4
t
HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 1925.
PAGE THREE
(Lot. I
OLIVER
L OCTOBER;
EORGE BARR McCUTCHEON
COPYRIOHT.BEU. YN OICATE.(w.N.U. SCHVICE)
SYNOPSIS
CHAPTER I. Oliver October Bai
ter, Jr., was born on a vile October
Oar. Hli parent! were prominent In
the commercial, social and spiritual
life of the tow of Rumley. Hie fa
ther wu proprietor of the hardware
tor. The night that Oliver Octo
ber vii born a gypsy queen reade
hia father'e fortune and telle him
what a wonderful future hie eon haa
before him, but after the reading-,
the npir becomea angry and leavee
the house In a race after telling- Mr.
Baxter that hie eon will never reach
the as of thirty, that he will be
hanced for a crime of which he U
not guilty.
CHAPTER II. Ten yeara elapse
and Oliver's father la the owaer of
a business block la the town. Mrs.
Baxter died when Oliver waa near
lng seven. Josephine Sage, wife of
the minister, causes a seneatlon
when ahe leaves Kumley to go on
the stage. Bhe becomes a "star" and
later goes to London, where she
cores a hit. Her daughter Jane and
young Oliver become greatly at
tached to one another. After finish
ing college, young Oliver accepts a
position In Chicago with an engi
neering company. He goes to China
on an Important mlealoa for his
Arm. Upon his return he enlists la
the Canadian army.
CHAPTER III
Home From the War.
THE war was over. Oliver October
Baxter came through without a
scratch.
In April, 1919, he sailej from Bnnt
and on tho tenth St May ar'ived in
Rumley, discharged from tho army,
jobless. On the way home he stopped
over in Chicago to notify lis em
ployers that he would be r-ady to re
sume work after a month's much
needed rest. Hu wis blandly inform
ed that as soon as anything turned up
they would be pleased end happy to
take him back into the concern, but
at present there wasn't a vacancy in
eight.
Being a captain in the army and
used to plain speaking, he told the
astonished general manager what he
thought of him and tl.o whole works
besides, and airily went his way.
This time there wao no delegation
at the station to meet him. His fath
er and Sammy Parr were waiting for
him'whon the tain pulled in.
Old Oliver eyed bis son narrowly.
"What's this I hear about them not
taking you back on your o'd Job?" he
demanded. He extended his hand,
which young Oliver gripped in both
of his.
"Aren't you glad to see me back,,
alive and well, dad?" ho cried.
"Of course, I'm glad you're back,
sonny of course, J am. I've been
praying for this ever since you went
away. But, didn't I say you were a
fool for giving up a (7,000 job to go
over and mix up in a war that wasn't
any of our business?"
"Oh, I'm not down and out, you
know, dad," broke in young Oliver.
"So, cheer up! I'm not worrying."
"Course you're not worrying," was
his father's sour retort. "You've
got me to fall back on, with a good
home and grab and a darned fine
business to drop into when I'm dead
and gone."
His son could hardly believe his
ears. He was bewildered, hurt.
Sammy gave Oliver a significant
look.
As the two young men hurried
across the platform with the bags
and bundles, he found opportunity to
say to the new arrivnl: ,
"Your father will be in good humor
in a minute or two. It's just a habit
he's fallen into since you've been
away. I guess it's that infernal gyp
sy business. He's as peevish as blazes
a good part of the time."
They drove off in Sammy's car
while Oliver plied his old friend with
questions.
"Where is Jane?" ho asked sudden
ly. "Jane Sage? Oh, she's around same
as ever. Things aro a lot easier for
Mr. Sage now. I guess maybe you
haven't heard about his brohtor dying
out In Clifornia and leaving him quite
a bit of money. It looks like a pretty
serious affair between her and Doc
T.onaintv "
"What's that?" demanded Oliver,
startled.
"I guess it's all happened since you
went away. Docs only been prac
ticing here since last summer. Fine
feller."
"I don't seem to remember him,"
said Oliver, dully. "You say she's
er in love with him?"
"Looks that way," said Sammy, In
differently. "He's dead gone on her,
that's sure."
Presently Mr. Baxter cackled. He
was in high good humor again.
"Serepty Grimes just can't wait to
see you," he declarod. '"You know,
she's keeping house for me."
"Aunt Serepta keeping houso for
your
"Yes, I thought that people would
be sure to talk if she camo ovor and
lived at my houso. But the cussed
PBrt of it Is, nobody thinks there'
anything scandalous about it, There
hasn't been a darned bit of talk,
What the tlickons aro you laughing
at. Sam?"
"I just ran over a hon," lied Sam
promptly.
June was well along before Oliver
beean seriously to contemplate bring'
lng his solf-stylod "vacation" to an
end. May had been glorious. Even
the sinister stretches of Death swamp
across which he looked from the oak
shaded citadel that he would always
call home, were not so repelling as
they had been in days of yore. The
world was beautiful.
During the first week he spent
many happy, care-free hours with
Jane Sage,
One evening, lounging on her porch,
he asked her suddenly:
"What sort of a chap is Doc Lan
sing, Jane?"
She started, and for a moment her
eyes were fixed intently on his half
averted face. There was an odd, start
tied expression in them.
"He is very nice," she answered,
and they both fell silent
An automobile approached along
the tree-lined street, coming to a stop
at the front gate.
"Hullo!" exclaimed Oliver. "Here
comes the gentleman himself."
Good evening, Jane," said young
Lansing as he came up to the steps.
"How are you. Captain Baxter? Won
derful night, isn't it?"
"Wonderful," said Oliver, who
wasn't thinking at all of the physical
aspects of the night.
Twenty minutes later he looked at
his wrist-watch and sprang to his
feet.
"I must be going, Jane," he said.1
He took himself off in well-simulated
haste. As he strode off down the
street he waa conscious of an ex
tremely uncomfortable feeling that
they were glad to be rid ef him. A
queer little chill of dismay struck in
upon him. For a moment he felt ut
terly desolate and bewildered. He
felt lost. Why, it meant that he and
Jane couldn't be playmates or chums
any longer.
Four days later Jane met him face
to face in the street, and looking
straight into his eyes, asked:
"What is the matter, Oliver? What
have I done?"
Done?"
Don't be stupid. Have I offended
you? Why haven't you been up to
see me?"
He decided to be quite frank about
it. "See here. Jane, we've always
been pals. I don't know exactly how
things stand with you and Lansing.
But, while I'm not a suitor, it's only
fair and square of me to keep out of
the"
Her free, joyous laugh interrupted
him.
Oh, you don't know how relieved
I am," she cried. "So that's the ex
planation, is it? You wanted to give
me every chance in the world to
catch a beau and to keep him. It's
awfully kind of you, Oliver, but it s
also very silly. Don't let me find
you staying away again!"
And so June drew toward an end
with Jane and Oliver back on the old
footing not quite the same as be
fore, owing to the letter's secret
conviction that he was playing hob
with the doctor's peace of mind.
Oliver's otherwise agreeable and
whilom stay in Rumley was marred
by his father's increasing despond
ency and irritation over the fact that
he not only was out of a job but ap
parently was making no effort to ob
tain one. There were times when the
old man's scolding became unbearable
and but for the pleadings of Serepta
Grimes and the counsel of Mr. Sage,
Oliver would have packed his bags
and departed.
"Don't pay any attention to him,
Oliver," begged Serepta. "He's cranky
that's all. He don't mean what he
says. It would break his heart if you
were to get mad and go off and leave
him."
CHAPTER IV
A Mysterious Disappearance.
SHORTLY beforo 8 o'clock on the
afternoon of June 23, the day be
fore Oliver October was to leave
for Chicago and a new position, old
Oliver Baxter stepped into the bank
at the corner of Clay and Pershing
streets and drew out $3,600 in cur
rency. He gave no reason to the tell
er or to the cashier for the with
drawal of so large an amount in cash.
Oliver October, 10 or 15 minutes
late for supper that evening, found
his father in a surprisingly amiable
frame of mii.u, but Mr. Baxter's good
humor did not endruo. He revived a
dispute they had in the store earlier
in the day. The old man had that day
offered him an interest in' the busi
ness if he would remain in Rumley.
Oliver was grateful, but he declined
the offer, saying he hid a profession
in which he wanted to make good.
Mr. Baxter's reversion to the sub
ject came when Oliver, looking at
his watch, announced that he must
be running along, as he was due over
at the Sages to say good-by to Jane
and her father.
"Well. I'll walk part cf the way
with you," said his father crossly,
"I'd like to sec if I can't coax you
to change your mind about coming
into the store. If you don't mind,
we'll take the lower road along the
swamp. It's a short cut for you
saves you a quarter of a mile or
more."
A few minutes before 9 o'clock Oli
ver appeared at the home of Rev. Mr.
Sage, somewhat out of breath and
visibly agitated.
"I'm awfully sorry to ba so late,"
he apologized. "Father and I had a
long and trying confab and al I
couldn't get away. God knows I hate
to say it, but I'm glad I'm going to
morrow." "No, you shouldn't say it, Oliver,"
said Mr. Sage. "Poor mani he is real
ly not responsible thee days. You
see, Oliver, for nearly 30 years he has
lived in dread of well, of the absurd
thing that gypsy woman said."
"And that is why he wants me to
stay here, so that he can watch over
and protect me?"
"Exactly."
"If I really believed that to be the
case, Uncle Herbert, I I would stay."
Jane, who had been silent during
tho brief colloquy between her father
and Oliver, was studying the young
man's face .intently. She was puz
zled by his manner and by his ex
pression. "I came over by the back road along
the swamp," he explained, catching
her in the act of staring at his muddy
shoes. "Father walked part of the
way .with me. Gee, what a panning
he gave me! It was terrible,' Mr.
Sage. I saw red. I I had to run I
couldn't stand it. G d, how miser
able I am!"
Jane and her father listened,
speechless, and presently Mr. Sage
arose and went into the house.
The clock on the town hall struck
12 before Oliver roluctantly bade
Jane good-night and started home
ward. On his way home, through the
heart of town,, he passed the rather
pretentious house in which the Lan
sings lived. There were people on
the veranda. He longed for tho com
panionship of friends merry friends.
He turned in at the stone gate and
walked swiftly up to the house.
"Hello, Ollie," called out Sammy
Parr.
Young Lansing came to the top of
the steps to greet him.
"I've been up saying good-by to Mr.
Sage and Jane. And the funny part of
it is that I may not go away tomor
row after all," said Oliver. "The
Sages think I ought not to leave my
father." He spoke in lowered tones,
for Lansing's ears alone.
"I quite agree with them," said the
other, stiffly.
"Have a highball, Baxter?" called
Sammy,
"Not tonight, thanks. I've got to
be running along. Father may be
waiting up for me. Night, every
body." And he was off. The group watched
him stride swiftly down the cement
walk. Sammy was the first to speak.
"Well, I call that sociability, don't
you? What the dickens is the matter
with him? First time I've ever seen
Ollie Baxter with a grouch."
Early the next morning, Serepta
Grimes called Joseph Sikes on the
telephone.
"Did Oliver Baxter stay all night
with you?" she inquired. "I mean
old Oliver."
"No."
"Have you seen anything of him
this morning?"
"No. What's the matter, Serepty?"
"Well, he didn't sleep here last
night, and there ain't a sign of him
around the place. I I guess maybe
you'd better come up, Joe."
The long and the short of it was,
Oliver Baxter had vanished as com
pletely sb if swallowed by the earth
and it was the general opinion that
that waa exactly what happened to
him. There was not the slightest
doubt in the minds of his horrified
friends that he had wondered out
onto the swamp and had met a ghast
ly fate in one of the countless pita of
mire whose depths no man knew or
cared to fnthom even In speculation.
Notwithstanding the almost uni
versal belief that poor old Oliver Bax
ter was buried in the bKck mire of
the swamp, a state-wide search was
at once instituted by his distracted
son, who, for one, did not believe that
the missing man had gone to his
death in the loathsome tract.
The bank's prompt announcement
that Mr. Baxter had withdrawn thirty-
five hundred dollars convinced OliveT
October and a few aound-headed in
dividuals that he had deliberately
planned his departure from Rumley.
No one could be found who saw
him after he took leave cf his son
on the swamp road. Oliver October
related all that transpired between
them on that moonlit byway. Ho did
not spare himself in the recital. No
one blamed him, however.
An inspection of Mr. Baxter's closet
the following morning led to a puz
zling discovery. A compaatively new
suit of dark gray material rather
too heavy for gummer wear was
missing, while the wrinkled, well
worn garments that ho wore daily at
the store -were found hanging in the
closet.
The excitement in Rumley was in
tense. The Baxter home became a
magnet that drew practically the en
tire population of the town to that
section, and there was not an hour
of the day that did not see scores of
people trudging through the safer por-
tions of the swamp or tramping
along' the uplands that bordered it.
Detectives from Chicago, brought
down by Oliver October, agreed with
the young man that hia father had
"skipped out," to use the expression
of Michael O'Rourke. It was Mr. 0'
Rourke who advanced the theory that
the old man had taken this amazing
means of forcing his son to remain
in Rumley.
"Why," said he, "it's as plain as the
nose on your face. He ig dead set on
having you stick to this town. You
say nix.' Well, what's the smartest
thing he can do?' The only way to
make you stay in this town is for
him to leave it. He sneaks off with
out letting anybody know where he'f
going. Why does he do that? If
you or anybody else knew where he
was you'd have him back in no time,
and all his trouble for nothing. He
thought it all out beforehand. Now
he haa his own way. You've got to
stay here until he gets good and
ready to come back. Somebody's got
to be in charge of his affairs. There
is a chance, of courses, that he wan
dered out in the swamp, but I don't
believe it. If you want us to go
ahead and rake the country for him,
we'll do it."
"I want to find him," said Oliver,
firmly. "You may be right in your
surmise I hope you are. But just
the same, I don't intend to leave a
stone unturned, Mr. O'Rourke."
But the days ran into weeks and
the weeks into months, with the mys
tery no nearer solution than in the
beginning no word, no sign from the
old man who had vanished, no clue
that led to anything save disappoint
ment. There was something grim,
uncanny about the silence of old man
Baxter it was indeed the silence of
the dead. "He might as well be
dead," was the remark that became
common in Rumley whenever his case
was discussed. Strangely enough, no
one now believed him to be dend. Ev
erybody agreed with the detective
that the cantankerous old man had
"skipped out" with the sole idea of
frustrating his son s plan to return
to Chicago.
Oliver October took charge of the
store nad, as self-appointed manager,
conducted the business to the best
of his ability. There was nothing in
the young man's manner to indicate
that he rebelled against the turn in
his affairs. On the contrary, he took
Mold with an enthusiasm that left
nothing to be desired by those who
at first shook their heads dubiously
over the situation.
"I am to blame for all this," he
protested firmly. "If my father is
dead, I am accountable for his death
Whatever his present condition may
be, I am responsible for it. Don't put
all the blame on that gypsy fortune.
teller. I should have realized the
state of mind he was in and I should
have given up everything else in the
world to help him weather the next
year or so of doubt and distress.
(Continued next week)
Dance at Juniper, Saturday, Nor. 14.
There weill be a big dance at Jun
iper Hall on Saturday, November 14.
Everybody come and shake a leg.
Holt Junior Combine, 18 -ft. cut,
ground power, fine condition. Trade
for good young horses, or milk cows,
Value $600. Dwight Misner, lone, Ore.
FOR SALE Good residence prop
erty In Heppner. Two-story house,
good barn, chicken house, wood shed;
3 lots. Terms. See Sam Hughes.
Lost Pair ladies suedo gauntlet
gloves, size No. 6. Finder please
leave at this office.
NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there will be a meeting of the Levying Board of Morrow
County, Oregon, at the Court House in Heppner, Oregon, on the 3rd day of December, 1925,
when and where the estimates arrived at by the Budget Committee of Morrow County, Oregon, here
after set forth, may be discussed with the Levying Board, and when and where any person who
shall be subject to such tax levy, shall be heard in favor of or against said tax levy or any part
thereof.
Dated at Heppner, Oregon, this 9th day of November, 1925.
R. L. BENGE, County Judge.
G. A. BLEAKMAN, Commissioner.
L. P. DAVIDSON, Commissioner.
Estimate and Accounting Sheet
TiHIS estimate and accounting sheet is made in compliance with Chapter 118, General Laws of
Oregon, for 1921, and shows in parallel columns the unit cost of the several services, materials
and supplies for the three years next preceeding the, current year, the detailed expenditures for the
last one of the said preceeding years, and the budget allowance and expenditures for the six months
of the current year, also the budget estimate for the year 1926.
Denartment or Officer ! lEstimBted 26f Expended 6 I Budget I Expended I Expended I Expended
uepanment or Expenditure Month 1925 1925 1924 1923 1922
COUNTY JUDGE T" P" j
Salary $ 1,600.00 $ 800.00 $ 1,600.00 "
Expense 50.00 50.00 1,600.00 1,600.00 1,650.00
COUNTY CLERK
Salary
Deputy
Books, Blanks
COUNTY SHERIFF
Salary
Deputies
Travel Expense
Incidentals
COUNTY ROAD MAS
TER Salary
COUNTY TREASURER
Salary
Books, Blanks-
Incidentals '.
COUNTY ASSESSOR
Salary
Deputy
Extension
Books and Blanks
Field Work
Incidentals .....
SCHOOL SUPERIN
TENDENT Salary
Travel expense
Books and Blanks
Incidentals
COUNTY CORONER
Fees and Mileage
COUNTY COMMIS
SIONERS
Per diem and Expense
COUNTY SURVEYOR
Per diem and expense
ACCOUNTANTS
Audit of Books
CURRENT EXPENSE
Telegrams, telephone
stationery, postage .
TAX COLLECTION
Books and Blanks
JAIL
Board and expense
ELECTIONS
Expense
INDIGENT SOLDIERS
Relief, Soldiers
COURT HOUSE
Salary, Janitor
Fuel .'.
Light and Water
Incidentals
CARE OF POOR
Expense
COUNTY PHYSICIAN
Salary
INSANE
Expense
WIDOWS' PENSION
Expense
CIRCUIT COURT
Witnesses, Jurors
Reporter's fees
Bailiff's fees
Meals
Special counsel
Incidentals
JUSTICE COURT
Fees, Jurors and wit
nesses
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Expense
COUNTY AGENT
Appropriation
DISTRICT SEALER
Appropriation
WATERMASTER
Appropriation
SCHOOL LIBRARY
State Books
COUNTY INSTITUTE
Expense .:
MISCELLANEOUS
Overseer machinery
Bonds ,
Insurance
Incidentals
EMERGENCY FUND
Emergencies
COUNTY SCHOOL
Per capita
HIGH SCHOOL TUI
TION
Tuition
MARKET ROAD
Match State Levy .
ROAD BONDS
Interest
ROAD BONDS
Sinking Fund
ROADS & HIGHWAYS
Repairs, building, lab
bor, machinery
BRIDGES
Labor, repairs, new
bridges
STATE OF OREGON
State Tax
INDEBTEDNESS
Outstanding Warrants
TOTAL S29S.301.00
2,000.00
1,320.00
800.00
2,000.00
2,460.00
500.00
250.00
2,000.00
1,000.00
150.00
100.00
1,600.00
1,200.00
150.00
300.00
1,200.00
100.00
1,600.00
350.00
100.00
100.00
300.00
1,250.00
100.00
350.00
700.00
600.00
300.00
2,000.00
100.00
960.00
1,000.00
600.00
500.00
2,500.00
120.00
100.00
1,500.00
1,000.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
200.00
200.00
2,500.00
117.00
395.00
200.00
200.00
900.00
420.00
770.00
80.00
5,000.00
17,500.00
7,000.0Q
16,509.00
20,000.00
41,300.00
25,000.00
s
8,000.00
80,000.00
36,600.00
1,000.00
600.00
330.14
1,000.00
1,280.00
693.55
1,000.00
500.00
96.28
800.00
600.00
181.94
800.00
368.01
27.65
672.79
16.20
125.00
304.11
509.75
344.07
7.50
480.00
776.70
1,462.81
60.00
59.75
485.00
626.75
146.18
1.11
1,300.00
62.25
312.05
200.00
214.00
12.00
302.16
3.50
8,714.13
6,452.62
2,000.00
1,320.00
800.00
2,000.00
2,460.00
750.00
2,000.00
1,000.00
250.00
100.00
1,600.00
1,200.00
150.00
300.00
1,200.00
100.00
1,600.00
350.00
100.00
100.00
300.00
1,250.00
100.00
350.00
700.00
500.00
300.00
2,000.00
100.00
960.00
1,000.00
600.00
500.00
1,500.00
120.00
100.00
1,500.00
1,500.00
100.00
100.00
100.00
. 100.00
100.00
200.00
200.00
2,500.00
117.00
339.00
200.00
150.00
300.00
420.00
235.00
80.00
5,000.00
17,470.00
7,000.00
16,364.00
16,364.00
34,093.00
25,000.00
16,000.00
78,425.00
32,000.00
3,893.89
5,426.77
2,000.00
4,120.40
4,346.10
2,281.08
83.85
1,012.33
88.67
450.00
533.77
225.27
733.39
1,632.95
2,954.18
1,831.62
120.00
1,390.00
2,210.28
477.61
102.81
2,575.00
88.55
180.35
174.70
692.36
36,607.21
4,127.31
4,632.45
2,000.00
1,168.55
4,310.02
2,481.48
299.94
736.92
150.42
600.00
631.66
620.41
161.17
644.25
3.60
3,713.74
1,928.22
120.00
60.55
1,542.50
989.85
214.87
259.10
2,475.00
116.85
163.13
207.28
200.00
1,387.57
1,507.16
28,368.93
15.950.00
4,251.21
4,974.31
1,115.89
4,124.32
2,205.55
429.75
693.81
24.06
150.00
796.37
584.01
182.90
1,641.25
2,903.32
1,493'.74
120.00
75.90
1,395.00
1,006.51
210.54
133.12
2,800.00
116.84
153.32
181.48
200.00
L492.62
50.00
47,933.62
15,964.90
The following amounts are not included within the 6 per cent limitation law and are author
ized by the Oregon Laws:
Interest on bonds $ 20,000.00
Bond Sinking Fund 41,300.00
State Tax 85,000.00
High School Tuition 7,000.00
TOTAL $153,300.00
Estimated receipts for the year 1926, other than taxation:
Interest on bank deposits $ 500.00
Fees from Clerk's office 3,000.00
25 per cent Forest Rentals 1,000.00
5 per cent Land Sales 100.00
Uncollected taxes 40,000.00
TOTAL $ 44,600.00
. RECAPITULATION
Total estimated expenditures for the year subject to 6 per cent limitation ; $145,001.00
Total estimated receipts not including proposed tax 44,600.00
Balance, amount to be raised by taxation subject to 6 per cent limitation $100,401.00
Dated at Heppner, Oregon, this 4th day of November, A. D., 1925.
MORROW COUNTY BUDGET COMMITTEE,
LUCY M. JARMON, Secretary. R. L. BENGE, Chairman.