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About Heppner herald. (Heppner, Or.) 1914-1924 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1924)
Tuesday, January gjiiiii:i:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!iiiii!iiiiiiiiiiin;is BROWN MOUSE By HERBERT QUICK niiiiiiiiiimiiiimmiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiim; (Copyright by Th BobU-Merrill Company) " SYNOPsTi CHAPTER I. Jennie Woodruff con temptuously refuses to marry Jim Ir win, young farm hand, because of hia financial condition and poor prospects. He Is Intellectually above his station, and has advanced Ideas concerning the possibilities of expert sohool teaching, lor whloh he la ridiculed by many. CHAPTER H. More as a Joke than otherwise Jim is selected as teacher ot theJWoodruft district school. CHAPTER III JlmTTn his new1 posi tion, sets out to make stanch friends of his pupils, especially two boys, New ton Bronson and "Buddy" Simms, th latter the son of a shiftless farmer. Colonel Woodruff, Jennie's father, has little faith in Jim's ideas of improving rural educational methods. He nick names him the "Brown Mouse," In Il lustration of an anecdote. CHAPTER IV. Jim's conduct of the school, where he endeavors to teach the children the wonders of nature and some of the scientific methods of farming, as well as "book learning," u condemned. CHAPTER V. Jennie Woodruff Is nominted for the position of county superintendent of schools. The school board grows bitter in its opposition to Jim and his innovations. CHAPTER VI. At a public meeting Jim roundly, condemns the methods of teaching in the rural schools, and makes no friend thereby. CHAPTER VII. A delegation of prominent women condemn Jim's meth ods of teaching, but he is stoutly de tended by his pupils, especially Newton Bronson. CHAPTER VIII. Jim has Christmas dinner at Colonel Woodruff's, and lis tening to him, Jennie begins to do some thinking concerning his ability and his prospects. CHAPTER IX. In the evening: Jim, as well as he knows how, courts Jen nie, without, however, making much progress, though she is quickly losing her poor opinion of him. CHAPTER X. Jennie, elected county superintendent of schools, receives so many complaints from people of the district concerning Jim's methods of teaching that she finds herself com pelled formally to ask for his resigna tion. After she has left, Jim Is visited by Colonel Woodruff, who strongly urges him to refuse to resign, and offers to back him. Jim agrees to tick, for a while at least. CHAPTER XI. A meeting of the school board, which had been gathered to "get" Jim, Is confronted by Jennie, who upholds him. He conducts an ex amination of his pupils at the meet ing, to prove that he is not neglecting their "book learning" by the Introduc tion of other subjects which lie con siders of Importance. The splendid snowing made by the children converts many, who had doubted, to his views. The Chicago papers had a news Item which covered the result of the ex aminations; but the grunt sensation of the Woodruff district lay in the Sun day feature carried by one of them. It had a picture of .Tim Irwin, and one of Jennie Woodruff the latter au thentic, and the former gleaned from the morgue, and apparently the por trait of a lumber-jack. There was also a very free treatment by the car toonist of Mr. Simms carrying a rifle with the intention of shooting up the school board in case the decision went against the schoolmaster. "When It became known." said the news story, "that the schoolmaster had bet his job on the proficiency of his school in studies supposed and alleged to have been studiously neglected, the excitement rose to fever heat. Local sports bet freely on the result, the odds being eight to five on General Proficiency against the field. The field was Jim Irwin and his school. And the way those rural kids rose In their might and ate up the textbooks was simply scandalous. When the fight was over, and the dead and wounded cared for, the school board and the county superintendent were forced to admit that they wished the average school could do as well under a similar test. "The local Mr. Dooley is Cornelius Bonner, a member of the 'board.' When asked for a statement of his views af ter the county superintendent had de cided that her old sweetheart was to be allowed the priceless boon of earn ing forty dollars a month during the remainder of his contract, Mr. Bonner said, 'Aside from being licked, we're all right. But we'll get this guy yet, don't fall down and fergit that !' " 'The examinations tind to show,' said Mr. Bonner, when asked for hlg opinion on the result, 'that in or-r-rder to larn anything you shud shtudy somethin' Use. But we'll git this guy yit !' ' "Jim," said Colonel Woodruff, as they rode home together, "I'm Just be ginning to understand what you're driving at. And I like being a wild-eyed-reformer more and more." CHAPTER XII At the Farmers' Institute. Every Iowa county has Its Farmers' Institute. Usually It ts held In the county seat, and Is a gathering of farmers for the purpose of listening to improving discussions and addresses both instructive and entertaining. The Woodruff district was Interested In the institute, however, because of the fact that a rural-school exhibit was one of its features that year, and that Colonel Woodruff had secured an urgent invitation to the school to take part in It. Cnoh otMi!1c uro nnir i common 22; 1924 that it is not worth while lor us to describe it; but then, the sight of a class of children testing and weighing milk, examining grains for viability and foul seeds, planning crop rota tions, judging grains and live stock was so new in that county as to be the real sensation of the institute. Two persons were a good deal em barrassed by the success of the ex hibit. One was the county superin tendent, who was constantly In receipt of undeserved compliments upon her wisdom in fostering really "practicul "Come and Tell Us About Those Things." work In the schools." The other was Jim Irwin, who was becoming famous, and who felt he had done nothing to deserve fame. Professor Withers, an extension lecturer from Ames, took Jim to dinner at the best hotel In the town, for the purpose of talking over with him the needs of the rural schools. "You've got to come down to our farmers' week next year, and tell us about these things," said he to Jim. "Can't you?" Jim's brain reeled. He go to a gath ering of real educators and tell his crude notions! How could he get the money for his expenses? But he had that gameness which goes with su preme confidence in the thing dealt wllh. "I'll come," said he. "Thank you," said the Ames mnn. "There's a small honorarium attached, you know." Jim was staggered. He tried to re member what an honorarium is. Was he obliged to pay an honorarium for the chance to speak before the college gathering? Well, he'd save money and pay It. "I I'll try to take care of the hon orarium," said he. "I'll come." The professor laughed. It was the first joke the gangling Innovator had perpetrated. , "It won't bother you to take care of it," said he, "but if you're not too ex travagant it will pay your expenses and give you a few dollars over." Jim breathed more freely. An hon orarium was paid to the person receiv ing the honor, then. AVhat a relief I "All right," he exclaimed. "I'll be glad to come!" "Let's consider that settled," said the professor. "And now I must be going back to the opera-house. My talk on soil sickness conies next.' 1 tell you, the winter wheat crop has been " But Jim was not able to think much of the winter wheat problem as they went back to the auditorium. He was worth the appreciation of a college professor, trained to think on the very matters Jim had been so long mulling over in isolation and blindness! Callsta Simms thought she saw something shining and saint-like about the comely face of her teacher ns he came to her at her post In the room In which the school exhibit was held. Callsta was in charge of the little chil dren whose work was to be demon strated that day, and was in a state of exaltation to which her starved be ing had hitherto been a stranger. Per haps there was something similar In her condition of fervent happiness to that of Jim. She, too, was doing some thing outside the sordid life of the Simms cabin. She yearned over the children in her care, und would have been glad to die for them and besides was not Newton Bronson In charge of the corn exhibit, and a member f the corn-Judging team? To the eyes of the town girls who passed about among the exhibits, she was poorly dressed ; but if they could have seen the clothes she had worn on that evening when Jim Irwin first culled at their cabin they could per haps have understood the sense of well-being and happiness In Calista's soul at the feeling of her dress, and the "boughten" cloak she wore and any of them, even without knowledge of this, might have understood Cnlls ta's Joy at the knowledge that Newton Bronson's eyes were on her from his station by the big pillar "Hello, Calista!" said Jim. "How are you enjoying it?" "Oh !" said Calista, and drew a long, long breath. "Ah'm enjoying niyse'f right much, Mr. Jim." "Any of the home folks coming In to see?" "Yes, geh," answered Callsta. "All the school board have stopped by this morning." Jim looked about him. There they were now, over In a corner, with their heads together. He went toward them, his face still beaming with that radi ance which had shone so plainly to the eyes of Calista Simms, but they saw in It only a grin of exultation over his defeat of them at the hearing be fore Jennie Woodruff. When Jim had drawn so close as almost to call for the extended hand, he felt the repul sion of their attitudes and sheered off on some pretended errand to a dark corner across the room. They resumed their talk. "And as I wag sayln'," went on Bonner. "I want to get this guy. Jim THE HEPPNER HERALD, IfWin, An uciu tnc cause ox uia git tin 'the school, I'd like to be on the board to kick him off; but if you fel lers would like to have some one else, I won't run, and if the right feller is named, I'll line up what friends I got for him." "You got no friend can git as many wotes as you can," said Peterson. "I tank you better run." "What say, Ez?" asked Bonner. "Suits me all right," said Bronson. "I guess we three have had our fight out and understand each other." "I don't like the way Colonel Wood ruff acts," said Bonner. "He rounded up that gang of kids that shot us all to pieces at that hearing, didn't he?" "I tank not," replied Peterson. "I tank he was yust interested In how Yennle managed It." "Well," said Bonner, "he seems to take a lot of interest In this exhibition here. I think we'd better watch the colonel. That decision of Jennie's was crooked." "Veil," said Haakon Peterson, "talk of crookedness wit' Yennie Woodruff don't get wery fur wit' me." "Oh, I don't mean anything bad, Haakon," replied Bonner, "but It wasn't an all-right decision, I think she's stuck on the guy." The caucus broke up after making sure that the three members of the school board would be as one man in maintaining a hostile front to Jim Irwin and his tenure of office. It looked rather like a foregone conclu sion, in a little district wherein there were scarcely twenty-five votes. The three members of the board with their Immediate friends and dependents could muster two or three ballots each and who was there to oppose them? CHAPTER XIII The Colonel Takes the Field, Jim stood apart and alone with his thoughts after his rebuff by the cau cusing members of the school board. "I don't see," said a voice over against the cooking exhibit, "what there Is in this to set people talking. Buttonholes ! Cookies ! Humph !" It was Mrs. Bonner who had clearly come to scoff. With her was Mrs. Bronson, whose attitude was that of a person torn between conflicting in fluences. Her husband had Indicated to the crafty Bonner and the subtle Peterson that he was still loyal to the school board, but while consorting with the censorious Mrs. Bonner she evinced restiveness when the school and its work was condemned. Was not her Newton in charge of a part of this show? Was he not an open and de fiant champion of Jim Irwin, and a constant and enthusiastic attendant upon, not only his classes, but a vari ety of evening and Saturday affairs? And had not Newton become a better hoy a wonderfully better boy? Mrs. Bronson's heart was filled with resentment that she also could not be enrolled among Jim Irwin's supporters. And when Mrs. Bonner sneered at the buttonholes and cookies, Mrs. Bronson, knowing how the little fingers had puzzled themselves over the one, and young faces had become floury and red over the other, flared up a little. "And I don't see," said she, "any thing to laugh at. I'd like to help them." Mrs. Bonner was far too good a diplomat to be cornered in the same enclosure with a rupture of relations. "And quite right, too," said she. "The little things ought to be helped at home and by their mothers." "Well," said Mrs. Bronson, "take them Simms girls, now. They have to have help outside their home." "Yes," agreed Mrs. Bonner, "and a lot more help than a farm-hand can give 'em in school. I shouldn't wonder if there was a lot we don't know about why they come north." "As for that," replied Mrs. Bron son, "I don't know as it's any of my business so long as they behave them selves." Again Mrs. Bonner felt the situa tion getting out of hand. "Ain't It some of our business?" she queried. "I wonder now! By the way Newtie keeps his eye on that Simms girl, I shouldn't wonder If It might turn out your business." "Pshaw!" scoffed Mrs. Bronson. "Puppy love!" "You can't tell how far it'll go," per sisted Mrs. Bonner. "I tell you these schools are getting to be nothing more than sparkin' bees, from the county superintendent down." "Well, maybe," said Mrs. Bronson, "but I don't see sparkin' in everything boys and girls do as quick as some." "I wonder," said Mrs. Bonner, "If Colonel Woodruff would be as friendly to Jim Irwin if he knew that every body says Jennie decided he was to keep his certlf-klt because she wants him to get along in the world, so he can marry her?" "I don't know as she Is so very friendly to him," replied Mrs. Bron son ; "and Jim and Jennie are both of age, you know." "Yes, but how about our schools bein' ruined by a love affair?" Interro gated Mrs. Bonner, as they moved away. "Ain't that your business and miner Instead of desiring further knowl edge of what they were discussing, Jim felt a dreadful disgust at the whole thing. Jennie was against him, he believed, and as for her being in love with him to hear these women discuss It was intolerable. He felt his face redden as at the hearing of gome horrible Indecency. And while he was raging Inwardly, paying the penalty of a publicity to which he was not yet hardened, he heard other voices. Pro fessor Withers, County Superintendent Jennie and Colonel Woodruff were making an Inspection of the rural gchool exhibit. "I hear he hag been having gome trouble with his school board." the HEPPNER, OREGON I'HMrs-sor was s;iyuiu;. "Yes," said Jennie, "he has. Pro ceedings before me to revoke his cer tificate." "On what grounds?" "Incompetency," answered Jennie. "I found that his pupils were really going very well In the regular course of study which he seems to be neg lecting." "I'm glad you supported him," said the professor. "I'm glad to find you helping him." "Really," protested Jennie, "I don't think myself " "What do you think of his notions?" asked the colonel. "Very advanced," replied Professor Withers, "Where did he Imbibe them all?" "He's a Brown Mouse," said the col onel. "A phenomenon in heredity per haps a genius." "Ah, I see," replied the professor, "a Mendellan segregation, you mean?" "Certainly," said- the colonel. "The sort of mind that Imbibes things from Itself." "Well, he's rather wonderful," de clared the professor. "I had him to lunch today. He surprised me. I have Invited him to make an address at Ames next winter during farmers' week." "He?" Jennie's tone showed her astonish ment. Jim the underling. Jim the off ox. Jim the thorn In the county super intendent's side. Jim the country teacher! It was stupefying. "Oh, you mustn't judge him by his looks," said the professor. "I really do hope he'll take some advice on the matter of clothes put on a cravat and a different shirt and collur when he comes to Ames but I have no doubt he will." "He hasn't any other," said the col onel. "Well, it won't signify, If he has the truth to tell us," said the professor. "Has he?" asked Jennie. "Miss Woodruff," replied the pro fessor earnestly, "he has something that looks toward truth, and some thing we need. Just how fur he will "I Have Invited Him to Make an Address.1 go, Just what he will nmount to, It is impossible to say. But something must be done for the rural schools some thing along the lines he is trying to follow. He is a struggling soul, and he is worth helping. You won't make any mistake if you make the most of Mr. Irwin." Jim slipped out of a side door and fled He started home, on foot as he had come. A mile or so out he was overtaken by the colonel, driving briskly along with room in his buggy for Jim. "Climb In, Jim 1" said he. "Dan and Dolly didn't like to see you walk." "They're looking fine," said Jim. There Is a good deal to say when ever two horse lovers get together. But when Jim had alighted at his own door, the colonel spoke of what had been in his mind all the time. "I saw Bonner and Haakon and Ez doing sojne caucusing today," said he. "They expect to elect Bonner to the board again." "Oh, I suppose so," replied Jim. "Well, what shall we do about it?" asked the colonel. Jim was silent. Here was a matter on which he really had no Ideas ex cept the broad and general one that truth Is mighty and shall prevail but that the speed of its forward march is problematical. "I think," said the colonel, "that it's up to us to see that the people have a chance to decide. It's really Bonner against Jim Irwin." "What you need Is a man to take that office away from Bonner." "Well, I'm free to say I don't know that any one can, but I'm willing to try. I think that In about a week I shall pass the word around that I'd l!l;e to serve my country on the school board." Jim's face lighted up and then darkened. "Even then they'd be two to one, Colonel." "Muybe," replied the colonel, "and maybe not. That would have to be figured on. A cracked log splits easy." "Anvhow." Jirn went on. "what'g the Job Printing SEE US When in need of any thing in the line of neat and attractive Printing. use? l 8,nan t oe oistnrnea tins jeui and after that what's the use?" "Why, Jim," said the colonel, "you aren't getting short of breath are you? I thought you good for the mile, and you aren't turning out a quarter horse, are you? I don't know what all it is you want to do, but I don't believe you can do it In nine months, can you?" "Not In nine years!" replied Jim. "Well, then, let's plan for ten years," said the colonel. "I ain't going to be come a reformer at my time of life as a ' temporary Job. Will you stick If we can swing the thing for you?" "I will," said Jim, In a manner of a person taking the tows In some sol emn initiation. 'All right," said the colonel. "We'll keep quiet and see how many votes we can muster up at the election. How many can you speak for?" Jim gave himself for a few minutes to thought. It was a new thing to him, tills matter of mustering votes and a thing which he had always looked upon as rather reprehensible. The citizen should go forth with no coercion, no persuasion, no suggestion, and vote his sentiments. "How many can you round up?" persisted the colonel. "I think," said Jim, "that I can speak for myself and Old Man Simms !" The colonel laughed. "Flue politician !" he repeated. "Fine pqjitician! Well, Jim, you round up yourself and Old Man Simms and I'll see what I can do I'll see what I can do!" ' (To be continued) Hitching Horseless Buggies. Because of being pestered by motor thefts a small town in California has get up a row of concrete hitching posts on the main street for the use of motorists. When the farmers drive In for their Saturday shopping now they drive the car up to the hitching rail, as In bygone days, and chain the wheels to tbe nearest nost. IT PAYS TO READ iIliHSfta3 issfc" l issfc'il '"" 'I'1 Ssfc T " jsjjaj- Forehanded People Inside of the vault of the bank are located the individvual Safe Deposit Boxes main tained for those forehanded people who want the BEST OF PROTECTION for their valuables. Bonds, stocks, insurance policies, mortgages, records, receipts, jewelry, trink ets, etc, deserve better protection than they receive when kept in an office safe, tin box or hidden away somewhere. This bank has these Safe Deposit Boxes for rent at the rate of two dollars a year and up, according to the size of the box.. It offers you the opportunity to keep your valuables where it? keeps its own. Rent a Safe Deposit Box today, for the number now vacant is limited. Farmers and Stockgrowers National Bank HEPPNER, OREGON Thomson Bros. OUR STORE is head quarters for seasonable merchandise. We can feed and clothe the whole family from soup to nuts and from hats to shoes See our line of Suits and Overcoats for Men and Boys Page Three Deep Human Touch to German Children's Fund The Altrua club of Oswego, Or., had $15 in its treasury and, after hearing of the pitiful condi tion of millions ot German chU drep, officially confirmed b American agents, voted unarjj moualy to give the money to tlje fund being raised in Portland by the American committee fdf re lief of German children, Anton Mell, a young maj)t$nV perarlly working in PendjjEon, read of the situation and s?nt his pass book on the VOHed States National bank in Port land, with an order to pay ISO frjm hie savings account toward the fund. He had but few, dollars left. ' The Meat-cutters' union b! Portland Toted ?900 fro.jn Its treasury. J Many other similar Instances could be cited. First Leviathan Was Failure The first attempt to provide trans atlantic travelers with a vessel that. In size and magnificence, would be a floating hotel, was made In the build-1 lng ot the Great Eastern. The launch ing of this huge ship, for some tlma called the Leviathan, was commenced November 2, 1857, but owing to the difficulty of moving the enormous weight, the vessel was not finally afloat until early In 1858. The secret of managing go large a liner had not yet been learned, and the Great Eastern was from the first a white elephant to her owners. Her only real service was in the laying of Atlantic cables. She made her last voyage 35 years ago, and was then disposed of as Junk. The pioneer Leviathan had a length of 692 feet and a tonnage of 27,000. Detroit,1 News. THE HERALD ADS 1' sfc gsw f j " ' ""f n"" "V sssi