jxocKingnam liocKet.
H. C. WALL, Editor AND PrOPEIETOE.
Office: ' ' . .
OVFR EVERETT, WALL & COMPANY'S.
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Three months........ ' .40
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plication. " Oar Nw Navy.
From the Scientific American. -
A , visitor to the Atlanta at the
Brooklyn Navy Yard is immediate
ly struck by the appearance of the
6hip, even before going on board,
she is so totally different in. appear
ance from anything we have hither
to been accustomed to. We find,
nothing ' of the graceful, sweeping
lines, .tall' raking mast8ahd.'-maze1
of rigging so inseparably associated V
in our minds with former ships of
war. Everything here is" hard, se
vere, straight, nothing of the jaunty
or graceful a practical utility visi
ble everywhere.
The broad onen decks of the fnc-
.i :. - -r - ----- - -o
ate of '61, with its rows of big black
guns glistening in. the sunlight, give
place to a few of the modem high
power, small-bored naval rifles.
Their breeches set low to the p!eck,
and to the old artillerist have a most
bewildering lot of wheels, tracks,
cogs, and scientific inventions, all
covered in by a heavy bullet-proof
shield, looking much like a huge in-
. vrtt1 Qnnnn frnm nnt whirh
extends the gun barrel, long, slen
der and tapering. '
The great perfection and finish to
which these guns have been brought
is better realised as soon as the
breech of one is opened. The inte
rior shine3 like burnished silver, and
the grooves, threads, and rifling are
as clean cut and perfect as the me
chanism of, a watch.
Not thejeast curious part of these
rifles is the new system of firing.
The old fashioned style of-ramming
griming wire into the vent hole to
pierce the cartridge case before firing,
which necessitated appreciable time
and care, especially in battle, has
given place to a new invention by
which a curious piece of mechanism,
a veritable breech n loading firing
lock, is screwed on to the breech
closer, in which a bullet-loaded cart
ridge is fired into the mam charge.
The bullet from this discharge tra
verses a fine smooth bore cut
through the - main breech closer,
piercing the main cartridge and in
stantly opening up.a passage for the
r i r ii l " -a a l ' t
name vo iouow ana igniie me cnarge.
The marines of the Atlanta are
armed with the, Springfield rifle,
while the crew have the Lee modi
fied magazine gun, which can also
be used as a single shot. , These new
arms require the men to carry much
more ammunition than formerly,
and the . old fashioned cartridge
boxes are replaced by broad belts
carrying 80 rounds, the whole sup
ported by suspenders, over the shoul
ders.
A Gift for All.
In order ' to gi ve all a ch an ce to
test it, and thus be convinced of its
wonderful curative powers, Doctor
King s New Discovery tor Consump
tion, Coughs and Colds, will be, for
a limited time, given away. lhis(
offer is not onlv liberal, but shows
unbounded faith in the merits of
this great remedy. All who suffer
from Coughs, Colds, Consumption,
Asthma, Bronchitis, or any atlection
of throat, chest, or lungs, are espe
cially requested to call sit V.. M
Fowlkes & Co's Drug Store, and get
a trial bottle free, large bottles $1.
Absolutely Pure.
This oowdcr never varies. A marvel b:
purityf strength an&wholeaomeness. More
economical than the ordinary kinds, and
cannot be sold in competition with the mul
titude of low test, short weight, alum or
pnosphate powders. Sold only in cans
KOYAL Baking Powder Co., 1U6 wal
. . ; , ' " : " ' ; 1 T ; i ' ; ; i ' ' r : ( ; ; '
IT, Cf WALL Editor and Proprietor. - . 7 r:T!,rri,' tllO- ' TERMS: $1.50 a, Year in Advance.
Vol. V. Rockingham,' Richmond County, N. C, August. 11, 1887 No. 32.
' " . .i . - I. .1 I l I , . ,i , .... , I J M - - - i
The Weather liar Abroad in the Land.
From the New Berne Journal.
At Wilmington steam was raised
and an engine started on its own
hook from the heat of the sunt At
Weldon the mercury in the signal
service thermometer climbed to the
top and the machine "busted," but
as to Raleigh you can read the fpl
1 o w ing,. taken' .' from: jhe News ' and
Obsere,ririS;8ee Xo yourself
"Speaking about being hot," said
:thej reporter, "the street railway ex
panded three inches out of line a
day or to ago." : - ;
i "Yes " said the -correspondent, "it
jWas hot ; I saw a man .take hold of
thefcUchof a cellar door, upon which
the sun had been shining, and it
burnt the skin off his hands."
The crowd began to show some
nervousness.
"It was quite warm," remarked
he secretary. "I saw some water
exposed ; to the sun get hot enough
o smoke." 4
Prof. F. remarked that he had ta
nVapf foiled egg from a basin
of water on which the sun played."
The crowd commenced to expec
torate vigorously.
"Speaking about eggs," said Prof.
W., "you didn't hear about that
crate sent to a merchant here on
consignment, did you ? When the
crate was opened the' chirping of
chicks was heard. One layer of eggs
was- found to be hatching out, and
in a tew minutes hiteen well-developed
orphaa chickens picked their
way .through the shells. It was so
warm, you see,, it hatched the eggs."
The correspondent clutched wild
ly at the air. The reporter's lower
jaw hung limp. (Calls for beer on
ice.) '
Quiet' was; restored. - The corre
spondent took a long breath. He
said : "Speaki ng about the hot weath
er and its effects, a man told me 3-es-
terday morning that a carp pond
near the city broke the day before
and the owner of the pond simply
had to step out there and pick up a
mess of nice boiled fish."
Prof. F. groaned, but he came to
the front. "Yes," he said, "I heard
about that. Right across the road
from that place a pan lives whose
cows gave boiled milk custard for
breakfast.
Prof. W. fell over backwards and
asked for a fan. The reporter smiled
grimly. . " . . , '
"The weather was mighty hot that
day," said the secretary. "We tried
to wash off our windows with mud
dy water thrown thiough rubber
hose, but the heat evaporated the
water and nothing but dry dust
struck the windows." (Yells for
water.)
"The weather did have quite a
powerful effect on water," said the
correspondent. "I saw a couple of
porters throw a hundred-pound
block' of ice towards the door pf an
express car and the agent like to
have been drowned with water."
The reporter fainted. He recov
ered. He said weakly, "Did you
hear of Mr. 's scheme ? He had
a steam grist mill. He took the shed
from over the engine and dumped
into the water-box a couple of tons
of ice. He had no fire, but got up
steam in five minutes and ground
corn and wheat at the rate of "
"Kill him! shoot him! lynch
him ! go to Weldon ! zip whack
swish kwopfl We can stand the
truth, but we'll be blamed if we are
going to have any dod-gasted report
ers around here giving out their gas."
The reporter picked himself up
f.;om the street and soliloquized
on the incredulity and ignorance of
the masses concerning solid tacts.
The above stories may be true,
but The Rocket takes no stock in
statements which so. tax one's cre
dulity. It was hot in Rockingham
as the following will show : "Sprunf
bought a large watermelon on Sat
urday and placed it in his room for
a Sunday lunch. Sunday afternoon
he and a friend jentered the room to
tes, theojLiality of the melon. But
imagine , meir, consternation 7 wnen,
oir opening the door? they saw the
melen rushing around and across
the room like a "wild'Venginel ? As
it would pass near them they could
hear a sizzling, bubbling sound which
hey could not account for, but soon
the melon ; burst and explained it
all. 'The intense heat had melted
the meat in the melon and engen
dered steam sufficient to set it to
running. Oh, it was a warm da v.
. ..?". Hold, Xaet. to Honesty.
roai the Charlotte Chronicle. j
Pope ; has said, that "An honest
man is the noblest work 01 Uod."
Thereare few;in this day and, time
who will doubt the truth of Pope's
assertion. Honesty is a commodity
greatly in demand. There is an ap
othegm that Honesty ist thebest
policy, - and Arcivbrsbopf W hfttely
says, with'a great deal of truth, "but
he who acts on that principle is not
an honest man. ' JJiscussing,this
very question the Columbia Record
is in accord with the Archbishop in
that it says : "The trouble is there
is too much policy and too little
honesty. The man Lor Individual
who is merely honest for. the sake of
policy is not honest at all and only
needs an opportunity to prove that
he is thoroughly dishonest. The
only honest person is that' one. who
honest because it is right, and
who never lays it aside for the sake
of policy or other reason. There was
a time in the history of our country
when brains and-intellect were val
ued far more highly than dollars and
cents. In that epoch there were
statesmen. .But now the "almighty
dollar" outranks knowledge and
iming in the estimation of the
the great mnjoritN-, and statesman
ship in its true sense is a very scarce
commodity. Diogenes, did he live
in the present day, would probably
experience more difficulty in finding
the object of his search than he did
during his existence. The great de
sire to become suddenly rich and
he many devices for speculation
tempt many into wrong and dishon
est paths. This is the cause of the
downfall of the great number of
blighted lives whoso ruin is recorded
almost daily in the various newspa
pers of the land. ' The youth of our
country should have instilled into
their minds a full sense of the neces
sity of being strictly honest in all
their transactions, and taught, too,
that wealth is not the surest proof of
a successful life. The business af
fairs of the country as well as the af
fairs of state will in the course of
events fall upon their shoulders,
and they should be correctly trained
for the duties that the future will
bring them.
Remarkable Effect of the Earthquake iu
Trigg County, Ky. j
a ' -
Chicago, August 3. A Times spe
cial from Evansville, Ind., referring
to the sinking of the land in Trigg
county, Ky., since the earthquake
Monday night, says :
"About midnight eve'body was
awakened by a sharp shock, and
had barely jumped to their feet when
the earth, with a shaking, dizzy mo
tion, suddenly sank five feet, carry
ing the houses and terrified darkies
with. it. The' scenes that ensued
baffied description. The negroes fell
on their knees and in frenzied tones
prayed.the Lord to save them. Oth
ers began shouting and praising the
Almighty, ever an anon' casting an
upward glance to see if '-chariots of
fire were not descending. .Added to
this pandemonium was the intense
darkness which prevailed, the moon
being completely" obscured 'by heavy
black clouds which hung very low
and like a pall over the doomed dis
trict.' Rumblings were heard from
the depths below, which gradually
became' louder, and numerous
springs, hidden.for years, .suddenly
found an . opening and began to
bubble upward in constantly increas
ing streams. The terrified inhabi
tants, not pausing for household
goods or chattels, gatherecLtheir off
spring and rushed away from the
doomed ppot, and some of them are
still putting' as much distance be
tween them and the, sinking land as
is possible. The loss to property is
incalculable. A large area of corn
and tobacco is a total loss."
?' DAINTY BUT-DANGEROUS.
Hep enchanting little boot f- ' j :
From beneath her jaunty suit f
.Ventured out.
That she knew its witehing charm
"Without meaning any harm, .
' ' Who could doubt?
Just a sinelJittle glance
Filled my life with wild romance .
1 was caught ! -Sparkling
eyes and soft brown hair,
Her's was just the beauty rare .
. I had sought. . ,
So I wooed the charming maid,:
First enchanted, as I said,
By her boot.
Now, alas 1 I'm well aware ,
Boots and tempers seldonfare 5 " -
Built to suit. '
Fpr our friendship ripened-fast,
And,- before a year was passed, J i
We were wel . . :
Now both boots and other things '
Recklessly, she flings
At my head! ; .
Somerville Journal.
Pride's BarriBri
From the New York Ledger. '
"I cannot understand why it is,
Constance, that you dislike Dr. Gra
ham. Why, dear, he is the noblest
man I ever knew."
It. was Constance Fenton's aunt
who spoke ; and just then a man
came slowly up the walk.
"Verily," quoth Mrs. Martin, un
der her breath, "speak of angels and
you will near their wings. Here
comes Liiuntnow."
Dr. Launt Graham was not a
landsome man ; yet few came to
inow him who did not acknowledge
the nameless fascination the strong,
dark face possessed.
But Constance had seen too clear
y through her aunt's transparent
wiles to bring her two favorites to
gether, and, girl-like, her heart bad
armed itself : not to submit to be
bus led supinely into JhettjBXS of
a betrothal. So. though she did not
really dislike Dr. Graham, she had
always treated him with a proud re
Serve. in anotner moment the j'oung
man was with them, and Constance
was replying to his words of greet
in" with her usual formal coldness.
Dr. Graham did not pretend to
notice the indifference of her man
ner; but during his conversation
with Mrs. Martin, his eyes often
rested upon the ueautitui luce so
listlessly turned awaj', and a secret
pain went quivering through his
heart. He thought he understood it
he was poor, while she was an
heiress. She had seen that he ad
mired ner, and in tnis way. was
showing her sense of his presump
tion.
After a little while Constance sud
denly rose, saying :
"Aunt Mrrgeret, I think I wil
feel the better for a stroll on the
cliffs this sultry? afternoon. You
have Dr. Graham to keep you com
pany, so vou'll excuse me if I run
away from you for a short time."
Going into the house, she re-ap-
pcared in a few moments arrayed for
her walk.
Launt Graham sighed as he "watch
ed her erect, graceful, figure till it
passed out of sight.
Old Mrs. Martin heard the sigh,
and looking up quickly, she caught
the look, of pain which passed over
the dark face. Launt bad always
been to her more like a Son than a
mere friend. She had known him
from his boyhood, and of late it had
been her pet dream to bring about a
marriage between her lovely, or
phaned neice and this youth, in-ev-erything
but money her equal. She
laid her hand gently upon his arm.
"Launt, why is t you and Con
stance never seem to .get along ? I
cannot make it out."
"But I can," he answered, quickly.
"Though in poetry
"The rank is but the guinea's stamp ;
A man's a mau for a' that" ' -
is it not so in real life?''
"No, no," the old lady exclaimed v
' Though Connie is proud, it is not
in that way. Mark my words, Launt j
she will come to know and appreci
ate you yet."
Launt's eyes thanked his kind old
friend fur her encouragement, but
they did not brighten with any hope
at her words.
A while later found-him on his
homeward way. His road lay along
the cliffs, and as he neared them,
ngh up upon a pinnacle of rocks,
her slight form, in its white dress,
clearly defined against the sky, he
saw Constance." ' i
Even as he looked he saw her
wave, and then a shriek, in a 1 wo
man's voice, rang out upon the air.
She had become suddenly dizzy,'and
iad fallen from her dangerous posi:
tion. A cold thrill ran through the
young man's veins. How he reach
ed the spot he never knew. There,
half way down the cliff, suspended
between life and eternity, was the
form of the woman he loved. In
her descent a prickly thorn bush
had caught the floating muslin
drapery of her dress.
Could she be saved? i
Accustomed from his childhood to
the cliffs, Launt was an intrepid
climber ; but he knew that though
he could descend to where she was,
to return laden as he would be I was
almost an impossibility. But every
moment of delay lessened the chance i
of rescue, and without further hesi
tation, Launt threw off his coat-and
began his dangerous task. i
It was done, and successfully 5 and
with his hands cut and bleeding
from the jagged edges of the rocks
which they had grasped for support,
Launt bent over Constance's uricon-
scious form, as she lay on the green
sward where his -arms had deposited
her. Launt chafed her cold hands
within hi3 own and called her name.
Her eyelids trembled and then
they opened, and the blue orbs they
curtained rested for an instant upon
his face. Then they closed again.
Raising her in his arms Launt hur
ried down the steep path in the di
rection of the cottage, i :
"She surely cannot dislike; me
now," Launt thought to himself that
night; "but if she" is proud, If am
prouder. She shall not have any
cause to think that I presume upon
her gratitude." i
So, as-Constance grew well and
strong once more, the young doctor
who had saved herlife, and who had
been so gentle and kind during her
illness, soothing her pain of body
with his medicines, and helping her
to pass the tedious hours of conva
lescence with his companionable so
ciety, resumed all that once his for- J
mer impassive manner. At last the
time came when Constance was to
return to her own bome. It wa3
evening. Dr. Graham was " there,
and they were all in the' moon-lit
garden together, when old Mrs. Mar
tin, remembering some forgotten du
ty, went into the house, leaving the
two young people together. ; i
"Your aunt tells me that you are
about to leave us, Miss Fenton,'!,
Launt's voice was calm and steady.
One would think, to hear him; that
it was a matter of supreme uncon
cern to him. ji-
A faint flush rose to Constance's
cheek ; but she replied with eqiiral in
difference. I
Ah, how often does pride; raise
its impenetrable barrier between two
loving hearts. i
For some time Constance had un
derstood what that strange, sweet
thrill meant which filled her heart
whenever Launt was near; but now
she was forced to acknowledge to
herself, with a stinging sense of
shame, that she had given ber love
unsought that Launt cared not for
herC That night,: never suspecting
thathewasnotalone in hisimhappi
ness. Launt fought a hard battle
with himself, and came off conquer
or.
"Until I can offer as much as I re
ceive 'I will live my life alone," he
thought,:res'olutely to himself, f And
so, kept by r pride from understand
ing 'each other, they parted. -
Three years came and went, i The
last ,saw ,the kind old lagifMrs
Martin, tended in her last illness by
the young man vrbont she hatd
eved
as though . he had teenher J
own.
There was; sincere mourning among
both rich laud poor whenlloimg
bell informed them that she jrboJbad
been such a good friend, and bene-
I factress bas passed to her final rest,
Few had ever worked harder than
Launt in hia profession, but fortune
had not been tardy in coming to
him. . ' . -, '
But now, all at once,-through a
simple invention to ease pain, he
awoke one morning (as Byron did)
"to find himself famous."
Two years before Launt had heard
through Mrs. Martin, that her neice
had. gone abroad ; but since then, no
news of Constance had reached him
The invention which had made his
name celebrated was for a certain
phase 0 spine disease, and it was no
uncommon thing for him to be call
ed from his home to attend cases in
distant places. "
Such a call now reached him ; and
one day he ascended the steps of an
elegant dwelling in an adjacent city.
The little patient who was to be
instrusted to his skill was brought
to him in his mother's arms,and in
the young girl' who accompanied
them Launt recognized, with'a start,
her who was so often in his thoughts,
and whose whereabouts he had eri
tirely lost. -
The surprise was mutual, and as
he saw the expression of joy which
sprang' into her eyes, Launt felt,
with a sudden thrill of hope, that he
had not been forgotten.
He leained, after he had left Mrs.
Allan's house, that the girl who had
been, when he met her, an heir
ess, was now poor earning her live
lihood by teaching the invalid child
whose deformity prevented him from
rajoing to school.
It was the old story of riches tak
ing to themselves wings. The bank
which had held all her money had
failed, and Constance, too proud to
apply tor aid. to her friends, had
quietly set to work to maintain .her
self. .
A week later, in Mrs. Allen's par
lor, Launt a waite'd Constance's ap
proach. He had come with the determina
tion to tell her all that had been in
his heart for her the past years, and
once and for all learn if there were
any hopes for him.
Constance listened with averted
face; but the tell-tale blood rose to
her very brow as his words of love
and longing fell upon her ears.
"I should have told you this long
before, but pride kept me back, I
could not have the imputation cf
mercenary laid at'mydoor, and sol
waited."
Constance lifted her eyes shyly to
his, and in their blue depths Launt
read his answer.
With a quick motion he clasped
her to him.
"My own, at last ! Oh, Constance,
say mat you love me, lor 1 can
hardly realize my good fortune."
"I have loved you ever sinee you
saved my life at so great" a peril to
your own,"- she answered, softly ;
"and though now it is you who are
rich while I have nothing, I will not
let pride come between us again ;
for, dear, I know that though wealth
is good and pleasant to possess,
"love, sweet love, is better far." r
A Brave Act. '
From the Charlotte Chronicle 4th. J
Under the quiet garb of a Catholic
priest beats many a brave heart, A
strikina instance occurred at the
Broad river bridge,- last Tuesday
night, when the passengers oh the
Charlotte bound train were called
upon to leave the cars and walk
across the bridge. It Was in the
darkness of the night, and the noise
of the rushing torrent added to the
terror of the scene. Nearly all the
passengers had made their trip
across, . but in one of the cars were
two helpless ladies and two sick
children, together with Rev. Abbot
Haid.of St. Mary's College. One of
the ladies was old, infirm and unable
to get about well, and seeing their
forlorn condition Abbot Haid helped
the ladies from the car, and taking
the children in his arms, guided the
whole party safely across. Passen
gers who witnessed the scene say
that it was one worthy to beremem
befed, and the bra very of the priest
was remarked by an, ior it was no
easv thins to cross the bridge unen
cumbered, much less witn two cnu-
! dren In one's arms.
JOB .Printinii;
Having recently purchased a first .
class outfit, we are prepared to do ;
all kinds of -
PLAEtf AND FANCY
JOB. PRINTING
. . ;. IN THE ; ; ' .
BEST OF STYLE
And at Living Prices.
Small Talk.
The latest definition of a paradox:
"A woman trying to play whist"
Some one says the age of a politi-, -cal
party may be told by its rings...
When a man buys a porous plan
ter he generally sticks to his bargain. ,
If the sun is cooling,as the astron
omers .say, it has failed to show.; it
this summer.
A novel under the curious name
of "The Wasp" is just published. It .
must have a bad ending. - ,
A minister may not be a brake- ,
man, but he does a great deal of
coupling all the same.
.When a young man takes a glass
in Burlington they say he is "mix
ing his red paint."
A wedding ceremony shouldn't
pass off too smoothly. For instance,
there should be a hitch of some kind. ;
A tinsmith near Exeter has a sign
which reads: "Quart measures of all
shapes and sizes sold here." : 1
There has been a drop of $500 in
the price of elephants, but it costs
as much as ever to see the animah :
Benjamin FrankTfn was only 2k
when he married. He very soon,
after discovered what lightning , was.
like. ' - .
A Burlington policeman declares
that he has to handle about as manyf
pieces of mail matter as they do at
the postoflice.
A Maryland lady defends herself
for the size of her bustle by saying
that she isn't responsible for What
goes on behind her back. -
A man will'do almost anything
o increase the happiness pf the wo
man he loves except to leave her
whien she wants to get rid of him. y
Thinking is useful, and sleep Is; '
necessary; out the literary man
makes butx little progress when he
thinks all day and sleeps all night." -
A woman has been arrested in
Chicago for horse-stealing. The mer
cury must bo low, indeed, when Chi
cago can't produce some freak of
nature. '
A great truth : Lager beer is a
better drink than whiskey on a hot
day. Another great truth : Ice wa-
er is a better drink than lager beer
on that same hot day.
The man who allows his wife to
inveigle him into the mysteries of'
the milliner's establishment, is none
better than him who seeketh to
pound sand into a rathole.
The weather out West is some--
thing terrible. The other day an-
Illinois man went around to look
at some pop corn he had planted
and found it all popped.
A crank in Savannah, Mo., shot
at the woman who refused him, but "
the ball was stopped by her bustle,
made of old newspapers, and she
was uninjured. Now is the tirus to
subscribe. '
A Nebraska exchange says that an
enterprising citizen could make a
fortune tanning the- hides of the
giant mosquitos in the Fremont hot-.
toms and polishing their, bills for.
umbrella handles. ; .
" Give Thorn a Chance. -
That is to say, your lungs. Also,
all your breathing machinery. Very
wonderlul machinery it is. JNot only
the larger air passages, but the thou
sands of little 'tubes and cavities.
leading from. them,. '.
When, these ai;e clogged and ch'ok-,
ed with matter which ought not to
be there, y our lungs cannot half do,
their work- And what they do, they
canpot. do well.
Call it cold," cough, croup, pneu
monia, OAtarrb," consumption or any
of the family of throat and nose and.,
head and lung obstructions, all are
had.' All ought to be got rid of..
There is just one sure way to get rid
of them. That is. to ugc Boschee's
German Syrup, which any druggist
will sell you at 75 cents a bottle.
Even if everything else has failed
you, you may depend upon this" for
certain. - .. "
vA company with $30,000 capitalj.
will operate" the extensive brown
stone quarries at Wadesboro. The .
stone will be handled in the rough
state as well as cut and dressed. It ,
.8 now used in buildings from At
Janta to New York, -
t- .
.4