JUST A DESERT EPISODE By GLEN O. HURST by Sheri Slur, >'ub Co.) Lato one afternoon Murphy sat with tb« gun across Ida knewa guarding his claim. Away In th« distane« along th« route of on« of tli« new trulla Uu-ru appeared n gung of workmen. Illa attention was attract«)! by tbe Une of telegraph poles they Wei'S erecting. Tbut evening lie «ut long In tho darkness musing Intently, sad the next morning be put nwny th« gun, fastened Ids cabin door, and skirt­ ing lb» rump was soon trumping ut bls bast puce through the Bund toward the Un« of poles. He «pent the day trailing along with th« construction gang. A new Murphy cams buck to the cabin that evening. The prospectore had taken advan­ tage of Ids absent’« to replace th« mon­ ument lie had deal roy«d. "Let 'em have It. l-et 'em havs It," lie niUM’d when lie saw wliat hud been done. He scrawled a few lines to tbe “boys," telling them they would bs bothered no more and to go on with their work, «nd placed th« note slier« they would easily find It. As regularly and persistently as he hud stayed on guard duty during the preceding days, Murphy now followed along wltii Hie Une builders, watching every movement of the construction work, He stepped off the distance be- tween the poles, observed the number set each day, uud In tb« twilight, In his cabin, he figured the number of du y a till camp would be reached. Each evening he checked off ibe day's prog­ ress, chuckling happily to himself If the wn|; bud gone better tbmi usual or feeling depressed If Borne accident bud been the cause of delay. The last airund of wire was strung. The click of the sounder a» the key closed told the Initiated that ull was finished. The operator win taking bls place ut the table when Old Mun Mur- phy pushed through the crowd thut lllled the new office und leaning over the o|w*rntor uttered an appeal that was bucked by the longing of bls whole soul. "Boy, let me send the first one?” “The operator stared at the Hushed fuce Incredulously, then Into Hie deep- set, now brilliant, appealing eye» Scarcely knowing why, lie answered the old mun by stepping buck. Mur­ phy flung himself Into the operator's seat und placed Ills fingers on tb« transmission key. The dispute!) to be sent first lay open before him. It read: HE setting for the hint chapter In the life of Old .Mun Murphy waa the heart of the Nevada deaeri ; the time- the exhil­ arating but turbulent spring seusou of the year lint—. The old man Stood In the door of bla rnldn on the aide of a rugged dea­ eri range, und In troubled aplrlt he gated nt n group of at rangers moving about In apparent excitement on the light colored porphyry foothills that, lay between him und the gray, parched flat In the deceptive dittarne. It una only at long Interval* during more than u generation «Ince the old mun had lived ulone In that cabin that any one had disturbed Ida solitude. and thia audden Invasion be resented. He bud prospected and mined In a desul­ tory way for no many yearn unmolest- ed that he felt a aort of proprietorship In the surrounding country. The time wu» when he welcomed hla fellows to the deaeri domain, but it wub now long past. When be lo­ cated the “Atlantic Cable’' und “Nova Hcotlu" Silver lode dulms he felt that bls long search for riches hud been auccessful. Coder the Btlmulua of visiona of wealth hla mind's eye saw swarms of treuaure seekers burrowing In the hills about him and Ida own claims yielding bonanza. Then It wus. he Invited the whole world to share ide discovery and good fortune. How­ ever, the small silver ledge attracted little attention and the district was deserted except for Murphy, who worked Ids own vein und never guessed the real secret of the bills over which be prowled. The years went by and Old Man Murphy, growing more grizzled and bent, became morose and cured less and leas for the six lety of Ida kind. As a young man he hud left friends and-family behind und Joined the for­ tune hunters in the fur off western desert. Then lie had every hope of returning soon with wealth abundant. Balloon hill claim Hla failure galled Ids pride. The yeara of brooding alone created a strange untiigonlsm toward contact with ids fellows. With hesitation and nn uncertain Old Man Murphy watched In silence the activity on the hills below till ho “send” the old man commenced: saw one of the «trangers coming up the trull toward him. That was too It was not the message before him. much. He turned Into the cabin with The operator looked worried. He muttered Imprecations on the In­ advanced one band toward Ilie Instru truders. The stranger hud come with friendly men) to stop the old mun, then us the Intention. He told u story of a message bvearne coherent lie listened The receiving operator at great find, one that would have Intently, thrilled the old man had lie heard It the other end of the wire wus puzzled twenty years before. A shallow trench to get this message: “—will prove un additional link be- across the peak of one of the yellow hills had opened a vein of picture rock, tween tbe nations whose friendship Is literally sparkling with crystals of founded upon their common interest gold. Murphy merely glanced at the j and reciprocal esteem." Now the old mnn's fingers were glittering sample of ore offered In proof and turned away, grumbling tingling with the electric impulse of about the Invasion of his district. The tin* Instrument; as If by magic the old next duy he packed his scraggy touch came buck. He begun the trims- It cayuses with provisions und disap­ mission of the copy before him. went over the wire with the xpeed and peared In the direction of Excelsior He labored range where he could be alone for a precision of mii expert. under un Inward excitement a mys- while. Worn out with tramping about the tery to the onlookers. With a stcudy mountains Old Mun Murphy returned band ho sent dispatch after dispatch In n few weeks to his cabin on the until the accumulated pile was ex “Atlantic Cable." During Ids absence hnusted. With the Inst click he opened a wonderful change bud come over the the key nnd turned to the cro <1. district. All around him for miles triumph nnd satisfaction In every f< i prospectors were locating every foot ture of the rugged, time-worn face "Boys," lie said, "this is a great day of ground. Near the site of the orig­ inal gold discovery n town to shelter — a great day fer the desert—an' fer thousands was building. The explo­ me. How I hated to see you feller« sion of giant-powder charge* blasting come—but I didn’t know yer was gain the rock In a hundred shafts and tun­ to bring tills—1 didn’t know It. I've nels kept up a continual roar. Miners been holdln’ down a claim in this dis­ dodged about In the smoke nnd dust, trict fer near thirty years, boys—I'm Showing each other specimens of gold- kind o’ shriveled up body an’ soul, besprinkled quarts. From Ids em­ bein’ here so much ulone an’ 1 wanted inence Murphy could count half a to tie alone till the end,” then lie ad­ hundred automobiles, loaded with pas­ dressed the operator. "Ye thought somethin’ was wrong sengers, speeding In clouds of dust und Bund along the three new trails w hen 1 sent out Unit first message, through the suge brush, ull converging didn't ye? This desert Ims laid be- tween me an' that message fer forty in the new camp. The old man contemplated the years. It's a long time, boys, since I change with heavy heart. Ills soli­ wns counted one of the best operators tude was a thing of the past. A tres­ In the country. That was In the late pass lie was powerless to stop was eighties. I wns so good at operatin' that when the first cable was laid I upon him. A monument of rough stones newly wns put In th’ service. That was a placed on Ida claims caught Ids eye. great day, too, fer me, nn' 1 relayed He strode over to It and rend t|ie lo­ that message from Queen Victoria to It wns the first one cation notice In linger. With a vicious the President. kick ho tumbled the plie and tore the across. A few years afterward I got notice to shreds. Returning to Ids til’ gold fever nn' I've been on the des­ cabin, he loaded both barrels of Ids ert ever since, but 1 never forgot that shotgun and look u position command­ message, and 1 Just had to send it out ing a view of the razed monument nnd first to get my bearin'«. An' to think this the two trespassing prospectors, who thing has followed me nnd found me In were working In n newly started tun­ the desert after nil these years.” The excitement Hint sustained the nel, unmindful of the old man's pres­ old man was passing. ence. "But now* I’m glad ye come. "You fellers git off my claim. Don't ye know I've hud this ground fer satisfied, boys—I’m satistled. The eyes dulled, the lips twitched In , thirty years, (lit—If ye know what's good fer ye," ho shouted hoarsely, an effort to upenk, nnd the head Old Mun Murphy wns much excited. The prospectors left dropped. seized with u paralysis—a paralysis of their work to face the big gun lev­ eled nt them. They protested, argued death. anil threatened, but Murphy’s manner Sleep Machine Invented was menacing and his fingers twitched An Inventor at Mudesfield, England, nervously on the trigger. They were Ims perfected n machine that, he compelled to retreat. The prospectors made several ef­ thinks, will cure Insomnia. The ma­ forts Io get possession of the claim chine Is placed alongside of the bed nnd replace their monuments, always and emits light rays of twelve differ­ to be met by the big shotgun and the ent colors, Hashing nt prearranged pe­ old man behind It who kept on con­ riods. The effect of this combination of colors and periodicity Is Intended to stant guard duty. When provisions rnn low. rnther be soothing and to Induce sleep. The then lend encouragement to the houn- color flashes at such regular Intervals « tifully stocked stores eT the new camp. have n peculiar effect upon the retina, Murphy made a night drive to an iso­ It is said. The Inventor maintains he lated trading post some twenty miles tins cured several stubborn cases of •way. sleeplessness In ten to fifteen minutes. T ROA PARTI ANH OFFERS A MARKET IVAlLi/lllL/ for YOUR PRODUCE FARM STOCK VAUDEVILLE PHOTO-PL US Complete Change Saturday FORAGE CROPS ARE BETTER HIGHWAYS SWINE NECESSITY AID TO BUSINESS The business value of getting peo­ ple Into their stores Is appreciate«! by ull merchants. That la the purpose for which they advertise. Once a pro- Bpectlve customer Is Inside a store there la opportunity for b aale, A mer- chant muy have a good line of ater­ chandlae, hla pricea muy be rea aoa- able, and hla display may be attrac- tlvs; but th« peopl« must be provided with a good road to hl« «tore or they will not com« there. The residents of a city will not make the fullest use of their afreet/ If they are muddy or dusty, and the merchants will not en­ joy th« trade they should huve If th«lr prosiH-ctlve customers cannot find good roads to their stores. Any street lu any community can be made attractive by the aluiple expe­ dient ot paving It properly, and It It to the advantage ot every taxpayer to help highway officials or the towu council put through Improved high­ way and atreet Improvement programs. 1‘eople who own business or residence property are learning every day that civic Improvements that cull for the proper paving of streets are the beat kind of Investments Investments that pay sure dividende. The well-paved Mreet Is worth money to every merchant on It. as well as being highly convenient for shoppers. A well-paved business street will Impel customers to the door, with consequent Increase In business us the opportunity is offered customers to make their purchases without the In­ convenience of muddy, dirty, dusty pavements. Clean, pleasant, healthful surround­ ings are most desirable In any resi­ dence district. This condition Is pro­ vided In a well-paved street, besides making It safer for children as well as for the motorist Property value« go up where u well paved street replaces a rutted. Impassable thoroughfare. Cities are judged very largely by the attractiveness of their streets. Stran­ gers looking ubout for locations are quick to judge the business and aocial standards of the community by Its thoroughfares, particularly the resi­ dencestreets. Visitors In a well-paved city will Instuntly sense the progres­ sive spirit of the place, they will long remember the orderly influence of busi­ ; ness und residence sections, and they ' will curry the story of its clean, charm- ( Ing streets buck to their liomea Public Improvements of any kind , cost less In the long run where they ' are made as nearly permanent as pos- , Bible. The first cost of permanent paving Is no more than Ineflldent , types, and their maintenance Is either minimized. entirely eliminated. ; Consequently the type that pays divi­ dends to any community Is the perma­ nent, durable, sanitary, fire-safe type. i Other advantages of paved streets are found In tire and health protection , Good paving on streets and alleys Is ‘ one of the prime essentials to fire pro- ; tectlon. Fire hazard is greatly re- ' duced If even, dean, «kid proof thor- I oughfares are In every section of the town bo that any point can be reached H'- I kly uud easily by the tire depart- ment. Health Is a by-product of clean- Unes». Health utlicers Insist that san- Itutlon us reflected in the conditions of the streets nnd alleys Ims a direct bearing upon tlie gem rul health of the city's Inhabitants. I I Hence. a street that Is : well paved will be easily cleaned, und will In* free from ruts mid holes that breed filth. Roadway Will Run to Old French Fort Toulouse Plans are under way for the build­ ing of n highway to the old French Fort Toulouse, which was an Indian town nearly 400 years ago. Fort Toulouse Is In Elmore county, near Montgomery, Ala., a short dis­ tance from one of the principal high­ ways lending into the city, and it is the Intention of historical experts to pnke this point available to tourists. The plan was launched by Peter A. Brannon, curator of the Alabama De­ partment of Archives and History. It wns only recently that a murker wns placed at old Pole Cat Springs, 30 miles from Montgomery, where Lafay­ ette spent the night on bls way to Montgomery. Fort Toulouse Is rich In history. A granite shaft Ims been placed there to commemorate the old French out­ post of 1714, which Is n miniature rep­ lica of the shaft erected to General Montgomery on the plains of Abraham, nt Quebec. The old French cemetery Is at Fort Toulouse, and here some of Jackson’s men were burled, the pince becoming known as Fort Jack- son. The treaty of 1814 by which the Indians ceded all their lands south of Fort Jackson to the United States was signed there. • New Jersey Roads With the completion of Its construc­ tion program for this year, the New Jersey state highway coAitnlsslon will have added 100 miles of Improved roads to the state's system. The board has now under contract GO miles to be paved this summer nnd awards of work to be made shortly will in­ crease this total to 100. New Jersey now has 840 miles of state highway routes and 404 of these miles have been completed with a hard-surfaced pavement. Portland, Oregon. Adults, Week day Matinee 3»e: Evenings, 35c. Continous 1 to 11 p. m. Children 10 cents al) times Exix-rlenc« ha« shown that forage crops are ne«-«-ssary for growing pl?« economically. No states William C. Kkelley, assistant animal husbandman at tbe New Jirwy State College of Agriculture, who continues; "Pasturlng on green forage saves a Ancient Custom, Anyway CUT FLOWERS « FLORAL DESIGNS great amount of feed, allows plenty of The origin of the superstition con­ fresli air, gives the animal exercise cerning knocking on wood Is doubtful. and helps to keep the quurtera sani­ Some authorities attribute it to the tary. We Specialize in “Where It thrives alfalfa makes one ancient religious rite of touching a ot the best permanent pastures for crucifix when taking an oath; others Hidex, Pritt. Warf, Mw, swine, as It «’an be pasture«! from early to the touc hing ot beads of the rosary Tallow, Cascara, Ongan when praying. Among the ignorant spring to late summer and Is high In matter. Since (peasant a of Europe the custom prob- Grape bM, Coat SILas, protein and mineral mutter. heavy pasturage is Injurious to the ably began with the habit of knocking Horse Hair crop It Is well to restrict the numtier loudly to keep away evil spirits. Write for 8hippin< Ta<* A Price Liat of pigs, allowing the plant to grow and be good for two or three cuttings of “Special Delivery.” P ortland H ide W ool C o . hay. The Post Office department says im vues Murat bosts . sganna. musa. "Bed clover also makes an excellent forage. 1’lgs should not be turned on that “special delivery service is the Branch at Poeatallo. Idaho It until It has reached a good growth, prompt delivery of mall by messenger ns too early pasturing is likely to kill during prescribed hours to persons It out. It <-an be pastured until It t>e- who reside within the carrier limits of cbmes woody In the summer, when It city or delivery offices, or within one contains too much fiber to be taken mile of any post office, or to patrons Year« in actual practice in Port’and care of by the pig's digestive tract. as a Spinoloost B^cialiiinir in rheu­ of the rural service who reside more matics' S. neuraljna. neurit it» D. and C. all Geo. Breittling, "Sweet clover Is another legtimlnonB Head ««akneMen. If help you than one mile from the post office but forage which should be postured want, seek the oldest in ita work. rather closely, as this encourages new witbyi half a mile of a rural route.” Better Franklin Service-Storage and General Repairing ANDERSON & RICE, Portland, Ore a WHY Experiment! growth and binders woodlm-ss. "Rape Is unsurpassed ns an annual forage crop for swine, it Is palatable, succulent und high In protein nnd ash. As It may be sown both early and lute In the season, forage may lie provided nt any time In the sumnier. Pigs should not be turned on it uktll it 4» about ten Inches high. If rape Is not pastured too closely growth wl I con­ tinue until full. "Field peas, «own either abrne or with oats or rape, is u very a.-rilnfuc- tory summer forage crop, as It Is a legume and compares with alfa'fa und clover In Ita protein content. "Bye furnishes n supply of greon. succulent feed material In Hie late fall and early spring and is then 'ore of great benefit to the breeding lier l— especially the brood sow nun- ng fall ami spring litters. “A number of otlier forar" crops, inch as soy beans, bl iecrnss . nd even some weeds are rellsh'-d by s ne. The point for the grower to kee in mind Is that every bit of gr -n rm r.ut con snm«-d hy the pig m ivlng of some grain in growl;; that pl nnirxet." Earth's Diameter Alfalfa Versus Clover for Pasture for Swine Alfalfa excelled red clover as u pas­ ture for h< gs In recent comparison« made at the Indiana station. Alfalfa proved capable of currying more bogs per acre than clover and produced slightly larger gains with less corn than was required on clover pasture. The slowing of «lover pasture, how­ ever, was very satisfactory. The two pastures carried 18 to 20 spring pigs to the acre when the pigs were full fed and about seven pigs when limited grain feeding wns practiced. In one test pigs were fe