She jsmittjfirlb HeMii. % 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, 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.