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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1921)
V t T t It: i t u ii in . 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 m iiM f i ' i ir 1 1 It ill. I 1 1 1 titM Hi II i;1 1 1 ! I M V 1 . ' r C V - v -UiA .g,l ,rfiwTTiiV-rriii. nnir'r, H-rl DADDY w a failure. Eighty years of successive defeats hid proved It At two mult had kicked htm across a woodpile. The cars still showed on his cheek. Starting with money, but handi capped with too much confidence In his fellows, Daddy had trusted and given away without thought of him self. In course of time he married more money simply because the fir! be loved happened to have tl; and most of this wont as had bit own. But bis wife never questioned. Quite the re verse. This waa the golden thread In Pad dy's life. Whan dying she said there were some things of more value than money and Paddy was one of them, After that Daddy lived as many oth er failures; and now at 12 waa housed In a one-room affair built for a cow shed, In which be had cut a window and laid a rough floor of discarded slabs. Be paid rent by chopping fire- MOTHER GREY watched the last flash of her daughter's smart little auto as It glided smoothly out of the driveway and down the road, with a feeling almost akin to relict For the first time since she had Journeyed from the old New Hamp shire farmhouse a month ago to live in ber daughter's luxurious home she was being left alone, and Mother Grey, though she ebided herself guiltily for the thought, was undeniably happy at the prospect of throe long days devoid of calls on and from Marlon's aristo cratic friends; of being freed from the necessity of making elaborate toilettes, and of doing the hundred other things with which Marion bad contrived to keep her busy, with the well-intentioned purpose of "keeping the dear little mother from dwelling on things." Mother spent a happy hour in her little sitting-room arranging with lov ing care the pictures of her old friends and neighbors from "back home," smil ing tenderly at ear dear familiar face. Then she unpacked her books the GEE! girls make me tired. Let a young doctor coma to town and every girl tn the place makes it a point to" "Bob West!" cried Bob's sister, starting up from the couch, a red spot on either cheek, "if you think I've been near him, you're mightily mistaken. I wouldnt go near his old office It I was dead!" ' With the last word, Phylis burst In to hysterical weeping, and buried fcor face In the cushions. "Aw, forget It," said Bob, "I wasn't hitting you, anyway. Guest I'll be go ing while the going's good. So long!" Outside the door his lips puckered Into a whistle. Whistling, he emerged from the house. Whistling, be strode SONNY-BUNNY and Little Moth er were looking In at the mil liner's window. They were al most laughably alike, with their curly brown hair, blue eyes and trim slight ness, and the expression on the two faces was much the same as Sonny Bunny's in front of the candy shop display. Their eyes were riveted upon a dainty creation of white straw and pink roses. Even the little boy knew it Just to be the thing for Little Moth er. "Go in an' buy it, moth'," he begged. "Can't Sonny," said Little Mother, her cheery tone belying her longing eyes. "There haven't been enough weddings this Spring." "Weddings?" queried the child. "Yea; you know daddy gives me the wedding fees for my own. Thit year there haven't been enough so I can of ford a new bat" At this moment the minister drove up in his shiny Ford and took bis wife I Return of Big Bear S ' E!s1e dkott f J . . .- Ml..-r ,,- ,. ; lgBia-.-lJliilUui'-l -JU ilrr r S-- -rrrnrr. ', j," i""' "?-r- -g. T . GOLDEN-HAIRED Bonny, the pride of the Tburstoa house hold, bad never before been punished. On this occasion, his pa rents had decided that to further "spare the rod" was to "spoil the child." A a result of this decision. Sonny was called into the living room and his chastisement delivered with great solemnity, then he was sent w bed. From his bed the child could see the tnmin arise; he counted the stars and planned what he would do could he fc The Great wood for the owner. This morning, en bis etghty-eecond birthday anniversary, paddy was sit ting on a box gating questionably at the rags. He bad bought them as be could, from door to door, with small amounts gleaned by chopping wood and doing odd Jobs. The speculation bad looked toward profit But prema turely the man who wag to bny the rags died, and the stock was left on Daddy's bands. It dldnt mar the cheerfulness of the knotty old face. That was always cheerful; his eyee al ways twinkling. As he sat there. Dad dy reached out bis hands over an old stove, picked up in trade. The pipe led to a hole In the side of the shack Around this hole a good deal et eold air earn in. The rag question was Important Just now. One of Daddy's legs bad stiff ened under a sudden attack of rheu matism so that bis really dependable means of livelihood, the saw horse In big Bible, the volumes of poetry, her precious albums, and, away down at the very bottom of the trunk, her cook book! She turned the yellowed page reverently. There were copies of reci pes In many handwritings, some of the writers long since dead. "Oh!" exolalmed mother, "my fingers Just Itch to go to cooking!" She glanced out of the window and beheld the maid going down the steps. A sudden crafty little smile played around mother's mouth Feverishly she divested herself of the shimmer ing silk gown and donned a comforta ble gingham house dress, relie of the happy days "back home," and a blue checked apron. Armed with the cook book she descended to the kitchen. A big pan of freshly-picked blueberries sat on the table. "I declare!" crooned mother delight edly, "it I wont make a berry pie!" She was In the midst of rolling out the crust when the front doorbell rang. Mother, freeing her hands somewhat from Hour by the simple expedient of Benevolent Sister down the. walk, Now, one's lips may be engaged in whistling the gayest of gay airs and at the same time one's mind be occupied with the working out of a solution to some weighty prob lem. Bob was thinking, not a new oc cupation for him, although it would be hard to make anyone in Mansfield be lieve It . "I wonder what's the matter with old Phil (Phylis waa Just four years her brother's senior). She did look all n, come to think of it Let's see, she's been working for old Balnbrldge going on five years, and anybody that knows anything knows he's fierce to work for." So ran Bob's thoughts, "Why is Phil working?" asked his conscience. "She's working tor you! and little son for the homeward drive. The new Ford had been necessary but almost too expensive. This bad some thing to do with the lack of money for a new bat tor Little Mother. When Sonny-Bunny got , home be changed Into his blue overall suit and went out in the parsonage orchard to reflect He did it in the crotch of the August-sweet trees, which grew low and was a capital nest for a small boy. Little Mother needed some weddings, he knew a little about weddings, for mother had explained something about them when young couples bad come to the bouse. As far as be could see, though, weddings came unsolicit ed, Sonny-Bunny was positive that his father did nothing to attract custom. At this moment Silas Lovejoy chancd to drive by. The sight of him started the child's, mind upon a new tack. A conversation between bis pa rents, overheard only the other day. VP there among them. But as the grievances of childhood are toon for gotten, be thought of the splendid time be bad bad rioting around the garden disguised as an Indian chief. "It was nice fun." thought the chief, "to behead the sunflowers, for they were so tall." What was the use ef moping in bed when the stars were calling him, and besides, didn't Big Bear go out after dark? After rea-rnlng rut his childish lrgic, the mole -n Indiaa twined the bed spread about bim (for, in bis pic tV4l""lD 0 u tt 0F LOVE Failure corner and the wood taw on the wall, could not be used. "Hello, BUI," he called cheerfully. "Sit down on the box. Glad to have somebody to speak with though I guess all your talk'U be "bout Liza Ruth. How soon you goln' to get mar ried? "Dont look llke-s erer," gloomily. "Fact'ry's shut down, an' I'm out of work, an' nothln' likely to come till Spring opens, when there'll be plenty o' plowin' an' garden Jobs around." "Well, that's only a few months." "They'll kill Lisa Ruth fore then. She grows peakeder every day Her uncle, tool But then be Just about works his own children to death, an' Lisa Ruth's only a niece. Don't give her half 'nough to eat, an' no clothes. Goes round this weather In a thin cal Iker an' with shoes worn to her tockln-s. An' I cant do a thing." He dropped down with a force that almost crushed the box to the floor. "An' I wiping them on her apron, and bliss fully unconscious of the powdery ridge across her nose and cheek, opened the door. And there on the veranda, daintily booted, gowned and gloved, every care fully marcelled gray hair in place be neath her exquisite hat stood Mrs, J. Augustus Blynn, come to pay a call on the mother of her daughter's most Intimate friend! For one awful moment mother waa seized with a wild Impulse to slam the door in the aristocratic lady's face, and flee from the house ere she disgraced her daughter still further. Then her natural good sense and kindly hospi tality asserted itself. For you! For yon!" answered the same monitor. It was true. Unable to attend col lege herself, Phylis was determined Bob should. In the fall be was to enter Harvard. He had been working all Summer, but It had been pleasant work, that of taking parties on the lake In an up-to-date motor boat be longing to the one hotel which the village boasted. The cool breezes from the lake were preferable, ah, much, to the dingy back room where Lawyer Balnbrldge had his office and where Phyllis was em ployed as his stenographer. As Bob's thoughts reached the point where it seemed as If every bird on the bough screeched forth words: "She's TV. recurred to his memory. "How long has Silas Lovejoy been going wlth'Abbie Dunn?" mother had asked. "6even or eight years," had been the minister's reply, "Well, I should think they would get married now," mother bad said. "Since old Mr. Lovejoy died there's nothing to prevent" "Sllaa It a man of habit," responded the minister. "He's got Into a rut, and hell stick there till somebody or some thing Jolts him out ot it" The mental processes of a child may be as direct as light, or as circultouu well, as a country road. After mull ing It over for a while Sonny-Bunny ture book. Big Bear was enveloped in a blanket) and fearlessly went down the dark back stairs for a last skirmish before sleeping. After skulking around In all the dark corners of the garden without finding any enemy, the eaiitions Indiaa crept np behind the Summer house. On hearing voices within, ho thought bis chance bad come to toma hawk someone. So be awaited the op portune time. . . . There! There's your ring. Jack Nor ton, and never speak to me again," i s only flggared on $50," he groaned. "Seems like a big husky teller like me ought to get that But twould hire a small shanty back In the woods, put in a few things an' a stove, an' pay the minister, as' leave a little to start on groc'rlee. Mighty skimpy, I low, but twould be taken ear of bar so much better'n she'll be over there. Xm scared to thtnk bow shell get through the Winter." Daddy nodded sympatbeltcally. "I know just bow you feel, Bill," be said, "an' I know Liza Ruth's uncle. We've Just got to get her away from there." His hand went Instinctively Into bis pocket, then was withdrawn with a rueful laugh. "Oettin' old an' chlldlsb. Bill," he apologlred. "Now an' then I forget. Long time ago I had money down in the bottom of my pockets, an' when I'm sort of worked up I'm apt to feel for some. I wanted to give It to you an' Lira Ruth tor a start But say, how'd you like to go In with me .--As in Olden Days ''Wont you step right into the draw. tag-room.1' ghe Invited, "and excuse me tor Just a moment I." her eyes trav eled uncertainly from her floury apron to her visitor's face, "I was making a berry pie," she finished bravely. A sudden gleam of Interest flickered Into Mrs. J. Augustus Blynn't bored eyes. "Berry piel" she breathed. She laid a smooth Jeweled hand on moth er's gingham shoulder. "My dear, will you allow me to come into the kitchen and watch you? Oh, those berry plea I used to maker' she continued, shak ing her bead reminlscently, as she fol lowed mother eagerly into the big, airy kitchen, "Werent they simply delicious ah, I see you're using an working for you! For jou!" bo slammed the front gate, and stepped from the curb directly in the path of I tearing, tooting, oncoming automobile. The next thing that Bob knew be beard a groan. Again he heard it, and yet again. The sound was olose by, ah, very close. He opened bis eyes. A face he bad seen before somewhere bent over him. "You young scalllwag!" came a brisk voice', "wait till I get you out side youll sport more than, one, black eye." At that Bob tried to alt up but firm hands kept htm down. In the room someone sobbed. Came the brisk voice: "No bones broken- Bruises, Iota of Partner of concluded that it would be a good idea to mention the subject of weddings to Mr. Lovejoy. That afternoon Sonny-Bunny went fishing in the brook.- There waa a myth that a trout lived In this brook, and Sonny had spells of trying to catch blm. On the other side of the brook was Mr. LoveJoys potato patch, and In the patch the owner, hoeing. Sonny had thought be might be there, By and by, the trout declining to ap pear, the small boy went over to visit Mr. Lovejoy. "Hullo," respoded the child. He eat down beside the green rows, In the shade, and watched the man work. By-and-bye Mr. Lovejoy cam and (Sonny recognized the voice as that of his Aunt Alice) "This Is final?" No response. "Then I understand that silence gives consent," with these words Jack strode away. Sonny sat down and pondered. Sonny sat down aed pondered. "What did this mean?" But, being an active lad, be decided to Investi gate and enteredtbe Summer houso. There he taw a white figure crum By Parke Whitney . bar as partners r "Onwhatr "Makln' patchwork quilts an' spreads," explained Daddy. "I b'lleve there's money In It an' 1 blleve I'm goln' to be Int'rested I mean I blieve we all are." Bill waited. "There's pieces 'nough on the floor an' In them bags to make fotfy," Daddy went on, an' there's sale tor such things round here. I notice some of the stores car ry Just common quilts marked 11 an' real hand-stitched piece ones ought to be worth four times more. But even at II, osln' these rags, we could make money. What "specially started me Is a fair they're goln' to have next month. Tou tee, they give prises to the fair, an' ones that want to can mark prices on their quilts an' tell 'em. They bad a fair three yeari ago an' I was hired to keep the ball clean, an' I noticed they most all sold. Everybody teemed to buy." "I cant sew," objected Bill. "My Old-fashioned deep pie-plate. That! as It should be. These modern shallow onee art painfully inadequate. May I Just tee your reolpeH She took the cook book eagerly, her habitual air of bored Indifference quite gone, as she turned the pages. Suddenly she uttered a little delighted shriek. "My mothqr't Sunshine Cake!" she exclaimed Joyfully. "There never was another rule that equalled it, and I lost hers year ago. She taught ma to make It when I was a girl, and folks said It was Just like hers." Tears glistened in her eyes. '1 could make that sunshine cake after all these years, I know X could," the murmured bait to herself. By Joeifa Johnson 'em, but let's be devoutly thankful lt't bo worse, I hope Itfi enough, how ever, to cure him from throwing him self In front of automobiles in general, and mine In particular. I'll run In again during the day." "Gee, I bad the funniest dream." said Bob with yawn. It was in the wee small hours of the night, and Phyllis had shooed ber mother off to bed and taken ber place by Bob's bed side. "I dreamed you and Dr. Boyd me each other at Aunt Kate's last Sum mer, and Just because we haven't got whacks of 'mon' you wouldn't let him know where we lived. In the dream Dr. Boyd came dancing Into the room Just as it he were young." 'Ml Cupid drank from the, water jug hidden in the bushes near the child and sat down to rest a bit. "Mr, Lovejoy," said Sonny-Bunny se riously, "did you ever think about get tln' married?" "Hey? What? Git marrledt What for?" cried the man. "Why lots of folks do you know and then you'd have somebody to do the housework," stammered Sonny, a trifle frightened. "Well, I never seemed to get round to It" "It says on one of the motto-cards at school, 'Ner put off till tomorrow what you can do today,' " said Sonny. "And Moth' says today it all the time pled is a heap moaning, "Why did you leave me? Why did I let you go?" Thit made the child torry for hit misdeeds so he crept oftlT up to ber saying: "Aunt Alice, I didn't runaway, I'm back again." Receiving no answer but the same "Why did you leave me?" he ald: ''Do you mean me, Aunt Alice, or do you want Mr. Norton?" Sonny waited a short while for a re ply and receiving none he untwined the spread from about him; giving It to fingers are too big. I couldn't tew on a button." "Dont need to coolly. "1 ean. Been tewin' an mendin myself up a good many yean. One whan X was married an tied up with rheumatics, my wife learned me to knit an' make lace an' do line atwln." Ill handle the needle and' you can wash out an' Iron the rags an' sort of help. "But that won't be fair to you." Yes, It will. Dont you see, It'll be company for me an' "he tried to Jump up, but fell back with a grunt as the lame leg refused to take part In such violent exercise. "What's the matter?" asked Bill. "Nothln, only a lot of idees struck me all at ones, an' I forgot the leg," grimaced Daddy, but with his eyes twinkling. "You're ready to do any thing, I s'poser "Anything that's all right," emphat ically. "Wejl, take my taw an' tawhorse an' go over to Mr. Green's, the storekeep er, an' tell him you'll cut all his wood an' take it out In groe'rles. That'll fetch him. Put today In there. To morrow go to the minister's and saw his wood. Taks that out, too," "What in?" asked Bill , "Lisa Ruth. But wait till I get By Aimer Anttoay Mother's kind eyes were soft with sympathy, and a erazy little Idea came Into bar head. ''Dear Mrs. Blynn," she laid, "how would you" she hesitated, aghast at the very boldness of the sug gestion, "why wont you let me get you one of my bouse-dresses and you ean make your mother's, sunshine cake, right now." "Oh!" breathed her visitor. "If you only would!" Ten minutes later Mrs. J. Augustus Blynn stripped the rings from ber dain tily manicured hands and plunged soger fingers Into the big brown' mix ing bowl In her lap and began "cream ing" the butter and sugar for the tun shine cake. "He la young," murmured PhylJe, laying ber head on Bob's pillow. "And he said," continued Bob. "'Ah, Fve found you at last and I'm never going to let you go!' Say, honest, sit, aren't yon sorry you've got a broth er?" "I'm tort of torry for the girl who hasn't a brotbsr," came from the oth er end of the pillow. "You're a good sport Phil," com mented her brother, pulling her long braid of hair. It was bis style of be stowing a caress, and Phylis with t happy heart accepted, it as such. It was some weeks later that as young Dr, Boyd was picking Bob up quite as though he were a baby and was depositing him in the chair by the window JBob opened his mouth and shot out these words. "We've troubles enough without you banging around here." "Troubles. What do you call trou bles?" queried Dr. Boyd. But Bob was gazing out of the win By anybody ever has to do anything. Yes terday'! gone and tomorrow never gets here." "She's wise woman," said Silas. "Daddy says a mad without a wife Is a poor mla'bla thing," remarked Sonny. "He says Moth' has been the making of him." "Shol" "Mr. Lovejoy," timidly, "are you a poor mis'ble thing 'cause you ain't married?" A pause. "Yes, I be!" was the re ply. "Then don't you think you better gi married right off?" suggested Sonny. "Yes, I do!" came the answer with emphasis. the weeping girl with tblt statement! "I guoss you mean Mr. Norton. Dry your eyes on thit so they won't be red when I bring him back." Mr. and Mrt. Thurston who were en-' Joying the coo) evening on their front porch were amazed at seeing a little boy n white pajamas go speeding up the street, and were thankful that their son waa sound asleep under the cov ers. Up the street ran Sonny, never stop ping till hs reached his destination, which was when he collided with a young man who was disconsolately walking homeward. With what Utile breath he had left, and with much Stamping of bis right foot, the brave Indian gave vent to bis feelings, "You bad, naughty man! Don't you know any. better than to make my Aunt .in.,,, ntmm titUmin. miw HHni-iimur"1"""'" hiihiW through. Next day go to Hiram Fot ter'a an' saw hit two cord tor money. He's give me the order, but tell him I'm laid out Take his la and buy calls an' hinges an' a cheap door an a one-tub window." "What forr dazedly. To build a lean-to room behind) this. The owner won't care an' be tides It'll be bis when we're through. There's a ptle of old slab lumber ha told me to use tor fire-wood if I want ed to. It'll be plenty for the lean-to. You and I'll build or, no, I to rot tho leg. I'll work on the quilt u you'll build. You can do It In a day or u day an' a half, can't you?" "Yes, but what" "For me to move Into, of course," laughed Daddy. "You an' Liza Ruth will move In here. We got to get her away from there, say, "bout Sat'day, You'll go for her an' take her to the minister'!, then bring her Btralgbt here. Lisa Ruth ean help me with the sewln', an you can bunt round an' do all the Jobs you can. An'" But Bill was gone. He bad grabbed the saw and sawhorse and bolted through the door. Daddy chuckled softly, then went energetically to work at bit piece-sorting. And In due time the berry pie, all flskey. golden crust stained here and there with little purple poolt to hint at the lusclousness benestb, and the sunshine cake, a thing of beauty and fragrance, were placed tide by side U cool. t ' "I haven't been to happy for years I declared mother's visitor. "I'm so glad!" beamed mother cor dially, then ber blight fact clouded. "I dont know what Marlon will say," she said hesitantly, "Maybe I'd better not tell her." "Nonsense!" differed Mr. J. Augus tus Blynn decidedly, "It's high time we began teaching our daughters to cookl" dow. "Dr. Boyd," be taid auddenly, "what do you think of a fellow that allows hit titter to work herself to sbreda to put him through college?" "I tblnk It's high time he put the brakes on and stopped it," answered the doctor. "I'm going to," tald Bob, "and what's moro" "Hold on," interrupted the doctor, "I'm not done. I was about to add and let her husband advance the funds." Bob glared at blm. "I'd see a sister of mine skin her husband out of the money to put me " Bob stopped. "Who's she going to have for a husband?" ha askod suspi ciously. "She's promised to give me a try at it," answered the doctor with a grin. . "I had a hunch It was you," said Bob with an answering grin. "I guess all the balm that's been used In this house tn the put fortnight hasn't been used on me," he added, Jennie Slater A week later the minister almost had heart failure when Silas and Abble Dunn appeared at the parsonage to g married. Unfortunately Sonny-Bunny was in bed and knew nothing about it till next morning. He saw the bill which bis father gave to his mother, however, the same that Mr. Lovejoy had handed bim with the license. It was big enough to cover the new hat and the white pumps little mother wanted. Sonny-Bunny feols sure that be engi neered that wedding and so be did but somehow hi hat never felt Just like telling even little mother anything about bis connection with it! Alice cry. You ought to be ashamed ef yourself to make a girj cry. I wouldn't do that to anybody smaller'n me. I'm going right home and tell my, daddy on you." Ha would have turned to carry out hit threat bad not Norton stayed hint and questioned i , "How did you get here?" Sonny's fighting blood was up. "I t-aq here 'cause you made AunJ Alice ory. C'mon back and 'pologlze, same as I do when I quarrel With, Cousin Nettie." Tugging at Jack's coat In his anxioty Ul bring blm back to Aunt Alice, he) told of bow he had overboard the last part of their disagreement but before the child bad finished bis tale Norton caught htm up In hit armg and hut ried back to Alice,