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life fL0
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$1.00 a Year, in Advance. FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY, AND FOR TRUTH." Single Copy, 5 Cent.
VOL. XV. PLYMOUTH. N. C, FRIDAY. APRIL 29, 1904. NO. 6.
KEEP
Don't lie foolish, and get sour when things
don't just come vour way;
Don't he a pampered baby and declare,
".Now, 1 won't play!"
tlust go grinning on and heaF it;
Have you heartache? Millions share it;
If you earn a crown, you'll wear it
Keep sweet.
Don't go handing out your troubles to
your IjUHy fellow-men:
If you whine around they'll try ta keep
from meeting you again;
Don't declare the.world'3 "agin" you,
Don't let pessimism win you,
Trove there's lots of good stuff in you
Keep sweet.
lQi ES, It's over six months
,j ago. but there's something
O y O still cotnes in my throat
" when I'm asked about our
iOf Kilty. We knew her, and
we knew the chap that put
down hi.-; life to save the man she
loved; and it wants forgetting. Pretty,
was she? Well, you must think of a
girl that stepped as proud as a queen.
..ith a laugh like some peal o' bells
just starting; with real black hair, all
in them little clinging nigger-curls, that
never want brushing; hands and face
brown as berries: and them velvety
eyes that look at you without seeing
soft as pansies one moment and flash
ing fire the next. That was Kitty.
D'you wonder why every one was
calling poor Joe Arkel a mad mug
from the very beginning?
I wan standing at "this very spot.
wi!h a crowd o' pals. As if it was this
moment, I can see her come floating
round that corner there, with her head
higii, and her Sunday dress done up
carefully in a newspaper. Not a min
ute later, while we were staring at one
apparition, we saw another. Round
the same corner, stealthy like, his
crutch going klippety-klop, panted this
,1k Arkell. And she seemed to guess,
and flashed round, and pointed.
"Thought so!" she says. "It won't
do. You can cut back, and keep
there!"
And he looked at her, his mouth
twitching up queer and his shaking
hand out, till we all burst out laugh
ing. And that girl, she swung round,
with clenched fists, and gave us a look.
Just one look; but it stopped the laugh
and set the place talking.
Inside twenty-four hours the other
girls were that mad jealous and mys
tified they could have torn her curls
out; but there was just that funny Ut
ile "stand back!" about her that
seemed to say the was somehow cut
out for a different destiny. She had a
thrilling way of turning round slow
and just looking at you you know
without, telling if. you've seen a duch
ess. And she'd come to live at Clerk
enwell because the houses down her
way were doomed at last. So far,
well and good! But when we saw Joe
'Arkell's face we knew there was some
tragedy coming along with Kitty.
Ever been down, them back turnings
King's Cross way? Then very likely
..you've passed Joe wedged between a
wheelbarrow and a 'tater-stall. and his
stock was about a dozen linnets in
cages. Some said be was consump
tive, some said he was only in love,
and some said it was the linnets sing
ing In his room all night that disturbed
hist sleep and kept him so unnatural
white. Any way, that was the chap,
with one ankle twisted and a face all
askew, that went dreaming he was go
ing to win Kitty, in the face of all the
likely men in London. Roar? Y'es. we
dhl then. We don't now.
He'd given up smoking and drink
ing, and" was saving every ha'penny
-quietly. Just because she'd looked at
Mm a few times, or spoken softly out
of pity for him, there he was down on
bis knees, kissing the pavement she
walked. See? We knew it after
wards; the chap was al! heart, like a
ciibbage his body hadn't grown prop
erly. Now listen!
She'd heard him cough, it seems,
nr.d told hiiu to see a doctor man at
once.
. "Oh, yes! Leave London!" the doe
tor says.- "Leave it and go and live
r at Bournemouth, sharp!"
Any one but Joe would have asked
JOE'S " QUICK CHANGE,"
1
SWEET.
If your dearest hopes seem blighted and
despair looms into view.
Set your jaw and whisper grimly, "Thougk
they're false, yet I'll be true."
Never let your heart grow bitter;
With your ear to Hope's transmitter,
Hear Love's songbirds bravely twitter
Keep sweet.
Bless your heart, this world's a good one
and will always help a man,
Hate, misanthropy and malice have no
place in Nature's plan.
Help your brother there who's sighing,
Keep his flag of courage flying;
Help him trv 'twill keep-you trying
Keep aweet. .
Baltimore America.
for their money back at once, but he
took it right to heart and went and
told her. And she " says perhaps
thinking, and perhaps not; you know
what women are
"I knew it. You'd be a sight health
ier and a sight happier. Only you'd
need some one to look after you!"
"Don't say that, if you're not mean
ing it," Joe whispers, all of a sudden.
Just like him!
"I never meant anything more," she
told him. and walked a way -quick'.
Only that; but up went the curtain,
and that chap was talking away to
himself and basking in fairyland. A
little country cottage, with the sea in
front and the vegetables at the back;
something twining round the porch
and Kitty. Nothing else!
They say he wrote those very words
in a letter, and told her how much
he'd saved, and put the letter through
the post. And one day he found the
letter in bits on his' barrow; but he
couldu't seem to believe. And when he
heard she was coming to Clerkenwell
to live he sat there for days without
saying a word to any' one, only just
staring at something no one else could
see. What d'you think? Spite of all
the chaffing he sold up for a mere
song, followed her here, and started
living on stray coppers he could earn
by hobbling errands. And nothing In
the world would shake his hope?.
Now, it's always been a mystery to
us what was down deep in that girl's
mind. Was she palying cat-and-mouse
with the chap like some women do. or
did slr. like him somehow and feel
mad with herself for allowing it? I
ask, because now and again you'd see
her peering round corners at him with
a sort of mist in her eyes; and'if once
she got some nipper to give him two
pence for a dummy errand, she did it a
dozen times and she only sold moss
roses for a living herself. If you ask
me. that girl was born for a real lady,
gliding in and out palms and fountains.
It diowod in her very step shone in
her pansy eyes! We've seen her go
mad-wild when a baud played, and
dance and sing like an actress born to
It and then burst suddenly into sobs
that no one could make out. She
couldn't understand her own self! And
to think of him watching her day after
day, holding his breath to throw a few
violets through her window and make
a sort of romance of it there, it was
nigh heart-breaking.
One night one night as we heard,
it had been raining hard, and .loe stood
coughing to himself under the cab
shed. And she happened past, and
the sound seemed to go right to her
heart. She showed it by turning on
him as fierce as anything.
"Stop that row!" she says. Won
derful how it stopped the cough, too!
"You do it purposely for me to hear.
You've had your chance and threw it
away!"
"Yes, Kitty, I know." he says, very
quiet. "It was, you sent the mission
man round; don't think I've forgotten.
I could have a free ticket for the sea
side home, with tons of grub and
blankets, for the worst winter month.
(Jo? No; not if he gave me the home
itself," he whispers, looking her in the
eyes for once. "Mayn't be so much
longer! When you've found a man
that loves you aud wants you more,
then I'll give in. Till then let ine go
on hoping, and you sha'n't hear the
cough more in I $n help."
Queer words, when you come to
think what happened. We didn't sue55
i
for weeks; we only heard whispers and
rumors. But all of a sudden, down
flashed the news like lightning. Her
face had done it that Jook in her
eyes at last. And there it was.
chalked all over the place, for poor
Joe Arkell to see.
She'd been standing one flay, strok
ing out the rose-leaves with her little
brown Angers, and a toff's cab curled
round a corner and all but ran her
down. She jumped away startled, and
I suppose he saw something in the
wide eyes that he'd been dreaming
of all his life. Any way, he sprang out
and bought a rose bought the bunch,
and offered three times the price. And
next thing yes, next thing we heard
that his jewel ring had bought Kitty.
She'd flashed up like a star and left
us all behind; she was his wife, by
special license. It almost stunned us
for the moment. But there it was;
we'd lost our duchess and poor Joe
Arkell had lost what he'd have put
clown his crippled body for twice over.
He proved it.
Yes, very likely you've seen in the
papers, a picture of the villa down at
Harnpstead, smothered in some foreign
creeper, and with a golden railing nil
round it: maybe you read just what
happened. And if you couldn't under
stand it all, it's only because you never
saw Kitty Lovell, or the chap who
loved her to that length.
She was there, queen of it all villa,
servants and grounds. I fancy I see
her sweeping through the mirrored
rooms and along them balconies, glanc
ing back to see if her velvet train was
coming along with the correct twist,
and them steel stars shining in ' her
nigger-curls. Music, dancing, Chinese
lanterns, and all the rest f-i it for
maybe a month! And then I see her
again, when the house is quiet, break
down terrible and clench her lists as
she drops the smile like a mask, and
watches that black cloud creeping up
ha nil over, hand in the distance. Aye,
and I can see something else; that pic
ture of Joe Arkell. who'd found it all
out; too. and was haunting the house,
watching for the cloud to burst.
You've guessed? She'd given her
whole life and love to a man who was
playing a double part a man who
couldn't know one minute from an
other when a hand was going to nip
his shoulder from behind. Money?
Yes, heaps of money and friends, when
you can forge flash bank-notes and do
other funny little things in a locked
room! And one day, as we heard
afterwards, she found the key of the
room, and found the key to his double
life. Bui it was too late; she was his
wife. He only laughed when, loving
him so, she went down on her knees
to say she'd give up all the money to
keep him straight. He might make a
fresh start, if nothing happened, he
said with the new year!
And the last day of December had
come round as near as that! There
was to be a big party next day; the
rooms were waiting to blaze up with
lights, silver plate, and women's eyes;
the bells were ready to ring. - And she
couldn't bear the last few hours of sus
pense. She'd step out, always watch
ing and listening, down to the gate and
out into the quiet roadway, whispering
to her husband only to give up his
ways before it was too late. And of a
sudden she saw Joe there, as he stood
under them big trees. It's certain he
never meant to tell her what he knew,
perhaps hadn't even meant to speak;
but he couldn't help himself.
"Kitty!" he whispers. "One word!
For all'the money you're not so happy
you'd come back? Only say it just
once."
And she half put out her hand, and
then shivered and ran back as if he'd
been a ghost or a detective. And there
Joe stands in a sweat, his brain hard
at work on her account; and then, as
if something pulled him, he crept up
along that side path. As he stood
listening there he heard the man laugh
and Kitty choking back sobs in a way
that no third person would like to
hear. Did she know? he asks him
self. Was it his place to warn 'em
both that the police were drawing the
net closer and closer round her prince?
"Very well," the man was saying.
"If I'm such a villain, if I'm breaking
your heart, I'll let you go!" Just like
that.
He lit a ruby lamp, threw down his
silk hat and fur-lined overcoat, and
went out. humming a tune. Joe found
himself staring through two glass
doors, half open, and her standing
there like some statue, the pansy eyes
looking out at at what only a woman
sees at such a moment in her life.
And before he knew it, his blood surg-
ins up mad, he limps in and snatches
her cold fingers, and fair chokes it out.
"It's because I loved you and can't
bear it! Take his word; leave him
while there's time! For your sake
not mine leave the life this night, and
I'll never be asking you to look at me
again!"
Did she understand? Who's to
know? If she'd meant to answer him,
she could not. That other door sud
denly went back and the mau stood
there.
"Ob, indeed!" he says. "Is that it?
Is that why your heart's breaking?--is
this the old flame I've seen sneakiuf
round the house night
after night?
Wants you back, does he?"
One rush, his eyes fair blazing. Jce
hadn't moved a muscle, but Kitty
seems she sprang between them just
in time, all her old hot blood taking
life again.
"Touch him!" she breathes. "Only
lay a finger on him on the man who'd
die to help me and can'fbelp himse'f !
Only dare!"
And then You can-figure it out
yourself. He'd swung her away and
his hand was at Joe's throat. And all
of a sudden there was a banging and
a sort of stifled scream, and a servant
came flying down the passage.
"The police! They want master
they've got a warrant they're bursting
the door-chain! They're In!"
That was it. In one flash it all
seemed to happen. Quick as lightning
the man they wanted had banged the
glass doors together, locked them, and
turned round to sell his lite at top
price. There was a pistol swinging up
in his hand. And Kitty she'd given
one cry and had both her arms round
his neck in an agony. Things had
changed with a rush. At such a mo
ment all her heart had swung back
to the man she'd promised to love and
cherish. She was a woman.
"Never!" she sobs. "If they take
you they take my life!"
For the clock-beat it was all or noth
ing. Then, as them quick steps sound
ed, and there wasn't a pin for his life,
something happened. They saw Joe
throw down his crutch, steady himself
'vitk a sharp breath, and snatch up
the silk topper aud fur coat. In a
trice they were all on him: in another
he'd snatched away that pistol.
"Her life! She said that," he whis
pei's. "For her sake, go."
Bash! Avent the lamp. In one spring
he got to the door and was out
rushed into their very arms, fighting
like mad with four of them. What
really happened, no one seems to know.
Whistles blew, women screamed, doors
banged; and then, when Joe's own
shout was heard, and he went under
doubled tip, they flashed their lanterns
round the room, and only saw Kitty
standing there, with eyes that saw
nothing and lips that couldn't move.
The man they believed they'd captured
was clear away in the confusion, fly
ing for dear life. And at what price?
When, they lifts up their prize they
lifts a dead weight, with that faint
smile dying out of his eyes, and the
little blob o' red on his lips. He put
out a twitching hand to her. "Silence!"
it meant. He couldn't speak didn't
want to. Words were nothing; that
silence was everything for five minutes
more.
And he got them. They found out
their mistake just when the hospital
doctor man had stripped away the
fur coat and was listening for some
word to explain. It came, just as them
bells started pealing, just as the world
was holding out hands to the new
year. And the words were carried to
her, just as his lips had whispered
'em
"I'm paid. I loved her! Ask her
ask her if she'll believe it now!" Tit
Bits. AYolseley and the Correspondent.
Lord Wolseley has always exhibited
a keen dislike of war eorresondents.
On one oceasiou a well-known press
man and a personal friend of the gen
eral joined the headquarters and re
ported himself at the commander-in-chief's
tent to have his papers vised
and get permission to go forward to
the fighting line. Greeting him with a
hearty shake of the hand, Wolseley
looked through the documents, and
then said, with a twinkle in his eye:
"You want these signed. Well, I sup
pose I must; but if I had my way I
would send you to the rear and have
you shot." And with this genial threat
he wished his friend godspeed. Lon
don Onlooker.
In the cotton zone 25,000,000 acres
are devoted to that staple, the yield
being 10.827.000 bales of 500 pounds
each, worth in cash $125,000,000.
JENT1F1C
NDV5TRI
At Baku, on the north side of the
Caspian Sea, an electric power sta
tion has been erected for supplying
power to 2000 oil wells in that locality.
"Color photography," said one of
Americans forenicnst chemists recent
ly, "is impossible until we find some
other sensitive salt than that of silver
or platinum." How to blend the colors
in one is the secret, and "thert'3 mil
lions in It." ' 1
To determine if acute insanity is
caused by a toxin in the blood a Ger
man physician has been experiment
ing upon himself. He injected at in
tervals serum, blood, and cerebros
pinal fluid from a patient suffering
from acute tlementi'a with hallucina
tions, without the least effect.
A new surface-contact system of
electric traction as applied to railways
was put on trial recently int America
on a mile of experimental line on the
Pennsylvania Railroad. Report states
that a speed of eighty-five miles an
hour was attained, and that in other
respects Sue results were successful.
VMR RECORD OF A DOC
Belonged to General Botha and Followed
Irish Troops Through Boer War.
Unusual interest centred in a case
heard in the Dublin police court re
cently, in which the leading figure was
a bulldog that formerly belonged to
General Fhilip Botha, and went
through a good portion of the South
African war. Ernestf Warrningham.
canteen manager for the contractors,
was summoned for cruelty to the ani
mal, which has been stationed for
some time past with the Royal Irish
Rifles at Richmond Barracks.
The bulldog, which now belongs to
Color Sergeant Edwards. Royal Irish
Rifles, was accommodated with a seat
in the witness box, from which point
he seemed to take a languid interest in
the proceedings. He was dressed in a
coat with green facings, and wore sev
eral South African medals with clasps.
The animal's record is an. eventful one.
During the Boer War he was cap
tured by the Second Royal Irish Rifles,
Mounted Infantry, from Commandant
Philip Botha's farm in the Doornberg,
in September, 1900. From that time
until the end of the war he trekked
with the Rifles' mounted force from
Griqualand in the west to Basutoland
in the east, and he still bears the scar
of a wound received in action. . Later
he was with General French's column
in Cape Colony. For his service the
bulldog now wears the Queen's South
African medal with three clasps, and
the King's South African medal with
two clasps. Mr. Drury remarked,
when the case was called, that this was
the most distinguished dog in the coun
try, as he had medals. London Daily
Telegraph. : (
Told of the Dnko of Devonshire.
In illustration of the lavishness with
which Chatsworth House is endowed
with art treasures, and of the distrait
element which is supposed to be a feat
ure of the Duke of Devonshire's mind,
an amusing story went the round of
the French press at the time of the
last Faris exhibition. The duke, it was
said, was strolling through the loan
section of the English exhibits with a
friend, and stopped to-look with ad
miration at a porphyry table cf match
less beauty. He examined it long with
the eye of a connoisseur, and at last
exclaimed: "I wonder who is the owner
of such a beautiful specimen of work
manship. I almost feel inclined to envy
him." His companion, who had con
sulted the catalogue, handed it to him
with a smile. It contained the infor
mation that the table came from Chats,
worth House, and was lent by the
Duke of Devonshire. London Chroni
cle. Motormen Who TTew Veils.
Many of the motormen on the sur
face cars are wearing veils as a protec
tion against the cold. The veils are
the same as those worn by women,
and probably most of them belong to
the wives of the motormen.
Although they are thin, they afford
a great deal of protection from th
sharp winds and the snow and hail.
The veils may look out of place 011
men, but these men are not v;earing
them for beauty's sake.
1