SERIAL?
STORY J
le FLYING
MERCURY
By
Eleanor M. Ingram
Author of
"The Game and the Candle"
Illustration By
RjlY WALTERS
(Copy rltflit, Uiu. by boUie-MerrlU Go.)
a
8YN0PSI8.
The
Btory
oprna on Ijong Inland, ncRr
New
urk
city, where Miss Emll
Kfrench, a reh-itlve of Hthan Ffrencl
manufacturer of the celebrated "Mr
cury" autu!iiub!!f;, lns-a her way. Tl
car hfta whipped ari'l her cousin, Illr
Ffrench. Ih too muddle'! with drink 1
direct It arlKht. They meet another car
which 1m run by a professional rac
named IpstranKe. The latter fixe i
the. i-'frem-li cur and directs Miss I'fren
how to pro-efd homeward. Etha
Kfrenrh has disinherited hl.i son, wh
hits diH.'ilipenred. II Informs Knill
plainly that he would like to have he
marry I'h lt, who 1: a Kood-riutured bu
IrreRponslhle f.-llnw. It appears that
partner of J.'lhan ITrenrh wanting an ex
pert to rate with the Mep-ury at aut
events, has enKa' U I-c.strariirM, and t
the h'freix h factory Knilly encounters tl:
younK man. They refer ph-anantly 1
their meeting wlieu IHclt comes aloriK an
recognizes the youn racer. J tick 111'
the way I.estriiiiK'i iK'iores their II
meeting whi-n he appeared to a dlHitd
vaulagd. I.rslrarme lc;ls Kmlly that h
will try to educate her Indifferent cousl
aa an HtitonioMIo expert. ldck under
takes iila hiiNlness schooling under th
tutelage of I.ea'riltien. 1 lck is sheer Rrlt
and In making a test race meets wll
an accident. fslraiiKo meela l-hnily I
tlie moonlit garden of llie Kfrench home
Under an Impulse he cannot conlrol h
kisses tier and she leavea hltn, confessln
In her own heart (hat she relurna hi
love. The uncle of l-'mtlv. learning
lier attachment to LestranKu, luforma he
that the man Is his disbarred son, whom
aha haa never aeen before being adopted
ty nun. lie claims tnat ins son ran awa
with a dissolute actress, refuses to ac
knowledKe him, and orders ICmliy to
think of llck ua her future husband.
CHAPTER VIII.
Six o'clock wub the liour set for the
start of ttio Ileach nice. And It was
Just seventeen minutes mist five
when nick Ffrench, hanging In
frenzy of anxiety over the paddock
fenco circling tlio InKlde of the mllo
oval, uttered something resembling
howl and rushed to tho gate to signal
his recreant driver. From the oopo
site Bide of the track I.estrange waved
gay return, making his way through
the officials and friends who pressed
around him to shako hands or slap
Ills shoulder caressingly, Jesting and
questioning, culling directions and ail
vice. A brass bund played noisily In
tho grand-stand, where ths crowd
heaved and singed; the racing ma
chines were roaring In their camps.
w nat a the matter? Where were
you?" cried Dick, when at last I.e
Rtrange crossed the course to the ceil
tral Held. "Thii cars are going out
now for the preliminary run. Kupert's
nearly crazy, snarling at everybody
and tho other man hu been getting
ready to start Instead of you."
"Well, he can got unready," Bmlled
I.estrange. "Keep cool, Ffrench; I've
got half an hour and I could start
now. I'm ready."
lie was ready; clad In the close fit
ting Khaki costume whoso Immaculate
daintiness gave no hint of the cer
talnly that before tho first six hours
ended It would be a wreck of yellow
dust and oil. As he paused In run
nlng an appraising glance down the
street-lilte row of tents, the w.ilto-
elotlied driver of a spotless white car
t-hot out on his way to tho track, but
halted opposite the latest arrival to
Bt retch a cordial hand
"I hoped a trolley car had bitten
you," hi' shouted. "The rest of U8
would have more show If you got lost
on the way, liarllng
The boyish driver at tho next tent
looked up na they passed, and came
grinning over to give his clasp.
"(id a move on; what you been do
in' all day, dear child? They've been
givla your manager sal volatile to
hold him still." He nodded at the agi
tated Pick In Ironic commiseration.
"t;o get out your car, liarllng; I
w ant to beat you," chaffed the next In
line.
MriKo up me l and, here comes a
driver,'" sang another, with an en
trancing French accent.
Laughing, retorting, shaking hand
with each comrade rhal, I.estrange
went down the row to his own tent.
At his approach a swarm of mechanics
from the factory stood back from the
long, low, gray car, the driver who
v. as to relievo him during the night
and day ordeal slipped down from the
feat and unmasked.
"lie's lo re." announced Pick super
t'uouslv. "Unpen w here's liupert?
l'on't tell
me he's gene now I
trauge--
Hut Uupert
from the tent
li ts and cap.
ia tl:e sar.loni
"It hurls nn
was already emerging
with l.estrange's gaunt
bis .expression a study
11.
to think how you
must have hurried." he observed.
'Fid ou wa'A bo'.h ways, or only all
three? IV.i no Kc, but I'd give a
virile nn apple to know where you've
lu.n all day."
"Would o:i?" cpu-rcl I.estrange
I ro i k:s ; y, cY:-; !":: the goggles be
fi.ro li!.- ees "U . il, I've spent the
Ut two hour j. i n l' o lYii. y li-l.iu.1
beach, about three squares from here,
watching the kiddies play In the sand
I didn't feel like driving Just then. It
was mighty soothing, too."
Rupert stared at him, a dry un
willing smile Blowly crinkling his dark
face.
"Maybe, Darling," he drawled, and
turned to make his own preparations.
Fascinated and useless, Dick looked
on at the methodical flurry of the next
few moments; until I.estrange was in
his seat and Rupert swung In besld
him. Then a gesture summoned him
to the side of the machine.
"I'll run In again before we race,
of course," said I.estrange to him,
above the deafening noise of the mo
tor. "Be around here; I want to Bee
you."
Rupert leaned out, all good-humor
once more as ho pointed to the ma
chine.
"Got a healthy talk, what?" be ex
ulted.
The car darted forward.
A long round of applause welcomed
Lestrange's Bwooplng advent on the
track. Handkerchiefs and scarfs were
waved; his name passed from mouth
to mouth.
"Popular, ain't ho?" chuckled a me
chanic next to Dick. "They don't for
get that Georgia trick, no, Blr."
It was not many times that the
cars could circle the track. Quarter
of bIx blew from whistles and klax
ons, signal flags sent the cars to their
camps for the last time before the
race.
"Come here," Lestrange beckoned
to Dick, as he brought his machine
shuddering to a standstill before the
tent. "Here, close we've got a mo
ment while they fill tanks."
He unhooked his goggles and leaned
over as Dick came beside the wheel,
the face so revealed bright and quiet
In the sunset of glow.
"One tiever can tell what may hap
pen," he said. "I'd rather tell you
now than chnnco your feeling after
ward that I didn't treat you quite
squarely In keeping still. I hope you
won't take it Is my father did; we've
been good chums, you and I. I am
your cousin, David rfrench.
The moment furnished no words.
Dick leaned against the car, absolute
ly limp.
"Of course, I'm not going back to
Ffrenchwood. After this race I shall
go to the Duplex company; I used to
be with them and they've wanted me
back. Your company can get along
without me, now all Is running well
Indeed, Mr. Ffrench has dismissed
me." His firm Hp bent a little more
firmly. "The work I was doing is in
your hands and llalleys; see It
through. Unless you too want to
break oft with me, we'll have more
time to talk over this."
'Break off!" Dick, straightened his
chubby figure. "Ttreak off with you,
Lea "
"Go on. My name Is Lestrange now
and always."
A shriek from the official klaxon
"Water," He Demanded Tersely.
summoned the racers, Rupert swung
back to his seat. Dick reached up his
hand to the other In the first really
dignified moment of bis life.
'I'm glad you're my kin, I.estrange,'
he said. "I've liked you an how, but
I'm glad, Just the Biime. And I don't
care what rot they say of you. Take
care of yourself."
I.estrange bared his hand to return
the clasp, his warm smile flashing to
his cousin; then tho swirl of prepara
tion swept between them and Dick
next saw him as part of one of the
throbbing, flaming row of machines
before the judges' stand.
It was not a tramiuillzing experi
ence for an amateur to witness the
start, when the fourteen powerful cars
sprang simultaneously for the first
curve, struggling for possession of the
narrow track In a w heel to wheel con
test where one mlstoueh meant the
wreck of many. After that first view,
Dick at weakly dow n on an oil barrel
and watched the race lu a state of
fascinated endurance.
The golden and violet sunset melted
pearl like Into the black cup of night.
The glare of many searchlights made
the track a glistening band of white,
around which circled the cars, them
selves gemmed with white and crim
son lamp. The cheers of the peo
ple as the lead was taken by one fa-
orite or another, the hum of voices.
the music and uproar of the machines
blended Into a web of sound indescrib
able. The spectacle was at once ul
tramodern and classic In antiquity of
conception.
At eight o'clock I.estrange came fly
ing In. sent off the track to have a
lamp relighted.
Water." he demanded tersely, in
ihe sixty seconds of the stop, and
laughed evenly at Dick's express, ion
l.ile l.e took the cu;i
jToA
"Why didn't you light it out there?"
asked the novice, infected by the speed
fever around him.
"Forgot our matches," Rupert flung
over his shoulder, a3 they dashed out
again.
An oil-smeared mechanic patroniz
ingly explained:
"You can't have cars manicuring all
over the track and people tripping
over 'em. You get sent off to light up,
and If you don't go they fine you laps
made.
Machines darted in and out from
their camps at Intervals, each waking
a frenzy of excitement among Its men.
At ten o'clock the Mercury car came
In again, this time limping with a flat
tire, to be fallen on by its mechanlci
"We're leading, but we'll lose by
thiB," said Lestrange, slipping out to
relax and meditatively contemplating
the alternate driver, who was standing
across the camp. "Ffrench, at twelve
I'll have to come In to rest some, and
turn my machine over to the other
man. And I won't have him wrecking
It for me. I want you, as owner, to
give him absolute orders to do no
speeding; let him hold a fifty-two
mile an hour average until I take the
wheel again."
"Me?"
"I can't do It. You, of course."
"You could," Dick answered. "I've
been thinking how you and I will run
that factory together. It's all stuff
about your going away; why should
you? You and your father take me
as Junior partner, you know I'm not
big enough for anything else."
"You're man's size," Lestrange as
sured, a hand on his shoulder. "But
It won't do. I'll not forget the offer,
though, never."
"All on!" a dozen voices signaled;
men scattered In every direction as
Lestrange sprang to his place.
The hours passed on the wheels of
excitement and suspense. When ' Le
strango came In again, only a watch
convinced Dick that It was midnight.
"You gave the order?" Lestrange
asked.
"Yes."
He descended, taking off his mask
and showing a face white with fa
tigue under the streaks of dust and
grime.
"I'll be all right In half an hour,"
he nodded, in answer to Dick's excla
mation. "Send one of the boys for
coffee, will you, please? Rupert needs
some, too. Here, one of you others,
ask one of those Idle doctor's appren
tices to come over with a fresh band
age; my arm's a trifle untidy."
In fact, his right sleeve was wet
and red, where the strain of driving
had reopened the Injury of the day be
fore. But he would not allow Dick to
speak of it.
'I'm going to spend an hour or two
resting. Come in, Ffrench, and we'll
chat In the Intervals, If you like."
And Rupert? Where's he?" Dick
wondered, peering Into the dark with
a vague impression of lurking dangers
on every side.
He's hurried In out of the night
air," reassured familiar accents; a
small figure lounged across Into the
light, making vigorous use of a drip
ping towel. "Tell Darling I feel faint
and I'm going over to that grand stand
cafe a la car to get some pie. I'll be
back In time to read over my last
lesson from the chauffeur's corre
spondence school. Oh, see what'
here!"
A telegraph messenger boy had
come up to Dick.
Richard Ffrench?" he verified.
'Sign, please."
The message was from New York.
"All coming down," Dick read. "Lim
ousine making delay. Wire me at St
Royal of race. Bailey."
Far from pleased, young Ffrench
hurriedly wrote the desired answer
and gave it to the boy to be sent. Cut
he thrust the yellow envelope into
his pocket before turning to the tent
where Lestrange was drinking cheap
black coffee while an Impatient youns
surgeon hovered near.
The hour's rest was characteristlcal
ly spent. Washed, bandaged, and re
freshed, Lestrange dropped on a cot
In the back of the tent and pushed a
roll of motor garments beneath his
head for a pillow. There he intermit
tently spoke to his companion of w hat
ever the moment suggested; listening
to every sound of the race and inter
spersing acute comment, starting up
whenever the voice of his own ma
chine hinted that the driver was dis
obeying Instructions or the shrill klax
on gave warning of trouble. But
through Jt all Dick gathered much of
the family story.
ITO HE CONTIXfED.)
But In Her Case
Woman's wit readily adapts Itself
to all place, and all occasions. A
. j...au lecturer was delivering a
practical talk on beauty and the
beauty cult for the entertainment of
the Woman's Professional league of
New York at an Interesting session
one afternoon.
In the course of her lecture the
speaker emphasized the point that cer
tain measurements were fundamental
ly Important I'nhappily. however.
the lecturer herself had a form if
her unusual bulk could be dignified by
such a term that was fashioned on
anything but the lines of the Keller
mann type.
Proceeding with her dissertation on
measurements, she held up a very fat.
round wrist, and said: "Now. twice
around my wrist, once around my
throat. Twice around my throat, once
around my waist. Twice around mr
waist "
"Once around Central Park!" ex
ploded aa Irrepressible young thing
out in the audience, and the storm of
laugbter that followed was altogether
I iuiuiiusurable. Sunday Magazine. j
PARCELS POST IS POPULAR
Department Stores and Wholesale
Houses Largest Patrons.
Portland Millinery in boxes as
large as the law allows promises to
cap the list of popular eligibles under
the new parcel post law, but Milady
had better warn Mr. Milliner to be
sure tnat ine recepi.iic.iea xur tuc
aigretted headgear are sufficiently
strong. Otherwise, with all the care
and caution that Uncle Sam's mail
clerks may take the chapeaux are like
ly to issue from their parcel post jour
neys bedraggled or smashed.
This is the warning that postal offi
cials in Portland are sending out after
the second day's wrestle with the in
novation, when the local office almost
became swamped with the rush of bus
iness.
The fact is that the Portland post
office on the second day of parcel post
traffic found itself extending its quar
ters almost into the streets in order to
take care of the business, which, it is
conjectured, is only a hint at the busi
ness to follow. The dozen sacks of
parcels received from out of town
points and the 25 sacks which were
mailed in Portland fairly flooded the
section set apart in the local office and
a big overflow encroached on other de
partments. The indication is that an
additional near-by building will be
needed to handle the business inside of
a few weeks when the traffic is reg
ular and established.
Somewhat to stem the rush the
authorities have asked that special de
livery stamps not be placed on the
parcels for a time, or until the service
is thoroughly organized to deliver hur
riedly. AH special stamps on parcel
mail will be ignored for the present.
One thing is plainly certain: The
big department stores, the mail-order
houses and the wholesale houses are
going to take liberal advantage of the
service. One department store mailed
more, than 150 packages. Another
sent about 100 and a third mailed
more than 50. Most of them were
sent to nearby towns.
As the government restricts only
such articles as always have been un
mailable from passing through the
parcel post office, almost every legiti
mate article of commerce already has
been sent. The favorite commodity is
millinery and the department stores
are the senders.
The postoffice attaches fear that the
millinery vendors use too iragne a ma
terial in packing. All packages are
placed in pouches and sealed the same
as regular mail. They are loaded onto
wagons, sacks upon one another and
packages in the sacks underneath, un-
ess they are securely packed, are apt
to become broken. Such things as
millinery and eggs should be well
protected, therefore, advise postal
clerks.
It is a common thing to mail eggs,
now that the parcel post nas Deen
established. Eggs are not considered
freak shipments. In fact, a regular
traffic in eggs is expected. Enter
prising farmers near Portland are
striving already to build up a regular
trade with customers in the city, send
ing eggs and other farm products
through the mail. A new field has
been opened to inventors. They are
trying now to devise a light, strong
box of aluminum or other material,
especially for mailing eggs.
Ordinary perishable goods such as
fruit, vegetables, fish and meat can be
sent by parcel post within the zone of
origin, or a radius of about 50 miles.
A man in Eastern Oregon had five
pounds of beefsteak sent from the
butcher shop in a nearby village to
his home by parcel post.
Give Assurance of Peace.
Washington, D. C. Senor Pedro
Lascurain, Mexican minister of fore
ign affairs and personal representative
of President Madero, came to Wash
ington Friday to tell again to Presi
dent Taft and Secretary Knox the
story of his government s struggle
with rebellions, to reassure them of
its ability to protect American lives
and property everywhere in that re
public, and, incidentally, it was whis
pered, to find if there were any truth
in recent reports that intervention by
the United States was not merely a
threat but an alarming possibility.
Seven-Story Building Bvrns.
Cincinnati The Carlisle building,
seven-story stone structure at the
southwest corner of Fourth avenue and
Walnut streets, was almost destroyed
by fire, entailing a loss estimated at
$250,000. The building is the center
of Cincinnati s commercial district,
within several hundred feet of the
Gibson House, which was burned sev
eral weeks ago. For a while the Sin
ter hotel, on the west side of the
building, was threatened, but escaped
damage when the fire was confined to
the Carlisle building.
Food Stores Discussed.
Philadelphia As a means of reduc
ing the cost of living, a system of co
operative stores for the sale of pro
visions was discussed by the House
keepers' League here. Mrs. William
B. Derr, who conducted the crusade
for cheap eggs, presided. She said
she had countless offers from produc
ers in all parts of the East to supply
provisions at rates that would mean a
considerable lessening of prices, "if
the business is properly managed."
Tacoma's Balance Less.
Tacoma, Wash. The City of Ta-
coma has on hand to start 1913 more
than $1,000,000 less than it possessed
at the opening of 1912. according to
the report of Controller Meads. The
large amounts paid out on the new
light and water plants, and the falling
off in tax collections of about 6 per
cent are principally responsible.
i
OREGON STATE
General News of the Industrial and Educational Development
and Progress of Rural Communities, Public Institutions, Etc.
fREE BULLETINS BY 0. A.
C. FOR USE OF FARMERS
A list of 14 bulletins and circulars
issued by the Oregon Agricultural col
lege which are now available to all
who will write to the extension divis
ion for them is as follows :
BULLETINS.
No. 102 Digestibility of Kale,
Vetch Hay, Steamed and Unsteamed
Silage. Withycombe-Bradley.
No. 103 Mortality of Incubator
Chicks. Perot.
No. Ill Orchard Management.
Lewis.
No. 112 Soils of Oregon. C. E.
Bradley.
No. 113 Orchard Irrigation Studies
in Rogue River Valley. Lewis, Kraus,
Rees.
CIRCULARS.
No. 12 Three Species of Plant Lice
in Oregon. Wilson.
No. 13 Orchard Sprays and Spray
ing. Cordley-Jackson.
No. 18 Swine Husbandry. Withy-combe-Potter.
No. 19 Oregon Station Trap Nest,
Dryden.
No. 20 The Pollination Question,
Kraus.
Biennial Report Eastern Oregon Sta
tion, 1909-10.
EXTENSION BULLETIN'S.
Series 4, No. 1 Highway Improve
ment, Earth Roads and Culverts. Ay
res. Series 4, No. 46 Road Materials in
the Willamette Valley. Parks.
Series 5, No. 2 Economic Geologi
cal Resources of Oregon. Parks.
OREGON TIMBER ATTRACTS
Eastern Capitalist Surveys Yellow
Pine of John Day Valley.
Prairie City L. B. Unker, of New
York, representing a syndicate of cap
italists interested in the lumber indus
try, visited the John Day Valley this
week for the purpose of investigating
the extent and quality of the yellow
pine forests covering the foothills that
skirt the valley for 65 miles.
Mr. Unker will investigate all the
available yellow pine forests of East
ern Oregon during his trip, with re
gard to accessibility, cost of logging
and manufacturing into lumber and
transportation to the Eastern markets
It is recognized by lumber experts
that the Eastern Oregon pine is avail
able, much of it, for manufacture into
the best grades of finishing lumber.
The supply of this material is be
coming scarce in the Middle West and
Eastern states, while the demand for
it is increasing.
CONTRACT WILL BE LET SOON
Work on Line South From Portland
Will Begin Next Spring.
Oregon City Mark Woodruff, an
official of the Portland, Eugene &
Eastern Railroad, is authority for the
statement that work on 'the 40 miles
from Portland south will be" commenc
ed in the spring. The contract for
the 40 miles has not as yet been let,
but it is on President Strahorn's desk
and will be shortly dealt with.
Owing to rumors of difficulties en
countered by the right-of-way depart
ment of the company, Mr. Woodruff
was questioned. He says that the
company is not finding any greater
difficulties than usual and that there
will be comparatively few condemna
tion suits brought.
The old Willamette Falls carline
will soon be a thing of the past.
Property along the line has advanced.
Ashland Creek W ater O. K.
Ashland Word just received from
the state board of health is to the
effect that samples of water from Ash
land creek, submitted recently to that
body for analysis, are free from con
tamination with typhoid germs. This
is welcome news to this community, in
view of the doubts which some have
entertained as to the purity of the mu
nicipal water supply. In the mean
time a few wells on private property
will be investigated, in furtherance of
a determination of the board of health
to adopt every necessary precaution.
Experiment Farm Urged.
McMinnville A movement has been
started to have a walnut experiment
station here and several joint organiz
ing committees have been selected for
a meeting to consider what legislation
will be necessary. The County court
has set aside ten acres of the best land
of the county farm for this experi
ment station. IThis tract is west of
this city and is ideal land for this pur
pose. State School Fund Needed.
Salem It is probable that the legis
lature will be asked to sanction the
use of $10,000 from the state school
fund to be used for paying the ex
penses of carrying the Benson-Hyde
cases through the courts. The state
land board, through the attorney gen
eral, will attempt to get back about
50,000 acres of land said to have been
fraudulently eecured in those transac
tions.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
CATS WORRY HOOD RIVER
"Woods Are Full of Them" and
War Is Declared by Citizens.
Hood River "Tomcats are a men
ace here," says D. A. Turner, a pio
neer citizen, on East State street.
"The woods are full of them and doz
ens of them may be found in the tall
growth of reeds that rear themselves
luxuriantly on the banks of the Hood
River gorge and along Indian Creek."
Mr. Turner has declared war on the
felines, which, he says, are destroy
ing the chickens of his neighborhood
and are even making nightly raids on
outside refrigerators and cupboards.
Thinking that his chickens were se
cure, the windows and doors of the
henhouse having been fastened, he
went to feed "the fowls one morning
and found nine of them killed and a
big cat asleep in one corner of the
building. The brute had entered from
the roof, where a shingle had been
blown off. However, its exit was im
possible, its stomach having grown
several sizes from the chicken feast.
The many eats are driving away the
silver gray squirrels that live in the
oaks here.
BRIDGE NEARS COMPLETION
Structure at West Salem Gives Dal
las New Railroad Facilities.
Dallas The new bridge which is
being built across the Willamette riv
er at West Salem by the Salem, Falls
City & Western railroad company is
rapidly nearing completion. This
road has completed its line from Sa
lem to Silverton and, with the com
pletion of this bridge, the last link in
the chain will be formed and Dallas
will have railroad communication in
all directions. When plans for this
bridge were first talked of by the offi
cials of the railroad company, Louis
Gerlinger, Jr., then manager of the
Salem, Falls City & Western railroad,
with offices in Dallas, proposed, mak
ing a joint county and railroad bridge
out of this bridge, and took up the
move with the courts of Marion and
Polk counties, but was turned down.
It was thought that the county courts
of the two counties would grasp the
opportunity of getting a new bridge
across the river at Salem at a mini
mum cost, inasmuch as the present
wagon bridge can last but a few years
longer.
INSURANCE GROWTH IS BIG
Oregon Department Reports Gain
of $16,000 Over 1911.
Salem Receipts for the Depart
ment of Insurance for the year ending
November 30, 1912, were $110,498.94,
as compared to $94, 4G0. 12 for the like
preceding period, or an increase of
$16,038.82, according to a statement
just completed by J. W. Ferguson,
state insurance commissioner.
- The detailed receipts for 1911-12
are as follows:
Company licenses, agents'
Increase
$2,754.78
3,122.00
850.00
4:tl.oo
8,6676.65
110.00
22.00
72.39
licenses Jl!7,375.70
Fire Insurance companies. . , . 4. 378,(10
Lire Insurance companies 4.970.00
Casualty companies 1.272. '0
Taxes 70.Oli5.98
Filinsr annual statement 1,220.00
Isfluing certificates of author
ity 425.50
Miscellaneous receipts 842.76
Roses and Poppies Thrive.
Hood River Roses and poppies,
even at Christmas time, is the record
of the Hood River valley. W. F.
Laraway, a merchant of this city,
sent a number of roses from his gar
den to friends in Iowa. Mr. Laraway's
roses grow on his lawn and have no
protection.
Colonel Tucker, who left the first
of the week for San Diego,' Cal., also
sent roses to friends for Christmas.
Mrs. Tucker says her poppies have
been blooming freely. "The other
morning, she says, "after the heavy
snow had fallen in the upper valley
where our home is located, it was a
beautiful sight to see the blossoms of
the roses lifting themselves from the
white blanket."
West Announces Appointments.
Salem Governor West has an
nounced the following appointments to
the state textbook commission: Miss
Margaret Cosper, Salem; E. E. Bragg,
l a Grande; T. M. Baldwin, Prineville;
John P. O'Hara, Portland, and W. L.
Brewster, Portland. The text book
commission was named several months
ago, but to keep it from being worried
by text book companies, no announce
ment was made until now. The com
mission meets in June to decide what
changes shall be made in the text
books in the schools of the state.
Malheur Snowfall Below Average.
Vale The snowfall on the higher
mountains of Malheur and other East
ern Oregon' counties is deficient for
this period of the winter, according to
persons reaching Vale from the more
remote parts of the county. Where
the first of the year should witness not
less than one foot of snow on the high
er altitudes, there is not to exceed
three or four inches. Without heavy
subsequent precipitation during the
next three months, there will be a
marked lack of water next spring.
Two Bridges Swept Awajr.
Dufur Two bridges on the line of
the Great Southern railway were
swept away by high water in Fifteen
Mile creek. The recent heavy rains
have raised all the streams in this vi
cinity higher than any time in,?ars.