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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (July 19, 1908)
(rnu orecon Sunday journal, Portland, Sunday morning; july 19 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmtmimmmm iT r'T ' i "" ' nil i ii 1 1 i i i ill i "T rtliU il tin r , ft i:ijij:;S '."-y ' ITHE ffU.'S. M." LARRY, the stage-driver, has broken a leg, nd Mr. Wright aayi I may run the stage for a month or two. I 'd like to do it, sir, if if you 've no objection," begged Tom of his guardian, Judge Gifford. The judge looked down at him with amusement. "Do you hear that, doctor?" he said, walking to the other end of the piazza, where the old doctor sat with his feet on the railing and a New York news paper in his hand, Tom, who was always in dead earnest about every thing he undertook, had been studying too hard or too much, and had grown thin and nervous; so, by the doctor's advice, and greatly against his own will, he had been compelled k leave school. The doctor looked up absently. "He- 's been out of school three days," explained the judge, stepping aside and exposing the bashful boy, who had followed close at his heels, "and now he 's ready to run a stage." "Only 'three trips a day," pleaded Tom, with the air of a culprit "It starts from Mr. Wright's store at Van Curen Center, and goes down to the railway station. It connects with the 8:30 A. M. and the a and s P. M. trains for New York. It carries the mail." "Um-m!" remarked the doctor, thoughtfully, look ing intently out toward the orchard. "It 's better than lounging anyway," ventured Tom, and instantly retreated again behind the judge. "Um-m-ml So it is, judge, so it is," said the doc tor, lowering his feet, one at a time, and holding them in place with a hand on either knee. "It '11 keep the youngster out of doors, too; and that ' what he- needs. He 's small for his age. Go ahead, young man; here 's my hand on it." And Tom, emerging from his retirement, shook the chubby old hand with a glad "Thank you, sir," and a glarwe at his guardian that was three parts merry and one part triumphant. That evening found him stretched upon the1 boards of the western porch with an open book before him, straining his eyes in the fading light. The judge commented gravely. "It 's only a book of postal laws and regulations," apologized Tom. "I got it of Wright. Of course he must answer for me as mail-carrier; but I thought I ought to know what the rights and duties of the office are." (Tom was taking some ideas from the Constitution of the United States.) "That 's right, my boy, that 's right," exclaimed the judge, with a heartiness that brought a glad light into Tom's eyes, for he lcfved his guardian most devotedly. "Whether you are a private citizen or a public officer, always keep yourself informed as to the duties the laws of your country require of you and the privileges they accord to you. But we want you now to let books alone as far as may be.' The stage was clumsy, with low, heavy running gear and a tunnel-like top of canvax Upon the wagon-box, hardly decipherable through diafigure merit of weather and iojI, appeared the name ol the nimblest ra,ce-horse of the day "Eclipse"; for every time the vehicle received a new coat of paint it was, with no idea of any joke, renamed for the race-horse once so famous. At the back, just above a pair of steps by which passengers climbed in or out, ap peared the letters "U. S. M." The driver's seat was high, and Tom felt lifted up in more senses than one when, on the morninsr of his entry into the mail service, Mr. Wright, storekeeper, postrhaster, stage-driver, and mail-carrier all in one though giving to others the duties of the last two offices tossed up to him the mail-bag with its im posing combination of iron staples and lock and leathern pouch that, as the story runs, made an old sailor's jack-knife laugh. As it fell rattling before him, he put a foot upon it, gathered up his reins, and started off, feeling him self a p.ublic official. " Sj P Ml M Warn Flit 111 Ir I fift&w struck at Tom had not Harmony suddenly pusheM in front, lifting into sight with both hands her best hope, Inr last rciue, the mail-hug. Her sunbonnet had fallen ..if ag.uu; her tosmg hair was blown backward .11 :! breeze; her grc.it, wide-open eves were t .irle.-.s, uini there was not a tremor in her piping voice. ."". "The United States mail," she cried; "the United Stales mail! The passengers had alighted, and stood gating at her .1, if -In.. h.nl been from another world; but Bats was in : .,, great a rage to be impressed by ny mortal presence. "Come ,,wn here, you young scamp," he shouted, ami 1 n teach ymi a lesson. "No, thank yon, sir," said Tom, gently restraining Harmony lest she should lose her balance. "Another time 1 miht oblige you; but just now I happen to have the United Mates mail 111 charge, and "What '& the trouble?" asked a passenger. ''.' "The rascal lias stolen my horse that I bought of Cushman !'' Hates danced about and waved his arms. "Papa did nt sell Dinah; papa did n't,'' insisted the little girl. "Does any one here believe that Mr. Cushman sold that maic for .seventy five dollar;.?'' asked Torn,' stretching cat his whip-hand over Dinah's back. Some ;-ni- blew a low, long " Whew-ew-ew!" that! partly sobered Mc. Malum and made Dates realize th. uangcr ui uciay. . "Constable," lie roared, "I can't stay here talking, all the afternoon. Unhitch the little beast!" and ha began to unharness her. ;; "Constable," said Tom, "get me another horsej men. i u musi tee i iiar 1 am not iniertereci Willi in my duties as Mr. Wright s agent. 'Wright doei nt stand tooling, you know. "A'I,-,. ' A 1 1. .1 V - . 1 1 . ., . 11., . v ,iui a mo; ."v ui ciiKwo vvu . asKcu Kurne una tne grounu, unnooKea tne cnainw w!lo came pamingly up behind. "Lucky thine foci r ri.,n t,.,.. t. -. r-. i, . 1 1 11:1. i uuK'il nave HdU IU liui 11 All II1C WdV nnniF, "YOUNG MAN, YOU CO ABOUT YOUH BUSINESS, SAID MX. UCUAH0I His route lay past Rigg's Corners, a tavern stand, thence to the station, a drive or two milei by the regular route or old road, or a much longer drive if, as was often the case, he had to go hy the hill road. On each of his trips he was obliged to connect with a train for his passengers' convenience as well as to deliver the mall-bag to a trainman. Then he must wait a half-hour for return trains from which he received the mail and generally a few passengers. Our heTO had been stage-driver about a month when, upon his morning trip, he was signaled from the home of Farmer Cushman a fine old house Standing sixty feet from the road. The farmer had been kind to Tom. The lad had a grateful heart, and saw with pleasure that the passenger coming out from the greenery of trees and shrubs that al most hid the house was his old friend. "Room up theTe for me, Torn?" he asked, indicat ing the driver's seat. "Certainly, sir, certainly!" Tom blinked with sat isfaction ai he slipped to one side, making room. A few rodj before them was Biggs' Corners. Early as it was, the idlers of the place were lounging upon the long, narrow piazza. Mr. Cushman scanned the group nearrowly. "I suppose it 's too early for Bstes to be around yet,'' he said. "He 's a fellow that 'a been buying, cp horses about here. Have you een him, Tom? He drives a bay and a flashy little buggy with yellow ear. He puts up at Riggs's. MeMahon" (the consta ble) "hobnobs with him a good deal is treated by him. I auppoae, tad of course thinka Rates if just fight I offered him my old gray yesterday for seventy-five dollars: but I regretted it afterward, and I really hope he won't take me up. The rid fellow been too good a servant to be o!d to strangers whi may not trest him kindly " Tom agreed with "him, somehow he and Mr. Cuhman agreed on nrvt subjects they talked about, and the trip to the nation was a pleasure to both. In the afternoon Tom left WHght't, ai uual tn connect with the tww'cloelt train A4 he re proached the Cushmm rlace his fare Hsrhted np with a very lively euriosifv. f"r something anwerir,g the description of Bates's rig smrd at the rate, with Ctihman'i little black mare-. "Dinah," tied behind. Oft coming nrr he sw little Harmony Cash man at Dinah's head, and jut within the ratt Htr nonv'i grandmother, meek-faced old Mr. iwild'y arwninv with loni ont whom Tom took to be Bates feimselt , Approaching the group, Tom drove more and more slowly, forgetting all politeness in his pity for the child when he saw that Harmony was crying and tugging at Dinah's tie-strap with all her little might. The Eclipse came to a standstill. "Papa did n't' pel! my Dinah, Tommy! Papa did n't!" cried the little girl, dropping the strap, running forward, and reach up her hands to him n pitiful appeal ( Tom was beside her in a moment, and seizing his 1 hand, she ran with him to her grandmother's side. "It is unfortunate, Mr. Hates," the old lady was protesting, "that you should have mine when there s no one home but me. Liven the hired men are not round. They would have known. Of course I don't doubt your word, but I '111 afraid there 's some misunderstanding. Can't ynu leave the mare now, and come for her when my son is at home?" "I would like to oblige you, ma'am, indeed I would," answered the man, very blandly, "but I have promised to deliver these hnres to-morrow. You knew that your son had sold a hore, did n't you?" "I did hear him say that he had offered one for seventy-five dollars ca--h, hut I thought 't was old Trince,' the gray. I did n't suppose he 'd fell Dinah for any urh aumunt of money or under any circum stances, for " "Fapa did n't sell Dinah " The child confronted the man unflinchingly. "I was there Don't you wemembeh 't was Trince' D'nah's mine. Papa gave her to me a long time ago " In spite of her lob bing, her voice rang clearly every sound ihe at tempted but the IfttT r. "Nonsense!" said Hates, though smilingly. He at tempted to strcjke the little girl's hair, but she flew from him with a frantic gesture. Tom felt that he could keep quiet no longer. "Something is wrong, Mrs. Cushman," Tom said. "Mr. Cushman told me only this n-.nrning thit he had (riven Mr. Bates the refusal of Prince. Anyway, he '11 he home on the lat train to-night to apeak for himself That is n't long. to wait" That Bites paid no attention to him did not in the Irast trouble the hoy; but MeMahon, who had asuntered over from the hotel gnd had heard the latter part of the conversation, braced himself be fore him with feet apart, and began a sort of eross nuettioninf, emphasizing with an indea-fingeT upon his open palm "Mr. Cushman told you that he had offered Prince, eh. young man?'' fcYe.. ,ir - "Well. nw. what hav we to do with Prinee? C.early rothirjr at all The question is Jid he tell yrMi that he hd not vAA Dinah?" "N'o; but if he hid sold her" Tt t"t! Keep to the facts! The law can't rec ormre V'; it 's facts we want Young man. yog g about yemr bniiness Yon '11 mi vour tram If vu wae morh yrmre time here. Wright don't Stand mn'-ll foohn'. yoa Irnnw " Then to Mrs, Cushman he said impressively: "Allow me, ma'am, to introduce to you my friend Mr. Bates, of N ew York. Mr. Bates is a gentleman, ma'am. I '11 .stand for him. It 's simply absurd that his word should be called into question by that young prig. It 's late now, and further delay may put htm to a great de3l of trouble. You were to pay the money and take the horse. Mr. Bates?'' "That was the bargain," said Bates, with the calm ness of one who 's sure he 's right and waits pa tiently for permission to go ahead. MeMahon was naturally headstrong; still he might not have acted with so much assurance had he not been imbibing freely at the tavern. "Well, Mr.( MeMahon." said yielding grandma, "if you say it 's all right, why" "Of course it 's all right, ma'am. Con e in, Mr. Rates, and count out your money." And with tlio familiarity of an old neighbor, he led the wav into the house, grandma following meekly, only stopping for an instant to pacify Harmony, who clutched her gown in speechless protest. "Don't cry, deary," she said; "and you may ride to the station with Tommy, if he '11 let ym." But with a faint ncrcam Harmony i'.-.v o-it and began again her helpless tug at the tie Mr.i; Tom looked at her a second, then crosfei the road and let down the ban of a pasture lot; then with steady, nimble fingers he unhitched his near horse, and put him into the lot. He was at Harmony's side the nrxt instant, with a low, comforting "Sh-sh'" he too the strap from her shaking fingers, untied it, flung it into the buggy box, and lead Dinah into the vacant place. The rusty old harness was a loose fit but it wag made to answer with only the change of a buckle or two. Meanwhile the haughty little beast showed a pair of disdainful eyes under the shabby blinders, and tossed her head and lifted her-feet in a wav that showed her to be quite out of patience with th s new work. But Harmon)', whose active little brain had quickly guessed Tom's purpose, ran to her hea.f "You must be a pood Pinah," she- said, and at a sound of her voice the affectionate creature lowered her head for a caress The child drew her pilms resolutely across her wet !nhes. heaved one last 10b, snd took up with her who'e soul her part it peace maker A-fipfoe she stroktd and patted and coaxed and counseled. "You went double twice before, Dinah. Don't yon wemembeh' Papa de vru w-jth Prince, and papa said yru was a a rin'elligent cweature. You must be good to us. Di-r V and we 'J! be good to vrvu. Tommy likes mie'''gr",t cweitures, don't yvjt Tr-m " She looked up anr! iw Tom upon hi perch, ready to tart In an intint h was climbing op to him, clutching in her arent se rep, wheel, anything her litt'e hands mtdd grspr'e Tom cangUt her ht as D'pah leaped forward. ''Gwindma id I miirht wn.'' he panted Hex sunbornet ha ! fallrn Jack upon her shoulders, COPYRIGHT BY THE CENTURY COMPANY her hair tumbled wildly about itfl rim, traces of tears and of soiled, restraining fingers were upon her face; but as she snuggled up to him with a long, wavering breath of relief and trust, Tom felt her cause was his cause, heart and soul, for weal or woe. He looked at his watch, and kuew that if he made the train he must do it by the shorter route. He urged his team ahead. Dinah capered at first, and would not do her part; but Harmony, clinging to Tom's sleeve and bending eagerly forward, en treated her: "Oh, be a good Dinah; be a good Dinah!" And Dinah, quieted again by a voice she knew, subsided iflto a steady pace. They had passed the corners and had turned into the old road before Tom looked backed. Two be wildered nicu were standing before the Cushman gate. Some minutes passed before they fully understood the situation, anil then MeMahon exclaimed: "The young idiot! lie 's forgotten that the road 's blocked! He '1! have to come back to the Cor ners!" and Mr. MeMahon doubled himself together in triumphant glee. But Torn had n't forgotten anything. He came up to the closed portion of the road. A chain was Stretched across, hooked to a post upon each side. The foreman of a gang of laborers said surlily: "No thoroughfare. You can't pass here." The boy rose upon his feel, looked at the broken road, and saw that it was passable. Then he lifted the mail bag into sight, saying quietly. "I carry the United Slates Mail, sir." The man made no reply, but tuyned away and kicked sullenly into a clod of earth. , , Tom f-pr.mg to at one end. carried it to the other side, dropped it. and, regaining his scat at a bound, drove on. The road was rough in places, but not dangerous, and he passed safely over it, though to the inconvenience of Several groups of workmen. Ahead of him he saw the train already slowing at the station It would not do to go close with the frisky Dinah, a drawing to the sidewalk a few rods away, he Hung himself to the ground, put a dime and Dinah's bridle into the hands of a gaping idler, lifted Harmony to the ground for safety, snatched his mail-bag, and made a dash for the platform. He reached it iust in time to hurl the bag aboard as the train was starting. lie must now wait a half-hour for the mail-train from New York; and from the platform he scanned the homeward road, the loirg- hill read, for he knew that if BhIps and the constable were' to come afier him they would come that way. The road was clear, and he went back to look after Harmony. His team was quiet, the boy he had hired still holding the pair, and Dinah gravely eating clover from Harmony's hand. Saying to himself, "Busy hours go fast,' he pulled a few fresh tufts from under a fence and fed them to the patient old creature at Dinah's side. Then he set himself the task of scraping the mud front' the wheels of the stage; but he worked in nervous haste, as if. instead of killing time, he were trying to gain it. Then he turned his team about, heading them toward the hill road and home. Then he made a bargain with his hostler, giving him another dime to remain until the train arrived. "It must be nearly due," he thought, and looked at his watch. Just ten minutes had sped! Fretted by what he called his foolishness, he placed a foot firmly upon a hub and with nicest pre cision whittled a stick to a pin-point. He as care fully sharpened the other end, then threw it away and mounted the stage steps to view the road. No Bates in sight. Again he pulled out his watch. "Is it 'most half an hour now?" whispered Har mony. "Ten minutes more," he said, and. stooping, untied hrr bonnet and smoothed back her hair, talking soothingly to her meanwhile. "When we get another mail-bag aboard and get started, I don't believe they '11 dare to take Dinah away from us. They won't unless they get us an other hors-, and no one here has one to lend." "And will you keep Dinah and me and the United States mail with you ev'wy epeck of time till papa come6?'' "I '11 try to"; and with a parting pat of encourage ment he left her and went and stood upon the plat form. For perhaps the twentieth time he jerks out his watch. Time up and no train in sight! He steps from the platform and puts his ear to the ground. The train is coming! Upon the platform again, he tries to look round a corner a hundred rods away, where the track bends out of the thick weeds But it is corning. It is almost in sight, announced by rumble and whistle and fleece of sm .ke sifting e What was your hurry, Tom? I scrambled alonir about as spryly as an old man like me can be ext peeled" Uh, papa, papa, did you sell mv Dinah?' ' Mr. Cushman for it was he, returned a train: earlier than lie had planned caught Ins little girl sne siiran "Sell your Dinah? I guess not I guess not! Nbt a hair or a shred of anything my linnet claims. Whoj says I sold your Dinah?" ' - But the tired litjle thing had buried her face on big neck and was crying. 5 Tom showed him Dinah, and told the storv. r "'The rascal!" he exclaimed. "I told him she wai not for sale, and that, if she were, three hundred.' would n't buy her. Where t? he?" V "There he is," said an impatient passenger, poirtf-4 ing to a buggy that was (lying over the hill, "and.! n.-., 1... . t. .11 ... !,:-. I . T iiv.v tvi n iwii'fw ill- CAdlllj'lC. In a trice the stage w,i rumbling forward. ;-t At the Cushman gate stood grandma, with a placJdd face. I "I 'm so glad," she said, "that you were able I(K ltt!. ti mntfpr u itliAiit mrhnrt .,,iU ninil, . "How 'settle' it, Mrs. Cushman?" asked Tom, eagerlv. "Why, Mr. Bates said they had made a new dealj ana he s taken Prince and gone "Well, he ought to be arrested. I sunnose: but lefS him go. He has n't got any more than belongs tol mm now, sain tne easy-going, mild old man. hla anger over; " but as for you, my boy, I '11 see that you re paia ior tms day s wprK; 1 II make right tor you. rou maue it an ngnt tor me years ago, Lusnman, reprea inm, as graveiv as it he wer looking back over tha various ups and downs oil fiftyyears of life instead of fifteen. 1 ;e tHat 0, Mr WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK By ANNA HARRISS JESSUP. A WORTHLESS but shrewd fellow frond 1 1 : s eye t upon under mbling upward through the tree-tops. If- runs 1 along the hill road N'o vehicle in sight, Im the summit a cloud uf dust. It takes sh e his straining pare; a scampering h"re. a fi buggy, and the drivers Tom cannot see them, but his instinct outlears his senses. But though lis heart has stood st:U, the belated train ha9 not It is close at hand, and in his eager ness the boy strtrtches 'ut Ins arm- ,;r.d wildly beck ons it forward. It comes slowing and scraping alongside of tin platform, and he runs with it nbreast of the car that ho;d the coveted bag. It is flung at his feet. He hitches it. ami stands ready, waiting for the erovng passengers t" come out up'in the 1 :atf rm. iin.v a -i ment. then: - ardl" he ai: ren ' and he b und s f. As he runs dou n the Pates is n-'t far aw.iv, plunging, made frant-c id shin's and b! S that rear Iet le- everythir s up in the : d r o ; r n , ;r. tore bred rorr.' door precious t Little 1 1 hill road. of a fen. e the Stage, t'irre rror tin v rentle. rev rtr1 hrd for ready ca; rr f--r per!!. h.e bad h.rh n Only tf dl aboard for Van Bu- r wa rd steps he glances up the road, but hi hor'e is rearing and bv the shrieking engine be- s from behind The boy 'ray makr de'av, snd as he "f 'he Krbpse he rongs the a w:!l-he r--""ger watte in furrVirc w"h it old f.Ktenings. rv had tiV.en in-the It ng view of the 'O uken it in white clinging to the rail and at nrn a Tom made hit dah for he f.id acramb'ed to hrr phce. and sat but fol'ovjirg ditrefn'!y hi every mo e "ed the Mir r' her fret. he with gathe'-'-H if It off be -ee v ; re admitted the ungainly thing having feen its value in one it st a p3'sort through all ge-s apesred. active mm, -1 .-'! a1 hr r to hit seat, reirt. wavrd awiy hit rroom, and hey we-r fjir'v rifed Put he went g to fea- any Moprige as littla at a s'o-w r 'ce, e em- ai If he drove ,ve chariot the icn "5tor. you thief!" echrved McMshow Thr ttage wi brought ti 1 stsnditHL "Vi'i I'ida'-i'vit ratrnl' fhoted Batet ouaiihcd his whip, and in his fremy he might fcavt ys-j thief" relied u.e fumirj Bates: ind He Ain Zibde, who went to Damascus oiu uumucss, goi lmo soma scrap; or otntr,i and started for home very suddenlyJ ana snatcning up on tne way, and talc-i ing with him from the city, a drumJ left by some children on the1 street. He took refuge for the night in a deserted mill. There was no place toj sleep except in the hopper over the great millstonesu very trariy ne was awaKenea Dy a snuitiing near mm, and as it grew light he saw that a good-sized bearj had come into the mill and was snuffing about, get-J i ns i.unmnoi uuiy near. 1 ne man naa no weapon, but began to heat on the drum. The bear was terri-i bed and tried to dash out of the door, but one of his clumsy sidevvise notions hit the door and closed it. So the man and the bear were imprisoned within the mill together. The man did n't dare tret out and open the do. r, and the bear started for him; so heJ beat his d run. and the bear dashed around and hu kept on pounding, arid the bear became frantic, tear-4 ing around anil stirring up the white dust. So and M ine muiereers witn mules laden witn pottery came by. I hey heard the sound of the drum, and won aereei, and opened the door of the mill. As soon a it was opened, (nit dashed the bear, scattering" tha men, and causing a panic among the mules, who dashed oh, breaking all the pottery against the rocks. The bear escaped to the mountains. The muleteers, angry at their loss, came in nd found the man climbing out of the hopper. "We '11 have the law on you; your bear has broken all our jars Oive us five hundred piasters, the price of what! we have lost!" 1 1 "Give you five hundred piasters, indeed! Give me.' back that bearl I wnt my tar! Did n't you see mo teaching him to dance. Anj you let him out, and) now he't gone!" ; Rut the muleteert tnct Vitn r.ff .;t tlrr. .- ; Damascus to the judge. He listened to the mu?e teera, and then to Simple Simon. The lrtter de manded justice for the Ios of his bear, let looie by the muleteers, and SO elib waa he that h o-ot e- tence in hu favor. The muleteers lott their pottery' and had to pay two thousand piasters for the bear, and departed. Simple Simon went h!a way rejoicing, met soraei travelers, and told of his food fortune. And where are yonr c!sters? R'Bht here in my belt." "Oblige us by preaenting ut with them," aid t'v new acquaintances, who happened to te frien fi r the muleteers; and they fell rn hir-i an! re'.rvr ; him ef the entire sum and even took fmm In t -dram 1 he had Moleru One ol them recr.fr.f 1 jt, i said he wrmlj restore it its yotirjr awner. So the man from Ait Z,M p- hi I'tttru. t -;n. bem pnishe! lor ti theft, his trickery, f - 1 falsehood, -