HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, TH
PAGE THREE
What's Gone Before.
It is 1868 and the Pacific Railroad
has reached its newest "farthest
west" Benton, Wyoming, a town de
scribed as "roaring," as each new
terminus, temporarily, was.
Frank Beeson, a young man from
Albany, N. Y., comes here because
he is in search of health and Benton
ib considered "high and dry."
Edna Montoyo, a fellow passenger
on the train from Omaha, impresses
Beeson with the beauty of her blue
eyes and the style of her apparel.
Equally she astonished him by taking
a "smile" of brandy before breakfast.
A brakeman tells Beeson she hns "fol
lowed her man" to Benton.
Jim, a typical western ruffian whom
she knows apparent well insults and
is floored by Beeson whose prowess
impresses the passengers.
Col. Lunderson and "Bill" Brady
volunteer to entertain young Beeson.
Robbed.
A crowd had gathered before a
youth in galluses, soiled shirt and
belled pantaloons, who standing upon
a box, was exhorting at the top of his
lungs.
"Whoo-opp! This way! This way!
Rondo coolo-oh! Here's your easy
money! Down with your soap! Let
her roll! Rondo coolo-oh!"
"It's a great game, suh," the Colonel
said.
We pushed forward, to the front.
The center for the crowd was a table
across one end of which there were
several holes. Into these balls, ten
or a dozen, resembling miniature bil
liard balls, might roll.
The balls had been banked at the
opposite end; and just as we arrived
they were propelled all forward, scat
tering, by a short cue rapidly swept
across their base.
"Rondo coolo, suh," the Colonel ex
plained, "as you see, is an improve
ment on the old rondo, foh red-blooded
folks. Shall we take a turn, foh
luck?"
The crowd was eyeing the gyrating
balls expectantly. A part of the balls
entered the pockets; the remainder
came to rest.
"Rondo," announced the man with
the short cue and deftly distributed
checks and coins.
"She rolls again. Make your bets,
ladies and gents," and he reassembled
the balls.
"I prefer not to' play, sir," I re
sponded to the Colonel. "I am new
here and I cannot afford io lose un
til I am better established."
"Never yet seen a man who could
n't afford to win, though," he growled.
"But come on, then."
So we left the crowd -containing
indeed women as well as men to
their insensate fervor over a childish
game under the stimulation of the
raucous, sweating barker.
Of gambling devices, in the open of
the street, there was no end. My con
ductors finally stopped at the simplest
apparatus of all.
"The spiel game for me, gentle
men," said the Colonel. "Here it is.
Yes, suh, there's nothing like monte,
where any man is privileged to match
his eyes against fingers. Nobody but
a blind man can lose at monte, by
George!"
"And this spieler's on the level,"
Bill pronounced, sotto voice. "I vote
we hook him for a gudgeon, and get
the price of a meal. Our friend will
join us in the turn. He can see for
himself that he can't lose. He's got
sharp eyes."
The by-standers here were station
ed before a man sitting at a low tri
pod table; and all that he had was
the small table a plain cheap table
with folding logs and three playing
cards. Business was a trifle slack.
"Two jacks, and the ace, gentlemen.
There they are. I have faced them up.
Now I gather them slowly you can't
miss them. Observe closely. The
jack on top, between thumb and fore
finger. The ace next ace in the mid
dle. The other jack bottom-most."
He turned his hand, with the three
cards in a tier, so that all might see.
"The ace is the winning card. You
are to locate the ace. Observe close
ly again. It's my hand against your
eyes. I am going to throw. Who will
spot the ace? Watch, everybody.
Heady! Go!" '
The backs of the enrds were up.
With a swift movement he released
the three, spreading them in a neat
row, face down, upon the table.
"Twenty dollars against your twenty
that you can't pick out the ace, first
try! I'll let the cards lie. If you've
watched the ace fall, you win!"
"Just do that trick again, will you,
for -the benefit of my friend here?"
bade the Colonel.
The "spieler" thin-lipped, cadav
erous individual smiled.
"Hello, sir. I'm agreeable. Yes, sir.
But as they lie, will you make a
guess? No? Or you, sir?" And he
addressed Bill. "No?Then you, sir?"
He appealed to me. "No? But I'm
a mind-reader. I can tell by your
eyes. They're upon the right-end
card. Aha! Correct!" He had turn
ed up the card and shown the ace.
"You should have bet. You would
have beaten me, sir. Watch the ace!
I pick up the cards. Ace first
blessed ace; and the jacks. Watch
close. There you are." He briefly
exposed the faces, of the cards. "Keep
jour eyes upon the ace. Ready go!"
He spread the cards. As he re
leased he had tilted them slightly,
and I clearly saw the ace land. The
cards fell in the same order as ar
ranged. To that I would have sworn.
"Five dollars now that any one card
is not the ace," he challenged. "I
shall not touch them."
"I'll go halvers with you, Colonel,"
Bill proposed,
"I'm on," agreed the Colonel.
"There's the soap. And foh the honor
of the grand old Empire State we will
let our friend pick the ace foh us."
I turned up the right-end card.
"By the Eternal, he's done it! He
has an eye like an eagle's," praised
the dealer, with evident chagrin. "I
lose. Once again now. Everybody in
this time." He gathered up the cards.
"I'll play against you all, this gentle
man included. I'm afraid he's smart
er than me, but I'm game."
He was too insistent. Somehow, I
did not like him, anyway, and I was
beginning to be suspicious of my com
pany. "You'll have to excuse me, gentle
men," I pleaded. "Another time, but
not now. I wish to eat and to bathe
and I have an engagement following."
"We can't talk this over while we're
dry," the Colonel objected, as we
nioved off. "Let us libate, suhs."
We were verging upon argument,
much to my diBtaste, when of a sud
den who should come tripping along
but My Lady of the Brue Eyes yet,
the very flesh and action of her, her
face shielded from the dust by a little
sunshade.
She recognized me in startled fash
ion, and with a swift glance at my two
companions bowed and was gone.
"Gad, suh! You know the lady?"
the Colonel ejaculated.
"A casual acquaintance," I answer
ed. "We were merely travelers by
the same route at the same time. And
;iow if you will recommend a good
eating place, and be my guests for
supper, after that, as 1 have said, I
must be excused. By the way, while
I think of it," I carelessly added, "can
you direct me how to get to the Big
Tent?"
The Colonel swelled; his fishy eyes
hardened upon me as with righteous
indignation.
"Suh you are too innocent! I be
lieve, by gad, suh, that you are a cap
per foh some infernal skinning game,
or that you are a professional. Suh,
I call your hand!"
I was about to retort hotly, when
Mr. Brady, who likewise had been
glaring at me, growled morosely.
"She's waitin' for you. You can
square with ub later."
The black-clad figure had lingered
beyond, ostensibly gazing into a win
dow. Without saying another word
to my rullled body-guards I approach
ed her.
"Madam," I uttered foolishly, "good
evening."
"You have left your friends?"
"Very willingly."
"And I have rescued you?" She
smiled again. "Believe me, sir, you
would be better off alone. I know the
gentlemen. The Colonel is a notor
ious capper and steerer, and Brady is
no better." ,
"Strange to say, they have just ac
cused me of being a capper," I an
swered. Her face brightened. "They were
disappointed in finding you no gud
geon to be hooked by such raw meth
ods. Promise me that you will take
up with no more strangers! Moan
while, let me advise you. 'Outfit'
while you wait, and become one of the
country! You look too much the pil
grim there is Eastern dust showing
through our Benton dust, and that
spells of other 'dust' in your pockets.
Get another hat, a flannel shirt, some
coarser trousers, a pair of boots, don
a gun and a swagger, say little, make
few impromptu friends, win and lose
without a smile or frown, if you play
(but upon playing I will advise you
later). I shall hope to see you to
night. So adois, sir, and remember."
With no mention of the Big Tent she
flashed a smile at me and mingled
with the other pedestrians crossing
the street on diagonal course.
When I turned for a final word with
my two guides, they had vanished.
The counsel to don a garb smacking
less of the recent East sruck me as
sound and at "Levi's Mammoth Em
porium: Liquors, Groceries and Gen
eral Merchandise" I procured a hat, a
flannel shirt, a serviceable ready
made suit, boots, and a revolver.
With my bulky parcel I sought a
cafe, ate supper and hastened to the
hotel for bath and change of costume.
I had yet time to array myself, as
an experiment and a lark; and that I
did, hurriedly tossing my old gar
ments upon the bed and floor, in or
der to invest with the new.
The third bed was occupied by a
plump, round-faced, dust-Bcalded man,
with piggish features accentuated by
his small bloodshot eyes; dressed in
Eastern mode.
"Hell of a country, ain't it!" he ob
served. "You stranger, too? What's
your line?"
"Well, you don't have to tell 'em,"
he granted. "Thought you was a
salesman. I'm from Saint Louie, my
self. Sell groceries, and pasteboards
on the side. Cards are the stuff. I
got the best line of sure thing stock
strippers, humps, rounds, squares,
briefs and marked backs "
He did not finish. .An uproar sound
ed above the other street clamor: a
pistol shot, and another a chorus of
hoarse shouts and shrill frightened
cries, and scurrying rush of feet, all
in the street; and in the hall of the
hotel, and the lobby below, the rush
of still more feet, booted, and the din
of excited voices.
"A fight, a fightl Shootin' scrape!"
In a flash my companion was pelting
down the hall.
Overcome by the zest of the mo
ment I pelted after, and with several
others plunged as madly upon the
porch.
A baying mob tramped through the
street, with the jangle "Hang him!
Hang him! String him up!"
I saw first a figure bloody-chested
and inert flat in the dust, with stoop
ing figures trying to raise him; then,
beyond, a man white as death, hus
tled to and fro from clutching hands
and suddenly forced in firm grips up
the street while the mob trailed after,
whooping, cursing, shrieking, flour
ishing guns and knives and ropes.
There were women as well as men in
it!
All this turned me sick. From the
outskirts of the throng I tramped
back to my room and the bath. The
hotel was quie ss if emptied; my
room was vacant and more than va
cant, for of my clothing not a vestigo
remained! My bag also was gone.
Worse yet, prompted by an inner
voice that stabbed me like an icicle
I was awakened to the knowledge that
every cent I had possessed was in
those garments.
The Pilgrim gets gome action next
week Don't miss it.
Copyright by Edwin L. Sabin.
The backs of the
cards were up.
With a swift movo-
' ment he released
the three, spread
ing them in a neBt
row, face down,
upon the table.
"Twenty dollars
agnnist your twen-
1 ty that you can't
pick out the ace,
first try! I'll let
the cards lie. If
you've watched the
ace fall, you win!"
Mrs. A. L. Riggs of Pendleton, rep
resenting the Smart Shop of that city,
had a display of millinery, dresses
and silk underwear at the sample
rooms of the Hotel Heppner Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
Mrs. Riggs is a granddaughter of Jas.
Cowins of this city.
Vare
U. of 0. Dean Saw Body
of Martyred President
University of Oregon, Eugene, Feb.
16. John Straub, dean emeritus of
men at the University, in one of the
few living persons who saw the body
of Abraham Lincoln after the assass
ination, as it lay in state. That was
in the spring of 1865, at Independence
Hall, Philadelphia, and so vivid was
the impression Dean Straub received,
that he still remembers every detail.
"My father took me to see him,"
Dean Straub explained. "The body
was at the State House, where the
Continental Congress used to meet,
and where the Liberty Bell had been
rung. There were two long, long lines
waiting to see him that afternoon.
One of the lines came from Delaware
Avenue, where the river is, and reach
ed through Second, Third, Fourth
streets, on up to Sixth, where Inde
pendence Hall is. Six blocks long,
and as each block is a furlong in
length, that makes three-fourths of a
mile. And the other line coming from
the east, ws just as long."
"The doors were to close at three
o'clock," Dean Straub said, "and
thousands were waiting who would
not get there in time. A woman of
fered my father twenty-five dollars
which was a great deal of money in
those days if he would give our
places in the line jto her and her son.
As I was just a little fellow then, and
my father wanted me to see the Pres
ident he refused."
Dean Straub described the position
of the body as it lay in stat.e in the
middle of a big rotunda. The occa
sion was one of the most solemn, as
Dean Straub explains. President Lin
coln's casket, as the speaker remem
bered it, was of the very best mahog
any, with gold handles. Guards were
placed about the room, and always the
two lines were moving through, one
on each side of the casket.
Dean Straub relates how his father
impressed the sight upon him. "Look
at Lincoln's face," my father told me,
"and then look at the face of all these
guards about the room. Now, look at
his face again."
"And I looked!" Dean Straub said
emphatically. "And I shall always
remember it. I wish that I were an
artist or sculptor, I could reproduce
that face exactly from memory such
a firm, kindly mouth and a chin which
receded, ever so slightly. Such a
strong, fatherly face."
"What a pity that man had to die!"
Professor Straub went on reminis-
Ha
4 ..... w
THIS is A. 0. Mixon of Wilmington,
N. C, who left home in 1916. A
year after the war an old friend said
he had seen him in France on his
way to the trenches, he thought, in
the Rainbow division. The father, W.
J. Mixon, Route 4, Lumberton, N. C,
writes th,s newspaper: "I am old and
almost helpless and I want my son.
Any information will bring comfort
to a lonely man."
cently. "He would have done much
for the south welcomed them back
like renegade children. And how he
would have run those carpet-baggers
out of there! It was a pity he had to
die."
"Since that time," Dean Straub re
ferred again to Lincoln's face, "I have
never seen a picture of him which
satisfies me. They all reproduce the
stern, set lines, which were all
smoothed out after his death. No, the
pictures are unsatisfactory. Take for
instance, this one which Jias been dis
played in a store for the last few
days a horrible thing; no character
to it, a regular flap-jack face. Lin
coln was not like that."
G. C. Sibley, Mrs. G. L. Bennett, Mr.
and Mrs. Claud Finley, Mrs. Dan Lind
say, Mr. Moore and Mrs. Chas.
Schmidt were Alpine folks who came
to Heppner on Monday to attend the
meeting at the Christian church, rep
resenting the Alpine congregation.
Mr. Sibley, who plays the violin quite
veil, assisted with the music
Beautiful Cherrolet
Reduced
Prices!
The COACH
Because it carries the lowest p Mt
placed on a truly fine automobile, t
Beautiful Chevrolet brings into exiite.
entirely new conception of "Quality at . U)w
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Never before at Chevrolet's amazingly re
duced prices has any manufacturer provided
so many fine car features, and so many me
chanical improvements. These are typified
by new bodies by Fisher finished in Duco
colors, full-crown one-piece fenders, bullet,
type lamps, AC oil filter, AC air cleaner,
Improved transmission, larger radiator and
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You need only to see these supremely beau
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today and get a demonstration!
$
595
TbaTourlns
or Roadtci
'.'525
'625
siu . (3 95
'715
745
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The Landau
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(Chauis Only)
Balloon Tiret Now Stan
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Ail price f.o-b. FLim.Mlch.
Ferguson Chevrolet Co.
Heppner, Oregon
QUALITY AT LOW 'COST
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HEUK is the most recent Washing
ton photo of Wm. Vare of Penn
sylvania, whose claim for a seat in
the Senate next month will no doubt
stir the nation and cause many Sen
ators Borne uncomfortable momontf
as tho roll call for votes starts. The
nation's warning is; "Remember New
berry." Not a senator who voted to
seat Newberry is today in the Senate.
IS?
THE PRICE APPEAL
There Are Seven Appeals
In Advertising-
1 K?SJScasr
1 . PRICE Cost of goods to buyer;
2. USEFULNESS Uses the buyer can make of the goods;
3. QUALITY Excellense of goods;
4. POPULARITY-Breadth of demand for goods;
5. TESTIMONIAL What others think of goods;
6. CREDIT Time allowed to pay for goods;
7. SERVICE Aid given by the dealer in use of goods.
The points mainly to be considered by the buyer of an article
are QUALITY and USEFULNESS. Then if the PRICE be
acceptable value is established and the article sold. POPU
LARITY and TESTIMONIAL appeals are used mainly to
establish Quality and Usefulness. CREDIT and SERVICE
are but selling devices.
Buy With Your Eyes Open; Read the Ads
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