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About Clackamas County record. (Oregon City, Clackamas County, Or.) 1903-190? | View Entire Issue (July 16, 1903)
I A FLASH of I LIGHTNING 2 CopyriofU, act, by Zdwlm L. Sabtn WOHMAN PAOH reluctantly rolled from beneath the cov er and with his feet groped on the floor beside the bed (or his bath slippers. The rain was falling furiously, and the wind seemed to be Increasing. Annoyed by the conscious ness that a parlor window was up, he had lain as long as he had dared, hop ing that the storm would slacken and relieve him of the necessity of rising. Even had not this duty of shutting Windows devolved upon him by light, he was quite certain that tonight he must be the one to attend to the mat ter or it would not be attended to at all. Assuredly his wife would not be stir herself after the words of the pre ceding evening. Hardly I While lying awake he had gone over and over the things that had been said the assertions, the rejoinders, the reckless threats. He smiled grimly. Tea, misunderstandings had accumu lated and now had culminated. Which ever was the more to blame and of the two it was not helt was better that they cease association; separate for a time at least He was sensitive and she was sensitive; he was proud and she "was proud; he was stubborn and she was stubborn; discord was caused by mere trifles, yet trifles which appeared insurmountable. 80 finally bad come the parting of the ways. He would go on by one path and she would go by another. He would not utter a word of protest or appeal. He could live without her, he reflected angrily; he had lived thus for many years before he met her, and he simply would drop Into his old bache lor role. Now he found his slippers. His soles Invested, he stood, and, lifting his bath robe from the foot of the bed, where he had thrown It upon retiring, he wrap ped it around him. He began to ad Tance cautiously, for the blackness was murky, and he could not see an Inch. However, his route was comparatively straight and unobstructed, and he had In his mind a clear picture of the posi tion of the articles of furniture in his room and in the parloc - He did not catch a sound from his 'Wife's chamber, the other side of the portieres. She might be awake and 11a "teiilng for him to move, but of course -she would raot indicate It Or possibly he was not awake. With a little tug ging of his heartstrings, he recalled that, she must have sobbed herself Into exhaustion and sleep. " '. Hands outstretched to warn him of Immediate obstacles, he proceeded un til he encountered the wall and, skirt ing it, in an Instant more had reached the door to the hall. He fumbled blindly for the knob. His fingers -clasped It, and he twisted It carefully. His irresistible desire to avoid noise did not spring on account of his wife ex actly, but somehow he was seized with an inexpialnable dread of noises amid that Inky quiet a quiet only intensl fied'by the rain and the low rumble of artillery as the tempest legions marched adown the horizon. Covering their withdrawal, upon the field of bat tle behind them the floods were de scending In torrents. Suddenly burst forth a vivid flash of lightning. It sketched to Page the fig ure of a man, upright, a few yards on his left Darkness, dense, impenetra ble, ruled again. It was as If In front of bis eye an Instantaneous camera shutter had opened and closed, leaving an' image Indelibly fixed on the retina. Stunned into an icy horror, not shift ing a muscle, his band upon the door knob, Page stood and strained his ears, Nothing met them save the irregular, gusty beat of the rain. Everything that he had lately read in the news of thugs and housebreak ers rushed upon him. The slightest morsel of gossip repeated to him by his timid wife recurred to him In a gasp. Recent nights had been extraordinarily prolific of deeds by highwaymen and burglars. Not a paper but chronicled In each edition a shocking list of crimes, The city was in the throes of Its yearly attack of bold ups and assaults and robberies. Nobody was exempt Even in that very block a dwelling had been entered, husband and wife drugged and bound In their beds and the prem ises thoroughly ransacked. Good God I Had this man already been in Helen's room, and was he now pursuing his work further? Yes, he must have been In Helen's room and bad Just made exit through the por tieres between the two chambers. And that was why Helen had not spoken, moved. She was not designed ly and bitterly still. She was uncon scious, dead, or perhaps she was at the will of a ruffian, the confederate of the (ellow revealed y the lightning. What untold tortures she might have en dured, might be enduring! Supposing she were harmed or or never to speak again. How could he bear ltt AH those many things that he had aid or done and that had hurt her as sailed him as a life record passes be fore a drowning person. His Impa tience, his fault findings, his selfish ness, the countless acts that be had un graciously performed for her and the countless acts that be had apathetic ally suffered her to perform for him these were the scenes no being brand ed on his brain with cruel persistency. What could he do without her smile f welcome, her ready sympathy, her loving, Jealous watch over bis belong ings, her quick, helpful interest In his Sims and his ambitions. Too late, too late! Had she wondered frantically why be had not come to her aid? Was she at the very moment even wondering and waiting? Was he to bring succor or revenge? The responsibility was awful. How best and surest to carry out the mission put upon him? He was eager to ex pose himself to any risk provided that It enabled him to attain his goal. A great thirst for vengeance permeated him, burning into his marrow. When, Incapable longer of bearing her part In the exchange of words, yet disdaining to show how the rapier thrusts bad wounded her, Mrs. ' Page had hotly fled to her room, drawing the portieres behind her, she had flung her self on her bed to find refuge In pas sionate tears. Then, fearing lest her fHE LIOHTNIKQ SKETCHED THE FIQURS OF A MAN. husband might approach and hear her, abruptly she had stifled her sobs and had begun to undress. AH her womanhood was In revolt Her husband had been detestable; he had been brutal; he had uttered things that she never would have believed he could, and she had been led Into as sertions now keenly repugnant to her. Oh, he was so Irritating, so masterful, so unreasonable! And thereupon thronged Into her tossing mind retort after retort which she might have made, but which she had not thought of. In time. . , ,, She crept into bed and softly cried afresh. These were not angry tears, but tears from the depths of a desolate heart Thus at last her married life had gone the way of so many other married lives of which she had read and heard. The prophecies of cynical and lmblttered acquaintances had come true that she would discover she bad loved the ideal and had married the real. The dreams of her girlhood had been beaten to death. Well, as an end to the bickerings wel come the separation. She would prove to him that she was not dependent upon him, not In the slightest She would answer defiance with defiance. Worn out by her turmoil of resent ment and grief, she sank asleep. She awakened with a start, sitting up In bed, every nerve on the alert A thun derstorm was over the city. How long it had been in progress she did npjt know, but wind and rain combined were lashing roof? and pane. The at mosphere was surcharged with elec tricity. She was quivering; a weight seemed to be upon her. As she endeavored to collect her scat tered senses her thoughts flew to the parlor window. She must go and shut it, for the rain was from that direction. Norman would not do It and she would die rather than ask him, much as she shrank at the trip through the bris tling darkness. Drawing on her fleecy house slippers, she threw about her the first wrap upon which she laid her hands a raglan coat and desperately set forth. Not a movement in Norman's room. Surely he was awake; he never slept through a thunderstorm. How cruel In blm to stay still and permit her to make the Journey she, such a cowardl ' How silent the house was in the midst of sough of wind and rain and growl of thunder! Almost she was forced into speaking to Norman to as certain If really he was awake. But, no; she never, never would acknowl edge a need for him. However, even hard in her indigna tion, she could not help playing the wife, and, mindful that her door stuck end was difficult to open, to avoid rous ing him if perchance he was asleep she felt for the portieres and passed through In order to reach the hall by the' door from his room. She had taken only one or two steps when, Instant as a saber stroke, came a flare of lightning which for the frac tion of a second tipped everything with fire and was swallowed up. Brief as it was, it gave to her dazzled eyes the glimpse of a man Just on her left mo tionless, arrested like herself. A burglar! A desperado! In Nor man's room! What had been happen ing there in the night? Why was Nor man so still? And this, then, was the subtle dread which had awakened her en Intuition of the tragedy. Ah, could she but have known! Could she but have last evening back again! Could she but have the last year again! ftV How was sSe to live without Norman tier knight, hex husband, her Norman? What were those petty differences be side the sound of his tender voice and the clasp of his strong arm? Suddenly a wave of wild wrath up rose In her like a consuming flame. Luckily she bad not cried out Perhaps the man had not seen her or deemed that she had not seen him. The little revolver which Norman had taught her to use was In the top drawer of her chiffonier. Silently she began a pur poseful retreat, her face turned toward tier unseen enemy, her ears wary. It was the retreat of a tigress bereft that seeks but a vantage point for a furious leap. Vengeance, not safety, was her end. Although while thinking Page had been listening, listening to apprehend the least Indication of the where abouts of his mysterious opponent h had heard nothing save the dash of the drops. The silence was brimming with possibilities. He must not open the door, for this would betray him. The night covered blm like a velvet pall, and, shrouded In his red robe, he was as Invisible as was his antagonist Doubtless , the other also was listen ing, peering, planning. Was he steal ing nearer and nearer until he might grapple, or was he crouching, prepared to shoot as soon as his senses should guide blm ever so little? Amid the storm a pistol shot would spread abroad no alarm. Page fancied that he could detect the gradual approach of his ruthless foe. His faculties were concentrated until It seemed that his bead must crack from the stress. The effort was futile. Oh, for a chance to put himself upon an equal footing I Only give him some thing with which to kill, kill, kill! His heavy cane was in the opposite corner. A fierce longing to clutch it possessed him. He started to withdraw his fingers from the knob. Another lightning flash so brilliant and unexpected that It blinded him as with a white hot iron. Crash the thunder peal close following and jar ring, echoing, fading away until sub merged by the pelting spears! ' "Norman 1" Page's heart was jumping, and his ears thumped painfully. , "Norman, Is that you?" Helen's voice! Helen was alive, un harmed! The shackles of fear that bound him were shattered Instantly. "Yes, pet; I'm coming," he answered. Recklessly bold, he strode resolutely In the direction of the dresser, hastily swept his hands over the top, seized a match and applied It to the gas. The broad jet leaped into life, and, clutch lng the smoldering match. Page stared with all his eyes at the spot where be had descried the man. He bbw only the pale face of his wife above her raglan coat. ' "Oh, Norman, I was so frightened! I got up to shut the window, and the "POOB SWEETHEART t" lightning showed me you, and 1 thought it was a burglar until the next flash!" she walled, reaching out her arms and whimpering like a lonesome child. "Poor sweetheart!" he said, spring ing to her and gathering her in his grasp to kiss her and stroke her hair. Her forehead was damp and her cheeks were wet A surge of compas slon, regret and self reproach welled in his throat "I thought you were killed; I thought that I'd lost my Norrie," she quavered plteously, clinging to him. "But I'm with you, you see," he com' forted, gathering her still closer. "And we'll never be separated?" she appealed. -"Never, dearest," he whispered. He carried her back to ber bed and with loving hands tucked her In. Then kneeling and bending over her, he mur mured Impulsively: "Dear, I was to blame. I was mean to you last" "No, no," she protested quickly! "Pm so sensitive. I wish I wasn't" "You're perfect" he remonstrated, almost with Indignation. The assurance In his voice and In bis kiss was complete, for with a sigh of happy contentment she nestled her head upon his arm and was silent Thus holding her, he remained mo tionless until long after she had fallen asleep and the wind and the rain had subsided. SHAM MENDICANTS. aer Titles fcr Wklek They Kmaw Bach Other la Big Cities. Mendicants are criminals, nine-tenths of them with criminal records. Is the report of those who have Investigated these wretches who are allowed to parade their simulated miseries upon our streets. Those who are in fact leg less or armless have lost those unde- ilred and useless organs as tramps In allng rides on railroad trains, etc. and even the few really blind of Uit many that pretend to be so were made so purposely or are" glad they are so. Mew York city la ridding Itself of these Impostors by the simple expedient of showing up their frauds. In the slang of these worthies, "New York is Jim mied." By taking the good arms out of splints or the sound legs out of casts, exposing the sham blind and the malingering paralytic, punishing the frauds, etc., the streets are cleared of them. Other cities are yet to learn a lesson. "Chi Slim" made a large In come, some $50 a week for years, In an hour or two a day In New York play ing the paralytic. "British" was al most as successful. "P. P." Is the name given by the fraternity to the plaster of parts bandage men. The "sap" men are the crutch and cripple frauds. The 'cane men" are those who go no far ther than, canes. The "human crab," the "human , dog," the "human alliga tor," are other types. The "crust thrower" Is the fellow who slyly drops a moldy crust of bread before the pass er by and then seizes It as If with hun ger. The "duckets" or "dockets" are those who parade signs, verses, etc., on placards. When "Florida Shine," "Bos ton Charlie," "Toronto Peg," 'The Crane," "Dutch Harris," "St Louis Joe" or "Chi Slim" gets arrested his companions of "the trust" contribute and hire a lawyer for him or secure means for his escape. American Med lclne. Lake Always Frosen. There are in the state of Oregon two lakes that are frozen stiff from one year's end to the other," said P. G. Harper of Portland. "They were dis covered In Baker county not very Ion? ago by a party on a hunting and fish ing trip In the mountains of the Pan handle district After passing through a particularly wild stretch of country the party discovered the lakes on the north summit of one of the mountain? In the neighborhood. The lakes are both small, one of them barely 150 feet across, while the other Is less than 1,000 feet In diameter. Both are cov ered with a heavy coating of Ice as clear as crystal and as smooth as glasp and of such strength that It held sev eral members of the party who rode across on horseback. It is believed tin Ice never melts, because the lakes are so situated behiriH two peaks that the rays of the sun never strike them for sufficient length of time to make any Impression." Washington Star. The gapadllla. "People who have been much In the south are very fond of the sapadllla," said the fashionable fruiterer. "As for looks, it's a toss up between a russet apple and a sweet potato. The pulp Is very soft and dellclously sweet. It Is tropical and Is eatable when It begins to be spotted. The tree In its native haunts Is a tall evergreen, and the fruit Is called by some the sapadllla plum. As for the spelling of It, there'? no limit sapodllla, sappadlllo, sappo dllla, zapotllla, sapotlllo, zapotlla and zapote are a few of the ways. It is the cochltzapotl of Mexico. An Amer ican nickname Is naseberry.' Some who consider It too sweet by Itself find It delicious In desserts." Philadelphia Record. Wooden Snoes la Chicago. A Chicago drummer recently under took to "Josh" a man who was wear ing a pair of wooden shoes about the streets In Chicago. The Hollander of fered to bet the Chlcagoan that be could "shinny" up a tree faster than the commercial man, both men to go at It with shoes on, and the Hollander won the bet One firm in Holland sells no less than 2,000 pairs of wooden shoes a year here. Some are sold as souvenirs, but the bulk go to the people who learned to wear them In Holland and btive taught thelc children born In this couu try to wear them. The Chateau d'lf. The Chateau d'lf, upon the little rock Island of the same name, has three titles to fame. It was built, or at least fortified, by Francis I.; It was used In 1774 for the Imprisonment of Mlra beau, but It Is much more fenowned for Its place In fiction thnn for its place In history since Alexandre Iu teas gave It such eminence In the seen ery of his "Count of Monte-Chrtsto. This castle has just been sold by pub lic auction and was knocked down for the price of 5,500 francs to a modest re tired sea captain of Marseilles. Phi U delphla Record. She Knew Aaron Burr. Mrs. Henry Chadwlck of Brooklyn, who Is eighty-four years old, tells of seeing Aaron Burr. She Is the grand daughter of Benjamin Botts, who de fended Burr in his trial for treason at Richmond In 1807. Her father owned a farm near Jamaica, on Long Island. adjoining one owned by Burr. When she saw Colonel Burr he was seventy even years old, withered and bent but his famous eyes were still black and piercing. Burr died In 1836. Mrs. Chad wlck also knew Chief Justice Marshall watt. . THE'MARVI: LOUS-POVTO "gj"' tion of electricity to benefit the human race. Powerful as the ele&ric current is in itself it may be controlled by a child. Portland General Electric Co. Special Sale of HALF We have on' hand hundreds of un claimed suits which have been made at our various stores throughout the country, and for many reasons have not been , taken after having deposits paid on them. You get the benefit of what has been paid a good tailor made suit for less than half price. Call and examine them. Suits to Order $20.00 UP Unclaimed Trousers $1.95 up, worth $7 to $12.00 Unclaimed Suits $10 to $20, worth $30, $40 and $50. Special Prices on Small Sites. Far ns worth-Herald Co. 245 Washington Street, Portland, Oregon. Oregon City Planing Mill all kinds of Building; Material, Sash, Doors, Mouldings, Turning and Scroll-Sawing.1 Orders for all kinds "of: Mill Work solicited. Promptness and quality of work guaranteed. Before placing your orders write and inquire for prices. Shop Job'work of all kinds. GOOD THINGS TO EAT i Summer Weather Summer Glothing I g i Cool, Clean, Neat GEORGE Main Street Clackamas County Record J.50 a Year Williams Bros, 'Phone 1833 FREIGHT AND PARCELS Delivered to All Parts of the City. Pianos, Safes and Furniture Moved The wonderful intelled; of man has many surpris- But none greater than the subjuga Unclaimed Suits at - PRICE. F. S. BAKER. Proprietor I K7Uifiiifc Arm buio and Good Service BROTHERS Next to Postoffice Transfer Co Prices Reasonable and Satisfaction Guaranteed