1
$1.00 a Year, In Advance. FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY, AND FOR TRUTH." Single Copy, 5 Cents.
VOL. XIV. PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY. OCTOBER 9, 1903. NO. 29.
LOSSES.
Upon the white sea sand
There sat a pilgrim band,
Telling the losses that their lives had
known,
While evening waned away
v From breezy cliff and bay,
jAnd the strong tides went out with weary
moan.
One spake with quivering lip,
Of a fair-freighted shipj
With all his household to the deep gone
down;
But one had wilder woe
For a fair face long ago
Lost in the darker depths of a great town.
There were who mourned their youth
With a most loving truth,
For its brave hopes and memories ever
green ;
And one upon the West
Turned an eye that would not rest
For far-off hills whereon its joy had been.
THE INFLUENCE OP
A
-tOC TIE young husband looked
m tiowu at ais ln'elt.v "wife.
0 O lie had enjoyed a good din
7 er and was in a reason-
"WOW ably contented mood. At
least ho should have been.
"Come, come, my, dear," he said in a
brusque way that was quite foreign to
him,. "you know that I don't believe in
it. I don't object to your amusing
yourself in your own way and this is
only a fad, but you can't expect me to
join you in chasing after a set of long
haired cranks, whose antics "
"Why, Fred, how can you! Do you
call Josephine "
"Oh, Josephine well, she's your
i'rifiHl and of course a very advanced
young woman. But, Dolly, I some
times doubt the advantage of her influ
ence ever you."
"Fred, you old stupid! Why, Jose
phine is brilliant and cultured, and she
has gene into this mental telepathy be
cause it's so developing. That's all. I
just wish you could hear her talk about
thought crystallization and irresistible
attraction."
"But that's just what I want to es
cape. And that's why I must be ex
cused from attending you to the seance
sitting or whatever you call the ob
sequies this evening. You know how
1 followed you toilsomely and sheep
ishlyto those Browning and Emerson
clubs, and stumbled through a Chau
tauqua course, and groveled in mental
science, but I draw the line at this
thing. It is hypnotism, pure and sim
ple, whatever they call it, and that's a
dangerous thing to dabble in, though I
doubt if any of you learn anything
more harmful than the slinging of poly
syllables and meaningless phrases."
There were real tears in the little
wife's eyes as she pinned on her pretty
hat before the mirror. She did so want
Fred to sympathize with her.
"It is just because you are so mate
rial," she petulantly exclaimed. "If
you would only put your mind into an
attitude of receptivity. That's all you
have to do'. And the professor will be
there to-night, and, oh, Fred, he is a
wonder! He's a theosophist and a
hypnotist, and occult and mysterious,
and his name is Caspar Appollonius.
'Isn't that soulful?"
' "Soulful? It's a mouthful. But
there's the door bell. Miss Can has
come for you. I'll sit up and hear all
about it when you return."
Fred Armitage was a devoted hus
band and usually gave a seemingly
cordial approval to his wife's "enthus
iasms," as he styled her fads, but this
latest search for wisdom in the realms
of the occult was not to his liking.
Dolly should have better sense than to
run alter a freak professor and his
silly followers with their jargon about
mysteries and manifestations -and soul
harmonies. Of course it was all the
fault of that Josephine Carr, a girl
with more zeal than brains, and with
a good deal too much time hanging
heavily on her hands, a girl who sought
to keep up with every newism that
came along and lived in an intellectual
"whirlpool. He wished she wouldn't
try to drag his Dolly with her. He
' must provide more amusement for his
pretty wife go out with her more, and
read and study together at home but
pshaw! what was the use as long as
fche was under the influence of that
Carr girl? The only thing to do was
to circumvent Josephine to undermine
Some talked of vanished gold,
Some of proud honors told,
Some spake of friends that were their
trust no more;
And one of a green grave
Beside a foreign wave
That made him sit so lonely on the shore.
But when their tales were done,
There spake among them one,
A stranger, seeming from all sorrow free
"Sad losses have ye met,
But mine is heavier yet,
For a believing heart hath gone from
me."
"Alas!" these pilgrims said,
"For the living and the dead,
For fortune's cruelty, for love's sure
cross,
For the wrecks of land and sea!
But, however it came to thee.
Thine, stranger, is life's last and heaviest
loss."
JOSEPHINE 6ARR.
her hold on his wife's affections. Not
a simple matter to undertake, but Fred
Armitage wasn't a man to give up eas
ily when once he attempted to accom
plish an object.
However Dolly noticed it at dinner
the following day all thought of ani
mosity toward the astute Josephine
had evidently passed from his mind.
"By the way," he began in sprightly
tones, "I met whom do you think?
just as I was crossing Green street
this afternoon?"
Of course Dolly gave it up. She was
impatient to tell .Fred what the pro
fessor said about soul illumination. It
would be so helpful if he would only
listen.
"Well, dear, it was Josephine Carr.
Fine girl, that. Never saw her looking
so well. Such a pretty frock."
"You goose! I should say you never
saw her at all you won't even glance
at her when she comes here. Is she
but of course you didn't stop to speak
to her."
"Of course I did. We had quite a
little chat. Walked two blocks to
gether. Graceful walker, isn't she?
Say, that meeting must have been re
markably interesting. Josie was ex
plaining to me about the degrees of in
tuitive mentality I think she called
it and psychological soul progress
do I get that right? and it was great!
She said the professor is to be at then
house to-night, just informally, and
she'd be glad to have us come over
and meet him. Like to go?"
The brown eyes of little Mrs. Armi
tage opened wide. How had Josephine
managed to arouse Fred's interest
when all her pleadings had brought
only scoffs and ridicule? But Josie
was so clever. Why couldn't she,
Dolly, be clever and talk people over
at least her own husband? But she
was only too glad to have him awak
ened to the beauties of soul study
that is what they called it though she
felt a little chagrined that evening to
see him hover to Miss Carr's side, list
ening with Intense interest to every
word that fell from the young woman's
lips, as though through her alone he
could receive the Avondrous truth of
psychology.
Josephine, at first puzzled by the ap
parent fascination of her new con
vert, attempted to put forth the claims
to notice of the professor and draw
Fred out in one of his famous "soul
talks." But Armitage, with gentle in
sistence, made her do most of the
talking, and was so flattering a pupil
that she felt it her duty to devote her
energies to his conversion. And Dolly,
while the professor's long-winded
phrases fell on her deaf ears, sat won
dering how Fred could be so attracted
by such a plain girl as Joe Carr so
bold and otlieious, too. Fred never
had liked talkative women. It was
very strange.
Whirr-r! sounded the telephone bell
in the Armitage flat next day. "That's
Fred!" exclaimed Dolly, dropping her
sewing.
Her husband's voice sounded faint
but familiar in the distance, but gra
cious! what was he saying? "Just had
a 'phone from Josephine wanted to
know if I remembered what the pro
fessor said about the 'true realization
of one-ness' told her to come around
this evening and talk it over. What's
that? Yes, coming to dinner said
she'd be pleased told her you'd be
delighted all right, eh? goodby."
Dolly dropped the receiver with a
gasp. What strange influence could
be working on her matter-of-fact hus
band? Why, he used to shudder when
she proposed inviting Josephine to
dine. And he always faked an en
gagement to get away as soon as pos
sible. Well, it must be his great ab
sorption in the new cult. She always
knew if Fred ever did take up anything
it would not be in a half-hearted way.
Only she did wish that she and not
another woman had happened to be
his guiding star on the road to esoteric
bliss. Esoteric fiddlesticks! Telep
athy was a tiresome jumble, and she
didn't more than half ' believe in it.
But for Fred's sake she must keep
up, and perhaps, after all, they could
slip away from the crowd and Jo
sephineand go hand in hand along
the paths of occult lore.
It was a nice little dinner, nicely
cooked and nicely served. For all her
mental distractions, Dolly was a model
little homekeeper. And Josephine en
joyed the dinner. There was no doubt
of that. Again and again did Fred
help her to some specially attractive
delicacy. How watchful he was. The
instant her plate was empty he begged
her to have it refilled. And there is
no doubt Josephine ate a good meal.
Dolly, whose own appetite was of the
canary bird order, was astonished at
Josephine's capacity.
Is it any wonder, then, that the con
versation languished or that it took
sudden flights into extremely practical
fields? Dolly could see that Fred was
disappointed over his inability to draw
Josephine out. But this didn't prevent
him from doing his best to please her
palate.
And then, after they left the table
and withdrew to the cozy library, with
its restful tints and its dim lights, and
Fred seated himself near Josephine,
and the moment was ripe for soul ut
terance, even then Josephine seemed
strangely distraught. Once she even
yawned.
And Fred, evidently determined ha
wouldn't be discouraged, talked on
and on, in such a steady monotone
that Dolly felt like yawning herself.
And Josephine replied only in mono
syllables and presently did not reply
at all. And then Fred held up his
hand, and pointing at Josephine, where
she half reclined amid the couch pil
lows, whispered softly to Dolly: "She
is communing with her inner con.
seiousuess."
"She is asleep," murmured Dolly, a
little sharply.
Perhaps she was. Anyway, when she
suddenly straightened up and asked
what time it was, and Fred told her,
she declared she must go right home,
and added that she had enjoyed such a
soulful evening. And Dolly, with her
mind on Josephine's expert perform
ance at the dinner table, felt that soul
ful was scarcely the word for it.
But Fred caught her eye and
frowned. Terhaps he read her
thoughts.
Anyway, she could see that he was
greatly disappointed.
Friday evening of the following week
was to be a notable occasion for the
small circle of Frofessor Appollonius's
adherents. An elaborate reception was
arranged in his honor and a purse of
considerable weight was to be pre
sented as a testimonial from his fol
lowers. But there were no pleasant
anticipations of the affair for Dolly
Armitage. Her feelings had under
gone a change. Fred, however, had
become the most ardent of soul-students.
Each day his thirst for knowl
edge increased, but alas, it was only
Josephine who could explain, only Jo
sephine who could interpret Josephine
must be his constant inspiration.
Perhaps Josephine was a little over
whelmed at realizing her responsibility
in the matter, but she was not one to
shirk her duty and the felt that it
rested with her to make a thorough
theosophist out of Fred Armitage.
"I find Frederick very susceptible,"
she had the audacity to remark to
Dolly. "If you had only known how to
manage him, dear, you would have
brought out his spiritual side long
ago."
And Dolly's fingers twitched till the
bracelet she was twitching broke with
a vicious snap.
No wonder the little woman showed
but a languid interest when on the
evening of the reception Armitage
urged her to make haste in her prep
arations. "Hurry, Dolly. You know Appol
lonius is to give an exhibition of his
hypnotic powers, and we don't want
to miss any of it."
Dolly let the glossy piles of hair into
which she was inserting a jeweled
comb fall in a mass about her shoul
ders.
"I don't believe I'll go, after all,"
she exclaimed. "I'm tired, and some
how I don't take a bit of interest in
it."
"Not go! Why, Dolly, I don't want to
go without you. And I must be there.
Josephine expects me."
"Josephine! That's right. I under
stand. It's all on Josephine's account.
You haven't a thought nowadays for
any one but Josephine."
Armitage threw himself into an easy
chair and regarded his wife with a
foolish smile. "Yes, yes, I must see
Josephine," he dreamily inurmured.
"Josephine's a seraph. Just like one
of Botticelli's angels, isn't she,
Dolly?"
- "I should say so," exclaimed the
Indignant wrife. "She's a moon-eyed,
platter-faced fright."
"And so spiritual. She's all soul
nothing but soul."
. Dolly laughed hysterically.
"I guess you'd think so if you saw
her walking shoes. Why, Fred Armi
tage, what is the matter?"
Her husband's head had sunk back,
his eyes were half closed and his arms
waved wildly before him as though to
keep off an unseen enemy.
Dolly gazed a foment in horrified
silence. Then the meaning of it all
broke upon her. She sprang to his
side with words of love and pity. "Oh,
you poor, hypnotized darling!" she
cried, clasping the waving arms. "I
see it all now. She has hypnotized
you. But slie shan't have you. Wake
up, Fred! Don't you know me; your
own wife? I'll take care of you and
not let them get you, dear."
Slowly, Armitage opened his eyes
and gazed about him in wonder.
"Where am I?" he murmured.
"What does it mean, Dolly? What
wicked power has been trying to sep
arate us?"
"It's Josephine! She hypnotized you
and tried to get you away from me.
But I shan't let you go!" and Dolly
threw herself upon her husband's
knee, her arms clasped about his neck.
"I shall stay right here and hold you
tight."
Fred rubbed his hands across his
brow.
"I begin to understand," he said, as
he gently patted the pretty head that
lay upon his shoulder. "There has
been some strange influence at work
upon me. But I fear nothing now.
You have broken the spell and called
me back to my senses."
"And you don't think the influence
will come back? Not if you were to
meet Jo "
"Not for a thousand Josephines!
But, of course, I shouldn't wish to be
the means of breaking up your friend
ship "
"Friendship! With that designing
creature! Fred, I shall never speak
to her again. And as for the professors
and cranks and 'isms, I'm done with
them all. I'll never take up another
fad. Now, sir, I hope you're satis
fied." "How can I help being satisfied, dear,
if you are?"
But it is very fortunate that Dolly
did not see the sly wink he gave his
reflection in the dressing table mirror.
W. K. Kose, iir Cleveland Tlain
Dealer.
Fashionable Furs.
Fashion has much to do with the
position in public favor held by differ
ent furs in different years. But there
are at least a few which must always
hold their own on their merits, and,
like diamonds, pearls and gold are
never out of fashion. These are those
of the sable, the seal, the beaver (for
men's fur coats), the sea otter and the
Silver fox; and next after these are a
list of at least twelve "with power to
add to their number," which, though
subject to the fluctuations of fashion,
are among the most beautiful of nat
ural ornaments, and addiiions alike to
comfort and to costume. Among those
secondary but most charming furs,'
many of which are expensive enough
to make them luxuries, the marten or
Canadian sable, chinchilla, mink, fish
er, skunk, Arctic fox, monkey, nutria,
and the red Canadian or Manchurlan
fox and cross fox are all deserving of
a very high place. v
Inquisitive People.
Inquisitive people are the funnels of
conversation; they do not take in any
thing for their own use, but merely to
pass it to another.
The Moat Expensive Chair.
The most expensive chair In the
world belongs to the Pope. It is of
solid silver and cost $90,000.
HAD EARNED UMPIRE'S SCORN.
Official Not Afraid of Being Hit b
Such a Batter.
Melancholy had been doing her best
to mark the umpire for her own but
up to the eighth inning she had not
been able to leave a dent. He was
not of the few whom nature seems to
have especially fitted for the responsi
bilities thrust upon them in this life.
Quick of speech, haughty and over
bearing and wholly indifferent to the
right of others, he delivered his de
cision in a way which almost invar
ably commanded respect even though
it failed to carry conviction. But the
penalty which he paid for success in
his career, was a, heavy one. His
disposition was irretrievably ruined.
He had become habitually sarcastic. A
player, on whom three strikes had Just
been called was" speaking up with all
the enthusiasm of a man who realized
that this is a free country and the
voice of the people as it ascends from
the bleaching boarfl is on his side.
"T're strikes nottin'!" was the
loud laconic comment which caused
the umpire to look upon him with a
majestic glare and exclaim?"
"What's dat?"
T said free strikes nottin', an' dat's
whut."
The altercation proceeded until, in
a paroxyism of indignation the player
lifted his bat as a weapon.
"Look out!" shouted one of the
players. "He's goin' to hit ye."
But the umpire never flinched.
"Don't ye have no fear," he said
as he stood in statuesque defiance
"After whut he's been doin' at the
bat I don't feel that I'm runnin' no
risks whatever. He may strike at me,
but there ain't any mortal chance of
his touchin' anything." New York
Times. .
FREAK OF OHIO RIVER.
Natural Amphitheater Formed by the
Rushing Waters.
All the works of man are merely imi
tative of nature, but often there are
curious reversals, such as the struc
ture formed by the Ohio river, near
Evansville, Ind. The ancients no doubt
procured their inspiration for the great
amphitheaters from the peculiar
Natural Sand Amphitheater.
formation of mountain sides and be
tween Evansville and Henderson, Ky.
it would seem as if dame Nature had
imitated the architecture of the Greeks
and Romans. The yellow banks for
miles show the stages of the falling
water in great ledges. At one point,
where the waters swirl inland, a regu
lar series of circular steps has ap
peared, and if one were in Italy ha
might fancy he was looking on the re
mains of some old Roman circus.
KEPT CHURCH PEOPLE AWAKE.
Mosquitoes Have Fun With a Mis
souri Congregation.
The New Jersey mosquito bears the
reputation of being the most mali
cious and persistent of his species,
but he seems to have a dangerous
rival in some of Missouri extraction
which have been operating at and
about La Grange. "Mosquitoes have
been unusually plentiful in La Grange
during the last week," says the Indi
cator, of that place. . "They came near
breaking up services at the various
churches Sunday evening. The con
gregations that evening were the live
liest ever seen in La Grange. The'
young girls with short skirts were
kept busy scratching, their lower
limbs; the ladies wearing thin waists
gave their attention to their shoul
ders, while the men with scanty sup
plies of hair were entertaining their
'cousins' at luncheon on the tops of
their craniums. It was quite amusing
to hear the smack of some person
whose Irish had been aroused by the
bite of a mosquito, and who had land
ed on the intruder with a severe blow
during the services."
c