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l>:ii;inlC 20.
, 011 IN CEIK 5 .
H. A. MUKRILL. - - EDITOR.
Patronize your liome printing"
office.
Services l>v Dr. Ingold next
Sunday
Advertise and en courage your
home paper.
Al. G. Field A (Vs minstrels
will 1 e here on the .'ilst inst.
It is estimated that TOO people
were m the operu house luesdav
nigl.t.
Hickory needs a club room—
one run in proper manlier —very
mnc h.
I >ell l'oy, the £sl,Mlo horse, was
bullied »11 the lltli Hist., ;it \ el - -
seilles, Ky.
II you know a news item take
enough interest in your paper to
hand it in.
I'.neourage enterprise by show
ing your approval ill the shape
of patronage.
Nothing less than the Hickory
Inn cou.d have accommodated the
ciowd last. 1 uesday.
The Detroit Free Press Souv
enir for 181)0 is the handsomest
publication we have seen.
Mr Thos. Withtrspoon, on last
Tuesday, killed a hog nineteen
months oid. which weighed 535ths.
n» t.
ll \ou want to write a letter we
will furnish y oil with material.
Gail on us in Elliotts Opera build
ing.
We are going to keep all the prin
cipal daily p»»i>ers on file and our
office is a FKEE READING ROOM to
those who wish to see the papers or
magazines.
Al. G. Field & CO.'B Minstrels,
with entire new company and a com
plete change of programme, uot an
act. feature or scng but what is
new, will be here soon.
The Wilmington Morning Star
has put on an entirely new dress,
and we must say it is decidedly
the best and neatest looking daily
in the State. Success to it.
Mr. Wilson, of the Wilson Lim
ber Co., of Lenoir, was iu the city
last Monday. Mr. Wilson is from
Pennsylvania and his company is
doing a b;g business.
A gentleman from our neigh
boring town, Lenoir, in voicing
the sentiments of the crowd that
came down to the opening of
Ellliott's Opera House, said:
''To-night Hickory has covered
herself with glory.''
The Ladies Guild of the Episco
pal Church will meet at Claremont
College on Friday evening of this
week Ht S o'clock. A Social time
will be enjoyed. Music, singing,
reading and recitations will be the
order of the evening. Admission
free. Everybody invited.
In our trade isue t ; e names of
C G»itn«r and J F Abernethy were
left out of the band article. It whs
not our mist; ke hut the mistake of
a fiiei d who, being a member of
long st H t dmg of tie bai d, kind y
consei te«l, nt our request, to write
up a sketch of ihe H. M. O. B.
Ml jot" Billy Kibble, who has
cbhige ot the ihi narv dulls and
dot-- the ,'gldim g drilling in the
Mi'ioirv Encampment first p?4i t
with A! (i. hit d iV Co.'s Minstrels,
is an »x»n plnry young n an. wiio
was appointed as a cadet to West
Point, w bf re he attained his wonder
ful }it tn-iency in handling guns,
swei ds, etc.
COL. HARPER'S FUNERAL.
HI KIlvD AT 2 I». >l., FRIDAY,
J A MARY lOtli.
A Good Man Gone to Ills final
Kent.
The day was perfect—ihe smile of
God upon the ending of a beautiful
life.
There had been no public an
nouncement «>f the time, but a friend
from Lenoir and tho-e who had
watched with the body knew that
Col. Jas. C. Harper would be buried
at 2 p. m , Friday, January 1').
By noon the neighbors began to
gath« r, a? tl long before two o clock
O
the road in front of tie historic old
homestead, and part of the adjoin
ing orchard, was crowded with ve
hicles, the grounds at th ■ dwel'ing
, and the church were tilled with men
and women, while at the ford in the
Yadkin, between the home and the
chapel, a hundred Sunday school
children waired for their dead su
per ntei.dent.
Punctually at the hour six of his
old friends bore from the porch t J
the hearse the plain walnut coffin,
made from lumber laid by a score of
years ago, containing Col Harper's
body.
As lie was carried for the last
time across the shining waters of
rhe river by whose banks he had
lived so long the children filed in be
hind the l in.-foi .s, and it was not un
til the head of the cortege was half
way from the ford to the church,
that its rear was leaving the resi
dence.
It was but a quiet country neigh
borhood, with no village nearer than
seven miles, yet a thousaud people
came to the funeral. No such gath
ering at sue!) an occasion was ever
seen b fore in Caldwell count.y —it is
probable no such will ever be seen
again. There was but a single emp
ty seat in the church—the one he
used to cccrpy—which, draped in
black and white, marked the abseuce
of him who for fifteen \ ears had never
failed to sit therein, when the build
ng he erected was open fcr wor
ship.
The hundreds who could not en
ter stood silent by door and win
dow, and the ancient ritual began,
first the lessons, and au earnest pray
er, straight from the elder's heart to
I the hearts of his hearers, n* xt the
Colonel's favorite hymn was read, a
few notes followed from an organ
touched by loving and sympathetic
tiands, and then the listemug house
was filled with the pure sweet
voices of the women, as they sang
"Nearer, my God, to Thee."
Then a hush, and as the minister
arose one could read in his eyes that
they saw tears on nearly every face
before and around him. In a few
modest words he told the age and
birth place of the old friend who lay
before him, mentioned a few of the
more important, and hinted at the
great number of the lesser duties to
the performance of which he had
been called, spoke of his wisdom,
liberality and faith, and '-at down,
with an invitation to those who
wished to look the face of the
dead to do so. passing by the altar
as they left the church.
Ihe funeral was over, there was
nothing ieft to do but to carry the
body to the grave and there leave it
with a blessing. Up to this time all
had bt en regular, methodical aLd
ordinary— except for the vastne s of
the assembly there ua> nothing to
distinguish this from any other cer
emomai of like nature, Lut now, in
an instant, oe urred one of those
things which mock fcresigut and
bailie plans. Great Nature claimed
her way, the pent up gritf of the
IMchcrp, Tttortb Carolina, CbursOat?, 3anunr\> 10, ISOO.
whole audience broke out in a storm
of sobs within and without the sa
cred building; first to the uncovered
coffin came the children, each with a
sprig of evergreen; they pressed on
e;«cli others footsteps, they flocked
about the altar rail three and four
deep, and as they reluctantly gave
place t ) the dense mass behind each
little face was couvulsed with ai>onv.
O * '
and many a one tried to turn back
for one ast l->ok at the dear friend
who would never smile on them
again. Then came young men and
maidens, fathers and mothers, the
feeble and lame, and those who
-tooped for age; of all the multitude
none passed without lament—often
some toil worn haud brushed tears
from faces long unwet with such ho
ly dew, and as the long, sobbing
procession went by, the dead man'-
monument was built.
He had been a great planter, had
ordered and governed great enter
prises, managed important trusts,
employed many laborers
aid handled great sums of
money, but it was neither posses
sions nor station which drew out
this tribute. Other men, richer,
more eminent, have died—and no
tear has fallen for them. It was
that in every one of the varied*rela
tions of his long and busy life he
had been kind, gentle and bonest—
hardly a human being went past his
coffin to whom he had not done some
kindness, and whose life he bad not
brightened, and no pile of builded
stone, however broad-based and tall,
could equal the tribute which old
and young, white and black, crowded
to pour out for him in grief and
tears. His great, .*vv?et, forgiving
heart had beat in touch with theirs,
and they said so, mourning witL
passionate love and regret.
After the grave was filled and kind
hands had softly rounded the earth
above it, the children came again
with their sprays of green, and liter
ally covered the mound with living
verdure, then with many a lingering
glance backward the great concourse
slowly melted awav aud le't the
good mao to bis rest.
And then it first became known
to us who remained what manner of
thiug this was which we had done.
It was not dead, this that we be
wai ed—we were rather those who
had bidden goodoye with tears to
some living friend who had left UH
to journey to a far country.
C A C
What Joe Wanted to Hay.
Mr. Elliott, had theie been suffi
cient time, desired to thank, in the
following words, Mr. Hall an 1 the
citizens of Hickory for their kind
ness to himself and his partner last
Tuesday night.
"Words fail to express my appre
ciation of the expression of good
will and interest displayed in this
presentation, I trust that my future
acts will demonstrate to the busi
ness men of our city that thnir con
tidence lias giveu 'me in unpurehas
able interest in the wefare of Hick
ory —For my paituer who is absent
you are assured that he will ever
retain the ca>tor as a souvenir of
*he happiest occasion of his life.
I iit-sure jou this is the happiest
moment, (except >n, % Mis E. could
ten) of iii) life. This cane shall
constantly remind me of the del t
I owe the but-intss IIHL of Hickory. "
•J. D. ELLIOTT.
Probablv no company ever euter
fxuitd a more attentive and highly
cu i'Viitid audience than greeted
the Bocton Quintette Club idfi.Tue>-
da\ in tLis c»ty. S>IXIY MI
came down from Morgaut'.rr. a spe
cifti car from Lenoir and quite a par
ty from Newton. We hope all en
ju) td the evening.
OPE-INS OF ELLIOTT'S OPERA 5 [USE
THK FESTIVE OCCASION AT
TRACTS* A I.AKGK CROWD TO
OI K. MOLM AIN ENVIRONED
CITY.
Tlie Huston Quintette Club Makis
a Great Hit.
One of the largest and most intel
igent audiences ever assembled in
Hickory congregated at the Elliott
Opera House «n Tuesday evening to
witness the opening of temple
of amuseim nt.
Iu a short while after doors were
opened a inost every seat was taken
—pai ties coming fiom a considera
, ble distance to enjoy the occasion.
Lvery one was highly pKased even
surprised—at the gorgeous appear
auee of th« interior of the house Al
though yet incomplete, it presented
i a mod dazzling and enchanted as
pect as the electric light played up
on its walls; beauty had hung her
garlands in every niche, grandeui
j traced every crook—an artist's vis
ion—a poet's dream.
At the completion of the gathei-
Mayor J. G Hail addressed the
audience in a happy anu humorous
vein, and assuring Messrs. Euiott cV
| Elliott of Hickory's pride and ap
.
preciation in tlie structure their
{ hands had fashioned. The Messrs.
Ediott were then invited forward and
presented with a handsome gold
bead- d cane and a silver castor, as a
1
token from the business men of
Hickory of their esteem and friend
ship, Mr. Hall continuing his re
marks for some minutes iu the same
humorous strain, going on to Je:i
cho and closing amongst a copious
sprinkling of facetious pun •—where
upon his little ten year oid son
rushed to his side, caught, the dying
: words from his father's lips and for
mally declared the Elliott Opera
, House open for the introductory en
tertainment.
The tidings had gone abroad that
the Boston Quintette Club would
christen the house on this occasion,
and our people expected a treat—
they were not disappointed. It has
never before been our city's fortune
to be so superbly euteitained. Each
member of th« Club is easily master
of his art. while the wnole combined
makeri a company that is never .sur
passed and seldom equalled in the
. w kj. i i yji uiU.dc Ii was uide d an
evening of melody, shot to the core
1 with rapture —the harmonious strains
swelling the air to fullness, and in
j whose refrain music lovers could
j have basked their "shadowed souls
serene'' for many hours without tir
ing. As stated above, each member
of the Club was a perfect master of
his par% but if true talent were put
j upon the scales we are inclined to
tuink the beam would point in favor
of the charming vocalist, because her
role embraced the most ditlicult part
! of the programme. Her voice is per
fectly controlled, every note is dis
j
tinct ami altogether free from harsh
ness. Nevertheless the Charlotte
Chronicle man has seen fit to take
off his spectacles and stinke hi* head
disapprovingly. This remind.- us of
the fable of the duck and the stoik
eating pickie&out of a small mouthed
bottit, «ld b» tau.se his duckship was
unable to get his big, fiat 1 lii in the
buttle he reasoned that it was im
possible for the bottie to contain
j ickles. Biother Haydn, trim down
your bill, train your eai, that you
rcay ent«r into the fuii appreciation
of the pearls that have been scat
tel »-d at yon 1" feet.
Another woid in connection with
the opening : We desire to fuith'r
add that Mr I A. Grace is a fa-
I cien* to whom we are also deeolv
indebted The Mes-rs Ei.iott, of
course, deseive mutL credit and
0 YOUR
(I • • 1 ' C*w
v. TARTAN {
> '
' *
hxi»irv> » t>' too ' i
•int.. .jft,. r \,, lir -
More it up
praise for the part they have played
in our city s material improvement,
and we do not ucsire to pluck a sin
g e laurel Iroiu their crown, but Mr.
(Trace is also a man towards whom
i our gratitude should be directed—
his handiwork has helped to make
the opera house "a thing of beauty
and a j.»y forever, and the same
may be said concerning a number of
other structures in our city thai
stand as so many monuments, moek
j ing the regal splendor of gold, and
| adding materially to the attractions
that environ us. Mr. Grace is the
artist from whose orain sprang, full
grown, in all its beauty, the pian of
t ie opera house and its gorgeous
decorations. But for him tl e house,
had it been erected, would have
s*ood devoid of tha' beaot> and ar
r tMic splendor which the skillful
handling of an artist's brush alo.ie
' can sjive. From his leain an 1 ice 1-
rate eye came the symmetry and
. perfect measurements i i-h Miss
Carpenter says are bevond ail doubt
the finest she has ever seeu. The
common sentiment of til is : Loud
; praise fo" Messrs. Grace and Elliott !
and. as the Spaniards would say,
i "mav their shadows never i?ro>v
less!"
LPIEIKSOIIUNILS.
Mrs 0. A. CiUey has returned to
the cit\\
Kev. >l. L. Littl" pail us a visit
Tuesday.
Mr. Henry Chase left last night
for Huntsville. Ala.
Mi ss Ida Kamsaur, of Lincolnton,
speuL a day in thy eitv this .vcek.
Mr. S. \V. Crowell, of Hickory,
, is now wilh the Alabama Nursery
I C°-
Mr. George Cline after a few days
off. returned to his run on the \V.
| X. C. K. R. yesterday.
> rs. J. M. Lawrence ami Mrs F.
L Cline and son are visiting in the
Eastern part of the State.
Mr. Thus. Hill, who was at one
time in the clothing busmesb in our
city, spent several days here this
week.
Mrs. J. W. McMiliian has returned
to the city after a visit among rela
tives in the Western part of the
State.
"Let em go!" It is reported that
one of our priucipat merchants and
society men bought a number of
reserved seats for il.e opening to
speculate on and that he did not
realize his anticipated profit of
per cent.
Such a thing as this, while per
fectly legitimate, is likely to hurt
th*- opfia house and cou:-equently
Hickory, and should be l>eneath the
dignity of any of our citizens. We
hope it won't occur a^aiu.
Catawba Court.
Judge Phillips opened Catawba
court Monday. It was his first
sitting in our county and the
lirst court held in the enlarged
court room since its completion.
The charge to the grand jury
was clear, comprehensive and
practical. The grand jury, with
•J. H. limns Esq. as foreman,
was a fair representation of the,
best citizens of the county and
good work in the interest of
peace and order may 1 >♦- expect
ed. i here were 12b cas« son the
Stat** dock* t, including 1 i against
Carr Set/er f»r -i 1 ii*whiskey
who has gone to the new Stat*;
«»f Washington.
11 j* - most iin | ortai.t cases,
against Abernethv ami Long
were settled and dismiss* d. The
state d ek* t was Jot disposed of
at the time we go to press.
About twenty-five lawy* is and a
few aged ai.d privih g»-d * itizens
tilled our greatly eiihu L r **d bar
space, showing that the Court
House was not enlarge*l too soon
«>r too much.
IRumlvr 2.