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VOL. xxx. Our Prices Are The Lowest. An Attractive, Artistic Assortment of BOYS’, MEN’S AND CHILDREN’S CLOTHING And a Complete Line of Ladies’ Ready* to=Wear Skirts and Shirt Waists. We are now offering the finest Clothing and Fur nishings at the very lowest prices. We invite you to visit us and inspect cur stock before purchasing. I. C. LEVY’S SON & CO, Tailor-Fit Clothiers. 838 Broad St., - - Augusta, Ga. /Neat Printing Creates a good impression among your 'Correspondents and. helps to give vour busin-■ ss prestige. We Do Neat Printing at Reasonable Prices. 6*- T. NfSAILi, lliswopist. Will bo found ;it his office in Thoinon tat first Monday in oaeli month and remain two weeks. TEETH KXTItA CT/if: WITHOUT l'A 7V. PLATE WOKi A SPECIALTY JAMES IS. CMATt, DEALER LV DRY GOODS, DRESS GOODS, NOTIONS., BOOTS and SHOES and HATS. I curry a T*irg and Solot Stock af TTirat-ClctE G-roceries, —CONSISTING OF Bacoa, flour, llsal, Lard Sugar, Coffee, Molasses, Tobacco. ALSO PLOWS, SHOVELS, HOES and all Farmitg Implement?. i— I —%i w .-wwnwc -rz v* -Tn rrim ii I—■ Itm 111 ■■■ ———u— jo is At R. fimss, Cotton ZF’suotor, THOMSON, o:;o^gia— I hereby snnoiiDce 'o the Farriers of MoUnfßa and neighboring counties tht I have but it in Thomson a COTTON IVAREECUSE tOIt THE PURPOSE OF Storing and Sellincr Cotton. I giro this business my strict personal attention, and by soiling direct to export buyers, hope to be able to give the farmers the benefit of the Vtry Best Prices far their Cotton I am prepared to make advances on Cotton at a reasonable rate of interest, with goodsecurity. I solicit and hpo to morit a liberal pa ronage. Very respectfully, JOHN E, GROSS* JOB PRINTING^- * Is an art. Nojil, altraclive work calrht. * tin* Low prices, In conjunction will. * good work, pleases customers. "i" We Ab Prepares (o Fill Your Orders ia this Line THOMSON. GA., SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1903. THE MAN AND HIS CHANCE. BEFORE a writing table In the morning room of n country vicarage a girl was sitting, t* pen in liaml. Young— not uiore than twenty-two—she was pretty, with delicate, thoughtful-looking fea tures. There Was a sheet of paper bofqro her, but she had not Written a word. She sat gwsiug !U it In abstract ed fashion, apparently deep in thought. At length, ns if unable to arrive t nny decision, she rose with a sigh, and tnartg net way across to the window nhd looked out. It was a cold, bright afternoon, and the view showed a stretch of country denuded of every trace of green covering. In the dis tance, some two miles away, the small town of Sonningfurd could he Been, the roofs of the houses glinting in the dying rays of the Winter sun. The girl’s eyes drifted to where a down stretched high away. On the top were some old stone ruins, and, her glance resting on these, thoughts of some bygone hours spent there crowd ed hack to her mind, As she medi tated tlie tears came to her eyes. “\Y-j weren’t so far apart then!'’ she murmured; “now. it is different.” She turned Away from the window, and caught up a newspaper from the table. A gleam cnim* Into her eyes as she looked nt It. "Two columns and a half!” she ex claimed, softly. She read a stray sen tence here and there. “Cheers—cheers —prolonged ministerial cheers!” There was a tap at the door, and she laid the paper down suddenly. A servant entered the room. "Mr. Mantell lias called, miss!” she announced. "Ask him to come in here, please,” the girl replied. She walked rapidly to her writing table and shut the cover of her east*. The next moment the door opened, and Mr. Mantell was shown in. He was a kindly faced old man, with white hair and lient shoulders, lie had a bundle of newspapers under his arm, which he put down on the table be fore holding out his hand to the girl. As she turned to greet him there was a tiny flush on both her cheeks. “All, my dear; I needn't ask how you are!” lie cried, as he clasped her hand. “Your looks tell their own tale. Father’s writing Ills sermon ,nisi n’t he disturbed on any account; ol course not! .So we two will have our chat together in here, eh?” Margaret pulled forward a chair to ward tin* lire. The old man warmed his hands at the blaze. “And when did you get back?” she asked. “This morning. Such a week, my dear Margaret! And directly I re turned I felt I must come over and toll you all about it." She bent down and arranged the cushion for him. “Very nice of you,” she said, in an even tone. “And how did you leave Laurence ?” “He was in splendid condition!” cried the old man. “And, of course, sent all sorts of kind messages to yon.” The girl turned away for a moment. “Ah, my dear!” lie went on, enthu siastically. “Never have I been so proud of my boy as I have this week. You would have been proud of him, too, Margaret!” he added, looking round at her fondly. “Yes,” she assented; “I am quite proud of him. He hails from Son ningford, you know!” she added, forcing a smile. The old man was still looking at her. “Yes,” lie said, musingly; “I wished you had been with me. Somehow, Margaret, you, of all the others, arc tlie one I most like to talk to about him. You never seem to tire of my enthusiasm—you take as much interest as I do. You are almost as a sister to him!” The girl was staring out of the win dow. “Yes—but your week, your splendid week?” she said, suddenly. “Ah, yes, my splendid week!” lie cried, rubbing bis hands. “lie took me everywhere—seemed proud to in troduce me as his father! They talk of lilm as the coming man, Margaret— the most promising of the young ones!” “That’s what the newspapers say,” she put in. “And it’s true—quite true!” lie said, eagerly. “If you could hear what the people I have met this week think of him! They say his brain is mar velous—that the country sorely jieeds men with reasoning faculties devel oped as his are!” The girl picked up the newspaper. “I read the full account of his speech,” she said. “Did you hear Him He nodded his head excitedly. “Yes; I was In the gallery. It was a wonderful speech, my dear! And the House, accustomed as it is to won derful speeches, wag fairly electrified. A thrill went through me as I gazed down on his straight young figure, his eyes gleaming, his face lighted with enthusiasm, the words coming out as a torrent, only pauslngyiow and again to let the cheers die rfown, and 7 real ized that he was my son—my only son!” finished the old man, with a tremble In his voice. Margaret did not speak for a mo ment. “Do you think It silly of me to he so proud?” lie asked, suddenly. “No, no!” she said, hastily. He pointed to the papers on the table. “His photograph Is in a lot of the weekly papers. I brought them for you to see.” “Thunk you,” she said, moving to wind lbe Bible. A sudden smile light A dp the (’rice Of 1 lie clii hlun. Ito lookV *uilekly at her. "And- hut I lmve hot loid y v the grout mv.s the thing that may hap pen!" he cried. “It is almost too won derful to believe!” She turned round swiftly. “Can you keep a secret, Margaret?” he asked, playfully. "As yet, It is only in the clouds, you know !” She forced a smile. ‘ I think I can/' she said; “On Wednesday Laurence was invit ed t<v rt great Minister’s reception. Alul What do you think, Margaret?— 1 went, too!” he cried, triumphantly. •Lord Ashbury heard that I was in town and insisted on Laurence bring ing me. Was it not kind of him? Everybody 1 was Introduced to spoke of Laurence's future. They said lie would be ih the Cabinet within the lvexi ten years, or. possibly, even less think of that, my dear—the Cab inet!” “But your news?” asked Margaret, quietly. The old lilai/s eyes gleamed. “It’s an open secret up there,” ho whispered, “that Lady Helen, Lord Ashbury’s daughter, Is in love.with him that lie lias only to say the word, and she will accept him!” He looked at Margaret to eoc the effect of his announcement, Appar ently she was perfectly unmoved, He eon Id not see that the hand behind her was trembling like a leaf, “Think 'what n marriage like that would mean for my hoy, Margaret!” lie cried. “Lord Ashbury, they say, lias no objection to the match. He thinks Laurence the man of the future. As his son-in-law, he would be of the greatest possible use in giving him ills influence. Them, again, Laurence lias only a few hundreds a year private money. Lady Helen is very wealthy, and could ghe him the position ill society lie will need. It would be a wonderful match. Margaret!” “Wonderful!” she said, in a low tone. “With such a marriage nothing can stop him. Me might he Premier, one day who knows! iTeinler, Mar garet !” he cried. She opened one of fix* papers. “And Lady II• b n what is she like?” she asked, calmly. The old man’s face lighted up. “Tail, graceful, a beautiful woman— a leader in society, a brilliant conver sationalist- one of the few women who know anything about politics!*’ he exclaimed. “And she is in love with Laurence, fascinated by his per sonality!” Tim girl turned over a leaf of the paper. “And what does he say?” she asked. “c'jiv! I never (brib'd to even hint of it to him!” he returned. “But,of course, lie would never be mad enough to let such a chance slip by! They arc ad mirably suited to one another. A daughter of Lord Ashbury, loo! . It would Ik* madness- a.tor madness!” “And you would wish it yourself?” asked Margaret, in a very low voice. “Wish it!” lie cried. “I desire it above all tilings! I am an old man, .Margaret, my dear, and Laurence and his career are all that I have left! If / live to see him one of the great men of the nation I shall be happy!” lie fin ished, tremulously. The girl glanced at him for a mo ment. Then, with a sudden quick look of resolution she sat down at her writing table. “It Is getting near post time,” she said, in a hard voice, “and I have a letter that must go. Will you excuse me for a moment?” “Dear me -so late!” lie cried. “Write, by all moans, and I will drop your let ters in file box on my way hack.” Margaret’s head was bent over lier letter. He could not see her face, but she was writing vigorously. At length sin? finished, read it through and ad dressed an envelope. She stamped it and rose from her seat. She* was very white, but ho did not notice it. “Done!” slie said, with a smile. He got up from his chair and took tlie envelope from her hand. She picked up three others from the table. “Would you mind dropping these in at the same time?” she said. He was studying tlie address of the first letter she had just written. “An old friend’s privilege!” Ik* said, looking up at her with an inquiring smile. “I see this is to the doctor. Is what we have all been rather ex pecting going to happen at last?” He saw her change color. lie took a step forward and caught her band in his. “He Is a good man, Margaret,” he said, kindly. “I am glad.” A mist, rose ui her eyes. “Thank you,” she murmured. “I was so certain,” ho continued, “that I gave Laurence a hint. 1 thought of it just as he was seeing me off.” “You told Laurence! Did lie say anything?” she said quickly. “He had no time,” the old man re plied, with a laugh. “I told him as the train was moving. He knows the doctor, and will be pleased. Now I must he off, my dear.” She saw him out, and then, return ing to the room, flung herself down in a chair. The tears coursed do'wn her checks. “it was the only way,” she cried. “He would never do It without—his career must come before everything— for his father’s sake—ills owii sake! He will understand.” * * * * It was seven o'clock that evening ns a tall young mail leaped from the LflnttoH train at Soniilngford station. The porter touched iiis! cap ns he rec ognized him, for Ul9 little town Was proud of Laurence Mantell, M. P. lie oiYlered his hag to he sent to his father’s house, then set out to walk the dlstaiiCtb Tiit* flight was lovely, the country road Wk-linrd under fofif* Hi* strode oil, deep in thought, lie had tint intended til Visit Bon ningford; nothing had been further from Ills thoughts that morning. Always busy, lie Was pilrtiohiarly hard pressed .just now, but. the words his father had flung at him as the train was moving had haunted him all day. He could think of nothing else. At last, acting on impulse, he had canceled his en gagement for tlie evening rind come down to Bonulngford. lie rehclu'd the cross roads, where one led to his father’s house end the other to the vicarage. lie paused for a moment, and his eye rested on the pillar-box—a red splash of color nest ling in an ivy-clad wall. Ho was about to pass on when sonic thing white, ly ing on the ground a few yards away, caught ills attention: lie stepped to ward it and picked it up. He stood for a few moments gazing reflectively at it. then with a decisive movement he slipped it In the pocket of his coat} and set out at a quick pace along the road to the vicarage. 111 a few minutes he arrived there. Miss Margaret was the only one in. Would lie see her? lie entered and was shown into the drawing room. lie sat down and wait ed Impatiently. A few moments afterward the door opened and she came in. “This is a surprise, Laurence!'’ she said, with a nervous little laugh. “I thought you were so busy.” “A man Is never ho busy but what he cap spare time to do the tiling I have in view,” lie answered. "I have conic here to-night, Mar garet,” he continued, quietly, "to ask you to he my wife!” She started back with a little cry. “No, no!” she said. “As boy and girl we played at being in love, Lau rence- “l was a man, aud meant it!” lie broke 111. “No; you must not mean it. Lau rence!” she went on, gently. “It was before you went to London -were made a member of Parliament; before you became the famous man you are!” She paused. “What difference docs Dime make to love?” “Simply tills, dear!” she spoke in a low, trembling tone. “The country clergyman’s daughter is not tin.* wile for it man destined to hold the position you arc!” He wan about to interrupt, but she silenced him with a gesture. "I should never he able to assist you; in lime you would repent, of having married a nonentity.” She paused. “Your father has been here, Laurence, ami told me of Lady Helen. You must marry her, Laurence think of that wonderful career of what such a mar riage means to it. When your father told me of it,” she said, gently, “I knew you would think Hint you were hound to me—though, of course, you weren’t. Hut I knew how honorable you are 111 every thought—that unless 1 did something you would let tills chance slip by, so I did the thing!” she finished abruptly. “You wrote to the Doctor and ac cepted his offer of marriage?” “He asked me a week ago, and I said I would write to him.” She smiled through her tears at him. “I knew you would not say n word while I was still free; so, when your father was here I wrote and accepted him, ami ho posted it. “But you are free still, thank heaven?” lie cried suddenly. “Your letter was never posted. It was dropped on the way to the box, and I picked it up. I recognized your writing at once.” lie held It out and she gazed at it la wonderment. “And whether you have me or not, Mar garet!” he continued, “I tell you this— that, under no circumstances shall I ever marry Lady Helen—for the simple reason that I do not love her! I feel certain you love me still!” lie cried. “As for me, I’ve never ceased to love you from the day I first told it to you on the Down! If you will not marry me, I shall drop the whole life and go abroad; then your anxiety over iyy career will have been entirely wasted!” “Leave politics?” - “On my honor, yes!” he answered, gravely. “But on the other hand, If you’ll marry me we’ll do our best to patch up the ruined career—make the beat of It!” he added, smiling. “My father loves you and will accept the inevitable. Besides, it is his fault lie dropped the letter!” he added, with n smile. “Which is it to he?” He was very near to her. Lie saw a slight flush pass over her cheek. A gleam of unutterable happiness crept into her eyes. “If it’s quite inevitable,” she whis pered, softly. Her eyes met his, and the next mo ment lie had caught her in Ills arms. “This Is the only real chance I’ve tfver had, dearest!” he cried. “I’m going to make the most of it!” Aud lie did —Woman’s Life. GracelesuWeiirom of (lie Panama There are so few Englishmen who can really wear a Panama hat with grace. A Panama needs a swarthy face, a flashing eye, a devil-may-care manner. It does not go at all well with a worried look and a bundle of busi ness documents. Nobody should at tempt to carry off a Panama who is not a gypsy at heart.—The Sketch. Time may be money, but you’ve got to spend the one to make the other. [ The frequency of thunder storms in the United States, ns shown by reports j fjom the nearly 200 stations of the ; Weather Bureau. Is greatest, seventy per annum, in Florida. The niimhct gradually lessens to the westward, un til it is but four In Pacific const towns, and to ttic northward, until it is .hut ten in Nova Scotia. Fishes, like trees, have their “auitunl rings.” The scales of many fishes show a series of parallel eccentric lines, tvhiell indicate successive incre ments of growth, mul these lines of growth prove to.be more widely separ ated in that part of the scale formed •hiring the warm season of the year than iii that of the cold season. Mr. ,1. Stuart Thompson, Who has been study ing the markings, has reached the int iioftnnt conclusion that In many spe cies the ages of Individuals may lie de termined quite accurately. The color law in tlie animal kingdom, as stated by tlie American artist, Mr. A. 11. Thayer, lias been much discussed among sclentlsts recently, He says that it produces an effect exactly contrary to the ordinary shading of objects illu minated by light froiti the sky. Being dark above and light below, dial inn ing colors that harmonise with Its sur roundings the animal when motionless loses the appaartiitcs Of solidity aud blends with the background so nicely that II often escapes the eye. The law applies alike to quadrupeds,, birds, fishes and insects, and seems to be a part of nature’s scheme of protective coloration. It is not often that science Acknowl edges herself at fault in ait Apparently simple matter, but she frankly does r.n in regard to the color and marking of it large proportion of birds' eggs. A reason there must he for their infinite diversity—it cannot be aft aesthetic one, and we all can say witli confidence is that tlie ever-pervading instinct of distrust is probably exhibited in egg shells as in more important, things, and the main idea in their scheme of color ntion has been the securing of safety from many enemies by harmonizing them with their surroundings. But it is a scheme fall of perplexing excep tions, which any one can study for himself at thin charming season. The supply of lobster lias heeli stead lly decreasing for live years past, nnd various methods of artificial culture of them have been tried in vain. Profes sor Bumpus, of the American Museum of Natural History, lias at last suc ceeded, however In discovering the se cret of success. Itls method Is lo keep the water In which the lobster fry are placed after batching,ln constant mo tion, for if allowed to settle tlie fry smother or devour each other. By this means the young lobsters are success fully reared, until, at the end of from nine to sixteen days, they arc able to take care of themselves. The United States Fish Commission is arranging to restock the waters along our coast with lobsters reared in this way. Folding flange Finder. The officers of the British army have been experimenting with anew range finder, (lie Invention of Professor G. Forbes, Fellow of tile Royal Society, says the Scientific American. Tile offi cial range finder nt present In use by tlie Infantry Is the mekometer, hut so Inaccurate Is this instrument, and so 1 exposed are tlie two men necessary I for Its working, that it lias never been used in action. Professor Forbes In ids Invention has overcome this great drawback, and lias devised a folding range finder, which only requires one man to operate It. The Forbes range j finder consists of a six-foot folding base, and a pair of binoculars, magni ■ lying twelve diameters. The whole In : strument weighs three aud a half pounds. On looking through the bi noculars' the image of a balloon fitted with a trail rope is shown projected on the landscape. By moving a gradu ated wheel the balloon appears to ad vance or recede, so that the trail rope I can be brought over any part or poiut desired. This done, tlie range Is read direct off tlie graduation. The great ! point about tlie Forbes range finder Is that the man who takes the range need J not expose himself, ns be can do bis j work hidden behind a tree or cover of any kind. Professor Forbes deinon ! struted the portability, practicability | aud the accuracy of ills Instrument while in South Africa, for he took | pert in several engagements, nnd the officers expressed a high opinion of its qualities, so that its adoption by the I War Office appears imminent. Wlmt Slib Said. A little sermon which will l>e appre ciated by nurses and doctors was in nocently preached by a small girl who little knew the bearing of her tale. Her mint bad been ill for a long time, and someone asked Dorothy bow the invalid was progressing. The Wash ington Post thus reports tlie answer: “She’s sick,” answered Dorothy. “She Ims tlie worst headaches, and she lias to stay in a dark room. But she’s got lots of friends, nnd they try to make her feel Better. They come to see her every day, to see If there’s anything they can do. They send tier jelly aud things to make her want to eat, but she doesn't cat a hit. Then they’re always coming In to cheer her up. It doesn’t seem to do much good, hut,” she added, with an effort to speak the speech of her elders, “she bears Inflictions nobly!” The number of pieces of separately assessed real estate In New York City Is 470,(340 this yce" NO. 36. BOYS ARE AU- ALIKE. Ti* strange how tired some hoys become When you have work for them to do; How quickly when it cornea to play They will their strength again renew. It hurt# their eyes to study oft. But then it does not hurt to read, If it’s a jungle story book. Or something that they think they need*, To make them think of jolly fun, For that’s one thing the hoys all like; But when it conies to doing work They’re apt to be upon u strike. And you oft have to coax and coax And sometimes have to pay them, too, Before they think it is worth while For them a littip work to do. .. jiiii ■ firmer 3 “William, have you any mis-spel words?” “N-n-uo, sir!” “Then wlia, have you got ’em on tho bill of fare for?”-—Life. "Bridget, did you call tlie boys?” “liidade fill’ Oi called tiilm iverythlng Oi cud think of. but they wouldn't git up.”—Brooklyn Life. “Her reception was a great success, wasn't It?” "Yes. There was scarcely au enemy of hers hut l’clt she ought to come.”—Brookl y n Life. Bertlm “Can site remember what happened on her twenty sixth birth day?” Bella “Yes: she was just eighteen.”—Yonkers Statesman. When lie’s most unsuccessful — • Although it seems quite queer — The bill collector’s sure lo nave *• **is. A promising career. —Philadelphia Press. Tlie Mother—" Now. Lisle, did l teach you to throw your clothes on the floor ill tiiat disreputable way?” Elsie— “ No. mamma; I learned myself.”— Puck. “I think it was a shame for tlie In dians to bury their hatchets!” “Why?” “Just think how lovely they would he for decorative purposes/’—Detroit Free Presfi. Customer—“By tlie way, Mr. Cleaver, when does a chicken become a fowl?’ Butcher—“ That is a matter that de pends entirely upon the conscience of tin* dealer.”—Boston Transcript. “The doctor’s nil the while grumb ling about 11is patients who won’t pay their hills.” “I know it. He says ho isn’t practicing medicine for his health.”—Philadelphia Bulletin. “Why do you cry o'er milk thirty spilled?’* He answered with remorseful pain, ei ’Tis easier to weep, good sir, Than wait and milk the cow again.” M —Washington Star. * The Bride—“ There’s only one tiling inoed/d to complete our happiness.” The Groom “What is that, dearest?” The Bride “I do wish my first husband and your first wife would meet and get married."—Detroit Free Press. Nell--“ Just one month ago to-day Stella and I agreed to point out each other’s faults without reserve.” Bess —“And arc you still doing it?” Nell— “Oh, no. We haven’t spoken to each other for twenty-nine days.”—Chicago News. ,j The Nocturnal Muskrat. Although frequently seen swimming and feeding in the daytime, the musk rat. is nocturnal in its habits, spending the greater part of the day during the summer in burrows in 1 lie hanks of riv ers and ponds, each burrow consisting of a chamber with numerous exits un der the surface of the water. During the winter it lives in a cone-shaped hut or house built during the fall among the waving flags in the marshes. These houses arc* made of roots, flags, grasses and small pieces of water-soaked wood, all cemented together by a sort of mor tar made of clay and mud. While comparatively smooth and even on the inside, they are rough on the outside, and resemble somewhat the haycocks on newly mown meadows. They are located in water varying from two to four feet in depth, and are built up to the height of two or three feet above the surface of the water, leaving room for an air chamber within, which forms the nest. Thus the houses are from three to six feet in height, and each oik? contains from four to nine muskrats. Three or four channels or “leads” are cut in different directions from the centre, for ingress and egress, the material thus displaced being used in strengthening the foundations. Be low tlie water Hue the houses are of hare mud inside, with a floor of sticks and grasses a few inches above the water. They are similar to beaver lodges, but are far inferior in design, workmanship and durability. Being roughly constructed they are more easily repaired or replaced when dam aged or destroyed. Known liy Her Scent. Womeu who habitually use a certain perfume come to bo known by their scent. Most of the famous women of history had their favorite ottos, or at tars. Queen Victoria was partial to opopnnax. Cleopatra’s choice was jas mine. Scmlrnmis preferred otto of J roses, made from tile fragrant dam- 4 asks in her own hanging gardens Jr; 4 Babylon. The Queen of Sheba use % an otto made of cinnamon. Musk w* I popular among the great ladies France in the time of Louis XV. Won en of this day use violet, Jockey white rose, heliotrope, verbena, vanilla, tuberose, jonquil, etc.—New York Press. 4 When It's a Hlchhliik. A national (Telit is a national lilessiug to thosu who hold the flUt-edged securi ties.—New York News. A Sad Commentary. It is a sad commentary on human na ture when beiut; good to your mother is a subject of remark.