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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1919)
ri.v i fn THE C AZT.TTE-TmES, ITKrrN'EU, ORE., TlU KSn VY. PEC. 11, 1919 THE GAZETTE-TIMES :'hr Hi'r ",:jtte. K.taMishfJ Mn.h Ju, is Tt e HPi-Mifr Tares. KMabUshM Or.t-.li-iatd Kelu uary 1911. 1'ul'liHhed eery Thursday morning by a Irr Speacer Crawford and en:ereii at the I'dotTW at Hepp iiei, utegun, aa aK-oriii-ciasa matter. AlUKHTIMMi RATKS 1TBN 0 91 AITLK A1ION SLliSCRlrTlO.N RATES; One Tear It. 00 1.00 .; .Oa 1'hree Monltii.. mg le Copiea M OK BOW COISTY OFFICIAL PAPKB The End of the World We wonder if there really is any use of writing this. Will there be anyone left on earth to read these lines and will these lines be destroy' ed before they have been circulated in print ? If we are to take the word of Prof. Albert F. Porta, the noted American astronomer and weather prognosticator, there won't be much left of this old world after Wednesday, December 17, so you see there is really no need of us tell ing you all this, for you won't be here to read it. According to Prof. Porta, the old earth is due for a knock out wallop, which will turn it icy cold and shaky, followed by a white heat finish. This prediction is based on certain astronomical observations which place certain planets in certain po sitions, and the end of the world, which has been predicted many times before, will come to pass. Says Professor Porta, "the world is coming to an end about the middle of this month. The most terriffic weather cataclysm experienced since human history began" he declares, "will be caused by the hugest sun spots on record a sun spot that will be visible to the naked eye. It will be a gigantic explosion of flaming gases leaping hundreds of thousands of miles in space. It will have a crater large enough to engulf the earth as Vesuvius might engulf a foot ball. "There will be hurricanes, lighten ing, colossal rains. There will be gigantic eruptions, great earth quakes, to say nothing of flood and fearful cold." Other astronomers have refuted Professor Porta's contentions. In any event, Heppner people are going right along with their Christmas shopping as serenly as though noth ing unusual is on the way. They figure there is just about as much chance of the world coming to an end right now as there is for a settlement of the peace treaty or a reduction in the high cost of livin.g There may have been winters just as cold, but was the fuel bin as low? The Gazette-Times comes to you this week in somewhat an enlarged form. It is not an industrial edit ion, but we have striven to make it reflect the Christmas spirit, and have attempted to embody somewhat the value of doing your Christmas shopping at home. Hence the larg er number of ads from local business firms Contained herein are a number of articles from the pen of local resi dents which we commend to your perusal. They are well written and ate from the brains of those most closely attached to the subject treat ed. That Tfuman H. Newberry, who defeated Henry Ford in the race for United States senator from Michigan, has been indicted on a charge of election fraud. Quicker safe methods of cleaning up old orchards in western Oregon are being sought by the department of plant pathology at the O.A.C. ex periment station. Moss and lichens that gather on neglected fruit trees may be controlled by the usual spray materials used in the spray program, but growers coming into possession of these old, run-down orchards want something that will give quick results. W. A. Smart, associate plant pathologist, is investigatingthe best materials and best methods of mix ing and use to clean up the disease quickly without injury to the bark on different kinds of trees. A woman in England declares the kingdom of heaven is at hand. -She avers she has been talking with her husband in paradise. There are smokers there and also a substitute for beer. And one nice thing, in view of the high cost of living here on earth, the English woman says that neither sleeping or eating is in dulged in up there. The Townsend Highway Bill One of the most important mea sures the first regular session of 'this Congress must act upon is the Townsenj highway bill. Ever)- per son ho uses the public highways, , agon, truck or auiomobile. should j he a booster for the proposed net- j i.m vi -uu ivaud, Having uicu . foundation upon a federal system, and which are to be extended by states and counties to the end that good roads will be more frequently met with, and bad roads the excep tion. As explained by Senator Town send, author of the bill, the purpose of the measure is to care for inter- i state traffic, to "serve the large cen- ters of commerce in each state, to meet the military needs of the coun try, and to tie the country together in a unit so that it will be possible f. k . . . . , , , . for the states to plan and connect their system with the national sys tem, and thus connect the important commercial centers. The counties would then connect with the state system, and build out from the centers of population into the farming communities like the spokes of a wheel, forming a road plan that would do the largest num ber of people the greatest good. Each unit, according to Senator Townsend, would be made more ef fective and efficient and the farmer would be" given a number of mar kets, instead of one, for his produce, This road plan would greatly reduce the cost of transportation, and lower the cost of living to the consumer. But Congress is going to be busy this session. Many other impor tant bills $nd resolutions will come up for consideration, and the road problems, like the poor, we always have had with us. That is of course, no good reason for putting it off any longer, but it will do that very thing unless the people most interested in having good roads keep everlast ingly after their representatives in Congress. A fine idea would be for every voter to write to the member from his district, asking for a copy of the Townsend bill, study it care fully, talk it over at neighborhood and comunity meetings, and then let the men who you sent to Washington hear from you on the subject. The open season for political gunning is upon us. Every aspirant should watch his tongue and keep it bridled. If he ever wishes to say that somebody has purloined his pet phrases, let him count ten and a hundred tens if necessary in order to keep it unut(ered. John Dennis, a critic and author of London, failed to count ten. Ver ily he is not remembered now for what he wrote but for the remark he made a hundred years ago while an gered. He wanted fame, but he achieved a cheap notoriety. The only successful feature of his play, "Appius and Virginia," was a particularly able imitation of the sound of thunder. Dennis himself had invented the mechanism. A few nights after the discontin uance of the tragedy the same actors appeared in Shakespeare's "Mac beth" in which they used the thun der-making device. Immediately upon hearing the noise, Dennis arose from his seat in the pit of the theater and angrily accused: "They will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder." The author's rash deed spelled his doom. Even today "Dennis" is lust another way of saying "The End." Did You Know That the women of New York have started a boycott on butter, eggs and coffee, on account of high prices. That a rice farmer near Poplar Bluff, Mo., estimates his profits fromJ this year's rice crop on 500 acres at $70,000. That Leland Stanford Chumley, editor of an I. W. W. paper which advocated abolition of the wage sys tem, admitted in court that he him self receives a salary. That Nordman, the noted French astronomer, says recent discoveries show the existence of worlds so far distant that traveling 189,000 mlieb a second would take seventy mill ion years to reach them. That Warsaw reports 40,00 Po lish Jews have asked for permission to emigrate to America. That George Shima, the Japan ese potato king of California had bought 13,000 acres of land in Cen tral Oregon which he will devote to potato growing, and that resi dents of that section are fearing a heavy influx of Japanese. if One Olljristutaxi RALPH HAMILTON zj- Jii2i4i5(5 Jill : k11"- w'" i'n) HE shades of the pretty -Mi-T-v home werA rmllMl dn . vy unu me KIUUIU Ul UUSK was alleviated by one r liirht onlv in the room fSiO&Si&i where the mourning denizens, Harold Bruce and his wife, Laura, sat They were iting tfee arrival of a taxicab or- aeruu in time to cateh an evening train for the South. Both were soiuber- , "acel nl wearied of mien. They had not spoken for some time, for It was a situation where words meant nothing. The wife never lifted her tear-stained yes ,he husband wore a set expres- i otuu u jvii uia m.n as uiuugo exerting jthe mmost w, t0 epresg poiguant emotion which consuiuehlm. Without, joyous shouts echoed, the sound of merry sleigh bells tinctured the air with Christmas eve fervor, and the contrast of this long-anticipated holiday presentation with what they had hoped and planned for, wrenched their souls to the point of anguish. Their lives desolated beyond repair, poignant memories ever present, they scarce dared to rest their glance upon the portraits of two smiling, happy faces looking. down from a heavily framed picture, for only that morning they had received the terrible news that the originals, their only chil dren, Don, aged bIx, and Etta, two years bis junior, had been victims, with many others, of a disaster by cyclone and flood that had devastated the district where they had their win ter home in Florida. All they knew was that the pretty bungalow and many others, with their occupants, had been swept away, and hundreds were said to have perished, and no word had been received as to the fate of their two little ones, nor of Rhoda Marsh, who had thein in charge. Itlioda Marsh bad come into their thoughts almost as frequently as little Etta and her brother. Each recalled that It was a Christmas eve four years Both Were Somber-Faced and Wearied of Mien. back when Harold Bruce had come home from the funeral of his mother, bringing with him a wlstful-eyedKsad-faced mite of a girl. "Laura," he said to his wife, "this Is Rhoda Marsh, a poor orphan child whom my mother adopted, who has given her the tenderest care to the last honr of her life and was a blessing to her old age. She Is left without a home. Should we give her one?" "We should, and we shall," came the quick reply, as Mrs. Bruce gazed Into the earnest, longing eyes of the girl of fourteen, and read there truth and in nocence and a soulful appeal to all that was maternal and sympathizing in her nature. It proved to be a wise and fortuitous choice. As the children came along Rhoda proved to them a true and lov ing sister, nurse and friend. Then came a test of the fidelity and self-sacrifice of the girl just merging Into young womanhood. Both of the children were taken down with a dan gerous contagious malady. The house was quarantined. Rhoda braved the perils of infection. Day and night she was the constant attendant of Don and Etta. She found so sure a loving place in the hearts of those she hart benefited, that her eyes beamed with joy and happiness whenever she was In their presence. The physician who attended the children was Albion Merrltt. He had entered the profession the protege of a wealthy man, and had acquired a clientele of prominence and a large Income. It was when the little ones were convalescent that he had come to Mr. Bruce, who was a close personal friend. "Bruce," he eald, "I cannot find words to express my admiration and respect, yes, and something deeper, for that sweet little heroine, Ithoda, whose studious care of the children, Tar more than my ministrations, Is responsible for their recovery." "Yes," answered Mr. Bruce with genuine fervor In his tones, "she la a jewel of worth and constancy. Both my wife and myself realize what we owe to this poor waif who has en deared herself to us as though she were our own daughter." Doctor Merrilt proved his expressed sentiments by very often visiting the Bruce home after that The children loved him and he would drop In for an hour or two and play with, them and talk with Rhoda and listen to her sing ing at the piano, for music with Rhoda was her one great passion. There never was a visit on his part that Rhoda did not greet him wllh a beauti ful, tender flush upon her fair expres sive face, aaa one niRht her kindly benefactors Indulged in playful t:idl nage when she accompanied Poctor Merrltt to the door. "Doctor Morrltt has become quite a beau eh, Rhodal" intimated Mr. Bruce. 'Three times In a week," spoke Mrs. Bruce. "Rhoda dear, he is a loyal chevalier." "Please don't," pleaded Rhoda, look ing serious, shy and embarrassed. "He is only a great good friend to all of us, and he has so encouraged my sincinc that it has made me more anxious than ever to please him." Early In November Mrs. Bruce, the children and Rhoda went to the Florida winter home where the family spent four months of the year. There were anticipated happy days in the pretty buugalow when Mr. Bruce should Join them later on. It whs Just two weeks before Christmas when Mrs. Bruce decided to take a trip North and remain with her husband until the holidays, when he would be ready to accompany her to Fair Villa. It was a few days after her coming that her husband said to herf "Laura. Doctor Merrltt has fairly haunted the house evenings since you went away. I met him today and told him of our plans, and he was especially pressing In his inquiries about Rhoda. I presume he will be here this evening to ask you about Rhoda," but the young physician did not materialize as expected, and the next day the Braces understood that he had left the city. It was two days before Christmas when the dreadful news came of the disaster in the South. Fair v!a had been practically swept off t map; their winter home had been carried aw ay by the raging waters. Telegrams contained vague and distracting de tails. They had no reason to hope that their loved ones had escaped the general fate of those who were miss ing among the former residents of the little inland town. They were now ready to go South and seek a trace of their two little children and of Rhoda. in whom they had so trustingly left them In charge. "It must be the taxi," spoke Mr. Bruce, arousing with a sigh from his painful reverie as the doorbell raug. but he crossed the outer threshold to come face to face with Doctor Merrltt. The manner and words of the latter were jarring to the bruised sensibili ties of the bereaved father, for the young physician was radiant of face. His eyes suggested a fervent exhilara tion as he greeted Mr. Bruce with riot ous embrace and waved his hand gay ly to Mrs. Bruce, who had followed her husband Into the hallway. "A glad and merry Christmas to both of you!" hailed Doctor Merrltt jubilantly. "You haven't heard?" spoke Mr. Bruce in a low, reproachful tone. "Why, what do you mean?" ques tioned Doctor Merrltt "The disaster at Fair Villa the chil dren." "Why, bless you!" fairly shouted the doctor "they are right here I" Harold Bruce wavered against the wall for support Mrs. Bruce uttered a wild scream. Across the threshold from toe porch there rushed little Etta and her brother. Joy, delight, ecstasy mitigated the shock of what at first stunned the frantic parents as an appearance from the dead. "And last, but not least, she whose mission In life seems ever to be to bring healing and happiness, and love, and peace to all those who are dear to her!" in a gently reverent tone con tinued Doctor Merrltt and with su preme satisfaction the young physician viewed the five reunited ones In a maze of embraces, kisses and tears. Rhoda, clinging to Mrs. Bruce, hid her face in modest confusion, as Doctor Merrltt recited her brave battle against the elements In a great storm upon a battered raft until she had brought the children to safety. "But you, Doctor Merrltt?" pro pounded Mrs. Bruce wonderingly "how came you to be at Fair Villa?" "I arrived there after the disaster," was the reply, "I had gone there on a specific mission, Inter executed, to ask our peerless Rhoda, queen of all worn- He Covered It With Kisses. anklnd, to become my wife," and as Rhoda extended her hand he covered It with kisses and pressed It to his happy, happy heart. "If there was a mistletoe here I would march you two promptly under It!" threatened Mrs. Bruce, immersed in thrilling Joy and gratitude. "There shall be one before Christ, mas morning arrives!" cried Doctor Merrltt In tones that rang out like a cheer. "Come, Bruce, you and I on a hunt for Santa Claus and the choicest gifts he can bestow, Oh I nowhere In the world, and never to any others, has there come a happier, merrier Christmas than the one we shall cele brate I" Changed His Mind. Doris I thought you and George were going skating? , Mnrjorle So we were, but when he saw I had my hat trimmed with mis tletoe he asked me to go for walk, Gift Choosing at this Store The early Christmas shoppers will find this store especially ready to serve them well. We ordered all of our stocks in early so that those who wished to avoid the rush of Christmas shopping might come here now and choose at their leisure. Symphony Lawn Holiday Papeteries Hand Painted Boxes Assorted Sizes At Popular Prices There isjthe joy of getting a KODAK for Christmas -and the fun of using it that day-and all the days to come. Kodaks All Prices and Sizes Liggett's Chocolates and Fennaway Chocolates In Holiday Packages 1-2 pound, 1 pound, 2 pound and 3 pound sizes SThe: Store te iMIIIIIH!lllllllllllllllHIUIIIUIIIIMIMItllMUIIMIIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllillinilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllll si ifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir? 10 BEAUTIFUL DOLLS to be given away Xmas Eve. Shop at our store and help your favorite little girl get a doll. Special Values for Riker's Perox zone Cream for week of December 7 to 13 PATTERSON & To 'cMy Friends and Matrons: T EXTEND TO YOU THE A Greetings of this Christmas Season and the best wishes for a Happy New Year. May 1920 find you with Abundant Pros perity and Good Health. During the next five months I will be absent from Heppner, while on a visit to my old home in Holland. Upon my return I will again be ready to serve you as Contractor and Builder. Cordially yours, T. G. DENISEE Riviera linen in Holiday Packages Fine, Attractive Boxes, in Dainty Tints. Just the Gift for Young Misses. LYON'S CALIFORNIA GLAZED FRUITS 1- and 2-pound packages Hoefler's Celebrated Centeniai Chocolates in assorted sizes SON The "oxcxQl Store Ifi "5 If If II il if Iff if If ll