V. r. MA1SHALL. Edtttr uU fro»rt«l»r. PEVOTEP TO
VOL. 3CXIV. QA
READY FOR
THE HOLIDAYS
H Our buyer is just buck from
the northern markets where he
purchased a large and complete
line of goods ior the holiday
trade. We have just what you
want. Don't do your Christmas
s h o p p 1 n g till you have been
through our store—you’ll find
just what you want right here.
Our Grocery Department is also
excellently prepared to furniah
everything for the Christmas
dinner. "[Every department
full and complete. You’ll find
a welcome at the People’s Store
Thomson Co.
The People’s Store
COWBOY SAB DABINO.
Received (he Fire el the Enemy
and Then Want iota Actlen.
New Orle*n» Fictyvnc.
Texas cowboy days have al
ways possessed a charm for both
old and young. Their fascina
tion will go down the years,
and possibly be a part of the
great future literature. The pen
that can vitalise them and melee
them throb with all humor and
pathos or tragedy that belongs
to them has never been touched.
Both their beauty and grossness
have been given to the world
through sketches and pictures.
They have been written about
again and again, but the com
positions have been ephemeral.
The book that interested yester
day was forgotten the day after
for one equally short-lived, Bret
Harle colonized the wild- and
woolly west in the brain of every
man that reads. The mind that
will do the same for the cowboy
days of the Lone Star State is
lacking so far.
Mr. Albert P. Spalding of
S'” ‘ , Dicks & Co., tells a
tg and interesting story of
Texes cowboy life. He lived
with the cowboys, men who
could throw the lariat from a
running horse over the horns of
• fleeting steer, or take a six
shooter and bit a half dollar
tossed in the air.
"The «ory I am about to re
late is more forcibly impressed
upon my memory than anything
connected with my lift," Mr.
Spalding said to a Picayune re
porter, "and I hive no doubt
bat that yon and everyone will
agree with me when you have
heard It. For down right nerve
and unflinching courage it can
not be surpassed by the heTo of
• chesp melodrama.
To make it plain, we bad
better start at tbe beginning. In
1*79, at Kimball, Tex., a farm
L*cy Robinaon, bad a
d[*5Plly with three cowboys
■**»* *><*»«• The settlement
*7 cowboys did
not suit Robinson, A warm dia
casaion followed withont anv
agreement having been reecbed.
After making tome remark* to
himself Robinson walked away.
A abort while afterward be
returned with three of hia broth
er! and three friends. One of
theta was a minister. Il is said
“■caine for peace, though he
a nil ad W^°** were heavily
"la company with several
1 w**atsndiag on the aide
of tbe Braaoi ifver from which
Robinson and bis brothers and
friends had jnst left to cross
oyer to the opposite bank. Rob
inson did not have to look far to
find the cowboys. As fate
would have it they were waiting
to take the tame ferry that bad
brought him and his party over.
"One of the cowboys lay on
the grass, with bis horse gracing
within reach. The other two
stood leaning against their
ponies.
"There was a pictnrcsqueuess
about this that I shall never for
get, and the scenes which fol
fewed impressed all of the par
ticipants on my mind as actors
in a fearful tragedy. It would
be hard for a romancer to ar
range an unreality like the
actual occurrence I am speaking
of. It possessed every feature
of a play on the stage. The
dialogue aud action of dramatic
art were not misting. Even the
scenery was there. It was jnst a
short while before t summer
twilight, and the wide prairie
seemed to roll away to kiss the
snn good-night. The fading
light touched everything within
sight with loveliness.
We could see Robinson and
his crowd as they left the ferry
and walked to where the cow
boys were. Some'words etfsned,
but not many, for In the twinkl
ing of an eye the smoke reports
of a carbine and eight six-shoot
era were on the air. Every
w** at a living object.
"The cowboy who lay on the
n*ver Verted once daring
all the firing. H* sat absolutely
unmoved, as motionless aa atone.
7!! l*r i1* *nch u 1 °«ver
He have
"ttiog past him,
for the horse that graced at his
feet was shot to dea’h.
was tbe only
member of the cowboy party
that waa bait, while but one
fanner. Lacy Robinson, waa left.
He bed discharged every cham
ber in bia pistol. The cowboys
bad also emptied their revolvers.
This seemed to end tbe bloody
duel. Robinson harried sway,
leaving bis dead and dying com
rades on the ground. Jumping
into the ferry (one of thone drew
ferries) he began to puli himself
to the opposite bank.
MSlowly and without sign of
excitement tbe cowboy whose
horse had been killed, arose
from the ground. Going to
wJ**r* * de« farmer lay, one
who bad been killed before he
coaid nse his revolver, which
wm stW grasped in his hand, he
picked up the pistol.
"After examining the gun
closely, be walked to the bank
of tbc stream. Robinson hsd
palled himself about twenty*
five yards of the width of it by
this time. With nntrcuibling
hand the cowboy began to fire
at the fleeing farmer. There
were six ballets in the pistol,
and each one took effect. We
conld see Robinson jump as
they strnck him. He winced
every time, but pulled the ferry
until he felt. As cooly as if
nothing bad happened, the cow
boy turned away and placed the
pistol in the hand of the dead
farmer to whom it had belonged.
"The ferry not only took over
the dead body of Lacy Robineon,
but also crossed the cowboys.
They were soon off, and the
posse, representing the un
written law of those days, that
came to avenge the death of the
farmers never found them.
"A cowboy loves bis horse
above everything else. This
cowboy did, and he'staked his
life for the animal.''
The President's Massifs.
liefimood Nm-U*4«.
President Roosevelt's message
to congress * * * * contains
nothing sensational or exciting,
and that is a blessing to be
thankful for, considering his
ervations and the extension of
rural free delivery, and is Uviab
in his praise of tna new depart
ment of commerce and labor,
which evidently ia one of bis
fada over which he ia enthusi
astic. His idem, of making pro
motions in tbe army dependent
on service and efficiency instead
of on seniority is well pot sad
his ideas concerning the navy
are clear sod on their face at
tractive, however they may be
found on close analysis.
For revival of the shipbuild
ing industry tbe best he can do
is to suggest a commission, sod
we do not know but that it ia a
very sensible plan. Commis
sions have beeu useful several
times in tbe history of tbe
country in condensing and put
ting in comprehensible shape
the masses of facta and figures
and testimony floating round on
tbe various sides q( a contro
versy and in settling before the
congress practical suggestions
as a basis for legislation.
The president’s view of our
foreign relations and of our out
lying possessions is optimistic.
He thinks the far Bast question
will be happily settled for ns.that
The Hague peace tribunal ia gain
ing ground among tbe nations,
that Venezuela can be made to
; THE LAWYER’S ADVICE
Author at 'Ttn BUad Timil.”
White returning to hte
ifi Omul VapMa
recently, Stewart Edward 1
White, the author, fell ,
Into couvenadou with an
elderly men in the etnok
lac room of the parlor 1
car. The man, as be af- <
toward found out, la one
of the moat prominent
lawyer* in Ohio. The
talk turned ou the timber <
interests of the North,
end several other men
took part Mr. White
has lived half hie life In 4
lumber camps, and showed |
a familiarity with the mb
ject that greatly interested
the Ohio lawyer, who 4
presently turned to him ]
and said:
Young man, do yon know of a book called ‘The W«—<<
i Trail?"*
“Yaa, 1 know of it," aaid White; “In fact-"
i “If you haven't read that story/’ broke in the men.
“yon ought to get out at the next station and get it. I’ve
h recommended it to every man of my acquaintance, particu
larly the young men. But you particularly ought to read It,
i for ydu’re interested in lumber—I suppose you are in
bosineas—and, pi a picture of forest and lumber camp life,
1 it’s wonderful. I tell you, young man-’’
“Excuse me,” interrupted White, in some couftuion
> “but the fact is I wrote 'The Blazed Trail]' ’’
The older man looked at him hard, and then hil eyes
twinkled. "I’ll send you s bill later for the work I have
dope in booming it," he said.
i THE BLAZED TRAIL
I IT STEWART EDWARD WHITE
< WELL BE OUR NEXT SERIAL STORY
* You can avail yourself of legal advice without paying for it
Commences in The Gazette Dec. 29th.
headlong and erratic method* in
some matter*. He talk* over
the condition of tbe conntry and
the pending questions before the
people in a straightforward,
plain and business-like manner.
He becomes slightly rhetorical
in discussing tbe dangers of
trusts and tbe advantages of tbe
civil service, bat other matters
he handles dryly and calmly as
becomes a state paper.
He is outspoken on tbe Pana
ma question which is most con
spicuously before tbe people at
the moment. He carefully
avoida denial of the accusation
that our government incited, in
stigated or encouraged tbe seces
sion of Panama. In fact, he
does not permit himself to goon
the defensive at all In clear
cnt sod vigorous sentence* be
outlines the fsets and makes the
ceie against the republic of
Colombia and then proceed* to
recite the action of Paoama, our
response to it and the term* of
the canal treaty, which he tefla
n« are much more advantageous
than we hoped to secure from
Colombia.
On the tariff he I* dumb and
on the trusts he sticks to pub
licity ns the remedy.
He continues (o direct at
tention to several practical
matters outeide qf the great
questions of policy. He give*
reasonable space to forest pres
behave beraeli and that we have
done a great work for the Fili
pinoes, Hawaiian* and Porto
Rican*.
People who have not time to
read the message at the moment
should put it away to be read at
leisure, ss it is an excellent and
fairly condensed review of the
stains of vanons important
mean res and questions in which
everybody in the country should
be interested.
Ttoy Hinder and lalp Rat
HmimImihL
The Cleveland Star says that
some of the folk* thet voted
against good roads in one of the
townahipa.of the couoty in a re
cent election, are now wanting
another chance to vote for good
roads. To be sure. We have
all aeen people themselves
• gainst some peat movement or
effort at a critical moment mere
ly on account oi some plcavan
ish reason not worth a straw.
But mighty few of n* are big
enough to forget our prejudices
and our selfishness. Sometimes
the cause of schools, or pood
roods, or religion, or morality Is
at stake, and hers the people By
off on little tangents in every di
rection; we lose sight of a peat
canse because s little speck of
prejudice or selfishness gets in
to our eyes and drives out any
large vision..
tons or ice rot
Ice Fact err l»
■kf NUht and Bay to f IB Sic*
wjiMiw.
Paradoxical aa It nuv am »a
talk of tbe manufacture of arti
ficial ice ia the tectb of apredic
tionjof a cold wave by the Weath
er Bureau, it ia n evert be leal true
that the Independent ice factory
started operation upon a day and
oigbt schedule yesterday aad
barring accidents, tbe ice ma
chines at the plant mill not stop
a minute until the gentle xepbyrs
of Spring are wafted this way.
The Independent people have
contracts with tbe Armour re
frigerator car lines for some
thing like 15,000 tons of tbe frigid
article to be used in the. move
ment of the strawberry crop this
season aad tbe factory baa
to start now to get the supply in
readiness for the rash. Cold
storage plants in Wilmington
sod others all along tbe railway
lines through tbe strawberry
belt will be stocked now aa
quickly as possible.
SustmUte Ti—ifTsirt
The aldermen of Concord have
passed an ordinance imposing
■ ine of $5 on any one eating or
pulling peanuts in any public
building in that town. Hard on
the pesnnt eaters bat good for.
other folks.
YWk has Some Cettea.
YortviD* ttmmmln.
Although it U not practicable
to give exact figure*, at ill it is a
fact that there are a good many
bales of cotton scattered around
on York county farms. Some of
this cotton has been held for
higher prices and much of U has
been held simply because tbe
owner did not have to sell.
Laad 0 warns Mara the Fewer ta
Pretact the Birds—Cafercs (ha
Law.
Maine Kaqatrcr.
Those who coin plain most at
the destruction of insect destroy
ing birds have it in their power
to pot a stop to it, namely the
land owners. So long as hun
ters are allowed to bang away at
the birds and get no greater re
proof for tramping on the rights
| of tbe land owner than a private
costing to their backs, or to
their facet as for that matter,
the killing of birds will go on.
If you do not want a man to hunt
on your land yon have all tbe
machinery of tbe law to prevent
bun. If iron want to protect
yonr birds indict tbe fellow who
kills yonr birds. One indict
ment will do more to protect
your birds than all the cessing
will lo.
Editorial lagrets.
tu**
A country editor, who evident
ly has trouble of bis own, is hav
ing heart-to-heart talks with his
delinquent subscribers. The
following is one of the latest:
•Good morning. Have you
paid your subscription this year?
Perhaps you owe for last year,
or for several years. Now you
understand we don’t need mon
ey; we have millions—to get.
But it is really an imposition to
let people go on carrying our
money when we are stxoag and
healthy and so abundantly able
to bear the burden ourselves.
Por this reason we ask anybody
who has nay of our money in
his posession to leave it st the
oflee or send it by post, height
train, express, or any other way,
]nst so it gets here. Silver and
gold ere heavy, and it would be
a matter of life-long regret if
anybody should get bow-legged
carrying it about for us.*
THE OIM MUMBLE
« '.j
mtnmmmsmvn
.
wS
'J ■
mm
EgE
su
Scarcely six days remain in which to
do yonr holiday shopping. Alia*
takas ooa’a breath as the lew reaudu
in* days before Christmas go flying
PMt. It is so easy to pot tkh« off.
Don’t do It. Cook to as right now
sod let us help yon get answers to
your Christmas questions. 1 II k*s*
question of aaythiag beautiful lor
women to wear, we have the answer,
the correct answer, the stylish answer,
the latent right-up-to-the-minute
answer, aad we titan be perfectly bap
py to place ourselves at year service
when yon call. T Call early and often
lathe cordial invitation we give
yow. Your* for a Happy Christ ama,
' *.r- ' :: •’ • til®
J. F. YEAGER
TO SAVE YOUR MONEY
open an acconnt with the
g&r ±s*ym*
A beginning can be mode with
one dollar; and tbedepoaita and*
thereafter can be ia to
■ait the depositor.
The money Is aot only safe
bat is drawing intent at fur yon.
Let as pat poor suae oat art
books.
GASTONIA SAVINGS BANK,
L. L. JENKINS, Pm. A A HARDIN. CmtkUr.
Gastonia Banking Co.
1 ■ Caatonla, N. C. —■ '
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS. $75,000.00
Slate Bank lacaryarataO May 13, IMS
_.__
STATE AND COUNTY DEPOSITORY
OFFICERS
♦ ♦♦
4 no. p.unra,pmMMt
m.c.a. LOva. vim Pm.
4AS. A. PAOS. CmMm
DIRECTORS
♦ ♦♦ -
a. a. a. lava
*aa. r. tairi:'..-.i
aaaia lava
aaaT. *, lava
THE PROBLEM
5 One of the nort perplexing questions of the year la what
to boy aa a Christmas gift. What Is more useful fora
Christmas present than something in ChtMst or Men’s
Furnishings? If you want something that will pWaaa year
hatbsod, your son, or your sweetheart nothing wD! more
fully meet tbla requirement ^han a olct t : : : : j
Silk Muffler.
Neck Tie. a pair of Silk Suspenders, Gloves, Handker
chiefs, and a thousand other things to ha bad at the > >
... -. ..~ ' f.
W. A. SLATER COMPANY
aaar.Afc&LS