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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1936)
J.-U ... RANCH MYSTERY A STORY FOR CHILDREN Not Superstitious, But ! "t, !l By Paula lncle Walter, Ron, Tim, and Aunt Mary live on a cattle ranch in Nevada. There is trouble there and many cattle have been stolen. Uncle Walter is not sure who is back o this situation, but he eels sure it is a plan to drive him from the land. Beth, a niece from the Bast, comes out to make her home at the ranch. She learns of the thieving and that her uncle was shot in the shoulder during the last raid. Ron and Tim try to keep Beth from worrying about their affairs, but Beth is deter mined to do what she can to solve the mystery. She has already talked to Claude, the mail-carrier, who told her he had an idea who was back of the plot. Chapter 6 BETH stood by the mail-box and' watched Claude and the rat tley old rig disappear In a cloud of yellow dust. She was amazed at what he had said. "He has an idea who led the cattle thieves to Uncle's corral!" she murmured. . Slowly she turned and walked up to the porch. She was silent when she handed the Carson City paper to her uncle. "What'd Claude have to say for hisself, honey?" Beth found to her surprise she did not want to tell what Claude had said. A plan all her own was racing through her mind. "He asked me if you knew who took the horses." Uncle Walter smiled, "Claude always was a nosey fellow. I guess that's natural when you drive around the country by your self all day." Beth hurried with preparations for lunch. Tim and Ron had promised to give her a riding les son in the afternoon and she was' anxious to begin. Doing the cook ing for the family was all right, but she had looked forward to the Joy of tearing across the country on a horse, like riders she'd seen in the movies back home. That was the way Tim and Ron rode as if they were a part of the horse, and It looked like such fun. At lunch the boys, try as they would, could not help but speak about the things uppermost in their minds. "Jerry did a little trailin' this morning early. Dad," said Ron. "He found a pretty good lead of hoof -prints near the corral. He followed 'em far as the dry-wash, there they got lost in the stubble on the other side." "Yea?" the man replied. Beth felt that her presence there kept them from discussing the subject further. She wanted to say "go on and talk,' I know about it and I'm not afraid. I want to help in some way. I'm part of this family now, so I want to share your troubles. Don't think of me as a girl a girl from the city who is sissy and afraid." She thought these things, but, naturally, did not say them. In stead she asked Tim: "Do I get that riding lesson this afternoon? Can you spare the time?" Before the boys could answer, her uncle spoke up. "Better put her on old Daisy, boys. After all, we've had one accident this week. That's enough." "Yea," grinned Ron, "besides she's a heck of a good cook and we need her." Beth hurried Into her room and surprised them all when she re turned dressed in a boy's shirt and new blue Jeans. It was fun to see the look of admiration on their faces. "Boy, is that swell? Where'd you get 'em? They look creakln' new." "That's a mighty good Idea," smiled her uncle. "You look like a boy," said Tim, "well, that is, klnda like a sissy boy." Beth walked about the room In long strides with her hands in her pockets. This was fun she'd al ways wanted to wear boy's trous- CLASSIFIED FEMALE HELP lodnwa aT for Jrurv tan f vvttp. r, oaom-ary Vui (rm WIUON CO,. Um t cut Norton era, but back home there'd been no excuse. "Mother bought them for me. She said they'd be Just the thing If I learned to ride." "If you learn? Say, I could teach why I could teach Claude to ride a three-legged camel," Ron boasted. "That's one thing about you, Ron," said Uncle Walter, "you sure don't brag much very much!" Ron's remark about Claude re minded Beth of another reason why she wanted to learn to ride. "Come on," she called, and with out a thought for the lunch dishes to be washed she raced the boys to the barn. How gay she. felt, how glad she was to be here In the grand, wide world. She was going to ride! She was going to wear boy's Jeans and go tearing across the country, free as the wind! And she was going to have a very private talk with Claude. She was going to And out Just what he thought he knew about the man' who stole her uncle's Dorses, and why! The boys saddled old Daisy ( Beth was a little disappointed at the sight of this patient-looking animal. She did not look very much like the horses one dashes around on). Ron said, "Daisy isn't exactly a bronc, but you'd better start with her. If you get the hang of it right away though, we'll put Daisy right back on her pension, an' you can have Bob to ride to morrow." ' That was encouraging and Beth meant to "get the hang of it" right away. The children rode for two hours across the big fenced pasture be yond the barns. Then around and around the enclosure. Once Tim : said, "why don't we get out of here and ride up the wash?" "Because," Ron explained, "be cause, one of us'd have to get down and open a gate." Beth laughed, "I'll do it if you two are as lazy as all that." Be fore they could stop her she slid from the round back of Daisy and ran toward the fence. The boys spurred their horses to head her off. But Beth ran like the wind. Suddenly she stopped and walked back a few steps. She picked up a tiny silver wheel. The boys had beaten her to the gate and held It open, waiting for Daisy to amble through. "Come on Beth, your fiery steed is about to get away." "What are ya doin' pickin' wild flowers?" Beth slipped the little wheel into her pocket and walked down to the gate. She did not answer because she had decided there was something about that bright little wheel. It was not the kind of toy one found In a rough field, at least not anything so polished. It looked as if it had not laid there long. As the trio rode down into the dry bed of the stream Beth lis tened to the boys' rambling speech. Once they both got down and looked for signs of hoof prlnts in the sand among the boulders. Beth did not talk. She was thinking about the little silver wheel In her pocket. What was it? Where had she seen one be fore? Should she show it to the boys? Better not, they might laugh at her for being curious about something very unimport ant It was late in the afternoon when the three riders turned thv horses Into the corral. While sh waited for the boys to unsaddle the three horses, she realized for the first time that walking wasn't so easy now, and she wondered if sitting was going to be difficult, too, for awhile. Ron glanced at her, "Wants eat your dinner standln' up tonight, Beth?" Dinner? On, she hadn't even washed the lunch dishes. What would Uncle Walter think of her? Painfully she stepped down from the barn door Into the yard. Then she noticed a rig driving away from the front of the bouse. "Ron, Tim, come here," aha called. The two boys came to the door. A "yip" went up, and both boys dashed toward the house. "Com V Washington Had Interest Boyhood; Became Full-Fledged Surveyor at 16 ' CANNOT tell a He, Pa; 1 I chopped the cherry tree." According to a certain Rever end Weems, the little boy who was later to become the Father of his Country, made this brave confession to his irate father. Whether the youthful George uttered those exact words, no one really knows. But such bravery and honesty easily could have been perfectly1 natural In a boy who was later to show such strength of character as did George Washington. George's childhood was very dif ferent from that of our other great champion of freedom, Abraham Lincoln. Yet both boys grew to have the same great hopes and to fight for the same great cause, freedom. The first garments of Lincoln were no doubt Just the simplest, rough clothes. But the child George was christened In a robe of silk and lace. Yet both men rose through struggle to the greatest position any man can achieve, in America, the presi 7 dency. George's education was limited, as would be expected In a day when teachers were few and far between. The person who taught George his first lessons In read ing, writing and arithmetic, was "a convict-servant, whom his father bought for a schoolmas ter." There were many luxuries In the boy's childhood (he even had his own personal servant), but these were luxuries Imported from England, and a wilderness of a sparsely populated America bordered the Virginia plantation. Since George grew to be a man six feet three Inches tall and 220 pounds in weight, he must Indeed have been a large boy for his years. He loved games of all sorts, but his greatest enthusiasm was for horses. He was an excellent horseman and even as a little boy was a fearless rider. Georges father died when the on Beth, mom's come home!" Beth tried to hurry, too, a little ashamed to remember the lunch dishes that she had left. Her Aunt Mary would think her a mighty untidy housekeeper. She slowed down to a stiff-legged walk. The boys banged into the house shouting back, "Come on Beth, hurry!" She couldn't hurry she could Just barely walk! (Continued next week) boy was 11 years old. He left the bulk of his fortune to two sons by a former marriage. These young men were generous with their step-mother and with their half brother George. The half-brother Lawrence took an interest in George and the boy spent a great deal of his time at ML Vernon, which was then the estate of Lawrence Washington. In these beautiful surroundings of culture, the boy acquired the social and political background that was so apparent in his later life. At Mt. Vernon George met many heroes of the navy, and at that time he cherished a great desire to follow a naval career. It was arranged that be should have a midshipman's place, and he was assigned a place aboard a man-of-war. At the last moment his mother changed her mind and decided she could not give up her eldest son. Instead he was sent to school to study mathematics and military tactics. It is said George was a really bashful boy, though he liked the companionship of girls. Like so many other lads of tender years, he was secretly yearning for the notice of Borne fair young lady. He even wrote long passages in hlB boyhood diary about his trou bled heart, "Ah, woe Is me, that I should love and conceal, Long have I wished and never dared to reveal" Such expressions prove George to be very much like any other boy in the throes of "puppy-love." When he was 16 years old he was learned enough to undertake the work of surveyor for the es tates of a Lord Fairfax, a neigh bor at Mt Vernon. With this new and very serious undertaking, the sentimental verses to the fair sex disappeared from his diary, and George was grown up. While he was still little more than a big boy he was made offi cial surveyor for the government. Then a life of "roughing It" be gan. He spent many hours In the wilderness and unknowingly fitted himself for the years of soldiering that were to come. George Washington was no great scholar, no sissy, and yet be studied diligently on the sub jects that Interested him most And when he was but 22 yean of age, he was commander of all the troops of Virginia. THE FAIR ARAB THOMAS Edward Lawrence was born In England, went to the great Oxford University, but he could not enter the British army because he was too small In stature. At the beginning of the war be went to Arabia. He adopted their dress and manners, and won the confidence of their leaders. He was a brave and clever man, and so modest that be declined many honors that were due htm. Using another name, he Joined the Royal Air Force. He died while trying to avoid bitting a child, who got Into the path of his speeding motorcycle. FrefrPiiiif THE VELVETEEN RABBIT By Margery Williams (Blanco) THIS is not a new book, but it is one no small child should miss, because it is Indeed a story to rank with all the children's classics. The Velveteen Rabbit was first seen by the little boy on Christ mas morning, and it was sticking out of the top of the boy's stock ing. Since he was only a velveteen rabbit he had little attention from the other nursery toys. As a matter of fact, the only toy who was friendly to him at all was the Skin Horse. The horse was REAL because so many, many children who had shared the nurs ery before the boy was born, had loved him enough to make him REAL. The Velveteen Rabbit wanted to be real, too, and . . . But I must not tell you how that mir acle came about. You must read the book for yourself, or have it read to you, if you are a little fellow. How you are going to love the thrilling part where the toy rab bit met the REALLY ALIVE rabbits in the field. He tried to run and leap about, but alas, he had hind legs like a pin cushion and he could only SIT, Dear me, I'm telling the story again, and I only wanted you to hear a little part of it. Gaorga H. Doran, Naw York, publfihad tha book. MOZART, BOY WONDER By Opal Wheeler and Sybil Deucher ALL you little boys and girls who do or do NOT like to practice your piano lessons should read and know about the boy Mozart. When he was but three years old his parents were amazed to see him trying to play the piano. When he was but four years old, he learned a minuet perfectly In half an hour. When Wolfgang Mozart was five years old, he composed his very own minuet A child of rare talent Indeed was this little boy born many years ago in an Aus trian town. The illustrations In this enter taining book are a real part of the story. s C f. Owtton and Co., Inc., Pwbllihart. DEAF KITTY A HITE persian cats are deaf. . YV That is, all of them that are bred from pure white cats. DARK HOUSES RABBITS grow much faster If kept In light-colored pens. This goes for many other animals too. LONG JUMP WHEN a kangaroo wants to show his ability as a Jump er, he can make a leap that win carry him from 10 to 12 feet. BRAVE FATHER THE father Rorllla sleeps oa the ground to guard his family In the tree, from leopards. IN the year 1C06 business in Europe was in rather a bad state, and those who had money in invest wanted to be pretty sure of a return. In England a group of people got together and formed the Lon don company. They gathered to gether all the people who were willing, and sent them off to America to settle and produce saleable articles there. Then the people who had Invested In them would reap a goodly portion of the profits. Well, they came, they hoped, and they got discouraged. Many of them died. In six months those that were able to plan at all started planning to get away. But the courageous John Smith, who was a member of the London company, kept them cheered until help could come to them from England. . The people In England, who had Invested their money In that little band of settlers in America, were pretty anxious. So much so, in fact they stole people right off the streets and shipped them to become members of the London company. Convicts, and even children out of orphanages, were sent. But alas, even that didn't help. Now, about this time along came one John Rolf e, an English gentle man, who was very much inter ested in tobacco. - And he had sampled some of the "weed", which a sailor had brought over NAMES. WHY? ALASKA, comes from the Eskimo language and really says, "Great country." ARIZONA, means "Dry-belt" in Indian speech. COLORADO, is a name taken from the Spanish, meaning "Red." Ponce de Leon named FLORI DA "Feast of the Flowers." GEORGIA, was named for a king George the Second of Eng land. IDAHO, is really two words In Indian language: "Edah Hoe," and it means "Light on the moun tains." IOWA, is believed to be a Sioux tribal word meaning "Sleepy ones." KANSAS, is a Sioux name meaning "People of the south wind." " VIRGINIA, was named by Sir Walter Raleigh, and he named it In honor of "the Virgin Queen" of England. ALABAMA, is an Indian name and means "I clear the thicket." HONEY-MAKERS . HAVE you ever been stung by a bee ? No, of course It didn't feel very nice, but didn't it make you, for the time being, a little interested in bees? A little curi ous about their ways and means? Well, all In all, they are pretty clever creatures. Just put a bit of honey on a window sill, and If there are any bees at all near your home, one will find her way to that sweet treat. She will buzz with delight at her new discovery, and help herself to all she can manage. Now that she Is ready to seek the hive ... do you think she will turn and flit away? No indeed; she will back off, and look the location over. (She is going to remember where that honey came from, so she can return for more.) Some bees, like people, are prone to gossip; others keep their affairs to themselves. At least, that Is the way It appears for In some experiment, the bee who finds the honey first will return alone, back nnil forth all after noon . . . others will discover a choice bit of aweeta, and will re turn from their first trip to the hive with a group of friends. When they return to the hive, do you think they mix all that different flavored pollen? No, In deed thoy do not Each color and each flavor la stored alone. They are oa orderly little raos of workman, and laziness Is never tolerste) among too pollen gath artira. Remember these wonderful things the next time a be sits down on your wrist OTTO THIMK VBMT THEV DO from America. John Rolfe thought it was pretty good, but not half so good as it would be were it properly cured. Over he went to America. As soon as this enterprising gentleman arrived, he got the London company to work on the tobacco. They planted It every where, and everyone was very buBy. The money started rolling in. In fact, there was so much to be done, that there was a great need for laboring people. The business of tobacco raising was booming, and all of Europe was smoking like a factory chimney. This great question of labor started something. Hundreds of strong, healthy, happy Negroes were brought over from Africa and sold as slaves to work the tobacco ileitis. This shameful year was 1619. There was, at this time, a Stu art king on the throne of England, and he didn't like it a little bit that a company of English inves tors owned all the profits of that tobacco spot In America. The Scotch king felt that HE should be getting some of that money, so he put an end to the London com pany. Next he made Virginia a colony and appointed a royal Governor to run things and to see that the king got his share. Thus tobacco smoking, played a great role in the pageant of America, moving on and on! TAKE. CAPE. kour-p.lt BUSTER, A PUP BUSTER was . a little white bull-dog . , . well, he was PART, buli-dog anyway. Bobby found Buster In his stocking on Christmas morning. Now Buster didn't have very polite manners and he was for ever chewing shoes, and corners of the furniture, and the fringe off the rugs. , Bobby's father said, "That pup had better stay out-of-doors until he learns how to behave." The pup heard these dreadful words and he went and hid under Bobby's bed. You see, ho WANTED to be a good puppy, but the fringe and shoes tasted so GOOD. That night Bobby dragged Buster out from under the bed and made a cozy place for him in the garage. Of course, he told the pup how sorry he was to leave him there. At first Buster thought it was a game Bob was playing with him, and he waited quietly for a long time. But Bob did not come back and Buster started to howl How ho moaned and groaned and yipped. Bobby heard blm and was near team. Bob's father heard him too and he was very uncomfort able. So uncomfortable in fact that he called In to Bob and said "I give up. Go got him, Bob, but put the shoes out of his reach." After that, Buster slept on Bob's bed and everybody was happy , . . especially Buster. PINE CATERPILLAR THE caterpillars living In tha pine trees (which they eat In the dark ) , are fellows of strange Instincts. They work down from their nests In the top of the tree and eat the pine needles as they go. While they travel in a toad like a little army they leave a silken path or carpet behind them. The more caterpillars there are traveling along, the wider the carpet Since these little fellows have no eyes to speak of, they NEED tills little carpet so they can find their way back to the nest at the top of the tree. IdiSait- Ffsnms Anywhere In California Any Sizt Sd for Cotilofu. Series "B" or, Consult Your Broker CALIFORNIA LANDS INC. 4i MoMfomoMji fciMt Saw Frtnciu. CtJ'fernlt PAGE SEVEN t
