Decatur Democrat, Volume 50, Number 43, Decatur, Adams County, 27 December 1906 — Page 2

I Br Frank H. Sweet 4 <IX>FYIMfiMT,n®(IIXB, BY FRANK BL SWEET

(r “pomp!”

by distance, he raised his head a little and chuckled, then resumed his work, which was the driving of a large plug into the end of an immense log submerged in the water. “O-o-o, Pomp! Massa gwine scorch you if you ain’t hurry quick!’’ came the voice more sharply. “He say you gettin’ triflin’ an’ no ’count.” The stone was poised for an instant, then descended with two or three deliberate taps which completed the work. Pomp examined the end of the log critically. The plug was driven in level with the rest of the wood, so that to an average observer there was no sign that it had been tampered with. Even Pomp seemed satisfied, for he chuckled again and started back in a leisurely way toward the quarters. As he passed among the cabins on his way to the big house he met a

■TX-- ' /oPi! ■i i / wßtdi ■i ns MISOb/b vRSW:-$ 1 ■ - i &ct —■ 1 ' .’• zA « _ <E FOMP CAME BACK WITH HIS ARMS FULL.

dozen or more stalwart young fellows. They grinned at sight of Pomp. “So Tom done foun’ you!” one Os them jeered. “You better run ’long faster ’n dat, for massa been 'quire for you a plumb hour.”. “Dat show my ’portance,” said Pomp composedly. “But you mistake 'bout Tom findin’ me. He down there yet an’ shoutin’ hisse’f ho’se. I come roun’ ’bout way, so he ain’ see me. Exercise good for Tom. an’ he ain’ dar’ come back till he - find me. An’, oh, say. Mose! De backlog’s ready. De top ,jes’ touch out de water. Dat show it soak plumb smack all de way t’rou’. Dat log burn two whole weeks shore.” “Huh! Huh!” scoffed several of the hands. “Who ever hear backlog burn over one week?” “Plenty people gwine hear it dis year,” declared Pomp. “You know we hab holiday jes’ long ’s de backlog burn.” Colonel Belknap was on his veranda smoking when Pomp approached him, cap in hand. “Hello, you black rascal!” he said explosively. “So you’re here at last. Why didn’t you come when Tom first called you?” “Call me?” innocently. “I declar’ I ain’ seen Tom dis day. Where he call me at?” “Everywhere, I imagine,” dryly. “I’ve been hearing his voice yelling your name for the last hour, and loud enough to be heard two miles off. Where.have you been?” “Workin’ at the backlog, massa. You J* know you tol’ ”— “Yes, told you six weeks ago that you f Wight get the backlog because, though yon-re a trusty enough fellow la other ways, you’re a past master at shirking when it comes to work. And through all these six weeks you have made that pj-i backlog bear the burden of your misdeeds. Even a lazy boy ought to cut a log in half a day.” “It’s—it’s in de cypress swamp now, massa.” “Well, I sent Tom straight to the swamp after you,” looking at him keenly. “How did you miss him?” “Reckon we both come t’other way ’bout, massa, an’ didn’t see neither of us,” Pomp answered frankly. “But I *low I better h”~ry right back an’ find

OMP! O-o, Pomp! i Pompey!” The I call went through ’ the quarters, through the shadowy live oaks beyond, under whose moss drap--1 ed branches the ground was dim | even at midday, and on into the I cypress swamp to a black pool over which a black boy was crouching. A s the call came to hi m, mellowed

uat rom. He’s such a scare ooay ne mout holler roun’ in de swamp all night an’ git lost an’ mebbe break his voice. I go right now.” “No, I think you’d better stay here, Pomp," Colonel Belknap said blandly. “Now that I’ve caught you I shall I keep you. I’m going to lock you into the harness room and keep you there until the last buckle is cleaned and polished. Once you get out of my sight I can’t expect to see you again until every string on your banjo is broken and the last possum in the woods caught” Pomp showed his teeth; then his face sobered. “Don’ you beliebe dat, massa,” he said earnestly. “Mebbe I’s light headed an’ quick heeled, but I ain’ no runabout dat don’ car’ for his own massa. de bes’ in de worl’. Jes’ soon’s dat backlog burns out I’s gwine ' be ready for work, an’ you ain’t need ■ call me.” “Well, I hope you will, Pomp,” more kindly. “Last Christmas the backlog b.. .?d a week, only going out on the l seventh day. Even the greenest, most cross grained log of black oak wouldn’t be apt to bum that long behind a good fire. It struck me the log might have been soaking in water for some time. , Do you think your log will burn a week. Pomp?” , “Why—er—yes, massa, I spects it will,” Pomp confessed, “an’—an’ mebbe a little more. But you said las’ year dat you liked It an’ ’j’yed it much as we all.” , “So I did, Pomp, and I hope the log will burn its full week, and I shall not ask any of you to do a hand turn of 1 work except the necessary chores until It burns out. But I hope on the Mon-

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COLONEL BELKNAP. gt roll g enough to lift a shovel. I don’t quite like that. I shall only hire out the ablebodied men for whom I have no work on the plantation just now, and none of them need go against his will. 1 think we can muster about 300, Pomp, and 1 want you all to feel it will be partly for your own interest. Half the money I receive from the railroad will be used In rebuilding the cabins at the quarters. I hope you will be able to make your log burn out its full week and that you will be ready for the contract work the following Monday. This con- . tract means a”— He stopped abruptly and turned away, apparently forgetful t of his threat to lock Pomp in the har- ( ness room. But Pomp had no intention of benefiting by the onaission. As he went chuckling toward the room his thoughts were on the absurdity of the log burning out in one week. “If he’d done " said ’bout two Mondays ahead’ he’d Famous Strike Breakers. The most famous strike breakers in the land are Dr. King’s New Life Pills. When liver and bowels go on strike, they quickly settle the trouble, and the ’ purifying work goes right on. Best I cure for constipation, headache and l dizziness. 25c at Blackburn Pharmacy. [ at the sneeze stage.”

day after the holidays you will be ready to strike that railroad work heartily. What do the boys think of it?” “ ’Bout you hirin’ us out to dig on de new railroad bed, massa? Well, I reckon dey fabors it a heap. Massa Ben Cudder, on de ribber plantation, gwine hire out 500 han’s to de railroad boss.” “So I hear. But that will take every man, woman and child on his plantation who is

come clo. he muttered gleefully. ‘•‘Jes’ a week ain' make no difrunce 'bout de railroad work, an’ ob co’se dem cabins Is plenty good for we all to sleep in.” Five evenings later most of the negroes were gathered at the big house.

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“LOOK HEAII, YOU name of p omp story teller. with added respect. Colonel Belknap, too, glanced frequently at the log, but in his glances were trouble and apprehension. It was an open Christmas,’ and the great blaze in the fireplace made it necessary to throw wide the doors and windows. Among the negroes who lingered about the open doorway was a slim, furtive eyed fellow, a visitor from the Cudder plantation. “You shorely did fin’ a good backlog when you hunted dat chunk,” he said to Pomp. “I reckon it gwine las’ ’bout two more weeks.” “I reckon,” Pomp acquiesced laconically. He did not like the fellow. “An’ you all ain’ gwine work on de railroad till it bu’ns out?” “Dat’s right,” Pomp said, and he could not forbear adding, “You Cudder boys gwine start in dis nex’ Monday, I hear.” The fellow* scowled. “Dat’s nuffin’,” he retorted. “We all ain’ scared to work, an’ ’sides, it’s you Belknap boys dat’s gwine to do de cryin’. I hear your massa In tight place, an’ If he ain’ raise money soon somet’lng gwine be sol’. I ’low dat ’bout fifty ob you black boys be sol’ down de ribber, an’ cose it gwine be de fines’ ones, like Pomp an’ Mose. He, he!” “Look heah, you story teller,” began Pomp hotly, but the fellow sniffed. “It’s all de trufe,” he declared. “I hear Massa Cudder say so hisse’f. If your fin’ massa ain’ get dis railroad work, somet’ing gwine be sol’ up sure. An’ cose he ain’ get de work, for de railroad boss say he take nobody dat ain’ start in on Monday, an’ your bigoty massa ain’ able to start you in till dat log bu’n out. He, he! You do mighty good job for Massa Cudder, Pomp, when you fin’ dat log. You gib him all de railroad work. Your massa”—

His sentence was suddenly cut short, for Pomp had him by the shoulders and sent him spinning down the steps. “Dat Cudder done sen’ him here to spy roun’,” muttered Pomp. “Dey’s bofe dat mean. I seed it in de feller’s eyes.” Pomp went straight to Colonel Belknap, who was standing by a window, looking gloomily out at the darkness. “You like for we all to start on de railroad work Monday, massa?” he, asked in a low voice. “Can’t do it, Pomp,” a little drearily. “The boys won’t consent till the log burns out, and that is good for another week at least” “I d’know ’bout dat massa,” Pomp whispered confidentially. “You see, logs like dat fuss an’ fuss till dey’s warm an’ dry -all de way frough, den dey jes’ flare up quick like powder. I spects. dat log gwine bu’n out ’fore Monday.” That night after the whole bouse was asleep, Pomp raised a window and stepped into the living room softly. An hour was spent at the fireplace, where the great log smoldered dully. Twice Pomp went to the window and came back with his arms full. Then he stole out, closing the window noiselessly behind him. An hour later there was such a roaring and crackling in the great fireplace as to waken several of the house servants and bring them and Colonel Belknap into the room. The fireplace was a lurid mass of roaring flames. “Well, well!” Colonel Belknap ejaculated at length, with a long breath. “Pomp was right about its starting up like powder. But why?” Monday morning 300 stalwart negroes filed away from the Belknap plantation toward the new railroad where work was to begin. But it was not until the work was completed and all the gloom gone from Colonel Belknap’s face that one day he caught Pomp by himself and collared him, “Now, you young rascal,” he said, “tell me about that backlog.” “Well, den," Pomp said desperately, as he found he could not escape, “I jes’ had a holler in de log full ob water, wid teenty holes all roun’ for de water to seep t’rough an’ keep t’ings damp. Co’se de fire couldn’ bu’n good.” “But about its starting up?” Again Pomp tried to squirm away, but in vain. “I—l jes’ slipped in de winder dat night an’ took de plugs out an’ jammed de log tight wid fat pitch wood,” he stammered. “Co’se de log had to bu’n den. Dat was all.” Colonel Belknap released him. “No, not quite all, Pomp,” he said thoughtfully. burning out of the log meant deliverance from ruin. You are a graceless scamp, bomp, but next Christmas, if all goes well, you shall make the backlog burn for two weeks,” Wanted Advlee. ▲ beauty adviser says, “For tender eyes make an infusion of”— Oh, bosh! Every girl knows how to make tender eyes without advice from any specialists.—Minneapolis Tribune. ... . -Avii&aafiEiS

Christmas With The Sky Dwellers • ■ The First Stop on Santa Claus’ Reindeer Route. TO land a snorting reindeer six-in-hand on the roof of a New York skyscraper requires pretty skillful handling of the lines, but Santa Claus is the man who can do it without Jarring a brick off the chimneys. Why should he want to stop at such a queer depot? you ask. Because there are hundreds of little children living right in the very center of New York who have never pressed their tender feet upon the brown earth, climbed trees, played in the grass or experiehced the thousand and one pleasures so common to everyday life. They live above the clouds, twenty stories or more above the real things of the world, but nearer by those twenty stories to the stars, the angels—and Santa Claus. Their aerial dwellings are his first stopping places on his annual Christmas journey through the atmosphere. Born hundreds of feet above the haunts of ordinary mortals, these little ones often pass years of their lives in their dizzy homes without a thought of what is going on so far below them. Their fathers are the superintendents, engineers and janitors of these lofty buildings. Upon the very roofs of these great pillars of steel cozy, home breathing cottages have been erected. Here, right up against the sky, the children live and play from morning until night. They never miss the green fields and the tall trees, for they have never known them. Their playgrounds are the expansive roofs of the big buildings, and they are as free as the air. While the smaller children pass their early years at home with their mothers twenty stories above everybody, their older brothers and sisters attend school with the little ones living far down on the streets. In the evenings e'"" ' § fl| B s II If A Jff\ i u -—- TWO LITTLE SKY DWELLERS;.; ’ , they tell a gaping crowd of sky. dwellers the sights they have seen while going to and from school. The “skyscraper twins,” who were born on top of one of New York’s highest buildings and who so far have gone through life together as they started upon the journey, often think of the great day to come when they will go down the elevator and be among the toy people they have seen so far below them crawling along the sidewalks. These twins, who are the pride of course, of their father and mother, have never been away from the roof on which they were born. Life has been one short and happy dream to them. They do not know what a street car really looks like, for they have merely seen the shapeless, dingy roofs of the “L” trains as they squirm along their crooked ways like some short, thick snake with square head and tail. They are full of health and have rosy cheeks and big, dancing, bright eyes. This means that they eat well, sleep well and enjoy life. There are seesaws and swings high up among the clouds on some of the skyscrapers and the ever present little red express wagon so dear to the small boy’s heart. Races are run on the iron roofs, and top spinning and marble playing are favorite sports. There are deaths on the tops of the skyscrapers as well as births. One of I the saddest of these was that of a little I boy who had gone down to the street | for the first time to play and was crushed to death by a heavy truck. A family of nine children born to one couple who have lived on the same roof for nearly forty years shows that race suicide has Its enemies there. Five of these children have grown to manhood and are in the public service as policeman, fireman or mall carrier. Dogs and cats are numerous on the skyscrapers. The children there are as well off for four footed playmates as • those on the earth. Some have never ! known anything else but the roof, • where they play by day and howl all night long to their hearts* content.— i New York Times. <

picking their banjos, singing, laughing and gorging the mselves on the good things that were spread out lavishly for them. Many were in the living room, in which was the huge fireplace, with its backlog, not yet a quarter burned. From time to time the negroes looked at it wjnderingly and made comments and spoke the

F. SCHEIMAN’S FIRST ADDITION An Ordinance Passed First Reading Calling for Water Meters—Bonds to be Ordered—Bills Allowed. The council met in regular session Thursday evening, Mayor Coffee presiding and every councilman answering to roll call. Upon motion by Burns the reading of the minutes was dispensed with until the next regular meeting and the council then proceeded to hear objections to the assessment roll on the North Second street improvement. After listening to complaints for nearly an hour, Burns moved that a special meeting be held in the near future, the same to be called by the mayor, when the street matter will be further considered and the matter adjusted to the satisfaction of all concerned. Attorney John F. Snow, on behalf of Fred Scheiman, presented a petition to the council, asking that the council take in a part of his property situated in the south part of the, city and that the same should be known as Fred Scheiman first addition to the city of Decatur. With his petition was filed a plat, which shows the exact location of his property and where the lots will lay, together with their numbers. Christen, however, moved that the petition be referred to the judiciary committee, they to report at the next regular meeting. The matter of selling the old tile now located at the water works plant was referred to the purchasing committee, with power to act. The petition of Fred and C. C. Schafer, asking that an appraiser be appointed to appraise the value of a party wall between their property and the property of the heirs of W. H. Niblick, deceased, was read, but was not acted upon and went over to the next meeting. An ordinance regulating how all water should be used within the city limits and prescribing that every party who uses water shall use it by meter, and fixing the penalty for the misusage of the same, was- read and successfully passed its first reading, and was then referred to the judiciary committee for several minor changes. The matter of the inferior coal that is now being furnished the city by the Sunday Creek Coal company was taken up and discussed and was referred to the purchasing committee for adjusment. Christen moved that the purchasing committee be instructed to purchase the necessary bonds for the new improvements recently put in on North and South First street and North Second street, which the city will be forced to issue within the next thirty days. This motion carried. The report of the finance committee on the reports of the clerk and treasurer for the month of November was read and adopted by the council and the reports were ordered spread of record. ¥ll6 resolution authorizing the city clerk to draw his orders on the treasurer for the quarterly salaries ending December 31st was read and adopted Uy the council. The following bills w’e're then read and allowed: bld Adams County Bank $338 99 Old Adams County bank . 225 00 'Wiliam Geary 10 00 Sam Frank ». 45 00 P. J. Hyland 6 20 (Henry Peters 12 80 Geo. Keiser & Co 720 Bass Foundry & Machine W’ks 34 80 Union Oil Works 2118 D. F. Teeple 8132 G. R. & I. railroad 55 29 Joel Reynolds 450 James Swift 40 50 Joseph Mallonee 1 05 A. C. Gregory 15 00 C. O. France 800 Niblick & Co 8 00 Abe Stoneburner 450 G. R. & I. railroad 243 93 i National Bank 66 74 Wm. Burford 29 50 W. W. P. McMillen ... 500 C. & E. railroad 126 38 M. J. Mylott 238 00 M. J. Mylott - 19 71 W. E. Fulk 261 65 C. W. Hudson 3 50 C. Vogt 70 00 C. W. Bohnke 60 00 No further business coming before the council, they adjourned to meet at their next regular session. 1 . o BISHOP C. C. M’CABE IS BURIED I i Distinguished Methodists Attend the I Obsequies at New York. i ' NEW YORK, Dec. 20.—Simplicity marked the services at the funeral of ! the late Bishop C. C. McCabe in St. ( Paul’s Methodist church tonight. Many • prominent Methodist clergymen and • laymen of New York and Brooklyn i were present. Bishop D. A. Goodsell, of Boston, read the funeral service. 5 With him were Bishops Bashford of ’ China, Neely of Bueons Ayres, and E. f C. Andrews, retired, with the Rev. Drs. Eckman, pastor of St. Paul’s; Dr. J. M. 1 Buckley and William V. Kelley. Bishop ■ Andrews paid affectionate tribute to the dead bishop. y,, -

INTERPRETER WAS NECESSARY K William Lautzenhiser and Lizzie Long Neither of Whom Can Speak or Hear, Became Man and Wife. fll ? Squire James H. Smith, in all prob- « ability has the distinction of perform- W ing the most unique wedding ceremony fl that has been performed in this county fl and city for years, when he united A Miss Lizzie Long and William Lautzenhiser, both residents of this county, 1| in marriage. The peculiar part of the I entire preceding was that both of the I contracting parties were deaf and dumb, and when the squire arrived at the clerk’s office to tie the knot, he was not informed of his fact until he had made several unsuccessful attempts to get the bride and groom to talk The clerk then informed him of ’ their affliction and for a while the squire was in a quandry how to proceed. Mrs. Abe Rawley, who accom- -s panied the bridal couple then came to the rescue of the squire and consented to act as interpreter, which she did in a proficient manner and the ‘ ceremony was performed without any further hitch. The couple are two of i Adams county's well known people and both come of well respected families. After the ceremony the couple left the court house seemingly happy and conversing with each other in their own language. They will make their future home in Blue Creek township. o w AN INCREASE IN BOX RENT Goes Into Effect at Once and Rent Must be Paid Strictly in I Advance. fl Postmaster Frisinger is in receipt of 1 a new schedule of prices for box rent 1 at the Decatur postofflce, which goes into effect at once. The new rule I means an advance of 25 cents on each j and every mail box in the local of- || flee. Heretofore the small boxes have rented for 35 cents per quarter; me- I dium size, 50 cents, and the large size, p 75 cents. Hereafter an additional 25 cents will be taxed against the box 1 renters, which means that those hav- I I ing a small box must pay 60 cents j every three months, medium size 75 Ml cents, and large size sl. I The rent has been due from the fl first to the tenth of the first month of the quarter while hereafter it must i| be paid between the 21st and 31st of II the month preceding the quarter. The department’ gives as a reason for the new order governing the box rent the fact that in many small towns the box rent is larger than in cities with larger posofflee receipts. The department intends placing the rent to harmonize with the receipts of the office. In Decatur the free delivery assists the residents much, and only a few business men have boxes at the J office. 1 MRS. MARY BOWEN IS DEAD I Was Eighty-Six Years Old and a Pio- M neer of This County—Funeral B. Saturday. , C Mrs. Mary Bowen, aged eighty-six f] years, died Wednesday at the home ■ of her daughter, Mrs. William Cully, H three miles northeast of Willshire, at i six thirty o’clock, after an illness of several weeks, death resulting from H old age and a complication of diseases. W The deceased was one of the oldest residents in that section of the county n and had resided in the same homestead ■ for years, settling there when that ■ section was but a wilderness.. She had been ailing for several weeks, but ■ [yesterday appeared to be some better, and last evening ate a hearty supper. In a short time she retired and it was then she took a sudden turn for the worse and in a few minutes expired. The funeral services will be held Saturday morning at the U. B. church ■ at Wren, the funeral cortege leaving ■ the house at ten o’clock and interment fl will be made in the Wren cemetery, fl She leaves eight children to mourn fl their loss. The grandsons will act in I the capacity of pall bearers. —- — 1 o A western editor has discovered that I the best way to keep the boys on the I farm is to induce the girls to stay kJ’.■ there first. This appears a very sim- I pie solution to a problem that has I been vexing the minds of our political I economists for a number of years. Upon the investigation of N. K. Todd, sent as a representative, of the 1 Merchants’ and Manufacturers’ assoelation of this city, to investigate the standing and stability of the United j States Mica and Milling ' Company, fl| . seeking a location in this city, the as- K sociation has decided to turn down the Wl j proposition advanced by this concern. Mr. Todd returned last night fromfl South Bend where he was in ication with reputable parties | were conversant with the conditions ofl Banner * -