North Carolina Newspapers

| The Beauty of f ?Ashcroft... t ? ? ? Br MARTHA M'CULLOCH- ? ? WILLIAMS ? I ? l\ + Copyright, 1MB, by T. C. McOlur* + ? ? Ensley whs In the middle of present* tlon commonplaces when Berniee Inter rupted with, "l>o you care to earn uiy everlasting gratitude?" "Certainly. Only tell me how," ho said lamely, taken all aback. She smiled at htm, a faint, odd smile, more of eyes than mouth, aa she an swered, with the least possible shrug: "Suy that you have heard of the beau ty of Aslicroft and Hre captive In ad vance. Everybody says that In course sf un hour, and when things become chronic I like to get them over with." "Who is the beauty of Asberoft?" Ensley asked, with eyes of wide Inno cence, yet a suppressed Inclination to thucklc. Berniee shrugged again. "You do It very well," she said?"much bet ter than common. Still 1 know you know." "Prove it." he said, still trying hard to look puzzled. She laughed and asked demurely, "Is not this Asberoft village?" "No," he said promptly. "That Is where you are wrong?where all the mte/hnra it masxi i-ly," knsi.hy IQfjjfr HAIL) ^>od people are wrong. They nie It was AsVtarptt; irnTT, rl>OUw>*. l lmve found out tatter within the tlr?t hour" "You are givlnR yourself room to say It Is fairyland Instead and that you -/ have found the fairy queen," iterulce ?aid aoleutnly. "That sounds new and original, no doutit, to you, but really two other men have said It, since?well, ?luce I've been the beauty." "Oh, so It is you' A thousand pur dons. Pray forgive my density." Ens ley implored. Beruiec gave hint a long look, then said, "I wonder If you have the courage for a great experiment." "I um a rank coward every way, but ready to dare all a coward may," Ens ley said, pressing.the hand he still held softly between both paints. Bernioe made to drat* it away, but he kept It fast. Thi/ were in the bay wlDdow niche, w^ll sheltered from curious gl.tiySPs "You were made to lie loved. That goes without saying." he whis pered; "also to be made love to. Tell me. though, did any of the others ever take tire quite so suddenly"? "Suddenly!" lterniee's tone and look were withering. "Dear me! You ask that after wasting live long minutes before discharging the whole duty of man!" Ensley tlung back his bead, laughing heartily. "Quarter! 1 cry quarter!" he said. "But If I must do penance for my misdeeds, please remember that even injustice needs a tempering of mercy." "mercy wouia be wasted here," Ber nice said severely, though with twin kling eyes. "Your sentence Is tn speak and behave sensibly toward me. n? matter what I may do, the whole time you stay In Asbcroft." "I shall serve It manfully," Ensley aald, smiling quizzically. "Rut there trill come a tlay of reckoning, later, and I shall he In It." Ensley kept his word throughout the fortnight's visit, albeit Bernlce did her best to make him break It. In spite of fairly haunting her. seeking her out morning, noon and night, be showed himself always and only n sprightly and entertaining comrade, taking chiv alrous account of her womanhood, but none whatever of her youth and charm. It was wholly a new experience. Men hnd been prostrating themselves to worship her ever since she was In short frocks. The men lisd been very p!< ?y. Her father, bluff and hearty fcqo.r- Elton, was the soul pf hospital ity no ' than the great man of Ash croft 'g house, although It stood well o? e village, was the social center. W '?.-r had his good word ?nd countenai e .-us welcome nny where roundsb. rt Naturally Rernlce. - ..l,. daughter and heiress to the Elton ouvinda. wlm hnd grown up motherless ?? s a trllle polled?notwithstanding / young creature, honester wltb bcrs f than Is the wont of womankind. I'berefore. even before Ensley went away she had begun to ask herself If II was wholly Jtlcastint to buve him aonslbh rather than foolishly adoring He had not been gone two days Is-forv sla- bad an swercd her own question with u decid ed "No," and, further, had uiude up her mind that when be came u?aln she would not ttout hla love-making, no matter how earneHt It might b<'. She could not of course admit even to her Image In the mirror how lmi>ossit>le ahe found It to get him out of mind, nor how long and dull the short winter days were now that he no longer claimed much more than half of them. Someliow she had a fancy that he would surely come hack for Christmas, liar father, she knew, had pressed him, and she herself had smiled Invitation, though she had said nothing outright. Hut It took her all aback to have Peggy (ileim run in and say: "Only think, Ber ry! All of us wasted our sweetness on an engaged man! Frank Ensley is a wretch of the first water! Brother Jack has a letter from him saying, "I expect to Is- married early In the new year, so will gladly let Asheroft delights Is'gulle my Impatience for the happy day.' Now, what do you think of That?" "Oh, that It Is?characteristic," Bor nlce salu, the least possible break In her voice. Peggy stared hard. "Jack must be right after all." she said. "1 was dead sure Ensley was courting you hard, but that brother of mine said ull i along you were only chums." "Jack is a good follow and discrimi nating," Bcrnlce said, smiling, although she saw tilings through a mist und felt her pulses beat all over. Somehow she held herself steady until Peggy went ' oir to spread the news, now she rought through the next hour only the soul of ; inliuite compassion will ever know. Tne news came in uild-December. ! Ensley was to follow It. The day be fore Christmas Hernlcehad herself well I In hand. She loved him, faced the knowledge of It as became u thorough bred and was resolved to break her heart. If it needs must break, with laughing lips. She would wish him Joy. eh ar eyed, clear voiced. She would even affect to have discerned his estate of bondage and claim to have saved him from farce comedy perfidy. Not withstanding, twilight of the winter solstice found her very low and mlser | able. The day bad been lowering and sodden, full of gusty rains and shriek ing eltin blasts, liy way of offsetting the gloom Squire Elton had heaped logs on the big andirons and lighted all the candles In the big silver sconces while it was still but murk outside. Then lie had bustled off to see after some of his poor neighbors. Bernice was alone except for the servants, who had been there ever since she was born. She sat, wan and drooping, star ing into the heart of the tire as Ensley came noiselessly through ine door. "1 will not offer a penny for your thoughts. 1 know exactly what they arc," he said, stepping to her side, but | not offering his hand. "You are con j ning the pretty speech you mean to 1 make me. That Is wrong. You should not felicitate me until you hear whom I urn using to marry." "Is there more against her than hav ing accepted you?" Bernice asked, with i a llnsh ,of her old spirit. He stooped and half lifted her to her feet before answering. "She is 'that Impossible i she, the sum of all perfections in u wo I man.'" "indeed! Iftvw did you prevail? Was it the attraction of opposltes?" Bernice asked, trying to speak saucily, though her heart beat like a triphammer. "And, further, what's her name, and Where's ! her home?" "Her home is ? here," Ensley said, drawing her close to his breast. "As for her name, it Is the very sweetest in ! the world, but 1 believe she likes best j to be called tlie beauty of Ashcroft." A Rpoord In SfrvantN, "My wife uud 1." said a Germantown man. "have been married a little over five years. We have no children, there are Just two in the family and we have use for but one servant, a girl to do general housework. One would nat urally think that such a Job would be a sinecure for a girl at J1 a week, the wages my wife pays, and yet in those live years we have had no less than 1 sixty-three separate anil distinct girls. ' How do I know the exact number? 1 Well, I keep a diary, and among other ; things I have jotted down the numer ous changes in servants. Some of them have stayed a day or two, the longest term of service being six months. Some have been discharged, some have gone out and failed to re turn, some have left because the work | was too bard, some have married, one ? was arrested on a warrant sworn out i by a former mistress whom she had j robbed. It seems to me that sixty three serv ants In five years Is about the record, and yet I don't think we are hard people to get along with. If I I didn't own my own homo I'd give up (housekeeping and board." ? Phi ladel | phia Record. A Tempest In m Twnpnt. What war was caused by a clay tea | pot? For an answer to this question we must go. as might be supposed, to the land of pigtails ami porcelain. The story goes that a Chinese emporor In olden days gave as a mark of special | favor a magnificent clay teapot of rare design to Ix> Hung Chang, his favorite mandarin. Tills wns Inld np as a priceless pos session among tho treasures of Lo Hnng or borne at his side by two at tendants at all high public festiyals and functions. A rlvnl mandarin saw these signs of distinction with tho green eyes of Jeal onsy and hired a man to break the ob noxious pot. The clumsy fellow was caught In the act and betrayed his master. War followed between the two mandarins nnd their respective follow ers. which resulted In the overthrow ?nd death of Ixi Hung Cliang and tin reception of bis rlvnl Into royal favor In hia place.?I^uidon Answers. Ao Aoinjal Story Per Little Polks Elephant X Bee The elephant ami t!ie bee had al ways been on the heat of terms, and In all their acquaintanceship they never had a quarrel. and 1 guess they would I have lived In |>euce n/jd liappinetM with each other for all their lives If It had not heen for an accident that hap pened. ! And what do you suppose It was? Why. one day the elephant was going along the road, and he was tired, for j v * 1 'ouch !" howled thk flw'iiaht. (if hail walked a long distance tliat day. So lie thought lie would sit down and rest for a little while. In the meantime the hee had thrown himself on the grass and gone tq sleep, for it was a warm day. and he. too, was tired. Well, what should happen but that the elephant sat down on the bee's hind foot. And the bee? He was hopping mad anil said ail sorts of nasty things. So the hee crawled into the ele phant's trunk Just as far as he eoulil. and then lie gathered all his strength and gave | Mr. Mlephant the hard est sting Ilia I he poAibly could. "Ouch!" howled the elephant. "You naughty thing! I'll fix you for that!" And the next moment he sneezed a mighty sneeze. Hid you ever see an elephant sneeze? Well, he raises more disturbance for a ; few seconds than a March wind. What became of Mr. Bee? I don't know, and nobody else does lie was borne out on the breath of that mighty sneeze, and he hasn't lieen seen since. ?St. T.ouis Post-Iiispatch. Ao'rpal Story For Little Folks S Caterpillars'Bali The caterpillars* dance was the hip I pest thinp that the caterpillar family had given for many and many a leu*; day, and yon may rest assured that not one of the invitations that were sent out whs thrown away. When the fiddlers had just bepun to fiddle ami the dancers had lined up ' "i'm A gatrrpitiiiaft," answered mh earthworm. on the floor for the first grand waltr. who should come along but Mr. Earth worm. "Only caterpillars are admitted here," said the chief doorkeeper. "Well, I'm u caterpillar," answered Mr. Earthworm, and be looked offend ed. "What kind of a caterpillar?" asked the doorkeeper. "I'm a baldhoaded caterpillar," an swered the earthworm promptly go they decided to let him In any way, and soon he was In the hall and dancing with the prettiest lady cater pillar there. But one of the little caterpillars dropped a piece of chewing gum on the floor, and right in the midst of the whole affair Mr Earthworm sliplxsl on it, and down he went in a heap on the J floor. Everybody cried "Oh I" f ir they M thought that he must have J.een IturtM but he sprang up quickly enough an??i was ready to keep on dafnclng. But a wonderful to relate, tint earthworw got up wrong end foremost and beg:V? to dance around upside '/own. for yf? know that one end of ^in enrttnvoBiii looks as much li'e his hf-ad as th 'It'1' er. But the catr-rj lllers knew tbcJ Tllf fere nee, and they all lliougln tbaf he must lie a ghost. The lady cat"n*llar screamed, and the g/ent lemon flf aVc' pillars jumpcil out of the witiboml. R"1 that ended the lilg 'hall. erce^B thai when Mr. Earthwyirn start?s]uFio go home a crowd of i/iterpillar p^Bflceiuen caught him and * ; him u^VJail foi three summers for 'iB lutdn^Bs Moral.?I)on 1 go w ? re yo^VUou't be long.?Chicago Trlbr.4 ! he claim jumpers \ iOrlgtr.al.) yn FTaliowoli was returning to his d 11. He had lxs*n to Frisco for a in nth tr/bnr to luduce some one with in i.iti to "grubstake" him. hut had fa. ml. TliU was not because he did no have a good claim, hut because the capitalists he met did uot care to look Ini > It. Ben was vary gloouiy. A yoar before he had married the girl of his choice in the east and a week after the marriage had returned to hla min ing operation*. He had hoped before this to bring hla Susie to him. hut the fates had hooti against him. And now his failure to secure means with which to prosecute hla work made him doubly despondent. Before him, coming on horseback, tb" broad rim of Ills felt bat Capping with ra- h lope, was a man whom lie recog ni 1 as Andy Kitchen, the owner of a cl. in not far from his own. 'lowdy, lien?" said Andy, grinning a* h!y. and without lesseuftig ills pace a< si. "Yer claim's Juui|>ed." Vhat's that to laugh at?" called Ben sli. ply. "Haw many of 'em?" Re' wo. But one on 'em 1 reckon you <ti i handle without trouble. He's a lit , III cuss. T'other may down you." I ten would have asked more ques tions. but Hailowell seemed to l>e In a I tairry anil rode on. Here was more | (rouble. lien was a peaceful, plodding I man, beloved by Ills neighbors, and I the last man in the world to tight ex ' cept for his rights. But he was not a | man to suffer imposition. Besides, he hud strong faith in his "hole in the ground" and relied upon it to unite him in time with his beloved wife. He rode on. considering what he should do. lie had no faith in peaceful measures, for jumpers were not 'respecters of justice and usually did not jump a claim un j less prepared to maintain their ground j He finally concluded to reconnoiter tl I junipers from a distance and watch f | an opportunity to catch them apart. It was about 10 o'clock in the mo j lng and a bright summer day w a Ben left the ro.td and struck a di through a wood which led to his e ;m, now but half a mile distant. The fds were siuging in the trees, and gy thing about, 'dm was so ,>e.icef /hat J lie upproached the encounter vjroro him with still greater reluctant ?? Ills young wife was ever present in Ids thoughts, and he could not dismiss a picture of her anguish if it w> e fated she should hear that he had b n killed by the jumpers. After going is far on horseback as he dared, lest' <e attract attention he dismounted and proceeded on foot, pausing behind a tree in sight of his claim and his cabin I eside it. There was no one aliout it the eab in door stood open, and s soke issued from the stovepipe chiinni y. Betweeu two trees swung a hammock, in the center of which wus a buodle. Ben eyed nil this cautiously, listened till he was convinced that thewas no one present, theu boldly went forward. Curious to learn what was in the ham mock, he pulled apart its sides and re vested a roll of blankets. But as the hi ikets contained something, he pull e ide a corner covering one end of til bundle and revealed? ' ell. what Ben revealed was no n e striking thai the expression of hi face on seeing it. The stern look b- ad worn up to this moment melted In one as kindly as, more kindly than, ht. ever rested on his features. He loosed down into the face of a steep ing baby. I'or a time t!>. diminutive creature slept on. theu began to stretch Its little legs and tling little lists aliout, at last opening a pa of blue eyes, which it fixed intently on Ben. "Beckon you're the little jumper," said Ben. giving the baby his finger to clutch. "I hope the big one is no more formIdahle. If your dad has taken my property I don't see how 1 can have the heart to dispossess him." By this time Ben was on his knees beside the baby, making all kinds of grimaces and saying all kinds of ridic ulous things to show his good will and nttrait the child's attention. Then a suddfji thought struck him. He re memlered Andy Kitchen's grin when he alnounced that the claim bad been lumped. "By tbnnderi" be exclaimed. "Sup pose .l.e bit; Jumper is a woman!" Fir a moment Lis face foil. If this won to, what an uncomfortable situ atic ! Even tbe shooting he had ax pet- d as not so bad as that. E as ao eugrosaed with this tbo ;l and tbe baby. In whotse face he at led he eonld trace something pie ..eantly fa miliar, that he did Dot bear a footstep approaching. Then he felt a light touch on his shoulder. In sttisctlvelT his hand flew to his re volver as he turned. / H* looked into the smiling face,of /bis Wits. I Ttire are certain scenes as well as I gBOBBl that are Indescribable. ' N'ltttr the scene nor the emotions In this *te can be painted In words. >cver was man more completely turned from the passion of strife to thut of love. There was one long em brace tkat It seemed would never end, then a gradual relinquishment, after that explanations. Susie had prevailed upon s relative to furnish mean, with which to prose cute Bene claim, besides funds to ena ble her to take them to him herself. A letter telling Mm of her intended journey had arrived th, da, after his departure for Frisco. Su?, on (ipr I arrival, finding him gone, quietly ttlok possession of hit cabin and waited his I return. When he came she had gone ! I for water. Ben's claim turned ont , ^ ! In time he orenntr^d a company to I work It and he called it ,he i Jumper. OLIVE PBXNEWEL1, NORTH CAROlINAjPLITICS. Gudger Likely to be /jnseated?In terest Centers In ilntli District ?Tom Settle Will Try tor Nomination Ip Case Gud ger Loses tut? Locke Craig Probt'de Demo cratic C. dldate From inth. Washington, Oct. 24.?Presi dent Roosevelt s declarat 'OD * hat Republican Stfte Chairman Rol lins shall bav? abnolute control of the dispensation of Federal patronage ii North Carolina puts a quietvs on the opposition in the part? ranks, which, from time to time/ has been threaten ing to wqge war on the new leader of we organization. The patronagf controls the office holders, fnd this class, in turn, compost* he organization. Only on' re-:lt can follow, and that is-hat .'fir. Rollins will have absolu e authority. When the day at ivee for the selectiou ot a State/ chairman, the man who now iolds the office will be re elects. Those outside the breast work; will continue to knock, but they ;aunot successfully go up agairst the man who deals out t lie tit. Mr. Rollins' prestige and voice i in tarty matters can be dis missed in one way. And since 1 this avenue lor bis undoing is practically closed, it would seem tbat be is safely anchored. The [ ebctiou of a Republican to Cou gress from the State would de stroy .Mr. Rollins'political inliu -uce in a vvay. A Republican I representative would virtually become the leader of the party in the State, for the reason thattbe federal patronage would be placed at his disposal. Thomas Settle aspires to Rollins' mantle j as party leader via the congres 1 sional route. So does E. Spencer ! Blackburn, in the eighth district. Rollins told the President that North Carolina Republicans ; would be represented in the next Congress. Such a ret ult would come near to putting him out of commission politically speaking. The Ninth District is the most interesting on the North Caro lina checker-board. This condi tion results from theexpected un seating of Representative J. M. Gudger, at the coming session of Congress. Settle's efforts for a nomination will mean a tight for State leadership. He will have to reckon with V. S. Lusk, J.J. ltritfe and others. Put even more interesting are reports that have recently reached here from Ashe ville, with reference to the nomi nation of a Democratic candi date, in the event of the unseat ing of Mr. Gudger. There is said to be a growing sentiment in favor of tendering the nomina tion to Locke Craig. It is not generally known, but j some of Governor Aycock's po j litical friends in the tnird district have recently been urging him to become a candidate for Congress against Representative Thomas. He has refused to enter the con test, so several of hisclosefriends say. They predict that he will be a candidate in 1 !)(><>, if he does not make the race for the Senate against Senator Simmons. It has been stated that W. G. Newlands, of Lenoir, wo> Id be a candidate for Congress against Representative Klutz. Talking with Mr. Newlands, in Raleigh, some days ago, he said to me that he would not be a candidate, should Mr Klutz desire a renonii nation. Mr. Klutz is one of the strongest and most useful mem bers of the House, and there is no reason to believe that he would decline another nomina tion.?Charlotte Observer. National Journalism. McClure's Magazine is making a name for itself?doubtless it is doing it unconsciously. But those who have watched it since its inception?now eleven years ago?have seen it grow from a good, readable magazine into a vital, important one, with an ethical significance. Some one has said that as it stands now it is the first attempt at National Journalism. Three great ques tions of the day?the Corruption in the Trust, Labor and Political Worlds?are being haLdled in a masterly way, the first by Miss Tarbell in her fearless "History of the Standard Oil Company;" the second, by Kay Stannard Baker; and the third, by Lincoln Steffens, in his series of flaming pictures of cities. For A pleasant phvslc take Chamlrer Iain's Stomach and Liver I ahlets Ult to take. Pleasant In effect. For sale by Hood Bros., Benson Drug Co., bclma Drug Co. He who does good on the spur of the moment usually sows a seed of dissension in the trench of time.?Seton Merriman. Trickery and Partisanship It's a sad commentary upon the judicial system of this coun try, to see in all the hading pa pers in our State and in others ;ts well, the most scathing and merciless criticisms of some men who wear the sucred ermine and who are supposed to hold the scales of justice evenly and im partially between man and man, as they may appear at the bar of justice. VV'e have, to some ex tent, gotton used to trickery, and the exercising of partisan ship in the legislative and execu tive branches of ourgovernmeut, but when we come to face the bold and fearless charges of the press of the country, that the ju diciary ilself is not free from trickery and wicked partisanship, it's enough to awaken the most serious apprehensions in the mind of every citizen who loves his State, and who wishes to see the sacredness of her institutions preserved. The question is, what are ycu going to do about it? The men who have made these severe utterances have done so with bitter regrets. But having said them, they are neither weak lings nor weather cocks, to be changed by a puff of wind. These writings are now a part of the history of our State, and will re main?remain, because it's histo ry, and remain because, in the main, they are theliod'il truth.? Italeigh Times. Many Mothers of a Like Opinion. Mrs. PUmer, of Cnrdoya' Iowa, says: ?One of my children was subject to croup of a severe type, and the giving of Chamberlain's Cough Remedy promptly, always brought relief. Many mothers in this neighborhood think the same as 1 do about this renudy and want no other kii.d for their children " For sale by Hooit Bros , Benson Drug Co., St 1 in a Drug Co. The Winter Millinery. High-crowned hate are the sea son's preference, but there are shown many pretty plateaux which are ^eut and twisted into becoming shit pes. The moderate sized (iai -.borough j.rimmed with ostricl ;.nines i perhaps the most popul imt One of the distinctive feu are- pecially in evidence among the small hats and toques is the Directoire crown; it is flat on top and straight up the sides, while it varies in height from two to three inches. Braids are being used to fash ion novel hats. Velvets were never before so attractive and are shown in all the stylish col ors. Moleskin felts are adapted to the fashionable shapes and al most rival in beauty the velvet creations. Fur hats are stvlish. .The toque and other small hats of velvet are trimmed with Rirds, wings or quills and ribbons, and lace enters largely into the adoru ment of the dressy hats. Buckles areagain conspicuously employ ed on hats, a fact partly due to the prominence of high crowns, itibbons are an important decor ative item, and the new samples are broad and extremely soft and tine, of either taffeta or Liberty satin texture, and in plain colors. A novelty introduced in the trimming of some of the smart est hats is the herring-bone stitch. ?From The Delineator for No vember. i s Sf ? Ifood miedicinH for li'er di**a6o. ~ It otir*d rur -on aft?r he bad ?v-?t ? ! 1100 with doctors. It is all th# nn*l- fl iei?? I UW-MM <'AHOLINK B M ABTIH. P?rk?r^burf, W. Va. If your liver down not act rug- !? nlarly go to your drugs;uf and H '( *ecnre a packagp of 'niedford's I Mark-Draught anil tak? a do to V tonight. Tlii* groat family fct medicine free* the eonatipatcd bowel*, *tir* up the torpid liver and rauaea a healthy secrutiou of bile. 'j Thedford'* Blank - Draught will cleanse the bowel* of im puritie* and strengthen the kid ney*. A torpid liver invitee I ? cold*, biliouines*, chill* and | fever and all manner of lick ne?? and contagion. Weak kid- ^ ney* ru?ult in Bright'* dieonae J e which claim* a* many victim* a* consumption. A '25-cent package of Thedford'a ft lack Draught should alway* be kept in the heiiae. ! "I eved Thedferd'* Blank Drauaht for liver and kidney lei rile.ate and (ouml unthiac to aire* f-WlLLIAJl COFl'MAN, M?r- H bl.haad, 111. THEDFOKD5 BLACIt PRAU6HT I