. V $I.OO a Year, In Advance. " FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH." Sing la Copy 3 Cents, VOL. X VI. PLYMOUTH, N, C. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1905. NO. 30. X, V. THE SOUL'S A fool he was, and he took his Soul Within his Hollow hands; He took his Soul and smoothed its calm, And loosed its strained bands. " '0, Soul!' he cried, 'you bear the stain Of chain-gyves interwove! tWho did this thin)??' The Soul replied: 'It was the friend I love.' '0. Soul, you have a flaming brand Burned on your nakedness! Who did this thinK5" The Soul replied: That was a pure caress.' BETHUEL Y By Xj. J- BATES. OK BOUT seventy years ago k the Barsands, with three 0 3 o other families from west H Ss'evn New York, began, a SfOr new settlement in one of the then new Northwestern States. Bethuel Barsand was a strong man, forty years old, one of the "grip-tight, Iiold-fast" breed, well fitted to hew a civilized farm from the savage wil derness, except that he was no hunter or woodsman merely a hard-working, eelf-trained farmer-mechanic. lie- did not even own a rifle, which most pio neers consider the primal necessity. But an ancient flint-lock musket, cap tured from the British by his father In one of the Canada border campaigns of the War of 1S12, served his needs. ; Mrs. Barsand was a strong woman, one of the tireless pioneer home-makers. In a new country, where nothing could be bought and everything had to be home-made.vthe women, no less than the men, had to be strenuous. 1 For many weeks, however, Mrs. Bar eand had been compelled to rest two hours every alternate day, huddled over a fire with ague chills. She cheer fully said this gave her system a nec essary chance to pause and consider itself. The ague was slowly wearing toff, for it was now late summer, and the first frosts of autumn usually end ed malaria for the year. While languidly eating her supper of plump wild pigeon, floating in its nourishing broth, hot johnny-cake and butter, luscious wild blackberries with cream, and a fragrant wild herb tea, supposed to be remedial for chills, pre pared by her daughter Marian, Mrs. Barsand remarked, tentatively: "I believe I should feel well as ever If I could have three or four meals of real meat. Just think, Bethuel, we've been here over a year, and in all that time Ave haven't tasted a bit of real meat except salt pork." "Why, ma!" said Jason, a sturdy boy Of fifteen. "Why, wre've had venison, bear, coon, rabbit, squirrel, wild tur key, partridge, quail", wild pigeon, wild duck and five or six kinds of fish, till we're almost tired." ' "All these are only game; they're not real meat, such as ma means," said Marian. "Let me kill a chicken or pig for you, tiear," said Bethuel, eagerly. "No, I don't crave chicken or pig, and We can't afford to kill chickens or pigs this year. Maybe it's only a sick ap petite, but I keep thinking how good that bear ham was which Mr. Crumly gave ns last fall, and I wondered if you could spare time to go bear-hunting and get us some. Next thing to beef steak, it seems to me bear steak would do me most good, and come nearest to real meat. I know you probably couldn't get a pound of beef or mutton If you should search every settlebent within a hundred miles. Settlers in a new country don't kill any stock so long as it can be of any other use, and not even pork till late November." "Why, Harriet, you know I'd spend time hunting for anything you think you'd like. Bear isn't generally thought at all like beef, but your craving it is a good sign it shows your ague is quit ting; it's a sign that bear ham is what jqu ought to have, and have it you shall. But don't be disappointed if I fail to get it right off. 'Tisn't quite the bear-hunting season yet, but in a Week or two we'll have 'em coming right here after green corn. A man may hunt and hunt, and not see a bear in a month, though they're all about, unless he meets one by accident which generally happens when he'd rather not and hasn't any gun." At daybreak Barsand entered the woods with his old musket loaded for bear seven buckshot on top of nearly an ounce of rifle powder! Barsand al ways overloaded, and his idea was that bear required an especially big charge. Where to look Barsand did not know. 'At first he wandered aimlessly about the clearing. Then he remembered that bears like blackberries, and he went off to where an old windfall made a large opening in the forest. It Tvas piled with fallen trees and brush, and thickly bordered with tall black berry bushes loaded with ripe fruit. Surely there should be bears here, and there would have been if Barsand had come earlier. A number had break fasted here at daylight, and retired after sunrise to doze away the hot hour-?, rerhaps it a uog naa searcneu the great piles of brush logs in the windfall he might have started a bear or two; but Barsand discovered JlQtU ins larger than rabbits, - WOUNDS. M '0, Soul, a fissure shows your heart ' -' Like wound of bloody sword! , Who did this thing?' The Soul replied: 'That was a friendly word!" " 'O, Soul, you shrink within my hand, 1 scarce see where you be! Who did this thing?' The Soul replied: 'A woman pitied me.' "The Fool laid down his Soul and wept, And knelt him down beside; He soothed and questioned all the night, No Soul of him replied." BARSAND'S BEAR HUNT. Next he went to a ravine, where there were wild plums just ripening. Bears had been there, as even a green horn could see. There were big foot prints on a patch of sand; but Bar sand could not trace them, or judge how fresh the tracks were, or where they went. He next visited a huckleberry swamp, where he wandered about a long time. Only a few huckleberries were ripe, but bears are fond of them, and the swamp looked to be a good place for bears. But he found none, and ceasing to expect bears, he sat down to lunch. Before him was a small, shallow pool a dozen feet across, dotted with little weedy hummocks. Beyond the pool thick patches of huckleberry bushes, taller than a man, covered thirty tree less acres. While Barsand was eating, two bears emerged from behind the huckleberry thicket in front of him across the pool! They appeared so suddenly and silent ly that Barsand sat and stared. The two were playing with a frog, which tried to escape into the pool. One bear pinned the sprawler lightly under a fore paw, while both grinned to see the victim squirm. The first bear lift ed his paw, and the frog leaped. Down came the paw, but missed, and the other bear caught the leaper with his teeth by one hind leg, where at the first bear struck angrily at the second. This made the second bear stand up and growl, with the frog dangling comically from his mouth. Barsand laughed; and immediately the two bears stood like statues, peer ing at him. Barsand now suddenly remembered his gun. He grabbed.it, aimed and fired as quickly as his confused faculties would work. The overloaded musket belched like a volcano. Barsand nearly turned a backward somersault; a cloud of smoke rolled across the pool. Both bears yelped and vanished. Barsand rose slowly and dubiously, and felt of his right shoulder, as if to reassure himself that it was still there. Finding it merely bruised, but not kicked completely away, he picked up his musket and examined it, to see if it was burst anywhere. It was not. Then he was recalled to the bear busi ness. Something was struggling and groan ing behind the huckleberry thicket across the pool. Terkaps he had a bear! Without pausing to reload, or even to go round the pool, Barsand dashed recklessly through it, stepping j upon its reedy hummocks. The third hummock turned under his foot, which slipped into the water, and he sank knee-deep in mud. He fell forward; the musket fitew to the firm ground be yond the pool; his hands plunged over! wrists into the mud, and he was soaked from feet to head. He laughed as if amused at another's blundering mis hap, saying to himself: "Well, of all the fool performances I ever saw, that was the worst!" ! As he struggled up, his hands pulled out of the mud with difficulty, and his feet sank as they felt his weight. In a moment he found that he could not pull out either foot; any effort only sank them deeper. He did not laugh now. but realized his peril with a thrill of fear. Alone, without hope of rescue! His family would not know where to look for him. Fast bogged beside a swamp infested by wolves and wildcats, he was doomed to death un less he could free himself before night fall! Barsand now lay flat, breast down, and stretched, reaching for the near est bushes. He touched one. rulling it bent others toward him. Soon he had a grip on several stout enough to bear the strain of a strong pull. By skilful effort he was able gradually to straighten his legs and feet, gaining enough toreaeh more and larger bush es. With his knife he cut bundles of brush, and thrust them under his body and legs as far down as he could reach, until he sank no more, besides having some support to help his body muscles pull. Thus, inch by inch, he drew for ward, his movements making the wa ter somewhat soften the dense mud. But this was very slow work, requir ing a nice balance and much patient repetition. By and by a new peril interrupted. A large moccasin snake one of the most venomous of American serpents appeared in the pool, swimming across directly toward Barsand, who wriihed partly about and tried to scare off the terrible intruder with a busa. But moccasin snakes are densely stupid and persistent creatures. It stopped, looked, proceeded and stopped again, barely a yard from Barsand's face. With great caution and nerve he slid the large end of a stick under its mid dle, gave a quick, violent flirt, and flung the writhing horror forty feet away. It did not appear again; but for a long time he fairly sweated with a miserable fear lest the silent death should steal upon him from some un guarded quarter, perhaps swimming beneath the surface of the muddied water, where no vigilance of his could detect its approach. It was sunset when Barsand finally drew himself out upon land firm enough to walk on. ills whole soul sang thanksgiving, which he had no time to express then. First he cleaned himself of the clinging mire, using water from the pool. His powder hav ing kept dry in its horn, he reloaded his musket, not too heavily this time. Then he went to look for his bear, hav ing heard no sounds from the thicket. Barsand found one bear dead, big enough to weigh quite two hundred pounds. It took him some time to dis embowel the game. Then he partly dragged, partly carried the carcass round the pool to. the solid ground of the forest, intending to take it home if it required hours of toil. But it was the slipperiest, worst weight to man age he had ever attempted, and his right shoulder was painfully lame; and the way was rough, and night had fall en, and he was very tired. Moreover, ominous sounds were rising from the swamps the screams of wildcats, the howling of wolves, and other savage cries. By the time he had made a furlong by a series of exhausting lugs, a fierce outburst of snarls told him that wolves and lynxes were fighting over the en trails of the bear, and soon he heard others prowling all about him in the woods. He might now skin the bear, and carry away the skin and hams, perhaps, but he was determined not to yield any part of the prize which had cost him so much. He wanted it all, especially its valuable fat. Luckily Barsand carried a spare flint for his musket and a bit of punk. With these he struck a fire, which bid zed in a bed of dry leaves. Pres ently he had a great dry log on fire. He meant to stay there all night beside his bear if he had to, although he knew his family must be now growing anx ious about him. The fire soon began to run through the woods over the thin carpet of dry leaves. By the time an acre was light ed, every wild creature had fled to swamps, marshes and damp places. Forest fires were light in those times. They did not harm to green trees or bushes, because the forests were regu larly burned over every year, allowing no accumulations of inflammable ma terial. Circles about the settlers' clear ings had already been burned early in the season. Having rested long enough to regain some of his spent strength, Barsand resolutely lugged his bear a third of a mile farther, in several separate efforts so exhausting as almost to discourage even his obstinate will. While sitting to recuperate again, he thought he heard a far-off faint shout. Rising, he heard it again plainly, answered it, and was answered; and presently Ja son and the dog Sharp came running to him. The family had become uneasy at sunset. When the twilight faded into dark, Mrs. Barsand grew nervous. They all had proper faith in Barsand's ability to take care of himself, yet they all .gradually worked themselves into an unusual worry. Finally Jason thought of trying if Sharp would track his master, since the dog had shown so much disappointment when refused permission to accompany him. Arming himself with a light axe and a tin lantern with a venison tallow dip candle, the boy set out, holding the dog in leash with a buckskin thong; Sharp took scent and followed his master's trail about the clearing, until it turned off to go to the black berry patch. Here Jason saw in the sky the glow of the fire, and correctly reasoning that it must have bene set by his father, hurried straight for it. A few minutes of work" with the axe sufficed to cut two long poles, to fasten their butts a foot apart and their tops a yard apart, with four cross sticks, and to tie the bear firmly up on them. Lifting the butts and let ting the limber tops trail on the ground, the two dragged the weight at a moderate walk. By midnight they had the carcass homo safely htir.g up. Each of their three neighbors re ceived a gfnerons gift of bear meat. The skin and a liberal supply of "bear grease" were a valuable acquisition for Barsand, besides makiug him the be ginning of a reputation as a hunter. Mrs. Barsand, fed on bear steaks, missed all but a mere hint of her next chill, and became within a fortnight as healthy as she had ever been; and in a month Jason could relate more about bears than any natural history yet printed. Youth's Companion. The average value of the foreign automobiles imported into this country during the first four months of l'JOG was $3700. Sau Francisco is endeavoring to leg islate steay whistles out. of existence. r SOUTHERN FARM '- flOTES. TOPICS Of IN TERES T TO THE PLANTER, S TOOK MAN ANO TRUCK GROWER. Preparing Land For Alfalfa. It. J. C, Franklin, writes: "I have about three acres of land which I de sire to seed in alfalfa. For the past four years I have been seeding this down to crimson clover in the fall, turning this under in the spring and planting corn. The land is medium stiff with clay subsoil. I would like your advice how to proceed to get the land in alfalfa. I have another piece of land that has only been in cultiva tion since last year. Last year it was seeded to cowpeas and in the fall to crimson clover, wheat, rye and oats. Would you advise seeding this loud to alfalfa?" Answer It would be well for you to turn under the crimson clover on the land intended for alfalfa, plow it down deeply, work carefully, and seed to cowpeas as soon as possible. IMow un der these about the first of September, and subsoil at the same time, going down as deeply as possible behind the turning plow. You can not get too much vegetable matter and nitrogen in the soil for alfalfa nor make the land too rich. When you sow the cow peas you might make an application of 200 pounds of sixteen per cent, acid phosphate and fifty pounds of muriate of potash, and repeat this application when you seed the alfalfa. Sow at the rate of twenty pounds of seed, and in oculate either by soil or artificial cul tures as you see fit. After the alfalfa is up a light application of nitrate of soda, say, fifty pounds per acre, "will be beneficial. Do not clip or pasture the alfalfa during the fall. If a good stand is obtained it may be cut for hay the next year when just coming into bloom. If it seems sickly and is yel lowish in appearance, clip frequently throughout the summer. The other piece of land which you intend to put in alfalfa should be treated somewhat the same. If it is poor it is hardly worth while to sow alfalfa on it until it has been made rich and freed of weeds, for weeds con stitute one of the most serious draw backs to alfalfa culture. If you do seed to alfalfa sow the cowpeas at once and plow them under and treat as already outlined. If conditions are un favorable for seeding in the fall it would be better to again sow the land to crimson clover, or some other win ter growing legume and break up early in the spring and seed the alfalfa at that time. If the ground is dry and the season backward the alfalfa wiil not germinate and make a good stand before cold weather comes on, and it is hardly worth while to seed it, as it will be almost certain to result in failure. Professor Soule. Inociilnii"s Iand For Cowpeas. E. A. S., Richmond, Va., writes: I would like some suggestions as. to what would be the "best way to inoculate GOO acres for cowpeas. Answer: Teas often do fairly well without inoculation, as the seed is large and very often covered with the bacteria which produce the nodules for this particular crop. When' grown on poor land the first year, however, they are likely to show a large number of nodules, and therefore inoculation is a matter of some considerable con cern. We would be glad to send you the inoculating material from the sta tion if it wore possible for so large an area, but it would cost you consider able, and it is likely that you could ar range to get a few leads of earth from a field which grew the peas success fully last year, but you should be cer tain that the peas formed a large num ber of nodules. Get about 200 pounds of earth for each acre you intend to sow in peas and mix with the seed and drill together, or you could broadcast the earth over the land and then go ahead and seed thr peas. One hun dred pounds o'f earth are often consid ered sufficient, but it is better and safer, as a rule, to use 200 pounds. You could probably get the earth at a lower cost than we could furnish you the material, and it is doubtful if we could undertake to furnish enough for COD acres, as the demand on us for small amounts is very great, and we are having groat difficulty in getting out enough bacteria for the principal leguminous crops to supply the needs of the small farmer. Soil inoculation is safe ami is recognized as effective and under the circumstances I feel justified in advising strongly the im portance of inoculating your land for black peas. Andrew M. Soule. Destroying Sassafras Spronts. W. I. C. Ster.-artsvilie, writes: "i would like to know bow to kill sassa fras sprouts. ,1 ued lime and have succeeded in getting red clover on part of it, but the sassafras seems to trot thicker each rear. 1 have heard that common salt would kill the stuff, and I fear if 1 put if o:i thick enough to kill the sasafras it would kill the trees." Answer The most effective method of destroying sassafras sprouts that has come to uiy attention is through X the use of a very heavy strong plow that can be run at a depth of ten or twelve inches in the soil so as to ef fectually get under the roots and tear them out and bring them to the sur face. If necessary put on four mules, and run the plow so as to cut and tear the roots loose in the soil. Then, if you will run a heavy harrow over the land, or, better still, some form of cul tivator that has curved teeth on the same principle used in many corn cul tivators, you will be able to gather the roots together in bunches on top of the ground, and after allowing them to dry awhile you can burn and destroy them effectually. Of all the methods I have ever seen and tried this , has proven to be the most satisfactory, and I am sure it will work well under proper conditions, for I have seen a number of fields literally infested with sassafras cleaned up as suggested. Lime and salt will not destroy sassa fras roots from what I know of this pest, and I agree with you in believing that if enough lime were used to be of service that it would be more or less likely to injure the trees growing on the land A. M. Soule. Improving Corn by Selection of Seed. II. C. R., Claxton, writes: I would like to know what you think of the value of seed selection for corn. Answer: There is no doubt but. that the yield of corn can be increased through judicious selection so as to ob tain a strain that will be more prolific than many varieties now grown. In experiments I have made I have noted that where 8000 stalks were planted fo the acre not more than G000 ears were sometimes harvested; whereas, in, other plats with an equal number of stalks as many as 9300 ears were har vested. It is easy to see, therefore, that some varieties are more prolific than others, and as a matter of fact, there are quite a number of stalks in practically all corn fields which are barren. These stalks are large enough to produce a heavy ear and would of ten do if the variety were selected so as to avoid any sterile stalks. Corn breeding may be compared in impor tance to animal breeding; just as strik ing and valuable results can be ob tained by giving care to selecting de; sirable strains of corn as have resulted in the systematic effort to develop a trotter of phenomenal speed in Amer ica. The analogy in the two instances is complete and would answer your question as fully as pages of facts of similar importance. Professor Soule. tow Headed Tree. The old style orchard was often high headed, with the Hnbs well up out of the way. The idea was to train the tree so high that teams could be driv en under and to keep the limbs above the reach of cattle. Now that these items are of loss importance to most orchardists the tendency is in the op posite direction, until J. II. Hale asks pertinently: "What's the use of a trunk anyway?" It may be said in favor of the low down tree that the fruit may be picked at considerably less cost and is not so likely to be blown off by the wind. Spraying is also less difficult. It is in many ways the better tree for those who do not cultivate directly under large trees and who keep cattle away from the orchard. In a row of the summer apples the trees were cut back much shorter than in many or chards, consequently the limbs are sturdy enough to hold the fruit with out bending. These trees averaged about four cases to the tree. The trees branch out about eight or ten inches from the ground. Keep DncklliiRS Dry. It is claimed that the Pekin duck will thrive well without ponds. It is true that . the ducklings can be more easily raised away from ponds or streams than when allow d to have ac cess thereto, but this is due to the fact that most of the ducklings are hatched with incubators during the winter sea son, when the cold waters of the pond would chill them and cause loss. Young ducks will thrive better if they are kept away from the ponds until they are we'd feathered, but despite all claims in favor of the Tekin ducks as being adapted to dry locations, my ex perience is that the adult ducks are more contented when they have a pond. Like all aquatic birds, theyen joy the water, and they will thrive on an open field away from water (ex cept for drinking), yet they give the best results when they have the privil eges of a pond. Remedy For I'otato Bus. Here is a true and tried remedy to use for potato bugs: Take the boughs I op (i.n r.txiflr tvo.v limbs and ali. rut them up and put into a pot and boil fcr two hours. When cool apply with a broom on the potato vines. The writer has tried the above receipt, and it killed or made the bugs move from his patch. rolU County. News. HOUSEHOLD AFFAIRS A CLEANINGSILVER. Silver if lying near guttapercha' gets tarnished very quickly. If put in a pantry where gas is , used iflf should always be kept well wrapped up in chamois leather. SERVING ASPARAGUS COLD. When asparagus is to - be served cold as a salad, boil and drain a usual, and after draining, let, cold wa- ter run gently over the stalks to keep them firm and fresh looking. ' TO CLEAN OUT CORNERS. 'A flat paint brush is a handy house liold utensil for cleaning out trouble some corners. When too worn for this purpose, it is more convenient than) anything else for applying stove pol ish especially in the ornamental parts of a stove. KILLING " OFF INSECTS. In the. war with insect life, kerosene is a sure weapon of defense. If the kitchen table is seized . upon by, roaches, and used as a nest for their; eggs, do not burn it up after ineffec-! tive scrubbings and scaldings. Put it; in the yard and soak it with kerosenei Not an egg will live. In- like manner treat any insect infected furniture. EGGS A LA MARTIN. " Have ready a dish that can be put; Into the oven and baked. It should! be like a deep, ordinary soup-plate without the wide rim. It is easy, enough to find plenty such at !ny store.. Have it heated, but not too hot. Put; into a small saucepan a tablespoonfulj of flour (or more, if it is preferred thicker), and then very slowly, afterj the flour is well mingled, a cup of milk; or cream. Then add four tablespoon-j f uls of grated cheese. Stir" well, andj when thoroughly heated pour into the) dish you have ready, and with great; care (so as to keep tb,e shape) drop Intoj the mixture four eggs.. The ordinary dish will hold about four eggs and,; look well, but it may be possible toj find larger ones. Put at once into thej oven, and when the eggs are set serve at once. A few bits of parsley make., the dish look more inviting. " " , Rice Egg BallsTBoil hard six eggs.f remove the shells'and put through a; sieve with an equal amount of boiled, rice; season with salt, pepper and butter; fonu into balls, dip into raw: eggs, then into bread crumbs and fry" in hot fat; drain and place on small pieces of buttered toast. ' Serve hot. Chocolate Biscuits Beat the yolk of four eggs, adding to them one tar blespoonful of grated chocolate, two ounces of flour and four ounces of sugar; beat thoroughly and then add; the whites of the eggs, beaten very; stiff; place on buttered paper on a; flat pan in small spoonfuls and bake; in a quick oven. ! Rice Bread One cupful of cold boiled rice, one cupful white Indian corn meal, one cupful wheat flour,1, one teaspoonful baking powder, two eggs, half teaspoonful salt, one table spoonful of melted butter, one cup ful milk. Mix the dry ingredients.; add beaten eggs mixed with milk and the melted butter,, pour into shallow greased pans. Bake thirty minutes! in a moderate oven. ; Salmi of Chicken Put a table-; spoonful of clarified beef dripping into a saucepan, and when it bubbles tip over the fire add three or "'four thin slices' of bacon and let the whole fry until nicely browned, mixing wjth tt a tablespoonful of flour and a glass ful of flavoring extract. Turn in, a little at a time, a cupful "of hot water. Season with salt, pepper, a dash each of allspice, cloves and cayenne and a spoonful of lemon juice. Cut the chickens, which j-ou have parboiled, into large pieces, and cook them ia the sauce for an hour and a half. When done nicely, arrange on a plat ter, pour sauce over them and garnish with rounds of lemon .and French fried potatoes. '. Olive and Tomato Jelly Put half a can of tomatoes in an agate stew paa, add one bay leaf, three cloves, one blade of mace, small slice of onion half a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of cayenne or paprika; cover the pan and let simmer fifteen minutes; soak one-third box gelatine in one-third cup ful of cold water; when it has soaked one hour add it to the tomatoes, stir until gelatine, has dissolved, then rub through a strainer and add two table spoonfuls of taragon vinegar; rinse timbale moulds in cold water; stand in the bottom of each mould thref olives that have b?eu pitted, standing1 them upright; pou.' in a little jellym and. when hardened, a,l enough jelly to fill the mould; serve on a lettuce leaf and garnish with ' mayonnaise dressing, putting a little" oil top cJT each jelly. " 1 'v!K i

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