The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-01-06
LOCAL NEWS.

/ VIVA
near Whltakers killed Z ten months old
pigs that made 1864 pounds of pork.
| Mr.. BELLS BIG HoG.-Mr. j. Whit
Bell killed, about the beginning of the
holidays, a hog that weighed 527
pounds.
MARRIAGES FOR 1897.-The record in
the Register of Deeds Office at Halifax
shows that during last year there were
issued 226 marriage licenses for colored
and 1873 for whites.
THE FIRST MELoN.-Mr. Jas. Lee, Of
this county, sent The COMMONWEALTH
a water melon a few days ago. Mr.
Lee can be counted the first to present
us with melon for 1898.
MANY THINGS LEFT oUT.-The miss
ing of last weeks paper has crowded
this issue with news matter, and there
are many things left out which We
would like to say, but we just have nc
more space.
FIRE ALARM AT FEMALE ACADEMY
There was fire alarm at the female
academy Monday morning. A crowd
rushed up there and found the roof on
fire from a flue. It was soon extin-
guished. The damage was very slight.
SOME IMPROVEMENTS AT THE DEPOT.
The main steps to the pla tform
have been taken down and new ones
put up. Also bridge ways for trucks to
run over have been placed on the plat
form at the three doors of the ware
house fronting Depot street.
FIRE AT HAM1LToN.-A few nights
ago Sherrod Brothers near Hamilton
lost gin house with 20 bales
of cotton and large quantity of cotton
seed. It was thought to be the work
of an incendiary, as there had not been
any fire there that day. The insur-
ance was 81, 900.
HOLIDAY PARTIEs.-There have been
several parties of various kinds in the
town during the holidays. Those
learned of were: At Mr. r. L. Har-
dy's; at Mr.. J. s. Bowers; the little
folks a candy stew at Mr.. j. Frank
Brinkley's; party tor the little folks
at Rev. w. J. Smiths, and a birth
day party by little Miss Louise Josey.
STOLE THE CLoTHEs.-A cOlored
man named George Day was arrested
here few days ago for stealing a suit
of clothes from Mr.. G. T. Andrews last
August. He bad the clothes on when
arrested and the evidence against him
was such that Mayor Perry bound him
oyer to court.
A DANGEROUS F1RE.-Mr. J. ID. As
kew who lives at the Bellamy farm in
Edgecombe near Epworth, says he
came very near having a serious fire
Christmas eve. A tenant house in the
yard took fire while colored man was
in it asleep and it was discovered just
in time for the man to get out. With
strong and unfavorable wind, per-
haps the large dwelling and other
houses would have been destroyed.
MAsoN1c.-On the night of Dec. 80,
the Scotland Neck Lodge No. 40 A. F.
& A. NJ, elected the following officers :
Master of Lodge, J. A. Kltchin; Sr.
Warden, DR.. J. r. Pope; Jr. Warden,
S. F. Dunn Sr. Deacon, G. T. Andrews ;
Jr. Deacon, w. E. Whitmore Secre-
tary, G.. Hoffman; Treasurer, A. s.
Dunn Stewards, J. E. Bowers. w. II.
White Tier, John E. Lewis.
FELL 30 FEEr.-Tuesday morning, a
colored boy named Norwood Jones, who
works at Hotel Lawrence. went up to
the tank to let water in by the wind
mill. He stepped on rotten plank on
tho scaffold and tell. He struck the
telephone wire running into Mr.. A.
McDowell's Office and then fell to the
ground. The whole distance was about
80 feet and the ground was hard frozen
He was badly shaken up, but is getting
on pretty we'll.
EVOLUTIONARY ENTERTAINMENT
Friday night Dec. 31st, Mr.. Gilbert
Walden of Virginia, who has won the
title of sThe Famous Southern Elocu.
tionist," gave an entertainment II
Temperance Hall, which consisted o
Rotations, readings and songs with
music on the flute and guitar, Hi
Rotations and readings were OF South
ern scenes and the negro dialect. Per
haps his chief and most striking rem
ditlon was the "Bells ofAtlanta." HI
held his audience for more than tw'
hours and the interest in the enter
tainment was kept up to the yer.
close.
u Mr.. Walden has high testimonial
f,,,,, nouananers and scholars OF ma