The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-05-14
THE CHECKER SCHOOL.
THEY PLAY THE GAME ACCORDING TO
THE CONSTITUTION"
The American Eagle Should be Rubbed
Off Our Silver Dollars and the UbIq-
uitous nosquito Substituted.

Mr.. Geo. A. Carter, the talented
Young humorist-lecturer, Of Danvllie,
Va. who visited Henderson some time
ago and tickled the resides of a small
but select audience with his inimitable
story Of The Mosquito contributes
the following to a recent issue OF the
Richmond Times:
Down in Henderson, y. C., the inmates
boast OF the only GOLD LEAF factory IN
that State, and it is run by man full OF
energy, pluck, grit and sand, to say
nothing OF his enterprise and capacity.
| The GOLD LEAF comes out in large, thin,
neatly printed sheets, and Is eagerly
sought after by the wise and wide-awake
| citizens OF Henderson, and surrounding
| country. When called at his Office, Mr.
| Manning, the gentleman OF many quail
! ties referred to above, was out, and |
failed to see him or get his hearty hand
shake, for which he is noted.
| TIE rain was pattering down outside,
| and the hotel office was filled to over
| flowing with betting and shafting, and
drummers talking betting and shafting
| until YOU couldn't see or hear anything
else. The drinking water even tasted
like leather betting. | crawled up on a
| pile OF bags and sample cases, in cor
ner, and stood it as long as l could, then
decided to go over to Oxford, \. e., Oh
. the Southern switchback, and wait
until the betting and shafting season was
over in Henderson, which epidemic,
learned afterward, was brought on by
hew cotton factory being built there
yt-hn mi
to keep the place hummng.
THE swITCHBACK.
The switchback from Henderson tC
Oxford is twelve miles long, and a yer,
delightful thing to ride on. The grounC
is wavy and irregular, and the railroad
track is not graded, but just put down
on the ground as it was made in "th'
beginning" except where it crosses {
branch, and then short bridge or tres
tie is used \ the intermediate stations
are arranged on the side OF the highes
grades, SO the train can bestopped easll,
at this point, and will start itself OF
again and get up momentum enough t.
climb the next grade. You run som
distance past Oxford, and stop up Oh
the side OF a hill, and then switch bacl
into town on an easy grade.
~ scattered tobacco market, with YER.
enterprislng newspaper man named Brit
planted near it's centre This man is sail
to have cotton out his paper SO ofteI
that the citizens of the place asked hin
to cut down his issues SO they woul'
have time to read one before the mex
came out. Mr. Britt has very fin
stOry-teller in his press-rOOm that Is ru
by a small kerosene engine. He got GU
some very fine mosquito stories, while
looked on.
TIE 'CHECKER' SCHOOL.
Perhaps the most unique and origina
feature about this happy town is tn
"Checker' school, an institution wher
the great and fascinating game OF check
.'rs, or drafts can be learned in all it
glory and phases. This college is unde
the personal supervision OF Captain Wi
liams, a man of many and lOvablc quail
ties, who teaches the game according t
the constitution. One of his brightes
pupils is a gentleman from New Berne
y. c., named Jones.
explained to large gathering CT Ok
ford's citizens that in order to insur
sound money and never failing circula
, ton, We should rub the American eagle
that is fast disappearing from our fOl
esLs-On of our dollars, ana put til
always with- US and-industrious-p atriot
. mosquito in his place The outcome {
my strong appeal remains to be seer
General Washington was spurred on t
victory by this animal and short ration
and Patrick Henry, under the pressul
| OF large delegation from Chickahomin,
was forced to cry out, "Give me libert
or give me DEATH" which cry echoed an
re-echoed throughout the length an
breadth OF the land, and finally grew t
such a howl that CORVALLIS and his gul
f ilas were frightened into an uncond
tional surrender, and why can't "
honor him with our cold cash? ask til
question, cam I right?" and an ..ech
from the mountains of Colorado answer
"Siverite!' Yours truly,
GEORGE CARTER.