She jsmittjfirlb HeMii.
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pbice one dollar peb tear. "TRUE TO OURSELVES, OUR COUNTRY AND OUR GOD.' single copies five cents
VOL. 22. SMITIIFIELD, X. C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4. 1908, NO. 39.
ARCHER DOTS.
Messrs. W. B. ami Lee Boyettj
went to Raleigh last week.
Mr. A. Byals "will soon build a
residence on his farm near here.
Messrs.,G. R. Stancil and .J. 11.
Eason went to Earpsboro last1
Sunday.
Messrs. J. R. and M ill Tonilin
son, of Preston, visited Mr. Win.
Stancil last week.
Miss Lessie Barnes returned'
home from a visit to relatives
and friends in Selina Sunday.
M'ss Cynthia Austin, who is
teaching the Batten,school this
winter, w ent home on a visit Sat
urday.
Misses Lizzie, Uattie and Mas
ter Mat Wall went to Raleigti to !
visit their sister, Mrs. Biauham,
this week.
We are glnd to say that the
little child of Mr. and Mrs. J. T.
Barnes, who has been sick with
sore throat, is improving.
Mr. J. H. Wall is goingto Flor
ida this week for his health. He
has been in bad health for some
time and expects to improve in a
warmer climate.
Mr. John Woodard, principal
of Archer Academy, was very
sick for a few days last week with
neuralgia. We are glad to say he
is much better now.
At the residence of the bride's
father, Mr. William Wall, last
Wednesday evening as the clock
tolled the hour of six. Mr. Romu
lus Fowler and Miss Etta Wall
were made man and wife. The
ceremony was performed by Rev.
Mr. Cox. After the ceremony
thev went to the home of the
groom. We wish for them a hap
py life.
The vocal union of this section
will meet with Antioch church
next Sunday. Everyone is in
vited and a joyful time is ex- j
pected. S. L. W.
Dec. 2. 1903.
? ? t
THANKSGIVING DOTS.
Quite a number of our young
people attended the Association
at Selma Saturday and Sunday.
All report a good time.
Miss Mary Hatcher, our much
accomplished teacher, gave the
schoolchildren a Thanksgivingj
party Thursday evening which
was much enjoyed by the little
folks.
Rumor has it that one of our
young men is to take unto him
self a "better half" in the near fu
ture.
Several of our young people en
joyed a Flinch party at Air. W.
G. Harp's Thursday night.
Mr. S. It. Lee, the popular in
surance agent of Selma, and Mr. j
Woodside passed through our
community last week talking in
surance to our people.
Cotton is all picked out and |
our farmers are making ready
for a new crop.
Dec. 2,1903. Nick.
Resolutions.
We the Com mittee of Sy m pat hy
from Union meeting District No.
1, of the Cape Fear Free Will
Baptist Conference do extend our
heart felt sympathy and prayers j
to the bereaved family of our be- j
loved Brother and Moderator of
our union meeting Elder J. A.
Hodges, who fell asleep in Jesus
on the eve of November 23rd,
1903.
i he church 1ms lost almost its
founder as he has belonged to i
Hodges Chaj)el church for near
30 years. The conference has
lost a beloved member, the com
munity a christ.iaji citizen, his
family a sainted father and Hus
band, and this union its modera
tor. May the blessings of God
sustain the bereaved family and
may His mantle fall on those of
us that are left to follow hisGod
ly examples and sainted life.
Committee,
Rev. H. II Gofk,
N. R. Co ATMS,
() K Stoves and Ranges.
CLAYTON CHIPS.
Mrs. Johu Robertson is very
sick.
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. T. Jones
were here Saturday and Sunday.
Miss Lona Williams went to
Selma Saturday, returning Mon
day.
Mrs. Dewey Hicks, of Raleigh,
spent part of last week with her <
mother.
Mr. Charles G. Gulley,of Golds-1
horo, spent Thanksgiving with
parents.
The Clayton school is very well
supplied with students since pub
lic school began.
Messrs. James and Link Wil
liamson spent Sunday and Mon
day with parents in the country.
The annual meeting of the
stockholder's of the Clayton Cot
ton Mills Co. was held Tuesday, i
December 1st.
Miss Elsie Penny spent part of
last week with her sisters, who
are boarding with Mrs. J. E.
Page and attending school here
Mrs. E. H. McCullers and Miss
Melba, of St. Louis, are visiting J
relatives here. Dr. McCullers, we j
learn, intends to locate here
soon.
Mrs. W. 11. Driver, of Selma,
spent part of this week with Mrs.
Honeycutt, returning Tuesday.
Mrs. iloneycutt accompanied her
and will spend several days in
Selma.
Rev. G. W. Fisher and Mrs. D.
W. Harbour attended Conference
at Goldsboro last week. Rev.
(i. W. Fisher has his same circuit
for another year.
Thanksgiving services were
held at the Baptist church last
Thursday evening, November
2G. About $50 was raised for
the Orphanage.
The entertainment given Fri- \
day night of last week by thestu
deuts of Clayton High School
was a treat. The honor belongs j
to the students, as the teachers
had nothing to do with the "get
up."
Mrs. E. L. Hinton gave an eta- J
gant dinner to a party of friends
last Friday afternoon. Every
one who attended spoke in high
est terms of this splendid affair
and especially of the kindness of
the hostess.
Dec. 2,1903. Yklir.
SELWA NEWS.
M r. C. H. Klueppleburg spent
Sunday in Wilson.
Mrs. N. E. Edgerton spent
Wednesday in Raleigh.
Mrs. R. B. Whitley is visiting
relatives at Rocky Mount.
Mrs. W. M. Sanders spent Wed-:
nesday in our town, the guest of |
Mrs. Dr. Noble.
Some of our young men realiz
ing how nice a wood box would
be this cold weather are sending
them to their friends.
Mrs. Kato Whitley, who has
been visiting her son, Thad H. j
Whitley, Esq., returned toiler
home in Stanhope Tuesday.
C. P. Harper and R. M. Nowell
will entertain a few of their friends
at the "Jackson Cafe" Friday
night from !> till they are sleepy.
Jim Jeffreys was at his old
home Sunday and reports that
on two acres of land he will make
four bales of cotton. He wants
to know who can beat it?
Large crowds attended the As-1
sociation here last Friday, Sat
urday and Sunday. They seemed
to enjoy themselves. The Asso
ciation was properly named
"The .Johnston County Baptist
Association." Our people tried!
to make them have a good time.
FJojie they succeeded. -Mr. and
Mrs. .J. 0. Scarborough, of Mur
Ireesboro, attended the meeting.
There were someof theorganizcrs
of the Baptist church here, and
with Mrs. W. B. Driver and Jno.
A Underbill are the only remain-1
ing members of the original
church which, now numbers near
ly 100 communicants.
Dec. 3. Senex. \
FOUR OAKS MOTES.
Mr. I). T. Wood, of Seltua, was
in town Monday.
Mr. I) H. Graves,ofSmithtielri,
was here last Monday.
Mr. Elma Britt, of Goldsboro, i
visited friends here last week.
Mrs. C. R. Adams attended
conference at Goldsboro last
week.
Mr. John Durham, of Florida,
is visiting relatives near Four
Oaks this week.
Miss Willie Creech attended the
Association at Selrna last week,
returning Monday.
We are glad to hear that Rev.
Mr. Fisher returns to the Cluy
ton circuit another year.
Mr. and Mrs 15. 15. Adams at
tended the Conference at Golds
boro last week and returned
Monday.
Miss Aunie Best, of Louisberg,
is visiting her sister, Miss Mary
Best at Mr. B. B. Adams this
week.
Messrs. C. C. Creech, J. A. Camp
well and Will Guill, of Smithfield,
were here Thursday evening at
the oystersupper.'
Miss Ora Stephens, after spend
ing Thanksgiving at home near
Goldsboro, returned Sunday to
her school atSpilona.
Masters Jesse and . Hugh
Adams after spending Thanks
giving at home, returned to Trin- (
ity High School Friday.
Four Oaks is improving. We
see another new house going up.
It belongs to Mr. A. Moore, and
the commissioners have ordered
another street opened up.
The members of the Baptist
church here gave an oyster sup
per Thursday evening for the
benefit of their church. Every
body enjoyed the occasion splen
didly. *
Well, friends, we will see next ,
Tuesday whether you are in ern
est or not about voting saloons (
out of our little town, but we
must believe you are unless you
go back on your word.
A very delightful missionary j
tea was given by Mrs. 15. B.
Adams last Thursday evening
from 7 to 8 o'clock for the bene
fit of the Woman's Foreign Mis
sionary Society, and the evening
was highly enjoyed by all pres
ent.
Dec. 3. H,
BEASLEY BITS.
Mr. George Thornton, of Smith
field, was here Saturday.
Mr. J. NY. Stafford, of Bowdeu,
was a visitor here Suuday.
Mr. Trov Surles has bought
Mr. C. C. Hudson's place here.
Mr. Gid Grantham, of Gran
tham's Store, was here Saturday.
We are sorry to know that
Mrs. Mary J. Grant remains
very sick.
Miss Hattie Hines is spending
a few days with her aunt, Mr?.
N. G. Massey.
Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Southard
visited their parents near Ben
son Saturday and Sunday.
Messrs. John Hudson and Mc
Cullers, of Turkey, spent a few
days in the village .ast week.
Miss Alma Beasley returned to
her home Sunday from a visit to
Durham. She reports a pleas
ant trip.
Messrs. Jim Williams and Natb
Flowers have started their new
saw mill, which we hope will be
some improvement to our neigh
borhood.
. Mrs. Betsey Bizzel, accompani
ed by Miss Annie Cox, of the Biz
zel section, were visitors in this
community last week.
Quite a crowd were in the vih
lage Saturday to attend the sale
of Mr C. C. Hudson who has sold
out with the expectation of mak
ing Dunn his future home.
Dec. 3.
Felt Mattress at the right!
price at Cotter-l'nderwood & Co. (
TOBACCO TRUST RELENTS.
LEAF TOBACCO ADVANCES.
Disastrous Decrease in the Acreage i
in the Bright Tobacco Belt.
It is an i) [ten secret that early j
in the leaf tobacco season this
year, the president of the Tobac
co Trust insisted on slashing the
prices of leaf tobacco. It is s tid,
too, that the head of the Leaf
Department auvised against the
policy for the reason that the
prices of the manufactured
product could be easily main
tained and for the further and
more potent reason that star
vation prices would result in i
greatly red uced acreage next year,
but the head of the trust heeded
not the warnings of his Leaf.
Department chief, and it is said
that he went so far as to take the
matter out of the hands of the
head manager of the Leaf Depart
ment and personally conducted
tue campaign for securing the
farmers' tobacco at less than it;
cost him to produce it. < )i course
some reason had to be given for
this unmerciful slashing of prices,
especially in view of the fact that
while the prices for the leaf to
bacco were forced down and
down, yet the prices of the manu
factured product in some instan
ces were advanced.
So the trust at once put all
their ageuts and hirelings to
telling their reasons for the de
cline, and that was tnat the leaf
tobacco had declined because
there was a great over-produc
tion. "All of our warehouses,
prize houses and factories are
running over with leaf tobacco," j
they declared.
" We have forty million dol
lars' worth on hand, enough to)
last us two years." Of course!
nobody, not even the agents and
hirelings themselves, believed any j
such rot. Every sensible man
knew that it was all merely a
determination on the part of the
trust to get the farmers' tobac
co for a song, but the slashing
policy of the great "1 am" of the,
trust was too far reaching.
Ituiu and desolation stared the
tobacco planters of the bright
tobacco belt in their faces. They j
uegau asmug tnemseives me
question: "Shall we meekly sub
mit and surrender and become
serfs and servants of this grasp
ing corporation?" They began
organizing and sending out
declarations of independence in
ringing resolutions. They kept
their tobacco off the markets.
They began getting ready to
plant peas, potatoes and pump
kins next year where tobacco grew
this year.
The leaf tobacco situation
drifted into demoralization, the
great price-slashing head of the
trust became alarmed and for
the wast two weeks they have
been sending agents out into the
leaf markets with instructions to
the local trust buyers to advance
the price on several of the lead
ing grades.
The reason for this latest coup
on the part of the great Duke of
Tobaccodom is apparent to any
sensible man. The trust can't
afford to have the tobacco
acreage decreased. The wise
farmer, however, will proceed to
curtail his tobacco acreage all
the same, and if the farmers will
unite along this line and in fight
ing the trust they will ultimately
win the great battle with the
trust.?News and Observer.
Fire In Smithfleld.
Wednesday night between seven
and eight o'clock the people of
our town were disturbed by the
sound of the fire alarms. The
fire was found to be raping in
Mr. I Wayland Allen's kitchen.
A basket of chips hud been left
near the stove and had caught
fii". V hole we burned through
on" side of tli" room and the fire"
was burning between the weather
boarding and plastering and
reuching up to the rcof. It took
almost half an hour to stop the
fire aud considerable damage
was done to the kitchen. Mr.
Allen and his wife were in town,
but were not at home. I
Johnston still the banner.
Sixteen out of Eighteen Years j
Sheriff Ellington First to
Pay Taxes
For eighteen year* Sheriff
Islington, the poet sheriff of
Johnston county, has held that
office, During sixteen years of
that time he has been the first
sheriff in the Sta e to settle with
the State Treasurer. Yesterday
he came to Raleigh and paid to
State Treasurer Lacy the sum of
SI 5,N(J!),77, the amount ascer
tained to be due the State. And
he was the first sheriff in the
State to make settlement, keep
ing old Johnston "the banner
county."
Talking about his county and
its affairs, Sheriff Elliugton
said:
"Johnston county does not
owe a cent, and has several
thousand dollars in the county
treasury. The tax rate is below
the constitutional limit, the
entire State, county and school
tax being 03 cents. Is there
anot her count v with so low a i
tax? In addition two townships j
levy a road tax. During thej
past year two bridges have been
built, <me an iron bridge over
Neuse river. There has been only
one time in eighteen years when
county scrip was not as good as
gold?and that was when the
State Ifank at Raleigh failed.
The treasurer of the county had
his money deposited in ? that
bank and for two mouths county
orders were not paid 011 presen
tation. That was 110 fault of
the county administration. 1
settle the school tax on the first
of January and pay the county
tax later.
"I understand that in some
counties the first tax collected
by the sheriff must go to run the
county and that delays the set
tlement by the sheriff with the
State. Johnston county has
plenty of money. It is run on
sound business principles and
most economically, and the
county does not ue.:d any money 1
until the first of January."
Fortunate Johnston! It
wouldn't be a bad idea for other j
counties to get the receipt for
this state of affairs!?N'ew3 and
Observer, December 1st.
Smith-Jones.
Ttle following: card has been re
ceived by friends here:
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Jones re
quest, your presence at the mar
riage of their daughter, Althea
Eunice, to .Mr, Troy tiastou
Smith, Wednesday evening, De
cember the ninth, nineteen hun
dred and three, at eight o'clock,
Pisgab Baptist church.
Why not take a trip this winter
through Florida to Cuba. This
beautiful State and island has
been brought within easy reach
of the splendid through train ser
vice of the Atlantic Coast Line,
the great thoroughfare of the
tropics. Winter Tourists Tickets
are now on sale to all points in
Florida and to Havana. For
rates, schedules, maps, sleeping
car and steamship accommoda
tions write to W. J. Craig,
General Passenger Agent,
Wilmington, N. C.
"What to Say in Spanish and
How to Say It" sent to any ad
dress upon receipt of a two cent
stamp.
A /Han Robbed.
Last Saturday in Lane's sta
bles at l)uun Ed. Carroll and
Gus Brooks, two former Smitji
tield negroes, robbed Henry
Hodges, a white nuvn, taking from
him one hundred and twenty dol
lars. l,e was drinking and they
beat him terribly. A telephone
message was sent to Mr. J. T.
Barbara, our policeman, and he
arrested the tie. roes on their ar
t 11 tiert l> nuty Slier ? An
derson came up Tuesday and
'took them back to Harnetrcoun
ty jail. The case no doubt %will
go bad with the negroes, for we
think there are other charge?
against them.
0 K Stoves and Ranges.
Strange News from Overshot*
There has been much talk and
some excitement about some
era, ks or crevices that have ap
peared in the earth on Mr. Na
than Altaian's place over in
Meadow township.
Accordingly, in company with
Mr. James S. Holder, we went
over to Mr. Altinan'e to see for
ourselves and report. We found
Mr. Altaian at home and anxious
to give us all the information he
could concerning the cracks.
The cracks seemed to start
from yie well in the yard and
lead in* two directions, one north
the other in a western. The one
leading north int,o the cotton
patch, after going some fifteen
or twenty steps, turns west and
is soon lost sight of. The one
running west and under Mr. Alt
man's dwelling house, leads un
der the chimney, cracking it and
hearth open, and it stops, so
far as can be seen. The recent
rains have nearly closed the
tracks, but there are plenty of
signs left; so they can be easily
traced, and Mr. Altman tells us
that they were sufficiently large
before the sand filled in that one
could stick his hand in them.
He told us also that fishing-reeds
and long switches had been run
in them without finding the bot
tom or depth. Also that he dug
down in the one running under
the house with same results.
The soil is a saudy soil with
pipe clay about 18 inches below
the surface.
The well is about 18 or 20 feet
deep, and it seems to be alright
except a cave near the bottom.
These cracks first appeared
during the summer and were
near the well when first discov
ered. The neighborhood talk is
that there must be subteranean
disturbance that causes these
crevices or cracks, or may be they
are caused in some way by the
well. We would like to know
what a scientist would say about
this strange freak.
\\. N. Rose, Jit.
In Memoriam.
"In the midst of life we are in
death."
Friday night, November 20th,
the death angel 'ducked as his
own a flower from the home of
our friend and neighbor, Mr. A.
B. Grantham, of Newton Grove.
In the bloom of maidenhood,
this flower, Miss Sallie Kennedy
Grantham, was transplanted
from earth to bloom in heaven.
As the withering flower lets fall
its petals to waste on the earth
and wafts its fragrance on the
gentle breezes, so her body was
laid to rest and her influence left
to live iu the hearts of those who
knew her.
Her long sufferings were borne
with the meekness and fortitude
of a Christian. When she real
ized that she would soon cross
the "Biver of Heath," she was
not afraid. Her trust was in
God; her walk was firm and up
right, and when death called, she
was willing "To be led by His
gentle hand, Thither, O, Thither
into the silent Land."
She was a devoted daughter
and a loving sister, a flower, in
deed, in her home. The Metho
dist church in her death has lost
a faithful member and the Sun
day School a loving worker. Our
community is darkened by the
gloom and our school, of which
she was not long since a member,
deeply mourns the loss of a duti
ful student and a pleasant school
mate.
We extend to the bereaved fam
ily our sincere sympathy and
Icommit them tb Him who is able
to comfort the sorrowing heart,
(luce more the family chain is
broken. Sallie is now with moth
er and Lucy, who had gone !*?
fore. In the Resurrection Morn,
may they agaiu be united in one
uubroken chain.
A FBTK.MI.
lostTI
A Watch fob with Medal. The
engraving 6n the medal whh
Marie tirade 3, on one ride and
IC. I'\ to S. (>. W. on the other.
A reward given to finder.
i). l). klijxgtox.
Hmithtield, N. C.