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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (July 3, 1908)
4 Strong and Steady By. HORATIO CHAPTER II. (Continued.) At five o'clock on tb afternoon of the day after Mr. Conrad' death, Mr. Dru al mond entered the .house, which wu on the opposite side of the street from the tore. This was the supper hour, and supper was ready upon the table. A single glance was sufficient to show that Mr. Drummond was not a man to indulge in luxurious living. There was a plate of white bread, cut in thin slices, a small plate of butter, half a pie, and a plate of cake. A small pitcher of milk, a bowl of coarse brown sugar, and a pot of the cheapest kind of tea completed the preparations for the evening meal. Cer tainly there was nothing extravagant about these preparations; but Mr. Drum mond thought otherwise. His attention was at once drawn to the cake, and in stantly a frown gathered upon his face. "Are you going to have company to night, Mrs. Drummond?" be asked. "Not that I know of," answered his wife, in some surprise. "Then why is it that you have put both pie and cake on the table?" "The cake is a cheap kind." "No cake is cheap, Mrs. Drummond. I ' take it you used eggs, butter and sugar in making it. lou are probaoiy not aware that all these articles are very dear ac present. Until they get lower we need not have cake, except when company is present. Take away the cake, if you please. You can save It for Sunday even- ng.: "I am afraid it will be dried up by that time." "If it is dry, you can steam It. I have continually to check you In your extrava gant tastes. Cake and pie, indeed! If you bad your way, you would double my household expenses." Mrs. Drummond rose from the table, and meekly removed the offending cake. Just then the third and only other mem ber of the family entered. This was Joshua Drummond, the, only son, now eighteen years of age, though he looked scarcely more than sixteen. He in herited his father's meanness, but not bis frugality. He was more self-indulgent, and, though he grudged spending money for others, was perfectly ready to spend as much as he could get hold of for him self. CHAPTER III. Over Joshua, Mr. Drummond had less control than over his wife. The latter gave way meekly to his unreasonable re luisitions ; but Joshua did not hesitate to make opposition, being as selfish and self willed as his father, for whom he enter tained'neither respect nor affection. - In silence be helped himself to bread and butter, and in due time accepted a piece of pie, which Mrs. Drummond made larger at the expense of her own share, finally Mr. Drummond remarked: "I've had a telegram to-day from Wil oughby." "From Willoughby?" repeated his wife. "Is"t that where your cousin, William Conrad, lives?" "He doesn't live there any longer. He's dead. The funeral is to be day after to morrow." "Shall you go?" "Tea. It will cost me considerable ; as much as five dollars or more ; but he waa my cousin, and it is my duty to go," said Mr. Drummond, with the air of a man who was making a great sacrifice. "He was rich, wasn't he?" asked Joshua, becoming interested. "Probably worth a hundred thousand dollars," said his father, complacently. "I should think he 'might have left me something," said Joshua. "He never saw you, Joshua," said his mother. "Joshua stands a better chance of get ting a legacy from one who doesn't know him than from one who does,", said Mr. Drummond, with grim pleasantry. "He leaves children, doesn't he?" "One child a boy. Let me see, he must be fifteen by this time. It's likely I will be appointed bis guardian. I'm the near est relative." "Will he come here, then?" ' asked Joshua. "Very probably." "Then I hope you'll live better, or ha won't stand It." , , "When I require any advice from you, Joshua, I will apply for it," said his father. . Joshua inwardly hoped that his father would be appointed guardian, for he hop ed that in this event it would make a dif ference in the family living; and, besides if his cousin were rich, he meant to whee dle himself into his confidence, in the hope of future advantage. Jacob put off going to Willoughby till the morning train on the day of the fu neral. The next day, therefore, be start ed, taking with him in his valise a lunch of bread and meat tied up in a piece of brown paper. Shortly after his arrival, he called at the house of mourning. . "I am Jacob Drummond of Stapleton, . the cousin of the deceased," he explained to Nancy, who opened the door to admit him. "Is my young relative, Mr. Con rad's son, at home?" "Yes, sir,' said Nancy, taking an in ventory of his features, and deciding that he was a very disagreeable looking man. Mr Drummond waa ushered into the parlor, where he had a little chance to look around him before Walter appeared. Mr. Drummond rose at his entrance. "I suppose you don't know me," ha u aaid; "but I wu your father's nearest living relation." ALGER. JR. "Mr. Drummond, I believe." "Yes, Jacob Drummond of Stapleton. You have probably heard your father speak of me?" "Yes, sir," said Waltei. "I came as soon as I could after get ting the telegram. I left my business to take care of Itself. I wanted to offer you my sympathy on your sad loss." Mr. Drummond's words were kind. though the reference to his sacrifice in leaving his business might have been as well left out. Still Walter could not feel as grateful as he wanted to do. Somehow he didn't fancy Mr. Drummond. "You are very kind," he said. "1 mean to be. You know I'm your nearest relation now. 1 truly feel for you in your desolate condition, and though it may not be the right time to say it, I must tell you I hope, when the funeral is over, you will accompany me home and share our humble hospitality. Mrs. Drum mond joins me in the invitation." "I have not had time to think of future arrangements," said Walter; "but I thank you for your invitation "My son Joshua, too," said Mr. Drum mond, "is longing to make your acquaint ance. He is older than you, but not much larger. Joshua is eighteen, but he wiil make a very pleasant companion for you. Lef me hope that you will accept my in vitation." "Thank you, Mr. Drummond; I will consult my friends about it." "I wonder how much I could venture to ask for board," thought Mr. Drum mond. , "If I am his guardian I can fix that i suit myself. '- A hundred thousand dollars would make me a rich man. That is, I could m ake money from it without injuring the boy." Mr. Drummond asked a few more ques tions ' about Mr. Conrad's sickness and death. Walter answered them, but did not think it necessary to speak of his losses by the mining company. Mr. Drum mond was a stranger, and not a man to inspire confidence. So Walter told aa lit tle as he could. At length the visitor, having exhausted inquiries, rose. "I shall be here to-morrow," be said. "I shall return to Stapleton after the ceremony. I hope you will make up your mind to go back with me." "I could not be ready so soon' an swered Walter, doubtfully. "I can wait till next day." "That will not be necessary, Mr. Drum mond. I shall have no difficulty in mak ing the journey alone, if I conclude 'to ac cept your kind invitation." Mr. Drummond shook our hero's hand sympathetically, and at length withdrew.' A he went down the avenue, he took a backward glance at the handsome man sion in which his cousin "had lived. "That boy owns all that property," he said, half enviously, "and never worked a day for it. I've had to work- for all my money. But it was foolish to spend so much money on a bouse. A third the sum would have built a comfortable house, and the rest might have been put at in terest. If it turns out that I am the boy's guardian, I think I shall sell it That'll be the best course." CHAPTER IV. The funeral was over. Mr. Drummond, as indeed his relationship permitted, was one of the principal mourners. Consider ing that he had not seen Mr. Conrad for fiv years preceding his death, nor during that time communicated with him in any way, he appeared to be very much over come by grief. He kept his eyes covered with a large white -handkerchief, and his movements Indicated suppressed agitation. Hi felt that this was a tribute due to a cousin who had left over one hundred thousand dollars. When they had return ed from the grave he managed to have a word with Walter. , "Have you decided to accept my offer, and make your home beneath my humble roof?" he asked. "There has been no time to consult with my friends here, Mr. Drummond. I will let you know next week. I thank you at any rate for your kindness." "Do come, Walter," said his cousin, twisting his mean features Into an affec tionate smile. "'With you beneath my humble roof, I shall want nothing to com plete my happiness." Jacob Drummond went back to Staple ton Ignorant of the state of Mr. Conrad's affairs and regarding Walter as a boy of great wealth. When the will waa opened it was found to bear date two years back, before Mr. Conrad had plunged Into the speculation which had proved so disastrous to him. He bequeathed all the property which he did possess to Walter, with the exception of five hundred dollars, which were left ai a legacy to his faithful housekeeper, Nancy Forbes. At the time the will was made, its provisions made Walter heir to a large fortune. Now It was quite uncer tain how things would turn out Clement Shaw, the village lawyer, an honest and upright man, was made executor, being an old and tried friend of the deceased. With his Walter had a long and confi dential conversation, imparting to him what he knew of hia father's mining spec ulation and Its disastrous result, with its probable effect In accelerating his death. "I knew something of this before, Wal ter," said Mr. Shaw. "Your father spoke to me of being largely interested In the Great Metropolitan Mining Company; but of the company itself and the extent to which he was Involved I knew nothing." "I chink iny father must have neea very seriously involved," said Walter. "It may, perhaps, swallow up the whole prop erty." . "Let us hope not. Indeed, I can hardly believe that your father would have ven tured in so deep as that , "He had every confidence in the com pany ; he thought he was going to double bis money. If only a part of his prdpeity was threatened, I don t think it would have bad such an effect upon him." "I will thoroughly examine into the at fair," said Mr. Shaw. "Meanwhile, Wal ter, hope for the best ! It can hardly be that the whole property is lost. ' Do not be- too anxious." "Do not fear for me on that account," said Walter. "I always looked forward to being rich, it is true, but for all that I can bear poverty. If the worst comes, and I am penniless. I am strong, and can work. I can get along as well as thou sands of other boys, who have to support themselves." Walter did not Hpeak boastfully by any means, but in a culm, confident way, that argued a consciousness of power. "Yes," said the lawyer, regarding him attentively, "I think you are right there. You are just the boy who ran make his own way ; but I hope you will not be' obliged to do so." "I am young and strong. Nancy has spent her best years in my father's ser vice, and she is no longer young. It is right that she should have some provision. Besides, my father meant her to have it, and I want to carry out his wishes." "This is all very generous, Walter; but I am afraid it is inconsiderate. It would not be your father's wish to provide even for Nancy, however faithful she may have been, at the expense of his son." "It is right," said Walter. "Besides, Mr. Shaw, I find that Nnnoy had laid up six hundred dollars, which she had depos ited in my father's hands. That also must be paid, if there is enough to pay it; if not, I will take it upon myself to pay whenever I am able." "You're an excellent boy, Walter," said Mr. Shaw. "I always had a good opinion of you, and I find it is more than deserv ed. I honor you for the resolution you have expressed, though I cannot' quite agree with you about the five hundred dol lars. As to the debt, that must be paid, if there is money enough to pay it. But e can leave the further discussion of this question for the present. Now let us consider what is to become of you in the meantime. You were at the Essex Classi cal Institute. I believe?" "Yes, sir." "You would like to go back again, I suppose." "No, Mr. Shaw. It is an expensive school, and while it is uncertain how my father's affairs will come out, I should not feel justified in going there." "Perhaps you are right. Of course, you cannot stay here, and keep house by yourself. I would invite you to my own house, but my wife is an invalid, and 7 have to consider her in the matter." "Thank you, Mr. Shaw; but I think perhaps I had better accept the offer of Mr. Drummond of Stapleton. He invites me to make my home at his house, and for the present, perhaps, that will be the beat arrangement." Nancy was much troubled at the thought of parting from Walter, whom she had known from his infancy; but a situation was immediately offered her in the village, and Waller promised to take her as his housekeeper whenever he had a home of bis own, and this comforted her, although it was likely to be a long time until then, since our hero was at present but fifteen. He wrote a brief letter to Stapleton as fellows : "Mr. Drummond: "Dear Sir I will accept the invitation you were kind enough to extend to me, for the present, at least, and will come to Stapleton about the middle of next week. You are the only relation of my father that I know of, and I think it would be his wish that I should go to you. If it. should be inconvenient for you to receivs me at that time, please write me at once. Yours respectfully, "WALTER CONRAD." In return, Walter received a letter couched in the most cordial terms, in which Mr. Drummond signed himself, "Your affectionate cousin." He was de lighted, he said, to think that he was about to receive, under bis humble roof, the son of his revered and lamented cousin. He himself met Walter at the depot. "I am delighted to welcome you to Sta pleton, my young friend," he said, shak ing bis hand cordially. "In the affliction which has come upon you, let me hope that you will 'find a haven of rest beneath my humble roof." Walter made suitable acknowledgments, and proceeded to walk beside Mr. Drum mond to the house which he termed hum ble. It did not deserve that name, being a substantial two-story bouse, rather ugly, architecturally, but comfortable enough in appearance. "That is my humble dwelling," said Mr. Drummond, pointing it out. "It is not equal to the splendid mansion in which you have been accustomed to live, but my worldly circumstances differ widely from those of your late lamented parent. That Is my son, Joshua, who Is looking out of the front window. I hope you may become good friends, considering how nearly you are related." (To bcontlnued.) Cruel. Gunner So th celebrated poet mar ried Mrs. Penner, the short-story writer? Guyer Yes, and some of their wed ding' presents were cruel insinuations, Gunner What did they receive? Guyer Sixteen waste baskets embt llshed with ribbons. Yorkshire Pudding. The recipes usually seen produce a soggy moss, very different from the "broad-acred" shire's product. Try this from a genuine Yorkshire woman: Beat thoroughly, two eggs, yolks and whites together, six tablespoonfuls flour, salt to season and milk, until the whole is the consistency of thick crenin. Pour Into a roasting pan and bake In the drippings from the roast, or hent to the boiling point one tablespoonful of Inrd or drippings, and bake in this twenty minutes. It is truly delicious with, the nccompanlment of roast beef and brown gravy. Rice and Tomato Soap, Put one tablespoonful of butter into A snucepan, add two small onions, chop ped fine, and cook without browning. Add one enn of tomatoes (or three pints of ripe ones), 2 cupfuls of water, 1 tenspoonful of salt, 6 peppercorns and 2 sprigs of pnrsley. Coolt until tomn toes are soft, then rub through a sieve. Return to the snucepnn with two table spoons of well-washed rice nml simmer slowly for one hour. Press again through n sieve nml add more season ing it desired. J-'lfll Puff. Soften a tablespoonful of butter to a creamy consistency by working it with a fork ; beat three eggs to a froth and add them to the butter; add a lev el tenspoonful of. suit and six table spoonfuls of flour. Bent nil these In gredients together until they foam, then put them Into buttered enrthen cups or smnll tin pans, nnd bake In a hot oven for half an hour, or until they are cooked through nnd nicely browned. Bacon Fritters. Cut fresh pork Into nieces about hn'.f an Inch square nnd fry until done, but not brown. Take one cup flour, one cup Southern corn meal, one tenspoon- rm or suieratus, a pinch of salt and enough sour milk to make a stiff bat ter. Bent one egg up stiff and light, mix up batter well and add the cooked pork, stirring Just enouch to mix well. Fry in a skillet and eat with good southern molasses. Filling- a Limn. Reservoirs of oil lamps should never be filled to the brim, us oil expands when heated, and the overflow is apt to exude, causing a smell of paraffin, while to prevent the oil from flowing over the edge of the burner after the lamp has been filled the wick, after cleaning, should be turned down be low the level of the burner until It Is required to light It. Home-Made Sanutsre. Six pounds of lean fresh pork and three of fat ground together In a meat chopper. To this add twelve teaspoons of powdered sage, six each of black pepper and salt, two teaspoons each of ground cloves and mnce and a grated nutmeg. Mix well, pnek all In stone jars nnd pour melted fut on top to ex clude nlr. German Cake. Fourteen ounces flour, 0 ounces but ter, 9 ounces sugar, 2 eggs, one-half lemon peel. Stir butter, sugar, eggs nnd lemon peel until light, add flour, knead until smooth, put dough on Ice for a few hours, roll out, cut strips, and roll into figures, S or krlngle; bnke In moderate oven until brown. Popcorn Candy. , Make an old-fashioned molasses ran dy nnd Just before taking It from the fire (when a little dropped Into cold water Is brittle) stir In enough popcorn to thicken It. Put the mixture Into but tered pnns and press flat with the back of a spoou, and as it stiffens cut Into squares. Good IlreaUfnut Dlah. Tut into the double boiler one large cup yellow cornmeal ' ond four thin slices of bacon cut into dice. Add a lit tle salt and fill the cooker with cold water. Let it cook about an hour and a half, turn out Into a pan to cool, slice cold and fry. A good breakfast dlah. A Fine Almond Torte. Nine eggs, whites ben ten separately; one and one-half cups sugar ; two cups bread crumbs, one-half pound almonds chopped fine; one lemon rind, two tea spoons baking powder. Before sending to table cover top with whipped creum. Baked Klh In Ramlklns. Cream the bits of left-over fish and bent them up with an equal aunntitv of hot mashed potato. Put the two In the ramukin8 and bnke brown. Gnr nlsh on top with a small bit of pars ley. Bean BlalBna. One pint bran, otie-hnlf pint flour, one pint' sweet milk, six tablespoons molasses, one-half teaspoon salt, on teaspoon saleratus; bake a good half hour SOMETHING FOB EVERYBODY Andrew Carnegie's library gifts amount almost to $30,000,000. The total number of persons in re ceipt of State relief In India exceeds 1,250,000. Louisiana has seven million acres of swamp land, which are at present total. tj useless. The irrigated districts of Egypt corn- arise 5,340,000 acres and support 10,. 000,000 persons. It is computed that the dew falling In England Is equal to five inches of rain each year. Government experts are Investigat ing seaweed with the object of deter mining its economic value. The Chinese have undertaken to urse their forests, and the officials of the Celestial government have engaged a Japanese expert from Tokio to act as head master for the proposed school of forests at Mukden for a term of four years, with two Chinese as bis assist anta Prof. D. C. Jackson of the Massachu setts Institute of Technology, has been retained by the Massachusetts highway commission to make a report regarding the telephone sltuntlon with speclnl reference to the practicability of a re duction in rates and a higher efficiency of service. ''Neutuesis is essentiul on the links." said II. J. Whlgham, the golfer, at a dinner in Chicago. "At Shlnnecock Hills one dny I played behind two young nnd pretty girls. Overtaking them, I heard the younger say : 'How many holes on this course, Alleen?' 'Nineteen, denr, said Alleen, 'Including the one In your stocking.' " Simultaneously with the organization nf a pigeon postal service In the French Kongo, where the climate makes both ordlnnry and wireless telegraphy im possible, it Is announced that the Brit ish government has replaced the pigeon post by wireless telegraphy in both the naval ond the colonial service, and that this year's budget contains no appro priation for pigeons. O'Connell had got a man off at one time for highway robbery and at an other for burglary; but on the third occasion, for stealing a coasting brig, the task of hoodwinking the Jury seem ed too grent for even his powers of cajolery. However, he made out that Qte crime was committed on the high sens and obtained an acquittal. The prisoner lifted up his hand and eyes to benven and exclaimed: "May the Lord long spare you, Mr. O'Connell to me!" The reason why the stomach and in testines do not digest themselves was once thought by Welnland, a German experimenter, to be that they defend! themselves by anti-enzymes, or anti ferments. Dr. Nandor King of Budu Pesth now reports these ahtl-ferments not to be found, but that the mucin present in the inner half of the gastric mucous membrane resists the digestive nctlon of the trysln and the gastric Juice. The digestive organs, therefore, protect themselves by the mucin they . secrete. The population of Japan to-day is Just about 00,000,000. The exact fig urea for 1!H)7 are not yet available, but the estimates Just published are based on the average growth of the last thirty years nnd may lie taken ns fulrly ac curate. In each of the five-year periods for which figures are bIiowii, over tho past tweuty-flve years, the population has increased, roughly speaking, by 2,000,000. To-dny the estimate is that there ore 40,207,744 native-born Japanese In the territory ruled over by tho Mikado. Pall Mall Gazette. When the memler8 of the British In stitution of Electrical Engineers paid a visit of Inspection to northern Italy lately, they were Interested In a device used to protect the overhead transmis sion lines of an electric traction sys tem from lightning discharges. The device consists of Jets of water, which form a permanent "earth" at the Mon beguo generating station on the Vultel llna line. The electric resistance of the Jets was said to be sufficient to pre vent a serious loss of current, while not too great to enable them to serve for protection against lightning. It Is sold that "moon blindness" in a horse is cnused by "wolf teeth" two small surplus teeth Just In front of the flrst upper pre-molors, one on each side of tho upper Jaw. An authority says: "The 'wolf teeth' do not cause eye dis ease or any other harm, and usually are not discovered until the eye disease appears. The eye trouble Is 'periodic ophthalmia' (moon blindness), which Is hereditary and incurable. Thousands upon thousands of horses Buffer from this eye disease, jet have not a 'wolf tooth' in their hends. The important matter to remember in connection with, periodic ophthalmia is not the signifi cance of the 'wolf tooth,' but the ne cessity and Importance of rejecting from breeding operations all afflicted with periodic ophthalmic, or cataract, which results from repeated attacks.
