The Tifton gazette. (Tifton, Berrien County, Ga.) 1891-1974, March 21, 1919, Image 2

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' t. ' '1 ■ I TIFTON GAZETTE, flflUN, GA. THE TIFTON GAZETTE Published Weekly Entered at the Postofflce at Tifton, Georgia, M Second Class Matter, Act of March 3, 1879. jj no . u, Herring .Editor and Manager Official Organ City of Tifton and Tift County, Georgia. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Twelve Months - .$1.80 Sis Months 78 Cento SATURDAY NIGHT. I A Wiregrass Wedding at Christmas Time. ; “Come on, John; I’m going to get married." The speaker was in festal array. His coat and vest of black twill fit snug and were button ed close, while his pepper-and-salt pantaloons lent variety of color. His tie of brilliant red was set in a paper collar whose stiffness held the head erect, and a dazzling plated watch- chain swung oppulently from his vest front. His gaiter shoes, with square box-toes, reflected the sunlight from much polishing, and above ab breviated pants legs gave glimpses of candy striped socks. From the upper pocket of his coat peeped the corner of a blue imitation silk handkerchief and the lapel of the vest carried a blaze of color in the shape of a cockade of en twined ribbon, doubtless the handiwork of his fiance. Nature made him a rather good-look ing fellow and perverted art could not entirely extinguish his handsome appearance. Not even when he lifted his hat and disclosed hair care fully parted and plastered down with redolent oil. The boy, who looked up at the words and saw the speaker for the first time, was more or less indifferently clearing trash off a potato patch preparatory to plowing in fall oats. Gathering limbs and bark, they were piled around some one of the numerous stumps and fired, thus helping to dispose of two nuisances at once. “Hello, Jack! didn’t know you were ready for slaughter,” he answered. “Wish I could go see the last of you .but I can’t Got to get in these oats by Saturday night or 1 won’t have any time for Christmas." "Oh, come along. I ain’t going to be married but once, I reckon; and there’s going to be good eating, and danctng ratU you can’t see straight Come along; I come by after you. The old folks have gone on in the wagon.” Whether it was strength of persuasion, the chance to see the last of an old playmate,- or the eating and dancing that tumed the scale-^- or a little of all three, It matters not, but the work was dropped and hurrying to the house the boy changed his working clothes for his Sunday rig, not quite so festive but modeled a long the same lines as that of the bridegroom who waited. Once appareled in his best, the bay pony was bridled and saddled, and the two bet out, the bridegroom astride a restive mule. A few miles gallop brought them up with the bridegroom’s relatives—father, mother, young er brothers and sisters, all in a two-horse wag on, with an older brother driving. Riding be hind or alongside the wagon and chatting under some difficulty, they arrived at their destina tion, the home of the groom’s uncle, just as the December sun was sinking behind the pines of the horizon. "Uncle Bull” had a large family, but they got along with mighty little room. A single- pen log house, with overhanging shed but no piazza, served to shelter nine, and they man aged without noticing any inconvenience. Sup- ' per was soon spread on a long table between the door and the fireplace and with good ap petites, all fell to and did ample justice. It was hog-killing time and the com wa 8 in from the fields, with sweet potatoes bulging the hills; so there was plenty, despite the fact .that there were two large families, with a considerable sprinkling of their relatives and friends to share it. After supper and the dishes cleared, as the young men were standing in a long row with their backs to the wide fireplace, all at once some one noticed the girls had disappeared. They had been waiting on the table, then clear ing the dishes, laughing, joking and talking when, presto 1 every girl was gone! “Where are the girls?” the boy asked his elbow neighbor. “Behind the doors, dressing for the wedding,' was the rejoinder, a nudge admonishing silence. Although there was a nip of frost in the air, both doors to the house stood wide open; they stood that way most of the time their shut ters, of heavy pine boards swung on blackgum hinges, open back against the foot of the bed steads behind them. There was no other priv- acy in the single-room house, and there was no room to dress in the corn-crib. So by necessity the girls sought the only shelter the home af forded—between the door shutters and the bed steads. How they managed is a mystery, but, while the accommodations were not so ample as milady’s boudoir, they .found them sufficient —at least, they got results. There was much whispering, calling to younger sisters or to Ma, and much rustling of starched garments—but they dressed, and dressed well. When the boy 8 caught on to what was doing, ed 7 outside until the girls appeared. In i of bright colors, gay with rtb- touched wljH}.“ J cinnamon, they bore beneath the pines, to the home of the bride. Of course pairing off; boy and girl, the boy oaten- taciously walking, in the wiregrass beside the path, carefully helping the girl over every high root or log, although the nimble-footed females could outdistance two out of three of them in a running jump. The bride’s home was festive bright. Many candles lighted the interior, while two blazing lightwood fires in the yard afforded a rallying place and as much comfort as was needed for those who could not get inside. The home con sisted of house and kitchen, both of logs and single-roomed. Her mother was a widow, left when Lee surrendered with a small and help less brood, and the two houses were old but they were spotlessly clean. Inside, the living- room was hung with cedar, arbor-vitae and other greens, a portion of the cedar being dip ped in flour until it seemed snow-covered. Aid ing the many candles, a fire blazed, lighting the bright faces, reflecting in laughing eyes, add ing color to red cheeks—while over all hung the aroma of cinnamon drops, of musk, of hair oil, and of Hoyt’s cologne. The bride, in white with a wreath of ever greens on her hair, waited with her brides maids, while the preacher chatted in the corner by the fire. When the groom came in all stood up; he took her hand and faced the preacher, and the few words that mean so much were spoken, while the assemblage looked on solemn ly and those outside crowded doors and wind ows and craned their necks to see. In the kitchen, long tables were laden with good things. Pound cake, a big bride’s cake (which was cut and divided), roll cake, jelly cake, potato custards, dried-apple pies, turn overs (crab-lanterns), baked chicken, chicken- pie, fried chicken, and then—pork, potatoes, beef, biscuit and cornbread, to fill in with. Here the crowd flocked soon after the ceremony, Jack and his bride having the seats of honor at the head of the table, the bridesmaids and groomsmen on either side. She was a tiny lit tle scrap of a girl and Jack towered over her, a six-footer, but although none of those who saw them married forecast it, she was destined to rule him through life like a despot. While the big and much eating was going on some of the women folks had cleared the big house, and when the young folks came back it was ready for dancing, two fiddlers with two straw beaters seated in places of honor by the fireplace. They turned their keys, twanged their strings, rosined and flourished their bows, and as both violins bust into, “Oh Worth county gals, can’t you come out tonight,” there was the call, "Partners on the floor!' and with Jack and his bride leading the first dance, the fun was on. Fast and furious it lasted until, away to wards day, they left Jack to his fate and his mother-in-law and the visitor wended his way to the home of some boy friends who had kindly offered him shelter. It was far in the next day when the boys arose for breakfast, and when the visitor’s mind turned toward the bay pony and home, the others said “No; you can go home any time. Come over to see the girls across the creek and let’s get up a dance to night.” It was Christmas time and youth, with many years and much hard work ahead (al though he didn’t know much about it then) so he seized what opportunity offered—and the oats were not sowed until after the holidays. The girls were seen, the dance arranged, and next morning the boys crawled out late— to eat, to see more girls and to arrange anoth er dance. And so it went on. For four days and nights, they “Danced all night, ’till broad daylight; Went home with the girls in the morning.” At last, on the fourth night, along about two o’clock the boy, for a time tired of dancing, stood watching the tireless fiddlers with their flying bows, the beaters, with their bounding straws, when one of the fiddlers, looking steadi ly at him and shutting oue eye sung, keeping time to his sounding fiddle and his patting feet: “Run along, John, or I’ll tell your daddy, The way you’ve been a-courting.” Back his mihd flashed to the home and the unfinished job he had left four days before. A few minutes later the astonished pony was led out, saddled and mounted, and was soon gal loping on the long way home, while from the distant house came on the cool night air the sounds of the fiddles, the call of the prompter and the rhyme of shuffling feet, to the tune of “I wouldn’t marry an old maid, And I’ll tell you the reason why Her neck’s so long and stringy, I’m afraid she’d never die.” That rain Saturday night wa a evidently a “lightwood knot floater” in Lowndes county. One news story in the Valdosta Times told about a farmer gathering a fine string of fish in his cabbage patch, and another of a five-pound catfish being found in the road about a mile from town. Perhaps this to part of a move ment to populate Lowndes county with fisher men. WANTS TIFTON TO GET STATION. From the Moultrie Observer. We want to see Tifton get that station that is coming to South Geoi have nothing to offer against other ai. . H ... . but Tifton ha B done a good part by the agricul- lily white...nd tural school, and the experiment station would s little resem- make a splendid adjure?to it. Tift county soil spun dresses of is representative of the bert Georgia lands. All THE "NIGGER” BOBBS According to Mr. John lanta correspondent of the the “nigger in the wood crop out in the muddle in Georgia’s highway department “A grand turnpike over the Dixie Highway route running from Chattanooga to the coast, constructed out of automobile fees, and the balance of the state can go to the hap py bow-wow," is the situation, shorn of all "fine frills, deep and shady explanations, tech nical puzzles and that sort of stuff," as Mr. Hammond sees it Over two months ago a map was published of a proposed system of state highways for Georgia as drawn by the engineer of the state’s highway department. It followed practically the rqutes of the Dixie Highway and left the entire section between the Flint and Ocmulgee rivers, south of Houston county, without a single Class A road. Indignant and emphatic protest at once went up from all sections of the state and especially from the counties along the National south of Macon, against this apparent travesty on road building. Delegations from Tifton, Adel, Ashburn, Cordele, and other points interested, went to Atlanta and protested against the proposed sys tem of highways as indicated by the map. These delegates were assured that the map as pub lished was only a tentative suggestion. The state highway engineer admitted that he had been over none of these routes and said that he did not draw the map for the purpose of locat ing the highways but merely as a suggestion from which a state system could be finally laid out. Despite these assurances, several individual members of the protesting delegations felt that! there was more behind the suggestion than its authors cared to be responsible for and sus pected that there was a purpose of making the Dixie Highway the nucleus for the expenditure of the state’s money in road building. Mr. Ham mond’s article indicates that this suspicion was well founded. TO PUNISH LYNCHERS. There is a strong and growing sentiment even in the South that the Federal government should take jurisdiction in the matter of lynchings, where the states fail to act, and see that the guilty ones are punished. The Charleston, S. C., News <and Courier and the Houston, Texas, Post discuss the matter sympathetically, and other leading Southern newspapers assume a very friendly attitude towards the proposition. The States Rights question seems to have been wiped out by recent popular movements, such as national prohibition and Woman Suffrage, and the right of the state to assume sole juris diction over the punishment of violations of its laws may be expected to follow. In the mat ter of lynchings the Gazette warned the people several years ago that if the states did not punish the guilty ones, popular feeling would demand that the Federal government assume jurisdiction and it appears to be only a ques tion of time when this will be done. MAY RETAIN The Gazette hm. that soldier* and sailors ilonofabfy*dischai*M should be allowed to retain their uniforms, In the years to «ome, fheie iiUfoSi WU'wSSei family treasures, to be banded down to des- 1 cendants, or perhaps the men who wore them in the great world crisis *111 be buried in them There was a bill before Congress to allow the men to retain their uniforms but during the confusion of theUst days of the seseionito fate 1 Now was in doubt THfe doubt has been —b* Mr. J. O. Hollomon, Washington correspond ent of the Atlanta Constitution, who says the bill was passed and approved February 28 1919. He quotes the measure in full, as fed lows: “Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America m Congress assembled, that any Demon who served in the United States amy, mw o$ marine corps in the present war may, upon honorable discharge and return to civil fife permanently retain one complete suit of outer uniform clothing, including the overcoat, and such articles of personal apparel and equip, ment as may be authorized, respectively by the secretary of war or the secretary of the navy and may wear such uniform clothing after such discharge: Provided, that the uniform above re ferred to shall include some distinctive mark or insignia to be prescribed, respectively by the secretary of war or the secretary of the navy such mark or insignia to be issued, respect^ ively, by the war department or navy depart ment to all enlisted personnel so discharged The word “navy” shall include the officers and enlisted personnel of the coast guard who have served with the navy during the present war. “Sec. 2. That the provisions of this act shall apply to all persons who served in the United States army, navy, or marine corps during the present war honorably discharged since April sixth, nineteen hundred and seventeen. And in cases where such clothing and uniforms have been restored to the government on their dis charge the same or similar clothing and uni form in kind and value as near as may be shall be returned and given to such soldiers, sailors, and marines.” We congratulate Congress on this act of jus tice to the men who served their country. Now, we trust the law will be met with the proper spirit, and the use of the uniform be not abused. The sight of the khaki on men going about their everyday work should not become common. Men should wear their uniforms for a few days after discharge, but when they go back to work they should go in civilian clothes. ' r * nt To see the uniforms worn at and all times would make them common, and that we don’t want. Keep the uniforms for what they meant, and they great sacrifice they represent. Wear them on state occasions, for they are uniforms of honor. As the years pass, the uniforms will mean more and more; they and the traditions that cling to them will become more sacred. A Uo«^L 0r ,.?'1 ,nt 8a,art *>- »«■ f Ion, Will be Circulated A skin, i to Commissioner, to Call Kleeti A, a result of the meeting at the o bona, 8atnrdsy afternoon, petitions be circulated asking the Count/ missfonera of Tift to call an election foci bonds to improve the roads in Tift coua-i to- • 'AH Mr. E. E. Hall, Sr., preaided at tf ” meeting and then waa a discusaioi the different phaaea of (he road a£ non and need tor improvement? Count/ Commissioners desired an', presslon from the people on the quest of an election and for this mason it s decided to circulate petition, asking ti it be called. For ten /ears Tift count] •pending from 135,000 to $50,OOO a jm_ on public roads and the result, have been onl/ -temporary. Except with 0 roads last built there la very little •how for the money except '.1 grades' Traffic Is so heavy- n road, which served the purpose tetrj ago will no longer hold op Ing for those most frcq'nenUy t logical remedy and this ie..i_ majority of the tax payers of the county_ The indirect threat against the United States by Sinn Fein leaders is not entitled to even pass ing consideration. These people refused to fight for liberty and they should be made to take what those who won the war see fit to give them. People who cannot govern themselves have no right to expect other people to establish a government for them. Ireland has had full opportunity to secure home rule, but being tom by bitter factionalism cannot agree on what she wants. If she cannot agree within herself, how can she expect other nations to agree with her? We have great sympathy with the Irish people in their troubles, but we have neither patience nor sympathy for the Sinn Fein, which was too cowardly to fight and plotted with the enemies of human liberty against Ireland’s best friends Beginning to hear from the people, Republi can leaders aFe trying to hedge on the League of Nations question, pretending that they only wanted amendments, when their first attacks were on the proposition as a whole. Said lead ers see where they stand to lose & chance at the Presidency for the people are in the mood for no foolishness on the proposition of making fu ture wars impossible. THE COUNTRY PRESS WILL DO IT. From the Fitzgerald Leader-Enterprise. The Select Newspaper Association of Geor- through its directors, are launching the ' advertising campaign for Georgia and gia, th Diggest Keep them and care for them, for the time will come no more when millions of young Ameri cans will have the opportunity to don them in their country’s service. PROVIDE THE MONEY. Had Tift county had money with which to build roads, it would not have been necessary to borrow. Thus the county would have not only saved interest at a high rate from year to year, but it would now be saved the embarrass ing position in which either the county’s credit must suffer or it must pay out money to redeem notes for which it received no consideration. Moral: Provide the money for the county’s needs. Money can be provided for a system of good roads throughout the county by a bond issue. The Federal government will spend dollar for dollar with the amount the voters of Tift au thorize for road bonds. But in order to secure this Federal good roads money this year we must act quickly. Sign the petition for the bond election when it to presented to you. Nail that Federal money for good roads while it to going by. We need the roads. Georgians ever inaugurated. Concurrently with the call by President Wilson of a meeting at Washington of all the Governors of the states, and mayors of the larger cities, the directors of the Select Newspapers of Georgia have launch ed a movement which is destined to do for Geor gia and Georgians what President Wilson on a broader scale, will ask the Governors and May ors to do, providing a public policy of construc tion to open means of employment for the sol diers, sailors and marines coming home from the war. For Georgia the state press will launch a campaign of “buying Georgia made products” so that Georgia industry may make places for the returning victors of our own state. The >ss will freely furnish its columns for the legi- ate exploitation of Georgia’s great resources and in doing so it will have .the financial assis tance of the manufacturers and distributors of eorgia products throughout the state. An era of unprecedented prosperity is ahead ! us and in its unfolding everyone will get- a isre. The country press, patriotic at all ready to respond to every call the na- "One of the worst features of the sale of whiskey here to that it to sold to a number of our young boys,” says the Worth County Local. That is the case everywhere the blind tiger operates, and that is the phase of the liquor question that gives advocates of the sale of in toxicants under legal restrictions their strong est argument. The blind tiger, beginning by t; violating the law, will sell whiskey to a child as quickly as he will to a man, or to a girl ag quick ly as he will to a woman, if he thinks he will not get caught. The blind tiger begins by be ing an outlaw and each step he takes plunges him deeper into the mire. It is the very worst form of the whiskey traffic, and when to the illegal sale to added the illegal manufacture, the evil is doubled. Nothing more wholesome could have been decided on than the determination of the Allied nations that German officers guilty of atrocities in France, Belgium, Galicia and other overrun countries shall be surrendered, for trial, W« want peace'for all time, but we ;*ant;>at same time an example to future v gehemion«l the men in C9iui|llnd will be held responsible for munier, jetotr.^nd rapine eor 1 -*“* J,v armies of invasion. Says John T. Boifeufllet, in the Macon News: “When one reads the Tifton Gazette it to. easy to imagine that it la published in a land of sun lit activities, when HfAand actionar* moug terms. The sanctum of Editor Heiffing always seems thatched with roses and redolent with honeysuckles. All brethren -•* ^— ’' " to WOMAN CUBES HORSE COLIC The men were away as usual. > horse was bad. A Iona woman not “drench” in the old way. Sha I ed_np a neighbor aad her men ware's* it: “We hare Fa'rris Colic 1 that yon drop on the hone’s toq Mrs.. Neighbor. 80 aha came o, •nd dropped Farris Colic Remedy on I hone’s tongas and the horse was i when the men come home. Moral, Farris Colic Remedy so the women cure hone colic. We aell it at GO < a bottle on the Money Beck Plan. ] ereon Grocery Co. adr. LEFT TWO DATS REF Private Hilsman E. Gaff i Friday morning, haring honorable discharge from ser Goff is a son of Mr. and j Gaff, of Fender, and left last. Camp Gordon. He was rent fn to Camp Hancock and from Camp Merritt, embarking for jFn Nor. 9, just two days baton the an tice was declared. He landed in land, went from there to returned with the Forty-Second Dlri a few weeks ago. Hare you figured up yottr low < this year? We har* paid 82c weeks. Lang A ,<kv Omega: , When TOOT blood is not In i yew Wttm is UMhls winter cola* aROVE'S TASTELESS CMn 1 It contains the welt-known ertlea of Qrinino and Iron acceptable to tha most delicate and la pleatant to tike. Yen