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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1920)
A, Voice From DI(. DONALD BKATTY was ev er Inch a scientist. He was a physician and no one who knew him would nay that he had a groin of superstition or gullibility in his makeup. So keenly analytical and logical was he in temperament that he was intellectually "hard boiled." that is, imperturble, amenable to reason and indisputable to evidence, but nev er to emotionalism of claptrap logic. And still Dr. Beatty told a ghost story! And more than that, affirmed 1t to be true actually true claiming that he positively saw the (host and heard the voice of the dead. To say that the two intimate ac quaintances of his who heard him nar rate the tale, were astounded and could hardly believe their ears, is to tate the case mildly. For a moment they even questioned the man's sanity, until they had beard the doctor through and felt the influence of his strong personality In his vivid tellinr; MRS. WENTWORTH had moved Into a new apartment on Lowell avenue. It was In a fashionable part of the city. The apart ment was up to date, with all modern improvements and yet, what Whs there about It that did not suit Mrs. Wentworth's artistic taste? "I'm going to have some changes here," she said to her neighbor in the suite below. ,"But you don't know Mr. Bunker," retorted the other. "You won't get a thing done, I promise you that; none of us can. I've, been trying myself for the past five years to have him do a few little things for me and haven't got a thing yet. He's the most idngy man I know of; won't put out a cent If he can possibly help it." "Well, we'll sec," Mrs. Wentworth replied with her ususl hopefulness. Mr. Bunker was the landlord, own er of a large automobile factory. Mrs. Wentworth thought she did know a little about him, for she had been so Talking Was Easier Bv Joeiia Johnson , jU . ' ill 0, TH..'Ki.'U you again, I remain, etc.." finished fr. Long. "That -4s all Miss Parsons. Try to finish thm before five." "Very well, Mr. Long." Margery' Par sons, picking up her note" book and pencil, stepped to the outer office. She set to work and soon her fingers were flying over the typewriter keys. As she started the last letter, she glanced at the clock. Only twenty minutes of five! A whole half hour left in which to give her desk a much needed clean ing. Just then a tall young soldier entered. "Is Mr. Lone in?" he Inquired. "Yes," replied Margery, "but he is engaged now. He will be able to see you in about twenty ' minutes. Will MRS. MARTIN looked upon her new roomer wfth suspicion. John Howard had come to her the day before and rented an up stairs room. He seemed to be peace ful and law-abiding, but still there was something about him the could not tell just what that she didn't like. It may have been the man's se cretiveness and an air which he al ways bore of repressed emotion and self-consciousness. Too, she had no ticed that he never entered the house and ascended the stairs to his room without taking at least one look be hind him as Cjugh he feared that be was being followed. There was a myBtery about the man's coming to Edgewood, to this Somewhat out of the way city suburb, ifrs. Martin didn't usually rent rooms, but she had felt the stress of the high eost of living, being a widow, and had inserted an ad. in the paper stating that she had one front room that she ould rent. She had hoped that a "oman of domestic habits and com panionable disposition would answer the ad., but instead the first applicant proved to be John Homard. a little man. middle aged, with a tense, anxi ous face. He was very desirous to get the room, and finally offered Mrs Martin DO cents more a week than she had charged. Under the stress of the man's imiortunings she had rented him the room and accepted a week's rent of n, story. He spake as an eye wit ness, and such evidence la invariably convlnclrg. Late one summer evening the doctor was sitting on the broad veranda of his home with two acquaintances of his, one a lawyer and the other a druggist. In the course of conversation some thing was said about the possibility of the soul's survival after death, and the druggist observed that it is strange how a scientific man like Sir Oliver Lodge can believe not only in "life after death," but In spirits and ghosts." "It on.lv proves that man is just as instinctively superstitious as he is re ligions," commented the lawyer. - "I used to think that way myself." observed Dr. Beatty, "and always claimed that spiritism is unmitigated nonsense, until " The druggist and the lawyer were evidently interested, and not at all frightened by his looks when she wen' to engage the apartment that she ha hardly dared speak aloud, though sh. was usually afraid of nothing. Yet this brave little woman was not daunted by her neighbor's report. She knew just what she wanted to make the house what It ought to be and she meant to hare 1L Very sweetly and humbly Mrs. Wentworth sought Mr. Bunker: "Perhaps you haven't no ticed, Mr. Bunker," she began, with one of her most fascinating smiles, "but the paper is falling off from the living-room walls. It must have rain ed in sometime; and the celling Is stained and cracked. Don't you really think something ought to be done?" "Why. yes, yes! Surely!" assented Mr. Bunker hurriedly. "It must be put in order, of course-. I meant to have it done before. Ill send a man round to see about it at once. Pick out the paper you want." Overjoyed. Mrs. WeaVvorth picked out the prettiest paper she could find you leave a message or wait?" "Thank you, I'll wait," he answered, taking a chair near the window. Margerywent on with the letter, keeping one eye on the clock. It was just quarter of five when she finished, so there was plenty of time. She pull ed out the top drawer and started In. "It didn't take you long to do that, did it?" volunteered the soldier. "I wish I could typewrite." he went on. "It's really very simple," she ex plained. "AH one needs is. practice. ' "That's the way it is with" most things." Suddenly the door opened. "I'm very sorry, Miss Parsons." the head book keeper said as he entered, "but Miss MacDonald has gone home ill, so will "I will be right up with the trunk," he said. And true to his word he arrived an hour later with three men. He had one large suitcase and a big, heavy trunk. Mrs. Martin noticed that the men handled It with the greatest care as though it contained china, glass ware, or perhaps eggs! And now, on the morning after her roomer's arrival, when Mrs. Martin went upstairs to make up the bed and do a little dusting, she found .-her roomer there comfortably ensconsed in the big chair by the window, smok ing a pipe and reading the morning paper with that same anxious face that had Impressed her the day before. She went about her work; made up the bed, and then started to sweep a little. She felt Howard's eye follow ing her, her every move, and she was nervous. "B a little careful lady." be finally ventured, "when you're a'handlin' that trunk! It's er too heavy to to move anyhow!" Mrs. Martin stopped her sweeping and looked straight into the man's face. She saw that same tense, intro spective expression written upon it. "What have you got in that trunk, Mr. Howard?" she asked with a forced smile. ' H-m. that's a woman's curiosity !" the man said with a tinge of sarcasm. and added, "I don't want nobody tam per! n' with far things Inhere" and that trunk well, -hat's to be left the Timber f 6y Parke Whitney prepared tor ihe story that ss to follow. "Until what doctor!" exclaimed the druggist. "Until I actually saw the ghost!" re plied the' ' physician, re-lightlug his cigar. "It was really the most thrill ing, the most mysterious and uncanny experience of my life! It revolution tied my thinking, it utterly demolish ed my materialistic philosophy which fell like a bouse of cards! It made me as credulous In considering ques tions of the psychic and occult as pre viously I had been Incredulous and a disbeliever in the supernatural! "It all happened .back in the '90s when I had an out-door sanitarium for consumptives in Texas. First, let me tell you the arrangement of my tent colony. At the west extreme was our public dining room and next to it the tent which my wife and myself occu pied. Directly back of the dining room was a thick growth ' of timber. and the most expensive. Of course it was expensive. Didn't sire know a hat was needed to make the room attrac tive and to set off her furniture, and her landlord did not even speak of the price! When Mr. Hunker came around to see the progress of the work pretty Mrs. Wentworth stood in her front hall,' with its background of dark green paper the dreadful kind that fills, one with thoughts of sea-sickness and everything gloomy and makes the whole world look dark and dreary. "Oh, Mr. Bunker!" she cried in a pleading voice, yet with the cbecrftll spirit that was usual 'to her, and thafl made her so attractive, "don't you see how dull this hall Is with this dreadful green paper that makes the whole you please stamp and seal these let ters?" He placed two large piles on her desk. "Certainly, Mr. Davis," answered Margery, smothering a sigh as she glanced over the littered desk. The young man, interpreting her troubled lodk. crossed the room to her desk, saying. "If you like, I'll fix the letters, while you go on with your desk.'' Margery looked up, polite refusal on her lips, but the kindly brown" eyes above her changed the words. "Why, yes, she exclafmed. "I'd love to have you help, but I couldn't think of your doing it all. M'e both can do It. I'll seal and you put on the stamps ." strictly alone!' Mrs. Martin thought that she detected a foreign accent to the man's voice. The man arose and put on his hat and coat. "I shall have a good many callers." he observed, "and if anybody comes for me tell 'em I'll be back at 3 o'clock. " And John Howard left his room and the house. Mrs. Martin gazed at the trunk. It was a much battered and weather beaten affair, and showed marks of European travel. Examining the out side cautiously she determined that it was of European manufacture. It was padlocked and strapped. She didn't touch it or attempt to Hft It frankly she was afraid to. There was some thing mysterious about it and uncan ny . Tbe mystery surrounding her room er troubled the woman greatly. His ways were strange, and his habits, so Irregular, caused her to speculate end lessly. He had never told her his busiuess, and his anxious solicitude for the safe keeping of the big trunk only Increased her uneasiness. Mrs. Martin soon disepvered that her roomer was invariably In his room b f Tha At the other end of our camp were the rows of tents for our patients, some little removed. "Among my patients was a fellow, about 30. by the name of Dick Car son. Carson was In the last stages of the T. B.s and I knew that he could not possibly live long. He slept in the last tent in the row. at the extreme east. - "As is often the case with this par ticular disease Dick seemed to be feeling unusually well at supper time on the evening of which I am glng to tell you. "That night, as was always my cus tom, I made the rounds of the tents with my lantern at a little after 9 to see that everything was right. I looked Into, Carson's tent and I no ticed that he was sitting on his cot and was doubled over in the act of unlac ing his shoes, but his arms h'ung limp. Entering I soon learned the truth, that Carson was dead. I placed him on The Proper Tact place look dark. Ho can I fix. any thing pretty here? How much more artistic pearl gray would be! It would set off my things and be just lovely." "Well, go ahead and have it done. " he returned with a half grin, as ho passed out of the door. The hall was papered in artistic gTay. but that was not the end. After the papering was finished Mrs. Went worth thought she would like to have the back porch fixed up; it would make such a beautiful place to sit in the morning, if only she could have Did she dare ask for anything more? Yes, she did; and she got it. and many oth er things, a little laer. "Go ahead and have it done." Mr. Bunker assented when she told him how much prettier it would look to All right, that suits me." Without further ado, he helped her push the contents of the drawer to one side, and they started In. When about half done, the pile of envelopes at the soldier's Jeft began to totter. He ac cidentally gave, a quick Jerk and the pile fell, taking with it a number of articles which Margery had taken from the drawer. "Oh! I'm so Borry," he apologized. as he stooped to pick them up. Among them lay a photograph of a young man. He caught it up with' an ex clamation. "Pardon me for Inquiring," he said, "butjs this Alec Parsons? It looks very much like him. he and I were buddies at camp." - ,, "Msaasas t Trunk of Mystery when she entered to do the chamber work. She noted that he never watch ed her only when she was near the trunk, and then his eyes were rivetsd iipon her. One morning she - ventured to re mark. "Mr. Howard, why arc you so afraid that 1 shall open the trunk? Do you think that I would deliberately " "Not at all. Mrs. Martin," tbe man interrupted with a shrug of the shoul-J-?r. "But I warn you--lf you want to live don't monkey with that trunk!" Mrs. Martin felt the cold chills coursing through her body. She didn't like to admit it to herself, but she was frightened. For the moment things looked blue before her, and she hasti ly excused herself from the room and hastened downstairs to the private precincts of her own room. She faced the situation honestly and frankly. Something was m-rong rad ically wrong That Is, something was wronglth this man Howard. She knew it. She was sure of it. What he was or what he might be she could only speculate, but she was convinced that John Howard was an undesirable man to have In her house. She re his cot. covered him with a sheet, and continued on ivy rounds, I said noth ing to anyone', not even to my wtfe when I retired. ' i "I hadn't been sleeping long when both my wife and myself were sud denly awakened by a voice, shrill and distinct, coming from the direction of the woods. 'Doctor! Doctor!' the voice said. "'Why, it's Carson!' exclaimed my wife. And the voice was surely Car son's! Slipping1 on my clothes and lighting my lantern hurriedly I start ed out to investigate. "Just as I reached my tent opening. George Donaldson, another patient of mine, appeared as if out of the earth, half drcssvd, and said. 'Doctor, did you hear Carson calling? His volco came from the direction of Ihe tim ber, I thought. Could It be that he's lost out there'' "Just then we both looked Instinc tively toward the timber. Again we have the porch finished In gray In stead of the dingy red brick. It, was done In gray and the celling sheathed. She set out her jardieneres of potted plants, her little work table, with her knitting bag and basket. She arranged small tables for afternoon tea. with tiuy cups and cut Dowers. Then she invited her neighbors. "Isn't it Just lovely!" they erled, "Pearl gray! How djd you get it done? I never should have dared to ask for anything so elaborate, or, In deed, for anything," they confessed. "Did Mr. Bunker really do all this for you?' ' "Why, yes." she smiled; "I just ask ed him. antl he had It done. He said himself it was much prettier; and lie simply adores the paper I had put on "Why, yes. that's my brother Alec." exclaimed Margery. "Then you must vbe .the Alan Morton we've heard so much about. Are you?" He nodded. "Mother got a letter just the other day. saying that you, had come North. Alec said he'd try to get in touch with you to have you come here, so we could meet you. Could you go out to Overdale this evening? Mother always wants to meet Alec's friends." "Well," laughed Morton, "the rea son I came to see Mr. Long was be cause dad told me to look him up so I'd have something to do this evening. He and dad were chums long ago. I'd like to meet Alec's folks," he contin ued. "I've heard a great deal about I r- ; I solved what she would do. she would return to his room and politely give him a notice to vacate. She started up the stair.- excited and nervous. Suddenly the door bell rang. She noticed that Howard wan already in the hall. He bad evidently started at the first sound of the bell, like a hunted animal. As she looked at blm tor an Instant she felt that he was ready to spring, to tesr her into pieces. , Mrs. Martin opened the front door. A police seTgeant and two officers faced her. "Does a Mr. Howard er Anthony BUkovsky live her?" "Why, a Mr. John Howard has a rocm here." answered the frightened woman. The sergeant smiled. 'I thought so." he said. "Kindly admit us, lady. He's the man we're looking for." The officers strode past the aston ished woman and rushed upstairs. Howard bad already made a dash down the back way leading Into the kitchen, bnt was met there by officers asrd promptly subdued and captured. Mrs. Martin stood as-ft ill as though heard the voice calling, 'Doctor! Doc tor!' And it came unmistakably from out of the darkness of the woods. I must confess that by this time I was conscious of possessing a nervous sys tem If never before In my life. The cold sweat stood out on my forehead, and I felt chills racing through no body. I couldn't speak. My vocal chords were paralyzed. " 'Doctor.' suggested Donaldson. 'Carson must have been out of bis head tonight and wandered off into the woods. W must go get him!' "I tried to speak, but made a poor stsb at it. "'My God! There he is!' suddenly exclaimed Donaldson. "He hasn't even his coat on! He's in his night shirt! And he's got a lantern!' "Stumbling out of my tent I looked in the direction that Donaldson was pointing, and, as sure as I am sitting here tontght, I saw what he saw! A, white form carrying a dimly lighted lantern was picking his way through the underbrush! Now he was In plain sight, though of course we couldn't see his face, and the next instant he was lest to view behind the trees, the light of his lantern glimmering through he foliage. "'Doctor! Doctor! Doctor!' reiter atedjjlhe voice, each time a little faint - By the ball and living roomwalls; and he says he is sure I never could have got along without that hot water heater for the bathroom." "You got all that!" they exclaimed In astonishment. "How did you ever dare ask?" "Well, you see. I just asked; and it didn't seem so very hard after I'd once made a beginning. It seemed to come kind of natural after the first, though I did tremble a tiny bit then. I con- fess." But she wondered to herself how she had managed to do It. when they all thought It was so hard to get anything out of him. Then one day Mr. rtunkJ er himself enlightened her. "Do you know how It was you got so much out of me why t did so much them, too." By this time the pile of letters had greatly , diminished. Margery, thanks to Morton, did get the drawer fixed up, to thy accompaniment of much conver sation Because of their mutual friend, the two felt like old acquaint ances. Before 'She left the office, Mar gery gave him directions for reaching Overdale. Morton had decided to see Mr. Long to deliver some message but be promised tobe at the parson's home before the evening ended. Morton kept his promise, and before he left received Margery's promise that she'd answer his letters. For a number of months the letters flew thick and fast, until two young soldiers in uniform for the last time, alighted from the train at Overdale. Then the letters stopped. Not because the writer had become tired of them, but Alan found that he couldn't say all he wished to by letter. Also, it wss much more satisfactory to talk than to write. Shortly after a wedding was solemn- paralyzed for a few minutes, and' the,, recovering ber composure went up stairs to Howard's room. "v'ht Is he? Who is he?" she gasped. r The sergeant stood bending over the mysterious trunk which be had just opened. "This is what he Is," replied the offi cer, handing the woman a document which he had taken from a pile of pa pers. "He Is an agent of the 'Reds' In Russia, is a native Russian, and tha' paper you have in your hands is a commission from Lenlne and Trotzky! This trunk has three bombs In it. some nltro-glycerlne. and a pile of in cendiary radical literature - hlch he has been distributing to his confed erates. He's an anarchist, and Uncle Sam is collecting a bunch "of his stripe Just now to deport to the old country. Bilkovsky will be at home in that crowd!" "Wh? do they call Broadway 'The Great White Way'?" asked the visitor.' "Because," answered the New.York ea, "the thoroughfare Is dedicated to Ice cream soda and buttermilk." r until It was so distant as to be only an echo. The form also seemed to gradually disappear from our vlsw. "I stood there petrified. 'Why In he'll don'-t we go after him, doer Donaldson blurted out. 'He'll die out there from exposure!' "By this time I had sufficiently, re covered my senses to be able to speak. " 'Donaldson' I paid. 'Dick Carson Is' dead! He died In Ms tent tonight shc-tly after supper. I found blm there on my rounds and covered him with a sheet! Let's go to his tent.' "It was now Donaldson's turn to be frightened. 'My God!' he muttered, 'what are we seeln' and hearln' any how? Is It Carson'B ghost?' " 'You can call it what you will,' I replied, 'but whatever it Is It's mighty strange.' "Together Donaldson and I went to Carson's tent. We found Carson's corpse Just as I bad left It a few hours before. Not a fold of the sheet had been stirred. Carson was surely dead and his body was cold." The doctor moved In his chair, cougheil nervously, and shook the ashes off his cigar. "Gentlemen," h said, "whether there is a Mfe after death or whetiior there Isn't that' what I heard and saw you can take It for what it's worth." aia sfr mrm Phil Moore for you?" he asked. "It was because you asked for things kind of gradually and didn't pounce on me for them all at once, as the others do. and demand them as your right and act as If you were going to tear mo to pieces If you didn't get them. You went at It easy- like, just as If you expected me to want to do It; and I did, after I had begun. You see. they came along kind of naturally. When I saw how much better the house wan looking I mad" up ray mind that you had taste and knew just what was needed to make the place attractive; I thought It would be the best policy to let you go ahead and finish your work and have what you llkyfd. Then, too." he added, with a twinkle In his eye, "you have a way of asking that one can't resist." lxed at Overdale. with Alan, as best la. After which Alan and Margery bade good-by to the little town. With their faces turned southward, they set out to write together a lone letter in the Book of Life. 0 LravW It to Him. "I'm afraid your husband Is beyond help." said the doctor to the wife. "I can glvo no hope." "Here you," came a voice from the bed. "I haven't snuffed out yet " "Keep quiet dearie," answered the wife. "Leave It to the doctor; he knows best," ! 0 . "What do those Boston barbers talk about?" "Oh, Henry James and bay rum, Ib sen and hair tonic, Browning ami brll liantlne, and so on." 0- "Mrs. Mary McOlnnls," wrote the woman. ' "Miss Ma.vtiie MscQfnaM" registered ttJt daughter. By Parke Whitney What They Break In. "Well. Jonesie, have you gotten in your winter' s coal supply yet?" "Oh. we burn only wood at our house . . . have three small boys, you understand." , -L . To Ssre Trouble. she i saw you. sir. with that hor rid widow, and I shall send back your presents at once. He Don't de that send them to tbe widow. , "Tom." began Everett True, "bow do you feel toward ths Plumb plan?" "Well, to tell the truth," replied Mr. Duff, "while I like m canned and preserved and In Jelly fairly well, they taste best when just pulled off the tree." ' -p Power of Eloaaence. Judge Are you positive the prison er is the man who stole the horse? Witness I was, your lordship, till that lawyer cross examined me. Now I am not sure that I didn't steal It myself. c c
