Image provided by: Oregon City Public Library; Oregon City, OR
About Oregon City courier. (Oregon City, Or.) 1902-1919 | View Entire Issue (May 28, 1914)
12 HOME AND FATUI MAGAZINE SECTION HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION SERIAL. A Fool and His Money By George Earr McCutcheon Copyright, 1918, By Geo. Ban McCutcheon. at the lower end where we had stacked a quantity of rare old furniture in or SYNOPSIS OP PEEVIOTJS INSTALLMENTS. $ In the opening installments of $ "A Fool and His Money," Geo. Barr McCutcheon 's charm- 3 ing novel, Berial rights for which J have been specially obtained for S the Home and Farm Magazine Section, we learn of John Bel- lamy Smart, the young man who t is telling the story. He has just 4 written his first novel, and at $ the Biimo time has fallon hoir to S an immense fortune left him by S his uncle. He is 35 years of age. & . After a visit to London, Smart $ takes a trip on the River Dan- ube. After finding an old-world town, he discovers an ancient 6 castle, which he purchases from 5 its owner, the Count. With his 3 secretary, Poopendyke, he takes possession of the immonso struc- $ ture, which is supposod to bo tenanted only by the caretaker $ and his family, the Schmidts. To S Smart's nmazement, the first S night, he hoars the cry of a baby. 3 Looking out at a balcony ono $ night Smart sees the white figure of a woman silhouetted. He im- ! mediately begins a hunt for 3 Schmick, the caretaker, to solve 3 the mystery of who the woman 3 may be. With the Schmicks he 4 endeavor s to break down a heavily barred door into that sec tion of the castle, but fails. The story continues: (Continued From Last Week.) HE Schmicks fairly glowod with joyl I Afterwards Max informed mo that the door was nearly six inchos thick and often had withstood the assaults of huge battering ranis, back in the dim past when occasion induced tho primal baron to seek safety in the east wing, which, after all, appears to have boon the real, eimon pure fortress. The west Wing was merely a setting for festal amenities and was by no means feudal in its aspect or appeal. Here, as I came to know, tho old barons roeeived their friends and feastod them and mado merry with the flagon and tho horn of plenty; here the humble tithe p.'iyor came to settle his flues with gold and silver instead of with blood; hero tho little barons and bare nesses romped and rioted with childish glee, and hero tho barons grew fat and gri.-ss and soggy with laziness and pros perity, and hero they died in stupid quioseenco. On the other side of that grim, stauneh old door they simply wont to the other extreuio in evory particular. There thoy killed their captives, butch tred their enuniies, and sometimes died ith the daggers of traitors in their hivering baeks. As we trudged back to the lower halls, defeated but none the less improsaed by ur failure to devastate our stronghold, I was struck by tho awful barrenness of the surroundings. Thoro suddenly came ever mo the shocking realisation: tho "contents" of tho castle, as sot forth rather vaguely in the bill of sale, were not what I had boon led to consider them. It had not occurred to me at tho time of tho transaction to insist upon an inventory, and 1 had boon too busy fine tho beginning of my tenancy to take more than a passing account of my belongings. In oxnising myself for this rather careless oversight, l oan only say. that during daylight hours the castle was so completely stuffed with work Ken and thoir queer utonsils that I couldn't do much in tho way of elimina tion, aud by night it was so horribly black and lonesome about the place and the halls were so littered with tools iuid mops and timber that it was ex tremely hazardous to go prowling about, o I preferred to remain in my own quarters, which wero quite comfortable and cosy in spite of the distaia-o be tween points, of convenience. Still 1 was vaguely certain that many articles I had seen about the halls on my first and secoud visits wero no longer in evidence. Two or three antique rugs, for instance, were niisa Ing from tho main hall, and there was 8 der to make room for the workmen. "Horr Schmick," said I, abruptly halting my party in the center of the hall, "what has become of the rugs that were, here last week, and where is that pile of furniture wo had back yonderf Kudolph allowed tho lautern to swing behind his huge legs, intentionally believe, and I was compelled to relieve him of it in order that we might extract ourselves from his shadow. J have never seen such a colossal shadow as the oue he cast. Old Conrad was not slow in answer ing. The gentleman called day bofore yesterday, mein herr, and took much away. They will return tomorrow for the remainder." "Gentlemen?" I gasped. "Bo- mainderf" "Tho gentlemen to whom the Herr Count sold the rugs and chairs and chests and " What!" I roared. Even toopen- dyke jumped at this sudden exhibition of wrath. "Do you mean to tell me that these things have been sold and carried away without my knowledge or consent! I'll have the law " Herr Poopendyke intervened. "They had bills of sale and ordors for removal of property dated several weeks prior to your purchase, Mr. Smart. We had to let the articles go. You surely re- momber my speaking to you about it." 1 don't remember anything," I snapped, which was the truth. ' ' Why why, I bought everything that the cas tle contained. This is robberyl What the diekens do you mean by" Old Conrad held up his hands as if expecting to paeify mo. I sputtered out tho rest of the sentence, which really amounted to nothing. The Count has been soiling off the lovely old piocos for the pastgix months, sir. Ach, what a sin! They have come here day after day, these furniture buy ers, to take away the most priceless of our treasures, to Boll them to tho poor rich at twenty prices. I could weep over the sacrifices. I have wept, haven't I, Gretolt Eli, Eudolph? Buckets of tears have I shed, mein herr. Oceans of them. Time after time have I implored him to deny these rascally eurio huntors, thoso blood-sucking " JJut listen to mo, " 1 broke in. "Do you mean to say that articles havo been taken away from the castle since I came into possession t ' ' "Many of thorn, sir. Always with proper credentials, beliove me. Ach, what a spendthrift he is! And his poor wife! Ach, Gott, how she must suffer. Nearly all of tho grand paintings, tho tapeutrios that camo from France and Italy hundreds of years ago, the won derful old bedstoads and tables that wero hero when tho castle was new all gono! And for mere songs, moin horr, tho cheapost of songs! I I" "lleaae don't weop now, Herr Sehmick," I mado haste to exclaim, seeing lachrymose symptoms in his blear old eyes. Then I becamo firm once more. This knavery must cease, or I'd know tho reason why. "Tho next man who comos here to cart away eo much as a singlo piece U to bo kicked out Do you understand! These things belong to mo. Kick him iuto tho river. Or, bettor still, notify me and I'll do it. Why, if thia goes on we'll soon be deprived ( any thing to sit on or sleep in or eat from! Lock tho doors, Conrad, and don't ad mit any one without first consulting me. By Jove, I'd like to wring that rascal's neck. A Conht! Uinph! "Aeh, ha 13 of the noblest family in all the land," sighed old Grutol. "His grandfather was a fine man." I con trived to subdua my rage and disap pointment and somewhat loudly returned to tho topic from which we were drift ing "As for those beastly padlocks, I shall havo them filed off tomorrow. I give you warning, Conrad, if the keys are not forthcoming before noon tomor row, I'll file 'em off, so hrfp me." "They are youre to destroy, mein herr, God knows," said he dismally. "It is a pity to destroy fine old pad Wks " "Woll, you wait and see," Baid I, grimly. His face beamed once more. "Ach, I forgot to say that there are padlocks ou the other aide of the door, just as on this sido. It will be of no use to destroy these. The door still could not be forced. Moin Gott! . How thankful I am to have remembered jt in time." "Confound you, Schmick, I believe you actually want to keep me out of that part of the castle," I exploded. The four of them protested manfully, even Gretel. "I have a plan, sir," said Britton. "Why not place a tall ladder in the courtyard and crawl in through one of the windows!" "Splendid! That's what we'll do! " I cried enthusiastically. "And now let's go to bed! We will breakfast at eight, Mrs. Schmick. The early bird catches tho worm, you know." "Will you see the American ladies and gontlemon who are eoming tomor row to pick out the " Yes, I'll see them," said I, com pressing my lips. "Don't let me over sleep, Britton." "I shan't, sir," said he. Sleep evaded me for hours. What with tho possible proximity of an unde sirable famine neighbour, mysterious and elusive though she may prove to be, and the additional dread of dogs and babies, to say nothing of the amaz ing delinquencies to be laid to the late owner of the place, and the prospect of a visit from coarso and unfeeling bar-bain-hunters on the morrow, it is really not surprising that I tossed about in my baronial bed, counting sheep backwards and forwards over hedges and fences until the vociferous cocks in the stable yard began to Bend up their clarion howdy-dos to the sun. Strangely enough, with the first peep of day through the decrepit window shutters I fell into a sound Bleep. Britton got nothing but grunts from me until half past nine. At that hour he came into my room and dolivered news that aroused me more effectually than all, the alarm clocks or alarm cocks in the world could have dona. "Got up, Bir, if you please," he re peated the third time. "The party of Americans is below, sir, rummaging about the place. They have ordered the workmen to stop work, Bir, complaining of the boastly noise they make, and the dust and all that, sir. They have al ready selected half a dozen pieces and they have brought enough porters and carriers over in the boats to take the stuff away in " ''Where is Poopondyket" I cried, leaping out of bed. "I don't want to be shaved, Britton, and don't bother about the tub." He had filled my twentieth century portable tub, recently acquired, and was nervously creating a lather in my shaving mug. "You look very rough, sir." "So much tho better." "Mr. Poopendyke is in despair sir. He has tried to explain that nothing is for sale, but the gentlemen say they are onto his game. They go right on yank ing things about and putting their own prices on them and reserving them. They are perfectly delighted, sir, to have found so many old things they really want for their new houses." "I'll I'll put a stop to all this," I grated seeing red for an instant. (To be Continued Next Week.) China imports wood , pulp from Great Britain, Sweden, Norway and Germany. A : .. -V'Tfc'Tc t - '"-"-''"- I I FIVE BOOMS, 1337.00 We furniih any amber of rooms and any design yo need. Send for catalog. COMMON SENSE AND A HAMMEE are all you need to build one of our attract ively designed oottages or bungalow. Not portable. Absolutely permanent. Save car penter expense, lots of material in cutting, and many other savings. You get the benefit. We cut every pieee to lit. and furnish doors, windows, hardware, paint, nails, all lumber, and lath and plaster or wall board. A numbered diagram tells yon how to put it together, without further expense. Ready Built House Company 890 Broadway. Portland, OMgoa. Gold c WE ARE SO SURE OF THE QUALITY OF it That we ask you to give Gold Shield a trial, feeling that you will then insist on Gold Shield when Laying coffee. SCHVABACIIER EROS.Llr) 11 & CO., Inc. ' - ;, V?'5 Importers and Roasters of Coffee Seattle, Wash