i.
ARRANZA REFUSES TO SIGN
: !: rl - I: ;i; i;-1;: :! .:!.!' ;!!: T:i'l i I ill' , ; - ij. -: I! i: !! '!; - 'I' : ::;;:' JiN'liiMiiiri! ,1!!, : J:'
Mexican-American Conference Fails;
OF CURRENT WEEK
BONDS FOR DEFICIT
PEU
Pershing Likely to Retire.
Washington, D. C. When the
Brief Resume Most Important
Daily News Items.
COMPILED FOR BUSY READERS
Events of Noted People, Governments
and Pacific Northwest and Other
Things Worth Knowing.
' About $15,000 in marriage license
fees was spent by Oregon couples who
were married in Vancouver, during the
year 1916.
At midnight Sunday the whole island
of New Foundland went "dry," a pro
hibition act becoming effective. A
long list of proprietary medicines has
been placed under the ban.
Forty-six women were burned to
death in a fire that destroyed St. Fer
dinand de Halifax asylum, at St. Fer
dinand de Halifax, Megantic county,
Quebec, late Saturday night.
Three billion dollars is the value put
on the 1916 output of American mines
In estimates made to Secretary Lane
by the geological survey. Copper alone
increased about $300,000,000.
President Wilson fell on a slippery
hillside while playing golf Saturday
and wrenched his ankle. He was able
to continue the game, but walked with
a decided limp the rest of the day.
Breaking all its coinage records, the
Philadelphia Mint during 1916 pro
duced 238,469,769 domestic coins in
denominations ranging from one cent
to half dollars and valued at $9,344,
Lincoln, Neb., dry advocates have
drafted a law, which, if passed, would
make liable to arrest any person with
a liquor breath. It would also be an
offense to tell a man where he could
get a drink.
Acquitted of the charge of murder
on December 18, .Thomas Green has re
fused to leave the Camden, N. J,
county jail until he succeeds in beating
his cellmate a game of checkers. Both
checker players are well on in years.
In spite of the high cost of living,
more marriage licenses were issued at
the marriage license bureau in New
York City in 1916 than ever before, it
was announced. The total for the year
waB 67,133 as compared with 59,646
in 1916.
Mrs. Joseph H. T. Jones, widow of
Captain Jones, has been elected presi
dent of the Gulf & Ship Island rail
road, to succeed her husband, it was
announced in Buffalo. Captain Jones
died a month ago, leaving an estate of
more than $15,000,000 to his wife and
daughter.
The military commander of Moscow
has closed that city to refugees, says
the Overseas News Agency, which
adds that the city is crowded with peo
ple from Roumania, Odessa and all
parts of Southern Russia. Roumanian
refugees, the agency says, will in the
future be Bent to Siberia.
New York A strike of tenants
against an increase of $1 a month in
rent of 200 apartment and tenement
houses in The Bronx waB begun New
Year's Day. Heads of 300 families
Bigned a declaration that they would
stand together and Buffer eviction
rather than pay the increase.
London The cutter Protector has
been blown up. The number of men
lost is not known. Vessels reported
Bunk include the British steamer Aps-
ley Hall, 3882 tons; Danish steamer
Danmark, 2050 tons; Russian steamer
Tuskar, 8043 tons, and the Norwegian
steamer Edda, 137 tons. Three of the
crew of the Tuskar were drowned.
In reply to the proffer of Germany
and her allies for a peace conference,
the entente allies, in a collective note,
declare that they ' 'refuse to consider a
proposal which is empty and insin-
cere." The note was handed to the
American ambassador, William Graves
Sharp, Sunday, by Premier Briand,
and was made public simultaneously in
London and Paris.
Congress reconvened Tuesday to face
several salient issues which must be
considered, together with the annual
appropriation bills, and many general
legislative measures that long have
been awaiting action. Administration
leaders are inclined to view the legis-
lative accumulation with despair and
to fear an extra session of the new
and, politically, somewhat uncertain
congress will be demanded.
The Oregon State Teachers' associa
tion is in session in Portland.
Miss Gussie Studebaker, 18 years
old, of Portland, was found in an
conscious condition at midnight Thurs
day in a lonely spot, where she was
attacked by some man, unknown to
her, who beat her into insensibility
when she resisted and screamed.
After an all-day hearing the Inter
state Commerce commission Friday
took under advisement the question of
whether it shall seek to solve the car
shortage problem by ordering all rail
roads to return cars of other lines to
their owners immediately on unload'
lug.
American members of the Mexican
American joint commission had finish
ed consideration Tuesday of General
Carranza's reply failing to comply
with their demand that the protocol
providing for withdrawal of the Amer
ican troops from Mexico be ratified,
there were Indications that efforts to
enter into an agreement with the de
facto government through the commis
sion would be abandoned.
For the first time an official admis
sion was made that Carranza had re
fused to sign the protocol. The com
missioners said they expected to draft
their response to Carranza immediate
ly. Failure of the commission to give to
Mexican-American relations a bright
aspect was offset somewhat by official
intimations that Henry P. Fletcher,
confirmed as ambassador to Mexico al
most a year ago, was about to start
for his post, where American interests
now are represented by a clerk. The
report that General Pershing's expedi
tion soon would be withdrawn, regard
less of Carranza's attitude, also gained
fresh impetus, and it was understood
the administration had this move un
der serious consideration.
Mr. Fletcher conferred with Presi
dent Wilson after Wednesday's cabi
net meeting, and later referred in
quiries as to whether he would go to
Mexico to President Wilson and Secre
tary Lansing. No statement was
forthcoming from the White House or
the State department.
'Leaks" at Washington Admitted
But Investigation Withheld
Washington, D. C As a result of
the sensation stirred up by Thomas W.
Lawson, who offered to prove that mil
lions had been made in Wall street as
the result of "leaks" at Washington,
it was admitted on the floor of the sen
ate Tuesday that information concern
ing the "honor of the nation," had
been betrayed by someone in the de
partment. As to information of value
in rigging the stock market, Senator
Stone, who made the first disclosure,
said he did not know.
Meanwhile Mr. Lawson, who was
here, prepared, he said, to testitfy be
fore a congress committee, was in con
sultation with Chairman Henry, of
the house rules committee, but noth
ing came of it.
Mr. Henry announced afterward that
the Boston financier had been unable
to furnish any names or other definite
information about the alleged "leak"
n advance of President Wilson's peace
note, and that so far as he was con
cerned the matter would be dropped.
"Certainly on sensible person, said
Mr, Henry's statement, would ask me
to trouble the committee with a meet
ing to chase a mirage. And I must
say that so far as this matter between
Mr. Lawson and myself is concerned it
is ended.
"In a thorough conference the al
leged leak has been discussed by Mr.
Lawson and myself. I have asked
him for the names of those thought to
be responsible for the so-called leak
between the State department and
Wall Street. He cannot give me a
single name. He cannot even give me
the names of those charged by him
with cleaning up $60,000,000 in con
nection with the leak and is not able
to furnish me the name of even one of
the suspects. "
Railroad Brotherhoods Accuse
Managers of Permitting Delays
Cleveland W. G. Lee, chief of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, is
sued a statement here Tuesday charg
ing that the railroads of the country
are permitting delays to trains and
overtime which would not ordinarily
be permitted, in order to prove the
enormous expense that would follow
obedience to the Adamson law. The
statement asked whether if the Su-
perme court declares that law either
constitutional or invalid the brother
hoods should continue to await the
eight-hour day.
Mr. Lee denied a report published
Tuesday that a sealed statement put
ting the Adamson law situation up to
the men had been sent out by the
chiefs of the four brotherhoods.
It was learned from an authoritive
source that the general chairman of
the four brotherhoods will hold a meet
ing in Chicago January 11 to consider
the situation.
I. W. W. Arrive on Freight.
Bemidji, Minn. Suffering intensely
from the cold, 150 members of the In
dustrial Workers of the World arrived
here Wednesday night on a freight
train from International Falls, bound,
they said, for the Twin Cities in search
of work. Most of the men are strik
ing lumberjacks from the far northern
woods. Reports indicated that quiet
prevails in all the camps. Sheriff Rit-
tie and 50 deputies met the men when
they left the train. They walked
peacefully to the I. W. W. headquar
ters.
Liquor Men Make Plans.
Louisville At the annual meeting
here of the National Model License
League, it was announced that the lea
gue had made plans to curtail and mod
ify the retail liquor business in order
to make it conform readily to public
sentiment throughout the country.
The plan, it was said, has been in
dorsed by the National Wholesale Li
quor Dealers' Association of America
and by a majority of the brewers of
the United States.
Panama Canal Issues May Be
Used for Army and Navy.
LEADERS URGE QUICK ACTION
President May Deliver Special Message
to Congress as Spur to Immedi
ate Action on Finance Bills.
Washington, D. C. Tentative ap-
proval having been given by President
Wilson to plans for a bond issue to
meet a part of the prospective deficit
at the end of the next fiscal year, ad
ministration leaders in congress are
preparing to bring their revenue bills
as soon as possible after the holiday
recess.
It became known Saturday that they
have urged that the President deliver
a special message or adopt some other
means to spur both houses to prompt
action so that the necessary legislation
may be passed before the end of the
present session.
It has been agreed that any bond is
sue shall be charged to the account of
extraordinary army and navy expen
ditures. Representative Hull, of Tennessee,
author of the income tax law, has out
lined a plan he drafted for considera
tion of the ways and means committee
for separating preparedness accounts
from the ordinary expenses and re
ceipts of the government.
He figures that ordinary expenses
this year and next will be less than
the estimated ordinary receipts and
that special taxation and bond issues
will be needed only to cover excess dis
bursements for various purposes, in
cluding army, navy and fortifications
extensions.
Mr. Hull's plan contemplates the
issuance of $125,000,000 of Panama
Canal bonds for army and navy ex
pense, $70,000,000 under the shipping
act and for the proposed nitrate plant,
and $25,000,000 to pay for the Danish
West Indies, or a total of $220,000,000.
Standard Oil Man Says Gasoline
Supply is Nearly Exhausted
Chicago A note of alarm concern
ing the gasoline supply of the country
was sounded at the convention of the
Society of Agricultural Engineers here
Saturday by Dr. Oscar F. Bransky, of
the Standard Oil company.
He declared that production was not
keeping pace with consumption, and
that exhaustion of the supply was
drawing near. The tension was con
siderably relieved, however, when it
was calculated that the estimated re
maining supply of crude oil, visible
and invisible, would last for 138 years
at the 1916 rate of consumption.
Dr. Bransky said that next year
there would be 8,000,000 automobiles
in the United States, or 750,000 more
than this year. He estimated that
Eastern oil fields are 75 per cent ex
hausted; mid-continental fields 50 per
cent: Texas fields 80 per cent, and
California fields 35 per cent exhausted,
Great Britain Battleship Deal
Denied by Japanese Authorities
New York Denial that Great Bri
tain has agreed to furnish Japan, af
ter the war, with six battleships as
part of the price of Japanese partici
pation in the conflict was made here
Saturday in a cable message from the
Japanese government. A rumor of ar
rangements between the two nations
that might have a detrimental effect
on the political Bnd commercial inter
ests of the United States had been
heard here and in Washintgon and had
caused grave disquietude. The sub
stance of the rumor was that Japan
was seeking or had obtained an agree
ment with Great Britain under which
group of British-built superdread-
naughts would be transferred to the
Japanese fleets as soon as peace is re
stored. It is said that the number of
dreadnaughts to be transferred to Jap
an was six.
Wilson Threatens Veto.
Washington, D. C President Wil
son told callers Friday that he would
veto the $28,000,000 public buildings
bill if it comes to him in the form in
which it is now pending in the house.
Its advocates plan to seek to obtain a
rule for consideration of the measure
by the house soon after the Christmas
recess.
The President has reached no deci
sion on the rivers and harbors bill laid
before him by Chairman Sparkman, of
the house rivers and harbors commit
tee. - 216 Eggs Gift to Postman.
Albany, Or. Eighteen dozen eggs
was one of the Christmas presents re
ceived bv Joseph E. Warner, rural
mail carrier on one of the routes run
ning out of Albany. Appreciating his
faithful service and especially that he
worked Christmas Day to deliver their
delayed Xmas packages, the people on
his route telephoned the word along to
give him an "egg shower." With the
eesn he was eiven six chickens, a
duck and eight bushels of oats.
'I- ::l:-il ;l:;.l ili1-;!:- -Iilh :i' -I 'M! M: '
In this new serial of ours we
have the story of a small-town
minister's family and Its strug
gles with poverty, with hard
headed and fat-headed church
officers, with temptations of flesh
and spirit. We have, too, a
picture of Its joys, its Inspira
tions, its ambitions yes, and its
love affairs. Miss Hueston, the
author, writes with perfect sym
pathy: she is a small-town min
ister's daughter; and this tale
Is dedicated to her mother, who
"devoted her life to rearing a
whole houseful of young Meth
odists." We feel sure you will
enjoy "Prudence."
THE EDITOR.
CHAPTER I.
Introducing Her.
None but the residents consider
Mount Mark, Iowa, much of a town,
and the very most patriotic of them
all has no word of praise for the ugly
little red C. B. & Q. railway station.
Mount Mark is anything but proud of
the little station. At the same time It
certainly does owe the railroad and the
state a debt of gratitude for its pres
ence there. It is the favorite social
rendezvous for the community! The
arrival of a passenger train in Mount
Mark is an event something in the
nature of a C. B. & Q. "at home," and
is always attended by a large and en
thusiastic gathering of "our best
people." - All that is lacking are the
proverbial "light refreshments!"
So it happened that one sultry morn
ing, late in the month of August, there
was the usual flutter of excitement and
confusion on the platform and in the
waiting room of the station. The ha
bitues were there in force. Conspicu
ous among them were four gayly
dressed young men, smoking cigarettes
and gazing with lack-luster eyes upon
the animated scene, which evidently
bored them.
The Daily News reporter, in a well-
creased, light gray suit and tan shoes,
and with eyeglasses scientifically bal
anced on his aquiline nose, was making
pointed Inquiries into the private plans
of the travelers. The young woman
going to Burlington to spend the week
end was surrounded with about fifteen
other young women who had come to
"see her off." Mount Mark is a very
respectable town, be it understood, and
girls do not go to the station without
an excuse!
A man in a black business suit stood
alone on the platform, his hands in
his pockets, his eyes wandering from
one to another of the strange faces
about him. His plain white ready-made
tie proclaimed his calling.
"It's the new Methodist minister,"
volunteered the baggage master, cross
ing the platform. "I know him. He's
not a bad sort."
"They say he's got five kids, and
most of 'em girls," responded the Ad
ams express man. "I want to be on
hand when they get here, to pick out a
girl."
"Yah !" mocked the telegraph opera
tor, bobbing his head through the win
dow, "you need to. They tell me every
girl In Mount Mark has turned you
down a'ready."
But the Methodist minister, gazing
away clown the track, where a thin
MOUNT -MARK
"Run, Father, Run!"
curl of smoke announced the coming
of No. 9 and Prudence heard nothing
of this conversation. He was not a
handsome man. His hair was gray at
the temples, his face was earnest, only
saved from severity by the little clus
ters of lines at his eyes and mouth
which proclaimed that he laughed
often and with relish.
, "Train going east 1"
' The mlniste stood back from the
(Bobbs-Merrlll, Copyright, 1916)
ii II -:;;-i I:'!' I' ill i',-;; !!!!-' I.i : !. I i : II n! i'i i f I. ,11
crowd, but when the train came pound
ing in a brightness leaped into his
eyes. A slender girl stood in the vesti
bule, waving wildly at him a small
gloved hand. When the train stopped
she leaped lightly from the steps.
"Father!" she cried excitedly, and,
small and slight as she was, she el
bowed her way swiftly through the
gaping crowd. "Oh, father !" And she
flung her arms about him joyously, un
conscious of admiring eyes. Her father
kissed her warmly. "Where is your
baggage?" he asked, a hand held out
to relieve her.
"Here !" And with a radiant smile
she thrust upon him a box of candy
and a gaudy-covered magazine.
"Your suitcase," he explained pa
tiently. "Oh !" she gasped. "Run, father
run ! I left it on the train !"
Father did run, but Prudence, fleeter
footed, outdistanced him and clam
bered on board, panting.
When she rejoined her father her
face was flushed. "Oh, father," she
said quite snappily, "Isn't that just like
me?" .
"Yes, very like," he agreed, and he
smiled.
"And so this is Mount Mark! Isn't
it a funny name, father? Why do they
call It Mount Mark?"
"I don't know. I hadn't thought to
Inquire. We turn here, Prudence. This
is Main street. The city part of the
town the business part is to the
south."
It's a pretty street, Isn't it?" she
cried. "Such nice big maples, and such
shady, porchy houses. I love houses
with porches, don't you? Has the par
sonage a porch?"
"Yes, a big one on the s,outh, and a
tiny one in front. We have the house
fixed up pretty well, Prudence, but of
course you'll have to go over it your
self and arrange it as you like. I must
go to a trustees' meeting at two
o'clock, but we can get a good deal
done before then. Mrs. Adams is com
ing to help you this afternoon. She
is one of our Ladles,, and very kind.
There, that is the parsonage !"
Prudence gazed In silence. Many
would not have considered it a beauti
ful dwelling, but to Prudence it was
heavenly. Fortunately the wide, grassy,
shaded lawn greeted one first. Great,
spreading maples bordered the street,
and clustering rosebushes lined the
walk leading up to the house. The par
sonage, to Prudence's gratified eyes,
looked homey, and big, and Inviting.
There were many windows, and the
wellrknown lace curtains looked down
upon Prudence tripping happily up the
little board walk or so it seemed to
her.
"Two whole stories, and ah attic be
sides ! Not to mention the bathroom !
Oh, father, the night after you wrote
there was a bathroom, Constance
thanked God for It when she said her
prayers. And a furnace, too! And
electric lights! Oh, we have waited
a long time for it, and we've been very
patient indeed, but, between you and
me, father, I am most mightily glad
we've hit the luxury land at last. I'm
sure we'll all feel much more religious
In a parsonage that has a bathroom
and electric lights! Oh, father!"
He had thrown open the door, and
Prudence stood upon the threshold of
her new home. Together she and her
father went from room to room, up
stairs and down, moving a table to the
left, a bed to the right according to
her own good pleasure. Afterward
they had a cozy luncheon for two in
the "dining room."
"Oh, it is so elegant to have a din
ing room," breathed Prudence happily,
"I always pretended it was rather fun,
and a great saving of work, to eat and
cook and study and live in one room,
but inwardly the idea always outraged
me. Is that the school over there?"
"Yes, that's where Connie will go,
There Is only one high school in Mount
Mark, so the twins will have to go to
the other side of town a long walk,
but lu good weather they can come
home for dinner."
"Oh, that's a lovely place over there,
father!" exclaimed Prudence, looking
from the living room windows toward
the south. "Isn't It beautiful?"
"Yes.- The Avery family lives there.
The parents are very old and feeble,
and the daughters are all elderly-
and all schoolteachers. There are four
of them, and the youngest Is forty-six.
Dear me, It is two o'clock already, and
I must go at once. Mrs. Adams will
be here in a few minutes, and you will
not be lonely."
But when Mrs. Adams arrived at the
parsonage she knocked repeatedly, and
In vain. Finally she gathered her robes
about her and went Into the back yard,
She peered Into the woodshed, and saw
no one. She went into the barn lot,
and found It empty. In despair, she
plunged Into the barn and stopped
abruptly.
In a shadowy corner was a slender
figure kneeling beside an overturned
nailkeg, her face burled In her hands.
Evidently this was Prudence engaged
in prayer and in the barn, of all places
In the world !
"A a a hem 1" stammered Mrs.
Adams Inquiringly.
"Amen!" This was spoken aloud
By ETHEL HUESTON
.11!!' '.i1'' 'lr: 'I! .1 ! :' ' :l Ilii11
and hurriedly, and Prudence leaped
to her feet. Her fair hair clung about
her faco In damp, babyish tendrils, and
her face was flushed and dusty, but
alight with friendly interest. She ran
forward eagerly, thrusting forth a slim
and grimy hand.
"You are Mrs. Adams, aren't you? I
am Prudence Starr. It is so kind of
you to come the very first day," she
cried. "It makes me love you right at
the start."
"Ye yes, I am Mrs. Adams." Mrs.
Adams was embarrassed. She could
not banish from her mental vision that
kneeling figure by the nailkeg. Inter
rogation was written all over her
ample face, and Prudence promptly
read it and hastened to reply. .
"I do not generally say my prayers
In the barn, Mrs. Adams, I assure you.
In the Barn of
Places.
But well, when I found this grand,
old, rambling barn, I was so thankful
couldn't resist praying abdut it."
"But a barn!" ejaculated the per
plexed "member." "Do you call that
a blessing?"
"Yes, Indeed I do," declared Pru-
dence. Then she explained patiently t
Oh, It is on the children's account,
you know. They have always longed
for a big, romantic barn to play in.
That's why I couldn't resist saying my
prayers I was so happy I couldn't
hold in." '
As they walked slowly toward the
house, Mrs. Adams looked at this par
sonage girl In frank curiosity and some
dismay, which she strongly endeavored
to conceal from the bright-eyed Pru
dence. The Ladies had said It would
be so nice to have a grown girl In the
parsonage! Prudence was nineteen
from all account, but she looked like a
child, and well, it was not exactly;
grown-up to give thanks for a barn,
to say the very least! Yet this girl
had full charge of four younger chil
dren, and was further burdened with
the entire care of a minister-father I
Well, well! Mrs. Adams sighed a
little.
"You are tired," said Prudence sym
pathetically. "It's so hot walking,
isn't It? Let's sit on the porch until
you are nicely rested."
"This is a fine chance for ns to get
acquainted," said the good woman with
eagerness.
Now, If the truth must be told, there
had been some Ill-feeling in the Ladles'
Aid society concerning the reception of
Prudence. After the session of con
ference, when Rev. Mr. Starr was as
signed to Mount Mark, the Ladles of;
the church had felt great Interest in
the man and his family. They Inquired
on every hand, and learned several in
teresting Items. The mother had been
taken from the family Ave years be
fore, after a long illness, and Prudence,
the eldest daughter, had taken charge
of the household. There were five chil
dren. So much was known, and being
women, they looked forward with
eager curiosity to the coming of Pru
dence, the young mistress of the par
sonage. Mr. Starr had arrived at Mount Mark
a week ahead of his family. Prudence
and the other children had spent the
week visiting' at the home of their
aunt, and Prudence had come on a day
in advance of the others to "wind ev
erything up," as she had expressed it
Do you think that Impulsive,
lovable Prudence will make a
hit with the saintly (but gos
sipy) member of the Ladies'
Aid society?
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Mental Steering Gear Goes Wrong.
Science has at last explained why au
tomobiles skid, but the police conrta
have had a good working theory tot
some time. Washington Post
l8
All