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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (March 19, 1921)
Til: delltat loner of t white orchid trembled ever so ' slightly in it paper-thin crys tal vas m th wealthiest mn in th city tilted bark hi swivel rbalr and drummed th finger of hit thin hand on bit mahogany desk. Th wealthiest man sighed. He felt wery much alone. Old Scout, hla thor oughbred alredale, had died that room ing, and the jorId In consequence seemed fry thin and much apart from aa old wealthy man. True, be had many frlendi and wa much beloved, but Old Scout was kti family, and when one family diet one'i world It hollow. He waa aroused by th respectful knocking of hit nffle boy, and tho door opened reverently ai the tittle fellow entered. The old man liked th boy and his bright freckled far waa M welcome aa ever this morning. "Good morning, Tom," th wealthiest Baa greeted th boy. "Top o' th Ktornin' to y, yr hon " Th wealthiest man smiled. "Why Aa yon call me that, Tom?" Call ye what, yer honor r "Tour honor." Th boy blushed and twisted his fin ger la hi coat but his eyas aerer ware red: "Because, air," he -stressed th air. "I forgot, air." "Tarpot what. Tom?" . "Tor honor." LBONIA bad rchd bar twenty second' year befnr b had ea a moving picture. ba kissed by t rcaa, or ajoye th hnmrtoas smoothness of t (ilk-flock-tngwd leg. Th awtktnlng to this third deprivation waa what ttarted IVtonla oa ber flight towards Ind paadrac. x too1a was th daughter of aa el dirty country gentlamaa, who be Ilwred that th youth of today wer beaded oa a ped train towards de struction, and that his daughter would not follow suit if be could help it. So sh was brought up la a restricted n- Tfronment, living tclect, conserva tir llf on th larg estate, with scholarly tutors and maidenly attend ants. . v v And then quit suddenly sh awyk to the limitations of ber existence and became possessed with th desir for silk stockings, plus th other joys of life. Sh arrived at th desir by a strange manner of reasoning. The clothes sh wor wer old faahiqncd and old maidish. The modern lads liked styl and dash, and to Judge from th village girls silk stockings. Leonla was desperatey lonely. She wanted to b like th girl who went walking every Sunday with their OR pity' ItJce, girls, aren't you (Trad ytr called Mr. We toa from th atalrway. "Iam ail ready and your grand pa I hitching up "hd won mustn't keep him waiting In th cold." . . Ta ready, too. xoqjher," answered Agnes, th younger, daughter. "It's Isabel tbatl dawdling. She won't be ready till Summer." Isabel, wet seventeen aad pretty aa a picture, tat down; and, taking off bar everyday shoes, f av tbem a vi cious littl tost Into the corner of th room. "Mother I scared , to death fer fear Breck Montleth will get to the dance fir minutes before I do. I bat him and all th other grinning Idiots that will b there tonight I d a thousand times rather stay bom than " . "Ob. Isabel! Breck Is the nicest maa la Colorado, and I do wfeh you would quit baiag so grouchy and just beeass Will McCall Is gone," she add d tinder her breath. , , Mrs. Weston now cam hustling in to th room, tnd by th aid Of her mother aad titter Isabel wa ready WASN'T Dorifl glorlou to night? Oh! Bb made me fel at If 1 wanted to cry and cry for hour OB end. Do you uppos I'll ever ting Ilk that?" Th speaker dropped ber ebla Into her cupped bands and stared across the shabby littl cafe with t gaze of almost tragic wlstfulnef.s. A few block away the great opera hou'ee wa onre mor a silent, dark ened cavern. In ber dressing room Ibt prima donna wbOH "Butterfly" had moved eager hundreds to envy, sad nest, or admiration as the case might bo waa frHfully removing ber make up and thinking of the check in her band bag and th delayed dinner wbith would be ready In her apartment. "I'a bel dl," hummed the girl In th mt! cafe. "Oh! do you think It will ever com to m?' Iter companion, a big, dark-eyed girl, set down ft eup of viciously strong black colfe and gripped ber fist tn!y on th edge of the table. "Don't ever give rt up I never will. It' worti uiy struggle any acriflce." A little old msn sat opposite th ' two girls. H s sipping tea, munch ing a bam aandwirh, and around the of fcig atppr regarded them Th old man poaaere and shoox his head. "I dont understand yt, my boy. Tell m again." - Tha ley f7 redder under hit freckles, but h stood ataucch. "It a fame, )r." "Oh, yes, T ee." The man twisted th crystal vas between his thumb and forefinger. He watched th heavy blossom tilt back and forth while he questioned further. ""And if I told you I liked games, Tom, would you let m play, too?" Th wealthiest man grasped th vas in his entire palm. t v Th slender crystal stem cracked and brok. A stream of water trickled over th paper oa th desk and min gled with a drop of red blood from the Wealthiest man's band. Th whit orchid seemingly t shuddered and writhed. Ita delicate petal turned gray and crumpled. It faded into aa ash and waa gon. Th boy's race was whit and awed. H looked apprehensively at th man, "Oh. lr . . . h said, hi valej weak. "If gnne, Tom." ,Th man spoke lightly. beaux. Even Katie, th kitchen girl, waa to b envied. How could she wta th attentions of some estimable young man? Modern clothes, fjern man-, aers. Silk Stockings! Blushing over th audatg thought sh decided at th sam tim to pro cur them by hook or crook. But how? Father hadn't any money to spare; her allowance wa limits! to $1 a week, and aba dared not ask lor more. Other girls managed to earn money, but th had been brought up 'jy a man Who be lieved It unwomanly to teek occupation outside th home. What Could she do? On day aa she was surreptitiously examining a malt order book and tg urlng that sh needed at least $100 for a complete outfit of clothes, th bright idea came. "Beautifully embroidered dresses of sheerest laws for littl tots, 2 to C years, 1 10." sh read, and th Idea hatched on tho spot. She had mad dolls' clothes for years. Why not littl children's when ber grandfather drove ta the door and called. "All aboard!" It was scarcely sundown, though bit ter cold, but the sled was piled high with warm comforts and plenty of hay. A nest was made for a small tub filled wiUi doughnuts and several va rieties of pie, and when all was ar ranged they went skimming over th now to a ranch tome miles away. Breck Montleth was near th door awaiting the Westons when they ar rived. He was a large man, with hair beginning to gray a little about the temples,' but with heart and spirit S young as a boy. He asked Mrs. Wes ton for th first dance, but the second on h begged of Isabel. She wa about to excus herself on the plea that th wa tired and must rest; but th looked up and encountered such a pleading look from her mother that with Kindly qtflillcal (yl. ''I take it you're music students?" he advanced, courteously. For the first tim th girl bectm awtre of his presence. "Yes, we are." The old man's face grw genial and encouraging. The girls responded: "Did you hear Dorine tonight? Wasn't sh superb?"' "Madame Dorine is t very great art ist. I know ber. I bar known her Tor a great many years. I have a fancy she would like you to hear ber story. You particularly." fje Indicated the dark-eyed girl who had last poken. Tbey bent forward glowing and ex pectant. Coffee and Ices wer forgot ten. - "?h was bom in a small town out West Sally Gerrlsn ber name was Lucky Sally' that' what they called ber. It begaa when my brother sent ber East to study singing. You my alec and b wer chwna, almost in- 5 Domestic Triangle By Parke Whitney I - ' The Wealthy, "Yep. like death, sir." 'Tes, like death, Tom, or dreaiua." "Oh. ao." 'jcr honor, ob. no, sir, I mean ; dreams they alat lilt that. If y belier in 'em and put faith in 'cm they're bound, sir. bound to com tru." "And why do you think so. Tom?" , "M mother, sh says o, yr sir. I mean." Th wealthiest man felt a lump la hit throat and fullness around his eyes that Wat even more forceful than earlier that morning, when Old Scout feebly tried to wig his tall just be fore "Couri you get Into collage, Tom? It awfully hard. There's exam and schooling" Tom's , whole body was tens with eagernest, "Ob, sir, we're doin' that, Mary 'ft m. I'm goln' to bight school and Mary helps me, too. Mary' any sister." , "And mar asked the man. "Oh, ma, well, there's ber yes, you know, sir." "Ah, ys. her dyes," the old man r peattd. '.' Tom edged nearer. "Oh, y sir. I mean, theyr such beautiful eyes, T.l' t Dresses For Dolls clothes? There was no tewing ma chin in th house, but th teams would b short and easily hand sewed. Besides th embroidered with master finger. 'And up In the attie wa the wonderfully fine linen Which had been packed away in the cedar chest since ber mother'! death year before. Leonia's castle ' rapidly assumed enormous proportion. Sh couldn't quite figure out Just where she would sell the finished gowns, but as th pat tor had so Often advised sbe had but to follow th candle light and as th progressed Dw paths would Open up for her. Filled with the money Idea she hastsned to the village stor to buy a pattern, and there, she halted, struck dumb by a new idea. Standing near th counter was a young traveling man whom she bed noticed several times before. He was a stranger to her, but she had heard him spoken of as a "coming young man." Swaying between hop and fear, the approached him. sbe had not the .heart to refuse When their dtnee was -finished h let! her to a quiet comer and seated him self by ber side. "Isabel," li said, "I was In Denver lest week, and I know what great readers you girls are all three of you" he laughed as he thut included the mother "so I bought some books for you. I'll bring them over .next Sunday." 1 "Thank you," she replied frigidly. . "Isabel," h said. "I do so much wish that I could change your feelings toward me. Is there nothing, little girl, that I can do to make you like me the least bit in the world?" "There is nothing that ran change me, Breck. And I might aa welt tell you now that ther is not a bit of hop for you never for there it an othr man." A Strange separabie. and there w is money in'our family while the Gerrlsbes were poor, at least too poor for that sort of thing. "Well, they came on here, found a good teacher tnd settled down to bard work. Tbey Were as different rs any two girls you ver saw. My niece was a quiet little thing. Took everything pretty sober and thought a long while before th made up her mind. The Lord gav ber a better vole to begin with than Sally, but the had the ambi tion tnd th get ther and was Willing to mak sacrificed. i "At the etd of a year tbey were both getting ahead fine, but my nice bad taken up with a beau, and she was do ing a lot of thinking about mor things thsn ntusie. I never saw him, but I guess b wit pretty handsome look ing, aad he waa rich aad sort of a swlL Well, about this time someone beard my nlc taking her lesion, and be wa crazy about ber voice. 1ft was looking for a copraao for bis church, 1 , 1 mm , 1 1 11 1 11 Poor Man ma's. arc. Big and soft and brown, but, sis," Tom touched th sleev of th man's coat, "she caa't se nothln'." H fingered th broadcloth. . "But, yer honor, Mary 'n uis 're goin' to fix that. There's doctors maybe what cqulJ help her, don't ye think, yr hon sir, 1 mean." Th wealthiest man passed the back of bis hand across his own errs. "Tom," he said, "you saw thatorchid there?" : , "Yes, sir." "Do you know how much money it costs?" ' Tom grinned and shook his head in denltl. That (lower, Tom. ut 'that one, cost $25." The wealthiest man's rote waa stem. Tom quivered bit, he knew th boss could b very ever. "Every dsy. Tom, I have such a one her in my office." "Yes, sir." "That's $23 a day,' Ton'' Jhe man smiled somewhat grimly. "How much Is that a week, boy?" Tom pondered. The wealthiest man continued. "How much do you get a k, Tom?'' "Five, ir." He was at one alert. "1 I 113 IE. 1 iALJ't'.l L.i n SEE! -'Are you a salesman?" she asked timidly. ' Th man turned towards her. He had a nice, clean-cut face. "Yea, can I do anything for you?" "You might glv me some advice if you will. I want to sell some chil dren's dresses. Do you sell Such things on commission V "No, 1 don't," returned the man re gretfully. "My line is shoes." "Ob!" Lconia suddenly realized her boldness and blushed furiously. "I'm sorry to bate bothered you." Her disappointment and embarrass ment wer so evident that the man waa suddenly Interested In her. ."I say, don't,, go," h .exclaimed. "There's no reason why I can't look Into .th matter. I'm on my way to a large department store In the bext town. They deal in dresses aa well as shoes. Tell me more about your stock.". He was so encouraging, so matter-of-fact, that Leonla soon found herself "What!" he cried, with .ashen face. "You don't mean that, Isabel:",-, , "But I do," sbe averred. ; "Who is he, Isabel?" and his voice shook. "Is it tome one you knew back East?" "VII not tell you any more it's Just another man. Thft's enough, In't1l?" "Yes, that's enough;" and Breck slipped away. II was seen no more that night. People wondered about him, and many Inquiries were ntftde, but no one could tell why or where he had gone. B-eck did not go to anv more dances that Winter. Mrs. Wen ton often locked at Ivabel with sad questioning eyes, and with a reproach in her manner thst was keenly felt by th glrU Isabel's heart was in Wyo ming w ith Will McCall, v Ho had gutso away without o much. ft goodby; an4 this, with the senso of hit moth Old Man and he bunted her up and Offered her tb position. , . 1 "Sally and she talked it over tnd her young man was consulted. That's when he met Sally. In the end my aleee de cided she didn't want the position. You see she didn't have to care about the money side of it. and she thought It would Interfere with her practice. Rally for some ra8on didn't agree with her. She took en at a great rat. Called ber a fool and wished she'd had the chance, and at last she said If Crystal that' my ntcc wouldn't tsk It she wis gting to have It. "I don't ki.ow to this day the wholo thing, but Crystal' young man had something to do with Sally's getting the church. She did get it, and the folks back borne Said again, 'Sally'' luck, and did anyon ever tee any thing Ilk it?" "There's a lot of things you caa't set rigbt from a distance. My niece was th lucky on that time, though ao II III u By' got a raise, sir, from lt.50, you know." The wealthiest roan cringed. Tom," he said, ."What do you need most la the world?" Tom Screwed his face In thought. He did not answer. "What do you want most; Tom?" Tont shut his eyelids tight In th intensity of his thought. Hit tntlr fsce puckored until . wrinkle and freckles were apparently hit only fea ture. "Don't you know, Tom?" - "No, yr hon tir. It ain't tim fer 'nother ran jet, 'n' V.nry cant go to college dust she's gat another year 4t high tchool." "And your mother, Tom?" "And ma's gonna git ber eye fixed as toon's 1 sv enough money." Tom smiled confidently at th man. "Nope, 1 don' know. I'nlest . '-. ." "tnlest what Tom " "A goose, tlr." "A goose?" "Yep, Ilk at the old piac that ma tell about." Th boy's far waa all anticipation now. Clearly the mo mentous question was answered. Abovs all else h needed and wanted a goose. a L.i u t-',uu mt.i -B7 telling him her whol story, tod th was thrilled with a new-bom sne of joy, as th light of tympathty rose la his eyeat "I'll tend you word of the price at soon as I hav Investigated, and we'll try to land a small order first. To whom shall 1 wfit?" 'Till Leonla Snow just artdrtfts th letter to Hlllsdal, Oehcrsl Delivery, Mr. ?" "Jack Eliot, at your ervke." Then they shook hands, tnd Leonla turned homeward, walking at though fairy wings htd sprouted en her anklet. Three dretset wer completed the first week. Jack had tent word that th best offer h could get wa lu.60 apiece, In dozen lots. Leonla wrot back, "Accepted," and feverishly at tacked the other nine, which sh ac tually completed during the second week. The gowns proved mere than satis factory, and orders for mor cttnt la er's displeasure, weighed heevily upon h. Agnes, too, suffered from th gloom that prevailed. On dny she declared: "This family is getting on my nerves. You are about at hilarious as tomb stones. ,1 muBt get away to git a breath of free air, tnd 111 go aad gath er sarvlse berries I'll get every one wltuta forty miles Jut to Work off my feeling. And selling a big pall sh started up th gulrbt When ahe had gono but a slibrt distance she htard footsteps, and looking back sh taw Breck Montetth. Sh walked tlowly. and When li joined her she said: "Breek, everything Is wrong. Mother is in the dumps -so is Isabel, tnd to are you. 1 am disgusted With th whole bunch." . " ' "Why. what's wrong, with - your mother, Agnesf Sh ought to he hap one knew It. Her in beau kinder drifted away from her, and the next thing w knew ho ind Sally sailed for Europe on th same steamer. My niece never talked much about it. She went home and sh never cam back, to ttudy, Sh kept on with her sing ing, and we all think ta our town that there never wat a Vole quite so beau tiful. She's married ow to a tip-top mtu, and she's got t file horn ant three children splendid ' youngsters. The boy' named for m. "Sally never went back horn till last Spring. 'She stayed over In Europe most of the time end the newsptpers became her letters. We never heard much any other way. She kept her own counsel. Tho world knows he, as a great linger. Sbe't rich and the' generous to her people and back home they still call her 'Lucky Sally The man who led tbe two girls to the turn ing r"int of their lives lives in New York, U 1 married, too. Elsie Endicott "A gixise, stuffed, sir." The Wealthiest man smiled kindly. "There thai! be a stuffed goosa. if.-" "Yep. .yer honor." Tom In hi anxi ety forgot th "sir." 'lit 1 can help cat It. I'm goose hun gry, too." "You hungry, air?" Tom expfrssed unconditioned doubt. ''Ob, yes, tr.d Tom. my family died this morning ell th. family I had. Old Scout, 1 called him. and he was the finest dog a man ever had." Th bny nodded seriously. "I haven't any Mary, nor any moth er with big soft eyes. Tcm." "Ain't youse go nobody?" "Nobody at all, Tom." tie:" the boy looked at the man with feeling. "Gee:" "Ge!" repeated tho 'wealthiest msn. Tom laughed readily. "My, I guest you do ael sonethln'." H moved loser to th man. "Say, if youse como bom with trie after vork and see ma she'll help you. honest she will." "How will the help me, Tom?" . "Well," b edged bearer and wbis prd confidentially: "Mary, you know, hadn't anybody, and so w Jest took '! tJ 1 m.i sunn FHl Mcorc B . rapidly. Leonla was obliged to call in th assistance of torn of th villa girl wh wer eager to make aa extra dollar. There cam a time when th attio supply of linen was exhausted and Leonla had to go into tho open market for materia!. But sbe had plenty of money now, and when ber father, 'sgbst at first at his daughter' mix ing in th trade, objected, she hid al ready tasted th tweets of success, and laughed him Into (Hence. And still Leonla had no silk stock ings. Sh had. in fact, forgotttn all about silk stockings, for she had fallen in love and epcat each day, as her finger flew over th dainty garments, longing for a letter, which, fortunately for her happiness, always cam. At .Ant they were filled with business de tail, but after awhile the business re ceded', the friendllucss increased. Oa Jack nxt visit, ht wended Ms way excitedly up the broad walk to th Snow stat instead of leaning py that man back Last he broke off, his voict trembling and, terse. "Msn back East. Whatever do you mean, Breck Montleth?" "Why, that man that loves your mother that " Agnes broke in: "Ther is no msn la the East, North, South or West that loves my mother, that I know any thing nbout. ftho has never had a beau since my father died. What do you mean?" "Why why, Icah! said thr was that there was another man." .Agtoa whistled. "This is the first lie that I ever knew Isabel to tell, but sh certainly started with a whopper. Conft ou back to the house and let's have It out," and, telzing him by the arm, the led him straight Into th room where sat ber mother and Isabel and, though Agnes was too excited to By Jo- Johnson "List Spring when Madam Dorine went home the staytd three day, and most Of th Urn Sh Spent t my niect'i playing jvlth tb children. She was there when tb telegram cam with ah offer that' took her post baste to rarlt, My niece laughed when sin read it 'You'll always be Lucky Sal ly' she laid to her. "Sally turned on her Ilk a tigress he says. 'Don't let those words ever cross your lip again. Lucky fttlyl Oh; the mockery of It!' Those wer just her words, and for some time h paced back and forth without speak ing. Finally she got quiet and bsdi my niece good-by. At the door sbe turned and said: 'C'rystsl, you've got two things I d give all I hav in tho world to own.' Then she pointed to th plain ring on my niece's left hand and to th baby In hi cradla "I guest perhapt that Isn't just the kind of story you expected, but maybe torn tim it'll hlp yvu U you're rrer her in w adopted her." Tb boy,: paused, thinking. "Mayo, yer sir, I I mean, If yous wanted to, ana it rou tell ma, w coutd Just adopt you, too." Th old man turned hit fac away from th boy. "Could you afford to keep another, Tom?" His toIc wat liiiskv. . , Tom snswr4 readily. "Yep, I think so. You see, I could ' work ' night again like I used to, and" "And give up ntabt tchool?" "Yep. Jest fcr now, you know, and youse could tclo with the gooss mon ey, we'd let that go fer now flny-nfty, you know." "All right sir." Th wealthiest man held a trembling hand to lilt freckled offlr boy "fifty-fifty." ' Yep, yer Hon sir, I mean. Tom looked straight Into th other eye with a frankness and honestly that thrilled th man. "Whtt'll you call m. Tom. aftrt I don't Ilk elr' and 'your honor,' either one of them they're too mighty ound in." , Tom's brows knit aga.n In deep per plexity. Th old msn watched th mechanism of his thought and saw th pug nos wrlnkl. the comers of th generous mouth twitch. Kintlly th eyelids fluttered- open tnd th gray eyes spsrkled with suppressed fun and , daring. "lata go horn and tell ma. Old Scout." he said. over the store counter dickering over, shoe. "I've been promoted to head sal man," he said. "No mor touring ovsr th state for orders. But I'm not kick ing at what baa been, for If I hadn't drummed the country towns I wouldn't hav ait you. And life been worth living ine then! Leonla, won't you accept these? Won't you say 'TetT Leonla blushed as the received th gifts; ther wer two boxes. Sh opened the smaller one first, A soli taire! Sh blushed again t Jack pushed it on her left third Anger, and kissed her. " , Then sh opened th second bos a pair of whit silk stocking!. "I'll wear then oa our wtddlng day," sh whispered. "My first silk stockings!" m ( .t.mmttafi'J. He puked It up at a tmalt garage, And thought himself la clover To buy a car so cheap and ftund Twas bit old on, painted over! He picked her up at the faeny ball, And proved a charming lover Then found. Instead of a brand new girl ' Twts bis old one painted overt see him st first, Wilt McCall. "Moth er," the cried. "ther' Brck ilontltb. He says Isabel told blra you bad a beau. Now, you 'folks fight It Out" Isabel sprang to her feet. "Why, Breck, I never told you that!" sh said. "Why. why. Isabel," ht began, when sh hurst into a laugh. "Breck. tell m. whom hav you been trying to court mother or me?" "Why, Isabel," he said, "I hive loved your mother ever tine you cam to this gulch." Th young people slipped out to th porch, wher Agnes executed th Hlgh lnnd fling to express her joy. Then sh ran away to tetl her grandmother th good flews. "I thought you cued-for Brck," Will said to Isbl one dsy after h returned from Wyoming, "aud'that your mother wanted you to marry blm. He had his big ranch and all bis cat tle, and I hadn't a blame tblng to offer you, w l ran away, but I couldn't stay, so" "But," interposed liabel, softly, "you hd yourself to offr, hadn't you. Will " at a ct-on roadl. Good Bight." Tbe old man tipped hit chilled tea, folded hi paper, and bowed hlmlf from the caf. tr (oiTecl. At a tchool examination the exam iner isked one child: "What are th products' of th In dian Empire?" . Th unhappy infant begaa tervoudy to reel off tb list th bad got by heart: "Pies tlr, India produces ourfl and pepper gnd rice end citron vsA chillies and chutney, tnd md-and and" "Ys, yes," said, the examiner, lra .patiently. "What' coMet after all that?" Another infant's hand wti rati. "Well, you tr!! her what cornea aft er that." "Please, sir, Indla-gestlon." 0 . "Is he what you would call a flrwt class newspaper man?" "I should say to. When th 'tnd at th world' tear Wit it It height b had two editorials written on, to publish if It did com off 14 ta flUi tf If It didn't!" '