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OLI) AGE.
'A. iongloss bird, a garden without flowers,
A river-bed dried up in thirsty hours.
A sterile field untutored by the plow,
A withered blossom on a withering bough:
A flickering light that fails when needed
most
To warn the sailor from a treacherous
coast,
A thought that dies ere yet ’tis fully bom,
A hope that gleams like poppies 'midst the
corn;
Fair idle weeds that Haunter in the sun,
Fair morning hopes that fail ere day be
done,
Fair Life, so seeming-fair, so roldly bright,
Fair Life, beloved of love, and youth’s de
light:
At early dawn, how fresh thy face ap
pears!—
The twilight secs it furrowed o’er with
tears.
Spring flowers are sweet, but autumn’s
woods are dry.
Spring birds are silent 'neath a wintry
sky;
Spring thoughts that wake to deeds inspire
no more
IWlirti the dull daylight fades along the
shore;
The ice-blocked stream can bear no pre
cious freight,
The stripped and sapless oak stands deso
late,
And the hill fortress that defied the foe
In crumbling fragments fills the vale be
low.
• Yet is flicre golden beauty in decay,
As autumn’s leaves outshine the leaves of
May;
The calm of evening with its roseate
light,
The starry silence of the wintry night.
The stillness of repose when storms are
o’er
And the sea murmurs on a peaceful
shore—
The brooding memories of the past that
make
The old man young again for beauty’s
sake,
The hone sublime that cheers the lonely
road
IVhioh lends him gently to the hills of
God.
—London Spectator.
•f ■ f • •
AN HOL'R gff*,
Kt| WITH A M
nAllLtl!.
<ESEk>
By J. H. NULtL
SS#
In the summer of 1905 I was work
ing on a'country newspaper at Car
rollton, Illinois. Not having many
friends, I found tho Sundays father
dull, and accordingly I decided one
day to take a ’drive to the Illinois
River. I rose very early In the morn
ing. got my horse-and buggy ready,
and started for my drive.
I left Carrollton about 7 a. ru. and
drove along the leafy country roads,
enjoying the sreneVy. Reaching the
neighborhood of the river, I got out
my fishing-line and started to fish,,
but did not have much luck. Soon I
began to feel drowsy, and accordingly
made my way to a rocky cliff In the
hopeg of finding some shady nook in
which I could spend an hour or so
In a quiet nap. 1 found no place to
suit nip, hqwever, unyj I had reached
the top; there, in the shade of a large
oak, I lny down, and in a few mo
ments was sound asleep.
I do not know how long I slept, but
I was awakened by some indefinable
Instinct of danger. Looking up, I
found myself, to my intense horror,
face to face with a rattlesnake!
Needless to say 1 gave a start, but
before I had time to move again I
came to my senses and realized that
if I attempted to shift my position the
deadly creature would make a spring,
and if he did I should in all proba
bility fall a victim to his venomous
fangs, There being uo assistance
within five or six miles, I decided to
lie quiet, hoping that the snake would
get tired of his positiou and move
away to a distance, so that I could
make ray escape.
My calculations did not work out
very well, for although I must have
lain there motionless for half an hour,
blinking at the reptile, he did not
show any signs of leaving. On the
contrary, he seemed rather inclined
to investigate me, and actually moved
toward me. I shall never forget the
sickening horror of that moment; I
thought my time had come, but de
cided not to move—or was too fright
paralyzed to do so, I know not which.
1 lay there with the cold sweat on my
forehead, hoping that the hideous
creature would just take a look at
me and then disappear. But again
my hopes did not materilalze, for the
rattler came gliding toward me, clo
ser and closer, until he was barely
two feet from my face! Then, ns if
uncertain what to do. he halted for
fully five minutes, while I inwardly
prayed for deliverance. Presently he
began to move again, coming to
wards me slowly. As I still lay
without moving he plucked up cour
age. and came within six inches of
my face. Once more l felt, that all
was over; but having played with
life so long 1 decided to see the busi
ness out to the finish, which I did not
think could be long delayed. There
I lay like a dead man, with one eye
on the snake and the other on the
sky, praying that my life might be
spared and feverishly running over
in my mind fruitless schemes of es
cape. Meanwhile the snake grew
bolder and stuck out his forked
almost touching my face.
MThe extremity of my peril at that mo
rnent seemed to act as a tonic upon
my overwrought nerves. I told my
self grimly that now, If 1 darsd even
to move a muscle, the startled ser
pent would undoubtedly strike at me.
My mental agony was intense, but J
contrived to remain motionless. Near
er and nearer came that awful thing
—a veritable gliding death —until,
with a thrill of absolute horror, I
realized that he was actually licking
my forehead! Such a sensation f
have never experienced before, and
hope I never shall again. The cold
perspiration ran off my brow in
streams, and the snake drank it up
greedily. The agony of that moment
I shall never forget. My muscles
were rig’d as Iron, ar:d I do not be
lieve that I could have moved them
then had I tried. And all the time
my head throbbed with the indescrib
able feeling caused by the serpent's
licking tongue—soft as the richest
velvet.
As I lay there, with the awful crea
ture beside me, I could see his fangs
as plainly as if they had been magni
fied to three times their size, and
I speculated dully as to how much
longer I could stand the strain—how ;
much longer it would be before ne j
struck me.
Having made an end of licking my
brow, the rattler glided away for a
short distance, and, hoping that he
had left for good, I ventured to blink
my eyes, for they were paining me
so that I was almost blind. Quicker
than I had winked, however, the
snake was back again, licking my
forehead with his tongue, while I had
all my work cut out to keep from
shrieking in my mental agony. Pres
ently he grew languid once more.
This time he would surely go for
good, I thought, and I was careful
not to move a muscle. My arm be
ing extended, the snake glided out as
far as my hand, and then, appar
ently thinking that my fingers formed
a pretty good pillow, He lay still, with
his horrible head in my palm! He
must have rested there for about ten
minutes, while I, having gained some
control of my senses again, began
to plan how to escape without a bite.
The rattler having his head directly
between my forefinger and fhumb, I
decided to make a, quick grab at his,
neck and strangle him to death.
Summoning all my resolution, I made
a desperate clutch and caught him
exactly as I v liad planned—right at
the back .of the head. He did not
move for fully half a minute, and I
thought I had gained an easy victory;
but my hopes soon vanished, for the
snake Hecame very active, lashing his
body this way and that, "and the
strain on my muscles, from the grip
and his weight, soon made my arm
weak. Presently the creature got a
coil round niy arm and began drawl
ing on it, and I discovered, that if I
did not decide on something very
quickly to relieve my predicament l
should be utterly at 'his mercy, for I
could feel myself growing momentar
ily weaker and weaker. Still main
taining my grip with the right hand,
I placed my left directly below the
right, and then let go with the right
in the hopes of getting my hand into
my trousers poefeet to secure my
knife and cut the serpent’s head off.
The opportunity soon presented it
self, and as I got the blade open I
lost no time in finding some way of
getting at his head. This was an
awkward business, for I had free use
of neither arm, my left hand having
a firm grip on the rattler, while the
right, the one that held the knife,
had the rattler’s coils wound round
It. Finally I decided to try and extri
cate my right hand, and was ultimate
ly successful. I was then able to
make short work of my enemy, after
wards carrying him to town as a
trophy of my long ordeal.
I have never heard of anyone hav
ing met with such an adventure as
mine, and 1 sincerely hope no one
ever will; for the sickening suspense
and long-drawn-out horror of that
hour I spent in the rattlesnake’s com
pany almost surpassed mortal endur
ance. On examining him I found that
my prize was three feet iour inches
long, and had fourteen rattles and a
button. I had these latter In my
possession until six months ago, when
I gave them to a friend as a keep
sake.—The Wide World Magazine.
Reclaiming Alkali Lands.
Experiments have been conducted
by the Department of Agriculture at
Fresno, Cal., with a view to reclaim
ing alkali lands by drainage. Opera
tions are now being conducted in a
large vineyard near Fresno, where
alkali has come rapidly to the sur
face. It is hoped that immense tracts
which have long lain waste may thus
be rendered fertile. There are many
thousands of acres of these alkali
plains in County, Cal., which
are now useless, but it is believed
that their drainage could be easily
accomplished through the use of elec
tric power for pumping purposes.—
Scientific American.
-
The Oldest Team.
Hiattville, down in Bourbon
County (Kan.), boasts of a team of
horses whose combined ages are sev
enty-eight years.—Kansas City Jour
nal
Georgia Callings
Curtailed Items of Interest
Gathered at Random.
Hines Commissioned Attorney.
Judge Jaine3 K. Hines of Atlanta,
has been appointed by Governor Smith
as attorney to the new railroad com
mission. The railroad commission bill
was amended before being passed so
as to Provide for a regular attorney
to the railroad commission at a salary
of $2,500 a year. Judge Hines’ term of
office is to be four years.
* * *
Georgia Paid $632,440.98 Revenue.
The preliminary report of the com
missioner of internal revenue at Wash
ington for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1907, shows that the federal gov
ernment collected a total of $632,440.98
in Georgia last year for revenue pur
poses. This is an increase over the
collections made in the state during
the fiscal year of 1906, which amount
ed to $595,085.69.
* * *
Blind Academy Completed.
The new Georgia Academy for the
Blind at Macon is now in the hands
of the state of Georgia, the trustees
having formally accepted the building
from McKenzie & Sous, contractors.
The building will be re-opened for
the fall term next month and over
one hundred children will be. given
accommodations. The institution is lo
cated in Vineville, Macon’s suburb,
and has splendid surroundings.
* • .#
Holden Succeeds Justice Cobb.
Judge Horace M. Holden of the su
perior courts of'the'northern judicial
circuit has been appointed justice of
the supreme .court to succeed Justice
Andrew J. Cobb, who has resigned to
take effect October 18.
Colonel John N. Worley of Elberton
was at the same time appointed to
succeed Judge Holden, who has ‘ten
dered' his 'resignation to become effect,
ive October 5.
The order of appointment in each
case specifics that, the appointee is to
•hold the office . gg.med until the next
general election and until his success
or is elected and qualified.
Governor ’Borrows $125,D00:
Governor Smith has already borrow
ed to supply the casual-deficiencies in
the state’s revenue $125,000- as fol
lows: $50,000 fso the-fourth Na
tional and pf Atlanta
and $25,000 .from, .the A.meriqan Na
tional Ajacon. Tha.monpy. was secured
at 2 per cent.., .
The state. yill. later borrow $75,000
more, or the'full limit Permitted I 'by 1
the constitution for' fhlfe purpose! 'lt
Is Intended fd get tlmbalance- of’ the
money fro<n‘, jthq. depositories ih
Savannah, Augusta..and 'Columbus, pro
vided it can W secured from them at
the same rate.,,.... .
Only Half of a Peach Crop.
The Georgia peach crop for 1907.wi1l
approximate between 1,300 and 1,500
cars, an average of 5.0 per cent less
than the output of last year.
These figures were given out by one
of the best informed railroad traffic
men of the state a few days ago, who
said that the figures would come with
in 100 cars of the exact shipments.
The shipments last season amount
ed to between 2,500 and 3,000 cars,
which was a decrease from the ouput
of 1905, the banner year.
The majority of cars were sent out
by the Southern railway, which hand
led from 1,000 to 1,100 cars.
* * *
Anti-Dope Bill Effective.
The anti-drug bill has gone Into ef
fect and Georgia druggists will now
refuse to sell drugs to habitues who
formerly had no trouble in getting it.
Dr. W. S. Elkin, Jr., of Atlanta, who
Is a member of the legislative com
mittee of the State Pharmaceutical As
sociation, is mailing out a number of
circulars to all parts of the state tell-
Ins the druggists the provisions of the
bill so that they would not incur any
penalty for violation.
The suffering of a man needing a
drink the night after a spree is %aid
to be mild in comparison to the tor
ments of a dope fiend when his drug
is taken from him.
• * •
Some State Fair Attractions.
What promises to be a decided nov
elty will be the gold stamping exhibit
to be shown at the coming state fair
in Atlanta by the county of Cherokee.
Ben F. Perry and John O. Robertson,
two well known citizens of Canton,
called upon Secretary Weldon, and as
sured him that this exhibit will be In
STOP AT THE
ZETTLER HOUSE.
The best SI.OO a day house in the
city.
253 FOURTH ST., MACON, G<L.
Mrs. A. L. Zeltler, Proprietress.
stalled by that gold-producing county.
There will be a stamping mill w
the gold ore will be washed and dust
secured. Just as it is mined in the
mountains of north eGorgia.
Eecretary Weldon is in receipt of
a telegram from Francis Ferrari, the
well known showman, who is now or
the Pike at St. Louis, asking if he ca
place his seven shows on the midway
In Atlanta. He will be asked to name
his shows, as many of the amusement
concessions have already been gold. It
is known that he has a fine animal
show, but the others are not known
definitely.
The fair will inaugurate anew sys
tem for the different exhibit depart
ments, when all of the machinery dis
plays will be placed in the old govern
ment building instead of cn the
grounds under tents. The agricultura!
exhibits formerly housed in the gov
ernment buildings will oe installed ir
the old agricultural hall. The live
stock show will remain in the live
stock building while the poultry show
will probably be in the coliseum as
formerly.
* * *
State Chemist Holds Until January 1,
Coincident with the . announcement
that an extension of, the time for the
pure food law to become operative
October Ist instead of August Ist,
comes the statement, that State Chem
ist McCandless will reiffein in office
until the first of January, 1908. Dr.
McCandless, it is recalled, resigned in
June, his resignation to take effect.
August Ist. inasmuch as he is vir
tually the father of the pure food law
ia Georgia, he was urged by Commis
sioner Hudson to remain until that,
law becomes thoroughly operative..
When the pure Tood law was to gp
into effect on the first clay of August,
numerous letters' were received from
country merchants, stating that they
were overstocked with doubtful feeds
and asked for an extension'in time for
the. pure food law to become dpeyative.
This .extension" has befen granted by
Commissioner Hudson. 1 • v
Dr. - TdcCand 1 ess in his talk before'
the Cotton |?eed . CfSsqqrsV
tlon of Georgia at Lithia Springs fast
year’ declared cotton -seed oil to be
one of The best" vegetable oils on the
market and has done as much, if
not more, toward the furtherance c£'
this T great southern 'product than any*
-thing else. , The pure ’fefod "law will
to it that every oil shall stand on •
its own merits, and* after this law .bey
comes operative' c’otfon seed oil will
be sold as sucii' and not under the
brand of olive oil. ‘,
•Property Increases Forty Millions.
“The last of the county tax digests
has been received at the office! cf the
comptroller general, and these bring
up the total net gain for the whole
state over the tax returns for 1906 to
, $39,319,053.
Sixteen counties show losses aggre
gating $931,081, which, deducted from
the gross gain in 130 counties, gave
the net gain for the 146 counties $39,-
319,053 as stated.
There is considerable doubt as to
what sort of increase will be st cured
from the corporations this year, in
view of the fact that the comptroller
general’s assessments are not bsing
very abundantly sustained \>y the
boards of arbitration.
The comptroller general, in His as
sessments, increased the corporation
returns a total of about $60,000,000.
These are being cut down in seme in
stances one-haif and others two-ihirds.
The final outcome will be to reduce
the gain at least cne-half from this
source, or making it about $30,000,-
000, which will give a total net gain
for the state of $70,000,000.
This will carry the total preperty
valuations in the state to about $7'.0,-
000,000, the highest it has ever boen
in the state’s history. The highest uP
to this year was 1860, when the slaves
ware property, and the aggregate re
turns were $672,000,000.
The Increase in 1906 over 1905, a;
shown on the digests, was about $42,-
000,000, and of corporations about
$8,000,000, making a total gain for last
yea* - of approximately $50,000,000.
Genius has a lot of trouble trying
to explain itself {p the other kind
of people.
STATEMENT OF BROWN
Issued to People of Georgia Anent His Sus
pension from Railroad Commis
sion by Governor.
Joseph M. Brown, who was suspend
ed from the railroad commission of
Georgia by Governor Smith, has writ
ten a card to the public in which he
states that the governor took unfair
advantage of him in this action be
cause he knew the legislature would
not sustain him. Commissioner Brown
will not contest the order of the gov
ernor in the court. He will let the
matter go to the legislature and trust
to that body for his vindication. Com
miAioaer Brown’s card to the public
is as follows;
“To the People of Georgia:
“On August 21st, the governor of
Georgia issued an order purporting to
suspend me from the office of rail
road commissioner; and on the same
date commissioned another citizen to
fill the office thus declared vacant,.
The legality of these acts I absolute
ly deny.
“This action by the governor was
unquestionably promoted by spleen. I
shall not undertake, however, to try
this matter in the public press, but
with a few words upon this subject I
will ask a fair-minded public to with
hold any adverse opinion until the
next session of the general assembly,
because I am denied until then even
an opportunity to vindicate myself.
“During Mr. Smith’s campaign for
governor, which lasted more than fif
teen months, he repeatedly stated that
his first official act, should he be made
governor, would be to suspend me from,
office. He took the oath of office
June 29, and as stated above his or
der suspending me was not issued un
til August 21st, almost two months,
haviwg expired after his inauguration
before any action w;as taken to cArry
oat his oft-repeated threat. Further
than thi3, the law under which he
act§ requires that the suspension be
’ rgjibrted to the legislature, in order
that it might say whethey or not the
yqabens for- suspension are sufficient
to remove the .suspended commissioner
from office.' When the governor took
the. oath of office" the general assem
bly, was then in session, and remained
in session until only three days prior
to my suspension,’ anfi if the govern
or had desired that investigation in
this case'which the law contemplated,
:I* submit ■ to> the fairness .of the peo
ple of Georgia, -would'he not have act
ect. shoner?; Why did he not allow me
“the privilege” of a trial? Would any
judge while court was in session, as
■it was so to speak, in this case, pass
sentence upori'any man-without first
'giving him that right to which he is
entitled under all • liw&, the right of
'trial? It would have-taken only a few
days tb -have finished with this matter
had the -goter-nor acted, as he so often
said he would, promptly after his in
auguration, or while the legislature
was in session, but he does not do this.
He waits until the adjournment of
the general assembly, at a time when
'. have no opportunity to defend my
self, and in this unfair manner takes
advantage of the authority which he
claims is vested in him by law, be
cause he well knew that I had done
nothing as railroad commissioner
which the law forbids, and he well
knew that the legislature would net
sustain him. I submit to the fair
ness of the people of Georgia that
this is unjust.
•"Respectfully,
“JOSEPH M. BROWN.”
FLIRTING BARRED BY LAW.
South Dakota Puts End to Love-Making
£y Young People.
Acting Mayor McDonald of High
more, South Dakota, has approved an
ordinance passed by the council pro
hibiting flirting.. The ordinance pro
vide that it shall he unlawful for male
ana female perscifs to loiter on the
steps of any church, building or door
way for the purpose of eating candy
cr peanuts or to loiter on the street,
or business places, for tbs purpose of
flirting in the meantime.
TO PURCHASE THE PHILIPPINES.
Jips are Alleged to Be Seeking a Loan of
Fifty Million Dollars.
Despite rumors to the contrary, it
is believed in Berlin that Japan is
trying to raise mOney with a view of
the acquisition of the Philippines.
German bankers have informed a
representative of a pool of eight Jap
anese banks trying to float $50,000,000
loan, that nothing could be done be
fore Octo'cnr and not even then, should
the JapaneUt-American war rumors
still be in circulation.