The morning Astorian., May 03, 1908, Page 6, Image 6

6
THE MORNING ASTORJAN, ASTORIA, OREGON.
SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1908.
0
n
Hop.
By Charlti Frtdtric Goss. J
Copyright, 190", by C. F. Qota.
TUE Jeukluses' donkey was as
well known In Charlottesville us
the schoolteacher, minis tor 01
doctor. For twenty years 01
more It had hauled the family and tin
family produce In and out of town.
There were many who could renienibei
it when young and dapper, but the
passing years bad altered its age, an
pearance and disposition very much In
deed. When left in front of the store
he did not need to be tied and afford
ed an effective Illustration of the prln
ciple of Inertia to the master of ttu
Tillage school.
"When a moving body comes to rest,'
he would say to pupils of the class li.
REPLACED TEB BASS AND WENT
A WAT,
physics, "it remains as inert as the
Jenkinses' donkey until some extrane
ous Impulse starts it up again."
The Jenkinses bad prospered, owing,
all agreed, quite as much to the capa
bilities of Jebu as to any other mem
ber of the family, and they now pos
sessed a team of horses that could
travel faster and farther than the pa
tient ass and carry twenty times as
(much. What to do with this superan
nuated supernumerary had become the
greatest problem of the household, and
the hired man, who had Just come in
from the barn with a couple of Jehu's
heel marks upon his person, angrily
proposed that the "doggone beast be
shot!"
"Shot!" cried the sharp voice of Mrs.
Jenkins as if a pistol had suddenly
gone off.' "I'd like to see it tried!"
"Oo soot my Zehoo, and I soot oo!"
exclaimed little Bobby, who loved the
donkey as he loved his life.
"Poor old Jehu! He's seen his best
days! We'll have to get rid of hhn
somehow," Me Jenkins said, taking
Bobby in his arms and gazing at the
once active and useful donkey, who
had now laid his chin across a pair of
bars and was gazing retrospectively
Into the distance.
"And so have some of the rest of us,
but It doesn't follow that we have to
be shot, does it?" Mrs. Jenkins asked,
looking savagely at the back of the
hired man, who was limping up and
down the room.
"fodder's scarce," suggested Tom
the oldest son, a thrifty fellow who
was working his father's farm on
shares.
And you can bet your sweet life
that old Jeliu hasn't lost his appetite
witn bis teeth," laughed Dan, the wc
ond son, a whimsical, happy go lucky
youngster of sixteen, who saw tlx
funny side of everything.
"It's a shame to talk so slightingly
about our dear and faithful friend."
exclaimed the daughter Susie, whose
gentle voice was always lifted in be
half of weakness or of suffering.
"But he hasn't done a lick of work
for six months, and he's got the heaves
so that you can hear him breathe a
mile away! He keeps me awake
Bights! I'm for selling him to a ped
dler!" Dan replied, seizing this prom
ising opportunity to tease his sister.
whom be secretly aaored.
"I consider that the height of in
gratitude!" Susie answered, looking re
proachfully at her brother. . .
"Nevertheless, old Jehu Is a prob
lem," Father Jenkins said.
"Not as long as there is grass In the
meadow or fodder in the stall!" his
Ife declared in a tone of voice that
Invariably terminated family disputes
and now led her husband to reply:
'All right, Emily! If you say keep
him, keep him It Is! I reckon he won't
live long anyway!"
"No! He'll , go off in one of his
coughing spells or choke on a corn
Btalk, poor old honker!" Dan declared
gayly, as If announcing the most cheer,
ful event In the world, but started
down the path to the bars and patted
the nose of the ass. , ,
With the cantankerpusness of old
age, Jehu snapped at the caressing
hand, and with the swift , impulsive
ness of youth Dmi slapped hlra on the
Jaw.
"Take care!" called Us father1! a
aouishlng voice,
"It's the only language he hasn't for
gotten!" Dan rejoined.
At this moment the boll on the top pf
a tall pole by the kitchen door began
to rlug. The "hands" came hurrying
from the barn, and the family assem
bled round the table, loaded with good
things. The serious business of satis
fying the clamorous demands of nature
put the thought of Jehu out of every
mind, but at the conclusion of the
meal Dun led the limping donkey down
the long lane to the pasture .between
fences over the rails of which the
woodbine was clambering and in whoso
corner the sumac with its red blossoms
and the elderberries with their purple
fruit were standing thick.
Letting down the bars, he stuck his
thumb Into the lean ribs of the donkey
and when that resentful creature rear
ed and kicked chuckled with a bound
less Joy.
"You're splzzerlnktum hasn't alt
burned up yet, eh, old man?" be said.
Jebu did not reply, but stood with bis
back turned until Dan replaced the
bars and went away, when he laid his
chin upon the topmost rail and watch
ed bis youthful master with a medita
tive eye. What his reflections were a
man may only guess; but, Judging from
the expression of bis countenauce, they
were a gloomy mixture of skepticism,
cynicism and despair of life. After he
had ruminated, for a long time upon
the mysteries of existence Jehu turned
away to break bis fast. The weather
had been moist, and the grass In the
meadow , was succulent Into Its cool
sweetness he dug bis aged nozzle and
chewed the few shreds which bis worn
and widely scattered teeth could tear
away, with mild regrets for vanished
youth. After be had satisfied his ap
petite he looked about. A flock of
sheep were pastured in the field. Some
of them were lyiug down, blinking at
the sun and reflectively chewing the
cud. Sidling up to these, one after an
other, be poked bis nose Into their ribs
and roused them up. Was it a spirit
of Innocent mischief like Dan's that
made bim do it or envy of their hap
piness or restlessness of heart? And
why was it that he crept quietly be
hind a young colt and kicked him in
the thigh, lifting up his raucous voice
In a loud, triumphant honk as the
frightened fitly squealed and started
down the pasture on a ran? Of all the
Inarticulate and untranslatable sounds
of nature that bonk was the most star-
Dan In a ghastly whisper, remember
ing with remorse that his last act bad
been one of dliircspect, If not unkind-
11088. ,
"As a doornail!" Tom sententlously
replied. . , ,
How deep's the well?" the mother
asked. ..,
Some thought It ten ond othen twen
ty feet, but all agreed that at Jehu'l
advanced age even a donkey could not
possibly survive so hard a fall. Uu
questionably the faithful asa was dead.
"Strange solution of the problem
what to do with Johu, Isn't it?" Mr.
Jenkins asked in a voice whose touo
of too affected grief led Mrs. Jenkins
to remark;
"I do believe you're glad he's dead!"
"Oh, no, my dear!" be said, resontluis
her reproach with a quite sincere an
ger. "I'm not exactly glad he's dead;
but, then, you know, ho had to die
some time and In some way, and 1
reckon he found this one 'bout as sat
isfactory as any. He's been a good
mule, and I'm as sorry as anybody,
only I'm honest enough to say that bo's
been saved a lot of suffering, and
we ve been saved a lot of trouble P
"Better uot preach his funeral ser
mon till you really know he's dead!
Remember 'bout that editorial on
Judge Hancock, don't your observed
the irrepressible Daniel, referring to a
newspaper eulogy on the character of
a distinguished citizen A-ho bad in
sisted upon defeating the prognostica
tions of the whole medical fraternity
and surviving to read bis own obit
uary,
"Oh, bo's dead all right," Tom as
serted, "or you'd hear him bonk or
kick or heave. LIsteu! There Isn't
any sound, you see. Old Jebu's done
for. Better bury him right where he
is. hadn't we. father? it's not often
that any one so accommodatingly dies
In his own grave."
"Yes, If you're sure. I wouldn't like
to bury him alive," the farmer an
swered and kicked a little loose earth
into the well, adding after listening a
minute: "That settles It! Better iret
some shovels' and begin."
The lime consumed by the hired men
lu goin;: to the tinrn for tools was prof
itably employed In eulogies upon the
character and accomplishments of the
dead donkey, and never were there
more kind and complimentary tributes
paid to the worth of any creature down
below the mile of human life. And
yet It must be .sadly said that there j
was still In every breast but Bobble's
that pitiless Joy that wells up from
living bosoms over open graves. Who
ever died, man or beast, but the gap
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
HELP WANTED
WANTED -GIRL. FOR HOUSE
work in small family, 491 C or.
Eleventh and Harrison street 5-3-tf.
WANTED BOY TO LEARN THE
printing trade, Call Astorinn office.
WANTED LADIES AND GEN
tlcmen who have a few spare hours;
can oner good proposition. Apply
Great American Importing Tea Co,,
address S71 Commercial St., Astoria,
Ore. 4-26-3t.
FOR SALE.
HOUSE MOVERS.
FREDRICKSON BROS.-We' make
a specialty of house moving, car
penters, contractor!, general Jobbing;
prompt attention to all orders. Cor
ner Tenth and Dsane streets.
' BOAT BUILDER,
T, h; Driscoll
FURNITURE OF 6-ROOM HOUSE
for sale; privilege of renting home.
Inquire O. F. Morton or 191 Seventh
street. 4-Z2-tf.
FOR SALE-REAL ESTATE.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW
CHARLES H. ABERCROMBIE
Attorney-it-Lsw
City Attorney Offices : City Hall
JOHN C. McCUE
Attcrney-t-Lw
Deputy District Attorney
Page Building V,te 4.
FOR SALE LOCKSLEY HALL
Hotel, Seaside, Or.; this beautiful
spot under the pines and overlooking
the ocean is for sale; best money
making property in the West; over
100 rooms; modern in every way.
For particulars apply to Mrs. L A.
Carlisle on premises.
FOR SALE -SMALL ROOMING
house; partly furnished; must be
sold at once, parties leaving town.
Enquire 154 9th street. 4-10-tf.
HOWARD M. BROWNELL
Attorney-st-Lw
Office with Mr. J. A. Eakin, at 420
Commercal St., Astoria.
BOATBUILDINO AND REPAIR.
INO A SPECIALTY.
22nd and Eachange Street
UNDERTAKE!.
J. A. UILUAUUU & CO.,
Undertakers nnd Kmltnlnier.
KxpcrlcucfHl Lndv AattUtnut
When Desired.
MASSAGE.
FOB RiJCT.
FOR RENT-TWO FURNISHED
rooms for gentlemen, Captain
Ferchan, 330 17th street.
FOR RENT-Furnished housekeep
ing and single rooms, 677 Exchange
street. 4-28-51.
FOUND.
DOCTORS PRESCRIBING MAS
sage, call Olga Landen, Finnish
masseuse, Pythian bldg., Commercial
street
Culls I'romptly Attended Day
, , or Night. ,
Tutton lldtf. I2ihrt!ul DuitueMt
ASTOICf A. OUE.UON
Phone Main I'll I
OSTEOPATHS.
DR. RHODA C. HICKS
Osteopath
Office Manull Bldg. Phone Black 2061
673 Commercial St.. Astoria, Ore.
DENTISTS
DR. VAUGHAN
Dentist
Pythian Building, Astoria, Oregon
TRANSPORTATION.
I : .
j The hK"LIm
V ASSENGERSi FREIGHT
tr,ty .pant.jM-jM-t. -"-- ----t - ,.m
I
Steamer - Lurline
FOUNDCARPENTER'S CHARM
Owner can have" same by paying
for this ad and proving property.
5-l-3t
CALL FOR WARRANTS.
tling and mysterious! What was Its
true significance? An outpouring of , ing crowd consoled Its sorrows, some
ipalr? with the reflection that they would
Joy, sorrow, anger or despair?
Amid the traditions floating around
the school yard there was one about
old Jehu's honk The teacher had been
accustomed to dismiss the school at
the sound of a steam whistle which al
ways blew at noon. One day It blew
too soon, she thought, but closed the i
now be relieved from a heavy burden
of care, some that there would be more
standing room on earth, some that they
could now wear the abandoned shoes
and some that they could spend the
substance of the dead? But these are
iceungs wnicn we try to cover up
recitation, opened the door and let out from our own eyes as well as those of
U ... iU. . M Hill. t ' .i . . . . . -
the eager throng of little people, only
to learn that it was the voice of Jehu
she had heard!
More than once during the morning
Jehu lifted up his deep, Incompre
hensible and farreachlng voice, but
had the Jenkins family not been com
pletely absorbed in their tasks they
would have noticed that In the after
noon it suddenly assumed a different
tone. Not only did It become more fre
quent, more Insistent and more remote,
but had a plaintive and a pleading
quality that had never been heard in it
before. And. worse than this, it final
ly had ceased to sound at all!
But in the multitude of sounds that
fell upon the family eflrs from roosters,
cattle, sheep and farm machines Jehu's
voice was mingled and lost. When it
ceased, it was not missed. No one had
bestowed a thought upon the old gray
donkey until Susie and little Bob went
hand in hand down the long lane to
drive the cattle home.
"Where's my Zehoo?" 'asked the
child, whose sharp eyes 'detected his
absence from the crowd of living
things about the bars.
Casting her eye over the pasture,
Susie saw that he was gone. Inex
plicable as this seemed at first, she
quickly found the reason why. Just
Inside the bars there was an old well
which had mysteriously gone dry and
been covered up by heavy planks.
With a start of terror, she observed
that this covering had been broken
through and that in the splinters of
the boards were long tufts of Jehu's
almost snow white hair.
"Help, help!" she screamed, putting
her pretty hands to her lips and shout
ing to her brothers in a neighboring
field.
"Whafs the matter?" they inquired,
throwing down their hoes and starting
on a run.
"Jehu's fallen in the well! Quick!
Quick!" she cried. In a few moments
the news had traveled all around the
farm, and the different members of the
family came running from the fields,
the bfjn, the house, to find Susie
wringing her hands In helpless grief
and little Bobble howling through his
tears, "My Zehoo's-fallen-ln ze-
well; ze naughty ole well!"
It is one thing to discuss the prob
lem of what to do with an old and
faithful servant like the donkey when
he is alive, and it is quite another to
stand by a deep well into which he has
fallen and where he may be suffering
agonies from broken bones.
Ere's a pretty 'ow-de-do!" plteously
exclaimed the kind hearted Yorkshire
man, who that very morning had pro
posed to shoot him In cold blood.
' Who knows bow much you are to
blame-yourseif!" exclaimed the im
placable Mrs. Jenkins, wiping her blue
eyes witfl a checked apron whose color
matched them to a shade. ?
"Vo, vou , think he's dead?" asked
others, nnd Mr. Jenkins, who could
not perfectly succeed In doing so, was
quite as much relieved as all the rest
when the men came back with the
tools and the rough interment was be
gun. How thoughtful the good old donkey
seemed to every one! If he bad de
liberately planned to save them trou
ble, he could not have arranged the
circumstances of his death more con
veniently. When the well was dug the
earth had not been carried ofT and now
lay a collar round Its mouth. The sex
tons simply bad to push It back.
it was not a very deep well either
and would require so little time for
filling that everybody lingered to see
the last of the obsequies of the poor
old ass. The men were strong and
spelled each other at the work. Shov
elful after shovelful of earth tumbled
into the gaping hole with a dull thud.
From the sound of the falling clods It
was evident that the grave was nearly
Glled. Mrs. Jenkins and Susie were
turning sadly away when suddenly an
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
that there is money in the treasury
to pay all General Fund warrants en
dorsed prior to June 1. 1907. Inter
est ceases after this date. Payable at
the office of the Treasurer, at the
Court House.
WM. A. SHERMAN,
Treasurer of Clatsop County, Oregon.
Astoria, Ore., April 25, 1908.
4-25-10t.
JUST ARRIVED
Gold Fish
25c and 35c Each
Hildebrand & Gor
Old Bee Hive Bldg.
DR. W. C. LOGAN
Dentist
Commercial St , Shanahan Bldg.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
RESTAURANTS. .
TOKH) , RESTAURANT.
351 Bond Street.
Opposite Ross, Higgint & Co.
Coffee with Pie or Cake 10 Cta.
FIRST-CLASS MEALS
Regular Meals IS Cta. and Up.
TJ. 8. RESTAURANT.
434 Bond Street
Coffee with Pie or Cake, 10 Cts.
First-Class Metis, IS Cta.
HOTELS.
Do You Wear
Shoes? ;
We sell the kind, that wear longest
and look the best
"betteb get bomb bhovels ahb begin '
exclamation of astonishment burst
from the Hps of the workmen. They
turned and with unbelieving eyes be
held old Jehu rising plaluly Into view,
stamping the falling earth with his
hoofs and ranking a solid platform ftp
on. which hft steadily rose. In something
bf the way' the poet says that good
The Dr. A Reed
Cushion Shoe
We handle a special line of
Loggers' Shoes
Give Us a triaL
S. A. GIMRE
GOOD SHOES.
S43 Bond St., op. Ross, HiggSns & Co.
: IE
1
E
12th St.; Below Commercial
Short Orders and Oysters at
All Hours. The Best the
Market Affords
Good Service
Fresh Oysters always fin hand from
one pint up..
TONNIE THEAUDEAUS.
HOTEL OXFORD
Sixth and Oak Stfs., Portland, Ore.
Night Boat for Portland and
Way Landings.
Leaves Astoria daily eicept Sunday
at 7 p. m.
! Leaves Portland Daily eicept Sanaa;
j at 7 a. m.
j Quirk Service Excellent Heals
Uood Bertha
Landing Astoria Plarel Whari
Landing Portland Foot Taylor ft
J. J. DAY, Agent .
Phone Main 2761.
MEDICAL.
Unprec.aUd
8uoctte el
DR. C- (EE 10
TBI GREAT
CHIJfESS DOCTOI
, Who U ktiAn
tltronhoat the United
Sldi3 Ma wonderful sum.
a it. i i. i
mCwy muuern noici in center No poison, or drugs usee. Be guru
of business district; suites with or.Ue. to eure caUnh. asthma, hue sad
without private baths, running hot ( throet trouble, rheumatism, nervousness,
and cold water in every room; plenty ' stomaeh, liver and kidney, iemale com
of free baths. Rates $1.00. $1.50 and plaint sod ell
$2,00.
VICTOR BRANDT, Prop,
WINES AND LIQUORS.
Eagle Concert Hall
(320 Astor Street)
Rooms for rent by the day, week, or
month. Best rates in town.
P. A. PETERSON, Prop.
FISH "MARKET.
Seattle
Fis
net
( SUCCESSFUL HOME TREATMENT.
you eannot call write for symptom
blank sod circular, Inclosing 4 eeate b
i stamps. . '!'..)
j THE C. GEE WO MEDICINE CO.
.1121 First St., Corner Mori-toon.
I PORTLAND, OREGON.
Please mention the AntorUa. ,
i ' - '
CONTRACTORS.
J, B, Benoit & Son
Contractors and Builders-
Estimates given. Repairs a Specialty.
Phone Red 2413. 893 Commercial St.
77 Ninth St., near Bond
Fresh and Salted Fish.
Game and Poultry.
Groceries, Produce and Fruit
Imported and Domestic
4 Goods.'
P. Bakotitch & Feo, Proprs.
Phone Red 2183
men do 111,1111 stepping stones of thJr
dead selves to higher things!
For nn In-itnnt mille a solemn silence
irooded ovisi' the scene, and then young
Daniel voiced n universal thought. "By
links." he siild. "It's hard to keep a
ood man down!'1 ..
In the single vfe of the old Jackass.
who gazed about that circle of mourn
ers whosp unrrow had been turned less
nto Joy than amazement, there was a
riumphnnt and some thought a'tnalev
ilu-nt I00U whk'li seemed to say plain
er than words. "On top again I"
HOT OR COLD
Golden West
Tea
Just Right
CLOSSET & DEVERS,
PORTLAND, "ORE.
LAUNDRIES.
Those. Pleated Bosom Shirts
The kind known by dressy men in
the summer,' are difficult articles to
launder nicely. Unless you know just
how to do it, the front pleats won't
iron down smooth, and the shirt
front will look mussy. Our New
Press Ironer irons them without
rolling or stretching. Try it. ,
.... TROY LAUNDRY,
Tenth end Duane. Phone Main 1991
PLUMBERS.
;' :i. jjifiii ,
PLUMBER
Heating ContractorTinner
. ,, J S : AND v , j ' F; hs
Sheet Iron Worker
LL WORK GUARANTEED
1 425 Bond Street (