!1
$1.00 a Year, in Advance.
"FOR OOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
Single Copy 5 CesU
VoL. XVI.
PLYMOUTH, N, 0.. FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1905.
NO. 16
f jlft (iTlllf
i
I!
1
I' -
I
WITS
WIN.
When Henderson heard of It, a thrill
awept through him from head to foot
for he felt Instinctively that the out
come of the absurd little contest that
he saw Impending would decide wheth
r he or Dickson would marry Natalie
Piatt. I say Henderson felt this in
stinctively, because there really was
no reason whatever why the prettiest
girl that ever neglected her household
duties for the sake of studying art
should bestow her hand upon one of
two rivals merely because he had sue
ceeded in a painting of hers that had
been put up at auction. And yet Hen
derson was sure that this was the
crisis.
When Amy Burton had told him
what was to happen, he was in the act
of demanding of a girl in gipsy dress
what had been the result of a certain
Tame in which, at her behest, he had
become possessed of a "chance" earlier
In the day. The fair, for the benefit
of the village church, which, since two
in the afternoon, had been in progress
on the church green, was now drawing
.to a close. To its complete success
the condition of the picturesque stalls
which were on every side, bore witness
for the stock of each of them now con
sisted chiefly of "remnants," while it
was noticeable that practically every
member of the crowd which still gaily
thronged about the stalls, carried one
or more parcels.
Several hours before, It had been
wlspered about that toward the end
of the day such knick-knacks from the
stalls as had failed to find purchasers
would be disposed of at auction, with
- the Mayor of the village in the role of
auctioneer, and Henderson had heard it
like everyone else, but with no special
interest. And then Miss Burton had
whispered in his ear that one of the
arly items in the sale would be a
water-color painting by Natalie Piatt
. and a thrill had gone through him as
he realized what the announcement
meant.
For there was no doubt in Hender
son's mind that from the moment the
auctioneer called for bids upon Miss
Piatt's painting, it would be a question
only whether he or Dickson got it,
Their rivalry for the attractive girl
who at this moment was presiding over
a stall at the other end of the green
had lasted for several months, but
never yet had the two young men
come into what could be called actual
collision. Now, however, with nearly
every second person at the fair a friend
of the three parties concerned, it was
obvious to Henderson that some one
was about to sustain the ignominy of
a public defeat.
A moment's thought told him how it
had happened that neither he nor Dick
inson had secured Miss Piatt's paint
ing already. It was simply because
the work had not been on sale at her
stall. There was a booth at which
pictures, autographed books and photo
graphs were displayed, and there the
water-color must have been from the
first. Natalie Piatt, however, had elect
ed to make the sweet-stall the scene of
her activities, which indicates why the
contents cf the various other .booths
failed to be examined with any great
attention by Messrs. Henderson and
Dickson.
Henderson knew well that the girl
whose labors with the brush had been
at first the amusement but finally the
pride of her well-to-do people was the
last in the world to. have wished that
her painting should be the cause of a
public contest between the two men
whom she had good reason to know
-were in love with her. Probably Miss
Piatt had no idea even that her work
was among the unsold articles.
And then there came to Henderson
toe feeling that he had had so many
times during the last few weeks, that
the bitterness of losing to his rival
did he lose would be lessened had he
felt sufer that Dickson was worthy of
Natalie Piatt's love. On meeting
Dickson, Henderson had felt a certain
distrust that he knew did not spring
from jealousy, and later a story had
reached him , which he preferred not
to believe, but could not help remem
bering. That Dickson vas a danger
ous rival there was no doubt. Hen
derson, looking across the crowd,
could see him chatting with Mrs. Arn
old at the flower stall, and admitted
that he was a handsome fellow, and
one to attract even so proud a girl as
Natalie Piatt. As to himself, Hender
son always had known that the girl
who loved him would do so mainly for
the manhood and some brains which
he believed he possessed. What
chance had he? Henderson's only an
swer to thi3 was a flash of the eyes
and the resolute drawing up of an un
der jaw, in the set of which those who
knew him always had been able to
read the last ditch!
And then the young man glanced up
and saw that it was beginning. The
platform, which, until, a few minutes
before had been occupied by the village
band, now had been cleared and upon
it, behind a table piled high with odds
U ifi if i iti iti i- -- -- -
BY
ROBERT II. BABCOCK.
and ends of all kinds, stood the popu
lar Mayor himself, while, at the sight
of him, the crowd was deserting the
stalls and gathering about the new
center of interest.
It was at this moment that Norton
Willis, Henderson's chum, ran his
arm through that of his friend with a
"Hey, messmate, this way to the auc
tion sale!" and then continued: "By
the way, Henderson, old man, did you
know that a painting of Miss Piatt's
is going up pretty soon?"
Henderson nodded.
"You're not going to let Dickson
get it, are you?" Willis went on.
"Not if I can help it."
"Good boy!" approved his chum:
"but, by George, he'll give you a fight
for it. Beatrice Mills told him what
was up, and all our crowd is waiting
to see the fun."
While talking, Henderson and Willis
had taken up their stand in the crowd
wiium a iew yaras 01 tne auc
tioneer's platform. Suddenly the latter
demanded:
"How about the money?"
"Plenty, I think," said Henderson,
tranquilly.
"Your luckier than I am," his com
rade went on. "I've been regularly
cleaned out by these eternal raffles and
what-do-you-call-em's. Those Clemens
girls would have your last dollar for
their blessed poor children's soup kit
chen. I expect you'll have to give me
a lift home!'
But Henderson only half-heard Wil
lis, for he was taking stock of the
situation. With a start he noticed that
tne auction had begun, but it was only
a flowered sofa pillow which the Mayor
was describing to the audience as
"combining comfort with elegance,"
and the young man's attention wan
dered away. He was looking for Nata
lie Piatt, and presently caught sight of
her fair head and graceful figure. She
was standing behind her graceful stall,
now deserted, like the others, and
trifling with the ribbon of a basket
of candy, apparently unconscious of
the auction; but Henderson was not de
ceived. Miss Piatt knew what was
coming. But where were her sympa
thies! "There's Dickson!" whispered Wil
lis, and Henderson looked in the direc
tion in which he pointed. His rival
was standing at quite the opposite side
of the crowd. Owing to the position of
Miss Piatt's booth, Henderson doubted
if Dickson could see the girl without
leaving his position, and this he was
inclined to consider an advantage.
Just at that moment, however, Hen
derson stopped thinking about the ar
rangement of things, for suddenly he
felt Willis' hand on his arm, and
turned just in time to hear the jocular
Mayor begin: "And now It gives me
peculiar satisfaction, ladies and gentle
men " after which Henderson heard
Natalie Piatt's name, but lost the rest
In taking in the painting which the
Mayor was holding aloft. And he saw
what it was, Henderson knew that
there would be no truce in the contest
for its possession. For the painting
represented its author herself.
Responding to some little impulse of
yainty. Miss Piatt had chosen to por
tray herself in a character of whose
attractiveness she had been assured
times enough that of skipper of the
little dingy of which, when summering
at her family's place in Maine, she was
wont to be captain, mate and all hands.
Of course, the girl artist had not given
the picture's subject her own face
though evidently she had worked from
a photograph but the rest of the figure
was life-like enough to be recognized
by any - one who knew Natalie Piatt
well, not to mention any one who hap
pened to love her. There she was, just
as Henderson had looked back at her
so many times as they raced before
the wind; her figure slightly bent for
ward as she held the sheet with one
hand and the tiller with the other, her
dark blue skirt drawn tightly about
her limbs, while tendrils of her luxuri
ant hair blew out gloriously from be
neath her crimson tam-o'-shanter. It
was enough! Henderson wanted that
picture as he had wanted few things
before, and he doubted not that Dick
son felt similarly.
The auctioneer still was praising the
painting to his audience, so Henderson
had time for another glance round the
room. And he thrilled again as he saw
that the girl of his heart abandoning
her little pose of unconsciousness
was now leaning upon the counter of
her stall and watching the proceedings
with an interest which she made no
attempt to disguise. He felt his eyes
feast upon her for one instant more,
after which they sought Dickson.
Through the dense crowd Henderson
could just see his rival, standing be
side one of his men friends, with excite
ment written upon his handsome face.
and his eyes riveted upon the picture in
the auctioneer's hand.
And then suddenly, the Mayor's de
mand for bids was replied to by a vig
orous call of "One dollar!" from the
center of the crowd, "Two dollars!"
from Dickson, and the battle was on.
"Five dollars!" Henderson's voice
rang out, and almost immediately the
bidder in the crowd's center responded,
"Ten dollars!"
"Fifteen!" came from Dickson.
"Twenty!" This offer was made by
a smiling woman who stood near the
platform.
"Make it twenty-five," whispered
Willis to Henderson, and Henderson
called out, "Twenty-five!"
"Thirty!" came from Dickson.
"Forty!" flung back his rival.
Perhaps the two young men's voices
had betrayed1 their eagerness, at all
events it was now patent to Henderson
that even such of the spectators as did
not know him and Dickson had realized
what was going on, and that he and
his rival were being regarded with
looks of amusement, mingled with curi
osity, as to which would prove the
winner. All this the young man took
In at a lightning glance while he waited
for Dickson's next bid, but then they
were interrupted.
Evidently the Mayor had decided that
he personally was playing a less promi
nent part than was desirable in this
particular episode of the sale, for he
now interpolated a speech which ap
parently was designed to lend a fur
ther touch of humor to the proceedings.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began,
in dulcet tones, "a word, a word, I beg!
I esteem highly the modest offers that
have thus far been made, but evidently
the attractions of this work of art
which I am offering have not appealed
to you with that force which might
have been expected. A gem of purest
ray serene, this picture, my friends;
for which the lowest possible further
bid should be, in my opinion, not less
than twenty dollars in advance of what
has been offered. In this way "
"By George!" gasped Henderson's
henchman, turning upon that young
man, though the Mayor had not fin
ished his harangue, "can you stand this
pace?"
"Oh, I think so," replied Henderson
easily, as he slipped his hand into his
pocket But then Willis, watching his
friend, felt a cold hand get him by the
throat, for suddenly there had ap
peared on Henderson's face a look of
puzzled horror. And this look was re
fleeted on Willis' face as Henderson
withdrew his hand from his pocket
and, without speaking, held out on
his palm a single ten dollar bill.
But in an instant Willis realized
that they were not "done" yet, for
Henderson's face had grown calm
again, and his jaw was set in a way
that his chum knew of old.
"You think you can get the money?"
he whispered. "Not from me! I told
you that I was cleaned out, you know.
Who do you expect to get it from?"
"I am going to try," said Henderson,
"to get it from Natalie Piatt."
"You are!" was all Willis could gasp.
Now to describe this little develop
ment of affairs has taken some words,
but it happened very quickly, and the
auctioneer, encouraged by appreciative
smiles from his hearers, still was
urging them to extravagant deeds.
"You will bid for me," he whispered
to Willis, "when it begins again. It
may prove wise to withdraw gracefully.
With a start of surprise, and an in
voluntary blush, Natalie Piatt found
Henderson standing in front of her
and she could only look at him with
a puzzled expression. Henderson be
lieved, that he had not been observed
as he crossed the room but he did not
waste words.
"If I am to get that picture," he
said, simply, "it will be necessary for
you to lend me some money. Can
you do it?"
The girl was as quick to grasp .the
situation as Willis had been, but she
hesitated. She had made up her ac
counts half an hour before, and it
would have been easy to say that her
takings had been handed in a fib that
struck her as excusable. But a look
into Henderson's eyes decided her.
"How much do you need?" she
asked, softly.
"I think fifty dollars will be
enough," he said.
Miss Piatt took from her pocket a
small key, which she inserted into the
lock of a black enamelled money-box
which stood on a shelf just beneath
the counter of her stall, opened the
box and took from within it five ten
dollar notes, which she silently hand
ed to Henderson. The young man
gave her one look which said every
thing, and then turning, started back
with long strides for the corner where
he had left Willis.
Even, as he had stood with Miss
Piatt, the Bound of renewed bidding
had reached his ears a contest that
had, begun with an offer of forty-five
dollars from Dickson upon whom the
auctioneer's gibes evidently had not
been lost.
"Forty-six dollars!" came from the
obedient Willis.
"Forty-seven," snapped Dickson.
But Henderson's rival had been
struck by the fact that he no longer
had to do with that young man, and
as the possible significance of this
came home to him, Dickson gave a
startled glance around and caught
sight of Henderson in the act of re
turning to his place. .Perhaps in
stinct told Dickson where he had been.
Perhaps he saw the look that was on
Henderson's face. At any rate, the
young man needed no one to tell him
that he had lost not even the next
bid that came from Henderson.
"Fifty dollars!"
"Fifty-one!" cried Dickson.
"Sixty!" (Clearly Henderson had
taken leave of his senses.)
But it was enough. The auctioneer,
looking to Dickson, saw him shake his
head.
"And sold!" he announced, "to the
gentleman ah, Mr. Henderson," as
some one prompted him, "for sixty
dollars."
As might, perhaps, have been ex
pected, there was no contest on this
occasion for the privilege of escorting
Miss Piatt home. But it happened
that, as the girl swept toward the gate
with Henderson at her side, a child
In Hans Andersen fairy costume, with
a tray bearing bunches of flowers,
pounced upon them. "You must buy,"
she said to Henderson; "they are the
last from the flower stall. And only
fifty cents a bunch!"
"A sacrifice sale!" laughed the exul
tant young man. He took a bunch of
the flowers for Miss Plat, and handed
the child some' money.
And Natalie Piatt, glancing at the
hand which Henderson had drawn
from his pocket, was amazed to be
hold a goodly number of bills therein.
"You wretch!" she cried, her cheeks
burning. "You had plenty of money."
"I had," confessed Henderson, "but
I was somewhat curious to find out
which one of us you wanted to win."
The American Queen.
A MAN WITH A MEMORY.
The
Way He Saved an Accused
Friend From the Gallows.
A man was charged at Sydney with
murder and by way of defense called
evidence to prove an alibi. At the
time the crime was committed he was,
he said, in his own home listening to
a friend who was reciting a novel to
him. The expression caught the ear
of the prosecuting counsel, and when
a witness went into the box to say that
he was the man by whom the prison
er was being entertained he tackled
him on this word. The witness repeat
ed that he was "reciting" Horace Wal-
pole's "Old English Baron," not read
lng it, but reciting from memory, and
It had taken him two and a half hours
to get through the whole book. Well
if he could remember it while in
hut in the bush he ought to be able
to remember it now in court, and
counsel demanded a demonstration.
Give us a page or two,' he said,
never dreaming that his request would
be complied with. The witness cleared
his throat and without hesitationcom
menced, "In the time of King Henry,
when the good Duke Humphrey re
turned from the wars in the Holy
Land, where he had been sojourning
for a number of years," and so on,
without hesitation, for several pages.
all letter perfect so far as those in
court could tell. Counsel for the prose
cution, quite staggered by the display,
confessed himself satisfied. But the
witness was not, and the prisoner's
counsel, piqued that doubt should be
cast upon his phenomenal witness
asked that the latter might be given
time to recite the whole novel and his
time in doing It compared with the
two and a half hours alleged to have
been occupied on the night of the mur
der. "Good heavens!" said the judge.
"But do you expect me to take it all
down?" They compromised, the man
with the memory reciting the closing
scenes of the novel. And on this the
man in the dock was liberated.
St. James Gazette.
What do Examinations Prove?
Few repositories of funny and wit
ty sayings are richer than would be
an extensive collection cf the re
markable dicta of school children up
on every subject under the sun.
What could be more delightful than
this:
Etc. is a sign used to make believe
you know more than you do.
The youngster who wrote that re
quired no stimulus from any peda
gogue to put wit into his noddle. On
the other hand, take this piece of his
torical characterization:
Henry VIII. was brave, corpulent
and cruel, he was frequently married
to a widow, had an ulcer on his leg,
and great decision of character.
This gives the poor teacher a chance
to cry quits. If he is to have no cred
it for the brilliancy of the definer of
"etc." it is quite as certainly just that
the hopelessness of the essayist on
Henry VIII. should be ascribed sole
ly to the original sin of the child
capable of such an exhibition. Fin
ally, it should be noted that there are
examination answers which may be
used to determine the quality of the
critic of them rather than the quali
ty either of the pupil or of the teach
er. Of such is this definition of a
vacuum:
A vacuum is nothing shut up in a
box.
What mark should have been given
to the child who gave this answer?
Very high, or very low, or something
between? The critic who answers
this question ranks himself more cer
tainly than he ranirs the youngster.
Baltimore News.
r
SOUTHERN
TOPICS OF IN TERES 7 TO THE PLANTFQ STOCKMAN UNO TttUCK GROW EH,
Berrien nnit Peache.
Berry shipping time is here, and 1
think of no subject of greater impor
tance to the berry grower than that of
packing and grading fruit. We cannot
cover the whole ground, but shall
touch on some things that have come
under their own observation.
First, we have noticed that the mar
kets are demanding better fruits and
that it must be better packed and
graded. Berry growers are learning
that it pays, and that it pays well, to
grade the berries, and that nothing
brings a greater ratio than by making
a reputation on a certain grade of ber
ries. Commission men tell us that
when a customer gets a good crate of
berries that he will take particular no
tice as to how it is marked, and the
next day he w ill look through the stack
of crates to find that same mark. No
doubt if a customer gets a bad crate
tie watches in order that he may not
get another of the same pack.
Do you know, brother grower, we
are making a record on our pack, and
we are known much better to commis
sion men by our pack than we even
suppose? We are aware that there are
many difficulties all along the pathway,
and we are also aware that the grow
ers must be educated up to it, and that
it can't be done in one year. Have
some kind of a model in your mind
and keep constantly working toward
it. Every individual should try to
make some progress in his packing
each and every year, and co-operations
should keep this in view at all times.
Inspection at the shed always creates
an effort on the part of the growers to
! more careful in grading and pack
ing. Some seem to think that Inspection
is a-failure, but we have always found
by careful consideration that every ef
fort along the line has had a tendency
to make the grade better. It is a great
educator. Every packer has more or
less pride. It's perfectly natural for
us to try to excel In all things. This
crops out early in life, when we notice
the boy at play does not want to be
beaten at any game, and he does not
like to stand foot of his class, and he
will not if he lias proper encourage
ment and the necessary amount of grit
Honesty in packing and grading
should be the very foundation stone
upon which to build. Facing a poor
grade of berries with large, well col
ored specimens will put any grower's
shipment away down below par. Not
filling the boxes is another way to ruin
the sale of fruits. A customer pur
chases a box, and he wants what he
pays for. Poor fruit, poorly packed,
is instrumental in ruining the market,
while good fruit, well packed, has an
opposite influ nee on the market. It
takes quite a while to get familiar with
all the best methods of packing, only
those who make a success of it are
those who are willing to make a study
of it, and are willing to be careful.
Most all the methods that bring suc
cess in packing and grading berries
can be used successfully in packing
peaches. The time will come when
none but the very best grades of ber
ries, peaches or apples will go, and the
sooner we prepare for it the better.
Nothing looks worse to us than to see
a basket of peaches, all faced up with
large, Luc, well colored specimens, and
when on inspection you find the lower
part of the basket full of knotty fruit
of small size.
Nothing spoils a grower's reputation
quicker than a poor pack. Then again
it takes a man of experience to know
just when to pick fruit. Some will pick
too green, while others will make the
mistake in allowing the fruit to get
soft. If you will keep your ejes open
and watch you will soon catch on when
the berry or peach is ready. You must
bear in mind that the fruit grower has
something to study. Also, remember
that the fellow that studies the mar
ket and tries so to pack his fruit is
soon going to create a demand for his
brand. Isn't it right that every grower
should be proud of his fruit. He will
be if it's good fruit and nicely packed.
A young fruit grower in Eastern
Georgia has asked me for a few points
on how to succeed in the peach indus
try. Well, a man must be a worker
and be in earnest. He must bear in
mind that "the weakest must go to the
wall," and that iu peach growiug, as in
other things, a man must "fish, cut bait
or jump ashore." Plant the proper va
rieties iu the right soil and in the right
manner. He must care for each tree as
the shepherd cares for the sheep of his
flock. Work hard against the assaults
of the enemy.
All orchard work must be well done;
done to a finish. In fruit growing it
Is a race between negligence and ig
norance as to which is the greater
curfe. The peach grower must unite
with fellow growers for educational
and business purposes. No waste is to
be allowed. By-products must be con
sidered. The grower must be in love
with his work. '"No proQt grows whore
there is no pleasure taken," and "the
labor we delight in physics pain."
FARM flOTES.
1
4-
With such growers the forecast for the
future would be most inspiring. A IT.
Latham iu Home and Farm.
ITow to Make Corn
As I -made a good crop of corn last
year, I will try to give you some of ray;
experience, for I realize the necessity;
of the Southern farmer growing more
corn; in fact, all the corn used on fhm
farm should bs grown at home, for
more corn means more hogs and cattte.
If the stalks are shredded, and that tm
the proper way to manage a corn crop.
Why burn the stalks when they wilt
make such valuable feed? Stock wilt
eat the most of it, and the waste make
the best of bedding, as it absorbs th
moisture, but the crop must be grown:
first, so we will talk about that now
We always turn the land in the fall
with a No. 30 steel Deam plow, as deep
as three mules can pull, and do not
object to plowing up the clay either
for it will freeze and pulverize duringr
the winter, and can be harrowed strut
mixed with the soil In the spring; Wer
usually cover with a thin coat
manure before Ave start the barrows.
After harrowing over several times
more the better plant on or a Iittl
below the level, using from 150 to 2GCK
pounds of high-grade fertilizer to tim
acre and then run over the field with at
weeder just before it comes up, leaving,
the field level, and when the com ha
two or three leaves it can be harrowE
with the weeder without covering the
little stalks. In a few days after thisr
we staff the riding cultivator and keep
it going after every rain or every ten
or twelve days, always on a level rmtit
the corn gets too tall to plow with the
cultivator, and finish with twenty-four-inch
sweeps, with a two-inch scooter
in front, being careful to plow verjr,
shallow, and we have never failed t
make a crop, provided it was planted!
early enough, and I think that one oC
the greatest mistakes a farmer cart
make on upland is trying to get all the
cotton planted before the corn landt im
tduched, for it seems as though w
are making too much cotton anyhow.
Young Farmer, in Southern Cultivator-..'
Tli Peach Growtr'i Creed.
Under this title we find the follow
ing in the Peach Grower:
We believe in budding on vigorous
known good qualities.
We believe in pruning, thinning-,
spraying, cover crops, and that the
peach trees should have entire posses
sion of the land.
We believe that an orchard must b
fed as well 'as its owner.
We believe in high tillage. No noil
is so rich that it does not need work
ing.
We believe in "War to the knife.
and the knife to the hilt" against Saat
Jose scale, fellows, leaf-curl and bor
ers.
We believe that pests are? -grind
stones and whetstones to sharpen tbm
peach grower's wits. Without then
any fool could grow peaches.
We believe in "A merry life ' and ar
short one" for the peach tree. Better
that a tree should "wear out than rust
out."
We believe that quality and not bulk:
measures the fitness of a poach to eat
and therefore the value of a variety.
We believe in good fruit, good grad
ing and good packages. There is nly
a change of one letter between cheapx
and cheat.
We believe In advertising our ware sr.
He that bloweth not his own horn.
for him shall no horn be blown."
We believe in smaller orchards and.
better care. Large orcharding is not
always the best orcharding, and small
orcharding is often the largest.
Lastly, we believe iu every man prov
ing all things for himself, and. in hi
holding fast to that which he finds.
Opposes Mixing Them.
A. J. U., Arkansas: I do not favor
planting peach trees and apple trees at
the same time, mixing them in tfcet
orchard, for the following reasons:
First, they need different care and cul
tivation after they are old enough tor
bear well, according to the best author
ity. A peach orcba'rd needs yearly cul
tivation, while an apple orchard can
profitably be kept in grass when,
mowed and left as a mulch and fertil-.
izer. They need pruning at different
seasons of the year and limbs cut oft
would have to be cleaned up twice.
They need spraying at different times
and would take more time if planted
mixed; also more time to gather frnifc.
The peach trees In this section las
about as long as apple trees. They livo
to be thirty or more years old. so It
would b no object to alternate tncoi
with apple treis.ts take up the spnew
until the apple trees need all the space-,,
at which time the peach here would be
only in their prime and be a pity to cut
them down, and I think the dying an 1
rotting peach roots would not be a.
benefit to the apple trees.
High prices continue to be paid. 5 a
Paris for snuff-boxes of the eighteen'-,,
century.