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About Lexington wheatfield. (Lexington, Or.) 1905-19?? | View Entire Issue (June 14, 1906)
Prisoners and Captives By II. S. MERRIMAN CHAPTER V.-OontInucd.) The i(llrs In tlio shipping offlco at Tower Hill were treated on the following morning to a strange sight. According to formula, the brokers of the Martial had Indicated to the shipping authorities their desire to pay olT the crew of the vesH.il. Shortly bcforo the hour named a number of women began to assemble. Some were dressed respectably, oilier were of the lowent claw that London produces; but all made aome attempt at mourning. One or two wore their crapo weeds with that Incomprehensible feminine pride In such habiliment which shows itself In all grades of society, while otlicrs were chid in bflick rusty, ill-fitting, evidently bar rowed. A common sorrow, a mutual In terest, served as Introduction among theso ladles, and they 'talked eagerjy together. Scraps of conversation floated over tho black bonnets. One bad lost her husband, another her son, a third only her brother. "Ain't ho come yet?" they asked one another at Intervals. "The nrvlvor 'im that brought 'er 'ome with his own hands. I wan tor ask hhn about my man about Lis end." At last a hansom cab turned the cor ner of the Mlnories and pulled up noisily on the noisy stones. Claud Tyars threw open the doors and stepped out. He had come to be paid off; ho was the crew of tho Martial. In a moment he was surrounded by the women, every one clamoring for news of her dead sailor. The broker's clerk, an observant youth, noticed that during the half hour that followed Tyars never re ferred to his log-book, but answered each question unerringly from memory. He gave details, dates and particulars with out hesitation or doubt It was perhaps owing to a knowledge of the commercial value of a good memory that the young clerk made note of these details. He was not observant enough to take account of the finer shades of manner, of the in finite tact with which the survivor of tho crew treated the women folk of his late comrades. He did not detect the subtle art by which some were sent away re joicing over tho dogged, dauntless courage of their husbands; he was only conscious of a feeling of admiration for this man who, hitherto, bad hardly noticed him. But he failed to discern that the difficult task was accomplished unconsciously. He did not realize that Claud Tyars possess ed a gift which Is only second to genius in worldly value tho gift of unobtrusive ly ruling his fellow men. As Tyars drove away from the ship ping office he saw the street news vend ers displaying their posters with the words, "A Wonderful Story of the Sea" printed in sensational type. "Hang It!" he muttered, with a vexed laugh, "I never counted on a notoriety of this sort." Presently he bought an evening paper and read of the exploits of "Captain" Tyars with a singular lack of pride. When Mr. Lowell, the owner of the Martial, offered him the command of the ahip the same afternoon he gravely and politely declined it. With the ship-owner, as with Lieut. Grace, Tyars appeared quite blind to the necessity of an expla nation, and none was asked. So ended the incident of the Martial. Its direct bearing upon the life of Claud Tyars would seem to terminate at the game moment; but Indirectly the experi ence thus acquired influenced his career, formed to somev extent his character, and led as all things great and small lead us to the end. CHAPTER VI. In the meantime Lieut. Grace had re ceived at the hands of his father and aister a warm welcome. Without announcement of any descrip tion he made his way from the Admiralty to Brook street and knocked at his fath er's door. He found tho old gentleman and Miss Helen Grace engaged In the consumption of afternoon tea. "Oswin !" exclaimed the old admiral. "I thought you were on the African coast." Helen Grace was a young lady not much given to exclamatory expressions of feeling. She rose from the low chair she habitually occupied and kissed her brother. Then she turned his face to ward the light by the collar of his coat. "Have you been invalided home?" she asked. "No." - 1 "But the Foam is out there still," put In the Admiral, eager to show his inti mate knowledge of official matters. "Yea. I came home on a derelict. A fine, big ship without a crew. All dead of yellow fever except one. I am glad that he waa picked out by Providence to aurvive." "Why?" inquired Helen. "Because I like him." "What waa he, an officer?" asked the Admiral. "Second mate, holding a captain's cer tificate. I have asked him to dinner to VWrrow night." . "Oh I" murmured Helen, doubtfully. "With his dog the other survivor." Ahl" said Helen in a more interested me. "Do they know how to behave Vnselves?" 1 "I think eo both of them," waa the reply. "Although we did not dress for dinner on board the Martial. "It seems to me," observed the Ad miral, with an easy chuckle, "that you did ftot devote much time at all to the question of toilet." , . "No," replied Grace, frankly. "We were a shady crew. Tou see, there were only ten of ua to navigate a thousand ton ablp full rigged. We had no time for personal adornment You will see til about It In the evening paper. I brought one with me on purpose. May I have some tea, Helen? It Is months since I have seen such an article as bread and butter." The girl hastened to supply his wants. performing her duties with a deft sure ness of touch where maidens are not dolls. While Grace was performing won ders among the dainties supplied to him, his father read afoud the details of his deeds upon the high aeas, and Helen listened with a faint smile of pride upon her refined face. And this man," she Inquired, when the paragraph had been duly digested "the man you have asked to dinner what is he like?" The naval officer helped himself to a limp slice of bread and butter with great thoughtfulnesa. "That is Just the difficulty, my dear," he replied. "I cannot tell you what he is like, because I don't know. I do not understand him that is the long and short of It. He is above me." "I suppose," suggested ,the Admiral, who held the keener study of human nature in some contempt, "that he Is merely a rough sailor man a merchant captain?" "No, he is hardly that. I want you," continued the lieutenant, after a pause, turning to his sister, "to judge for your solf, so will not tell you what I think about him." "Thon he is interesting?" "Yes, I think you will And him Inter esting." Helen was already seeking In her mind how tilings could be made easy and com fortable for the unpolished hero whom her brother had so unceremoniously in troduced into the house. "Agnes Winter was coming to-morrow to dine, but she can be put off," she ob served, carelessly. "Agnes Winter why should she be put off? Let her come, by all means." The little man's manner waa perhaps too indifferent to be either natural or polite. He waa either unconsciously rudo or exaggerating an indifference he did not feel. Helen, however, continued her re marks without appearing to notice any thing. "Would you not," she Inquired, while replacing In Its vase a flower that had be come displaced, "rather have him quite alone when we are by ourselves, I mean?" "Oh, no. He Is all right. If he is good enough for you, he is good enough for Agnes Winter." "Has he got a suit of dress clothes?" asked the Admiral, with a blunt laugh. Lieut. Grace let his hand fall heavily upon bia thigh with a gesture of mock regret. "I quite forgot to ask him," he ex claimed, dramatically. "There is some mystery attached to this person," laughed Helen. Her laugh ter was a little prolonged in order that her father, whose duller sense of humor sometimes failed to follow his son's fan cy, might comprehend that thia waa a joke. "Well," said the old gentleman, thrust ing bis bands deeply into his pockets, "I like a man to come to my table in a claw-hammer coat." CHAPTER VII. Helen's eyes rested for a moment on her brother's face. With an almost im perceptible movement of lid and eyebrow he reassured her. "What time is dinner? I told him to come at 7 o'clock," -said he, holding out his cup for more tea. "That is right," answered Helen. "You would have done better," said the Admiral, still unpadded, "to have given the man a dinner at your club," "Oh !" replied his son, serenely "I wanted you and Helen to make his ac quaintance ; besides, I could not have In-, vited Muggins to the club." "Muggins 1" growled the old gentleman, interrogatively. . "The dog." "Ah ! Is he a presentable sort of fel low, then, that you want your sister to meet him?" "The dog?" inquired Grace, with much innocence. "No," laughed his father, despite him self ; "the man Tyre, or Sidon, or what ever his name is." - "Tyars. - Yes t I think, so. , Tyars is distinctly presentable, or else I would not have suggested his coming to dine with Helen and Agnes Winter." Helen had moved ; away toward the window, and was now leaning against the folded and old-fashioned shutter. She turned and looked at ber brother as he spoke, with that gentle, womanly scru tiny. ' ' Like her brother, Helen Grace favored to aome extent a gravity of demeanor when in repose, and her face was of that refined type which possesses a great mo bility. Some faces there are which seem to have brought from ' old times a- recol lection of gay knights, full of poetry and full of fight; of troubadours and patient women. Oswin and Helen Grace were of thia mold. . In profile the chiseling of either face was perfect, for Helen was but a refined miniature of ber brother; and in smiling their gray eyes lighted up with the self-same soft merriment. As she stood in the soft sunlight look ing sideways toward her brother her ten derness was visible. These two were the only children of a dead mother, who If she had never quite understood ber hus band had at all events possessed the pow er of loving her children. Oawin Grace had left . home " early, as all naval men must, and during the short spells allowed to him by a grateful country aa recrea tion he had not learned to know bia lis ter 'ery well not well enough to forget that he owed to her the respect due to all women. Tho two men now started a conversa tion upon very nautical matters, employ ing such technical terms and waxing o Interested that Helen sought a chair near the window and settled down to listen with respectful silence. When the Ad miral had left the room Oswin crossed the floor and stood beside his sister, bis scrutinizing glance cast downward. "How is Agnes Winter?" he asked. "She is very well. Did those flowers remind you of her?" "Ye-es," be replied, slowly. 'I wonder why?" ' "Because she arranged them, I sup pose," suggested the girl, looking up sud denly, as if struck at the possibility of her idea being of some weight. "Perhaps so. She is not engaged yet?" Helen threaded a needle with aome care and stooped over her work. "No ; she is just the same as ever. Al ways busy, always bappy, always a fa vorite. But one never hears the slight est rumor of an engagement, or even a flirtation." '"While," added Grace, airily, 'her dear friend flirts here and flirts there, but keeps clear of the serious part of It all with equal skill." "Which friend?" inquired Helen, in nocently. "Yourself." "Oh ! I have my duties. Papa could not get on without me. Besides, I never flirt Marriage and love and all that my broth er, have much more to do with conven ience than is generally supposed." "Indeed?" be inquired with fine sar casm. "Yes ; I have studied the question. You may know more about the slave trade than I do, because you have had superior advantages in that direction; but I also have had advantages, and from personal observation beg to state that in nine cases out of ten convenience is the source of love in the tenth case it is propinquity." "Thank you," he said, fervently. -'I will make a mental note of your observa tions, and when I marry a plain and atupid heiress perhaps you will withdraw them." She Ignored his pleasantry. "I often wonder," be said, thoughtfully, "why somebody or other does not fall in love with Agnes Winter." After a pause he put forward a sug gestion. "Because she will not let them, per haps." "That may be so; but surely a sensible man does not wait to be allowed." "The question," he answered, with mock gravity, "is rather beyond me. It is hard to say what a sensible man would do, because in such matters no rule can be laid down defining where sense begins and foolishness ends. The man who got Agnes Winter would be sensible, however he did it" Presently the girl went to dress for dinner, leaving her brother standing at the window, whistling softly beneath his breath. CHAPTER VIII. If there had been any doubts enter tained or discussed aa to the presenta bility of Claud Tyars in polite circles, these were destined to an Instant re moval when that Individual entered the drawing room of No. 105 Brook street. His dress, if it erred at all, did so on the side of a too scrupulous adherence to the latest dictates of society. His man ners were those of a traveled and expe rienced gentleman. That is to aay, he was polite without eagerness, pleasant without gush, semi-interested, semi-indifferent. Oswin Grace advanced to meet him with a quick glance of satisfaction at his irreproachable get-up, which Tyars show ed no signs of having detected. The necessary introductions were made, and Tyars displayed the same per fect knowledge of social habits up to date. His bow was pure and simple, and to the Admiral he offered his hand in a calm, decisive way, which somewhat in terfered with the old gentleman's digni fied coldness. "I think," said Helen at once, with a characteristic desire to make things pleas ont, "that we have met before." She was looking up at Tyars, who, being very tall, stood a head higher than any one in the room, and In her eyes there was no speculation, no searching into the recesses of her memory. The re mark was without Interrogative hesita tion. It was the assertion of a fact well known to her, and yet her color changed. "Yes," answered Tyars; "I had the pleasure of dancing with you on several occasions at the Commemoration three years ago." "But you are not an Oxford man?" put in Lieut. Grace. "No." He did not seem to think It worth while mentioning that his name was on the books of the sister university. "What a good memory you have, Mr. Tyars !" observed Miss Agnes Winter in a smooth, soft voice. "Perhapa you can help mine. Have we met before? I know your, face." lie turned to her with a smile in which there was no light of dawning recollec tion. ' ' ; : "Hardly," he replied. "But you were sitting in the middle of the last row of the., stalls .at a performance of 'Hamlet' last autumn.'.' To' W eonttnned.t t ' , ' Snap tor the Hero. . . "Your , play, Is . too commonplace," said the manager, aa be handed back the manuscript .."There Is no snap to hit" .,. .. ; . , ' "No snap !" echoed the author. "Why, the hero marries an orphan girl with a million dollars In the last' act"' Handles the Bond,. , . . . Myer Black tells me he has a broth er who Is a rattling, good actor. Oyer rThafs a fact He's on of the end men In a minstrel show. OREGON STATE ITEMS OF INTEREST VALLEY GRAIN LOOKS WELL. Hops Give Promise of Yielding an Immense Crop. Salem Crop prospects in the coun try surrounding Salem are very encour aging. The reports of aphis and Hes sian fly are heard only from the Howell prairie neighborhood and are not com ing from any other section. An exten di ve travel as far south as Stayton, eastward to Scott's Mills and north to Hubbard reveals a splendid stand of grain and grass everwyhere, with a promise of the greatest yield in many yea. tZ Fruit is looking well. In many places close to streams, where brush is plentiful, there is a plague of caterpillars, which are both ering the trees and form a source of troublesome annoyance. Hops are fine; rank growth in all yards that are taken care of. A prom inent grower says that Oiegon will gather the heaviest crop of hops in its history. Spring work has been well done throughout this county and there has been much substantial improvement made on the farms. There is a notice able tone of prosperity everywhere. New dwellings, new barns, new fences greet the eye in all directions, while paint has added its beautifying influ ence quite generally. A great deal of permanent road work has been done and along the highways a marked change for the better has been wrought by the tearing out of old rail fences, . the substitution of neat wire fences and the clearing away of the unsightly, wasteful fence rows of brush, weeds and wild roses. The en tire farming country breathes a Bpirit of progress and prosperity. Oil in Vicinity of Lacomb. Albany Representatives of Eastern capitalists have recently heen investi gating the discovery of oil in the vicin ity of Lacomb, Linn county, and it is generally believed here that develop ment of the property on a big scale will be begun soon. The operations have been conducted with secrecy, however, and for that reason, very little definite information can be obtained. For years past indications of oil have been found at different points between Lacomb and Lebanon, and though there were no gushers, it is believed the oil was there in paying quantities. New Assistant Matron. Chemawa Miss Marie Johnson, oi San Jose, Cal., has been appointed assistant matron at the Chemawa In dian school. Miss Johnson was in California during the earthquake, and was among those to have their homes shaken and destroyed. Miss Alice B. Preuss, of Lapwai, Idaho, has been appointed clerk at the Indian training school. MiBS Preuss has had several years' experience as teacher in Idaho and elsewhere in the Indian service be fore coming to Chemawa. Edward D. Jasper Wins Prize.. University of Oregon, Eugene The Bennett prize, from the income of a gift of $400 made to the university by Pbilo Sherman Bennett, of New Haven, Conn., for the best student paper on the principles of free government, was won by Edward J). Jasper, '06. Jasper is a senior of the department of eco nomics. He registers from La Grande. The subject of his paper was "The Basic Principles of Lawmaking." Tnis year is the first time the Bennett prize has been offered. Lessons in Making Roads. Salem Work has commenced upon the mile of "government object lesson road," being constructed under the su pervision of the government. A. E. Loder, assistant engineer, office of pub lic roads, Washington, D.' C, is in the city. D. U. Haire and Andrew Wil bert, government experts on roadbuild ing, are also here. Great interest is manifested in the road, aa the govern ment will build only two stretcheB as an object lesson roads in the state, one being constructed here and the other at Pendleton. - : Pool of Timber Cl,aims Sold. v Albany A pool of 123 timber claims in Crook and Klamath counties was sold In this city last week to the Des chutes Lumber company for $196,800, or $1,600 a claim. About 100 of the claims were owned by Albany people and were taken up in the great rush for timber land about four years ago. The sale was affected by means of a pool of the claims and was handled by the holders of the claims themselves. Lost Mountain of Gold Found. Medford A messenger just in from Elliott creek, in the SiBkiyou moun tains, reports the discovery of a moun tain of free milling ore six miles from Joe Bar and three miles from the Blue Ledge copper mine, assaying $30 to $100 per ton, which appears to be the long sought mother lode of the Apple gate lection. Dr. Reddy, who is now on the ground, pronounces it the most marvelous ledge he ever saw. GIFTS FOR BAY CITY SCHOOLS. Circular Letter Is Sent Out by Ore- gon State Superintendent. Salem J. H. Ackerman, superin tendent of public instruction, has issu ed a circular suggesting that the re spective public schools of the state de vise ways and means for the raising of money to be turned into the San Fran cisco reconstruction fund for the re building of schools destroyed by the fire. In all, 34 school buildings were destroyed by the fire at San Francisco, to replace which will cost $6,000,000. lhe school authorities of the Bay City have been led to receive dona tions, as the finances of tbe city are strained to the utmost, and it would be a considerable time before the city, unaided, could replace tbe schools. It is their purpose, whenever the contri butions from a given state shall reach a sufficient amount to erect a building, to name that building after the state giving the money. All the school officers and tbe public schools of Ore gon have been mailed circulars by Su perintendent Ackerman. Wages Raised at Oregon City. Oregon City The Willamette Pulp & Paper company has announced an ad vance of 25 cents per day per man for every man employed at their mills in this city who is now receiving $1.75 and $2 per day. This advance affects tbe wages of about 500 men and means an increase in the monthly payroll of about $3,750 per month, or about $45, 000 per annum. This increase in tbe wage schedule at the Oregon City mills, it is alleged by a representative of the Willamette Pulp & Paper company, has been contemplated by tbe management . for the last three months. Will Increase Business. Medford The Butte Falls Lumber company announces that it now has its pawmill plant at Butte Falls in condi tion to put out at least 140,000 feet of lumber a day, juet as Boon aa tbe Med ford & Crater Lake railroad is extended to its timber belt. The large acreage of timber sold during the last few weeks, and the fact that the larger tracts are under bond in that great timber section at the bead of Rogue river and the two Butte creeks, is sig nificant of an intention to rush this railroad through to completion shortly. New Brewery Ice Plant. The Dalles The Eastern Oregon Brewing company of this city has just put into operation its ice plant and cold storage cellar. The Eastern Oregon. Bewing company was incorporated a year ago by Dalles people, and bought the Columbia brewery of August Buch ler for $35,000. Since then the com pany has rebuilt the brewery at an ex pense of about $50,000. Fire Warnings Sent Out. Salem For the protection of the for ests of Oregon fire notice warnings are being sent out by the secretary of state to all , fire rangers. The notices are printed on clcth and contain tbe prin cipal provisions of an act passed by the legislature. , PORTLANDMARKETS. Wheat Club, 727Sc; blu'eatem, 7475cj red, 7071c; valley, 72c. Oats No. 1 white feed, $31.50; gray, $31.50 per ton. Barley Feed, $24.60 per ton; brew ing, nominal; rolled, $2526. Hay Valley timothy, No. 1, $12 13 per ton; clover, $7.608; cheat, $67; grain hay, $78; alfalfa, $13. Fruits Apples. $2.503.50 per box; apricots, $1.501.75 crate; cherries, 75c$l per box; strawberries, 7(31 0c per pound; gooseberries, 56c per pound. , Vegetables Beans,.35c; cabbage, $11.25 per 100; green corn, 4050c doz.; onions, 810c per dozen; peas, 5c; radishes, 10c per dozen; rhubarb. 8c per pound; spinach, 90o per box; parsley, 25c; squash, $1 per crate; turnips, $11.25 per sack; carrots, ..65 75c per sack; beets, 85c$l per sack. Onions New, 1Hi2o per pound.,? Potatoes Fancy graded Burbanks, 50 60c per hundred; ordinary, nomi nal;, new California, 2c per pound. ,. Butter Fancy creamery, 1720o per ponnd. - - .... Eggs Oregon ranch, 1920o per dozen. , Poultry Average old hens, 1213o per pound; mixed chickens, ll)12c; broilers, 1516e; roosters, 10c; dress ed chickens,' lK14c; turkeys, live, 1518c; turkeys, dressed, choice, 20(3) 22c j geese, live, 910c; geese, dressed, old, 10c; young, 12c; ducks, old, 14 15c; ypftng,'16i6d. ' ' " - ' ' T HopB-yOregon, 1905, 10l2)c. Woolr-rl5aB.tern. Oregon average best, 18021 Xc; valley, coarse,. 2323$cj fine, 2425c; mohair, choice, 2830o , per podnd. . .- .' r"' Veal Dressed, 36o per pound. Beef Dressed bulls 3o, per pound; cows, i(5c; country steers, 56c. Mutton Dressed fancy, 78e pound; ordinary, 66c; lambs, with pelt on, Fork Dressed, 79e