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Clncic jim s fSoo/'L , l ßi/ ,y. «!Treemam l.uara Rice’s Sweetest Letter “Hot Springs, Ark., July 24.—Dear Uncle Jim: It has been a long time since I wrote to you, and I have seen a good many strange things, have been to a number of places, but I haven’t seen any country I loved more than my old home in Georgia. It is the dearest spot on earth to me. I was at the depot at Connersville a week ago, and a long train of freight cars, which the railroad man told me was the melon train from Georgia, ran by, and on some of the cars Cen tral of Georgia, A. B. & A., and G. & F., was painted. I knew that the Georgia & Florida was the railroad that runs from Douglas to Augusta, and my mind went away down in Georgia to my dear Uncle Jim, and his sweet string of boy and girl chums. I love them, every one. I remember some of their names, as I read them in the Note Book, and some of them have written me pretty let ters of love and kindness. When those freight cars passed from my sight as I sat on the platform it seem ed like a long row of my friends were leaving me and going back to Geor gia where I want to go so bad. I want to see Willie, my little brother, and Hattie, my sweet, brave sister, and then 1 think of my little home on the river, in Augusta. I wonder if I will ever see them again ? Some time, when I am out on the piazza alone, and the beautiful moon swings across the southern skies, and the twinkling stars peep out from the great dome of heaven, everything is still and quiet I imagine 1 have gone back to Geor gia to Augusta. Everything seems glad to see me, everybody smiles as I hop along on my crutches, I am on the right street, I see the old home, the gate clicks behind me, two faces are at the door with their hands over their eyes to shield them from the strong electric light on the the cor ner, and the two strong arms crush me to Hattie’s bosom, while Willie (he’s tied tongued) says, “’Ank Dod, my ’ittle ister is ’ome!” I konw that is what he would say. The door to the room on the right is closed, but I must look in for that’s mother’s room. The bed is in the same corner where it was when she was sick, a white counterpane makes it look cool, with little fluffy pillows, that her precious , hands used to make feel so soft to my tired head. The hide-bottom chair sits by the window and the little stool is near where I used to sit with my head on her lap as she read from that precious Bible about Joseph and Mary and Christ and His apostles, and how cruelly they were treated, and then ‘*6sus was pu£ to death on the cross. It was so pathetic, so full of love and devotion, that the tears' came unbid den from my eyes and heart, when she would put her soft, white hands on my bowed head, and gently said: ‘Dear Laura, He suffered and died for you.’ Dear, dear Jesus, how sorry I am, but no drop of your precious blood was shed in vain for me. * * * Dr. Messengale, who is with us, is an old confederate veteran, and as there was to be a reunion of Federal and Confederate Veterans out on the old ‘Drill Ground,’ forty miles east of this place, about two weeks ago, he re quested Mrs. Whitfield, the matron, and myself, to go with him in his car, a very large touring car. After two hours’ run we arrived just as the vet erans were forming two lines of march to stop before the grand stand. An old confederate flag with bullet holes in it flapped from a pole on an old soldier’s shoulder, and coming a cross from the other side came an old soldier with one arm, dressed in blue, carrying the stars and stripes. The two old veterans met, halted, looked at each other, shook hands and stood the two flags to gether. Then their arms went around each other, and when they stepped back you could see a handkerchief go up to each old wrinkled face as they dashed aside the tears. The two lines of old soldiers marched up around our car, when Dr. Messengale, standing in the car, made a speech for the blue and gray, and when he closed he told them that “he had a little cripple girl from Georgia in the car, that was a great singer, and would sing for them if they de sired her to do so. Up went their hats, and after they came closer a round us, and as the good doctor held me on a seat I sang my mother’s fav orite song, ‘Jesus Lover of My Soul.’ There were many wet eyes then. They asked me to sing again, and Mrs. Fitz gerald offered to help me with her sweet strong alto, the doctor with his heavy tenor, I sang, ‘ln the Sweet By and By.’ You would have been glad to have heard those old soldiers join in the chorus. * * * Uncle Jim, I do not think it would be well for me to talk to a man about my leg, but as you are just Uncle Jim, I do not think it would be wrong to tell you that I have a new leg, and its cork, and every time I step it squeaks so bad and everybody looks down at my feet. It makes me so ashamed, and I just wish they’d let me alone. * * * I cannot say how much I thank those boys and girls and kind ladies and gentlemen for their nice words pub lished in the Note Book about me. When I come to Douglas I am going to see that kind doctor Wilcox at Wil lacoochee who so generously offered to let me make my home with him and his when I come, and I am coming if God lets me live. I am so sorry he is afflicted, can’t hear well, as you told me in your letter, but I am going to make him hear me when I come, for I am going to sing for him and his wife, and I am praying for them day and night. * * * I have been writing this letter three or four days, just scratched along with my left hand, can’t use the fingers on my right hand at all, as they are all drawn up. But my head and heart are all right, Uncle Jim. I have Jesus in my heart and He won’t let it be af flicted, and I try to keep evil thoughts and complaints out of my head. * * * Dr. Massengale and Mrs. Whitfield are going to carry me to the Panama Exposition, Uncle Jim, and I don’t know when I’ll ever write again, but I want you and all your readers to know that I love them and never for get them. If I never write again, Uncle Jim, you will know that the lit tle tired girl has gone to mamma and Jesus. Good bye, God bless you. “LAURA RICE.” , This should be a big day in Doug las. Haven’t much use for a hypocrite, have you ? August has five Sundays, but only four pay days. A farmer down at Saginaw has named his favorite male hog “Slaton.” I Poor hoggie! You never knew a boy that loved his mother and sisters to curse in the presence of ladies. Everybody will be glad to see the Normal College and Business Insti tute open on the 7th. Cactus has given Uncle Jim the mitten. Guess she wants No. 12 tak en off the book Wonder why? Irene McLelland says grapes are getting ripe at her home by the buck et full. Believe it when I see ’em. The Note Book does not enter con troversies of any kind, and does not permit others to do so in its columns. Nearly everybody wants a fair, and nearly everybody wants a dead-head pass, and then, who is to pay the ex pense ? Mattie Hesters, from Alma, drop ped in to see me last Saturday. She knows the way now, and I hope to see her often. I think the county campaign for 1916 is shaping up, ajid Dan Wall is going to be in it. He offered me a cigar last week. G. J. Wooten, up at Wray, says he thinks he will be at Wooten’s School House on the first Sunday in Septem ber, at the big sing. I am sorry I couldn’t go out to Ar nie to hear George Kight’s singing class close up last Friday. The 13th is always an unlucky number. Of course all the school children will come to the fair, but those over forty-five will be expected to pay j Some of them didn’t last time. Lizzie Meeks, down at Nicholls, says for me to come and see her and Prince. lam going to see Lizzie and, of course, will see her pet dog. There are a thousand persons in Coffee county, when you meet them and say, “"how are you,” will reply “no good.” The answer is correct. J. A. Davis, of Nicholls, was in town last Sautrday, looking fat and hearty as a buck, and had on a new suit of clothes. Must made a big 'find. ■ - j Fannie Cromer, down at Mclntosh, Fla., wants to know if I have forgot ten her. Silly girl, and her name is on one of the top lines in the Red Book. My little chum down at Sessoms writes this week to know if I have taken her name off the list, I had, i THE DOUGLAS ENTERPRISE, DOUGLAS, GA., AUGUST 21ST-, 1915- for I thought she had quit me, but it is on again, now. Everything and everybody that calls me “Uncle Jim” are not my “chums.” Many of them I do not know by name, but 1 never fail to speak to anyone that hails me. Ethel Kirkland, of Saginaw, says if I will come down there she will give me a “chaw of home-made to bacco.” I got enough to last me a lifetime in the sixties. All-day sing at Moore’s Mill church and dinner on the ground, on the Ist. Sunday in September. The public invited and a good time assured. All trains on Coast Line stop there. W. M. Smith, up on No. 4, came in last Saturday and brought me a big mess of Cracker Yams for Sunday din ner. The Lord will provide, and Smith had plenty of new potatoes. When you see these “* * *” in Laura’s letter, it means that I could not read the writing, and some of the little darling’s letter is left out. The way she closes her letter leaves me feeling very sad. Homer Ricketson from Pearson, was in town Thursday of last week. He had a black eye, and I was just about to ask him how the other fellow look ed, when he told me a base ball skid ded and struck him a good one. A negro man, who was not very definite in his explanation, brought me a nice kershaw and pumpkin last Sat urday and said Mrs. Sam Mack, or Mrs. Sam McDonald, I could never understand which, had sent them. The best plan when you first come to court is to pay your subscription. If you wait until the last day when you get your scrip, you’ll be in such a hurry to get off home to see the folks, that you’ll forget your subscription. Widow; Cochrand, near Ambrose, after eating supper on Friday night of last week, without any previous sickness, fell dead at her home. She was an excellent lady, and her many friends were startled by the untimely occurance. Mabel and Homer Corbitt came to see me last Saturday just as soon as they got here. Mabel forgotten to tell her fellow where to meet her Su day, and wanted a postal card for that purpose. He lives out in the woods somewhere. Dan Vickers is getting anxious to get out on the rounds and commence collecting taxes. The war is on now, and when he begins to hold up people for their little bit if money I am afraid they’ll mob him for highway robbery. Go slow, Dan; go slow. Mack Wooten was in town Satur day and told me about the all-day sing to be held at the Mack Wooten School House, above Pridgen, on the first Sunday in September. Sib Vickers, Charlie Wall, George Kight, Uncle Jim and his cornet are specially in vited. Misses Ruby Peterson, of West Green, and Ruth Carelock, of Jay Bird Springs, came in to see me “just a moment” last week. Both claim to have brought the other to my office. Of course, I couldn’t decide anything in which two girls are concerned. It’s dangerous. Mr. Jesse W. Wall, W. M. Haskins, Masters Clarence Wall and Allen Has kins, all of the Roberts church sec tion, below Leliaton, were in town last Tuesday, and came to see me. Allen and Clarence have promised to be my chums and write me the news. I hope they will. A certain black-eyed fellow living out on No. 2, has a girl down near Saginaw, and he thinks about her all the time when he is awake, and the other night he woke up about mid night, near Chatterton, trying to crawl over a wire fence, walking in his sleep to see his girl. Mr. George Cole, who lives about one mile east of town, has put me un der obligation to him for three cans of his “this season’s canned goods,” corn, tomatoes and peas. These speci mens are conclusive evidence that the canning industry can be made a profit able success here. Lawrence Passmore is doing well at his singing school up near Pridgen. Ben Wells is one of his pupils, but he can’t get but one song in his head, and that is, “Oh Mary, oh Mary, I love you well; I love you more than tongue can tell.” Poor felllow! Mary, do smile on him just one time. Bud Fussell and Johnnie Turvis were in town last Monday. Bud says he don’t know whether it will be safe for me to ride in a boat with Rebecca orn not. He is afraid Miriam would get her little submarine ready and put a torpedo in the bottom of that boat. Oh, when will this cruel war be over? Arch Vickers, of Ambrose, was in town Monday. He has been reading the Note Book, he says, but now is a married man, has a pretty wife, and to do the best thing he can to make her happy and content is to have the Note Book sent to her every week. Now, that’s what I call a level-headed man. One of my chums down in Florida writes a postal and says: “I go boat riding every day, and the lake, a mile wide, in a motor boat. I can manage the engine, and we’ll have a fine time.” I like you mighty well, little girl, but I’m afraid of the German submarines might puncture the bottom of the boat, you know. Richard Vickers, better known as. Bud, Mary Ellen’s father, who lives over in the Pearson district, came in on Thursday of last week and brought his first bale of cotton for the season. It s time for Mary Ellen to come in with half or bushel of potatoes, if she can leave that squint-eyed fellow long enough for this season. It does not make much difference with us who ate the apple, Eve oi Adam, they disobeyed God, and were punished for their indignity. You and myself do just as bad, and our punishment is just as sure if it were not for our Redeemer. Poor Adam and Eve had a temper, but no Redeemer as we have to plead their cause, for “they know not what they do.” Bless ed Savior. I was once a young child without mother, father or guardian, but I al ways loved and respected the names of my mother and father, and God has let me be an old man, still in all my life’s experience I never knew a boy or girl who called their parents “old man and old woman,” talked back at them, had no respect for thtm, that ever did much in life. The boys often make vagabounds and drunkards, and the girls goes from bad to worse. God help them! Re member this, my child. Church Directory METHODIST CHURCH. Rev. H. M. Morrison, Pastor. Preaching services every Sunday at 11:00 A. M. and 7:30 P. M. Sunday School every Sunday at 3:30 P. M., L. E. Heath Superinten dent. Epworth League Devotional, Sun day evenings at 6:45, W. T. Cotting ham, President. Prayer Meeting Wednesday eve nings at 7:30. Choir Practice every Thursday eve ning at 7:30, Miss Ethel Morrison, Directress. Strangers are most cordially invit ed, and the public generally will re ceive hearty welcome to all these services. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH T. S. Hubert, Pastor. M. H. Turrentine, Clerk. W. R. Wilson, Treasurer W. C. Bryan, Bible School Super intendent. H. Kirkland, B. Y. P. U. President. Preaching every Sunday. Bible School meets at 4 P. M. B. Y. P. U. meets at 7:00 P. M. Welcome to all services. PARKER MEMORIAL CAMP MEETING AT WAYCROSS The annual camp meeting at the Parker Memorial Camp Ground, at Waycross, will begin on the Ist of September, and continue to the 12th. Rev. C. F. Weigler, one of the great est evangelists of the day, will con duct the services. Mrs. J. W. Ad ams, formerly Miss Annabelle Park er, extends an invitation to the pub lic, particularly to the people of Cof fee county. NOTICE The people who have relatives and friends, buried at Reedy Branch church are notified that Tuesday be fore the fifth Sunday, inst., is set a side for the purpose of cleaning out the cemetery at that place. Every body invited to come. TAX RETURNS READY Receiver Sapp and Clerk Haddock have been busy all this week getting the Receiver’s Returns ready for turn ing over to the State authorities, and the same has been forwarded to the [ Comptroller General at Atlanta. RELIABLE GROCERS That’s who you are dealing with when you buy from us. We keep and sell everything in our line. PHONE 52 J. C. RELIHAN & OMPANY DOUGLAS, GA. ,Jhie C/nion SSankiny C"o. 1 Capital and Surplus of 5150.000.00 Appreciates Your Account Either Large or Small A MAN NEEDED MONEY BADLY ONE DAY* HIS WIFE ASKED HIM-HOW MUCH; HE TOLD HER; SHE WROTE HIM A CHECK FOR THE AMOUNT. SHE HAD PUT MONEY IN THE BANK, AND SAVED HER HUSBAND FROM BUSINESS FAILURE. * A woman with a bank account makes a better com panion; she gets interested in her husband's affairs; she knows where money comes from and where it goes, and she takes mighty good care that it goes as far as possible. She can save you trouble and MONEY. Give HER a bank account! Make OUR bank YOUR bank. We pay 5 per cent interest. CITIZENS BANK ENGINEERING ARCHITECTURE and COMMERCE } Georgia Tech is educating young men for positions of usefulness, responsibility, and power in industrial and business life. Its graduates are trained to do as well as to know. Their success is the school’s greatest asset. Thorough courses in Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Textile and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Architecture and Commerce. New equipment, including a 5200,000 Power Station and Engineering Laboratory for experimental and research work. For catalog address K. G. MATHESON, President ATLANTA, GA. (Teorgi aSchool otTechnology Bthe new life VIBRATOR*. Is the most natural and pleasant re* pleasure, and adds invigorating strength to all