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About The morning Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1899-1930 | View Entire Issue (June 23, 1906)
SATURDAY, JOlfl j, 100& THE MORNING ASTOMAN, ASTORIA, OREGON. 8 i A An Instrument of the Law By FRANK H. SWEET CoprHNht, JOtti, if frank' II. 8w( ftfl HAT an officer of tho law roiiid II l wholly an Instrument of ex caution wm exemplified by Nicrlff Turner. During twenty years of rounding up crlnilunlM uf nil sort a lie lmd never oin'o allowed x-r- SOIIIll fil'llllg III IlltiTliTO Willi duly Will) him it ii onl'T win nut tn In bun perctl Willi even In Din in itio of I'KiM iil Inif. iiinl If Ik wiin :tiM.-i-j .t 11 )i uf mirb' ofllrlul wi'iikiif in sympathy anil Imb-chumi they never iiieunil upii the Ntirtai't', Miii'iMtvcr, ln wits it keen ri'iiiler of t.u-i-n itml lunl 11 itieinory Hint wit fur reiiehlitjj mil relent Uhh. Ho It tiiiuc ii'n.Aii ilmt tli mini who hail Mieiiir Turner mi hi trull lnul caiiHt t f.iir, iiml If there wer? 'tji port unity fur ilmiMiiitf r twisting among the hihyi'iinli uf city IiiiIIiIIiik Or ftlltlieHrtfK of ihep forest In took UtlVMIilfit;!) of It t the Utmost llllil Ihell ounieil iilniNi'lf it Ini ky iniui If In pj CHJ'ftl. ' Tin sheriff was In u river town work ItiK up an Important imto when the levee guve way uml allowed the over crowded witter of the MlMlMNlppI to leap forth In a wild, reslstlesit rJxtl It did not matter Unit he was iilinoiit uikhi hi quarry or Unit a tew minute would have ended a long three months' chaae. The flood wns not a respecter of law or of shrewdness and deter initiation, and he was forced back, and thv black water rushed In between and bore away his success aa csslly an tbey had torn the mighty levee from lta foundation and scattered It over the fertile flelda of the sugar planta tlons. Hut niore disastrous than flooded fields or thwarted law were the object which the mud flood born upon It stir face or drew down from time to tlmo In lta turbulent depth. Tho fragment of a negro cabin, with pirhapa half a doarn frightened faces peering from lta uoaubtnttrged angle, would whirl aad eddy with the conflicting current until aoma obstructing rock or tree would give It a violent jar, wbtn on or all of the face would disappear. Floating bit of wreckage of all kind HI CACOBTT OUMPHEH Of DIM BTBOHO BKAHlKD FACB. bad their unwilling passengers, cata (with big eye and humped back, da Oiaatlc fowla craning their necks t heap above tha aurglng water and even wcaatonal farm anlmala, wboae fran tic struggles bad gained them this tern porary point of vantaga. Sometime a Ttoleut upheaval of the water would throw an object toward the surface, which would cauae one to turn away with a shudder.. Even the tossing bit of roof or whirling timber could offer no succor to that Inanimate, band clinched thing now. Sheriff Turner auw one of these ob jects for a brief second aa It was borne past him on the flood, and the sight drove away all solf consciousness. He was a strong man In other ways than bis profession, and what was transpir ing before his eyca made him burl him self far out Into the mad rush of wa ters and wreckage. Aa he struggled back again toward land with bis first prize from the flood be was conscious of another man bat tling near him ou the same errand. Several times during the afternoon he noticed him taking women and chil dren from rafts and tossing debris, plunging Into seething whirlpools after exhausted uufortunates who bad been torn from their bold and clambering up banks or upon secure masses of wreck age to leave his burdens in places of safety, staggering with weariness, but' strong enough .to plunge In again to, the rescue of some one weaker than himself. Sheriff Turner only noticed him as their work brought them to-' getber. He was too busy himself for watching. But as the afternoon wore away, disclosing the man again and again, always risking his ltfe, always steady, mechanical, self controlled, ha began to wonder and admire, as one brave man will wonder at and admire another. And with this admiration there pres ently began to mingle a curious senso if recognition. He only caught mo mentary glimpses of the strong, beard ed face aa the man rose from the watet with Borne on ha had rescued of Blunged back again to-conilnne his rtf M your nttiT TDeUooa la on to. again!" "It la a pity you recognised ma," tha man aald regretfully. "Ton and I could' do mora work here." ; "Yes, wa are needed here," the sheriff useiUad. He looked at bjs companion, aid a flush of conaoioua shama mantled hg face, , Through all bis years of of fice lie could not remember such Irreso lution as had been his during the last half hour. Then he threw out his hands with a sudden gesture as though fling ing consequences to the winds, "Will you glf me your word to come back when the flood subsldesr be de manded. : "Yes, If I am alive." "Then we will go and do what wt can. It wo get through It all right we will meet here and go on to Oronge county together. Now come," The work wa more dangerous than before and then only aone Incident of , J bad experienced during the day ( a?.. haui I mn i.a, An mlr Oa aa m worl, but'thest glimpses We're 'enough, lie never forgot a face, and this man bad crossed bla memory somewhere bo conld not remember how or when or whether for good or bud, but It did not matter. It would all come to him when be bud leisure to turn his mind back Upon the pnt. And It did. That night as be was ly ing on a cot In a atnall building ou the very edge of the flood lie spratig sud denly to his feet with a low exclama tion of relief. He bad lain down ex haunted, but not to sleep, Now be was Btrong, with eyes flashing, but steely, and with )ty close abut and stem. He Was no longer the heroic man whose life was a free offering for others, but t Nemesis of the law, tnecbaulcul, Im placable, Jiint, It bad romn to hi in with a rush, as bo had believed It would, and, though the strong bearded face j bad crossed bla memoir half a decade 1 for now It was too dark to see the black musses of wreckage until It was too late to avoid them. And the flood a buy day, the scone returned to him now as clear cut and vivid a though be bad but just come from the court room. There were the white haired judge upon his bench ami the arguing lawyers and the prisoner, calm a ml collected, pleiullng guilty lu a voice as clear uml triumphant us though ac knowledging a ded of duty or valor. Tint bcurd hud been blin k and gltmity then ii ltd the figure slighter uml alrulghter, but the man was the same. He was as sure of It as he wa thut the I sun would rise In tha enNt and set hi ' the west. And here be ws In the sums j building, sleeping off the exhaustion of the dny'a buttling with the flood. It ! was strange. Sheriff Turner was a man of action. Ten years lefore be hud hod a war rant for this man'a arrest; now be would take him officially as an escaped prisoner, Leaving his rouiu, be walked three doors down the ball and then raped sharply. A wondering voice called. "Come In." A dim light was burning, and a bu crcMsed the room to Uie bedside Sheriff Turner looked at the man sharply. Yes. be bad not been mistaken. A strong face like that whs not ofteu 1 jjuncd longer. All through the night aeeu. and certaluly wa not to Imj for-; they battled with the currents and all ffotten. ; throuuh the next day, and when at luat "You are Clifford Walter be said. . the water began to subside It left fiber The man started, but did not answer. , iff Turner bruised and helpless upon "Of Orange county. N. Y.," the sheriff 1 one of the bunks, and beside him was went on quietly. "I arrest you for the the man be bad recognlaed, bis strong, murder of Pete Bolly, eleven years ; bearded faco now upturned to the sky, ago." white and Inanimate, For a moment the man shivered aa ' presently came the sound of carriage though atruck by an Icy blast then bis wheels, and a woman hurried forward, face grew calm and strong again as I clasping and unclasping her banda and before. nobbing to herself. Yes, I am Clifford Walte of Orange "He was so good to me," she moaned county, N. Y.," he answered, raising aa sue oung uerseir on uer knees oe btmself to a sitting poture. "and I ! aide the allent form, "bo good to me executed the miscreant Pete Bolly, i and to every one." Then ahe raised htr "at M VXkD," SHB said softly. whom a bribed Jury tamed looee upon the community eleven years ago. And moreover," looking the sheriff calmly In bead, and a new light came Into her yes. "Ha Is dead," she aald softly, "but It the face. "I eonalder It waa a good gift j a t00 ' to have known to the state. People tell me I have done good work 1 was teld that yea- i Vim ainAil t Vi sa IvaAM lalaa arlk sswiai wu v usi 7 v m;cy uisv wusa "And It has been good for me to have terday-but none of It has been of such real benefit as ridding the country of ancb a villain aa Pete Bolly. The law Itself would have done It long before bad It not been for bis money. 7k kaow that. But of course," breaking off suddenly, "that does not affect my case." 'No, It does not affect your case," coldly. "Yon will please get ready as quickly and quietly aa possible. A train leaves here at midnight I do not wish to make a disturbance." 'I understand," dryly. "You fear I have so many frlenda here It might be difficult to take me away. I think you are right. However, I will go quietly. Now 1 am discovered It could ouly be a question of a few weeks at most. I have often had a desire to go back and try to clear myaelf at borne. If It were not for my wife" "Your wife?" with some surprise. "Yes. I came here without a dollar, and one of the merchants gave me a position as bookkeeper without even asking for references. Later I bought him out and put up a brick block. Five years ago I married bla daughter. It will be bard for her," a slight break coming Into bis voice In spite of his self control. "She believes In me thor- known him," Bald a voice near her. "He waa a brave man." She turned quickly and then came forward and held out her band. "Yea, he waa a bravo man," ahe aald simply, "and you were with blm. Yon are a brave man too. I am glad to meet you." He took her hand almoat reluctantly, and as he gazed up Into ber eyes and aaw the great sorrow there be felt thankful It waa the flood and not be that waa responsible. "TBS, I AM CMPPOBD WAITB OF OBANGB COUNTY, H. Y." oughly, and-and" He turned ab ruptly, and Sheriff Turner, remember ing the scenes of the turbulent flood, atretched out hla hands under a sudden Impulse, then remembered bis office and was himself again, "Come, we have no time to spare," he said harshly. "You must hurry." As they passed down the corrldw there came a sudden, dull roar, whlckt caused them to exchange hurrlert glances. Then followed a hoarse crj from somewhere outside. "The levee Is.do.wn.jtYJteau! Fly! Taking the Imki OS f Law. There Is an act of parliament of George II. which clearly ahows the at titude of the English mind toward the Scottish blghlandera In tha eighteenth century. In that act parliament sol emnly ordained that "from and after the 1st day of August, 1747, no man or boy within that part of Great Brit ain called Scotland aball on any pre tense whatever wear and put on the clothes commonly called highland clothes that is to say, the plaid, phill beag or little kilt, trouse, shoulder belt or any part whatsoever of what pecul iarly belongs to the highland garb and that no tartan or party colored plaid or stuff shall be used for greatcoats or upper coats." The act then went on to declare that If the smallest piece of tartan plaid could be detected among ' the garments of any highland man or j boy he should suffer six months' lm- j prlsonmont and for a second offense . seven years' penal servitude. The oath of a single witness before a Justice of ' the pence was enough to effect a con- j vlctlon. This attempt to "take the i breeks off a hlghlandman" by act of j parliament grew Immediately out of the terror Inspired by the rebellion of j 1745, but underlying and re-enforclug j the pnnlc stricken legislation there was : the popular couvlctlon that the Scot- j tlsh mountains were. Inhabited by ! "black kneed" cattle thieves barely ; emerged from the cannibal state. j Mocmlllnn's Magazine. I "I left home 'cause me wife made ma wolk too hard." J "Wot'd youso hufter do?" TVby. 1 had tor wind de eight day clock reg'lar!" New York American. ! ahould Not Have Ilesltated. ' A lawyer wan talking about Ellhu Hoot's legal talent, says the Philndel- j pbla Telegraph. 1 i "He shoue In a courtroom," said the ! lawyer, "From the beginning of his 1 career hs shone. j ; "lie had a happy gift of humoi too. , One day he was cross examining a j young 'woman. i " 'How old are you?' he said. "The young woman hesitated. j " 'Don't hesitate,' said Mr. Rooi 'The longer you hesitate the older you'll row" I A Wonderful Book of 4GO Paste x jim -c.n ft i' inr i i if i ls i w 1 1 1 1 iuw l II I Will 1 1 J Jjtm. Thoroughly Illustrated By 265 Actual Photographs taken at the time of the Awful Catastrophe This great book which retails at 31.50 and so much desired by every one is now offered as a premium with The ornimg' Astorian M In order to get the Book subscribe for the MORNING ASTORIAN at the regular subscription rate, 65c a month and 50c addditional to cover cost of express age. Old subscribers can get this book by paying the additional charge of 50c. , Only a limited number of books will be given aw;ay-come early and. avoid the rush. r ; ' . ; 4 f r 1 .