The Oregon daily journal., September 06, 1908, Page 54, Image 54

TWt QKEGON SUNDAY JOURNAL,' rORTXAND,, SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 6
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CQNTRAG1
BY HENRY GARDNER HUNTING
5
The consciousness of new responsibility assumed
caused him to straighten his shoulders as he walked
Bp from the wharf beside the officer. Presently he
stopped and tugged at the policeman's hand. "I
must go an errand for my father," ho said.
, "Is that so?" safd the officer, turning and grin
ning down at him. "I s'pose ye come across, the
lake fer that, did ye?"
- "I did," asserted Ted. "Father started with me,
but got left by the Ijoat.
"Humph!" The policeman, laughed.
goin to headquarters, he replied
ED, would you like to go to Chicago with
;' father? .
, Mr, Bronson, stood in the dining-room
looking at his small son, who was finish
ing the last vestige of a second piece of
splash' of water outside, which instantly brought to
his mind a vivid picture of the racing waves and the
plowing steamer, r He could feel the rise and fall and
roll of the vessel, and a sudden exultant pleasure in
it all made him sit up and laugh aloud.
; 'The sound of his own laugh seemed very noisy to
Ted. He drooped down upon the pillow atrain. won-
k..' .I-. ' oenng ner jiau uisiuroca ny orner steepexs. e
; atrawberry.ahortcake. listened to note whether he could hear his father's
Ted jumped as though a fire-cracker had been let breathing in the lower berth, and then he crept to
a t. ij vj x. -j it,.j L,i!nnini , hU the. edge vof hia bunk and peered over and down
off beside his ear, and looked questiomngly . at. his into the bed below.
mother,! who -bid come, in and who was amiling at H was empty! 'The cover werr smoothly laid,
him. Chicago? Would he like to go? With father? & " wender. What wa3
WelL most, assuredly! "Yes, sir he said, hastily this? Where was his father? Had he slept alone
ti ner rhr hf! tnaWfnr tate-'room. H niglttf If so, what did that
aloud, slipping promptly -off his chair, and rnaklng: m f Su,y h5 father would not sit out on deck
all night. He clambered over the edge of his berth
, and dropped to the floor. The rough rug felt
strange, tortus bare teet, ana seemed to add to a sud-
a not altogether successful attempt to use and fold
lis napkin at the same time. v ; . V
"XV t have Just half an hour to catch the train for
Grand Haven, Elinor, and we 11 get the boali there,"
said Mr, Bronson to his wife. "We H be in the city
early in the morning.' 1 '11 see Wyatt at once, nd:
close the contract, I hope. '
. "Oh, John. I hope so " T
Mrs. Bronson's eyes wee shining with pleasure,
.and even Ted could see the unusual flush in his
.father's face, and knew that something of moment
had occurred something which made his parents
both happy and anxious.
"You will be father's private secretary, Ted," said
his mother, laughing. "You must show what a good
business man you are, for this trip means a great
deal to ua all. If father gets thii contract it will
mean'0 -
"Don't anticipate, dear," said Mr. Bronson. "We
won't count our chickens yet. We 11 just hope and
try hard to win. Ted will help father to get there
on time. We must n't miss any trains or boats, of
'w& 11 be too late and spoil it all." ,
Ted could dress rapidly on occasion That morn
ing he had 'taken half an hour to put on hia achool
i clothes, anticipating only an ordinary day. That
noon, with a lake trip to Chicago in prospect, it re
quired but ten minutes for him to get into his best
, little blue serge suit, to have his tie properly bowed,
and his hair parted straight When he waved his
hand in farewell to his mother from the seat in" the
car bound for the station, she laughed aloud at the
i quick time he had made.
The trip from Grand Rapid to Grand Haven by
train was not new to Ted, who .bad gone so far on
little journeys with his father before. But the
steamer trip across Lake Michigan to the big city,
of which every Western boy thinks with much
admiration, curiosity, or wonder, would be a de- .
lightful thing. Besides, this hurriedimportant busi
ness trip was exciting and interesting, and Mr.
Bronson told Ted all about it on the train.
"It 's the plans they want to see," he said, pat
ting a big paper-wrapped roll ihich lay beside his
grip. "They 're for a big building in the city, and
I hope to get the contract t the directors' meeting,.
which is to be held to-morrow in Chicago, Ut-
dtn growing feeling of loneliness which was com
ing over him. He reached for his clothes and began
hustling into them at his fastest pace. When he
was dressed, he opened the state-room door timidly
and peered out ? " ' . '
He sat up very straight on the edge of the berth,
and stared at the roll of plans, while he thought
intently. Then he suddenly slid off the bed and
went on deck. ......
It was a strange sight that met "his eys. There
lay the great city directly before them, only a lit
tle distance away. It was very, very b'g- It
stretched far, far away in "each direction. But oh,
how different from what Ted bad expected! How
dark it was! Fog and smoke and. steam everywhere
hung in great masses above it.' : Tall tuiildings
stretched themselves up into the mist till their tops
were lost in it The lake; shore to the? north and
south faded away under its shadow, and "the streets
were only dimly discernible through the murk.
As they drew nearer, the cloud, seemed to settle
down more and more closely. When they-entered
the mouth of the river, it was as though the whore
morning sky had been shut out and the air was hot
and sultry and stifling. . 1 7
Ted's anxiety deepened despite the new strange
scenes and atmosphere, perhaps because of them.
Almost a hundred miles of water, lay behind him
between him and his father, his mother. Here he
was alone, friendless, unknown and unknowing,
without place to go, entering a big, strange city,
where he must
"I won't!" cried Ted. He made a sudden wrench
to free himself; but the officer's giant hand closed
upon his fingers with such a crushing force that he
cried aloud with pain.
"Now be good, will ye?" said the officer. "I did n't
mean to hurt ye, but you 're goin' with me."
Ted quieted down. He had plenty of good sense,
and, though he- was rebellious enough," he knew
that he must change his tactics. .
They passed up through a street that was full of
heavy trattic log three-horse teams laboriously
pulling wide trucks loaded with immense burdens
of barrels and boxes. The wheels made unceasing
clatter over the paving-stones. A block ahead Ted
could see the huge iron trestle of an elevated road,
and trains were driving in both directions around
the curve which led from a cross-street. -the strain
ing wheels pulling a nngmgnote from the rails, like
tho prolonged tone of a brazen bell. The roar of
the streets hegan to awe him. It was different from
what he had expected. The noise was ceaseless;
the stream of people and of vehicles was continuous.
Pushing, bustling, driving all that he had looked
for; but there was a sudden sense of loneliness upon
him, a feeling that he had no friend in all the great
throng, which was quite new to him. The police
man he considered only an enemy. At 'the cor
ners the truck-drivers seemed to be trying to ride
him down. People brushed against him, and passed
on without looking. The motormen of the cable
cars jangled their harsh, dull-sounding gongs, and
drove their three-car trains around the curves with
what appeared reckless disregard of the people, who
seemed barely to escape each time.
Ted's heart sank lower. Everything about him
was utterly strange so different from his home in
the Michigan city; and everything was wholly
against him. How was he o accomplish hts object,
to find Mr. Wyatt, to delivei the .plans on, time?
He bit his lip to keep down the tears. He 'must
He alone could help his father now. He would
he would! Nothing should stop him. He would
dejjjver the plans to ftlr. Wyatt, and do all he could
to lorward his father's interests in this crisis. He
would not be a baby or a coward. He would fight it
out, and no one skould prevent him. He set his
teeth again,; to crush out the desperate sense of fail
ure and K hold his oozing courage. Jiis head
ached, and he was sick with excitemerit and anxiety,
and hungry now, for he had had no breakfast He
looked, about him with a vlast unhappy effort.
"Where is the Masonic Temple?' he asked
abruptly of the officer. "
, The policeman grinned, turned, and pointed across
the street, where Ted saw a big brown building, in
and out of the doors of which the people were
swarming like bees at a hive.
"Take me over there," said (he boy, with quick
pleading. "It 's only a step. Take me there, and
you '11 find a man who will know I 'm telling you
the trut.,. I did n't run away; but I must take these
plans to Mr. Wyatt this morning, or it will be too
late. Oh, I must! I must! Don t refuse me, please
please! I "11 do anything go to jail anything
afterward. Take me over there."
boy with qukzical amusement in h! eyes, but with
a certain approval of the little fellow's persistence,
too, and was it sympathy? ; : ;
A moment later they had threaded their 'way
across, the roaring street and entered the great cor
ridor. An inquiry from the elevator-starter, and a
moment later the boy was rushing up in one of the
semicircle of cars toward an upper floor, scarcely
able to realize the sudden change in hia fortunes.
The room was full of men when Trrf nnin4 t?t
"You 're oor to which he had been directed, and he was very ,
much embarrassed when thev all ktonned talkimr
and look at him. The big officer filled the doorway
behind him and cut off his retreat, if he had thought
of retreat; but he did n't, even in the face of won
dering, curious looks. f :
"Mr. Wyatt?" he asked, flushing painfully, bat
holding his head up bravely. , , ! ,
A little man with very bright brown eyes turned
from a chair by a desk. ,7Right here, he .said,
smiJinsr. -
"I 've brought the plans which the new building'
is going to be built from," said Ted, his heart beat
ing till it hurt him, , " ,
Mr." Wyatt looked at Wm in surprise. Then sod-,
denly one of the other gentlemen laughed, and M
moment later all the rest joined in heartily. Even;
Ted's policeman grinned. (v
"You Ve got ahead of us, son," said one very fat
gentleman in a high silk hat W were still disJ
satisfied with all the plans we h&va so iar, ' But
what is vour name, and where-do yem come from
with such news?" s .-..!!
' ' i. ' " 1
The other men laughed again, but Ted told them
Jiis name and his story, straight out They laughed'
again, more than once; but when Mr. Wyatt had
told them who Ted's father was, the fat manj who,
was called Captain Clarke, and who seemed to be a !
very important personage, suddenly slapped hit knee
and said good-humorcdly: . "Maybe he 'a .right
Maybe he 's right. Perhaps these are the plans;
we'll build from. Let 's have 'em,. son. You 're
just in time; and if these plans are as good as Wyatt
says, we 'II give your father the contract; and hei
deserves it, if we may judge from his boy."
A great deal that Ted did n't 'understand fol-'
lowed an argument of several minutes, through
which he sat by a window, watching the street be-1
low, and wondering if he would get anything to eat'
that day.
Then at last Mr. Wyatt, came to him, and taking
him by the hand, asked him if he was hungry: and
then, after having the Officer telephone-to head
quarters for permission to leave the boy with Mr.
Wyatt, withr the understanding, that that gentleman
would be responsible to the police department, and
produce him if necessary, he took the "boy to a little
delicious early luncheon at a big restaurant, .where
Ted lost his headache and. became happier. 1,-And
then he went tfick to Mr, Wyatt's office, where .he
stretched out on a big leather couch in- an inner,
room and slept the long afternoon through.
Mr. Wyatt took him to the docks that night to
meet the boat and his father; and when the big
steamer 'made her landing1, Mr. Bronson cfasped a
very happy though tearful little son in his -arms,
while he himself was so glad to find the boy safe
that he forgot all about the plans and the failure,
to which he had been trying, to reconcile himself,
while he told Ted with much self-blame how he had
been left bythe steamer through having; gone ashore
on an errand and having, mistaken the time for re
turning. '' . ' ; '
T 'VB BROUGHT TBS PI.NS" SAID TED.
A very big man in a blue uniform, with gold bands
on cap and sleeves, was just passing. "Hello there,
early bird!" he said to Ted, with a jovial wink which
suited his round, red, jolly sort of face.
"Do you know where mv father is?" asked Ted.
jfijeren,xer arehitecit.ift
ping. "I don't. Maybe I have n't the pleasure of
his acquaintance."
"He did n't sleep here last night," said Ted, back
i ing into his room and pointing to the berth.
The purser glanced inside, and then he looked at
the boy qdestioningly. "What does your father
look like, son?" he asked gently. A J.
"He s big, with a brown beard," replied Ted,
watching the officer's face anxiously.
The purser extended his hand to the boy. "Come
on," he said. "We '11 look for him."
They did look. First the purser sent Ted running
to various likely places; then the officer himself took
up the search. After that, as! the quest had been
fruitless, the steward was called in, and cabin-boys
and waiters were summoned, questioned, and then
they joined the hunt. Of course it did not take long
to search the steamer thoroughly. But no one found
Mr. Bronson.
The purser told Ted in as cheery a manner as
he could, explaining that the father must have gone
ashore and been left behind, and he treated the mat
ter as a joke for Ted to laugh at. But Ted's heart,
which had been steadily sinking, seemed to go into
the very soles of his shoes. Though he could see
the reasonableness of the purser's- theory, he could
not quiet his own fright and anxiety, and certainly
he could not laugh. When the search was over, he
wept back to his state-room, and sat down on the
edge of the lower berth in misery greater than he
bad ever known before, despite the purser's promise
to take care of Jiim, He was too thoroughly alarmed
to cry, even if he would have allowed himself that
indulgence at all. What should he do? What had
happened to his father? Where should he go in
the city ti.ll his father could come for him? How
was he to get anything toeat?
The questions rsced through his brain in helter
skelter fashion, and received no' reasonable reply.
Then suddenly one question rose in his mind which -shut'
out all the rest so quickly that he forgot them
instattly.
What about the plans?
Those precious plans! There tHey were at the
foot of the berth, just where his father had put them.
They were to, have gone this morning to the man
with the queer name in the Masonic Temple who
was to get the contract for his father.
Ted's heart almost stood Still lie remembered
his mother's" shining eyes, his father's flushed face,
when they had srken"f the hope for this con
tract . He remembered what his father hid said
about the importance of being on time for the
that 's why it is so important that my plans-should
get there in time."
"Whov is Wyatt, father?" asked Ted, who had
remembered the odd name.
"Mr Wyatt? He is a friend of mine who . is a
director in , the company which is td own the build
ing, and he has seen the plans, He favors my
caus, you see, and will do everything he can to help
me. He has an office In the Masonic Temple.
Ted was no 6tranger to city life. His own home
, town was a Hvsand bustling .place, where street
traffic was heavy, and buildings rose to what seemed
to him huge proportions. He was familiar with
rushing cars and cabs and the clanging gongs of
fire-engines, police patrols, and ambulances. Boy
like, too, he. loved it all, the turtswSijeand the din, and
it was anticipation of a greater degree of all this in
the greaf metropolis, with many wonders added,
which made his heart beat with happy excitement
The night boats which cross Lake Michigan from
Grand Haven to Chicago start from Muskegon,
farther up -the Michigan shore, and on this par
ticular night the boat Mr. Bronson had expected
to take was delayed at the formes, place. Further
cause for delay arose in connection with' freight
loading after Ted and his father went on board, and .
as the hour grew late; Ted, in preparation for the
morrow, climbed into his berth and went to sleep -while
the steamer was still at the wharf in Grand
'Haven. The last thing fee heard before he entered
the land of dreams was the closing of the state-.
room door by bis father, Vho again went out 6n
deck. -v. ' ...
It was daylight when Ted awoke, a foggy gray
daylight indeed, but unmistakably day. The first
thing he noted when he opened his eyes was the
dim glimmer at his port-hole, which made him
wonder where " bis b,ojne bedroom window wss.
.Then he felt the pounding throb of the steamer's ea
' fines, and heard the rattle of some loose bit of
metal somewhere ia thetate-room. z ' ,
Hit eyes brightened and widened as ht, turned
"ever en his side, looking curiously about and listen-'
. 1 t ... Mf. ,rtl a?f . kftn , mm-L1 t.
i',11 j w zi2u:'t-f, ' . , r- ,
. . . . r . .... .
A roaring whistle which deafened him and seemed
almost to lift him from his feet with its tremendous
vibrations burst out upon the air behind him. The
buildings on either side sent back bellowing echoes,
till he clapped his hands to his ears to shut out
the painful blows the sound-waves seemed to strike.
aSmnS"WeWyMWr'Vm'T' whTsfles "were '
blowing, bridges were swinging, tugs were scud
ding about, rooting up the dirty, greasy surface of
the stream .with their black noses like so many lit
tle" pigs in a mud-puddle. The big steamer swung
up. to her dock'amid a babel of shouts and the noise
of hawsers sliding over decks; there was a rattle of
chains, and the hollow bump of the gang-plank; and
Ted brought up his grip and the roll of plans, and
went tQ. the purser.
A tall policeman was the first person to cross the
plank when it was run out, and he crossed from
shore to steamer. In his hand he held a yellow
sheet, and the moment he saw Ted wrh the pur
ser he came directly up to them.
"You 've a runaway kid here, purser." he said,
looking hard at Ted and handing the telegram to
the boat officer.
Ted stared. The purser took the telegram and
read it aloud: C"
"Chief of Police, Chicago: Find boy on steamer
'Queen,' of line from Grand Haven, arriving
Chicago 9 a. m. Has small grip and papers. Hold
boy at headquarters till I arrive by day-boat.
"John Bronson."
the purser.
you run away
Ted's voice was very earnest, and his eyes shone
with a light which affected the big officer more than '
his words. 1
"Sure, you Ve a little duffer to run away," he mut
tered5 half abow "his breath. 'Tlans, is it? Who?
Wyatt? Well, it 's just; across there. Well, well,
don't cry, .you know."
He -looked across at the Temple building and con
sidered "Who is your pa, young un?" he asked,
after a moment.
"He "s Mt. John Bronson, of Grand Rapids, Mich
igan. 'He 's art architect; he makes plans for build
ings.
...'kC-aa.id.ihje. . offictx. "WeJL.it can'
go there, I s ppse. He was looking
And then Mr. Bronson turned, supposing a police
officer had brought Ted to the dock; but, instead, he
found Mr. Wyatt, who put out his hand and said
quickly: "Congratulations, Bronson! The boy has
won the day for you. Your plans wer. approved
and accepted." ' i V -'
"How-T-what?" exclaimed Mr. Bronson. - ,
And then Mr. Wyatt told the whole tale. Of
course we liked the plans, you Jcnow," he said at the
end, "but the boy cinched the decision; for Cap--tain
Clarke took an immense fancy to his having
come away over here alone, and having the nerve
to deliver the plans even in spite of the officer in
spite of his fright and going all morning without
any breakfast He really likes the plans; buf be
likes the boy, too, and he says it 's the boy's eon
tract." t
"Well, I guess it is, Wyatt," said Mr. Bronson,
.tig:ht!Y.,J guess it 'l.
live missed it, sure.",
. . .
i ,
'lha.r.rrx,yt .o,. .,h.oiding.,.W
down at the Ted's contract, for I would
tit ecgiae' pouaiizg
That puts different light on it." said
looking sharply at Ted What did yoi
tor, son:
. ?J did n't run awsy," said Ted. Surprise, then in
dignation, rose within him. The hot tears started ta
hia eyes. How could they so interpret the message?
U did not say he had run away. He started to pro
test, but the policeman reached down and took the
grip which Ted was holding, snd then took hia hand
firmly.
Ted's whole soul rose'ln resentment He had not
ma sway. He had done nothing in any way repre
hensible. He would not be taken in hand thus as a
truant His father had certainly not intended it.
But the policeman's gtip was strong, and to at
tempt escape was as useless as though his big
hand were a steel trap- Ted waited, thinking
rapidly. 1
One consideration was more impomat than all
othera. If the delivery of the plans to Mr. Wyatt
were so important a to cause his father to plan
this sudden rush to Chicago, and to justify the look
of hope and anxiety which his mother's fare had
shown. Ted was certain that toe pims .ought to
be delivered He suddenly remembered his mother's
little jeke sbotrt bis being father's private Secre
tary. Here he was in Chicago. atone, to be sure,
but iof entirely- helpless and here were the plans. .
He would deliver them.
.- SjP!jW'i . . . --
Down beneath the rolling ocean,
At the bottom of the sea.
Lived a Shrimp who had a notion
That a perfect shrimp was he.
He was bright and he was pretty.
Clever, too. and rather witty;
He was jimp, distinctly jimp, fc
Was this pleasing little Shrimp;
So, cf course, ss you may see.
He ecu all a shrimp should be
He was mil a shrimp ahould be, .
'As the Shrimp one day was flitflne
Here and there and all around,
lie beheld a Cockle sitting
On a little sandy mound, t"!
And he said, "O Cockle deary,
.You look rather sad sd weary;
I will sing ta yoa a scng,
Not too short and not too lortgj
Anl I m sure you will agree
It is all a song should be, .
It is all a song should"
Then the Shrimp, with smiles cf fleaSSHV
Took his banjo on his knee,
And be played a merry meas're
Like a Carol or a Ilee; .
And he sang a catch so jally,
AH of frolic, fun, and folly,
All cf merriment and, play, -.
AH ef mirth and'laogbter g'f
And I 'a s-jre yost "d sH ajrea
' - -That a all a catch ihmU t-
TKat u tU a catth s' 1 1. .
, comiattT rr thc cihtvut coifis