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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1906)
J Xim stJAY OREGONUlX, PORTOAOTr FEBRITARY 18, 1906. 17" Trials and Trium CHAPTER VIII. OB began work at once -with joyful J J heart. He -was a stout arid willing lad and respectful In his conduct, and, the farmer and bis wife had nothing but good words to say about "him. There were other farmhouses along thcl road, and the farmers and their wives; saw each other frequently, and of course everybody wanted to know about Joe- The farmer's name was Taylor, and he and his wife tried to dodge most of tfieques Ik'ioos tlMm. Tfer sM "that tiw boy hd mm afMg 4 asfeed Cm wrk and it hd Immi gtvfrK to Mm, aMJafti thus far tbr ft to fl(t vJeeTvSey thewght there nmet be tsme' mystery afee-ut It, ad every tie' a Btaa- CW eam alesg they teW ;Mm;aet Je. and asked if ho had ever seen orheard of him. All answered "no," until one day, when the boy had been with the farmer for nearly six months.' Then a man who was traveling about the country selling medicines came along, and when ho was asked he replied:- "Yes, I heard some time ago about a boy who ran away. Ict me think a minute. "Where was it? Oh, I remember now. I stopped at the croton uouniy poorhouse one day a few weeks ago, and the superintendent asked me it I had ever come across a boy named J6e, who ran away from mere aoout corn-pianung time. Is the boy living around here?" "He's living at farmer Taylor's," they told him. "Well, that's .better than being in & poorhouse, isn't It? They shall not And out from me where the lad Is." But there were others who felt spiteful because the Taylors had not told them everything, and a letter was at once written to the superintendent. Had Joe been of age, he could not have been taken back, but as he was only a young boy, and as the law gave the superintendent charge of him until some. one came to adopt him, he could be taken back even with handcuffs on his wrists. Fortunately for the boy, Mr. Taylor heard about the letter almost as soon as it was sent away. He knew the law, and he knew that Joe How Isobel A ND papa and I'll keep house by ' ourselves!" cried Isobel, joy ously. A shade crossed Mrs. Strickland's face. Does it make you so very happy to have me go?" she asked. "Oh, mother, dear, no!" Isobel cried, Jumping up jto kiss her. "I didn't mean that. But I thought papa was going, too; and now I can see if I'm any good at housekeeping for him." Mrs. Strickland went away Thursday night. Saturday morning Isobcl's duties began. They were not very hard. All she did was to go to the telephone and order things from a list that the cook had given her. Tho servants had been in !the house for years, and went on with their work whether their mistress was there or not. But it pleased Isobel to think she was responsible for everything. In the middle of the morning her father I telephoned to know if she would go down town and have luncheon with him. Of course, she was delighted, and immedl- lately gave orders that luncheon should Inot be served. At the office she had a Jolly- little talk I with Mr. de Puy. Then her father, put on jhis hat and coat and nook her f.o pis Isobel was startled af.first There were Iso very many men, and only 'a may or two now and then, but she '"smiled and settled back in her bigchair and enjoyed lerself. Every little while some .gentleman vould come up to their table with an lused expression, and, after her father lad shaken hands, he would introduce the gentleman to her. It was great fun, for they always said such very pretty md flattering things. Isobel felt ex tremely grown-up and responsible, and tried to talk and act just the way her lother would have done. From the ap proving way her father and his friends looked at her, it seemed as if she had suc ceeded. After a most beautiful luncheon, "lots letter than we would have had at home." is Isobel assured her father, they went mt of the club and around several cor liers, and suddenly found themselves in Front of the theater. Mr. Strickland pro duced some tickets, and the first thing I so Del knew she was sitting 'way down In front listening to the play of "Ham et," which she had wanted to see for such a long time. It was very tragic, very beautiful and fonderfully acted, and Isobel, with tear Itains on her face, went out of the the ater, thrilled and satisfied. Nothing had happened to the house, Icspite her long desertion. Dinner was lerved with her sitting opposite her .V r jSure cU Ftl be telling yur ethtr vArat & fete economic! housekeeper yix be - could stay with him no longer. He heard of the letter at noon one day, but he said nothing until they came to cat sup per. Then he told the news to his wife and the boy, and said: "It Is one of the meanest tricks I ever heard of In all my life, and the man who wrote that letter ought to be horse whipped until you could hear him yell a mile away, but we have got to lose Joe. If he stays here he must go back to the poorhouse. If he goes on he will meet with other kind folks to help, him." Kept House for Two Days father, and looking quite dignified enough to sit there always. "Well," demanded her father, "what shall we do this evening?" "Oh," said Isobel, "are you going to be at home?" rth had" rruijf- 50 vevy y- bravely jitiffed oxtfi one ky- ftad wh&f she saw &iono th wan whev. she went" 1 I caxinot -sexy "Unless you want to go out," he replied, gallantly. "Oh, no," said Isobel, "not again. Let's go into your study and Tcad some of the play oyer." That evening was the best of all. Her father sat,, in his easy chair under tho shaded lamp, and she, big girl as she was, curled in his lap, and both reading out of the same book. At. times, when it was very exciting, Isobel would Jump up and, say: "This is the way ho did that, don't you remember?'1 And she would act it. At other times. he r 'father would Imitate the great actor, and Isobel would think how Poorhouse joe It was decided that Joe should move on that night. Ho had brought some clothes with "him, and Mrs. Taylor had cut down a suit of her husband's for him, and so he had not drawn any of the money due him for his work. While the wife was making u his bundle the farmer handed the boy $30 and said: "Here Is what is due -you, my boy, and you know howvmuch wo think of yon and how hard It will be to let you go. As j soon as It comes' dark I will hitch up a much handsomer and more wonderful her father was. When they had finished "Hamlet," they read some gentler things, and would cer tainly have forgotten to go to bed at all if the little clock on the mantelpiece had not suddenly struck 12 o'clock. Then off scuttled Isobel, and when she was well tucked in, her father came up for amoment'g good-night, and sleepy as she was she still remembered that It had been one of the very happiest days of her life, and her father seemed pleased that she thought so. Next morning, before church, Isobcl's cousin telephoned to know if they would dlno with her at 5, and her father said certainly; so Isobel had to tell the cook that dinner wouldn't be needed and Just as they wero starting, her father sug gested that they should go driving right after church and have luncheon in the country so Isobel had to tell the cook she needn't get any luncheon. Jerry's System ERRY came homo from school full of I J a new Idea. "The superintendent came in our room today," he told his mother, "and was talking about memories, and he said some one a long time ago Invented having places to put things In, kind of like pigeon-holes In father's desk; then, when you want anything out of them, you look in, and there you arc." "Very good Idea," 6ald mother, "and you need something of the sort. u you order the sugar and spice on the way home this noon, as I told you to this morning?" "No," said Jerry blushing. "I forgot. You see, mother, the system hasn't start ed up, yet." "Well, you must go back now and .get them," said his mother. "Before dlnner7" asked Jerry ruefully. "It will help you remember next time," said mother. So Jerry, stopping only to get Solomon, his pet land tortoise ran back. He stopped for tne mail tnougn. ana there he found a catalogue of football sup plies for himself, and ho studied that so long that tho first school bell rang before he started home. Then he went flying. On tho way he met Mrs. Nelson. "Tell your father, Jerry, to -come and see the baby this aftcrnoonj" she said. He's very sick' "All right. I will," said Jerry. There was only time for a very little dinner, and Jerry put Solomon, the tor toise, down in tho library, that lead Into his father's office. This was strictly for bidden, for Jerry's father was a specialist in nerve diseases, and Solomon's way of suddenly and quietly appearing on the floor, or of trying to cumo on a patients lap. did not assist the owner of disor- H 4 off to school wifft his precious ctfAlojus dered nerves toward recovery. But Jerry intended to get the tortoise after luncheon. Only, he forgot. He also forgot about Mrs. Nelson, and the mail for his" father which was in his overcoat pocket. Ho dashed- off to school with his pre cious catalogue (which he remembered to take) in his hand, and was almost late. Something, just as he was about to sit down, caused him to remember all three things at once, and he stood up in his scat frantically signaling to the teacher. "Wfll, Jerry?' kJic asked; Jerry hardly waited for permission, but rushed home. A piercing shriek came from the- library Just as he opened the door. A very little old Woman wuk standing In her chair, her eyes shut and with her skirts gathered horse as drive ya tea raOes on your way. Before morning you can walk IS miles more. Tou will then be so far away that the superintendent will never hear of you again. Ton have been a first-rate boy. and I feel sure that you will find another good place." "When Joe came to go he could not prevent the tears from filling his eyes, while the farmer's wife cried as If ho had been Tier own son. The ten miles was accomplished la about two hours, and when Joe got out of the buggy with his bundle Mr. Taylor held eut his 'rough hand and said: "We shall expect you to write to us and keep us posted as .to how you are getting on. I'm awfully sorry to see you go, but it's better to go this way than to be taken back to the poorhouse. Take care of yo-ur money, be a,-good boy. and I'm sure you will come but all right. Get as fax away as you can before morn ing." Joe was a better walker than -when he started out before. Several months' work on the farm had toughened his. muscles and made him stronger, and he set off at a brisk pace and kept it up for three hours befpro ho rested. "When morning came he was 23 miles front the house of Farmer Taylor. Two days after the orphan boy had left the farmhouse the superintendent of the poorhouse arrived. . He felt certain of capturing the runaway, and he had planned what to do with him when ho rot him back. He remembered baring met Farmer Taylor, and anticipated no trou ble. Ho found the farmer seated -on the veranda and waiting for. him and shook hands with him and said: "Mr. Taylor, I have come for the boy Joseph Shaw. I have -information that he Is working for -you." Tour Information is wrong. The boy is not here.' "Then where. Is he?" "I don't know." 'But he was here a day or two ago, "Yes, but when we learned that some sneak in this neighborhood had written you a letter the boy moved on.' "Then you helped, him to get away, did you:" said the superintendent in a threat cnlnr tone. ."Yes, sir; I did!" boldly replied the farmer. "Joe is now beyond your reach, and I am glad of it. From what I havo "heard about you I believe you are a cruel and mean-spirited man, and J hopc.1 you may not keep your place long. Don't threaten me. If you do I will kick you out of tho gate. The boy has gone where you can't nnd him, and you have had your Journey for nothing." CTo Be Continued.) , The drive was fine, for the air was clear and biting, and they had their luncheon at a little wayside Inn. where the father cooked, and tho mother and the children served, and everything was delicious. They got home in time to get warm and dressed and. go out to dinner. All the relatives were there, and much good cneer ana run besides, and a tired and haDDV trirl tumbled Into Iwd -1af acdin "Say, papa-dadds." she said, next' mnmino o. ,A trt ..n v. I eye open enough to see to go to I echool, "marama'l! never go away again if she finds out what an awful spree we ve naa. Her father.laughcd. "Well, we'll reform for school dayj we can tell her thaU' After luncheon Isobel 'suddenly ro- raembored the marketing, and when she demanded of Katie the cook what was needed at the market. Katie roared with delight. "Faith, ma'am," she said, "if It's the amount of eating you've done hero late ly, wo ve enough for a week already. Sure and I'll be telling your mother what a fine, economical housekeeper you be, God oless you!" That Failed ' tightly around her, while Solomon paused I In mild wonder in his act of climbing up in tne cnair wncreon she stood. Jerry" grabbed him just as his father came In one dcor and his mother in the other. What's all this about?' asked his father sternly. "Oh, father. ' said Jerry, bringing tho O 1 -JOI0M0N pAused in mild wiNder mail out of his pocket. "Hero's the mall. and I forgot Solomon, and Mrs, Nelson's baby and great-aunt Susan was scared at Solomon." "Solomon, Indeed!" said great-aunt Su san, opening one eye: "Tho critter came walking up to me in a way to scare tho wits .out of a graven Image! ' . "The system isn't working yet. evi dently." saia his mother gently, ana try ing not to laugh. Great-aunt Susan sat down and asked for explanations. "Humph!" she said at Its conclusion. "The best system I know of is to think of something and some one. besides yourself!" And Jerry, after he had put Solomon In his room, as he dejectedly walked back to school, was bound to admit that she was right. Little Dick Bolivar. "If you hsd no money And wanted Kme honey, Bear little Dick Bolivar, what would you do?" "rd go to the bees And aay 'Won't you plfaee Lend tn Jut a bit? I'll return It to you. "If a jjooe hlowd at you. Oh. what would you do. , pDear little -Dick Bolivar? Wouln't you run?" "I'd stand In my place. Loo 5c the gooe In the fac. And say, "When I'm big I'll boot you with my sun!" " "If you never set tall. But alwars cured small. Dear little Dick Bolivar, would you feel Md?" "I misht cry a bit. But then I would alt ' On mj' mimmk'i lap and Jat be her'ttd. Legal Advice. Boon Herald. Timothy Coffin, who was prominent at the Bristol County bar half a century ago, once secured the acquittal of an old Irish woman accused of stealing a piece of pork. As she waa. leaving, the courtroom she put hr hand to her mouth, and. In an audible whisper, said? Mr. Carfln. wha'li I do with the por- rukT yuiCKiy tame tne retort: tax. it. you j fool, the Judge says you didn't steal IV' When the Spectacles Were Changed THE FAIRY HANDED KIM A 0 NCE there was a, little Bojv. ... , . And the particular thing-about this .particular little Boy was that he always wore blue glasses. They were placed over his eyes by a haf1 fnlrv when he flrat began to no- bad fairy when he first began tlce things, and so he saw cveryining blue every single thing in the world. He didn't know a thing about red and yellow, or all the other Jolly col ors. The trees were blue to him, the flowers were blue, the whole earth, everything, - everywhere, was blue, blue, blue. His mother died before he had be gun to notice things, and there was nobody to tell what was the matter, because no other people care the way mothers do, and he grew up very un happy. Nothing went right with him. Ho did not enjoy playing with the lit tIe blue boys, and the little bluo girls 'with their floatlntr blue hair weredls- agreeable to look at, so he sat by him- self nearly all of nearly every day, with his eyes on the ground. When the Porcupine and the Bears Quarreled EAVER lived far away In the North land, where the Northern Lights are. and the sea freezes In cold weather. Beaver had laid in a plentiful supply of food in the Fall and thought he would settle down for a very comfortable "Win ter. But one day while he was away hunting Porcupine came and ato up most of his supply of provisions. When Beaver came .home there was Porcupine sitting at the door of the bouse half asleep, he had eaten so much. Beaver looked and saw that part of his food had been eaten. "What do you mean by stealing my food?" ho asked, angrily. 'Who s touched your food?" replied Porcupine. "lou have," said Beaver. "You aro a thief." 'Do you want to fight about It?" cried Porcupine, now thoroughly waked up. "Yes," said Beaver, and at It they went. Beaver tried to seize Porcupine with his teeth, but every tlmo he tried It Porcupine made his quills bristle up. and Beaver could not reach him, but got stuck full of spines Instead. Finally Beaver gave It up and ran home to his father, to whom be told his story. Beaver's father called all the Beaver people together and told them how Porcu pine had stolen his son's food and then stuck him full of spines. The Beaver peo ple were angry, and went In a body to the house of Porcupine, which was some dis tance from Porcupine Village. When Porcupine saw them he began calling them names nnd threatening them. So the Beaver people pushed over Porcupine's house and caught him. Porcupine bristled up his quills and threw them at the Beaver people, but they were too many for him and made him captive. Then they held a court and tried the thief. He was convicted of having stolen Beaver's food, and condemned to be Im prisoned on an Island which lay out at sea. some distance from the land. The .Beaver people are great swimmers. so they took Porcupine on their backs and swam with him out to the Island. where they left him. As Porcupine could not swim at an ne was. or course, a prisoner. Pretty soon he got hungry and began to look around for food, but could find none. For several days he was without food, and became so weak that ho really thought he was going ' to die of sheer starvation. You can imagine that he was sorry. then, that he had stolen Beavers fod. Suddenly one day as Porcupine was la menting his hard fate, he heard a .voice say: "Call upon tho North "Wind. Sing North songs. Then you will be saved." Porcupine looked around and aiw a lit tle field mouse sitting on its haunches Porcupine did not understand what the little mouse meant, for he was a rather stupid fellow, but he sang the North song, nevertheless. In a weak and falter ing-voice. "Let the 5ky clear altogether; let It be cold weather: Let It be smooth upon tho water; oh. North "Wind, blow!" Gradually it grew cold, and then, rush ing out from the frozen regions around the pole, cam the mighty wind of tho North, blowing away the clouds and cut ting like a knife. Porcuplno sang for smooth water, chant ing over and over again: "Let It be smooth water, lot It be smooth water." So the wind went down and the sea be came smooth, and as soon as It became smooth it began to freeze, until from the Island to the distant !hore there was great bridge of hard, smooth ice. Then Porcupine said to the little mouse: "Run and tell my people where I am. am too weak to walk home. They must come and carry me. So the little mouse went running away to the village of the Porcupine "people and told them what had happened. They were much surprised, for they had no Idea what had become of Porcupine, and they went In a body and took him back to the village. Porcupine's father called all the people together and made a great feast for tnem.- at which Porcupine, told his story. "Let us go and fight the Beaver peo ple." they cried, and away they went. But on ills return to the iland the little mouse had stopped at Beaver's" house and wild: "Call all your people together, for the Porcunlnes arc coming to nght you. So the Buaver people were ready for them, and they had a great light. The Porcupine people were defeated and re- i lumcu to uieir vmagr j j nt la do: Let us lay for Beaver when FAIR OF RED SPECTACLES. One day. as he sat thus in the gar den, he heard a voice very far abovo him. saying: "Look up. little Boy." He looked up, and for the first tlmo he noticed the great high dome of the blue sky. Now. It was right that tho sky should be blue, anil somehow look ing at it made h'im feel happier, though he didn't know that it was be cause he was seeing something right for the first time. Then in the middle of the blue dome he saw a tiny speck. As it grew bigger he saw that it was a fairy- Of course the fairy looked blue. too. but It was at Jeast something new and in teresting. "Hello." said the iairy, who was very little and very old and wrinkled, but very pleasant-looking. "What are you thinking about?" "I was wishing I was happy." "Why aren't you happy?" "Why? Because this is such a blue world." "Blue, is it? "Why, my dear Boy, that Is all In- your eye excuse me, I mean your spectacles. Now. If you could he goes out hunting and capture him. Then we will place him in the top df a high tree. If I cannot swim, neither can Beaver climb a tree up or down. If he Is a tree-top he will be as much of a prisoner as I was on the Island." So the Porcupine people lurked In the woods near Beaver's house, and one day. when they caught him alone, they took him prisoner and carried him up into the top of a tall treer where they left him. saying: "Now. then, see how you like being a prisoner without food yourself." Now. though Beaver could not climb a tree, he was very fond of twigs as an article of food, and it was a part of his business to gnaw wood, for In this way he felled timber for the building of his dams Dreaming Elsie was full of generous plans to help her mother during vacation. She would take all the care of the chickens upon herself, and do the dusting, and even the dishes. But better than air, she would pick berries and sell them. And Just the very day heiore school was out, her mother discovered a patch of wild strawberries in the pasture below their wood lot. so thick that she picked a quart In 15 minutes. Elsie decided that she would go there early tho following morning, before the village boys discov ered them. The first thing after breakfast the next morning, without waiting to wash dishes or dust or look after the chickens, she took two large palls and hurried toward the 'strawberry patch. How nice it would be if she could nil both pails, she thought; that would make she reached the stone wall and paused to calculate six quarts and five quarts, that would be 1L She got a stick to mark the figures in the sand. Eleven quarts at 13 cents; once 12 was 13. once 13 again was 13 um three, three and once made four one why. wasn't it a lot! One dollar and 43 cents. But she might not be able to sell all the berries. She would call It a dollar. That would buy a new tin dipper, 5 cents: a broom, 23 cents; an apron, calico, 5 cents; a bushel of corn for the hen3,-50 cents, and that would leave um 20 cents. What should she get with that? Time Dassed and still Elsie sat there trying to decide about the disposal of that 20 cents. The shrill whistle of the 10 J J THEY" SWi Vllrl HIM OUT 10 THE. ISLfttiD. l. just look through mine for a minute.; Allow me." ' The fairy handed .hint a . pair of reoV spectacles. ' t The Boy -took them and put them on; over his other ones, for the blue ones were enchanted, and would not come; off. Ho, ho! but that changed things! Everything went purple In a minute , purple trees, purple grass, purple sky, even the fairy turned purple. The Boy began to cry. "Take them away!" he said. 'They make the world unbearable." "Try these, then," said the fairy, and handed the Boy a yellow pair. The Boy took off the red ones and put the yel low spectacles over the blue ones. Oh. what a change that was! The Boy saw the green grass and the green trees as they really were, and a new joy leaped up In his heart. Then he looked at his own little hand, and that, too. was green, and the sky had gne green also. The Boy sighed. "No. no, they do not make me very happy Oh, I wish every thing could be different colors at the same time." "Put on all three pairs," said the fairy. So the Boy put on the red ones and then the yellow ones, over his own blue spectacles. He looked down at the earth; it was all gray gray grass, gray stones. He looked up, and saw gray trees and gray sky. Then he be gan to cry. The tears stood In his eyes, ready to roll out on his cheeks. "Irfjok up at the sun." said tho Fairy. The Boy turned his tear-filled eyes upward. A ray of light straight from the sun shot through those three pairs of spectacles and into the tears in his eyes. Instantly the world swam be fore him like the colors in a soap bubble. He saw red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple. They passed and repassed, then slowly dissolved. And now, oh, most wonderful! A white light struck through to his very soul, and blinded him for a moment, so long had he been used to the blue spectacles. When he was able to sec again, the fairy was gone, and all three pairs of spectacles had vanished. The little Boy looked out on a new world a world with a blue sky, green grass and trees, red tulips and yellow daffodils. Down the garden walk came a party of little boys and girls, with pink cheeks and floating curls of brown and gold, and clothing of many bright col ors. The little Boy thought he had never seen anything to beautiful. "Oh. let me play with you. you beau tiful children!" he cried; and they held out their arms to him. Then, hand in hand, he went with them through the tulips and daffodils, and tho white sunshine played about them. The little Boy's tears were dried, and he forgot all about himself in the joys of the world as it really is; and he became a very happy Boy. and houses. So when tho Porcupine peo ple had gone away Beaver made a hearty meal from the little twigs around him. and then began to gnaw away at the tree trunk Itself. His big. sharp teeth worked away like a buzz-saw, and he gnawed and he gnawed and he gnawed, cutting away the tree under him until he had lowered himself down so that he could jump to the ground and run away home. After that the Porcupine people ceased to molest Beaver and his people, and mado peace with them, agreeing to re frain from stealing any food from Beaver and hi3 friends. But the two tribes are hot on . visiting terms to this day and never speak as they pass by. and Doing o'clock express brought her. to her feet with a sudden shock. She sped thruugn the wood lot toward tho pasture and heard many voices. At the berry patch she found 10, 20 the whole school, it seemed scrambling pell mcll among the vines. Oh, if she had only come straight here! On her way home, an hour later, she paused at the wall again, but this time it was not to plan. She thought of the two hours she had lost, and resolve'd that during the rest of her vacation sho would try to do instead of dream; for In the bottom of one of her big pails was less than a quart of half-crushed berries and the other pall was quite empty. A Good-Night Thought. "Whene'er I bo to bed at night I shut my eyes up very tight, , And try to get to sleep real fast. So that the night will soon be past. The night would be real nice, I think, i It It were not aa black as Ink; And If It only made a note. It would be better for us boys. But It's so dark, and silent, too, A boy would not know what to da If be was out In It. so I Am glad that la my bed I He. So Juat before I go to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And then I make a prayer, you know". For boy who have no beds to go. 4 1