1 in**,.****'!*)
m.T * 1 «* a Y'v * \
SI) *#■» * ■. »ji jv r# - W|,l r, r.
Kecent r rofiress
. — —... ..■■■> ~j .. • ■ '
W. B,
Kin educational mldress in
launched on offensive
ore. Until this move
nite ahats and began to
ahoy result* there was nothing to give
the State any favorable distinction. On
the other haiid, it remained one of the
most backward states in the Union, in
almost every particular. «
Measured in terms of dollars and cents,
North Carolina’s progress is not strik
ingly different from that pf other States,
ns the entire nation entered upon a new
regime following the World War. ,
'A study of cases and .effects shews that
the State has worked out it* pirn agri
cultural, education*] and industrial sal
vation by the utilization of forces with
in itself. ‘ In other words, its people
have sought happiness under their own
“vines and fig trees.” This is due
largely to the fact that this State 'has, in
spite of the country’s former liberal im
migration policies, remained homogeneous.
Os the 2,359.000 enumerated in the 1920
census fewer than 8,000 were foreign
born. This may be attributed to two
outstanding causes. In the first plaot*.
there are no large cities in thg Btote.
and in the next place the large indus
tries that have beenltotilt up .utilize do
mc*tie labor almost -entirely. Even in
the s-mnliee enterprises preferehee i* al
ways given native born Americans.
North-Carolina is perpetuating itself
both in population and domestic policies.
It has the highest birth rate in the
Union. . , - •
It muet be admitted that the, Negro is
and will always be the greatest barrier
against the importation of foreign-born
stock, and that if North Carolina is to
remain 09 1-2 per cent. American, as
it is today, the Negro inust be held. So
far the State has lost only 25,000 Ne
groeswn the exodus, according to figures
compiled by the United States Depart
• meat of Labor; and it has been asserted
that for nearly every Negro who has mi
grated to the North, there has been an
other from farther South to take his
place. -s • <• •
Support for the Public Schools
The State’s educational policy, stu
dents of the situation declare. 'is the
foundation on which all other causes
contributing to progress rest. Nothing
has done more toward lifting Nirth Caro
lina out of its backward tendencies. Re
valuation of education has placed new
values on all other forward movements
and' tendencies. . •
Yet experience shows that the people
were at first unwilling to pay the price.
It took money,, of course' In addition
to this it was necessary to pite* laws
releasing children from industry. Edu
cation won no real victory until a com
pulsory school attendance' law was passed.
Be it said to the credit of the mill man,
however, that he was fn no wny entirely
responsible for the tfinduiess of this re
form. V Instances have haan. cited where
heads of families moved into cotton far-
Sgtijgrtl: and pot thchi rhildten to
work While they remained idle And svtlu
sisted on money earned by those who
should have been in school.
However, the leave* continued t% work.
Ayeook did not live to see the formative
educational policies which, ,he so, earn«s v
l.v advocated put. into full operation, but
it is only just to say that the gospel
be preached played a large part in build
ing the groundwork upon which the.
State’s present endeavors rest.' The
year he waß elected Governor less than
one million dollars was spent for all edu
cational purposes. In 1910 exprtfdi
tures had increased to $3,178,950, and
during the present scholastic year they
will exceed $23,000,000. The value of
public school property has risen from
$5,882,969 in 1910 to over $35,000,000
now. ; * •
' ‘ 1
During the past year, according to in
formation furnished by Secretary of
State W. N. Everett, local oommunities
of their own volition have invested $21,-
008 000 in public education, and during
the oast three years have erected new
school hofcees worth • $25,000,000. In
addition to outstanding appropriations,
the last General Assembly authorized a
bond issue of $5,000,000, available. Jan
uary 1. 1924, the money to bp loaned to
counties, for a period of twenty years,
at 4 1-2 per cent, interest. No school
house of less than five rooms can be
built from money thus received by the
counties. ..
Consolidation of rural schools, now
.playing on important part in the State’s
educational scheme, has been placed on
a scientific basis, and is supervised by
a committee from the staff of the De
partment of Public linstruction.
’No consolidation ia authorized in any
case until a county-wide plan has ■first
been mapped out and approved by the
State Board of Education. The prog
ress of consolidation has been greatly
advanced through the establishment of a
State highway system.. Transportation
is no longer a problem. Six hundred
motor driven trucks transport
children daily.
Public school teachers are better paid
today than ever before. And.no large
rural school ia considered well equipped
' until a teacherage has bean erected and
furnished. » 1- .■ v
Deveippment of the public school sys
tem has naturally taped institution for
higher learning to their capacity. How
ever, they are receiving amide appropria
tions for the carrying on of their work.
The State University recently adopted
an extension policy that will put it into
closer touch with the people than It has
ever been. Correspondence courses
counting toward degrees and teacher*’
certificate* are being sent to all sections
of the State. Consequently the passsion
for higher learning that burns in the
y breast of the remotest mountaineer mav
‘Agricultural and Technical Training
No institution is meeting its obliga
tions to all classes With more success
.. t * ' , yl ■ '.'i '
the Negro Agricultural and Technical I
College at Greensboro, three Negt-o Nor
mal School* ni Eliza he th City, Fayette
ville and Winston-Salem the Cherokee !
Indian Normal School at Pembroke, the I
Appalachian Training School at Boone, j
and the Cnlowhee Norman and Indus- !
trial School at Cullowhee? For their '
maintenance there is an annual fund off
$8,496,000.
Increased interest in agriculture, [
which w*,j brought about largely through
the efforts of the State College of Agri
culture and Engineering, has also in
creased the responsibilities of an inati
’tution that iy. now in the midst of a|
program of expansion involving $1,350,- 1
000. This college has now token over,
all educational features connected with
agricultural development: aid the teach-1
tng of agriculture is being made more |
practical b.v the study of results ob-i
tained inside the State, rather than de- :
pending upon statistics which arc of lit
tle value to the "dirt farmer.”
TJiia policy is being developed through
the entabiishment of test farms, or ex
periment stations. There are now six
of these, in various sections of the State,
besides thp one located at the college,
local farmer are given the benefit of all
experiment, through demonstration agents
and kindred methods. Thus the farn»- ;
er h»vi acquired a keen interest in the
college, because its work ha« been brought
within range of,his daily experience. V
Dr. E.‘ C. Brooks, formerly. State Su
perintendent of Public Instruction, was
made president of the agricultural col
lege when it was reorganized last sum
mer. His successor an Sto*e Superin
tendent is Prof. A. T. Allen, formerly
his chief clerk. T)>e appointment, of
Prof, Allen was made b.v Governor Mor
rison, who based his choice upon the de
sire to see Dr. Brooks’ policies continued
in the public school system.
Negro Education.
It is known that the educational ad
vantages North Carolina has afforded the
Negro are largely responsible for his re
maining here. The Negro has always
played an important part jo the South’s
development and always will. Yet, it
cannot be denied that he has been the
object of prejudice. However. North
OfiVolina has largely overcome, this, and
ia now dealing with the Negro in a
different manner. The belief prevails
here that education helps not only the
Negro, but the white man ns well, as
education makes a better citizen out of
him and promotes a friendly feeling be
tween the races. ;
Si North Carolina is now spending ap
proximately $4,006,000 a yenr on Negro
education, including nearly $2,000,000 in
salaries for teachers and $1,000,000 for
new and better sehool houses. This
does not include money used for the sup- j
port of Negro Colleges and normal schools. {
Expressing gratitude for' what the t
State has done for members of his race, 1
Dr. James B. Dudley, president .of the 1
Negro Agricultural and Technical Col-1
lege, which has an appropriation of $455,- \
000 for permanent improvements sifra: j
The effects of agricultural and- techni- ;
cal training are rapidly gaining t|e ap*.'
predation of the Negro. Twenty-seven
■Wars ago, when I became president of
the college, industrial training was cov
ertly derided by most of the Nejro in
stitutions of the State. This was the
only institution at that time devoted ex
clusively to industrial training and that
boldly championed this form of educa
tion. Practically every Negro institu
tion now gives some form of industrial
training. The best-Negro families are
turning to agricultural and technical
training for their sons. ,
Appreciation of the Negro’s gratitude
for economic protection is voiced in a
letter received by the Governor after he
had dispatched troops to Spruce Pine to
prevent expulsion of Negro laborers, fol-,
lowing an alleged criiAe that infuriated j
this mountain community,
i It is not necessary to give the name•
of the writer. But he is one of the
best known Negroes in the State. H«
said: J' .-■> • i{-
I wish to thank you for yoilr prompt
action in moving to protect Negro lab-1
orera-in Mitchell county. Crime caul
never be condoned. I hope the guilty
culprit will be found and punished by
dne process of lav/. Your courageous
stand that everybody shall be protected
in the exercise of his rights, and that
Negroes shall be oliowed to work, gives
us all increased assurance and a greater
loce for our beloved State.
. Such a letter would never have been
written in the days #hen lynehings were
condoned or winked at..l ,
Adult Illiteracy 1
The problem of adult illiteracy for a'
long time challenged the best thought of
educational leaders, bnt it has been met!
with marked success through the estab
lishment of schools in industrial centers
and in many rural distriets throughout
the State. Miss Elizabeth Kelly, su
pervisor, tells of one woman who learned
to read and writer after she was seventy
yeans<old. The incentive that prompted
'■her was a desire to read the Bible*
These schools have a total enrollment of
, over 12.000. . ,
' Adult Illiteracy, like Negro education,
is handled through a division working
under the direction of the Department
of Public Instruction. Since the adop
tion of this method, the per rentage of il
i literacy has been reduced from-18.5 to
13:1. This demonstrates the result of
intensified efforts; or, to expretw it dif
ferently, of specialisation. Also the
beet results' in dealing with the Negro
hatfr been obtained since the establish
ment of the Division of Negro Educa
tion, at the head of which is Prof. N. C.
Newbold. / Through this separate di
vision strict supervision of teaching as
' main “fart. * now *#«
;i An increasing tendency to read, espe
*ssHls css
,i* od dir <*tor the North Carolina; 14-
I c \°* e commission,
wnofie work Is largely rural, hag circu-
I Mica Palmer interprets all this to!
mean, and haR so stated at national li- j
brary meetings, that a rural population,
! once shown the importance of reading
I good books and magazines, wPI demand
! them. Nortff Carolina remains a rural
! State. It has. according to the latest
jfedeinl census, only twh towns of over
(40.000. On the ether hand, there as?
j fifty, scattered throughout the State,
i with over' 2.000 population. In addi
tion to the facilities afforded by the Li
bra#? Commission, there,are located at
various points in the State sixty-five
public libraries.
I Agricultural Resources
Two natural advantages have con
•tributed materially to North Carolina’s
j agricultural advancement, these being
climate and soil. The latest killing
j frost on the coast occurs a month earlier
| than that in some mountain counties,
: While the annual mean tempo nature
ranges from 62 degrees at Wilmington
to 54 degrees at Asheville. Thin, of
course, means a long harvest season for
the State, taken as a whole, and. it will
be readily seen, is conductive to diversi
fication.
Many varities of soil are found over
the State, but these are divided into
three principal classes, coincident with
the grand divisions—sandy loam in the
east, Cecil clay in the piedmont and
darker clay in the west. This also en
tourages diversification. **■
While tobacco can be grown in each
of the one hundred counties of tlu State,
it is one of the principal crops in at
least forty counties, lying principally in
the piermont and central coastal sections
Cotton, on the other hand, cannot be
raised in high altitudda. yet it is one of
the principal -crops in about forty eoun
tiesl. also in piedmont and coastal North
Carolina. Wheat is grown in every
piedmont county and in many mountain
(jounties, While peanuts, from which farm
ers also realize millions of dollars annu
ally, are grown principally in the south
east corner of the State. Sweet pota
toes thrive best in the east. Corn is
grown with success in every cosnty.
The growth of the sheep industry in
mountain counties is noteworthy, while
in the east there are large plantations
on which are grown thousands of hogs
As a matter of fact, there is more live
stock than ever before being produced
throughout the State. This is possibly
due in large measure to the fact that
more feed is now being raised.
Industry, like 'agriculture, is confined
to no one section, yet the piedmont leads
in the number of factories, centered
around such towns as Charlotte. Gas
tonia, Greensboro, High Point, Lexing
ton, Concord, Winston-Salem and other
points. In Gaston county, near Char
lotte, there are now oyer one hundred
'cotton mills.
The beautiful mountain sections' dt
western North Carolina have contributed
liberally toward making this State a tour
ist center, especially during the summer
month), while Southern Pines draws
many winter visitors. Until .the'estab
lishment of a State-wide highway svs
horses. But this handicap has been re-
moved and there is now a road leading
to the top. of Mount Mitehell—-6711 feet
—the highest point east of the Rrfrky
Mountains. Some of the richest farm
ing land in the State is found in the
mountains, where fruit also abounds.
Deforestation lias proved a menace and
in some sections lias done much to mar
the natural beauty of the mountains.
But this is now being corrected. The
establishment of the Pisgah National
Forest, which lies in more than half
dozen counties and covers hundreds of
thousands of wooded acres, will go a
long way toward /checking deforesta
tion.
Farming Problems
An jibnndance of home-grown raw ma
terials, such as cotton and tobacco, has
given rise to the'Vstabiishment of large
industries in North Carolina which have
a combined annual output worth a bil
lion dollars. However, agriculture js
still the backbone of the State.
In other words. North Carolina is pri
marily an agricultural State. This is
demonstrated by the fact that it ranks
fifth in the value of all crops, and fourth
in the value of twenty-two leading crops.
Its products in 1922 brought farmers
$342,637,000. Figures for 1923, when
completed, are expected to show an in
crease over this . But this does not
mean, though it shows progress, that
North Carolina has solved all of its ag
ricultural problems. It has not. Yet
its farmers, with the help of a well
organized Department of Agriculture, at
the head of which is Major William A.
Graham, active at eighty-three, nnd the
State College of Agriculture and Engi
neering, are turning their attention more
and more toward improved machinery.
They are seeking to get all out of the
spil it is capable of producing, by diver
sifiention.
But a* yet 43.5 per rent, of the farms
are operated by tenants and croppers
numbering 117.459 of irhom 53.917 are
white and 64.452 are negroes, s} The ave
erage -amount of land cultivated in the
i State is less than eighteen acres per fam
ily. This means there is still much
waste land.
Attempts to reduce the per cent*go of
tenantcy have so far borne no fruits.
However, definite action is pending. The
General Assembly of 1923 appointed a
tenantry commission composed of three
of its own meinbers and of Dr. C. C.
Taylor of the faculty of the State Col
lege of Agriculture and Engineering,
and Dr.- E. C. Branson of the faculty of
the University 6f North Carolina. The
•purpose of this commission is twofold:
TVi investigate plans of group and com
munity settlement* and to consider the
advisability of State id to landless ten
ant and croppers. The commission will
report to the Legislature in January.
1026, unless there is a session called
earlier. It haa. in addition to its in
yestigatinns in North Carolina, visited
States as far west as California and
is now summing up Us preliminary find
In two or three counties it was found
that 99 per cent, o! all land tilled by !
tenants and cropper* was planted in !
fertility-exhausting rather than in land
improving crops. Tenants and crop-,
pera ip piedmont And coastal North Car
i'fir'©"63
! le«a fiwaera, it was learned, have less
livestock than 1 land owner., produce tom
THE CONGORD DAILY TRIBUNE
food for home eowitHhpiiofi, and enjoy
fifueh smaller cash income.
A survey of on* mountain county
showed that the fvstase cash income
of White tenant* and croppers Was less
than ten cents a day per individual
I'Only one COW was. found for every 138
I acres Worked by wfiite croppers, and one
for every 277 worked b.v negroes. Sixty
fitC per cent, of landless families took
no newspapers of -magazines, and only
7 per cent, took sb|ily newspapers. The
average family this class attended less
than (v.-ivrecrecftpral events in 1922.
IntensijMl Agriculture.
Experiments conducted by Hugh Mc-
Rue. of Wilmington. N. C., afforded the
commission an iweresting study: Mr.
Mcßae conceived the idea that small
tracts devoted to ? intensified farming
would not only entourage ithe planting
of a variety of crpps. but would yield
returns sufficient to enable owners to
buy more land wjtkout going into debt.
So he provided far seven colonies,’ financ
ing the project and turning the land
over to the Rettleni ready to cultivate
Five of these suec|eded. One was a
partial failure andjone a complete fail
ure. But the arts result was convinc
ing. . 1
From what is known as the Castle
Hayne settlement, in New Hanover
county, truck worth $325,000 was ship
ped during the first half of 1923. From
April to June, inclusive, seventy-eight
car loads and enough packages to fill
twenty-five addition*] oars wrte market
ed. „ i
Mr. Mcßae’s plan is not a money
making project, but an experiment. He
reported that the land he utilized in the
formation of colonics for fanji settlers
yielded only S3O *;ycnr in taxes before
cultivation. It noW pays into the county
treasury $35,000. Thus, the county was
benefitted as well 'ps the farmer. lit
is claimed that similar developments nil
over the State would net the counties
enough money in'dlfXes to enlarge their
school system* t*atorially. This view
seews reasonable.
That large farms are b.v no means
necessary to successful cultivation is
the opinion held by Frank Parker, ag
ricultural statistician for the State. Re
cently two farmers jnet in Mr. Parker’s
office. When one learned that the other
was cultivating only ten acres, he asked
in amazement : “Can you make a liv
ing in ten acresT” The reply was:
"If I can't make a:-living on ten acres.
I know I can on- five."
Diversification of Crops.
According to Mr. ’l’arker, under whose
direction tax listers are required to take
a fnrm census ia every county, diversi
fication is on the ‘increase. Although
cotton, worth $lO4-370.000 in 1922 nnd
nrobfthly more in 1923. continues to be
the State’s leading money crop, its last
complete tobacco crop netted $03,000,000.
which gave it the lead over Kentucky
and made it the firsl Slate in the value
of this product, j j
However, Mr. Parker’s statement as
to diversification seems to lie amply jus
tified by the following list of other North
Carolina crops and their values: Corn,
$44,963,000: hay, $21,221,000: sweet po
tatoes, $0,944,000; wheat, $7,491,000;
apples. $4,557,000; peanuts. $4,547,000;
soy beans. $2-574,001): oats. $2,504,000:
sorghum Ryrup, «,332.000; peaches,
$1,075,000; cowpeaj, $1,432,000; This
Inch ales only the. st*|ds. crops rttort vield
over $1,000,000 a year, in addition to
which there are about forty others, in
cluding truck and other spring vegetables,
also large quantities of strawberries,
grown in the eastern part of the State.
Farm Labor.
There is always a shortage of farm
labor, due. to the faot that factories offer
better wageß. No solution for this situ
ation has been found. “All of our re
porters,'' says Mr. Parker, “inform me
that public works and factories are con
tinually drawing on farm labor and es
pecially from the ranks of the unskilled.”
The average farm hand receives S2B
a month with board and $37 without.
By the day he receives $1.43 with board
and $1.75 without. On the other hand,
cotton mills, which employ nearly 100.-
000 workers, pay ns high as $4.75 a day.
Tobacco factories, employing neariy
25,000, including thousands of Negroes,
pay as high as $3.04 a day, while furni
ture factories, which furnish employment
to between 8,000 and 10.000, offer as
much as $5 a day. In addition to these,
miscellaneous industries, employing many
thousands more, have wage scales run
ning from $1.70 to $4,«4.
Thus, it will be seen at a glace that
industry is agriculture’s keenest com
petitor. Yet, both show progress and,
after all, neither is the other’s economic j
enemy.
Highway Progress
Until 1921 mud was the farmer's
greatest barrier against progress. There
was scarcely a dependable highway in
the State. This condition was also
a serious drawback to education in that
during the minter m inths roads in many
sections were impassable. This kept
children from school. During the sum
mer months ttfe farmer were the greatest
sufferers* being unable ito market their
crops over the so-oißed highwnys, ex
cept under favorable weather conditions.
Os there were exceptions, but
bad roads were the rule.
However, the ulira-conservntive spirit
that had' kept North Carolina from
adopting a Ktate-wide highway policy
was broken down completely in 1921,
when, following itlie advice of Governor
Morrison and, other leaders in thiq for
ward movement, the. General Assembly
authorized the issuance of $50,000,000
bonds and provided the necessary legisla
tion for tokingover 6,200 miles, of which
2,500 will be hard surfaced and 3.700
built bf durable rock and Soil substance.
The work is now nearing completion.
Every county sent ha* been connected,
and trunk lines, now connect North Car
olina with every adjoining State. An
additional bond issue of $15,000,000 was
authorized, this year without opposi
tion.
Internal economic needs led to the con
struction of this highway system. The
advertising the State would get out of it
did not figure in the motives of those who
advocated it. Yet it has advertised the
State and Has brought many tourists.
Last winter a count showed that 500
automobiles bearing license tags of other
states were entering North Carolina ev
ery day I
The Tax System
General Assembly that voted
the initial good roads bond issue adopted
a new State tax system. Under it
there is no levy on real estate or personal
property for State purposes. This form
of taxation ia loft with the counties
lln JMnJP’Ji J fe. jp Jg
ft X R OHM E
■uirs^tta^irr*—
Nt inc.
CHAPTER I
A Client for Paul Harley
SOME of Paul Harley's most Inter
esting cases were brought to his
notice In an almost accidental
way. Although be closed bis office
in Chancery Lane sharply at the
hoar of six, that hour by no means
marked tbo end of his business day.
One summer’s evening when the
little clock upon bis table was rap
idly approaching the mudh-deslred
hour, Harley lay back In his chair
and stared meditatively across his
private office In the direction of a
large and very handsome Burmese
cabinet. /
Harley’s office was part of an old
city residence, and his chambers ad
joined his workroom, so that now
noting that his table clock registered’
the hour of six, he pressed a bell
which summoned Ir-pes, his confi
dential secretary.
“Well, Innes.” said Harley, look
ing around. “anQther uneventful
day.’’
Well,’* replied Innes, laying a
card upon the table, “I was Just com
ing In with It when you rang."
Paul Harley glanced at the card.
"Sir Charles Abingdon,” he read
aloud, staring reflectively at his sec
retary. “That Is the osteologist?”
“Yes,” answered Innes, "but 1
fancy he has retired from practice.”
“Ah,” murmured Harley, “I won
der what he wants. I suppose I had
better see him. as I fancy that he
■and I met casually some years ago
In India. Ask him to come In, will
you?”
Innes retiring, there presently
entered a distinguished - looking,
elderly gentleman upon whose florid
face rested an expression not unlike
that of embarrassment.
“Mr. Harley,” he began, “I feel
somewhat 111 at ease In encroaching
upon your time, for I am by no
means sure that my case comes
within your particular province.”
, dowu - Sir Charles," said Har
ley with quiet geniality. ‘‘Officially
» “W working day l s ended; but If
ndthlng comew of your visit beyond
a chat It will have been very we'-
eome. Calcutta, was it not, where
We last met?”
Slr Char,es ‘
"JL hi ?4.^ at J*® 6 u P°n the table
“J setting down rather wearily in
a Dig leather armchair which Harlev
had pushed forward.
811 C harles evidently was op
pressed by some secret trouble, thus
Hartey allently. as. taking
h*a)Ju> tobacco from, a cabinet
beade him, he began In leisurely
manner to load a briar.
. ® l . r Charles slowly nodded his
head, and seemed in some measure
to recover confidence.
th f n ‘” he “‘d- "I believe
my lit© is in danger. **
tln^n m iL S * I< L? arley ’ rf T lacin ß the
twitch th CU P board and striking a
You are naturally anxious for
the particulars," Sir Charles p-e«
ently resumed. “They bear. 1 regret
to say, a close resemblance to the
symptoms of a well-knowo form of
hallucination. In short, with one ex
ceptlon, they may practically all be
classed under the head of surveil
lance.
•■Surveillance,” said Paul Harley
•You mean that you are more or less
constantly followed?”
"I do."
"Anything else?”
“One very notable thing. Mr. Har
ley. I was actually assaulted ,ess
than a week Ugo within sight of my
o,wn house.**
“Indeed! Tell me of this.” Paul
Harley became aware of an awaken
ing curiosity.
„ *,’ I . bad^ >een t 0 v,9i < a friend in the
neighborhood.” 3ir Charles contin
charges on road bonds, and funds for
the maintenance of highways, are de
rived from a tax on automobiles and
gasoline, which is expected to yield $7.-
000,000 during the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1924. Prior to the enactment
of the present law, the State received a
share of the ad valorem tax levied by the
counties, which was 47 2-3 cents on the
SIOO assessed valuation. Os this. 11 2-3
cents was for administrative purposes,
four cents for pensions and thirty-two
cents for schools. But the State now
levies no tax whatever on the land of
the farmer or any one else.
And so, North Carolina, over 09 per
cent. American and made up largely of
the descendants of English, Scotch and
Seoteh-Irish stock, is tackling the prob
lems that confront it and solving them
by its own methods and at comparatively
little, cost when measured by the good
that has been accomplished. It con
tributes more to the Federal government
than it spends on itself, ranking as the
sixth State in the amount of Federal
taxes it pays. During the past fiscal
year it yielded $140,000,000. This year,
in the opinion of the Collector of In
ternal Revenue, the total will be $160,-
000,000. Most of this revenue comes
from tobacco factories; but North Caro
lina pays a larger income tax than any
other Southern State except Texas.
Cleaning Sawing Machine.
Use sewing gurchlne oil pn a soft cloth
to clean the wood parts of a sewing
machine. It appears as if polishing
also keeps the finiih from cracking
and makes It look like. new. Or any
good furniture polish will do.
• . 4» . . _
Agriculture First
If we estimate dignity by Immedt-
I'ate usefulness, agriculture Is undoubt-
ued, “whom I am at present attend
lpg professionally, although 1 am
actually retired. I was returning
across the square, dose to midnight
when, fortunately for myself, I de
tected the sound of, light, pattering
footsteps immediately behind me.' 1
turned in the very Instant that a
man was about to spring upon me
from behind. He was holding in his
band what looked like a large silk
handkerchief.”
“What did you do?”
“I turned and struck out with my
stick.”
“And then?"
‘‘Then he made no attempt to con
test the issue, but simply ran swiftly
off, always keeping in the shadows
of the trees.”
“H’m," mused Harley. "A very
alarming occurrence. Sir Cbarles. It
must have shaken you very badly.
But we must not overlook the possi
bility that this may have been an
ordinary footpad.”
“His methods were scarcely those
of a footpad,” murmured Sir Charles.
"I quite agree,” said Harley.
"They were rather Oriental, If I may
say so."
Sir Charles Abingdon started.
SIR CHARLES SAT DOWN
RATHER WEARILY.
“Oriental?’ he whispered. “Yes, you
are right.” >
“Does this suggest a train ol
thought?" prompted Harley.
Sir Charles Abingdon cleared his
throat nervously. "It does, Mr.
Harley,” he admitted, “but a very
confusing train of thought. It leads
me to a point which I mast mention,
but which concerns a very well
known man. Before I proceed 1
should like to make it clear that I
do not believe for a moment that be
is responsible for this unpleasant
bueiness."
Harley stared at' him curiously.
“Nevertheless,” be said, "there must
be some data in your possession
which suggest to your mind that he
has some connection with It.”
“There are, Mr. Harley, and I
should be deeply Indebted If you
could visit my house this evening,
when I could place this evidence, if
evidence It may be called, before
you. I find myself In so delicate a
position. If you are free I should
welcome your company at dinner.”
Paul Harley seemed to be re
flecting.
“Os course. Sir Charles,” he said,
presently, “your statement ls very
interesting and curious, and I shall
naturally make a point of going fully
Into the matter. But before proceed
ing further there are two questions
1 shquld like to ask you. The first ls
this: What is the name of the ‘well
known' man to whom you refer?
And the second: If not be then
whom do you suspect of being be
hind all this?”
“Isn’t this a pretry slow railroad?
said Brown. "That depends on cir
cumstances,” replied Green. “The only
time It seems In any great hurry la
when you happen to be running to
catch the train,”
Stray Bits of Wisdom.
Childhood ls like a mirror, which
reflects In after life the Images first
presented to It.—Samuel Smiles.
KEEP THE KIOHEYS WEIL
Health Is Worth Baving, and Some
Concord People Know How to
Bave It.
Many people take their lives in
their hands by neglecting the kidneys
when they know these organs need
help. Weak kidneys are responsible
for a vast amount of suffering and 111
health the slightest delay is
dangerous. Use Doan’s Kidney Pills,
—a remedy that has helped thous
ands of kidney sufferers. Here is a
Concord citizen’s recommendation.
Mrs. M. M. GUlon, 43 Bell Ave.,
says; “I have used Doan’s Kidney
Pills and found them a good remedy.
My kidneys were out of order and I
felt dull and hm down. The action
of my kidneys was irregular and my
back became lame and weak. I used
Doah’s Kidney Pills as directed sad
they helped me by regulating my kid
neys and relieving aU signs of. kid
ney trouble.”
Price 60c, at all dealers. Don’t
simply a;k for a kidney remedy—get i
Doan's Kidney Pills —the same ttyu I
Mrs. GUlon had. Foster-MUburn Co., I
Mfrs., Buffalo, N, T. ’ , V
~,,T \
Sir Charles’ perplexity and. toi- 1
barrassment grew more and more
marked. ' f •ij
“The one matter is so hopelessly
involved in the other." he flns fly re
plied, "that although .1 cans; her*
prepared as 1 thought with a full
statement of the case. I should wel
come a further opportunity of re
arranging the facts before Imparting
them to you. One thing, however,
I have omitted to mention. U is,
perhaps, of paramount importance.
There was a robbery at my house
-ess than a week ago."
“What! A robbery! Tall me:
what was stolen?"
“Nothing of the slightest value,
Mr. Harley, to any one but aiyself—
or so I should have supposed.” The
speaker coughed nervously-, “The
thief bad gained admittance to my
private study, where there ore sev
eral cases of Oriental jewelry and a
number of pieces of valuable gold
and silverware, all antique. At what
hour he came, bow he gained admit
tance, and how he retired, 1 cannot
imagine. AU the doors were kicked
as usual In the morning and nothing
was disturbed.”
“I don’t understand, them”
“I chanced to have occa slon to
open my bureau, which I tm/ariably
keep locked. Immediately—lmmedi
ately—l perceived that my papers
were disarranged. Close examina
tion revealed the fact that a abort
manuscript in my own hand, which
had been placed in one of the
pigeonholes, was missing.’’
“A manuscript,” murmured Har
ley. “Upon a technical subject?"
“Scarcely a technical subject, Mr.
Harley. It was a brief account
which I bad vaguely contemplated
publishing In one of the reviews, a
brief account of a very extraordinary
patient whom I once attended.’?
"And had you written It re
cently?" j
“No; some years ago. But I had
recently added to It. I may say
It was my purpose still further to
add to it, and with this object I had
actually unlocked the bureau.”
“New facts respecting this pa
tient had come into your posses
sion?"
“They had.”
“May I suggest that your patient •
and the ‘well-known man* to whom
you referred are one and the same?”
“It is not so, Mr. Harley," re
turned sir Charles in a tired voice.
“Nothing so simple. I realize more
than ever that I must arrange my
facts In some sort of historical order.
Therefore I ask you again:! will you
dine with me tonight?”
“With pleasure,” replied Harley,
promptly, “1 have no other; engage
ment‘- u sx
chapter n vwmm
The Sixth Sense
‘PJATJ'L HARLEY stepped into his
1_ cur in Chancery Lane. “Drive
In the direction of Hyde Baric
Corner," be directed the chauffeur.
“Go along the Strand.”
Glancing neither right nor left, he
entered the cay, and presently they
were proceeding slowly with the
Stream of traffic In the Strand. “FuH
up at the Savoy,” he said suddenly
through the tube.
The car slowed down In that little
bay wblch contains the entrance to
the hotel, and Harley stared fixedly
out of the rear window, observing
the occupants of all other cars and
cabs whleb were following. For
three minutes or more he remained
there watcblng. “Go on,” he di
rected.
Again they proceeded westward
and, half-way along Plocadilly, “Stop
at the Ritz.” came the order.
*The car pulled up before the colon
nade and Harley, stepping out, ai«-
missed the boon and entered the
hotel, walked through to the «<de
entrance, and directed a porter to
get him a taxicab. In this be pro
ceeded to the house of Sir
Abingdon.
“Mr. Paul Harley?" said the but
ler, tentatively.
“Yes, I am he.’?
"Sir Charles Is expecting yon.
sir. He apologizes for not being In
to receive you. but he will only be
absent a few minutes."
"Sir Charles has been called out?"
Inquired Harley as be handed his
hat and coat to the man.
(Continued ifi Our Next Issue)
illllimillimilllWllllHlMlllllillllHlllimUllgUllifllJßlilllimillllinimumnxsm.
The Grc jiainmist.
He was Mai. Valerius Marttalls,
who lived about 83 A. D. Pope was
the great master of the epigram la
later times, and Voltaire, Boileau and
Plron became famous for their epi
grams in France.
• deas of Recreation.
One idea of rest is so do nothing,
another ls chaige of occupation and
environment. Most people find It diffi
! cult t,o do nothing, and in recreation
seek complete change, thus exemplify
ing the philosophy of living.
I Ouch! Lumbago Pain!
Rub Backache Away
Instant Relief with n email
1 trial bottle of old
“St. Jacoba OH.” |
Kidneys cause Backache? Not
They A have no nerves, therefore can
X cause pain. Listen! Your back
is caused by lumbago, sciatica
or a strain, and the quickest relief is
soothing, penetrating “St. Jacobs Oil."
Rub it right on your painful bade,
and instantly Jbe stiffness
crippled! Get a small trial bottle of
applied you’ll wonder what became of
the backache or lumbago pain
Rub old, honest “St Jacobs Oil"
whenever you have sciatica, neuralgia,
ilrjn. “vi , -v ‘ .'■
- ' N' J . **