THE UNION COUNTY PAPER-EVERYBODY READS IV
J HE
THE UNION COUNTY PAPER EVERYBODY VlSEDS IT
a
MONR0E JOURN.
PUBLISHED TWICE EACH WEEK TUESDAY AND FRIDAY
VOL.27. NO. 33.
MONROE, N. O, TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1921.
$100 PER YEAR CASH
SHORTEST COTTON CROP
IN 25 YEARS PREDICTED
! WINGATE MAX'S FEET ARK
POISONED bY SHOE POIJSH
I
r
Still tirrnler Shot-tat: Will ExlM I
le a Market 1 ('rent!, Prom
inent Speaker Warn
TWO Bl 1.1 JON LOSS TO FARMERS
New York. May 30. Ways and
mean of rehabilitating the cotton
Industry and putting it on a pre-war
basis were discussed today at the
opening of a national consultation of
American cotton growers, manufac
turers aud affiliated interests.
Leading cotton growers and' gov
ernment officials warned that the
country faced the shortest cotton
crop in the last 25 years and that.
unless Immediate steps were iaaen
to create a market and restore the
staple to a profitable price, a greater
shortage would result In the next
few years.
Figures represented by the various
speakers showed that the reduction
In cotton acreage this year ranged
from 30 to J5 per cent, due to the
acreage reduction campaign of the
American Cotton association, the
ravages of the boll weevil and un
favorable weather conditions.
The government recognizes that
the industry faces a critical situation.
President Hardin declared in a tele
phone message to the conference, and
be assured the cotton growers that
the administration desired in every
possible way to co-operate with those
seeking to improve conditions.
Two three-year-old daughters of
cotton men replied to the President's
message thanking him on behalf of
the north and the south.
Acreage Reduction.
United effort by government and
business is necessary if the cotton
industry is to regain its feet, declared
J. S. Wannariiaker of St. Matthews,
S. C. president of the American Cot
' ton association. Artificial inflation
l:i values must be overcome, he said,
and the channels of commerce opened
and exports of raw cotton stimulated.
114 defended the acreage reduction
campaign, declaring it would have
been "nothing short of suicidal to
produce more than half a crop of cot
ton in 1921."
SenHtor Joseph E. Ransdell of.
Louisiana, a cotton planter, estimated
that cotton producers had lost ap
proximately $2,00lh000.000 In 1920,
due to adverse market conditions.
Senator E. D. Smith of South Caro
lina, said that, with a group of sena
tors from the agricultural states oi
the south and west, he believed they
had a solution of the situation in
view. - He explained that it was pro
posed to modify the federal reserve
act so that the farmer would have
eome fixed and dependable financial
arrangements. He added that It was
proposed to make It mandatory upon
the home banks and the regional
banks to accept the farmers" paper
at fixed discount rates, and that this
paper should be good as long as the
bank's assets remitted. Cotton at
no time, he said, should sell below
thirty cents.
Abolish Exchange. t
Abolition of cotton exchanges If
they cannot be regulated adequately
by law. was advocated by United
States Senator J. Thomas Heflin, of
Alabama.
Consideration is being given a law
concerning cotton futures, he as
nerted. but he expressed doubt as to
the possibility of framing a measure
that the exchanges could not find a
wav to evade.
"If the cotton exchanges cannot be
regulated." Senator Heflin declared,
'I am in favor of killing them. 1-say,
give them another chance. However,
we don't have to have exchanges to
sell cotton any more than we have
to have exchanges to sell mules.
"Let us regulate th exchanges
further If we can.. But, If not. let us
put the axe to the tree. They ought
to have been closed last fall. Some
of the people In Washington who
have been In favor of regulation, are
coming around to thjnk It better to
close them.
Warns Thoe Feasting.
"Let those who are feasting take
warning. We tell these bear specu
lators to get their house in order.
Congress passed a grain exchange bill
In a Jiffy and Southerners supported
It.
"The price of cotton will go up
again. We will survive It. Let us
go back like crusaders and preach
to our people to go back to pre-wV
prices. Cotton cannot be produced
at twelve or fourteen cents a pound
under present conditions."
Senator Heflin favored amending
the federal reserve law so that the
federal reserve board would be com
pelled to recoglnie staph) cotton as
a basis for credit. He urged that
President Harding be petitioned to
call upon that board to reduce the
rediscount rate to
Mr. Carl Rigger I Suffering With
What the Donors OH Chemical
Poitonlng Drank kerosene Oil.
By Itev. 11 M. Haiglerl
Wingate, May 31. Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Evans and children spent
Sunday in Chesterfield county with
friends and relatives.
"Uncle" John Q. Griffin and his
devoted wife were welcome visitors
here this week.
Master Talmage Haigler Is spend
ing the week in Meckleuburg county
with his grandparents.
Messrs. R. M. Haigler. Hugh Me
Whlrter, W. F. Halgler and J. B.
Maugum motored over to Mint Hill
(Sunday where the writer supplied for
the pastor or the Philadelphia Pres
byterian church.
Mrs. Marlon Helms, who has been
ill for some time, was carried to a
Charlotte hospital , yesterday for
treatment. Her many friends hope
for her a speedy recovery
Mrs. M. H. Myers of Livingston.
Tenn.. is the guest of relatives in and
around Wingate.
Rev. C. C. Perry, who Is at home
from Wake Forest college, conducted
services at the Meadow Branch
church here Sunday evening.
Mr. Carl Blggers is In Charlotte
receiving treatment for poisoned feet.
In having his shoes polished recent
ly, some of the liquid touched his
socks, causing what the doctors
term "chemical poisoning." He has
suffered intensely, but is thought to
be improving. Your correspondent
hopes that Mr. Blggers will soon be
"on his feet" again.
. Mr. R. F. Honeycutt's barn was,
burned last Tuesday night, quite a
iiiantlt fit ranffh faeri and lmnle-1
. r, - "
I mentg being consumed by the names.
The-nrletn of the (Ire Is unknown.
nor Is your correspondent able to !
state whether or not there was any
. Insurance.
I Max, the four-year-old son of Mr.
and Mrs. Ernest Robinson, was death
ly sick for a while one afternoon last!
(week as a result of having drank j
some kerosene oil. A physician was
.Immediately summoned, however.!
and he soon had the little fellow on
.the road to recovery.
I Farmers of the Wingate commu
nity are very busy planting corn, the
, wet weather having kept them out of
the .field for several days.
Several of our citizens went down
to the fisheries at Blewett Falls this!
wauk .tint rannrt "hh lurk."
1 The little child of Mr. and Mrs
Unary Broem to-vory RKwIth wneop-
,lng cough and bronchitis.
One of the most interesting Daae-
ball games witnessed here recently.
wrs that. one staged between the,
married and single men of the town.
Each team had its "rooters." mar
ried men and women yelling for their,
side, and the single boys were not
without their supporters. The old
fellows won, the married men being
accustomed to "hard knocks and
strike outs." and the other married
men and women, being better "root
ers." added materially to the winning
of the game. '
Rev. A. C. Sherwood preached ai
the Cedar Grove school house Sunday
afternoon. '
"De Lord Loaned Us Old Missus
And Has Called Her Back Home"
lly i. S. WANXAMAKEK
I'rrstileiil American Ortton .tm'a.
"My old Missus has gone to, do dey sho would ruin de people
Heaben; God called her 'way fromj 'cause dey would ha be to pay dere
where dere is so much sufferin' and debts many times ober.' He said: 'I
sorrow to where dere Is peace, hap-ani ruined, .my friends black and
pines . and Joy. She wus an angel) whlto is ruined, no man got any right
on earth. De Bible seys God sens to lib who can't pay his 'onest debts."
trubble to de people He loves; Hej No use giving de 'xcuse dat de money
sho has sen trubble to her and 1 kno! bin changed since he make his debts.
He lobed her 'cause she was so good, dat donX pay it, 'side from dis he
She worshipped old Master and loved! ought not to let dem fool into plaut
her 'lations in de North who used to log and get caught; dat a fool must
visit us 'fore de war. pay for his folly. He said it was
"When old Master wus killed In right bout de people in Europe aud
Virginia I wus wid him and I bringedj Asia ragged, cold and starving and
de news home to old 'Missus. When not able to git our cotton and odder
I git home I could not make up my products, dere labor and facing are
mind to tell her. I git home way in idle for de lack ob de very tings dat
the night. My old lady was in de Is rotting in our fields and ware
big house wid old Missus puttin' de! houses, still we can't pay our debts
chillun to bed, I peeped In tru de
wlndo and seed dem, de little curly
headed baby gat dat always minded
me ob de angels was saying her pray
ers repeating dem after ner Mammy,
when she-finished she said, "O, Mam
my I got to. say my prayers all over
cause I forgot to tell God to bring
Pape home safe from the war, when
the baby made this remark I burst
out crying cause I knew she would
never see her papa any more In this
world. When old Missus hfard me
she know what had happen 'fore I
could tell her. She said: 'De Lord's
will be done.' Den her cousins and
old Master's baby brudder was killed
'fore de war .was ober.
"After de war de old plantation
was took by Oder peole and old Miss
been knocking 'round from pillar to
post ever sins dat time, first wid dis
child den wid dat one and all of dem
was just able to eke out an 'xlsteuce,
orten old Miss Just had nuf to keep
soul and body together but she never
if we can't sell our cotton, at least.
tor what it cost us to make it and
we can't even sell It for one-third
what it cost us to make It. '
"Boss become awful discouraged.
I keep telling him dat times going
to change and git better, but one
morning he ain't come from his room.
1 call hitn and he ain't answer. I
shook de door and find it locked, we
prized de door open and find dat he
had shot himself and gone to Join old
Master In de better world. He wus
toe proud and honest to bust and
wtpe his debts out like some people.
De old Missus when she hear de news
say 'De Lord's will be done.' 'Course
I ain't dispute de old Missus word,
but all dis trubble aint de Lord's will,
de debble Is got a -lots to do wid It.
"You kno I hear old Masse r say
during his lifetime dat Geo. Wash
ington tell a great truth when he say
dat America would bring peace to
all de people ob de world by sup
plying dem wid things from our
complained, you would never kno It.! farms, such as cotton to make cloths
you would tink she was blessed wid j wid and wheat for food; dat dis
everything in dis world dat anyone would result in letting de people ob
could wish for. Everybody both- back;de world get busy; dat It would bring
and white people loved old Miss. iconment; dat it would do 'way wid
"When dis last big war come on; wars, dat dey would turn dere 'ten
Uer gran-son named for old Master, jtion to making de world better place
got killed 'way cross de ocean. Den j to lib in. My old Master said we
one of de udder gran-sons, de busl-'j could not make too much cotton tor
uess man of de family de one dat we!iy wants or de world, dat our only
called young boss, he so good to us, trabble was glttln it to de people who
he left everything and went 'cross de wanted it and dat sho seems to be
ocean to fiuht In de war. even do;de trubble today,
dare alnt no law to make him go "When cotton was forty cents and
'cause he wus too old. When I 'mon- we commenced paying our debts and
t rated wid him he Just say 'it is people wus happy old Missus say:
my duty to go and I am going to. -praise- de Lord, surely ha 'tended
do niy duty. After, he cum back hej.d.'.V O peo?l-.ah de. Sutfu Uiould
trrto catch up for lost time tu his be made happy and prosperous when
business, he had big fam'ly to s'port
and lots ob friends, both .white and
black, dat he had always helped who
pends on him. He says: I is ves
he gin dem a right He alnt gin to
any Oder people in de world, to grow
de kind of cotton de world has to
hab. De prediction of your old Mas
FORD IS PKODICIM1 FOOl
THOUSAND CARS A DAY
The n-e.' ent Production is Greater
Tlnm for' the Same Period ImM ,
Year.
Ford is building enrs at full speed
And, according to an official state
ment from the factory at Detroit, the
demand for Ford cars and trucks sti
exceeds the output, despite the fact
that a new high level of production
has been reached.
By the first of May the figures rep
resenting dally production were in
the neighborhood of four thousand a
day, so the May schedule was set at
101,126 cars and trucks, not includ
ing the output of the Ford Canadian
plant or any of the foreign assem
bling plants. The output mounted
daily: May 12th brought forth 4092,
the greatest number that have been
produced in one day so far this year.
Since the i month has twenty-five
working days, present Indications
point to a new high record.
A comparison of Ford production
figures for 1920 and 1921 discloses
the fact that for April 1921 the out
put was greater by 34,514 than for
the corresponding month of a year
ago. The output for May 1921 will
probably overshadow May 1920 by
between fifteen and twenty thousand
cars and trucks.
Aproxlmately forty-three thousand
men are at work In the Detroit plant
of the Ford Motor Company. The
factory Is operating on full time, six
days a week and thrte shifts a day.
"We were never In a better condi
tion than we are right now," said
Henry Ford recently.
Wannamaker Speaks.
New York, May JO. The country
facet tbe shortest cotton crop In the
last quarter of a century, J. 8. Wan
namaker, of 8t Matthews, 8. C, pret-
. J . -, Ik. k Ma.ln.ll fftflAII IUA.
IT-.7I- .-m wi.v h. n.tion.i eon- did the ladies wear?"
aulUtlon conference of American cot- Hto reply was. "I. didn't aee any
trtn Growers thing above the table and I was too
This ? shortage waa largely due. he 'much of a, gentleman to look under-
i a .a .ha anMnriii entrnn acre-1
He Waa Too Modewt.
, 'A young man had Just, returned
from his first dinner among the so
called "four hundred, society's elite
of you please. The question waa
asked him. "Whit kind of dresses
age redaction campaign of the asso
ciation in Its efforts to create a
market and prevent further deflation
In prices,
F.ay to Trim.
"I'm In a great hurry," said the
He quoted statistics to, bald headed delegate to the state
show the acreage had been reduced convention as he entered a barber
tO.1t pr cent. isnop. "tan you trim my nair witn
He declared that there must be a my collar onT"
"Sure," the barber replied, "i d
tigated It and dey Is going to to need ; ter and Geo. Washington going to
all de cotton we can make. While. cum tru. we will hab to strain our
dem people 'cross de water alnt got! selves to raise nuf on de farm In
no money wid which to buy our cot-(dis country to supply de odder part
ton, dem is got lands, forest, mines. 0f de world. We will nebber had too
factory and mills and dey Is hard-much cotton any more cotton will
working people and dey is mighty ' stop causing us misery and will bring
anxious to start back to work ami, us happiness at last, tank de Lord.'
dey tell nie dat de country ober dere Old Missus suy: 'De prediction of
will need more of our cotton den'de Bible going to be fulfilled at last
ebber before. It Is going to be 'rang-; where it says "And he shall Judge
ed so dat we can sell dis cotton on j among de nations, and shall rebuke
credit, Security will be taken on demiany people; and dey shall beat dere
things dey Jaa got. Our government swords into plow shares and dere
going to fix dis so as to help dem ; gpears into prunlnghooks; Nation
people get. bark on (li re feet and de 'shall not lift up sword against nation,
goernuieut v.'unts us to raise all tie; neither shall dey learn war any
cbtton we can, dey doue 'vestogiitel more." Isinh 11:4 In Micah IV:3.
it and if we raise less den fifteen' "But they shall sit every man un
iiiilllon bales it will cause lots of sut-idcr his vine and under his flg tree;
ferin' 'coun not bein nut cotton. land none shall mike them afraid;
"Boss was so certain he wus cor-j for the mouth of de Lord has spok
rect dat he planted hundreds oh acres ; en It."
cotton and from his store he helped "Old Missus she bin In dis world
udder people, white and black, to a long time, her head was white as
farm. De first year we got forty
cents for cotton tho we ain't make
much cro 'count de boll weevil eatin'
It up, but he says 'Dis prove I am
correct." Last year It cost more den
ebber to raise cotton, and we .can't
sell It fur one-third what it cost to
make It. When he find out dis fall
he can't pay he debta he tell me:
'Abraham Lincoln sho tell de God's
truth when he says de Oov'ment must
not change de money till de people
get thru paying dey debts, dat if dey
snow, her shoulders was bent, her
face always carried a smile dat re
minded me ob Heaben and her voire
was so low and sweet dat tt sounded
like music. She was staying wid her
son's widow and in de midnight hours
her gran-children heard her singing
in her bedroom:
'"Oh come angel band, come and
around me atand.
Oh, bear me 'way on your snowy
wingi
To my eternal home."
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OI.I
4 I.OTHES KEt'EIYl.M; STATION
IMsirh't (lutiniiau Are KeqiieMnl In
Send Their Collection la Till
Place on June H.
By Mrs. 1. U. Snjder
Bundle day, June 1st, has been
proclaimed by Governor .Morrisou as
the date for North Carolinians to set
aside and give their old garments to
the Near East Relief. The chairman
for 'Union county received her in
structions so late that the organiza
tion was not perfected in time for
l'u Ion county to observe this date. We
will therefore name June the eiirht
as bundle day for Union county. The
local chairman has been asked to
organize and name a director to re
ceive the donations from his terri
tory. We then ask that they be sent
to the Chamber of Commerce at Mon
roe where they will be inspected and
packed for shipment.
It is the preference of the state
director and chairman, Josephus Dan
ials. that all package be turned over
to the county chairman.
Clothing, new or cast aside which
will not be worn again by its present
owners is wanted for the naked peo
ple In Armenia, Syria, and the east
ern countries. The drive is Just for
one day, Wednesday. Jane tbe eighth.
Tbe time will not be extended as we
must get them overseas before the
winter sets in which begins earlier
than ours. The call to our sympa
thy is appealing, the suffering Is
acute. Armenia has never turned a
deaf ear to the appeals of the suf
fering. Will Union county do her
part? Our answer is yes.
We want to report a solid car. We
hope there Is none among us. whose
hearts have grown callous to the ap
peals of distress that have fallen
upon our hearts and ears during the
past months. Only as we keep close
to the heart of the Son of Man can
we make warm and tender our un
feeling hearts In the midst of the
dire need about us.
COW AUCTIONEERS RELATE
THEIR YARIED EXPERIENCES
Fine HolMein Cow, 'Ming About
Which Sold For Hut WU.30,
liN4iiiiueol lo Mr. William
DARKEY TRIED TO IJST HIS CAT
FIRST BALK OK 1921 TEXAS
CROP WAS SOLD LAST FRIDAY
Signs Americans Have Laughed at.! STEPHEN (ilRARD I-OST BET
' Continued on Tage Eight, t trim you with your hat on."
V
The queer English in the shop!
of Japan always bring a smile to the!
face of the American visitor. Re-1
cently the Japanese conducted a "sign
campaign in me interests Ol correct
grammar and spelling, and. probably
have Improved things. The list that
a subscriber sends us from us from
Tokyo shows how much the reform
was needed:
Ladles furs made of their own skins.
Several. Tailor and Dressmaker, a
Shop.
Ladles washed Inside and out
(laundry).
Horses re-tailed here. '
Dal Nippon Sporting Dogs and
Company.
European Head Cut (barber).
Hing to Lend Automobile (agrage).
The resistant wet-coat maker (rain
coats). Razor and Eseance (There has been
a dispute what "essence" means, but
probably It means toilet articles).
Extract from Hens (eggs).
The motor will start soon Company.
Ripe Eggs.
Whale and All Relating to It Are
Sold (whalebone).
Ladles have Fits Upstairs (dress
mskers). How much do you want a suit that
all admire.
8hoes that will open your eyes will
be sold. x
Breed and Milk.
Prompt execution and perfect fit
guaranteed. '
Bacteria Milk (stertltxed milk).
Anecdote
Tells How HU
Stumped Him.
Cahier
Stephen Glrard was a very close
man, and every penny was treated
with respect. He seldom bet, and
when he did It was as near a sure
thing as he could make It. He had a
young cashier In his employ that had
lost various small sums to Girard
from time to time, and who was anx
ious for tevenge. One day the two
got Into an argument as to how long
it would take to count a million
dollars.
"You couldn't make a million dots
of Ink in the time it would take me
to drive to my farm, spend two hours
there and drive back," exclaimed
Girard.
"Bet 50 I can." retorted the
cashier.
The money was posted, and Girard
drove away. When he returned In
tead of finding the cashier humped
up over a pile of blank paper with
his pea Jabbing hopelssly way, the
rick man discovered the cashier calm
ly, smoking a clear. He waved Ms
hand at the walls ef the counting
house. Girard looked closely and
saw they were literally covered with
Ink dots.
"Is that a million?" he gasped.
"Count 'em." said the ca-Wer.
"Tou didn't do them with a pen."
"Oh. no. I Cld them with a tooth
brush." grinned the employe, pocket
ing the money. "Nothing was said
about a pen.' Delrolt News.
I Not Only the Eai Hot Utile Ever
Marketed, Hut Month Ahead of
l4it Year.
The first bale of the 1921 Texas
crop which was sold Friday was not
only a surprise but caused some lit
tle selling, according to E.' A. CutU
Company's latest cotton letter to
Monroe .buyers. It's not only th
one mouth ahead of last year, a
thousand bales of the new Texas
crop, it is further reported, will be
on the market in the next few weeks.
Further discussing the market, the
Cutts humorous letter continues:
"The condition of north Georgia mer
chants remind me: Samuel M. Vau
clain, president of the Baldwin loco
motive works, Is a confirmed op
timist. He always manages to see
tbe bright and humorous side of
things and his smile has not been
dimmed even though locomotive or
ders have become almost as extinct
as the dinosaur. Mr. Vauclaln was
seated at his desk when a reporter
entered and asked about business,
Iustead of replying, the locomotive
manufacturer picked up his pen and
wrote the following note which he
handed over with a smile. 'We are
really doing nothing, and getting
away with It In good shape, better
than ever before.'
"While other sections are selling
and a few exporters ire trying hard
to get ahead of the others In buying
cotton, reminds me: y
"Husband The doctor has ordered
me to observe the greatest possible
quiet.-
"Helpmate In that case, dear,
on't you think it would be an ideal
time to get back Into business.
"Yet, notwithstanding many are
selling. There la quite as many more
sitting down on their cotton, and
won't budge. Reminds me:
" 'Mercy sakes, little boy!' shock
edly exclaimed one of the women
members of a party of motorists tour
ing the Ozarks. 'Don't leave the babr
alone on that stump right by the
creek side! He'll tall Into the wa
ter!' " 'Not bo's you could notice It,
mom!' politely replied young Banty
Johnson. 'We've nailed his shirt tail
to the stump.'
"Well, the bulls are rounding up
'the bears, and may have to tussle
pretty hard to get them. They are
not lambs by any many. Reminds
me:
"An old farmer engaged a city chap
i to help out for the summer, and for
his first Job sent him out to bring in
the sheep. The city chap started out
with a will. In about three hours he
returned panting and disheveled, but
with all bis charges in tow. The
farmer waa pleasantly surprised. 'Not
a bad beginning,' was his comment
'But what's the idea of the Jack-rabbit?'
pointing to a white, furry object
that lay on the ground, even more
exhausted than the farm-hand. '
" 'Good Lord, la that a rabbit?'
ejaculated the green hired man. 'Thit
Is the one thst it took me so Ion"
to catch. 1 thought that It was a
lamb!' "
A Man's Pay.
Marie had most pronounced Ideas
as to the rights and wrongs of her
sex.
"Don't you think that a woman
should get k man's pay?" she was
asked.
After a moment's reflection, Marie
replied:
"Well. I think she should let him
have carfare and lunch money out
of It." Everybody's.
Back from Wilmington, where they
auctioned off a car load of Union
county cows, Messrs. Raymond Grit
fin and Frank Williams are recount
ing their experiences, much to the en
tertainment of their friends. Each
makes the other the butt for an o't
repeated Joke. "Raymond." says Mr.
Williams, "was the assistant auction
eer, and he would claim about every
other cow for one of his own raising,
solemnly informing the large crowd
that he brought up the particular
row on the auction block from a calf.
I never before knew that he raised
so many." "Is that so?" Mr. Griffin
replied when told of Mr. Willlami'
tale. "Did he tell you." he contin
ued, "about the S65 cow that brought
only $62.50?" Without waiting tor
an answer, he went on: "One of the
best cows in the lot was a Holsteln,
pretty and fat. which cost ua about
$65, and which we expected to sell at
a fancy price. Unfortunately, how
ever, she began 'ailing' when the car
left Monroe, refusing to either eat or
drink. On arrival at Wilmington, her
enforced fast had given her a weakly,
emaciated appearance, and she sold
for only $62.50. This was quite a
disappointment to both of us, but I
quickly forgot the Incident, until on
our return trip Frank drawled out:
'Raymond, d you remember that
pretty Holsteln cow?' 'Ye,' I replied,
wondering what he was going to say.
'Well.' ho continued. 'I don't wish the
man that bought her any bad luck,
but I hope she dies! But that's
not the best one on Frank," Mr. Grif
fin began again, after the laughing
had somewhat subsided. "Yester
day," he continued, "he ran into
'Uncle Mose,' an old slave darkey
who works the gardens for the folks
living on Morris street, and remem
berin? that his little patch had been
sadly neglected for several days, he
preceded to employ him to stake hi
tomatoes." (here Mr. Griffin began
to swell up preparatory to the explo
sion that always follows when he tells
a good one) "but when he got horn
late that afternoon he found that the
old darkey had staken his Irish po
tatoes instead ot his tomatoes!"
v Mr,. Bostva Wasn't LiaUnc-Cu,
"" iMr. J. 6. Rogers,' city list-taker,
and one ot the best auctioneers In the
state, has had many and varied ex
periences during his life-time, having
sold under the hammer almost every
conceivable object from a hearse on
down; but not until tbe other day did
he encounter a man who tried to list
a cat tor taxation. He was a col
ored man. After writing down his
name and other preliminaries such as
his age, Mr. Rogers enquired as to the
the value of his househould and
kitchen furniture. "Thirty-five dol
lars," was the reply. This was a
stunner. Dropping his pen. Mr. Ro;
ers looked the tax-payer straight In
the eye. and demanded: "Don't yon
know that an ordinary bedstead is
almost worth that?" "Can't help
It." was the reply. "I hasn't got much
!of a bed, no chairs and nothin' else
of any 'count." TO this reply, air.
Rogers commented: "Then the coun
ty owes you $265. You're exempt
from paying taxes on that amount."
The househould and kitchen furni
ture Itmns checked up, Mr. Rogers
started upon the more serious prob
lem of getting down the darkey's cat
tle and horses. "Got any cows?" he
asked. "Nassah," was the reply.
"Got any horses?" he persisted.
"Nassah," was again the answer.
"Got any pigs?" he questioned. The
darkey replied in a low Voice. "Nos
sah. but Use got a cat." Voices from
another 'part of the room drowned
out the darkey's reply to this ques
tion, and thinking that he said "yes,"
Mr. Rogers had so written thst word
on the blank for that purpose.
"What'a it worth?" he asked, think
ing ot pigs while the darkey's mind
wis centered upon the cat. "Oh,
'bout fifty cents," he muttered, think
ing It strange that his member of the
feline tribe was to be taxed. This
wss more than Mr. Rogera could
stand. "Do you mean to tell me,"
he ejaculated In tones that boded no
,nnH fnr tho darkev. "that it's Only
worth fifty cents?" "Well, boss."
feeblv protested the darkey, now vis
ibly frightened, "it's Jest a plain, or
dinary old mouse-catching cat. Why
she ain't hardly worth more than her
feed." Then it was that Mr. Rogera
caught on, and he Joined in the laugh
ter that emanated from Esq. P. H.
Johnson and some of the others pres
ent. Thanks Accorded Dr. Gnrney
The following resolutions were
adopted at a meeting of the executive
committee of the Legion:
"Whereas Rev. Dr. Gurney of th
First Presbyterian church of Monroe
held for this post at his church a
mont enjoyable Memorial Service on
Sunday night May SOth.
"Resolved, that the hearty thanks
of Melvtn Deese Post No. 27 Ameri
can Legion, be accorded .to Dr.
Ourney for his kind and eloquent
service on that occasion, and to th
members of the Presbyterlsn church
for the hearty welcome given to the
post."
BENJAMIN H. HINDE. Com.
T. OLIN McMANUS, Adjutant
Everything great Is not always
good, but all good things are great.
Demosthenes.
r