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Banks County Gazette. VOL I.—NO. 47. Lettie’s Love Charm. “ Why, Lettie Vincent, you don’t mean to say you have been quarrel ling with Bertie—and only' six months married?’’ said Mrs. Austin, reprov ingly, to her niece, who had run in for a moment to see her. “Well it wasn’t exactly a quarrel,” half sobbed Lettie. “But if he finds fault with me, I have to answer him back a little sharp, and then he goes away angry.” “I always had a charm against these little storms when I was mar ried; I inherited it from my mother, and I think I shall give it to you.” As she spoke she unclasped a neck lace from her throat, made of twenty lustrous amber beads. “I didu’t wear them when I was first married,” said Mrs. Austin, “but carried them around in my pocket. So must you. Now, when your husband speaks so sharply to you, and you feel like ..snapping back, just count three of these beads on your fingers. There is something mystic about amber, and when you have counted three beads you can say what you please.” Lettie laughed a little angrily. “You ;.re making fun of me, aunty,” she said, “No, I’m not,” she said gravely. “I don’t expect you to believe it, but I do ask you to give it a fair trial.” “But it seems so ridiculous.” “Plenty of good things seem ridicu lous at first; but I know that if you won't utter a syllable after you have been vexed by Bertie until you say one, two, three—one for faith, two for hope, and three for charity,— then, mark my word, child, you will find the amber charm will work.” “Well,” Lettie said, taking the beads, and glancing at them a little superstitious!}’, “I’ll try them, but I’m certain they won’t <lo any good.” “And I am certain they will,” said the old lady cheerfully. When Lettie went home that night, in the solitary summer twilight, Ber tie Vincent was before her, impatient ly pacing the floor. “Well,” he said sharply, “I don’t know that I particularly admire to come home and find the house de serted. Why coul. n’) you have told me you were going away?” “Because I am not a three year-old baby, to have to ask leave every time Igo out. That is why.” These words were the answer that rose hotly to Lettie’s lips, but she sud denly remembered the amber oharrn, and slipped her hand down into her pocket and deliberately counted throe of the glittering globes,and by the time she had finished the “one for faith, two for hope, and three for charity,” a little of the dreariness ot the un lighted apartment struck into her own heart, and she realized that it was a cheerless place for Bertie to come home to. “I didn’t mean to stay so late,” she said, cheerily. ‘‘But I did want to go and see aunty so bad, and per haps I should have told you that I thought of spending the day at the farm. I’ll light the gas in a minute, dear.” Bertie’s frown faded away. “Well, suppose we both go down on Sunday, Lettie? I declare I don't wonder you want to go, for it is in sufferably stupid for you here all day long alone, w-ich the canary and kitten for company. Now' sit down and let me read the paper to you until you get rested.” And an almost superstitious thrill passed through Lettie’s heart as she realized the success of the amber charm. The next morning, Mr. Vincent, dressing in a hurry, found a button off his shirt. “If there isn’t another button gone,” he exclaimed, angrily dashing the shirt to the floor. “It does seem to me you might be a littlo more careful abont such things, Lettie.” A sharp retort trembled on Lettie’s tongue, but like lightning the amber charm flashed across her memory, and the faith, hope, and charity trio were called to her relief. “I will look them over this morn ing, Bertie. You shall find every but ton right after this.” Ab she spoke she laid out another shirt, not Luttonless, and he laughed happily. “I shouldn’t have spoken so quick ly, said he, “but you know what a button off a man’s shirt is to his temper.” When he had gone to the office, leaving an affectionate good-by ou Littie’s pretty face, she drew out her amber charm and divided Bertie’s kiss with it. “You darling old thing,” she said aloud. “Bertie does love me, and thanks to yon, my blessed trio, I am learning to control this pettish, way ward tongue of mine a little.” Autumn leaves were falling when she went down to the old farm-house again. “Well, dear,” said Mrs. Austin, “and how does the spell work ?” “O aunty,” she cried, “I am so hap py! lam so thankful to you ! And if I can only keep those precious old beads forever—” “Of course, my dear, of course; k*ep ’em as long as you want ’em. Only as far as their being a charm is concerned—” “You needn’t tell me, aunty, about that.” And Lettie laughed and col ored. “I know it is not the three beads so much as the stopping to think. But who would suppose that little way of stopping to count would be actual discipline for ourselves 1 I know I was always quick and irrita ble, but, aunty, 1 am learning to con trol my temper. And if I live one hundred years, I feel that I must have my ‘faith, hope, and charity charm.” “And so you shall, dear,” said Mrs. Austin, as she took off her glasses and wiped away the mist of tears that had gathered ou them. “Because,” I,it,tie replied, “they have no doubt been to me a precious charm.”—Selected. How They Heard. The Savior said: “Take heed how ye hear,” and the admonition needs to rocive just as great emphasis in our day as in the olden time. The attitude of mind with which we ap proach the word, whether in readin it privately or listening to it in church services, has much, very much, to do with the blessinp we receive from it. It is common to make this remark with reference to infidels and skeptics, but let us for the moment apply it to Christian hearers. There can be no doubt that in the congregations on the Lord’s day many are so dull of bearing that a very fit exhortation to put in at frequent intervals during the service would be: “He that hath ears to hear let him hear.” It is not merely those who habituatly sleep in meeting who need to be awaked, but those also who are awake but tlieir heart sleepeth, who listen but hear not. A family, whom we shall call the Blanks, attended service on a recent Sunday at the church to which they belonged. Their behavior befitted the place and the occasion; no one could have criticised it adversely. They were all attention and wide awake. But how did they hear? We can only judge from the conversation when they were assembled at the din ner table, of which we can give but snatches. The morning church going, being the most recent occurrence, formed the subject of talk. Mr. Blank thought the subject of the dis course ill timed. It was city evan geliz tion which had been the preach er’s theme, and he had supported his statements of the city’s needs by facts and statistics concerning the probation of churches and their inad equate capacity for the immense pop ulation. Mr. Blank also showed haw he had heard by uttering no word of heartfelt sorrow for the unchurched multitudes, but deprecating the stir ring appeals for city mission work their pastor was constantly making. How near had he come to hearing God’s voice in his word that morn ing? Mrs. Blank had not much to say about the a: scourse, but she was concerned about the music, criticising HOMER, BANKS COUNTY, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1891, it severely as not befitting a church service, and especially severe on the new choir leader, whose motions and solo performance she was sure were very distracting to the congregation. Son George remarked upon the minis ter having his coat unbuttoned while preaching, and the fact that his neck tie was not a four-in-hand, and had been somewhat awry. -Son Harry thought the minister talked altogehter too long, and didn’t tell stories enough, his father complained that there was no depth to the dis course. But little Emma showed where her thoughts had been by say ing the organ voluntary made her think of the music to which she had danced at the dancing class the day before. Nor was there one word spoken at that table which would lead one to suppose any impression had been left upon any of their minds of God’s nearness and love, or of the crying need of multitudes of the gos pel of Christ the world’s saviour. What was the reason ? They did not take heed how they heard. In the first place, none of them went to Church hungry for heavenly manna. They had not sharpened their appetite by secret and family confession and prayer, with earnest petition that God would prepare their hearts to receive the truth in the love of it. And secondly, they had not called in their thoughts from wandering by compelling themselves to consider the sacredness of the place and the sublime importance of the theme discussed; for often in God’s house we fail to realize that we are sitting before God, and waiting upon him. Again, it was not the custom in that household to gather up items of truth in their after church conversation, nor for the parents to lovingly try to apply themselve and their children the exhortations and expositions heard in God’s house. So the impression of that morning’s service was not very deep, and the manna that had beeu dropping around the tents of Israel was ungathered. This is no fancy picture; you can duplicate it jn many homes where the after-church conversation is about very trivial matters, and where, some times, no one can briefly state the theme of discourse. Attentive, pray erful hearing of the word is a habit which can be acquired oniy by per sistent self-training, and calling to mind every time we attend divine service, Christ’s words: “Take heed how ye lieai.”—Rev. John Currer. A Terrible Charge. In the fall of 1890 anew light ap peared in the medical firmament of Franklin county. This new light was Dr. G. M. Glover who came from near Augusta, Ga. He was tall, lank and ungainly but made friends rapid ly. His sharp nose and small eyes appeared to be points in his favor, at least they did not prevent his star from rising and blazing in the ranks of healers. His medical skill was remarkable and patients flocked from far and near. He was successful, very successful, and well thought of by all. He promised to he a fixture and the sick clapped tlieir hands for joy. The popular doctor was accompa nied by a dashing blonde, apparently about twenty-five years old who cap tivated all by her good looks and pleasing manners. The genial doctor and the dashing blonde, whom he in troduced as his wife, took up their quarters with Mr. J. K. Skelton and soon ingratiated themselves into the good graces of their host. They were loving and paid their board regularly, all was quiet and serene. But a change came over the demeanor of their friends, they be came cold and hardly spoke to the un gainly disciple of Esculnpius and his beautiful companion. What caused this change ? Nothing hut the simplo fact that Glover had been taken back to Jeffer son county, mind you, taken, he had to go for he was arrested. He ar ranged the matter in some way and returned, but confidence in him was shaken and to crown all this, the rude \ officers of the law seized his fair part ner and himself and put them in jail. This was terrible but some of the friends whom the fellow had made stuck by him. These friends rallied to his sup port and in a short time both parties batjje good-bye to the prison walls and were free as air, save for the fact that lynx-eyed sUrities were on the watch to prevent their seeking “fresh fields and pastures new.” About three months ago the real wife appeared. She was a sweet looking woman about thirty-two years old, and had with lief two line looking youngsters, one three years old, the other eighteen months old. Her erring partner was received back into her good graces, and the dashing blonde subsided. Then the Doctor and his real and loving wife built a cosy home near Strangers court grounds, and all was in a fair way to be forgiven, until the Doctor became brutal and said in the presence of several witnesses that he wished^he had a divorce from his wife as he wanted to marry the other woman. Then upon various occasions the sharp nosed fellow cruelly beat his wife, so the neighbors say, and in other ways behaved so that public opinion was aroused about his way of living. Ou the fitli of this month liis wife Mrs. Mary E. Glover, was taken sick, on the 16th, she was dead. Her ago nies at the time of her death were terrible; spasm followed spasm, con vulsion followed convulsion and when not in these paroxysms, she was in a stupor. Monday evening, March 23, at 4 o’clock she expired. Witli the dead body of his wife in the home her bounty had furnished, after a painful sickness had ended in a painful death, this man went off and spent the night elsewhere. And the next morning he was trying to marry the blonde woman, was turned out to be Ella McDowell, before the body of his wife had stiffened in her grave. This made the people angry and his bondsmen and those of the blonde decided to give them up The Doctor heard this and attempted to got the woman out of the country, hut she was finally caught in a negro cabin and she and the doctor botn put back in jail. Then the neighbors putting this and that together, Glover’s words and actions, decided that there must have been some reason for the sud den death of the wife, aside from a congestive chill, which Glover eiaimed caused her death, this other reason they decided was poison, and Coroner W. H. Sorrels summoned a jury on the 16tk, exhumed the body of Mrs. Glover and hold a postmortem exami nation. Mrs. Glover’s body was taken to the residence of the late Jno. Duncan, near Hails creek, and there the trial was held. Drs. Burruss and Rampley, of Carnesville, took the body in charge and made a critical examina tion of the brain and stomach. After a close study they informed the jury that they could find no traces of pois on, and did not believe any had been administered. This did not satisfy the jury and they deliberated until late at night then went to Carnesville, and finding no possitive evidence Glover was re leased.—Athens Banner. The Heroic Mother. We see a household brought up w'ell: a mother who took alone the burden of life when her husband laid it down, without much property, out of her penury, by her planning and industry., night and day, by her full ness and love, by' her fidelity, bring up her children; and life has six men all of wdiom are like pillars in the temple of God. Oh! do not read to me of the cam paigns of Leaser; tell me nothing about Napoleon’s wonderful exploits; I tell you that as God and angels look down upon the silent history of that woman's adminirtration, and upon those men building processes which went no in her heart and mind through a score of years, nothing external, no outward development of kingdoms no empire building, can compare with what she has done. Nothing can compare in beauty, and wonder, and admirableness, and divinity itself, to the silent work in obscure dwellngs of faithful women bringing their children to honor and virtue and piety. I tell you the in side is larger than the outside, for the loom is more than he fabrick; the thinker more than the thong, t; the builder more than the building.—ll. W. Beecher. It seems hardly necessary to write for farmers on the evils of the saloon. No one pretends to deny the general charge that the saloon is a bad thing. It is our purpose to speak briefly of this national curse to the fanners as a class. The licensed saloons in the towns and villages of this country imposes double and underhand form of taxation upon the farmers that would not be tolerated under any other name. Towns license saloons to help pay their own expenses. They build sidewalks, pay policemen, build jails and become extravagant in pro portion as the income from saloons increases. The farmers, or their sons and laborers, help to maintain the saloons, and loose their efficiency, and often their farms. When the crop of crime is ready for harvest, the farmer is again called upon to pay taxes into the county treasury to cover the expenses of detecting, con victing, and punishing the criminals that have been turned out by the vil lage saloons.—Western Rural. It seems to be pretty certain that neither of the Irish factions will re ceive any considerable financial sup port from the people of the United States. They do not deserve to be assisted in the miserable work of fighting each other. So lung as they worked together for the cause of Irish home rule they never failed to receive cordial sympathy and sub stantial aid from this country. —AG lanta Journal. Nothing opens so wide a door to vice, to crime, to evil habits of every description, as the absence of occu pation. The downward course of many a promising youth, the ruin of many a hopeful life, may be distinctly traced to the void caused by having nothing definite and positive to do. The faculties must be active, the en ergies must be at work, and if not employed for good, they will be for evil. While a Boston gentleman was visiting the citadel ot Quebec, last summer, his attedtion was called by a British officer, rather boastfully, to a small brass gun) on which was in scribed: “Captured from the Ameri cans at Bunker Hill, 17 June, 1775.’’ The Boston gentleman calmly re marked: “I am content. You have the gun; wo have the hill.” Wliat of the Future. Are the farmers entering on anew and brighter era, or will they, by an attempt to accomplish better things> ex-pose weaknesses, divided linos and inability to agree among themselves on important, economic questions, and then, “Fall, good easy man, never to rise again.” Destiny seems to have shaped our end, as farmers, in a farmers’ organ ization mold. If they are nurtured and sustained and do prosper, the farmers as a class will be corres pondingly prosperous, but if the mold breaks to piece, we will be thrown even deeper into despair,the laughing stock, yes, and the prey of the very vultures who have been picking the flesh from our ribs for years. Shall we take counsel among our selves or shall we counsel vvitli those who have placed us where we are to day? In the profusion of good (?) advice so generally extended to the farmers, just now, it may be well to consider, who is the best qualified to judge, of the cause and remedy for the mortgaged farm, the tattered garments, the cheerless home, the SINGLE COPY THREE CENTS, hard worked family; the farmer, the old party solons, or the disappointed office seeker. The farmer says organize, educate* think for yourself* discover the cause and apply the remedy for evils, and make your position what it should be among men. Will the solons say: “The cause of the financial trouble of the farmers is due to an over-production of farm products, or if he has the right kind of an audience, the farmers are lazy* careless and do not attend to busi ness. Our political party has helped them all it could and if the farmer would settle down to work they would soon meet with success.” While the disappointed office seeker is confident the only safe coarse for the farmer, is to “cut loose” all hold and sail forth anew born, regarles9 of numerical strength, objects or de fined principles. It is high time the producers of this country were meeting facts, face to face, sarting friends from foes, get down to hard pan, and try and put a stop to production and possession so soon separtaing. Why is it the farmers are the largest producers of any class and yet havo the least pleasure and comfort in life ? My answer to th's question would he: The farmers have not taken a sufficient interest in polities. Our country must he governed, and if the farmer does not take a hand in the molding the poioy of the government, the other fellow will, and he has. We are reaping a bountiful harvest, that has been frost and drought proof; all this has been brought about while the farmer was laboring under the false impression that all his in terests lay within his boundary fence. In our haste to get out of a posi tion that it has taken years to get into, we are liable to act rashly, make foolsh, sectional and class demands and the first thing we know, we will have demonstrated our inability to right existing wrongs and will fall by internal dissentions. Orgaize, educate, study the science of Government and political economy, end by degrees we will woak our way out of the wilderness. The fact is, we as farmers have neglected our political duty so long that we have become rusty and to be candid most of tts don’t know just what we do want. If we throw our organizations into* a conglomerated mass we are sure-to' go down before the well drilled forces of the enemy. Let us discipline our forces, select our weapons and fighting ground, and then, hew to the line let the chips fall where tney may. Some reformers are getting away ahead of the procession, and are trying to force things prematurely. The party press is leaving nothing undone that will warp public senti ment against us. Rash acts will not win friends and our strength must come from those who place principles before party, whose faith in the jus tice of our cause and our ability ta carry it out must not he shaken at. this critical time. Farmers’ organizations are growing in membership very fast, they are seeking out every state, county and township in the Union. To throw a straw in the path of this magnificent growtli would be unwise. Organiza tion and education should be the motto for the leaders of farmers’ organizations during 1891.—F. J. Claypool, in American Farm News. Old Lawyer: “I cannot take your case. Circumstantial evidence is so strong against you that it will be im possible to prove your innocence.” Prisoner: “But I am not innocent. lam guilty. Old Lawyer: “O! theu maybe I can clear you.” Mrs. Wickwire: “Tf woman was given the credit she deserves I don’t think man would be quite so promi nent in the world’s history.” Mr. Wickwire: “I believe you are right. If she could get all the credit she wanted he’d be in the poor-house.”