1:- -4
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1908.
HIE MORNING ASTOMAN, ASTORIA. OREGON.
3
I I III IT- I I I
sreai Baniirupi Mie wearing me m
8T6RE OPENS AT 0. A. M.
' REMEMBER
THE BE8T GOES FIRST
But the Goods Are Yours While They last
COME PREPARED
TO BUY.
NO GOODS LAID ASIDE
TODAY'S
BIG
SPECIALS
Prom 9 to 10 a. m. We Will Put on Sale
Men's ffffifr shlrts valoe 65c to 85c.:;,...,...,;...... 39c j Children's and Men's 40c and 45c Rubbers..;......; 2Bc
Men's $1.25 Shirts:
Men's 7Sc and 90c splendid Gloves
PROM
69c Ladies' 65c and 75c Rubbers
2 TO 3 P. M.
49c
39c
Men's $1.25 Gloves .. w M;;. ,L. f69c
Men's best $4.50 and $5 Pants for $1.
Ladies' $ 1 Fine Union Suits..
49c
ladles' (Cdts9 Sults9 Skirts and RilusIIn itdeiw
ALL DAY we will make a special effort to entirely clean up all ladies' Goats, Suits, Skirts
and Muslin Indenvear. Our prices will surprise everyone who conies
v f
COME YOURSELP
1 " 1 "DONT "' '
TELEPHONE .
03 1
Successors to the Morse Department Store
ran
.
YOU'LL NEVER BUY
GOODS AT
THESE PRICES AGAIN
Silly and
Betty.
By ALLEN LYNN.
Copyrlf ht, 1W7. by C. N. Luris. ,
l was hardly conscious of bor
Intrusion at Brat, alio fitted io
well Into it all with her toft
', gray calico and chestnut bab.
They were on the brow of a slope that
dropped rapidly down Into the valley,
nd she paused and threw her band
Ibove ber eyes with a quick motion,
which bo recognized as expressing
anxiety and bope. II could see bor
face plainly from whero be lay, and
he could rend In the glances which
Cashed from point to point something
of the terror of tholr owner at not
finding what she sought. J I
"What is It. Miss Betty?" he drawled
as with a slow, muscular movement of
bis body be threw himself upon bis
feet and moved forward to her side.
"Can t be any help?"
"O-ob! It's you. Blllyt, Thank God!
Hurry! Hurry! Tap's knocked down
by a tree an' being crushed. 1 couldn't
lift rt." ,: ,J Jy
, fWherer asked Billy tersely. ! '
"TO Possum Flat.' He was choppln'
a bee tree, an' it fell 'fore be thought
Please, please do hurry!"
Billy nodded reassuringly. Possum
Flat .was1 three fDilles away by a cir
cuitous path around craggy points and
up and down declivities or one mile by
going straight over the ridge and meet
ing a precipice by crawling out on a
branch for twenty feet nd sliding
down the tree trunk" for thirty1 feet
more. Billy wondered If Betty bad
come by this route. But as he sprang
up the slope, ha swung . his hand to
ward the circuitous path, knowing full
well as be did so, however, that the
girl would do exactly as she pleasod.
for that was her.vay. i
Possum Flat was the wonder and
chagrin of all the mountain side, for
was It not the climax of brazen indus
try? They all had tbelr truck patches,
but beside Possum Flat their patches
were as barren fields to a land of, milk
and honey, jako, the father of Betty -as
he was called In contradistinction
to another Jake of the same name,
who was father of Meg grew pota
toes that stood Jbitn from October dig-
digging to May planting. I lis onions
and cabbages were always above ram
lly needs and flowed over Into envied
sales for ready uioucy, and, to cap it
all. behind bis cabin was a four acre
field that every fall showed green with
uprooting shoots and every spring
grow heavy with swaying, goldon
headed wheat. No wonder be bad
two mules and a buckboard "kerridgo,"
a "peuxiur" In front of his cabin and a
kitchen with real window glass win
dows behind! And no wonder "he car
ried bis bead high as the mighty man
of the "blllers" and looked askance at
the valorous "pore trash" youth that
dared to raise eyes to his daughter.
But of unambitious, care free Billy
he bad not even thought as an object
or suspicion. Mi: "
So now, after that stalwart youth
bad removed tbe heavy tree trunk from
his body and had lifted and borne him
to his bed In the cabin as gently as a
"PAP'S KNOCKED DOWN BY k TBKE."
mother might her child, he welcomed
with cordial gratitude an offer to re
main and look after things until he
could get out. Betty was strong and
willing, but ber bands would be full In
looking after biro, and there were the
mules to care for and tbe dozens of
pigs and a cow to drive up from tbe
valley and milk, ond besides It was
high time the four acres were again
Seeded in order that there should be
n succession to the sacks, of, golden
gram wnietf were1 now stored in the
shed loft waiting for tho higher quota
tions wblcb rumor promised. let, a
strong man was needed on the place,
for Possum Flat even In Its splendor,
was isolated. The nearest neighbor
was too far away to bo reached by
even tbe report of bis rifle.'
BUly entered upon bis new work
with unwonted energy. A great heap
of wood was cut and plied near the
back door, where It would be bandy
for Betty. He brought water and fed
the pigs and, In spite of her protests.
Insisted on doing the milking himself,
and be brought the big, unwieldy plow
and swung it In behind the mules and
went merrily around tho four acre lot
In lessening parallelograms.
It was tbe novelty of seeing a wom
an about that was pleasant ne bad
no sisters, and bis mother bad long
been dead. It was Just the novelty
and the neatness and contentodness of
It all Iw liked. And this Idea, If bis
thoughts took such definite form, re
mained with, him for a month until
tbe Invalid began to hobble about on
crutches when .suddenly the truth
came home to him as had her beauty
that day on tbe ridge. Billy was In
love.
Betty noticed tbe change In bun at
once, and ber face grow puzzled, , but
only for a little while. Then an odd
twinkle of humor came into ber eyes
as though she understood. And min
gled with the humor was a tender,
flickering light which had been gaining
strength in her eyes these past few
weeks, a light which Billy bad not yet
seen.
As be entered Jake fooked up with
angry impatience, and BUly raised a
hand defensively before his face, but
the invalid was not thinking of that
"Hecred anything 'bont wheat to
day?" be grumbled. "Goln down, of
course." v ,
'Goln' up," Billy answered promptly.
MA man hollered to me from the aige
o' the bill this moroin' an' said 'twas
seventy." ' '"'
Seventy!" Jake grabbed bis crutches
and rose totteringly to his feet, but
sank back, with a snarl of mingled
rage and pnln. t "Seventy cents, an'
I've got ninety bushels. Dum the old
back! By the time I'm out ag'in It'll
be down to fifty, like 'twas last year,
an' that'll be a clean loss of
"Can't I go, pap?' suggested Betty.
The gloomy face cleared slightly.
then lowered. He loved the profits of
his industry, but not so much as be
loved Betty, It was thirty miles to
Staunton, , .... . ..
"No, ye can't" be snarled. "., , '
There was a brief Blleuce. Then Bet
ty said: 1 . ' '; ,::;.
"There's Billy, pap. He's mlghtv
strong and wlllln'."
The face darkened, then grew llght-
er. cviaeimy cue mea, at nrst scorn
ed, was being tolerated. That meant
Billy bad been making giant strides
forward during these few weeks.
"I-dunno," doubtfully.
Billy saw bis opportunity and rose
to it like a man like a man of indus
try. He was developing rapidly.
"I'll take it down all right" he said
confidently. "I've sold wheat to Staun
ton afore. But mebbe it'll be worth
while to hold back till you're out
ag'in." , ,
Jake snorted.
"There's mora fallln's than rlsln's in
wheat" ho snapped. "I've found that
out I reckon ye'd better go, an
mind, I want ye to get it all down by
tomorrow. Seventy cents! Yes, ye
must get it all in tomorrow."
Billy's head was whirling. But there
was Betty looking at blm confidently,
and ber father already beginning to
lose some of his newly acquired confi
dence. He must brace up.
"All right" be answered as steadily
as be could. "The mules can draw
half on the long waggtn, an' I'll borry
Tom Stuart's mule an' Ike Coyner's
hay waggln.' That'll take the other
half. Die's boy Sam can drive behind
me so I can keep an eye on blm. Oh.
yes. We'll get on fust rate."
Jake nodded approvingly. It was a
good plan.
"Seventy cents," he admonished
warnlngly. "Try an' get it"
After the wheat was loaded the next
dny Billy entered the cabin for a tew
last instructions.- Before leaving be
contrived to draw Betty Into the back
kitchen for a moment. . .
"Say, Betty." he began, "1-1 say.
would ye mind me buyin' a ring to
Staunton, a gold ring for you an me?"
She looked at him quickly, under
standing,' ber face flushing. She
could not remember a single one of her
married acquaintances who had been
given a gold ring.
"Why, no. I wouldn't mind, Billy."
she said simply.' "I'll be real glad."
"An' an' would ye mind speakin'
to your pap 'bout It while I'm gone.
Betty? It might be a good time now
I'm a-totin' his wheat" V
"N-no, I don't mind" :
She watched blm from the doorway
until the heavy wagons rumbled out
of sight Then she went to her father.
Tap," she announced abruptly,
"Billy's asked ma to marry him."
"An' your
Tve said yes," composedly.
Jake controlled ' himself with a
mighty effort. With Betty be must be
diplomatic. ,., t ... .
"Well, ye knov,bestr,.b.e grimaced
affably. "But ye know how 'Us with
Billy. Ye'll have to wait till he's able
to keep ye. I don't reckon he's saved
enough to buy a runt pig yet" '
But Betty smiled to- herself content
edly, .Was not BUly tne nest natureu'
and the best looking man on tbe slope?
And bad he not promised her a gold
ring out of the plenitude of his riches?
So she said softly: . V ?
"I won't go ag'in ye. pap.. Don't ye
fear. We'll wait till ye say yourself
that Billy's able to keep me."
But curiously enough, at that very
moment BUly was wondfering dismal!;
how be would be able to contrive tlic
purchase of a gold ring with the 2Ti
sents which represented the accumu
lation of his twenty-five years.
They expected him back by the end
ot the third day. It was the afternoon
of the sixth when h returned. , As he
dismissed young Sam and attended to
his mules there was a look of beatific
joy upon bis face, which remained
there until he opened the cabin door
and 8a w the expectant face of Jake,
Then he whitened and staggered to the
nearest chair.
"You poor boy!" cried Betty tender
ly. "You're plumb beat out"
"Did ye get the TO cents? demanded
Jake eagerly.
BUly gasped and tried to collect his
thoughts. What did they want him
to say? It was about the wheat
wasn't it? He had almost forgotten
that unimportant matter after the gold
ring took possession of his mind. He
remembered the wheat had been token
to the storeroom of a big flouring mil
and that be had told a clerk he would
be back later mid attend to its sale.
Then he bad hurried away in search
of a Job bntillug with the mules and
bad carted sund two days for $0 and
bad bought the gold ring. Yes, that
was It and he bad given Sam the 25
cents to pay his fare to a cousin's at '
Flsherville to get him out of the way
for the two days. That was aU only
he had forgotten to go back and sell
the wheat. ! ' '
; "Did ye mt the 70 cents?" demand
ed Jake for J he second time.
Billy felt t!iat It was a crisis with
him, and he drew a long, bard breath.
Then bis ga::t steadied. .
Ye see. I:'s this way," he said, "signs
are for risiis', nn' 1 ain't sold yet. Ye
might Jest as well have 75 or 80 cents
as for anybody else. But I'll go down"
he was about to say "to oncef bnt
restrained himself, tor that might be
tray him; he added instead "in a few
days an' see how the rlsln's comln' on."
Under ordinary circumstances the In
valid would not have controlled his as
tonishment and wrath, but this was an
extraordinary opportunity, and Jake,
the father ot Betty, was nothing it not
diplomatic. So he forced, himself Into
a semblance of composure.
"Well, it's your lookout BUly," hf
said significantly. "I ordered ye to
sell, an' of course I'll hold ye responsi
ble for all fallln's from the 70 cents.
Ilfod that!"- : ' p -
It was a very miserable Billy who
went out to attend to the evening
chores. He bad half a mind to rush
back to Staunton and remedy the evil
before It grew worse. He Imagined all
sorts of fallings to 60 cents, 60, per
haps 40; to a life of toU spent In aton
ing for tbe carelessness; to the proba
ble loss of Betty. But he stuck It out
until tbe third morning. Then be left
the cabin with steady confident
strides, which, however., changed to
frantic haste as soon as he was be
yond view of Betty In the doorway.
But the mills of the gods sometimes
turn out unaccountable grist Every
moment since BUly had been told from
tbe hUl that wheat was "goln' up" the
mUls of the Chicago pit had been
grinding out good flour for his chaff.
Tbe west had been scoured, the mar
kets of the world invoked and the
many " tongned lines of telegraph
brought into the game. And all had
redounded to tbe honor and glory of
BUly of Coon HUl. When he returned
to Possum Flat at the end of one short
twenty-four hears his face was again
expressive of beatific Joy.
Going straight to Jake, tbe father of
Betty, he handed bim a roU of bUls.
"The rislu' was even better than I
'lowed on,", he said nonchalantly. ' I
sold for $1 a bushel. Ye see, there
was signs o' breakin', an' I lowed I'd
better not hold on any longer."
There are varying signs of wonder.
chagrin, incredulity and satisfaction.
but the niiugling of them all which
gathered on Jake's face ''was of the
kind that cannot be put into words.
He gazed at the money, jat the strong,
handsome figure before him; at Betty,
smiling a few feet away, and bowed
his head in surrender.
"I reckon I might 'a been mistook,
Betty,", he said submissively. "BUly 'U
be able to keep ye, sure nough." ,
A OPEN SHOP. ..
DENVER, Feb. 14. Notices were
posted at the Rio Grand shops yester
day to the effect that after March 13
all agreements with shopmen as to
wages, and hours of work will be ab
rogated. Union men take this to mean
that the future policy of the road will
be to employ union and non-union
men alike. - '-: :;
'COFFEE
fa perishable, it ought to
be kept in tight packages,
not exposed to air. , 4 '
Your rrocr return yow monw II 7
Vk ScbUUM's iWM.we W w J ti-. .f n
1