Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, December 23, 1922, Image 6

Capital journal., December 23, 1922, Page PAGE SIX, Image 6

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1922)

Prev Page of 12 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (3.5 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 12 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextPAGE SIX THE CAPITAL 'JOURNAL, SALEM, OREGON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2,1 -i cm The Pride of Palomar By PETER B. KYNE Author of "Kindred of the Dust," "Cappy Ricks" Stories, Etc. (Copyrighted 1921 by Peter B- Kyne, all rights reserved) For the first time In' sixty years, Pablo Artel an, the majordomo of the Rancho Palomar, was troubled of soul at the approach of winter. Old Don Miguel Farrel had ob served signs of mental travail in Pablo for a month past, and was at a loss to account for them. He knew Pablo possessed one -extra pairs of boots which young Don pairs of boots witch young Don Miguel had- bequeathed him when the Great White Father at Wash ington had summoned the boy to the war in April of 1917, three chamhray shirts in an excellent state of repair, half of a fat steer jerked, a full bag of Bayo beans, and a string of red chilli-peppers pendant from the rafters of an adobe shack which Pablo and his . wife, Carolina, occupied rent free. Certainly (thought old Don Mi guel) life could hold no problems for one of Pablo's race thus pleas antly situated. Coming upon Pablo this morn ing, as the latter sat in his fav orite seat under the catalpa tree Just outside the wall of the ancient adobe compound, where he could command a view of the white wagon-road winding down the valley of the San Gregorio, Donj Miguel decided to question his ancient retainer. Mourns for Youne Son "My good Pablo," he Queried "what has come over thee of late? Thou art of a mien as sorrowful as tnat or a sick steer. Can it be that thy stomach refuses longer 10 digest tiiy food? Come; permit me to examine thy teeth. Yes, by my soul; therein lies the secret Thou hast a toothache and decline to complain, thinking that, by thy silence, i snail be saved a dentist bill." But Pablo shook his head in negation. "Cornel ' roared old uoa Miguel. "Open thy mouth! Pablo rose creakily and oDened a mouth in which not a tooth was missing. Old Don Miguel made a most minute examination, but failed to discover the slightest eviaence or deterioration. "Blood of the devil!" he cried, disgusted beyond measure. "Out witn thy secret! It has annoyed me for a month." "The ache is not in my teeth, Don Miguel. It is here." And Pablo laid a swarthy hand upon his torso. "There is a sadness In my heart, Don Miguel. Two years has Don Mike been with the sol diers. Is it not time that he re turned to us?'' Don Miguel's aristocratic nld face softened. "So that is what disturbs thee, my Pablo?" Pablo nodded miserably, seated himself, and resumed his task of fashioning the hondo of a new rawhide riata. Even Quail Migrate "It is a very dry year," he com plained. "Never before have I seen December arrive ere the grass in the 'San Gregorio was green- with the October rains. Everything is burned; the streams and the springs have dried up, and for a month I have listened to hear the quail call on the hillside yonaer. uut I listen In vain. The quail have moved to another range." "Well, what of it, Pablo?" "How our beloved Don Mike en joyed the quail-shooting in the fall! Should he return now to the Palomar, there will be no quail to shoot." He wagged his gray head sorrowiuuy. "Don Mike will think that, with the years, lazi ness and ingratitude have de scended upon old Pablo. Truly, Satan afflicts me." And he cursed with great depth of feeling in English. "Yes, poor boy," old Don Miguel agreed; "he will miss more than the quail-shooting when he returns If he should re turn. They sent him to Siberia to fight the Bolshevlki." I "What sort of country is this' where Don Mike slays our enemy?" Pablo queried. - Always Winter There "It is always winter there, Pablo. It is inhabited by a wild race of men with much whisk ers. " "Ah, our poor Don Mike! And he a child of the sun! " "He but does his duty," old Don Miguel replied proudly. "He adds to the fame of an illustrious family, noted throughout the cen turies for the gallantry of its warriors." "A Bmall comfort, Don Miguel If our Don Mike comes not again to those that love him." "Pray for him," the old Don suggested piously. Fell a silence. Then, "Don Miguel, yonder comes one over the trail from El Toro. ' ' Don Miguel gazed across the valley to the crest of the hill. There, against the sky-line, a soli tary horseman showed. Pablo cupped his hands over his eyes and gazed long and steadily. "It is Tony Moreno," he said, while the man was still a mile distant. . "I know that scuffling cripple of a horse he rides." Don Miguel seated himself on the bench beside Pablo and await ed a arrival of the horseman. As he drew nearer, the Don saw that Pablo was right. " Now, what news does that vagabond bear?" he muttered. "Assuredly he brings a telegram; otherwise the devil himself could not Induce that lazy wastrel to ride twenty miles." Telegram Beceived "Of a truth you are right, Don Miguel. Tony Moreno is the only man in El Toro who is forever out of a job, and the agent of the telegraph company calls upon him always to deliver messages of im portance." ' With the Don, he awaited, with vague apprehension, the arrival of Tony Moreno. As the latter pulled his sweating horse up before them, they rose and gazed upon him questlonlngly. Tony Moreno, on his part, doffed his shabby sombrero with his right hand and murmured courteously, "Buenas tardea, Don Miguel." Pablo he ignored. With his left hand, he caught a yellow envelope as it fell from under the hat. Good-afternoon, Moreno." Don Miguel returned his salutation with a gravity he felt incumbent upon one of his station to assume when addressing a social inferior. ' You bring me a telegram?" He spoke In English, for the sole purpose of indicating to the mes senger that the gulf between them could not be spanned by the bridge of their mother tongue. He suspected Tony Moreno very strongly of having stolen a yearling from him many years ago. Tony Moreno remembered his manners, and dismounted before handing Don Miguel the telegram. "The delivery charges? " Don Miguel queried courteously. "Nothing, Don Miguel." Mor eno'B voice was strangely subdued. "It Is a pleasure to serve you, senor. "You are very kind." And Don Miguel thrust the telegram, un opened, into his pocket. "How ever," he continued, "it will please me, Moreno, if -you accept this slight token of my appreciation.' And he handed the meeenger a five-dollar bill. The don was a proud man, and disliked being un der obligation to the Tony Mor enos of this world. Tony pro tested, but the don stood his ground, silently insistent, and, in the end, the other pouched the bill, and rode away. Don Miguel seated himself once more beside his ratalner and drew forth the telegram. Bad News Received "It must be evil news," he murmured, with the shade of a tremor in his musical voice; "otherwise, that fellow could not have felt so much pity for me that it moved him to decline a gratuity. " "Read, Don Miguel!" Pablo croaked. "Read!" Don Miguel read. Then be care fully folded the telegram and re placed it in the envelope; as de liberately, he returned the en velope to his pocket. Suddenly his hands gripped the bench, a,nd he trembled violently. "Don Mike is dead?" old Pablo queried softly. He possessed all the acute intuition of a. primitive people. Don Miguel did not reply; so presently Pablo turned his head and gazed up into the master's face. Then he knew his fingers trembled slightly as he returned to work on the hondo, and, for a long time, no sound broke the silence save the song of an oriole in the catalpa tree. Suddenly the sound for which old Pablo had wajted so long burst forth from the sage-clad hillside. It was a cock quail calling, and, to the majordomo, it eeemed to say: "Don Mike! Come home! Don Mike! Come home! " "Ah, little truant, who has told you that you are safe?" Pablo cried in agony. "For Don Mike shall not come home no, no never any more! " His Indian stoicism broke at last; he clasped his hands and fell to his knees beside the bench, sobbing aloud. Don Miguel regarded him not, and when Pablo's babbling be came incoherent, the aged master of Palomar controlled his twitch ing hands sufficiently to roll and light a cigarette. Then he reread the telegram. Yes; it was true. It was from Washington, and .signed by the adjutant-general; it informed Don Miguel JoBe Farrel, with regret, that his son, First Sergeant Mi guel osa Maria Federlco Norlaga Farrel, Number 765,433, had been killed In action In Siberia on the fourth Instant. "At least," the old don mur mured, "be died like a gentleman Had he returned to the Rancho Palomar, he could not have con tinued to live like one. Oh, my son, my son!" He rose blindly and groped his way along the wall until he came to the Insect gate leading into the patio; like a stricken animal re treating to its lair, he sought the privacy of his old-fashioned gar den, where none might intrude upon his grief.. it will require about 30 days to complete this kiln and when fin ished it wilt mean that the com pany has six kilns in operation. MILL AT DALLAS CLOSES Dallas, Or., Dec. 23. The big mill of the Willamette Valley Lumber company closed down Sat urday evening, December 23, and will remain in that condition until January 2. This gave about 170 employes a chance to observe -the holidays in any way they chose. The planing mill and shipping de partment remained open, keeping about 50 men at work, and only closing on Christmas day. Present indications point strong ly to the resumption of work at the company's logging camp at Black Rock shortly after Christ mas. The camp has been closed for about two weeks on account of the snow, which at one time had reached a depth of three feet. A crew is now at work construct ing a new dry kiln which is to be 100x15 feet in size with a capac ity of 15,000 feet of lumber each eight hours. It is estimated that ;TT , -995 . 01 6, factory You know it if you have ever ridden in a Jewett. And, in addition to the greater per forming ability and comfort of smooth, over lapping power impulses, you gain a positive economy factor. Decreased vibration means decreased wear and tear. That's good mechanics and common sense. VICK BROS. High Street at Trade We Wish Our Friends and Patrons A Merry Christmas Capital Bargain House Capital Junk Co. I. Saffron, Mgr. Under U. S. Government Supervision Member Federal Reserve System SERVICE COUNTS Beyond Security, the one thing you should take into consideration when establishing a. banking connection is Service. We should satisfy yourself that the service of fered is prompt, accurate and efficient that it is courteously rendered by experienced Officers who will take a personal interest in your problems and your financial progress- We are glad to say that this is just that sort of a bank and on this basis we invite your business. rThe Bank That Service Built IMedSatcs SALEM Jtli .v JV OREGON H H GRAND THEATRE One Night Only, Wednesday, Dec. 27 THE SEASON'S GREATEST MUSICAL EVENT t Remember there is only one MITZI if",, HENRY W. SAVAGE oFfers . f; America's Favorite Prima Donna Comedienne m rvn UVLJ IN THE MUSICAL ROMANCE- "lady Billf" THE LIGHT OPERATIC SENSATION Orignal splendid Sjvgm? Ctsr 300 TIMES AT THE IIBERTX NEW YORK COMPANY'S OWN OPERA ORCHESTRA Cast and Chorus of 60 Latest Fashions Original Scenic Production MAIL ORDERS ACCEPTED NOTE REDUCED PRICES Lower floor aeata $2.50 and $t; Balcony 1 50, t and Gallery SOo (Plus ten per cent tax Box office sale Christmas afternoon in According to rumors at Laus anne, the Kemal walk will shortly give way to the Turkey-Trotzky. MEADOWLAWN DAIRY Phone 90F12 Inspect our dairy. The state Inspector says "It's one of the best In the state. Investigate the sourse of your milk. --WANTED Poultry of all kinds. Butter, Eeer. Babbits.-Veal Pork, Beef live or dressed PEOPLE'S MABKET -l 155 N. Liberty St, Phone 994 For Gu-ts That Ia,t HAB.TMAN BEOS, Diamonds wat Jewelry and Saverwar. . Bala. Ore. Phone 1255 Our Sincere Wish Is A MERRY CHRISTMAS To All Vick Brothers Trade Street at High Salem PasT risk f ! fill Santa's Bag is chock full of best wishes for A Merry Christmas To Our Many Friends and Patrons Moore's Music House 415 Court Street Sales Representatives Sherman, Clay & Co.