANDREWS, Dealer in Furniture, Pianos and Organs. 16andl8 WestTrade St. ST IN YOUR iTGREKEEPE JETTING ThEMv; FOR YOU.'' for Infants "Ciutorla k so well Adapted to daldren ihX I recommend It m superior to ny prescription kacwn to me." H. A. Aacmci, M. D., Ill So. Oxford St, Brooklyn, N. Y. -"The use of ' Castoria is so universal and tu merits bo weU known that it seems a work of supererogation to endorse it. Few are the Intelligent families who do not keep Castorla within easy reach." Carlos Maettw. D.D., New York City. Late Pastor Bloomingdale Reformed Church. Tu Centaur i vwVr-... 'i -i "N-tri 'I--' The passage ol the direct land tax bill in the House Wednesday will refund to the States which paid the taxabou $ 12,000,000, nearly all of which goes to the Northern States, where the tax was paid durs ing the war.. After the war some of it was collected in some of the Southern States, but not much, as the collection was suspended by President Johnston and was never resumed. The tax was paid in about onethird of the counties in North Carol ina Wil. Star. How 31 en Die. If we know all tho methods of approach adopted by an enemy we are the hotter en aMed to "Wflrd oil' the danger and postpone the moment vthn 'surrender becomes in evitahle. In many instances the inherent strength of lh body fcufficps to enable it oppose the tendency toward death. Many however have lost these forces to such an extent that there is liule or no help-. In other ca-es a little aid to the weakened Luns will make all the difference between sudden death and many years ot useful lite. Upon the farst symptoms ot a (Jougb, Could or any trouble ot the Throat or Lungs give that old and well-known rem dye lioschee's German Syrup, a careful trial. It will prove what thousands say ot it to be the benefactor of any home." Never break off a limb on a val uable tree ; always make a smooth cut. A WONDER WORKER Mr Frank Huffman, a young man of Burlington, Ohio, states that he had been under the care of two prominent .physi cians, and used their treatment until he was not able to get around Tbey pro nounced his case consumption and incur able: He was persuaded to try Dr King's New Discovery for consumption, coughs and colds and at that time was not able t walk across the street without resting He found, before be had used half of a dollar bottle, that he was much better ; he con tinued to use it and is today enjoying good health. If you have any throat,' lung or chest trouble try it We guarantee satis faction. Trial bottle free at J M Lawing's Drugstore. The national debt was decreased 15,835,49G.G7 during January, . A man that refuses to look a cir cus procession would actually want. i a fairer plan than Gantei's magic- chicken cholera cure is sold on, which 13 "no cuie, no pay." Sold by Dr. J. M. Lawiug, Diuggist. and Children. Caatorla cores Colic, Constfpation, Sour Stomach, Diarrhoea, Eructation, Kills Worm, gives aleep, and, promotes di gestion, Without injurious medication. " For several years I have recommended your Castoria, ' and shall always continue to do so as it has invariably produced beneficial results," Edwin F. Pardkb. M. D., Tbe "Wlnthrop," 135th Street and 7th Ave., New York City. Ckpajct, 77 Murray Strut, New York. A MORAL OBLIGATION BY ELIZABETH C. "WINTER. BWN THE far, far West, someHfrora vttch Christoi-hor had run where l n that enchanted ground known as the "frost tJ iess of Southern Califor nia, ayooug man was oueevemng in late February, seated on the little lawn in front of his little red-wood cottage, contemplating his little gar den, his big rosel tree s, heavy with roses in full bloosv, his orange-trees laden with fruit, aud inclosed in a hedge of Monterey cypress, dotted here and there with great snowy calla lilies, and far beyond all the '.vhile misty tops of th Sierra M. dre Mad re range of mondraius. Presently Si S iig approached, with the noiseless, steps of the stealthy Mongolian, and placed in his hand a letter which he had brought from the nearest post-office. Christopher Fulton nodded as his fingers closed on the missive, while hia gaze continued to absorb the lovely scone it rested on all un consciousof the bombshell contained in that folded piece of paper, "What a country I What a para dise !" he exclaimed, and with the vehemence of his feelings he crush ed the letter in hia hand ; and being so reminded of its existence, he care. lessly tore it open and began to read it. It was from his step-mother, and iu brief words told him how hard a time she had experienced since his father's death ; and that she was even now on her way with Corde lia, of course to find her dear son ; and that in about three weeks from tho arrival of her letter he might look out for them and Cordelia sent her love, hopiug he hadn't quite forgotten her, and Ihe writer was his 'Ever afl'te mother, S. JoneFulton.?' Cnristophf r continued to glare at the letter long after he had finished the pe rusal of it. Suddenly be crumpled it up into a very tight, hard ball, and hmled it from him with such force that it struck an over ripe orange and brought it to the ground ; and then he relieved his mind ot a few tam est words, more forcible than polite, toward Mrs. Fulton. uShe shall not come here 1'' he said, tiually. "It's an outrage even as a child I had to run away from her ! It is like her impudence to follow me here, now that she knovs I have made a happy home for myself! Oh, my paradise ! How she will quickly change nil that even as the first woman brought de struction with her to the first Eden! But I won't have it ! Am I under any moral obligation to open my house to her because she is my fath ers widow ? And Cordelia, too ! ugh 1 What have I done to deserve such a piece of ill luck? I suppose I was too happy 1" With a groan that was rather comic in its tragic intensity, Chris topher rose and went toward the house. At the door he turned and cst a farewell glance around, but already the brief twilight had deep ened into dusk. There was no moon, and it promised to be a dark night, but in the purplish black of t'ie sky glimmered one lone, pale, silvery star. Christopher laughed with bitter merriment. "A single star is shining," he said, mockingly- "What does it indicate, I wonder ? Perhaps Cor delia poor Dell 1 Uow. does she look by this time Well, she can't be more hideous than she. was ; that's a comforr, anyway. But she whs tender-hearted and amiable, poor child ! And homely as she she had the . sweetest eyes. Perhaps I am under a moral obliga jtion to show her some kindness if lean." As' the days flew by, they seemed to Christopher to go more quickly than ever they bad gone before, for for each succeeding one brought neaier the unwelcome figare of his step-mother ; and though he tried to think tindly of her companion, ho knew that the thought of the girl was almost equally unpleasant to him. Dell, whose tun name was Cordelia Jones, was the child of Mrs. Fulton's brother, deceased, whom she adopted when a very young child, aud who had been obliged to submit to the "forming" process, iwa.v ; itn'i rue eueci, as exemplified in her wretched peuou- as he res membered her, always justified to Christopher the step he had taken to avoid a similar fate. In his memory poor Dell now loomed up as tho most, wretched lit Ue waif Im? had ever seen thin to attenuation, pallid rather than pile, A-ith a Wild expression that ought to Lave been pathetic but somehow wasn't as it always awoke the ridi cule ot all the boys ia the neighbor hood, and, in conjunction with a tangled mass of reddish hair, had procured tor her the nicknamo of ''Searey-Carrois.'' These nnat !ractive features were accompanied by a lank, long, bean-pole style, of figure ; hands and feet that seemed unnaturally large, because of the skiinpinss of skirts and sleeves ; a large nose, a wide mouth, and the one suggestion of beauty about her dreary person large, soft, lustrous eyes ; sweet, imploring, gentle, and ith, at times, a strangely quiet, steadfast gaze that suggested a pure and strong spirit that now and then iooked out of them. When Christopher thought ot her and ho had done so many tiuie since reading his step mother's let ter, he always i erne inhered that look, and often eaid to hims If : "Poor Dell ! Yes, she had the softest, gentlest eyes. I wonder what she has developed into under the forming discipline of Mrs. Sara Jones Fulton." Sometimes he eveu tried to pics ture to himBelf what Cordelia now iooked like, aud he felt quite sure that he would know her in an inn stant if he should meet her unex pectedly in the midst of the Colora rif Dptip i t. But wbfiu cn day, about a month after the anival of Sirs. Fulton's letter, Si Sing ant nounced "twoa ladees," although Christopher easily recognized hia stepmother in the elder of the la dies, he stared in speechless amaze ment at the younger one, ami felt quite sure that-he had never seen her till that moment. And, mdeed, perhaps he had no for Cordelia was a very different person from the poor, forlorn "Sca-rey-Carrots ;'' and though she blushed faintly at the uneouscious compliment of Christopher s aston ishment and held out her finely formed tapering hand, he didn't take it ti l Mrs. Fulton exclaimed, iu her usual high, strident tones : "Take her hand, Chris. "It's only Dell, though they call her the Venus Miloyo in Boston; an' I s'pose you may kiss her if you like, seem' 's you ued to be her brother.'' Christopher did not avail himself of this privilege; for he remembered, with an unusual thrill of some deep emotion, that Cordelia was not his sister, or anj- kind of rela'ion ; but he took her extended hand, and the touch of its sotr, firm, slender fin gers caused him another thrill such as he had never before experienced. "You are very welcome to my house," he said, still gazing into the eleep, lustrous eves, that were just as gentle as before, though ihey had lost their wild expression and only looked imploringly during mo ments of deep feeling. "1 hope you wiil be comfortable here, though It is only a little bit of a place, and you will miss many thing, I'm afra'd ; for w-'ve never had any womau about " "Now that's real kind of you, Chris," interrupted Mrs. Fulton, ac ceptiug Christopher's remarks as addressed more particularly to heiN self. "I told Dell you would make us welcooie, but she kind o' thought you might think us intruders.". "Ob, how could you ! ' exclaimed Chiistopher. "Any one my father cared for! Why, I consider it a moral obligation " 4Jnst what I told Dell ! But when you didn't meet us iu San Francis co didn't evjn send a message to the steamer it kinder seemed " "Yes, I know j" said Christopher, looking at Dell, and getting rather red, "but I didn't know you didn't ! happen to mention the steamer and I rather expected a telegram" "Well, well, it's all light, Chris Come, Dell, we'll make ourselves to home, an go all over the Loose at once 'twoa't take long but, land iii.:. rtuve . una seems ro ie a countiy where people can live all out-doors if they want to an' as for flowers well, Dell, yon'l! be happy, anyway!" and accompanying Ijer words, which, indeed, generally accompa nied Mrs Fulton wherever she went, that energetic being proceeded to r.insack the place, followed by Dell, who cast a nhy, tvntle smile toward Christopher as sho ft him- "By Jove! exclaimed Christo pher, gazing after her, "can that be Scarey-Carrots? To think ot Dell growing int a beauty hk that ! the 'Venus Mileyo,' and no wonder. 'A daughter of tho gods she seemed divinely tall and most divinely fair' already the whole place is changed. I needn't have beeu alarmed. : if it is Eden no longer, i; will certaiuly be Olympus wherever that stately creatnre lifts her impe rial head." And as days went, by, and quickly melted into weeks and months, Christopher found his life more and more changed, but he could not wish it otherwise; and rather agaiust bis will, he was obliged to admit that the presence even of his step-mother was becoming agreeable to him for tho New England home wife can bring an amount of comfort aud neatness into the home she pre sides over, quite peculiar to herself. And Christophtr thought he had never before tasted such coffee as Cordelia made ; nor such doughnuts as Mrs. Fulton pioduced, even un der the disadvantages of a gasoline stove, Their "ranch," as theV called it, was refnote and solitary, and their nearest neighbors several miles away.; but retired though it was, the fame of ; Cordelia's beauty spread ahrnnYI. and on Snndayrf many a gallant "ranchman" in all U . r. UnL ., ,1 .,. r 4... 1.1 .. u.n u,, H..u n.y uucuui.uiutme hi his "tviled shirt-lront," that glis teneel under John Chinaman's best efforts, rodo by on champing steed, if, haply, he might catch a glimpse ot "Venus Mileyo." And occasion ally his enterprise was rewarded, and the open admiration of his glauce had the oflVct of rousing Christopher to a degree of fury at which he often marveled. But ti is Step-mother, who knew something of the heart of man, and understood him better than he understood him self, smiled, ami one day remarked : "Yon needn't frown, Chris. Dell never looks at these fellows. And to be lair an'square with you, Chris I suspect tuar's a feller back Boston way that takes up all her thoughts, though I won't say that the thoughts are always pieasaut ones.'' Christopher gave a start and pulled himself together, and then he looked about, as if some one had struck him in tho dark. He was very pale, and a fine, cold moisture was on his brow aud upper lip, as comes upon men who suffer keen pain without a groan. After a few moments be asked, in a very low tone but steadily : "What do you mean? Is she at taeheri to some one else ?" "That's it ; she's attached worse luck ! an' can't break it ; tho' I bei lieve she would it she could." "She hasn't married the fellow? ' gasped Christopher "Lor', no. She ain't attached that way," Mrs. Fulton said, hastiiy. "Then why don't she break with him, if it makes her unhappy?" said Christopher, eagerly, aud a flush of excitement chased the pallor from his face. "I dunno. Dell's queer. She's great on duty an' she call's it mor al obligation." Christopher caught his breath and looked keenly at his step.moth-i er. vas sue laugning ac mm: There was certainly something that looked like a smile about her thin lips, and a suspicious twinkle iu her keen grav eyes. " A moral obligation,' " he re. peated, slowly. "That settle it, then, for we must all of us bow to that sort of thing.'' He left the house, whistling, with a too evident effort at nonchalance, and Mrs. Fulton looked after him, no longer repressing the smile he had suspected. "i)or Chlis!' ehe murmured, sottly. "Xow he hates me worse than ever ! But he-'s one that nev er'd know he was in love with a girl till some one threatened to take her away from him." Chiistopher bad not gone very far before he came upon Cordelia cutting roses. and triming the bush that was running iiot iu long ten drils a!: against the house. How tn-:mtifnl sho was in Iwr simple frock of coarse white il.inud, tho sailor-collar dUplaymg n throat like ivory outlined against tho blue sill; handkerchief knotted iu a care less bow. Her tall, slender fignie hail all the lines of grace that health alone can give, and her complexion, that used to be so saliow, was now as ch'ar and while as the waxen or ange Uowrrs, and just touched with ciimso i on the rheei-:s so faint!y,it might have been a reflection from tLn glowing lips. The hair thnt was once called "cariotH' was of the shade that Titian loved to paint, and that any modern artist would go far to look on any day ; it was of gicat. abundance, with a natural curl and wave that gave the final touch of classic perfection to the heavy coil iu which it was twisted closo to the head, and low on the nape ot the neck. "That man that marries her should own a gold mine," thought Christo pher. "She's fit to be a queen I" Cordelia looked up and smiled at him. "This is the lovliest plac in the world, 1 believe," she said, ss he came toward her. "I seem not to really have lived till now." "O, Dell !"exciairred Christopher. "Could you be happy to stay here always ?" "Always? Ob, yes, Chiis. But, oh ! I suppose I must go back some time, unU ofi, orliat - if I nught biincr Jim here " Christopher turned cold and drew back ; then grinding his teeth in fury, he said, savagely : "I thought you cared so much for wild flowers?" "Why, so I do, Chris ; but you are so busy I'm afraid they will all he gone." "I'm not busy, I'm never busy when you want me ; and the foot h lis beyond there are all covered with poppies and pansies and for-get-mesnots. Why can't you come now ?'' "I'll be glad to ; let me get my hat. I'll be back in a minute," said Dell, and moved away with the un conscious grace that belougs to tall and graceful girlhood. " 'Jim !' how I hate his detested name !" muttered Christopher, digg ing his h el into the ground with a fury that must be expended on something. "All my lde long, Irom mv earliest recollection, I have hat ed the name of 'Jim,' and now 1 know why. But in spite of Jim Lucifer I'll have her to myself for tius one day, at least. 'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may ' or pop pies, or rue, perhaps. No matter what! To day is mine, and for 'to morrow an earthquake, maybe ! Are you ready Dell ?" for Cordelia I now appeared, putting on her hat1 and swinging in her had a little bas' ker, for the wild ilowern, To the foot-hills was a walk of a few miles a brief ramble in Cali fornia ami Cordelia tnought she had never known Christopher to be 80 silent. Bat for herself she was strangely talkative ; and, though his heart telt as if in the grasp of somo cruel, iron hand, her listener heard with deli .'lit Ihe turilling tones f that voice, and "compared her in his thought with that other Cordelia, whose "voice was ever low, gentle, and sweet," for Christopher did a deal of reading iu those long evtm- ing w me raia wmiei, wuni nmn else could ie done, and he now ap plied every gracious and graceful expression caught from his books to the object of his first passion. The hills, when at last they came to them, turned out to be pretty tall mountains, with here and there a gorge or broken cauiou running be tween them, aud they were all ablaze with the bridiant and be intiful flo- ra of that charmed land; and Con delia's basket was soon filled to overflowing, and then Christopher wove gariandg and hang them about her neck and on her arm, and the afternoon begau to wane, and the sun hurried toward the west. But still they lingered. It was the springtime of the year and of their lives, and each felt that each days cuujc pchiuiu euougu iu me longest and happiest existence SuddenPy, there was a peculiar, weird, nncanuy sound, and Christo pher uttered a smothered erv of honor and despair. Cordelia stood perfectly still, but she grew very pale, and looked at him in terror, while the rattle sound- ed louder and fiercer. "Don't move, Dell for God 'n sake, don't move," whispered Chritto pher, as he hastened to open the strongest blade of his pocket-knife. "1 won't stir, dear," said Ccdelia ; and in her eyes Nhone that steady glow that showed the quality of her spirit when -uo was deeply stirred, though cold thrills shook every nerve, and even iier hair seemed to lift, as she felt Ihe creature writhe itself beneath her slender foot. Christopher knelt and cut the reptile through as close to her foot as he dared briug the knife, for she was standing directly on the ser pents heait. Even then he would not let her move for some moments, tut he flung aside the carcass and removed the rattle as u trophy. After a miuute or. two he put his arm about her and raised her quick ly from the ground, while he tram pled the severed head into the earth but I her e was no need. The last vestige of life and malignant lieuzy, which sometimes enables the rattle snake to sting, even in death, was extinct ; then Christopher's pent up love hurst forth. "O, D-dl, my darling! My beau tiful I'VLii a riall aliil I n.iwt Irticn ou !' "But, Ghristopner I am not hurt!" said Cordelia, faintly ; she was beginning fo be frightened. "Why must vou lose me"' "Don't you belong to another to " Cordelia began to cry it was a wa3' she had iu the days when she had been "Scarey-Carrots ;" and Christopher never had been able to bear it, even then now it was not to be endured. He caught her in his arms aud kissed her, as of old. "Do you mean that you - don't that is, that you do O, Dell, do you really love me V "Of course I do; I never could love any one else in the world ; but it is growing dark; Chris, dear, and. I've had enough of adventures for tosday. Take mo home, for I couldn't stand another rattler." Christopher Rought bis step mother when they got home and .asked steam ly : "Why did you tell rne siie had an unhappy attachment 1' "She has to Jim. He's her brother, and a ne'etsdowell like his father." "Her brother!" exclaimed Chris topher. "Why in thunder ! but no mrtter I forgive jou, maneuver ing mother ; aud as for Jim well, we w'll have him out here, if Dell says so. The climate of California ill do anything, and as a cureall it act on moral being as well as on tho physical ; and Jim won't be the first scape grace it has turned into an honest, prosperous fellow. By the way, we'er going'to have a wedi ding here. Jim can be best, mau and yoa c.in'give the bride away.'' THAT TERRIBLE COUGH In tfce njoriiin?, hurried or difficult lrentb irisr, raising phl-gm, tjhtnes? in the chest, quk'kriKl pul-e. chihir.pss in the evnini? or sweats at niht, all or any of thftte things arft the first fctass f consumption. Dr. Acker's KnilHi Cough lem-dy will euro these fearful symptoms, and is sold und'-r a j-sifire guarantee by Dr J MLuw ing, Druist. An Onio woman has named her twin daughters Gasolene and Kero. sene. THK VIRT SYMPTOMS OF DEATH. Tired feeling, dull headache, pains in various parts of the body, sinking at the pit of the stomach, loss ol appetite, fever- ihnes, pimples or f ore?, are all positive evidence of poisoned blood. No matter how it became poisoned it must be purified to avoid death. Dr. Acker's English Blood Euxir has necer failed to remove scrofulous or syphilitic poisons. Sold under positive guarantee by Dr. J M Lawing, Druggist.

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