f
OREGON CITY COURIER, THURSDAY, JAN. 1, 1914'
ODDS
5
IN A NOTE BOOK
LITTLE STORIES CROWDED OV
ER TQ LAST LETTER
SKETCHES OF HUMAN INTEREST
And Amusing and Curious Incidents
of Life in the Southwest
(M. J. Brown, Courier, Oregon City.)
The following little stories are
odds and ends from a note book, not
big enough to hang stories on, but fit
ting to close this series of travel let
ters. Some are curious bits, others,
little human interest realities.
On a train running into Santa Fe
' was a lady passenger in deep griefor
distress. She was Spanish, a remark
ably handsome woman, young, richly
dressed and wearing handsome rings
and jewels of Oriental design.
The girl would sit looking out of
the window for a long time, then
break into passionate weeping, ' and
when a cylinder on the engine broke
and the train waited a long time, she
wouftl walk up and down the aisle in
the cars. We passengers all thought it
was a case of death, sickness or acci
dent and that she was frantic over
the delay.
Finally the engine limped along to
the next station with one cylinder
working, and there the girl got off.
It was simply a station in a desolate
sand country,, but there were about
twenty men and women waiting, all
Mexicans and judging from their fac
es and dress they were the ordinary
poor American class.
The girl alighted and the Mexicans,
gathered arbund. The girl embraced
one after another, throwing her arms
- around the men and patting them on
the back (a Mexican salutation) and
embracing and kissing the women. It
was a strange spectacle this contrast..
The girl dressed in the most expens
' ive fashion, the Mexicans in blue ov
eralls and the women in faded calico.
As I waited for the train to pull
out, and as I saw her, walk away with
the little group of Mexicans, I thot
how I would like to have had the story
of the little tragedy I had seen play
ed. And it was given me.
The engine was too badly crippled
to pull the heavy train, and it would
take an hour to get help from Santa
Fe. The passengers nearly all left the
train for exercise. , I
I saw a white woman and a little
girl some distance down the track.
She was sitting on a log knitting and
amusing the child. I asked her about
the Spanish girl and while I made
friends with the four-year-old and
gave her my watch to play with, the
mother told me this story. It took her
a full hour. I will tell it in a few lin
es: Twenty years before a Spaniard
came there from Spain with his young
wife and baby. It was jaaid he was.
connected with the best families of
Spain but for political reasons was
obliged to leave. He had wealth,
bought hundreds of sections of land
and became a cow king. The mother
died two years after of home sickness
for the mother land. The father idol
ized the girl and as she grew up she
was the queen of the cow land. At
eighteen her father sent her to St.
Louisto school and to study music.
She had a rare voice. Two years lat
er a young attorney came home with
her and remained during the summer
vacation. He was handsome, dashing
and became a general favorite with
both American and Mexican cowboys.
The following summer he came
again, and then the engagement was
given out. They were to marry two
years later, when she finished school.
The father became much interested in
the young attorney and was induced
to go to St. Louis. And to make the
story short, there he was fleeced of
every dollar he had, even to his ranch
and cattle. The lawyer was a profes
sional sharper, and he induced the
Spaniard to speculate in worthless
schemes until he was completely rob
bed. With ruin ahead and hope gone,
the father returned to his New Mexi
can ranch, mailed a letter to his
daughter, telling her 'all, and then
sent a .45 bullet through his heart.
And when the train pulled out I
looked off toward the ranch, and won
dered how soon the girl would follow.
One night in Santa Fe I took off
my collar and vest, reefed up my
pants and went into the office of the
Statesman to strike for a job. I did
n't expect to get any further than the
business office, but it was vacant and
I went on into the composing room,
alive 'with printers hustling on the
morning edition.
This looked too much like a job, so
I shifted and told the foreman I was a
writer and wanted to see the manag
ing editor. He called to a man, they
talked a few minutes, then he ask?d
me what I could write.
Thinking U was a case of jo!..y I
told him anything from what the tar
iff effect on wool would be to New
Mexican sheep owners to the rise and
fall of toothpicks, and then he asked
me if I could write three galley of
editorials on current topics in three
hours, and if so to hop-to it. I ex
plained I wanted something to eat
first and would be back, when he told
the boy to bring mea supper. Then I
bluffed that I must have some notes
and clippings from my grip, and
would be back. I wonder if he is
waiting.
I learned that the editor was on a
vacation and the substitute had just
been taken with fever. I went in for
the experience and had to jump side
ways to dodge a job. If I had really
wanted one, I probably could not have
eotten a pleasant word. 1 had nan
a notion to go back and tackle it, but
recalled how two years ago a New
Yorker had to beat a mob out of the
city because of a story he wrote, and
I lost my kidney.
Apparently to kill time while rid
ing across the Arizona dry lands, a
young fellow came to my seat and
began a conversation. There was some
thing about his questions that put me
wise, so I fell for it. I answered that
I was a newspaper writer, but Mexico
was too hot, and even if I got a war
story I couldn't get it out. Where was
I going? To Flagstaff. Had an old
friend there, and perhaps he could
help me to something. Understand, it
took the better part of a day to bring
all this out, and then he told me he
lived along the border and had had
a proposition made to him and if he
could find the right kind of a part
ner he would consider it.
In brief it was "Chink rustling,"
smuggling Chinamen over the border,
at so much a John. My informant
said he understood there was good
money in the work; that a society in
Mexico guaranteed the pay; that the
price oyer the river was $20 a head
and from two to four could be
brought over in safety every night.
He said he knew the river and a doz
en places a rurale or river patrol
never saw. He could get them across
all right, but it needed a man to ar
range for them to come up. The war
scare had driven the other fellows
out, but there wasn't the least dan
ger. I was to consider it, and if I con
cluded to get into the "Chink" game
I was to come to Comstock in ten
days.
From San Pedro, Cal., 1 went over
to the Catalene Islands, and it was a
most interesting trip. The main is
land is about twenty miles long,
mountainous, absolutely barren and
rainless. There is a natural harbor
there and a little village of about BOO
people, when the houses are full.
It is a winter resort for the weal
thy who have hit the fast pace, for
men whose nerves shrink at noise, for
men and women who have lung troub
les. It is absolutely the quietest place
I ever found for a peopled place. The
laughter of the bathers is the most
noise in that little city.
I was told there was not an ounce
of natural water on the whole island;
that every gill of water was brought
in by steamers. Walking around the
streets I saw signs out "Water" 'as
we put out our ice signs. It is deliv
ered daily. I asked a man 'how the
mountain sheep lived without water,
and he said he "guessed they drank
salt water." I guessed there were
springs. . '
When the big steamer was loading
to take the transients back to the
mainland, a dozen row boats, with
Filipino boys, swam around the big
boat asking the passengers to throw
dimes and nickels into the 'water. For
a full half hour I watched the pieces
of silver thrown over the ship's side,
and only one coin found the ocean
bottom. No matter where thrown the
boys would dive for them and would
catch them as they sank. Some times
there1 would be a half dozen divers
after one dime or nickel, and it was
astonishing how long they could stay
under water when they had to make
a long or deep dive to catch up with
the silver piece. '
The water on this island coast is so
very clear that one can see the oceon
bottom sixty feet deep, and to ride in
the glass bottom boats and see the
wonders under water is a sight one
will never forget.
Big seals come up in the harbor with
big fish in their mouths, and give the
tourists a rare spectacle, while they
eat their lunch. On both trips a big
whale came up and gave the passen
gers a benefit. One was not over a
quarter of a mile away, and he spout
a long time in plain view of the hun
dreds of passengers. Before he dove,
he raised his great body fully two
thirds its length above the water. For
many of us it was our first sight of
a life whale, and an interesting sight.
On the trip over the sea it was
rough and after only an hour that
falling sensation began working on
my stomach. I went to the center of
the boat, found a secluded place back
of the wireless station and lay down
crosswise of the boat. . After a few
minutes a girl came in, looked at me
and asked if I was seasick or resting.
I replied "resting" and asked why she I
was interested. She laughed and re-i
plied: ' .
"We want to bring some drinks in
here but if you are sick it won't do."
A few minutes later three girls and
a big cowboy came in, followed by a
porter with booze and beer. After
they had put away enough of the1
goods to become friendly, the leading
lady explained to me that they were a
motion picture troupe going over to
the island for "antediluvian short
stuff," and then she went on for &n
hour and gave me behind-the-scenes
shop talk that was certainly enter
taining. '
who bought them. He tanned them
and made belts , neckties and hat
bands. The boy said that some days
they would kill a half dozen, other
days would not find a one. They got a
dollar apiece for the raw hide. Rather
risky business for the limited income.
If there is a Mason in Arizona, you
would see him coming, for they cer
tainly wear the display signs. Some
of them have badges as big as two
bit pieces and you will often see the
square and compass on belts and
neckties. As a fellow remarked:
"They will have them on their hat
bands next." '
I have covered the most of the in
teresting old spots of the southwest
in my five annual trips to the south
west. There are hundreds of places I
have not yet visited, but they are all
riiiiis of the same ancient people, and
after a time the descriptions become
ay cid as the country hence this let
ter closes the American southwest let
ters. Next summer I have a trip sche
duled of entirely new places places
where white men do not go and the
trip should be a gold mine.
STAR THEATRE IS POPULAR
In Williams I saw a half dozen men
carrying a man into a nouse. minK
ing there had been a killing I follow
ed them in. It was a rooming house.
They laid him on a bed and I crowded
near to see how badly he was shot.
One of the men was sprinkling water
over him. He opened his eyes, tried to
raise himself,' fell back, smiled a
drunken smilft and repeated:
"And when they put me. in my lit
tle bed
They couldn't tell me and my jag
apart."
He was a prominent physician of
the town. .
I met three Mexicans and a white
boy armed with poles and ropes on
the outskirts of the town and asked
the young American what they were
after. He told me rattlesnakes. He
said they killed, skinned them and
sold the skins to a man in the town
Combination Vaudeville and Picture
House Always Offers
Good Program
, The Star Theatre, on Main Street
near Eighth, under the management
of Councilman Long, has become one
of the most popular vaudeville theat
res of . the city, and with its mixed
bills of merriment and funis daily
attracts large audiences. Manager
Long provides two shows a day for
his patrons, one in the afternoon and
another in the evening. Vaudeville
hits from the leading Western cir
cuits, or else engagements by trav
eling dramatic or operatic companies
always head the bill, while the inter
missions are" devoted to photoplays
of excellence.
The stage of the Star Theatre is
of ample proportions to accommodate
productions of considerable size, and
during the past season a number of
producions of more than ordinary
merit have been offered patrons. The
theatre is absolutely fireproof, being
of concrete construction, and the
auditorium is comfortably arranged,
with plenty or room between the rows
of seats. Manager Long declares
that the policy of his house will con
tinue during the coming year to be
the same as it has been since he as
sumed charge, and that only the best
productions and films available will
be shown. '
FAIR EXCHANGE
A New Back for an Old One How
an Oregon City Resident Made a
Bad Back Strong
The back aches at times with a
dull, indescribable feeling, making
you . weary and restless; piercing
pains shoot across the region of the
kidneys, and again the loins are so
lame that to stoop is agony. No use
to rub or apply a plaster to th back
if the kidneys are weak. You cannot
reach the cause. Follow the example
of this Oregon City citizen.
Joseph McDermott, Washington
St., Oregon City, Ore., says: "I was
in bad shape with kidney and bladder
complaint. My back was so lame and
stiff that I could hardly get about and,
it was all I could do to dress myself.
On. getting, up in the morning, the
kidney secretions were scanty and the
passages were too frequent. After
taking a few)' boxes of Doan's Kid
ney Pills, I was in good health and
during the past two years I have had
no cause for complaint."
For sale by all dealers. Price 50
cents. Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo,
New York, sole agents for the United
States.
Remember the name Doan's and
take no other.
Your Eye Specialist
will tell you tjiat the ideal light for sew
ing or reading is the soft mellovv light
of a good oil lamp. The Rayo is em
phatically a good oil lamp scientifically
constructed to provide the maximum of
correct light, and proved good by years
of satisfactory service in every civilized
country of the world.
A Difference in Working Hours
A man's woiking day is 8 hours.
His body organs must work perfect
ly 24 hours to keep him fit for 8
hours work. Weak, sore, inactive kid
neys can not do it. They must be
sound and healthily active all the
time. Foley Kidney Pills will make
them so. You cannot take them into
your system without good results fol
lowing. Huntley Bros. Co.
Lamps
No glare; no flicker. Easy to light;
care for. Inexpensive and econo
mical, but the best light at any
price.
Ask Your Dealer For The Rayo
Standard Oil Company
(California) '
PORTLAND
Tor
'results
use
.Pearl
vOil,
FRANK BUSCIi,
ouse Furnisher
1 1 th and Main Streets
A PRIVATE PHONE LINE FOR ONLY $6
TELEPHONES $6.00 THE PAlR
FOR USE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS
OR FROM HOUSE TO BARN OR
OTHER BUILDING. PHONE YOUR
ORDER TO
FRANK
RUSGH
m , -.1 .n
This popular itx&.ins&z t-.rji i-ttf,
kitchen table,
full size, has
two Flour bins,
two Draws and
two Dough
boards, pitfh
less whitewood
top,' strong and
well fitted.
- - h i
The usual selling price is $4.00. O "IC
Our factory price to everybody is J) I U
The Seeley
Mattress
THIS HIGH GRADE SLE
EPING MAT IS SO WELL
KNOWN THAT IT REAL
LY NEEDS NO FURTHER
COMMENT FROM US. TO
REST MEANS TO SLEEP
ON A SEELEY.
Price $22.50
Busch's Iron Bed Assortment
is now so large that it Is im
possible to enter a list of
prices in this issue. Our
prices range from
$1.65 - $50
i : :
L
Busch's Favorite
Steel Range
It is not our purpose to offer this
range as the product of cheapness
it is the highest type that is possible
to produce yet our wholesale prices
make it very low in cost to you.
To appreciate the high standard of
quality in the : Favorite Range you
must come in and examine the feat
ures and compare them with other
ranges, costing very much more. Our
prices sixteen inch ovens $29.50
Eighteen inch ovens 35.00
, Twenty inch ovens 40.00
Busch's Rival Gem
Airtight Heaters
special Large Swing Top will admit
large chunks. Has extra heavy cast
iron lining. Front Screw Draft with
ground joint. This stove is first class
in every respect. Made in four sizes
Eighteen inch $4.85
Twenty inch 6.75
Twenty-two inch 7.50
Twenty-five inch ; 8.75
BUSCH'S GARNET
AIRTIGHT HEATERS
' This is one of the most attractive '
heaters ever offered for a price with
in easy reach.
The patterns are the latest design,
the solid top, plain costings and high
quality of nickeling arc features
which have made this healer very v';
popular. '
Made In three sizes ,
Eighteen inch $9.75 ,
Twenty inch 10.75
Twenty-two inch 13.75 ;
BUSCH'S NO. J 2
5 Cross Panel
O G . Sticking
Raised Panels
Size Price Each
2-0x6-01 .
$1.16
2-6x6-61
$1.23
2-6x6-81
$1.25
2-8x6-81
$1.26
3-0x7-01
$1.60
- DOORS, BEAUTIFUL PRACTICAL AND DURABLE
We are once more equipped to manufacture all kinds of doors and windows and offer them to contractors and builders at our extreme bottom
wholesale prices. ,
GUARANTEE: We guarantee every article sent out of our Iactoryor store to be the very best of its kind, Our doors and windows are abso
lutely first quality, fresh and new, thoroughly kiln dried and the best that skilled labor can produce.
In presenting these wholesale prices on a line of attractive doors, we would direct your attention first to the QUALITY, then the PRICE;
and we not only invite, but defy all competition-.
Not only are these prices as low, but positively lower than any of the largest Portland jobbers, and we would ask you to compare the prices
with the Great Catalogue Houses of Chicago, you will then be convinced that our prices arc absolutely the lowest, and when you have examined the
stock you will be satisfied that our goods are strictly first quality. '
In addition to the items here quoted we have a very large assortment of Front Doors, ranging in price from $3.50 to $6.50, just a little more
than half the price charged by other jobbers of this line.
Wc Retail at Wholesale Prices
BUSCH'S NO. 14
1 veneer panel
O G Sticking
Slash Grain
This is a very
beautiful and po
pular door.
Size 2-8x6-8
Price Each $3.2.1
3-0x7-014
$3.50
j