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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 27, 1906)
I QAILY JOURNAL. PORTLAND. 8ATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER S7, 1906. "W (Copyright. WOa. by W. R. Bunt.) ILBUR. has your father known that you war making- my little girl lor you. and that you Intended aaklng my consent to marry herT" "No. General Kingston. ,Elhel only gave ma her promise today and I hare come to you at once to aak you to make ma the happiest man In the world." 'X'nleaa your father has told you of your grandslrVs death, Wilbur, ha has dona both you and Ethel an Irreparable wrong-, for even though It ahould break your heart and here aha can navar marry the grandson of John Strong. There has never been a drop of tainted blood In the Kingston family, and It shall not come through my child." "What do you meon.slrT" asked Wil bur, angered by the Insinuation. "No man In the state stands higher than my father and my mother's family are social leaders. Why am I, their son. not a fitting mate for your daughter? . I have a right to demand an answer. General Kingston!" "Tear father, not I, should tall you the story, but because I em fond of you and have not one personal thing to amy against you, I will tall you why I cannot give you ray child In marriage. Tour grandfather wag disgraced be fore the whole regiment and in spite of his almost convincing protest of his Innocence, was ahot like a dog for treachery and desertion. Tour young and beautiful grandmother never spoke after that fatal day until the birth of your father, when on her deathbed aha gave him to a Virginia friend, who promised to tell him when of age how cruelly wronged his father had been, and urge him to use his little fortune to clear the name he bore. That your father has never done so Is evident, and I am sorry for you, my boy, that thla must be visited upon your Innocent head, but I am sure you can understand how absolutely Impossible It is that thai could bear your name, I shall trust to your honor that you will not again apeak of love to her." '1 do not, will not believe that my grandfather did thla awful thing. He declared his .Innocence, and I ahalt prove It," said Wilbur, raising his head proudly and turning to leave the room. There waa the froo frou of silken aklrts. an impulsive cry, "Wilbur! Wilbur! you shall not leave me. I will marry yen no matter what your grandfather has done. Tou shall not send him away, papa. If you do I'll run away and marry him the minute I'm of age," said the Impulsive girl defiantly. he made a strikingly pretty picture as she stood by her lover, her eyes sparkling, her cheeks flushed with ex citement, and Hps quivering, all showed how she would fight for him. Her love was part of herself; she would not give him up. As If unconscious of the presence of the father, who waa beginning to look' very formidable, Wltbur took his sweet heart In his arms and kissing her,, aa one who has a right to the privilege, he said gravely: "Ethel, my brave, loyal darling, I have given my word that I shall clear the name I have of fered you before I claim your promise,, and I know that I will succeed. Good bye, my darling. God help us, we can not fall"' With a half defiant, thouch respectful bow to the general, Wilbur Strong passed through the door and left the home of hla sweetheart, bent on a guest that was almost hopeless. About the hour of midnight, May II, l0 , Wilbur Strong, croetlng from Jersey City, to New Tork for the first time, landed at South Perry. Everything conspired against his re viving a favorable Impression of this, the place of hta birth. The Incessant tolling of bells at each landing and the mournful walla of distant fog horns Bade the night hideous. Through the heavy mist the lights In Broadway twinkled half beartedly. affording acant lighting for the belated pedestrians who were hastening to get under shelter, iest the cold dampness freese the mar row In their bonea. Wilbur tad heard much of the un leaslng traffic day and night In Broad way, yet upon this night the thorough lore seemed almost deserted. There was tot even a oar in sight, and the poltee nan Informed him "that there had been i breakdown uptown a waya, so the cars were not making time, and If he wanted to go uptown he'd better take the 1 ut if he waa looking for a hotel, the kid Astor house waa a Woes place to top, and It waan't much of a walk rrew the Battery." Thanking hla Informant Wilbur but toned his coat more closely around his iheet and started for a brisk walk te he hotel. The silence of the night waa oppressive, and he began to feel , nnoyed at the clicking of hla own boot eels on the flagging, which sounded tor all the world as If some one were following him closely. As he passed Old Trinity, the clock struck one. and at the same moment he heard the noise of shuffling feet and a Jargon of many voices uttering exclamations Intelligible only to those who come In dally con tact with the working class of Italians. Judging from the aounds that there had been an accident, Mr. Strong .has tened his steps snd found a large num ber of laborers who were so badly frightened that their "boas" might aa well have talked to a drove of terrified sheep aa to Induce these men to return to their work of excavating for the foundation of the subway building. The pallor of their faces showed through several layers of dirt when . It waa even suggested that they must go Into that dread cellar again; they seemed to be wild with fear too genuine to doubt. "What la the matter, somebody hurt?" asked Mr. Strong, approaching the man they called boss. "The dagoes think they've aeen a ghoat, an' there's no Use tellln' them they haven't. I've a lot of work to fin ish up quick, an' don't see what I'm roln' to do about It." answered the guide, wltfl a nervous laugh. "Come on, let us Investigate the spook question. If there Is a real ghost there I would like to see it, and promlae to tackle It alono If you ahow me where It is and tell me the story as we go along," said the young man, laugh Jngly. Although the place was lighted, the electric lamps did not seem to be suffi cient, so handing Mr. Strong a email torch and taking One himself, the roan led the way to investigate the where abouts of a splr't who had thus dared to interfere with the city's great piece of work. 'Tou see, sir, when we got about gig fset below the surface we began to find odd bits of coffin, wood and bonea We're close tc the old churchyard, an' one day we struck a coffin which hod not rotted because it was mostly metal, an' no matter how often we put that coffin book. It came out again every time there waa a blast anywhere In the place. It seemed possessed to bother us, an' tonight the lid fell off. I waa at another skis of the work, but the dagoee sold there waa a woman In the bog, an' they ran away. Hare we ore, sir." Wilbur Strong looked about the placa curiously. Lights placed here and there at Intervals along the line of work had grown dim. and the torches carried by himself and his guide served to produce fantastic shadowa on the unflniahed walls which were enough to make lose Ignorant minds than those of the poor Italians Imagine they saw all sorts of hobgoblins In the broken coffin which rested lightly on a projecting stone. Naturally the young man would not have even acknowledged that he was superstitious or believed In such an Im possible thing ss a ghostly visitant in the subway, nevertheless he felt the cold chills rree down hla spine as he, looking intently through the aperture In the coffin lid. saw, or Imagined ha saw. the face of a woman with wide opened eyes looking Intently at him. His knees weakened end his heart beat so loudly he was afraid hla companion would detect hla cowardice, as he men tally called it. Juet at this moment, while he eras trying to pull himself together and joke about "the old girl's trying to see what was going on In the twentieth century," a dlatant blast shook the earth about them and the old coffin slipped from Its resting place with a thud causing the lid to fall off and the ghastly occupant to assume a sitting posture. The man who was with him dropped hi torch and fled In terror aa the horrible box landed almost at the foot of Wilbur Strong. The Utter fete like ilclng the same, but as he jumped back to avoid the thing, a package of old yellow papers encased in some kind of skin touched his foot and he Involun tarily stopped to pick It up. It waa ad dressed to General George Washington and had the name of Anthony Wayne, as the oerlder, in one corner. Putting the papera In hie pocket, the young man raised hla head, determined, yet dread ing to look again at the awful apps ra tion. He need not have feared, for from the instant Wilbur Strong stooped to secure that pocket of papera, all that remained of the old metal and wooden coffin and Its ghastly occupant were a few bits of rusted metal, i handful of duat and broken bits nf moulded wood. He never felt sure that the vision he saw was not a fancy of the brain, yet there were some things hard to explain, even to himself. Leaving the scene of this wonderful adventure. Mr. Strong found hla fright ened companion crouching Inside the outlet rather than let his men know that he, too, waa afraid of the "spook." After laughing at him awhile, assuring him that even the ooffln waa no longer there, having fallen to pieces with the tumble It had, they went outside to re asaure the men, who- at last filed bock to their work, because ' the gentleman convinced them, when the boaa could not. Of the papers Wilbur made no men tion. They might not be rils, but at least they were not theirs, and he had found them In such a way he had the best right to see what they were and to whom they belonged by right of in heritance. Ha vine traveled all day and half the night he was tired enough to look for ward te a few hours' rest before the coming dey would bring with it fhe work ho had left home determined to accomplish, for it meant honor, love and life itfcolf to clear hla grandalre'a name, which waa second te none were that blot removed. At first he thought of Investigating the papere 'he had found in such a strange place, but physical and mental weariness overcame the cu riosity, and Wilbur hurried along until he reached the Astor house, where he was soon provided with a comfortable room and bed, into which he plunged somewhere near dawn, disturbed by dreams In which some way Ethel and the subway ghost were strangely mixed, and in a way connected with the musty papere In his pocket. When fully awake. Wilbur reached out lastly for his coat and, securing the packet, broke the 'seel aa soon as he had read the almost Illegible address. It contained two Important docu ments, one addressed to General George Washington," the other to "The Bon of John Strong, Lieutenant in the Under General Anthony Woyna" As he read, the young- man pinched him self, as if to make sure that it were really himself awoke In the flesh, for It oil semed Incredible. Nevertheless, it was true, and hereby hangs the tale of "The Hands of the Clock." Carefully rereading the paper that had come Into his hands as If by a miracle. Wilbur Strong aprons from the bed and hastily donnlg his clothee, he ate a light breakfast and was not long In reaching the station, where he took the first train for Richmond, hav ing hod no thought of sightseeing In the "Great Metropolis." Hla quest was over, and through him joy waa coming into the saddened Ufa of ber father, who had tried and foiled to lift the burden of shame left to him to bear. Then there was his own Joy, for Ethel could be proud of the name he would give her. Wilbur was a man, yet boyish enough to give vent to his happlneaa, ond he folrly hugged the old muaty papers which lay close to his heart In an inner pocket so that no danger of loss could reach them. Reaching home he went directly to nls father's room, ond for the first time since he was a lad In knee breeches put his arm around the father, whom he hod never seen laugh or smile. He kissed him, first on one cheek and then the other. "Why. my boy, whot has come over you?" sold Mr. Strong, looking at the handsome young fellow of whom he woe ao proud. Tother, cob Tou bear great, good news; the very best you could havsT"' is It that you are to marry?" A look of pallor crept over his face aa he thought of What he must tell his son before he could give her his name. "No, father, It Is not that, although I am going to claim Ethel now. It means greater Joy for you than that. Here it is; read it, ond never look sad again." Taking the pepers from his son's hsnd, Mr. Strong read them through with no sign of the tumult of feeling that filled his heart until he had fin ished, when,' standing erect with his head thrown back, he exclaimed: "Thank God!" then without warning sank lifeless to the floor. The Joy had come suddenly, and for the first time In hla life Mr. Strong had fainted Hut Joy never kills, and after hearing; Wil bur's story he accompanied him to the home of his old friend. Ethel, who had canight a glimpse of ber lover's face through the window, knew tnat he had good news to tell, yet could not see how,. It was possible so soon. She met them In the hall, her blue eyes looking questlonlngly Into his brown ones so full nf joyful anticipation. It was tan talising. "Take us to your father, my dear," sold Mr. Strong, laving- hla hand on the young girl's head, ond actually smiling, as she turned o surprised face to his as If unable to understand the change In him "What la It, Wilbur?' she whis pered. "It means everything happy for us all, my darling We have corns to show your father the proofs, and then. their' but Ethel's rosy cheeks sud silken portiere which she drew aside and onounced her father's guests.'' Handing the paper addressed to his father to General Kingston at once, Wilbur asked him to kindly read it aloud Wonderlngly the general took the document end began te read, as re quested. "To you, John Strong, son of John Edward Strong, I make this confession which I shall place under the stone now marking the spot where my grave is to be made. Should this fall Into other hands, I pray that it will be sent to, him, for It clears his father's name. "I hove hod no peace on earth, nor' can I hope for forgiveness, having aent your father to a shameful death, allow ing him to be disgraced and ahot for a crime he never committed. I am the guilty one, doubly ao, for I watched bis wife die of a broken heart be cause of ' this tragedy. She always suspected me. and when her little' son was born willed htm, with her for tune, to a friend In Virginia, that he might never come in contact with me. I did not mean to do this awful thing, but I did mean to punish him ond her, for they took all- that was besutflul In life from my heart when they mar ried. I loved your father, and although we were not betrothed, it was well un derstood that we would marry some day, for he was with me constantly when not with his regiment, and I felt sure that he cored for me until my stepmother's beautiful daughter, Helen Lester, came; then everything changed. I think she bewitched him from the first, and I hated her so that when she come to me with her confidence telling me how they were to be mar ried, I vowed that I would have re venge, bat gave no sign A few weeks after their ' marriage John surprised Helen by coming home on his way -to a point beyond where he waa to deliver papera of great Importance to General Washington He waa given the pepers and told that he could remain ever night at his home, as he must be at the rendesvoue ot on early hour the next morning. This was the chance I needed. I in vended to hove John drummed out of the army for failure of duty. He would be disgraced- forever, but that could not hurt me 'now. "Our old clock had been called on Infallible time keeper, so that the neigh bors regulated their own by It. No one but father ever touched It, but he was with his regiment snd on this night I crept softly down stairs when the officers were sleeping soundly. John was to meet general Washington at the hour he had told General Wayne he would pass the given point, and the latter had Impressed upon Lieutenant Strong that ha must be there promptly to deliver the Important papers with which he was Intrusted, because hs was considered the most reliable offi cer In the company. I turned the hands of the clock book one hour. Then there flashed through my mind a still worse calamity, which through me might befall him. I took the key of the strong bog, kept In a secret hid ing place, and opened it to take from it the papers I bad seen John place there. Carefully removing the seal. I took from the envelope the message, substituting papers 'such as he used for personal correspondence, and care fully replaced the seal as best I could. Early the next morning I repeated the act of turning the hands back, and as tt was a dark day. no one thought It strange that It was yet early. In their Joy at the time, neither John nor Helen thought of doubting the trusty old timepiece. When the lieutenant reached the p'.ace where he was told to go and found that the general hod been there two hours before ond, wott ing o short time, hod gone on to his destination, In severe displeasure, John could not understand it, as be had given himself more than sufficient time to reach the place. He stopped upon his return to tell his wlfs of bis failure to deliver the papers. Slipping unno ticed to the dining room, I turned the hands of the clock back again, ond was ousted by a piercing scream from Helen. Going to the door, I found that two officers had arrived and that John hod been arrested aa a deserter. My ,i heart stood still, and the papers In my corsage burned my bosom like coals of fire. I was a soldier's daughter and knew how little mercy General Wayna ever showed to deserters. In vain I tried to summon courage to confess. I could not tell the world that I had dona thla because my love had been slight- jl ed, so I saw the only man I ever loved 9 led away a prisoner, who would be charged with treason theft and trea son for which there would be but one punishment death. I have known no peace since. My sin destroyed my soul, for I am dying without one spark of I hope that you ond yours will ever for give. ANN CARSON THOME8." When General Kingston had finished the letter that cleared the last obsta cle from the path of happiness, he grasped the hand of his friend and. turned to say "Forgive me, WlfhofgM but there was no Wilbur to be seen. He and Ethel had disappeared, leaving their elders to discuss the past. To them belonged the beautiful future. SOME RECENT RESULTS OF INVENTIVE GENIUS POISON INDICATOR No Chance of Anyone Mistaking; Content of the Bottle. The old story of the unfortunate who drank the contents of a bottle contain ing a deadly poison in mistake for on other medicine Is almost a dolly news item in the newspapers. In fact, an economical editor once suggested that the Item be kept standing in type, the only necessary change from day to day COLLECTS SKIMMED MILK A Novel Pump Which Discriminates Between Cream and Miilk. The apparent ease In separating cream from the remaining skimmed milk la well Illustrated In on apparatus recently patented by a Wisconsin dairy man. Expensive machinery and steam power ore not necessary by thla method. Instead he uses a suitable reservoir In which the milk le allowed to settle s INDICATES POISONOUS CONTENTS. being that of the victim. In order to lessen the number of mistakes of this kind a southern inventor .has devised the "poison indicator" shown In the ac companying Illustration. Undoubtedly It would prove effective wherever used. It Is made entirely separate from the cork, and can readily be transferred from on unused bottle to another The akutl and cross bones would be sufficient indication of the contenta In the day time, while its peculiar shape would serve the some purpose at bight. At the bottom of the indicator la a pin by which It la held In place In the cork. 1 1 NO BURNT FINGERS Handlers Attached to Sides of Cook ing and Baking Pane. Naturally women know more about cooking appurtenances than men. And they also know that the Industrious housewife and others who do the daily cooking and baking are continually burning and scorching their Angers la "handleless" cooking utensils. The men folk obviously ore oway during the hour SEPARATE8 .MII.K AND CREAM. suitable time until the cream has formed at the top. Above the reser voir Is on ordinary pump, the suction end being on the bottom of the reser ving Attached tn the end of the pump la a rubber hoee. a float keeping the free end of the hose o certain distance below the cream at the top of the reeer volr. Power applied to the pump han dle draws the skimmed milk up and de posits It In a receptacle above the res ervoir. A discharge pipe, having a etop cock, te attached to the receptacle, from which the skimmed mug con De dis tributed to cans. FRUITS AND JARS Market for Our Wares Not Devel oped in Great Britain. Replying to questions regarding the sole of American fruits In that district. the managing director of the largest grocery ond provlelon store in Bir mingham said thot of dried and evap orated fruits plums only hod a large sale, the demand for the other kinds being only moderate "It Is mv nnlnlnn " h UVI "that If denly disappeared la the folds of toe 1 some association were to give a dem- onstratlon of proper methods of cook- ring snd treating dried and evaporated fruits at some nf the rood exhibitions held annually throughout Great Britain or If the ' demonstrations were given on the same system which American breakfast food manufacturers employ, the sale of dried and evaporated fruits would greatly Increase. The sale of conned fruits was very large, but bottle good have a small sale, owing, no doubt, to the fact that the cost le so great. Bottled fruits sre of course preferable in a country where canned (tinned) goods are feared. These goods ore purchased through commission houses in England, and they buy largely ROUND-ABOUT Another Amusement Feature Verging on the Sensational. Still another amusement feature hag been brought forth, this time by a New York ctty inventor. It verges oh the sensational and there is no doubt that It will give pleasure-seekers who ride therein aa exhilaration far removed, from the ordinary. It is called a PREVENTS BURNT FINGERS. of preparation of the meals and there fore are unacquainted with the facta This Is why a Minnesota woman has suggested the attachment of handles to all cooking nana bringing them up to date. Theee handles ore very simple tn construction, as shown In ths Illustra tion They afford ample opportunity for removing or changing the position of the pons with smalt chance of scorching the Angers or hands. They eon also be mode detachable and when needed slipped Into position at the enda of the pans CARS SWING IN THS AIR. "round-about." In the center Is a tower, probably 160 feet high. Support ed at the top of the tower la a frame consisting of seml-clrcular ribs, which revolve with a shaft In the center of the tower. Suspended from the ribs oa cables are a number of cars. When the shaft and circular frame ore revolved ol the great speed the cars gradually leave the level of the ground ond sheet out on each side, the eoblee assuming ths posi tion Indicated by the dotted lines Th position of the cars would be similar eo that of a ear swung on the end of -cord. through agents at prices to Include tn surkonce and freight. Deliveries sre very prompt, and the present method of packing Is regarded aa satisfactory, but the gentleman thought If greater core were exercised In grading the business would largely Increase. "When the Jam, Jelly and fruit pre serving time comefe along In England the newly arrived American woman is surprised to find she cannot buy the kind of Jar which American women use. snd when ehe consults some friendly r nsllsh woman she finds that the ll paper or some equivalent sea method Is used. The American w generally sends tv some relatl friend in the United States and gets number of American Jars sent over. It occurs to me to suggest than an attempt should be made to Introduce American made Jars on the market of Great Brit a In. It cannot, however, he done easily. It must be accompanied Wltn tn the . f .i.m-tisirauon The r" se that gefd tJtithe ' yes re reaontly h older I sasasasBBBOBOBOBOBaeei ling ard, 'sgggsnWaa'-.. v . wiameo..e. V ...