Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (June 11, 1914)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION 9 A Very Small Room Capital Short Story by Lauder Clement. BY LAUDER CLEMENT. SHE would often ii crying at my ' feet in the earlier days of her hus . band's commitment, entreating me t get lira oat of prison, but she was Me to support ber three ' children throughout the six years of his sen tence. From her first days of despair she loon stepped forth. She began, sur mounted, and ended each day with one intent. Through six years she rushed with a splendor on her mind; through a fierce asceticism and self denial to ward a complete self -indulgence. She was often tired, but in the main her strength increased. She became very strong and handsome, with the dis tinction of a vigorous si nle Handed ness that never once hud broken down. Nor in tho new delight and power of herself did sho forget her first object or grow to think less of the reward. Her love for her husband , remained lively and fresh, her compassion leaping and intense. During the six years, she had accounted for her over-weening rnnvn9 nno aionoMa inn mnati Iavd anii folds it deeper in the rose by offering a likely and a selfish motive saying: "llo will bo a great help to mo when he gets out." 1 told her she could not be sure ho would bo much help after his six years. She had scarcely listened and had answered, leaning her head to ono side, "I hardly care about that." At the end of the six years her hus band was discharged from jail. When he bad been at home a few months I went to see her. " Ho 's no help," she said. "It eomes to this" I saw the twist of a new humor ou her mouth "He's got three children they are all his, too," (her lips compressed tike the lips of young men on street corners whose slightly smiling mouths absorb one more ob scenity with a faint tremor and sensa tion cf thanks), '"it comes to this. Ho's got three children as I say, all his; and I have four, himself the fourth. He's no help. He's cold, too. There's no pleasure in a man like that IIo's no help." "Ho is ill, though," I said. "Yes," sho agreed, "he's sick enough." She took some white, wet fish from a pot. I followed her down a passage with the wind blowing in it and stood with her entBide a small door. "Why do yon keep him out here 7 "i I asked. "He wants it," she Baid. "It was a good storeroom for provisions, having a window, but since he got back from his jail he wants a very small room 8o I cleared the onions and fruit ont of this and his saws and tools ho used to use, and he sits on the edge of the Employment Agency Farm and Dairy Help Furnished Free. Wire Bush Orders at Onr Expense. Oregon Employment Agency 38 Second Street, North. Portland, Ore. Sale of Drums Heavy corrugated metal shell, niekel plated, maple books, two calfskin heads, including leather drum sling and rosewood sticks, new fishlino snares; very responsive. Postpaid, $7.25 Send for Our Drummers Catalog. We are Sole Agents for the Cele brated "CONN" Instrmnonta. Bend for Free Catalog. Graves Music Co. 151 FOURTH STREET, Portland, Ore. bed with his legs apart. He's no help, you ess see for yourself. " "He is ill", though ' I said. "It seems to me you have changed." "He's sick enough, surely. "Yes, I've changed enough. You can't like a man like that, timid and quiet. He s quiet cr.eugh. Sometimes he puts ou his vest wrong side out, but that s all he does. And he wants his meals hand ed in through a crack in the door. He will not have a lot of blue and yellow and white rushing in 4t him from out side when he's used to his grey stones, nor a crowd of children all his, as I say before his eyes, and the cat walk ing in and out among them." Expert Discusses Freight Rates Proposed Increases Will Have But Slight Effect on Cost of Commodities, Is Asserted by Harry Thompson. She opened the door. "Well, how are vouf" I said to the man inside. I saw a small Tooin with a window over the bed on which the man sat, with his legs apart and his waistcoat on wrong side out. I saw the meager branch of a peaeh tree cross and recross the pane in the slight gusts of spring. "That tree, I daro say, is a pleasure to your eyes," I said to him. "I don't like it," he said. "The window is too large. And the room's too large. I like a very small room and a small window." His eyes fell on the plate of food in hiB wife's hand' and he threw out his arm with the ges ture of shutting a door. He took no further notice of me. We went out again. His wife smiled the smile- she had got. "That fish will be eold enough," she said to me. Then in the kitchen, look ing toward the glass, "I'm losing my looks. What do you thinkf " "I don't know," I said. "You can see for yourself he's no use," she remarked from the top step. "And no eomfort, either." I said. - u "That prison was too much for him," "Yes," she agreed, "he's sick enough. ' ' Harper ' Weekly. Laughs From Far and Near BY EAKET THOMPSON. ' ONE of the most noticeable things about the proposed 5 per cent in crease in railroad freight rates is the wide discussion the subject has provoked in the press of the country, the public will be better informed travel .because of its direct part in it; but freight traffic has been a closed book to all except those engaged in overland' commerce. It would seem now, however, with this enlightening diecuesion in progress, that before the proposal at present before tho Inter state Commerce Commission is decided, the public will be bettere informed than ever before on this much more important source of railroad earnings. Considerable comment has been given to a pamphlet which the railroads have issued, supporting their contention of the necessity of increased rates, in which the roads endeavor to show that their side of the case is really the pub- lie 's side. This document is subtly en titled "Are the Wages We Pay the Railroads High Enough! " and in it is shown that the tonnage of freight as compared with the weight of passengers is in round numbers, nearly thirtylo one, while the average haul of freight is four times the average passenger journey. The transportation cost to the eon sumer on ertieles of every day use is graphically shown; for example, the railroads get 2 2-5 cents for carrying a pair of shoes from Boston to Chicago. If the rate were increased S per eent the freight would still be. lera than 3 cents per pair. Should this-, the rail roads argue, effect the average selling price, $4 per pair. A $35 sest of har ness is now carried from New York to Chicago for 43J cents-er 3 80 of its selling price; a $50 shot gun is earned 1000 miles for 7J cents and similarly are shown the insignificant cost of transportation on garden and farm im plements, clothing, tools, etc. A DREADFUL story is in circulation about Richard Harding Davis, the novelist. Mr. Davis, as everybody knows, is a wit. He was therefore terribly an noyed the other day to hear that a brother author has spoken unfavor ably of his witticisms. Coming upon tbiv brother author, he said: "My boy, I bear that in a bouse where other people were kind eaough to consider mT witty you declared that I was not so. Is this true t" "No; not a word of truth in it," the other answered cheerily. "I was never in a house in my life where anybody considered you witty." DURING a concert tour of the late Theodore Thomas and his celebrated orchestra one of the musicians died, and the following telegram was imme diately dispatched to the parents of the deceased : "John Blank died suddenly today, Advise by wire as to disposition." In a few hours the answer was re ceived, reading as follows: "We are heartbroken; his disposi tion was a roving one." ! TEY were gazing out of the win dow of tho Pullman car. The thin man was rapturously admiring the mu se t. "Ah, Nature is a real artist," ex claimed the thin man, addressing the fat man who sat in the opposite seat. "Have you never gazed nt her won ders f "Have you never watched the lam- IF Going East or Coming West Write us for reduced freight rates on household goods or automo biles. ' Consolidated car' service. PACIFIC COAST FORWARDING CO. 107 R E& Bids, Pertlaad. Orcfoa Is it 'enough t The. roada ask! Ami the question is directed" to the general, public as the ultimate consumer of transportation. They want the publie to. remember that present freight rates were madb when operating costs were much less than they are now. Wages for all classes of employes are now higher, terminal facilities cost far more, equipment and supply costs nave greatly increased, maintenance and re pairs are greater every item of cost that enters into freight carrying has notably increased, while the rate per ton mile has decreased. To this high cost of liviae for the railroada is of eonrse attributed the striking decline in railroad construc tion. In the last ten years the mileage for the whole country increased, less than 20 per cent while for the last three years new construction has fallen to almost nothing. The railway mileage of the United Plates is nearly 250,000 lour or live times that of any other country, and nearly half the -railway mileage ol tho world. On the average there is not' in the United States a point of habitable land distant more than five miles from a railroad. There is a little new construction for the sim ple reason that in spite of the amazing industrial growth of the country, new lines do not pay. A very clear understanding of the needs of the roads is shown by the at titude of the shippers toward the pro posed increase in rates. In its inquiry iiito the justice of the railroads' pro posal the Interstate Commerce Commis aien haa received frank statements from shipper favoring the graattBg of the privileges ashed. 'Probably the fact .i t, ...... .i i. i i . MUtfc IDC (MUD MMVU UCIjU CVKWU3tt Ml retrench in everv direction fcan hail something to do with this thange of heart. Everything considered, it would seem probable that some concession wilil be made to enable the roads to meet their increased expenses. bent flanio of dawn 1'fe leaping across the dome of the worljl "Have you lever watched tho red stained islets floating in lakes of firet "Have you never been drawn by the ragged, raven's wing, sky phantoms as they blotted out the moon!" "Not since I swore otf," replied the fat man, as he prepared to hunt an other seat. ALTHOUGH there waa sot a breath of air -stirring little Tommy went out to fly -his tew kite. In the back yard the servant waa stretching- the clothes line from one tree to another, it being wash day. Failure to make the kite fly after ft half hour of strenuous effort brought Tommy into the house, eyes and voice filled with tears: "Mamma, mamma," he pleaded, "make Katie untie the trees, so that the wind can blow. I want to fly my kite." Good roads enthusiasts, as well as brick manufacturers of Zanesville, O., have made a united protest against the plans and specifications of imnrnvino- the old National highway with concrete instead of brick, as originally planned. The advocates of brick paving threaten to appeal tho case to President Wil son, i To prevent scratches, dry the horse's fet lock and heels when he omes in, especial ly In winter; and rub on a little glycerine or vaseline before be goes out in snow or mud. AGENTS WANTED jd riery ioid to eiwmh LANGE'S MINERAL WONDER A Betsrsl Ktaerar Bmsdy, At harg PnfiU. An Artiel Great Merit, a4 a Betmteble Business. ' WRITE FOB PARTICULARS. H.W. LAKOE ft SON -Portland, Ongen. Bex 107 National Stamp & Seal Works EUBBER, STEETt and BRASS STAMPS Stencils, Seals, Badges and Trade Checks. Fruit Stamps Brass Signs, Box Printing, Plates and Burn ing Brands, Huiabering Machine Experts. MAIN 2168 250 Oak Street, Opposite Police Station. Portland, Oregon Free Homesteads We make a specialty of Western Canada homesteads and are the only reliable party on the Coast that i beating settlers on Canadian land. We locate you en the very best mixed farming land in Western Canada. We can locate you on 320 acres on good sandy loam soil, mostly prairie, located east from Edmonton. We ean locate you on 160 acres of black loam soil north and northwest of Edmonton. All the lands that we locate you on will be close to town and railroad. Some is mostly all prairie and some is mostly all timber. The lands north and north west of Edmonton have good drinking water from 8 to 10 feet from surface. A great manv of the claims have creeks through them and there Is plenty of water for irrigation. The lands east of Edmonton are more adapted to wheat raising. We loeate you for $50. Parties are leaving our office daily. You will never again get an opportunity of getting a homestead in Western Canada as good as you can -get now. We also have a few nice claims in Southeastern Oregon of 320 acres each that we ean loeate you on and that we ean recommend and guar antee. CANADIAN HOMESTEAD CO. 73 SIXTH STREET, PORTLAND, OREGON.
