; i i i I I i I I I -v ;-.As&fli?r; xv I -GAk ri ;,f '
,
VOLUME XXXIV
aiPK IS THE HOPE '
THAT YOU IAY FIND
A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Ti.nmer Than Any Tluit Has Ever
Happier a , , It! -
r r vojir comes - ciotnea-iu
' TJ" But ft comes with a great
myS -n ce All of the men who
inheritance. Qf their greatnesS
diethine of their high purpose. It
s0ova a new power of eloquence,
will have a . - p have -been
a ,- , n j
-to it should give u a fV" .
determination to u s heLrts.
tTL rtf mm. in their hearts
hA thoug
' v.
in their enterprise
i, There is
OULSlUtJ 11A
nn man? in busi-
W0IiU'r n,n,nt feel
if he
thinks
neSn that all that he has and hopes
at tlh U nreserved for him through
S b,VSfices of men whom he never
Xse names he does not even
How can there ever again be
of miBunderBtandlng.betwBen
hatreci oi 0 have we
SroAuT , A" without
fearing Its essentia lesson
Tf the JNew xtJcti
11 . inTiprit.fl.nces - in the
i .-4- iTG T" 1 1 ,11 ...
STe as brave as those fought
J i r,Hiirpd the perils of tne om
?' u tte menta high places. In
le ... in eovernment, at the
Peace Conference can be as faithful,
t , wnrm ail men """J
-hf rastnh fire and tuud
?reat-heartea as uu- -
f wfir to save civiiia""" .rr r :
or war lu nnnallirtEr
civilization saveu
w,-n vp worth while
Otherwise it will not be. . ;
For men who make philosophies
those who sustain religions, such as
make literature . and paint Pictures,
fo? all who in any way try to influ
ence the life of them, the New lear
S treasurers indescribable. It
brings them such revelations from
?he common heart of mankind as
never before were seen. It brings an
insBiration to exalted service be
It is only in the -coming year
Sa Twe shall have time to sit down
Jutetly and think of what our peace
haThememory of the sacriflcemade
in France will be inexorable. It will
come back often to nymen when
thev are in a mind to make ill use
Therefore the New Year should be a
haDBV one. It brings new purpose
wUh it and new hopes, and it should
be ennobled by high ambitions.
Let's all hands join in a determin
ed effort to make 1919 the banner
year for business in this section and
b whole-hearted endeavor to rep air
the ravages of war and other unusual
afflictions to which we were griev
ously subjected during the memor
able year now at a close.
Personally speaking, the Public
Ledger is determined to do its full
part within the limits of its abili
ties to help build up and reconstruct
the whole community. The past
year has been a peculiarly hard one
on the paper by reason of lack of
man-power and other unavoidable
causes, but we hope ' the worst is
over and we look forward to better
things and a chance for greater ser
vice before the close of the first
month of the New Year.
STOVALL NEWS NOTES.
The following Stovall people re
turned to the fire-side and spent a
happy Christmas with relatives and
friends in and around the old home
town:
Misses Annie Davis, and Linville
Younger, of Richmond; Mr. Joe Da
vis, of Richmond; Mr. Sterling White
of Mar's Hill school; Miss Tillie Dix
on, of Durham; Mr. Zack Williams,
of Oxford; Mrs. Gilfrey of Washing
ton; Miss Ida Jackson, of Winston.
Mr. B. .W. Butler killed two fine
wild turkeys this week.. Mr. Jim Cot
trell also killed one last week.
Julian Wilson has been mustered
out of service and is spending some
time here with relatives.
L. O. and R. C. Puckett have in
stalled Del co Lights in their' store.
Private Pettis Cutts was mustered
out at Camp Lee last week and is at
home.
OXFORD BOY WINS
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
Sergt. William Hill Powell, A. E.
F son of Mr. J. B. Powell, Register
of Deeds, has been cited in the dis
patches as having won the "distin
guished Service Cross." The honor
comes to the Oxford boy for cbnspi
cious bravery. - ,
UNITED WAR WORK FUND.
Northside School Is Placed On the
Honor Roll.
In the recent published list of sub
senptions by school districts to the
above fund, Northside school was in-
aavertently omitted. .
This district, with a quota of $100
was well canvassed by Mrs. W. H.
inng and Miss Maggie Currin,
na subscribed $101.42 in rnh thprA
y Placing Northside school on the
"nor roll.
PUBLISHED SEMISWEEKLYr-TOWN ANT)
Ui! J. I l-- t ,
;OXFORD, NORTF
MUST 'SING OR BUST.
Sooner or Later We Will Hear the
Joyful Sound.' - '
It is to be regretted that inclement
weather prevented both the Thanks
giving celebration and -the Christ
mas service planned by the Music
and Civic Department of the .Wom
an's club. , The committees made' an
effort to , have the. servlce-'V-had
ueeu,. yiauueu ; lor Lionsi On
cThnstmfl s Tlfl v. and
ute it was discover
JSx the piancr
and -other necessa
securely locked u
M that the, par-
ties who carried t
were out of
town." - t
But we are going to heard from
agahi before very .Jong. .We are
somewhat like the man who run for
the .legislature five times. , The fifth
time receiving only two , votes his
own and; one of his hired, men In
desperation .he determined ' to' put an
end to his ""mfserable - existence, sd
he procured a rope; a can of kerosene
some matches and a pistol. sat
urated himself with the oil, climbed
out on a limb over a nearby river,
fastened himself securely with: one
end of the rone, made a noose of the
other - end,' slipned : it over his neck,
struck the match,, set fire to hiscloth
ing ; and jumped simultaneously
firing the nistol toward his head.
But he missed his mark, the bullet
severed the rone and he dropped un
to the water which of Course . extin
guished the flames. "
He swam to the shore, hurried
home. Changed his clothes and imme
diqt.elv went out and announced him
self as candidate for legislature. w
Like this politfcian. we are of
dauntless courasre and sometime, aft
er peace has beti proclaimed; Per
haps and when the influenza' is not so
rpvalent as to make indoor gather-ins-s
unadvisable. we are going- to
hflvo,.?, srreat metins:: we pre goinff
havft the singinsr the sneaking", and
he" reioicmsr. In the language of
the nost-card artist:
"Lt othr . folks ho silent
And eloorav if they must.
Buf' we've lust erot to sins: our song;
Or. else blow. up, and bnt"
: ; COMMITTEE.
INFLUENZA COST ABO
EIGHTY HLIiION DOIiljARS
Commissioner Young Says No Speci
,al Alarm So Far As Stability
Goes. ;
Wijth the tenacious hold that the
influenza epidemic seems to retain in
many sections of the State and the
country at large and the death toll
it is imposing, the effect on life in
surance interests is coming in for
much coonsideration by insurance
journals, the life companies, frater
nals f and policyholders generally.
r The best estimates place the cost
of the epidemic thus far to the "lev
el premium" companies at about
$40,000,000 in death losses and the
assessment associations and fraternal
orders in about the esame proportion
The losses during the major preval
ence period of .the epidemic are esti
mated to have been about $10,000,
000 above normal. w The rated mor
tality of members is estimated to
have been from four to six times the
normal rate. ,
It is an interesting fact that one
company reports thus far the loss of
about 75,000 policy-holdersand th
payment of about $15, 000, 000in in
surance due directly to deaths7 caused
by the influenza epidemic.
The insurance experts say there is
really no cause for alarm thus far as
the excess in losses will oe taKen care
of rapidly by the companies and so
cieties and there are no failures an
ticipated on this account. .
SAFE AND SANE HOLIDAY.
Oxford Has a Way of Doing Things
Right.
Christmas day in Oxford was ob
served on the safe and sane plan.
It was an observance like the Christ
child would have had. People gen
erally laid aside a largo part of the
merry-making, and celebrated ser
iously. The great world war had
left its touch with us. It was too
early for many people to forget the
sacrifices that the year 1918 carries
with - it. . '
FIRST COLD WAVE OF
WINTER ON THE WAY.
Was Spread Over Northwest, South-west
and Middle West.
Chicago, Jan. 2. The first cold
wave oCthe winter has struck, the
northwest, southwest and .mjddie
west. The mercury stands at 24 ae
grees here today and tonight was
hanging at 10 above zero while ex
treme temperatures were registered
in widely separated regions .
In the far southwest, Flagstaff,
Arizona, reported 18 below- zero,
Amarillo, Texas, 6 - below, Roswell,
N. M., 2 below, and even Mexico haa
IgAiVrr
.p V V v' 'TT, "
NCktTH CAROLINA UNI
VERSITX AFTER WILSON
- . - f . -j . . tf - , , . j . .. -
College Would PayCHlin $20,000 a
Year as President.
. Woodrow Wilson for the presiden
cy of the University of North Caroli
na is the object of emergency propa
ganda discdvered in Raleigh. It ap
pears that theproposal was conveyed
to Presideant Wilson rbef ore he sail
ed. The plan; of those -trustees who
are urging their fellows not to elect
a. president at their riext;' meeting is
to make the presidency pay $20,000
annually, to be taken from' the Bing
ham bequest which came, from the
will of Mrs. Mary Lilly Flagler, wife
of, Henrys M. Flagler, and later of
Judge Bingham -This rich gift to
he ; State University .was primarily
for the payment, of ; professors. From
that, President Wilson .wpuld be paid
if he accepted. The Wilson propon
ents believe they can interest him in
this proposition when his administra
tion enfa. ; '
OVER 1,100,000 TROOPS .NAMED
FOR DEMOBILIZATION AT ONCE
Official Reports Show That Total
Discharges From Army To Date
Are 534,334 Men and 35,409 Of
ficers. Washington Jan. 2-More than
1,100,000 American soldiers at home
and abroad have been - designated
for early demobilization, from service
in the army.
. General March, gave - the figures
as 937,000 in home units to be dis
charged, and 168,000 men and 6,
8 0 0 : officers assigned 'r fby , General
Pershing for early convoy home from
France. -
: This includes men .already discharg
ed' and those iwho havei lauded from
France. J , '
: The official reports -f show 534,
334 men and: 35409 officers actually
discharged, z Complete reports for
the week just ended ; are expected to
raise the total at least -10 0,0 00.
Fourteen ' battleships ; and 10 crui
sers have been -"assigned by the Navy
Department to: help bring American
troops ,home from France The batr
jUeshjLpkaiedrfpTr service ar4
among the older on the navy, list and
in order that they may bring -as
many soldiers as possible are operate
ing with far less complement than
usual. . -
Included in the units en . route
homeward as announced are five com
plete field artillery regiments, .the
125th, 127, 145th, 361st, and333rd,
in the neighborhood of 1,500 men
and, more than 50 officers. There
en route also two complete trench
mortar battalions the 6th and 7ht,
with about 3 0 officers and 700 men
each. - - ; ., ,
YOUNG PEOPLE MASQUERADE.
Delightful Dance Given at the
Armory. .
Misses LaVera and Carolyn Har
ris entertained at a delightful mas
querade dance at the armory on De
cember 26th. Dancing started at
8:30 and lasted until 12:30 p. m.
Punch was served during intermis
sion by Miss Christine Harris.
Those enjoying the occasion were
Miss Mary B. Minor, of Raleigh; Mr.
Tom- Woods, Miss Mary A Landis,
Chandler Watkins, Miss Sarah Can
nady, William Webb, Miss Alice
Morton, John Graham Webb, Miss
Elizabeth Hicks," Sam Hall, Miss
Aline Hicks, George Hunt, Miss Bea
trice Parham, Jack Capehart, Miss
Ethel Hancock, Maurice Parham,
Miss Nina Cooper, Henry Shaw, Miss
Margarete Capehart, Shepard Booth,
Miss Estelle White, William Bryan,
Miss Nell Woods, Tom Mullins, Miss
Martha Cupp, Godfrey Cauthen, of
Durham. .The stags were: Messrs.
Will Hicks, Frank Taylor, J ames
McMurtrey, Junious Cooper, Ben
mt,AW nam or on Hunt. A. 1. wor-
sham; J. B. Mclver, Robert Duke, of
t-v-.-'uw. . TVinm r 5 Harris. 5111
Bailey, George Bailey, , Kenneth
Younger, of Raleigh; Sonme Ballou,
"Billy" Devin, Harry Renn, James
fChaperones were: Mrs. phn:,W.
Hester, Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Hancock,
jr!? Mr. and Mrs. Jack Currin, Miss
Mary Royal Hancock ,Georgia Win
ston Mr. T. C.-Harris. x.
Th costumes were very attractive
and created lots of fun. ,
HAWAHAN SINGERS
Coming to the Orpheum Monday,
January 6. - .
Albert Sierra's Hawaiian Singers
r 7 "Nteht in Honolula" ,
2&"":fo'p. m. -ChUdrerv; 50c;
adults 75c -..r. y.",.. Ty
Mr W w Fuller is wearing a
pleasant . unwu -iU
which were spent m the
c 1"r"iv; wrfi snent in
holidays, r ,
UU1U"1: e thP State. The same
eastern -r
vnr nonular dentist.
?S? SG rFinihrhotook a short
Me trip during the holidays. -
bPpQRTUNITIESA LL HOME
uiui x
3, 1919.
STEM NEWS LETTER.
( W. R. M ANGUM-)! -,
y; Crymes-Dickerson.v
Perhaps a more beautiful and ele
gant home' wedding has never taken
place in this community than? was
solemnized in the home of Mr. and
Mrs. L. M. Crymes Tuesday, Decem
ber 24, at eight o'clock in the even
ing, the contracting parties being
their attractive daughter, Miss Ora,
and Mr. Carroll R. Dickerson. The
parlor had been decorated with hol
ly and running cedar. The arch was
covered with white with two lamps
on each side, -with green and red
Chrishtmas bells on windows and
arch. First to enter was Miss Mary
Crymes, sister of the bride, ac
companied by her brother, Mr.
Roy -Crymes, y who turned- ' the
music sheets at the piano ; next the
maids of honor, Misses Bessie Bul
lock and Bessie Mangum; then en
tered the bride and groom to the
strains of Mendelssohn's march play
ed by Mi3s Mary Crymes. The bride
was attired in a suit of navy blue
cloth, hat and veil to match. During
ip.e ceremony, which was performed
by Rev. Thompson, pastor of the
groom, 'Hearts and Flowers" was
softly played. At the conclusion of
the martial vows, the bride and
groom motored to Durham and
boarded ther train for Dickerson, the
home of the groom's parents, where
a royal welcome was extended to
them. The bride is the beautiful
and accomplished daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. L. M. Crymes, of Stem. The
groom was born and reared near
Dickerson and is a young man of ex
cellent qualities. He is. now employ
ed as a salesman at the " Long Com
pany in Oxford.
Slaughter-Bowling.
It was with great surprise that
the people of Stem heard of the mar
riage of , Mr. John H. Bowling, our
esteemed fellow townsman, and Miss
Ella T. Slaughter, of Stovall, which
was solemnized in the office of the
Register of Deeds in Oxford, Monday,-
December " 3 0th, Rev. R. H.
Marsh performing the. ceremony. Im
mediately following the ; martial
the home of Mr. Ed. Satferwhite, Ox
ford Route 4, where a sumpteous
supper had been prepared for the
occasion. A large crowd gathered
Monday night to extened best wishes
and congratulations. The bride is
the daughter-of Mr; and Mrs. Abe
Slaughter of Stovall, and by her
kind, and gentle disposition has won
many y friends in her neighborhood.
The groom is well known in our sec
tion as a kind hearted, generous
christian "gentleman and has accumu
lated a handsome fortune. We ex
tend to them a hearty welcome to
our community.
Automobilo Accident.
A very serious automobile acci
dent occured on Thursday, December
26, about one half mile from Stem
just this side of Ledge Rock Creek.
Mr and Mrs. W. H. Haskins and
five Children had started on a car
with Mr. W. H. Whitaker to Apex
and just as they had reached a point
in the road just this side of the
brindge their car collided with Mr.
C. G. Sanford who with his little
boy was coming to Stem in -road
auto truck. The fronts part of Mr.
Whitaker's car was badly damaged,
axle bent, one tire bursted, wind
shield broken, fenders mashed and
other "damage. Mrs: Haskins, who
occupied a rear seat was cut about
nine inches across the forehead, and
Mr. Haskins received a cut above
one eye and on the right hand. His
little son was also cut about the
face. Mr. Sanford's car turned over,
his little boy was thrown out, .but
Mr. Sanford was caught under the
car and received a very severe
bruise on his leg near the knee joint.
The injured parties are - doing as
well as could be expected.
Mr. and Mrs. M. 5. mcjvmu,
residents of Stem for the past year,
left Wednesday for Lillington where
they will make their future home.
WAR SAVINGS CAMPAIGN
TO OPEN JANUARY 17
ti (Washington Special.)
The 1919 war savings campaign
will be opened actively by a nation
wide celebration on January 17, the
anniversary of the birth of Benjamin
The day will be devoted particular
ly to the organization of thousands
of war savings societies to systema
tize the preaching of toifUng
mote the sales of $2,000,000,000
worth of stamps during the, year.
Oxford Boy Wounded.
Dr-Fort received a letter from
the War , Department .Wednesday
5x)7 ni son.: Corporal ; Rob-
Lert K? Fo was slightlywonded in
hnttle 5 Octooer xx lix. , , -
dale the boys broke the Hindenburg
line. - y
PRINT.
NUMBER 1
REV r: c. craven much -
" BELOTED BY OXFORD PEOPLE
Those who have met Rev. R." C.
Craven and heard him preach since
coming to Oxford are charmed with
him. The following special from
Rocky Mount tells what "manner of
man" he is:
"Mr. Craven served four years
here, and during- that time proved
himsejf not only one of the ablest re
ligious and spiritual workers that ev
er worked in the city, but was also
a citizen of the first class,-being ac
tive in every social and progressive
movement launched here during the
four years he was pastor. '
"Mr. Craven leaves the church with
the membership increased -over fifty
three per cent. He put the church
on a firm foundation by clearing the
debt; thereon, and remarkable and
gratifying progress has been shown
in every branch of endeavor of the
institution. (?
"The pastor was active in war
work, and made the winning of the
war a principal part of hist . work. dur
ing the quadrennium -the most im
portant and moment ous in the his
tory of the world. -In the last year
Mr. Craven made twice as many
speeches in the interest of the Lib
erty Loans, Red Cross, Y. M. C. A.,
and other war causes than he prech
ed sermons. His speaking trips em
braced eight eastern North Carolina
counties.
"Another remarka,ble feature of
his work here was the interest he
showed in the young people. He or
ganized the scout movement, and
now there are five troops of boy
scouts " and one troop of girl scouts
to attest to the success of his efforts.
It is safe to say that Mr. Craven did
more during the past year toward the
upbuilding of the citizenship of to
morrow than any other man in the
city. - .. : v'-" .- - "
"Mr. Craven has been in ,the con
ference fifteen years, and has held
charges at Tarboro, Henderson, Dur
ham, and Rocky Mount. He is a
graduate of Trinity College."
THE MOTHER TONGUE
ON THE ALLIED FRONT
One wonders Vometimes how " many-
"mother tongues" were spoken a
mong the allied forces that licked
the Germans into submission. From
every corner of the earth came dif
ferent nationalities or tribesmen to
take part in the fray. Hac spokes
men for every language represented
talked together it would , have given
rise to sounds ; like unto that which
attended the building of Babel's
tower. - Sometimes the strange
tongues were confusing, and at oth
ers dangerous. Because a little
group of soldiers defending a liaions
1 holer snoke Gaelic they were
t mistaken for Germans in the dark
ness and came near to death at tne
hands of their own comrades.
COL. LASSITER'S BELOVED WIFE
DD3D IN CALIFORNIA
Mrs Cora Armstrong Lassiter,
wife of Col. Lassiter, died at 12:20
the mornirfg of i December 1 7 th at
their home in Ross, California.
Col. Lassiter is a brother of Mr.
R. W. Lassiter, of Oxford.
"A ROCK IN A WEARY LAND."
In riding through this section of
the State at night, it is a great
pleasure to come upon a farm home
like Mr. J. T. Daniel's or Mr. G. T.
Sherman's or. Mr. Sam'l. H. Jones ,
or a village home like Dr. Wm. L.
Taylor's at Stovall or Mr. J. B.
Mayes' at Stem, or a store like L. G.
& R. C. Puckett at Stovall or G. N.
Daniel at Tar River; lighted by elec
tricity. . , ,
Mr. a A. Upchurch has done
much good for this section of the
State by installing Delco-Light in the
homes on farms and in villages.
To see an electric lighted home In
the country reminds one , of a "rock
in a weary land." See the announce
ment of Mr. C. A. Upchurch on the
second page of this paper.
The phone number in the an
nouncement should be No. 256-W.
RETURN $1,200,000,000
IN STOCKS TO FRENCH BANKS
(Paris Special.) ,
The Germans have returned stocks
taken from the banks in Northern
France amounting approximately to
6,000,000,000 francs.
- Several . safes, weighing five to
seven tons each, which the Germans
did not open and are now in Brussels
will be brought back shortly to Val
enciennes. ,
, Mr. Jack Currin, auctioneer at the
Farmer's warehouse, has accepted a
similar position at Mayesville, Ky.,
and left this week to enter upon his
duties.-' Mrs. Currin,' who has a
slight attack of influenza, will join
her husband as soon as she recovers.
freezing weather.