Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-01-28

| "0SA AO41J OAOoSA Al ASAShAAA0 -
have hired a negro to singly pass it
now unhallowed precincts.
Of the suicides, one was a flash il
the pan, one was completely success
full. and the third is in obeyance. II
this last case the victim is lying in the
hospital with bullet in his head. The
attending physicians say his chance
for recovery is good. He is consciou:
and perfectly rational. He declares
that he has no knowledge whatever OF
the act which came so near shutting
off his mortal cola good evidence
that in his case, at least, the mind had
gone wandering ere the ungarded hand
had sought to commit the awful deed.
He had defaulted as custodian of trust
| funds, and no doubt brooded over his
delinquency until his mind became un-
settled, and the restraining influence
of reason being removed, that which
had been bat shadowy suggestion
grew into a controlling influence.
Having loving, estimable wife and
an interesting family dependent upon
/ his exertions, it is charitable to as
sumo that position, anyway; and
nave sufficient faith in the goodness of
the world to believe that it will forgive
him if he recover and conform his fu-
ture to the ever inviting square of
virtue.
Asheville. like the balance of crea-
ton, is longingly awaiting the pros
perity said to dance close attendance
upon the confidence" secured to the
American people last fall through the
patriotic exertions of Mark Hanna and
a $40, 1000, 900 campaign fund. By all
the rules of Republican Sound Money
logic the marts of trade and the haunts
of industry should be effervescing un-
der the law of demand and supply like
your glass of seidlitz when the anti
thetical powders are commingled in
happy commotion. 'Tis pity that, up
to date, sour Experience should so
give the cold shoulder to the advances
of sweet Promise; that stout Practice
should so trip up the trained heels of
nimble Theory. But avast politicsi
Confound the luck, I drop into it as
naturally as Silas Wegg into poetry!
Ia Asheville, as throughout North
Carolina, all business is dull, if We
except Blockading, of which more
anon. There are many large mercan-
tile establishments, and few facto-
ries, all dragging out an expectant
existence. They deserve larger
patronage than the community is able
to give. The liquor trade seems to
suffer little from the general depres-
sion, so far as I can discern from the
outward signs. Buncombe county is
''dry," but Asheville is ''wet," and
consequently, outside the temperance
drug store business, the saloons here
have a monopoly of the trade for the
county. Each of the thirteen saloons
in this City of the Sky pays an annual
license-State, city and Federal-of
$1616, beside tax of 81 on every hun
dred dollars worth of stock. The
reader will observe that Missouri high
license isn't marker to that enjoined
upon Tar-Heel dispensers. Then, too,
the distribution of the tax is reversed.
Here the city gets $1100. and the State
about $3.50. They draw the color line
tightly at these places of vinous re-
freshment. a screen partition separat-
ing that part of the bar devoted to the
dusky-hued patron from the more re-
tired section wherein is served his
white co-liquidator. The negro takes
his drink in plain view from the street,
with rows of barrels and kegs in his
rear reflected from the mirror in front;
the Caucasian takes his'n in quiet re-
tirement. surrounded by all the out
ward signs of luxury, the mirror in
front rejecting beautiful artistic stud
les from nature. By the way, I note
that most of these artists take for their
text and cling closely to it, Beauty
unadorued adorned the most"
The very high license that obtains
in this State, and the large s'dry"
patches scattered all over its territory,
induce considerable illegal traffic, of
course. OF this subterranean trade,
the bulk is Done by the drug store of
easy virtue. The prescription book
is always at hand, and its capacity for
doctors Latin hard to overcome. But
it doesn't protect in all cases. One of
the earliest acquaintances formed in
Asheville was gentlemen in the q. s..
revenue service, stationed here to look
after the blockaders and other people
who grudge Uncle Samuel his rightful
dues. He is one of the most efficient,
untiring and conscientious officers
have ever met: alert, jealous and pains
taking in the performance of his duty.
Looking over the records in the ex-
press Office the other day, he found q
/ GREAT many lin,,id packapes from a