Corvallis gazette. (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, March 26, 1907, Image 4

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    iririol
By
Ward Hill Lamcn,
Imcoir.'i Friend nr.d Bcdjguijd
Springfield. Feb. 3, 1S42.
Dear Speed I received yours of the 12th.
written the day you went down to Wil
liam's place some days since, but delayed
answering it til! I should receive the
promised one of the lGth. which came last
nlijht. I opened the letter with intense
anxiety and trepidation so much that,
although It turned out better than I ex
pected. I have hardly yet, at the distance
of ten hours, become calm.
I toll you. Speed, our forebodings (for
which you and I are peculiar) are all the
worst sort of nonsense. I fancied from
the time I received your letter of Satur
day that the one of Wednesday was never
to come, and yet It did come. and. what
fs more. It Is perfectly clear both from its
tone and handwriting that you were much
happier, or. if you think the term prefer
able, less miserable, when you wrote it
than when you wrote the last one before.
Tou had so obviously improved at the
very time I so much fancied you would
have grown worse. You say that some
thin!? indescribably horrible and alarm
in still haunts you. You will not say
that three months from now. I will ven
ture. When your nerves once get steady
now the whole trouble will be over for
ever. Nor should you become impatient
at their beln? even very slow in becoming
uteady. Again, you say you much fear
that that Elysium of which you have
flreamerl so much is never to be realized.
Well, if it shall not. I dare swear It will
not be the fault of her who is now your
wife. I now have no doubt that It Is the
peculiar misfortune of both you and me
to dream dreams of Elysium far exceed
Ins all that anything earthly can realize.
Far short of your dreams as you may be.
no woman could do more to realize them
than that same black eyed Fanny. If you
could but contemplate her through my
Imagination It would appear ridiculous to
you that any one should for a moment
think of being unhappy with her. My old
father used to have a saying that "If you
make a bad bargain hug it all the tight
er." and it occurs to me that, if the bar
gain you have Just closed can possibly
be called a bad one. It Is certainly the
most pleasant one for applying that
mnxlm to which my fancy can by any
effort picture.
I write another letter. Inclosing this,
which you can show her if she desires It.
I do this because she would think
strangely perhaps should you tell her
that you received no letters from me or,
telling her you do. refuse to let her see'
them. I close this, entertaining the con
fident hope that every successive letter I
shall have from you (which I here pray
may not be few nor far between) may
how you possessing a more steady hand
and cheerful heart than the last preced
ing it As ever, your friend,
LINCOLN.
Sprlnsileld. March 27, 1842.
Dear Speed Yours of the 10th Inst, was
received three of four days since. You
know I am sincere when I tell you the
pleasure its contents gave me was and is
inexpressible. As to your farm matter. I
have no sympathy with you. I have no
farm, nor ever expect to have, and con
sequently have not studied the subject
enough to be much interested with it. I
can only say that I am glad you are
ntisflcd and pleased with it
But on that other subject, to me of the
most Intense interest whether In Joy or
Borrow. I never had the power to with
hold my sympathy from you. It cannot
be told how it now thrills me with joy
to hear you say you are "far happier
than you ever expected to be." That
much I know Is enough. I know you too
well to suppose your expectations were
not at least sometimes extravagant, and.
if the reality exceeds them all, I say,
"Enough, dear Lord." I am not going
beyond the truth when I tell you that the
hort space it took me to read your last
letter gave me more pleasure than the
total sum of all I have enjoyed since that
fatal 1st of January. 1S41. Since then it
neems to me I should have been entirely
happy but for the never absent idea that
there Is one still unhappy whom I have
contributed to make so. That still kills
my soul. I cannot but reproach myself
for even wishing to be happy while she
is otherwise. She accompanied a large
party on the railroad cars to Jackson
ville last Monday and on her return
poke, so that I heard of it. of having
enjoyed the trip exceedingly. God he
praised for that!
You know with what sleepless vigilance
I have watched you ever since the com
mencement of your affair, and, although
I am almost confident It is useless. I can
not forbear once more to say that I think
It Is even yet possible for your spirits to
fliwj down and leave you miserable. If
they should, don't fail to remember that
they cannot long remain so. One thins I
car. toll you which I know you will be
glad to hear, and that is that I have seen
and scrutinized her feelings as well
as I could and am fully convinced she Is
far happier now than she has been for
the last fifteen months past
You will see by the last Sangamon
Journal that I have made a temperance
speech on the S2d of February, which 1
claim that Fanny and you shall read as
an act of charity to me, for I cannot
learn that anybody else has read It or Is
likely to. Fortunately it Is not very long,
and I shall deem it a sufficient compliance
with my request If one of you listens
while the other reads it
As to your Lockrldge matter. It is only
necessary to say that there has been no
court since you left and that the next
commences tomorrow morning, during
which I suppose we cannot fall to got a
Judgment
I wish you would learn of Everett what
he would take over and above a discharge
for all the trouble we have been at to
take his business out of our hands and
give it to somebody else. It is impossible
to collect money on that or any other
claim here now, and. although you know
I am not a very petulant man, I declare
I am almost out of patience with Mr.
Everett's endless importunity. It seems
like he not only writes all the letters he
can himself, but gets everybody else in
Louisville and vicinity to be constantly
writing to us about his claim. I have
always said that Mr. Everett is a very
clever fellow, and I am very sorry he
cannot be obliged, but it does seem to me
lie ought to know we are interested to
collect his claim and therefore would do
it if we could.
I am neither joking nor in a pet when
I say we would thank him to transfer his
business to some other, without any com
pensation for what we have done, pro
vided he will see the court cost paid, for
which we are security.
The sweet violet you Inclosed came
safely to hand, but it was so dry and
mashed so flat that it crumbled to dust
at- the. grst. stt-mnt-.to. r-,TJ--iC.j Tfca
n's Love
Affairs
And His Early
Experiences as
a Lawmaker
f
juice tnaf "taasEea "cTC"or"it " sTalriea a
place in the letter, which I mean to pre
serve and cherish for the sake of her
who procured it to be sent My renewed
good wishes to her in particular and gen- '
erally to all such of your relations who
know me. As ever. LINCOLN.
Springfield. 111.. July 4. 1842.
Dear Speed Yours of the 16th June was
received only a day or two since. It was -
not mailed at j,ouisvine tin tne zstn. iou
onp-i Ir nf the (nwot time that Vt 1 J o! H Tl'JOll
since I wrote you. Let me explain that !
Your letter reached here a day or two
after I had started on the circuit I was
gone five or six weeks, so that I got the
letters only a few weeks before Butler
started to your country. I thought it
scarcely worth while to write you the
news which he could and would tell you
more in detail. On his return he told me
you would write me soon, so I waited for
your letter. As to my having been dis
pleased with ryour advice, surely you
know better than that. I know you do
and therefore will not labor to convince
you. True, that subject is painful to me.
but it is not your silence or the silence
of all the world that can make me forget
It. I acknowledge the correctness of your
advice, too, but before I resolve to do
the one thing or the other I must gain
my confidence in my own ability to keep
my resolves when they are made. In that
ability you know I once prided myself
as the only or chief gem of my character.
That gem I lost: how and where you
know too well. I have not yet regained ,
It, and until I do I cannot trust myseir m
any matter of much importance. I be
lieve now that had you understood my
case at the time as well as I understood
yours afterward by the aid you would
have given me I should have sailed
through clear, but that does not now af
ford me sufficient confidence to begin that
or the like of that again.
You make a kind acknowledgment of
your obligations to me for your present
happiness. I am much pleased with that
acknowledgment, but a thousand times
more am I pleased to know that you en
Joy a degree of happiness worthy of an
acknowledgment. The truth is I am not
sure that there was any went with me
in the part I took in your difficulty; I
was drawn to it as by fate. If I would,
I could not have done less than I did. I
always was superstitious; I believe God
made me one of the instruments of bring
ing your Fanny and you together, which
union I have no doubt he had foreordain
ed. Whatever he designs he will do for
me yet. "Stand still and see the salvation
of the Lord" is my text just now. If, as
you say, you have told Fanny all, I
should have no objection to her seeing
this letter but for its reference to our
friend here. Let her seeing it depend
upon whether she has ever known any
thing of my affairs, and if she has not
do not let her.
I do not think I can come to Kentucky
this season. I am so poor and make so
little headway in the world that I drop
REV. CHARLES DRESSER, WHO MARRIED
LINCOLN.
back in a month of idleness as much as
I gain in a year's sowing." I should like
to visit you again. I should HIce to see
that "sis" of yours that was absent when
I was there, though I suppose she would
run away again if she were to hear I
was coming.
My respects and esteem to all your
friends there and, by your permission,
toy love to your Fanny. Ever yours,
LINCOLN.
Springfield. Oct 5. 184?.
Dear Speed You have heard of my duel
with Shields, and I have now to inform
you that the dueling business still rages
In this city. Day before yesterday Shields
challenged Butler, who accepted and pro
posed fighting next morning at sunrislng
In Bob Allen's meadow. 100 yards' dis
tance, with rifles. To this Whltesidea,
Shields' second, said no because of the
taw. Thus ended duel No. 2. Yesterday
Whiteside chose to consider himself in
sulted by Dr. Merryman, so sent him a
kind of quasi challenge. Inviting him to
meet him at the Planter's Bouse in Bt
Louts on the next Friday to settle their
difficulty. Merryman made me his friaad
and sent W. a note, inquiring to know if
he meaat his note as a challenge and. If
so, that he would, according to the law
In such case made and provided, prescribe
the terms of the meeting. W. returned
for answer that if M. would meet him at
the Planter's House as desired he would
challenge him, M. replied in a note that
he denied W.'s right to dictate time and
place, but that he (M.) would waive the
question of time and meet him at Louisi
ana, Mo. Upon my presenting this note
to W. and stating verbally its contents
he declined receiving it saying he had
business in Bt Louis and it was as near
as Louisiana, Merryman then directed
me to notify Whiteside that he should
publish the correspondence between them,
with such comments as he thought fit
This I did. Thus it stood at bedtime last
night. This morning Whiteside, by his
friend Shields, is praying for a new trial
on the ground that he was mistaken in
Merryman' s proposition to meet him at
Louisiana, Mo., thinking it was the state
of Louisiana. This Merryman hoots at
and la preparing his publication, while the
town Is m a ferment and a street fight
somewhat anticipated.
But I began this letter not for what I
nave been writing, but to say something
on that subject which you know to be of
such infinite solicitude to me. The im
mense sufferings you endured from the
first days of September tlli the middle of
TVhm.. navgrtrlttd lo-eojunal. Coosa
me. and 1 wejl unaerstboaT 1 xT nVe now
been the husband of a lovely woman
nearly eight months. That you are hap
pier now than the day you married, her
I well know, for without you could not
be living. But I have your word for it
too. and the returning elasticity of spirits
which is manifested in your letters. But
I want to ask a close question. "Are you
now in feeling, as well as judgment, glad
you are married as you are?" From any
body but me this would be an Impudent
question not to be tolerated, but I know
you will pardon it in me. Please answer
it quickly, as I am impatient to know.
I have sent my love to your Fanny so
often I fear she is getting tired of it
However. I will venture to tender it
again. Yours forever. LINCOLN.
CHAPTER XIV.
Lincoln Willing to Fight a Duel For
Gallantry.
N the last of these letters Mr. Lin-
Scoin refers to his "duel with
Shields." That vras another of the
disagreeable consequences which
flowed from his fatal entanglement
with Mary. Not content with manag
ing ji timid, nlthouzh half frantic and
refractory lover, her restless spirit led
her into new fields of adventure. Her
pea was too keen to he idle In the po
litical controversies of the time. As a
MBS. HINIAN W. EDWAP.DS.
satirical writer she had no rival cf
either sex at Springfield and few, we
venture to say, anywhere else. But
that is a dangerous talent. The temp
tations to use it unfairly are numerous
and strong. It inflicts so much pain
aud almost necessarily so much injus
tice upon those against whom it is di
rected that its possessor rarely, if ever,
escapes from a controversy without
suffering from the desperation it pro
vokes. Mary Todd was not disposad
to let her genius rust for want of use,
and, finding no other victim handy, she
turned her attention to James Shields,
auditor. James Shields later had a
distinguished and remarkable career.
He volunteered in the Mexican war.
became a brigadier general and for gal
lantry at Cerro Gordo was brevetted
major general. At both Cerro Gordo
and Chapultepec he was severely
wounded. President Polk appointed
him the first territorial governor of
Oregon, but before he started for that
territory he was elected United States
senator from Illinois. Later he served
in the senate from Minnesota by elec
tion and from Missouri by appoint
ment, thus representing three states In
that body.; Shields was operating a
mine in Mexico when the civil war be
gan. He went to Washington in Aa
gust, 1861, and was appointed a briga
dier general by President Lincoln, his
old opponent General Shields- defeat
ed Stonewall Jackson at Winchester.
Va., but was defeated by the Confed
erate leader a few months later at Port
Republic. He died June 1. 1879. at Ot
tumwa. Ia. Editor. She had a friend,
one Miss Jayne, afterward Mrs. Trum
bull, who helped to keep her literary
secrets and assisted as much as she
could In worrying the choleric Irish
man. Mr. Francis, the editor, knew
very well that Shields was "a fighting
man," but the "pieces" sent him by
the wicked ladies were so uncommonly
rich in point and humor that he yield
ed to a natural Inclination and printed
them one and all, the articles purport
ing to be letters from "Aunt 'Becca."
It is by no means a subject of won
der that these publications threw Mr.
James Shields into a state of wrath. A
thin skinned, sensitive, high minded
and high tempered man, tender of his
honor, and an Irishman besides, it
would have been strange indeed if he
bad sot felt like snuffing blood. But
his rage only afforded new delights to
his tormentors, and when It readied Its
height Aunt 'Becca transformed her
self to Cathleen and broke out rn
rhymes, which Miss Jayna's brother
Bill kindly consented to "drop" for the
amiable ladles.
It was too bad. Mr. Shields could
stand It no longer. He sent General
Whiteside to Mr. Francis to demand
the name of the person who wrote the
letters from the "Lost Townships."
and air. Francis told him it was A.
Lintieln. This Information led to a
challenge, a sudden scampering off of
parties and friends to Missouri, a meet
ing, an explanation and a peaceful re
turn. Abraham. Lincoln In the field of hon
or, sword in hand, maneuvered by a
second learned In the duello, would be
an attractive spectacle tinder any cir
cumstances, but with a celebrated man
for an antagonist and a lady's humor
the occasion the scene Is one of tran
scendent Interest, and the documents
which describe It are well entitled to a
place In his history. The letter of Mr.
Shields' second, being first In date. Is
first In order:
Springfield, Oct 3, 1S42.
To the Editor of the Sangamon Journal:
Sir To prevent misrepresentation of the I
recent affair between Messrs. Shields and
Lincoln, I think It proper to give a brief
narrative of -the facts of the case as they
came wilhto ai msii i 4 tenth 1
of 'which' f lTofd Si !i 1reuns?oie. ana
request you to give the same publication.
An offensive article in relation to Mr.
Shields appeared In the Sangamon Jour
nal of the 2d September last and on de
manding the author Mr. Lincoln was giv
en up by the editor. Mr. Shields previous
to this demand made arrangements to go
to Quincy on public business, and before
his return Mr. Lincoln had left for Tre
mont to attend court with the intention,
as we learn ei. of remaining on circuit
several weeks. Mr. Shields on his return
requested me to accompany him to Tre
mont and on arriving there we found
that Dr. Merryman and Mr. Butler had
passed us in the nisht and got tl-e e
before us. We arrived in Tremont on t"
17th ult. and Mr. Shields addressed a n'::"
to Mr. Lincoln immediately, info.-r--:;' J
him that he was given up as the ant- r
of some articles that appeared in the
Sangamon Journal (one more over the
signature having made it3 appearance at
this time) and requesting him to retract
the offensive allusions contained in said
articles in relation to his private char
acter. Mr. Shields handed this note to
me to deliver to Mr. Lincoln and directed
me at the same time not to enter into
any verbal communication or be the
bearer of any verbal explanation, as such
were always liable to misapprehension
This note was delivered by me to Mr.
Lincoln, stating at the same time that I
would call at his convenience for an
answer. Mr. Lincoln in the evening ot
the same day handed me a letter address,
ed to Mr. Shields. In this he gave or
offered no explanation, but stated therein
that he could not submit to answer fur
ther, on the ground that Shields' note
contained an assumption of facts and
also a menace. Mr. Shields then address
ed him another note, in which he dis
avowed all intention to menace and re
quested to know whether he (Mr. Lincoln)
was the author of either of the articles
which appeared in the Journal headed
"Lost Townships' and signed "Rebecca;"
and, if so. he repeated his request of a re
traction of the offensive matter in relation
to his private character: if not. his denial
would be held sufficient This letter was re
turned to Mr. Shields unanswered, with a
verbal statement "that there could be no
further negotiation between them until
the first note was withdrawn." Mr.
Shields thereupon sent .x note designating
me as his friend, to which Mr. Lincoln
replied by designating Dr. Merryman.
These three last notes passed on Monday
morning, the 19th. Dr. Merryman handed
me Mr. Lincoln's last note when by our
selves. I remarked to Dr. Merryman that
the matter was now submitted to us and
that I would propose that he and myself
should pledge our words of honor to each
other to try to agree upon terms of
amicable arrangement and compel our
principals to accept of them. To this he
readily assented, and we shook hands
upon the pledge. It was then mutually
agreed that we should adjourn to Spring
field and there procrastinate the matter
for the purpose of effecting the secret
arrangement between him and myself.
All this I kept concealed from Mr. Shields.
Our horse had got a little lame in going
to Tremont. and Dr. Merryman invited
me to take a seat in his buggy. I accept
ed the invitation the more readily as I
thought that leaving Mr. Shields in Tre
mont until hi3 horse would be in better
condition to travel would facilitate the
private agreement between Dr. Merry
man and myself. I traveled to Springfield
part of the way with him and part with
Mr. Lincoln, but nothing passed between
us on the journey in relation to the mat
ter in hand. We arrived In Springfield on
Monday night. About noon on Tuesday, to
my astonishment a proposition was made
to meet in Missouri, within three miles of
Alton, on the next Thursday: the weapons,
cavalry broadswords of the largest size:
the parties to stand on each side of a bar
rier and to be confined to a limited space!
As I had not been consulted at all on the
subject and considering the private un
derstanding between Dr. Merryman and
myself and it being known that Mr.
Shields was left at Tremont. such a prop
osition took me by surprise. However,
being determined not to violate the laws
of the state, I declined agreeing upon the
terms until we Bhould meet in Missouri.
Immediately after I called upon Dr. Mer
ryman and withdrew the pledge of honor
between him and myself in relation to a
secret agreement. I started after this to
meet Mr. Shields and met him about
twenty miles from Springfield. It was
late on Tuesday night when we both
reached the city and learned that Dr.
Merryman had left for Missouri. Mr. Lin
coln having left before the proposition
was made, as Dr. Merryman had himself
informed me. The time and place made
it necessary to start at once. We left
Springfield at 11 o'clock on Tuesday night,
traveled all nisht and arrived in Hillsbor
ough on Wednesday morning, where we
took in General Ewing. From there we
went to Alton, where we arrived on
Thursday, and, as the proposition re
quired three friend3 on each side. I was
Joined by General Ewing and Dr. Hope
as the friend3 of Mr. Shields. We then
crossed to Missouri, where a proposition
was made by General Hardin and Dr.
English (who had arrived there in the
meantime as mutual friends) to refer the
matter to, I think, four friends for a set
tlement This I believed Mr. Shields
would refuse and declined seeing him, but
Dr. Hope, who conferred with him on the
subject, returned and stated that Mr.
Shields declined settling the matter
through any other than the friends he
had selected to Btand by him on that
occasion. The friends of both the parties
finally agreed to withdraw the papers
(temporarily) to give the friends of Mr.
Lincoln an opportunity to explain. Where
upon the friends of Mr. Lincoln to wit
Messrs. Merryman, Bledsoe and Butler
made a full and satisfactory explanation
in relation to the article which appeared
in the Sangamon Journal of the 2d, the
only one written by him. This was all
done without the knowledge or consent
of Mr. Shields, and he refused to accede
to it until Dr. Hope, General Ewing and
myself declared the apology sufficient and
that we could not sustain him in going
further. I think It necessary to state fur
ther that no explanation or apology had
been previously offered on the part of Mr.
Lincoln to Mr. Shields and that none was
ever communicated by me to him nor
was any ever offered to me, unless a
paper read to IBS by Dr. Merryman after
he had handed ms the broadsword propo
sition on Tuesday. I heard so little of the
reading of the paper that I do not know
fully what It purported to be. and I was
the less inclined to inquire as Mr. Lin
coln was then gone to Missouri and Mr.
Shields not yet arrived from Tremont In
fact. I could not entertain any offer of
the kind unless upon my own responsi
bility, and that I was not disposed to dc
after what had already transpired.
I make this statement as I am about tc
be absent for some time, and I think it
due to all concerned to give a true ver
sion of the matter before I leave. Tour
obedient servant
JOHN D. WHITESIDE.
(To be Continued)
Cooling the Cream. -
It has been the practice of butter
makers to cool the cream as rapidly as
possible as soon as it is separated. The
temperature should be that at which
cream Is ripened. If ice is used. It
8hould.be placed In the water around
the cream rather than in the cream
Cream Is usually ripened at TO de
crees F.
Additional Local.
Prof. J. R, Horner gave his illustrated
lecture the Holy Land before a ve'y
large audience at Woodstock, Friday eve
niog. The Portland Journal says that he
was enthusiastically recsivd and that
the lecture was highly interesting.
Dr. Cheshire of Euueue has been a
Coryaliis visitor the past two days.
Miss Boon, who has To teaching
at B"!lefiiiintjtiii. bwn rompt-Ileil to
've ' ar. ! to Salem lor
! .in en-, s. ve- a rk nf poison naR
having- settled in tier throat, causing
sen us .rouble. Mrs. I,U Belknap is
caching in her stead.
Today the OAC students will resume
their wrk, after spending the Easter va
cation at their homes or in visiting friends
and fellow students elsewhere.
W. C. Schriber and wife are expected
to return to Corvallis next week, after an
absence of several months. Air. Schrib
er has been employed at Berktley,
Calif., and Mrs. Schriber spent the win
ter with relatives in Iliinois. Ir is un
derstood a soh accompanies Mrs, Schrib-e-
to Oregon.
Earl Edwards of Bellefountain has
Cone to Portland, where he has secured
a good position for the summer.
A protracted meeting is to begin this
week at Bellefountain, conducted by Rev.
Bnrbank of that place and Rev. CUrk of
Halsey.
Reports from the southern part of the
county state that the severe wind that
prevailed that day in Corvallis was the
cause of numerous fences being blown
down in that locality.
Rev. E. F. Dicsmore. a representative
of the Oregon Anti-Saloon League, sup
plied the pnlpit at the Congregatiinal
church last Sunday morning and eve
ning. His morning sermon was based
u on the temperance work and a gener
ous sum was pledged for the work. In
the evening Rev. Dinemore preached an
inspiring sermon on "Success."
A basketball game is being talked of
fiat promises to be the star event ot all
the basketball contests ever held on
earth. It will be between the "Fats"
and the "Leans" of Corvallis. and ac
cording to Claude Swann. who discussed
the matter yesterday with a Gazette re
porter, the material for the two teams
will be as follows: "Fats;" F. L. Mil
ler, Ira Griggs, Charles Peterson, Prof.
S W. Holmes, "Pug" Huntley, Rev. J.
R. N. Bell, A. L. Stevenson, Grant Elgin;
"Leans," Roy Hollenberg, T. T. Vincent,
E. E. Wilson, Chester Coffey, Rev. T. S..
Handsaker, Collie Cathey, Jim Callahan
and "Shorty" Wade. "Swannie" admit
ted that some of the parties named had
not been approached in regard to the
subject but he felt sure that all would
give their enthusiastic support "for the
good of the cause."
All the cases on the docket for the
March term of circuit court were dis
posed of yesterday before noon, making
this the shortest term of court probably
on record for Benton county. For brev
ity Judge Harris holds the record and is
a money-saver for the tax-payers.
Born, Saturday, to Mr. and Mrs. Ells
worth Irwin at North Yamhill, a ioJ
pound son.
For Miss Sutherland.
A pretty as well as a unique
affair took place at the home
of Miss Minnette Phillips in this
city Saturday afternoon. It was
a farewell party given in honor
of Miss Mary Sutherland who
leaves this week for New York
City.
The table decorations were the
most unique seen at a Corvallis
social affair for a long time. In
the center of the table was a min
iature telephone pole, at the base
of which was banked a profusion
of cut flowers. Fastened to the
pole were yellow ribbons and
these were carried to each plate,
and attached to the end of each
streamer was a telegram, marked
"paid" and bearing the name of
the recipient. The messages
thus received were read aloud in
turn, and created much merri
ment. A very tempting luncheon was
disposed of and aftewards an
impromptu program was enjoy
ed. Those present were: Misses
Mary and Margaret Sutherland,
Maybelle and Edith Keady,
Grace Huff, Juanita Rosendorf,
Zeeta Johnson, Georgia White,
Minnette Phillips and Mrs.
Vance Taylor.
Spanish War Story.
A commercial traveler, mak
ing his rounds in 'Corvallis one
day this week, paused long
enough at a certain establish
ment to relate a little story in
which he figured during the
Spanish war. In the locality
where this gentleman and his
mates were located at this parti-
cular time, centipedes and taran
tulas were so numerous that the
soldiers lived in constant terror
oi being bitten. "Being located
for a lew nights in an old shanty
in which several centipedes and
snakes had been killed, my
bunk mate and I retired on the
night in question with consider
able misgiving, not knowing
how many poisonous reptiles
might invade our bunk before
morning," said the traveler who
told the story. "
"Along in the night sure
enough something cold struck
my flesh and with a blood-curdling
shriek 1 gave one bound
and landed several feet from the .
bunk. My partner was frighten
ed almost stiff with my ciy ot
terror and sprang out after me.
We knew all too well what that
cold, slimy, creeping thing was,
and with a big hicko:y cane in
one hand my partner felt cautious
ly on the outside of the blankets
with the other until he located
the enemy we sought. Then
blow after blow fell on the mis
erable reptile that bad awakened
us from blissful dreams of home
and loved ones to the terrors of a
night that will never be forgot
ten. "Having beaten the bedcovers
almost to tatters, my bunkmate
placed the big cane across the
reptile's body, and standing on
top of the cane, ordered me to
approach and turn back the cov
ers. I did so, and there, under
the big cane and the big man's
big feet, lay my lead pencil that
had slipped, out of the pocket
of my blue flannel sbiit."
"FLAY TO THE GALLERY."
Says Perkins of Governor's Veto
of Jofcnson Road Bill.
Representative J. W. Perkins
is quoted in Thursday's Tele
gram regarding the veto of the
Johnson road bill by Governor
Chamberlain:
"Governor Chamberlain made the mis
take of his political life when he vetoed
the highway bill," declared Representa
tive Perkins today.
Mr. Perkins fats that in killing this
measure after it has paeeed through boih
houses was neither good judgement nor
l- . ci . .-. 1 . . I . . .
ueiituuia. 0 me scare. runner, jar.
Perkins contends that Chamberlain will
regret bis action.
"The Governor vetoed the bill for po
litical and rer&onal reasons. On several
occasions he indorsed the measure, yet he
vetoed it. I always understood that
Chamberlain had it in for Senator John
son, who fathered the measure, and it is
too bad that the state should suffer be
cause of personal differences between the
executive and a member of the Legisla
ture. "This highway bill was a model in its
way, and was copied after the New York
law. It is d msnded every where in the
slate as a step toward the improvement
of Oregon highways, tnd every one
knows that the highways of this state are
woefully aud lamentably deficient. Any
movf meet toward bettering the loads
would be a blessing. This bill was.
passed by the House and Senate by big
majorities, no one making aright against
it, and for the Governor to tet himself up
as better able to represent the people and
know their wishes than the 90 men elect
ed to the Legislature is abeurK The
Governor's veto was a play to the gallery.
"When the farmers and other rural
residents of the state' have an opportunity
to voice their displeasure over this veto,
they will do so in a way that Governor
Chamberlain will understand. Sentiment
is very strong in Eastern and Southern
Oregon against the veto. The whole state
criticises the action of the Governor.
Very few support him, even among Dem
ocrats who would ordinarily stand by
Chamberlain on anything. Democrats
differ from him by the hundred on the
veto of the highway bill.
"The Governor has said that he vetoed
the bill because the Grange threatened to
invoke the referendum on the measure if
he did not exercise the veto. He may
have heard from one or two lodges of the
Grange, but the majority were in favor of
it Representatives of the Grange Jsaw
me personally at Salem during the Legis
lature and expressed themselves as being
tor the bill.' "
Wkr Emslisk Fowl Grow Blgr.
One firm announcing the arrival of a
consignment of Orpington cockerels
from England says, "They are, of
course, larger than any grown in this
country." We once asked a prominent
judge why It Is that the Knglish fan
ciers take our American Wyandottes
and Rocks and Increase their size ma
terially, says American Poultry Jour
nal. He replied: "No warm nights
over there. Chicks not kept in small
brood coops, as they are here. Given
an abundance of fresh air all the time.
Made to rustle In the meadows and
orchards. Fed bnt little corn, their
diet consisting almost wholly or roods
which produce bone and mascle, such
as osits. tL"