folk
Subscription Price, $1.00 Per Year in Advance.
VOL XV.
COLUMBUS, POLK COUNTY, N C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER I6,t&09.
NO. 32.
Three oopy. INDEPENDENCE IN ALL THINGS.
It was Christmas Eve. The snow,
which had been falling all day now
turned to rain. The dreary drizzle
lent a chill to the air.
Mrs. Maillory stood at her drawing
room window, held back, the dark vel
vet curtains and iooked out 01 the
silent avenue. There were few pedes
trians in sight. Now and then a car
riage came under the ' electric light,
and the watcher at the window
caught glimpses of the dainty rai
ment of the occupants as they whirled
gayly past on their way to some
Christmas festivity.
"Christmas festivity!" she repeated
aloud, and her voice was low and
tense and expressed her pent up scorn
and weariness of the whole Christmas
season.
She stood thus for a few moments,
staring out into the night. The
damask portiere was pushed aside
with a quick, light motion, and a slim,
neatly attired maid appeared in the
doorway. Her eyes fairly danced
with delight, and though she spoke
with a demure dignity it was evident'
that something highly pleasing to her
fancy was afoot.
'Does it please you that I come in
now, madam?" she asked, with a
quaint little accent that would at once
mark her Parisienne had her trim
appearance not already done o. Mrs.
Maillory turned slowly from the win
dow. "Yes, Janette, you may bring In
my Christmas gifts." There was a
trace of irony in the last two words,
but her manner was entirely haughty
and indifferent. She crossed the room
and sat in a large armchair of rare
Italian hand-carved wood. The pale
violet lamp screen on the table beside
her shed a soft light, and the rose
light from the great open fire caught
a gieam now and then from the jewels
on beT fingers. It was a curious
light, the combination of the rose
and violet, but it was almost wlerdly
lovely. Mrs. Maillory was a beauti
ful woman a stern, classic beauty.
The folds of her black velvet gown
fell about her in simple stately grace;
her bare neck and shoulders gleamed
white against the dark chair. Her
hair was gray about the temples, and
her deep dark eyes were at times in
expressibly sad. She was lonely, but
she was proud, and none knew of her
ead Christmas Eve. She had refused
scores of invitations, and was keeping
her Christmas Eve as was her custom,
having her gifts brought to her there
in the dimly-lighted drawing-room.
Her husband was keeping his
Christmas Eve, as was his custom, in
the great dense forest. Mr. Maillory
was what the world calls an upright
man honored on the street, of a
flint-like integrity in his business.
Hi3 woTd was as good as a bond. He
surrounded his wife with every pos
sible luxury, excepting the one price
less luxury for which a woman would
sacrifice all others friendship and
comradeship. These he reserved for
a few old friends, men who had been
through financial b.-ttles with him,
who had shared his college frolics and
studies.
That afternoon he had hurried in,
gathered up his hunting traps and
started off. He had given his wife a
check a princely sum and said:
"Just buy yourcelf a little trinket,
Victoria, my dear, and have a nice
time at the Van Arden's tonight."
"If he had only bought me a little
something himself." she thought, sad
ly. "If it were only a few flowers!"
Janette came in, followed by a foot
man in gorgeous livery carrying a
large number of little packages of
all shapes and sizes. He came sev
eral times and arranged the pack
ages as Janette directed. The maid
was all little flutterings and happi
ness and flitted from this box to that
m a perfect whirl wind of joy. This
s a rare treat, opening Madame's
Christmas gifts.
"Oh, they are so many!" she cried.
do not know which one to open
first."
Girt after gift was held out lo Mrs.
auniory, but she looked at each In
lv TKUy and retimes- impattent
They were all given from ft sense
of duty, she knew that. Climbers on
the social ladder wished to be her
friends, that they might through her
influence open the closed doors of
society. Those in her own set liked
ner as well as women who live for
fashion and society are capable of
liking one another. Charity organi
zations courted her favor, for she was
riways ready to respond to their calls.
Unlike many of the women of her ac
quaintance, she went personally to
the poorer quarters, and aided the
wretched poverty there.
The maid placed the trinkets on the
table for her mistress' inspection of
her jewels that should have the power
to give joy to any woman, but Mrs.
Maillory looked at them indifferently,
and toyed with them with her slender
white fingers.
She frowned with displeasure as
tne maid laid before her a wrap of
costly fur.
"My nephew should not have sent
me this," she said sharply. "He can-
MADONNA IN CONTEMPLATION.
BBjSBglwjliSSpMy BBEarawjiaiBBiSIBqSMaaijBKfcjB
not afford It. It was only because 1
gave them their wedding silver."
The maid did not hear this, for she
was lost in raptures over a firmly
matinee of real lace and hand-painted
chiffon.
"Oh, the exquisite 'mouse.' " she
cried, with more enthusiasm than
knowledge of correct English.
Mrs. Maillory smiled little at the
maid's quaint happiness in the gifts.
She was rather fond of Janette and
was often amused at the girl's extrav
agant expressions. Janette was a
happy, care-free soul and always
ready to cater to her every mood.
She ran to her mistress with a veri
table little squeal of pleasure as she
untied one box. It was a fine gold
necklace with a butterfly pendant,
frail, jewelled, delicate as a breeze.
Mrs. Maillory read the card and her
face turned pale.
"Cat!" she whispered.
The gift was from a woman whom
Mrs. Maillory thoroughly disliked,
and she had not tried to hide her feel
ings. The woman, through ambi
tions of her own, had persistently
clung to Mrs. Maillory, and had used
her name as the entree into many
fashionable gatherings. As she
looked at the jewel, Mrs. Maillory
could have crushed its delicate beau
ty in her hand.
The stately footman came Into the
room, th'e picture of shocked dignity.
Janette was about to take the brown
paper parcel which the irate man held
out stiffly before him, then started
back with a little scream.
"The impertinence!" she cried.
"What does thi: mean?" asked
Mrs. Maillory, haughtily.
"A very ragged little girl left this
awful package, madam. She insisted
on its being given to you."
"Bring it to me."
The footman gave the crumpled
bundle to his mistress. .
"Misses Malry," was written in a
round, childish scrawl. A strange
feeling came over the woman.
"You may go," she said to Janette
and the man, and the maid withdrew
reluctantly.
When the hard knots of the string
were finally taken off. Mrs. Maillory
exeaitned In surprise. A little note,
written in the same childish hand,,
was pinned to the curious pink cam
bric square. The note ran:
"Dear Misses Malry: You don't
know me but you c?.m to our house
wile ago and brot things when Jonnle
the baby had mesles. You wuz good
to us, and we like you. We wish you
a mery Chriomus. The thing I made
you is for your hankerchuf.
"MAMIE O'DONNELL."
"What does the child mean?"
thought Mrs. Maillory in great sur
prise.
The she remembered. The O'Don
nells were on her charity list. She
looked at the gift. It was a pink cam
bric square, the four corners turned
back and tied with a ribbon. The
stitches were large and uneven, the 1
cambric was soiled and the ribbon
old. She looked closely at the ribbon.
It had been used, evidently as a hair
ribbon. Suddenly a thought came to
the woman she remembered the day
perfectly when she had brought ease
and comfort to little Johnnie. The
mother was away at work, and the
little sister kept house and cared for
the baby brother. The child had
showed this pink ribbon proudly to
the visitor; her "Sunday ribbon," she
told her.
The great lady fingered the soiled,
gaudy piece of pink cambric and rib
bon gently, almost reverently, and
there were tears in her voice as she
said softly:
"Her one treasure, her bit of a rib
bon she gave it to me she gave it
to me because it is Christmas."
With a sob that was half joy, half
sorrow, she laid her head over on the
queer, shabby little offering and wept
away all the grief and lonely heart
ache, for in the gift of a little child
she had found her real Chrismas.
Boston Globe.
IDinner
Ifor
r1 r"t-t-v r
ii ion i iaj
Tide
CrtRlSTttAS AENU
Olives CeLery
RomTTurfcy r. Cranberry Jelly
flashed roraroey
Bafvid Txacaroni and Cheese
. Srufcd Pcppcn With Rice
W JJ Doilecl Dmonv ,
Tomato and Lerrucealad
French Drcyirvo
Chmrmoj toajiej FKnt "Pudding
' rtarcOauce
. , Chicken Broth with Rice:
bread SrtcK;. fcread-and- Butter
,5ondwiehe or Bread1 and-Orange
jAdrroalade. Jelly Sandvichcj.
iiady BdjW- Sftrinqcrtie- ice Cream
T FTS MESSAGE SUMMARIZED
Washington, Specifi. naving as
sembled and recived the President's
annual message, Congress Tuesday
found itself literally "out of work' r'
and in consequence both houses ad
journed until Friday when if some of
the various committees fail to pro
vide something- to do, adjournment
wil be taken until Monday next.
Opposition to the proposed imme
diate congressional investigation
the sugar import scandals in the New
York custom house, and likewise to
any further revision of the tariff at
present, absence of any specific rec
ommendation regarding the crisis in
tions of legislation to forbid the is
Nicaragua, and actual recommenda
suancc f judicial injunctions in la
bor without notice in labor controver
sies and for the establishment of a
system of postal savings banks, may
be considered the most striking fea
tures of the first annual message of
President Taft to Congress.
The Nicaraguan question, conserva
tion of the nation's natural resources,
needed amendments to the anti-trust
and interstate commerce acts, and
the contemplated revision of the Fed
eral statutes governing the organiza
tion of the armed forces of the na
tion in times of war are all reserved
for possible treatment later in spec
ial messages.
In his message, which bulks some
17,000 words, Mr. Taft reports the
country to be "in a high state of
prosperity" and he adds that "there
is every reason to believe that Ave
ar orr the eve of a substantial busi
ness expansion, and we have just gar
nered a harvo unexampled in the
market value of our agricultural pro
ducts.'' The President expresses entire con
fidence that the duty imposed upon
the Executive, of enforcing the maxi
mum rates of the new tariff law
against nations unduly discriminat
ing against the United States will not
provoke any tariff war, and he favors
no further tariff tinkering at least
until the new tariff commission shall
have completed its work of gather
ing information as to the relative
cost of producing dutiable articles
in this country and abroad. This
task he expects will occupy two or
three years.
Projects Us commended.
Projects recornended by the Presi
dent, in addition to those mentioned
above, include:
A ship subsidy to encourage Amer
ican shipping.
Publicity of political contributions
in elections of members of Congress,
Civil pensions.
A higher rate of postage on period
icals and magazines.
A fund of $50,000 to aid in sup
pressing the "white slave" trade.
A commission to evolve a plan to
expedite legal procedure and miti
gate the "law's delays. "
Construction of an artificial island
and fourtification in the' entrance to
Chesapeake bay, tw battleships and
one repair ship for the navy and
the establishment of an extensive na
val bfise at Pear island. Hamaii.
A national bureau of health.
Statehood for New Mexico and
Arizona, and an appointive Governor
and executive council for Alaska.
Civil control of the light house
board and separation of the nation
al astronomical observatory from na
val control.
Celebration in 1913 of the semi
centennial of negro emancipation,
and reimbursement of the depositors
of the defunct Freedman's Trust and
Savings Company.
Consolidation of the bureaus of
manufactures and statistics in the
Department of Commerce and Labor.
Appropriation for the remodeling
of the District of Columbia jail.
Central American Affairs.
Calling attention to th crisis in
Central American a'ffairs brought
about by the summary execution in
Nicaragua of two Americans, the
President announces that this gov
ernment has terminated diplomatic
relations with the Zelayan adminis
tration in Nicaragua and intends to
take such further steps as mav be
found most "consisten" with Its" dig
nity, its duty to American inteersts
and its moral obligations to Central
America ami to civilization."
In opposing any immediate investi
gation of the New York custom house
scandal the President takes the
grrfund that such investigation
"might, by giving immunity and oth
erwise, prove an embarrassment in
scuring conviction of the guilty oar
ties." A proposal submitted by the Sec
retary oT the Tresaury that the ex
ecutive department's deficit for the
current fiscal year estimated at
$73,075,620 be met by the issuance
of Panama bonds authorized by Con
gress, is approved by the President.
He explains that in order to avoid
a deficit for the ensuing fiscal year
ending June 30, 1911, estimates have
been cut to the bone and instead of a
deficit there will be a surplus of $35,
931,000, excluding payments on the
Panama canal which are expected to
be taken care of by bonds.
The President records with pleas
ure the satisfactory arangement
made for the arbitration of the im
portant North American fisheries is
sue with Canda and the successful
prosecution of the work of the com
missions adjusting other boundary is
sues and the lake fisheries. He urees
an international conference to devise
measures for the protection of fur
seals. He is hopeful of a happy ad
justment of the Congo question and
expresses his desire to. afford a larg
er measure of protection to the little
negro State of Liberia. Satisfaction
is expressed with the declaration by
Japan and Russia in favor of the
"open door" and appropriations are
asked for the expenses of the Pan
American Congress to be held in
Buenos Ay res and for participation
in the Belgian exposition, both sched
uled for next year.
"The total deficit for the last fiscal
year in the Postomee Deoar'.ment
amounted to $17,500,000 The
branches of its busines -which it did
at a loss were the second-class mail
service, in. which the toss as already
said was $03,000X00, and the' free
rural delivery in which the loss was
$28,000,000. ' These losses were in
part offset by the profits of the letter
postage and other sources of income
It would seem wise to reduce the loss
upon second-class mail matters, at
least to the ertent of preventing a
deficit in the total operations of the
protofhee."
"I urgently recommend to Cong
ress that a law be passed requiring
that candidates in elections of mem
bens of the House of Representatives
and committees in charge of their
candidacy and campaign, file in
proper office of the United States
government a statement of the con
tributions received and of the expen
ditures incurred in the campaign
for such elections, and that similar
legislation be enacted in respect, to
all other elections which are consti
tutionally within the control of Con
gress. ' '
Ice Trust i3 Convicted.
New York, Special. The Ameri
can Ice Company was found guilty
Friday in the State Supreme Court of
restricting competition in and at
tempting to create a monopoly of he
sale of ice. The jury was out one
hour and forty minutes and when
the foreman announced the verdict
the court immediately imposed the
maximum sentence of $5,000 fine, un-
i der the provisions of the so-called
11 ' ij 1 l n i , .
uonneny anii-monopoiy J aw ox tins
State.
Many Bills Introduced.
"Washington, Special. As an indi
cation of activity in the interest of
legislation, Senators Friday intro
duced more than 350 bills and resolu
tions covering a great variety of sub
jects. Many of these measures fail
ed of passage during the last Con
gress and 80 per cent of them will
receive scant consideartion this ses
sion. Many are for pensions that
could not be granted under the law7.
Two Battleships Collide.
Washingtn, Special. The battle
ships Georgia and Nebraska collided
Thursday afternoon while engaged in
tactical exercises off the Virginia
capes. The effects of the collision
were not serious and the two ships
were able to return to Hampton
Roads Frday with the entire fleet.
Rivets in the two vessels were strain
ed. This information came to the
Navy Department Friday afternoon
CENT
BELOW any other
sun MfT
imvw "ww mj
or on any kind of terms,
logues lllustratme and
Dicycles, old patterns and
PRICES and wonderful
mm
aireci vo naer wun no miaaiemen s pronts.
WE SHIP OBI APPROVAL without e cent deposit, Pay the Fretgk and
allow 10 Days Free Trial and make other liberal itnns. which no other
house in the world will do. You will learn everything and get murh valu
able information by simply writing us a postal.
We need a Ride A Stent in every town and can offer an opportunity
to make money to suitable young men who aypiy at once.
8.SQ SIM
Regular Prizto $
U C&.'t . t-vo't-
80
To Introduce
Wo Wilt Sell
You m Sample
Pan fen Only
MAILS. TACKS
Cii GLASS
WONT LET
OUT THE AIR
ft (.CASH WITH ORDER $4.55;
NO MORE TROUBLE FROM PUNCTURES.
Result of is years experience in tire
making. No danger from THORNS.
ME
TUS, PINS, NAILS. TACKS or CLASS.
Uerious punctures, like intentional knife cute,
be vulcanized like anv other tire.
Two Hundred Thousand pairs now in actual us. Over
Seventy-five Thousand pairs sold last year.
DESORIPTICM l Made in all sizes. It is lively and easy riding, very durable and lined usir'
with a special quality of rubber, which never becomes porous and which closes up small pmtctui
without allowing the air to escape. Ve have hundreds of letters fiom satisfied customers tsrin0
that their tires have onlv been Dumped wnonceor twice in r whole euSoa. Thcv weiarb no more than
an ordinary tire, the puncture resisting qualities being $iven by several layers of thin, specially
prepared fabric on the tread. That ''Holding Bnck" sensation commonly felt when riding on asphalt
or soft roads is overcome by the patent "Basket Weave" tread which prevents U1 air fraaa bVmg
flo"-!ied out between the tire aud the rood thus
tires is $8.50 per pair, bat for advertising purposes we are making a special factory price to the ridel
of onlv I. 80 per pair. All orders .shipped same day letter is received. We ship C.O.!. on approval
You do not pay a cent irhtil you have examined and found them s'.iictly as represented.
We will allow a -asJi discount of 5 percent (therebv mnkine- the price Mil per pair if vou send
FULL cash wuu u tc a u k. ana enclose mis
plated brass hand pump and two Sampson metal
puncture ci users 10 oe useu in case 01 micnuouai itnuc cuh or pea.y pasnes). 1 ires 10 oc rruiruef)
at OUb expense if for any reason the; are not satisfactory examination.-
We are. perfectly reliable and money sent to us is as safe as in a bank.. Ask year Postrnastrt
Banker, Express or Freight Age it or the Editor of this paper about ''v. Zl you order a pair;
these tires, you will find that they will ride easier, run faster, wear better, last longer aad look
finer than any tire yoa have ever used or seen at any price. Ve knew that yon will be so well pleased
that when you want a bicycle vou will give as 700J order. We want j3u to send us a small trial
order at once, hence this it mark able tire offer
f0 M errP SOAVrC aJlt-up-wnee saddles, pedals, pa j and repairs. n4
IrffAd M Bn0ffAnCdy everything in the bicycle line are sold by as at half the usua
prices charged by dealers az4 repair men. Write for our big SUNDRY catalogue.
nn afriT uvArr ut wrUe us a p031 toda7- !" no1 thikk. of buvjm;
EMU twtl i WW II bicycle or a pa'-- of tires from anyone until you know the new ana
Wonderful offers we are making. It only cots a postal to learn-everythiag. Write It r' '
MEaL3YCLE COMPANY,0 Dent. H ' L" CHIC8liLL
NEVS: GLE.1XTXC3.
Cnns:re?s opened with the "regu
lars" in supreme control.
Fredei-ic C. Salons, the African,
hunter who practically c itfkied the
Roosevelt party, arrived in Nevr York
City.
Mayor-elect Gayrtor cX New TOrk
City will stare his administration with
a debt incurring limL cl about 5150,
000,000. Fear that Iteavy borrowing by the
Treasury will oc?ur in England pre
vents a reducticn of the uanl: rate
from five per cent.
Antonio Pernande." was killed at
Nice by l'aliing from a high altitude!
with hiu aeroplane, which capsized
making a sharp turn.
The Suffragettes in London re
sumed militant tactics and attempted
to interrupt 'meetings addressed by
Winston Churchill and Sir Edward
Grey.
Joseph Corrat.o shot his wiCe, tired
I V V - lk .11. V v, u 'J t w
iUades through Vv mother's door
I escaped a crowd after a family)
fusil
and'
disturbance-? at No. 1SS3 Second ave
nue, New York City.
Alfred Summers .tclynsr.n,
foundling- now fifty-oaa years of ag
filed a bill in chancery in Trentoii,
N. J., in an effort to a3C3"iaia his
parentage and possible heritage.
Herbert Kno.v Smith. Commissioner
of Corporations ac Washington. . C,
criticises conditions in the New York
Cotton Exchange as responsible for
real injury to producers and mer
chants. I The cruiser Prairie, viai rasrlnes
j and munitions cZ war on board, re
i inair.ad fast in the mud o" the De!a-'
ware Rive, desnite all effarcs to free
her, while the Db:e took the marines
and her cargo and proceeded to Nic
aragua. A CLEANING HINT
Porcelain lined bYh tubs?
rid-
wash bowls are
quickly and d'ec
tiiaiiv cleaned ?:
f1! si stift oni .i inn-
ped in vaseline,
tightly corked,
r-losot. where it
Have a hotile,
in the bnthrom
is always r-t hand.
but avoid accident hy beeping this.
:!angerous fluid away from lig'.ity anrfj
Ore. Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Are a Necessity i
in the Country 7
Home.
The farther you are rcmovejd
from town to railroad station, the
more the telephone will save in
time and horse flesh. No man "lzs
a right to compel one of the faxtirv
to lie in agony for hours while tJl
drives to town for the doctor. Tel
ephone and save half the surTeritix
Our Free Book tells how to or-f
ganize, build and operate tele
phone lines and systems.
Instruments sold on thirty days
trial to responsible parties.
THE CADIZ ELECTRIC CO..
201 GCC Building, Cadiz OUe,
ALL IT WILL COST 00
io write for our big FREE BICTCUE cats logos
showing the most complete line of b iErh-e.-ade
BICYCLES, TIKES and SUNIiKIESat
manufacturer or dealer is the world. a
maw m miti f
emw m mm awvw m mi at any nu
at amy ricr,
e Frew CnUt-
until you hare received our complete Fpo i -nta
des?ribinsr every kind of high-grade and low-gradi
ing every kind of high-grade and low-grade
latest models, and learn ol cur remarkable IA W
new otters made possible by selling from factory
- PROOF TIRES N kl
PEA P.Uf
CAC
Notice the thick rubber treat
"A" and pane tore stripe '
and "I," also rim strip H"
to prevent rim cutting. Thia
tire will outlast any other
make SOFT, ELASTIC ad
KASYT IUDLNGL m
oveicomms all Paction. The rveuJar nrice of these
veniMmem. we wiu also send
nickel
pancturt. closers oc full paid orders (these metal
mnffTr&t?mTjBimanwSSxIznlnn
BgyfiSsSBrlflBPp liBplnnnnnmnnnnnnMnlanwnwa MKf