When in Portland
I
STOP
----- At the
—
Empress Hotel
Sixth and Stark Sts.
Center of Business District
Moderate Prices
Building Contractors
Plans and Estimates Furnishe
Agents For Eagle Lumber Co.
YELLOW FIR LUMBER
WE BUILD
’EM
McGown & Anderson
Vernonia, Oregon.
Haute Biilt of all kinds kept instock
or manufactured on short notcie.
We carry a stock of Dry Finish
Lumber from which to make your
selection. All kinds of mouldings:
roofing paper: lath, windows, doors.
No order too small or too large. Let
uafigure witn you.
Then Into the vision of on- paralyzed
ami duiufouuded watcher
ame iba
little wagon, pulled by the old >>o|-
wed woman. Bob’s wife, In lie: le«t,
mid there,, propped upon pillows, lay
Hamilton Swift, Junior, his soul
■shining rapture out of Ills great eyes,
a bright spot of color ou each of Ins
thin cheeks.
He lifted himself on one e o\v, and
for an instant something see.tic I to l-a
wrong with the brace which was aider
bis chin.
Beasley sprung to him nnd adjusted
It tenderly. Then he bowed elaborate
ly toward the mantel-piece.
“Mrs. Hunchberg," lie aid. “ iili . v I
have the honor?" And oilered Ills arm.
“And I must have Mister Hunch-
berg.” chirped Hamilton. “He must
walk with me.”
“lie tells me.” said Beasley, “he’ll
he mighty glad to. And there’s
plate of bones for Slmpledoria.”
“You lend the way,” cried the child
“you and Mrs. Hunchberg.”
“Are we all in line?” Hensley
ginneed back over his shoulder. “Hoo
ray! Now. let us on. IIo! Music there!”
“Ilr-r-ra-vo!”
applauded
Mister
Swift.
And Bensley, his head thrown back
and his chest out. proudly led the way,
(tapping nobly and in time to the ex-
West Oregon Lumber Co., Cletskanih, Ore.
■
QLe Holiday Spirit Caught
and Held Before Your Eyes
ötyrifitaiafi
ÏJartij
4
"You Lead the Way," Cried the Child;
“You and Mrs. Hunchberg.”
=
BY
B ooth T arkington
SVTVUFS7Ò
PART 1.—Newcomer in a small town,
a young newspaper man, who tells the
story, is amazed by the unaccountable
actions of a man who, from .the window
of a fine house, apparently has converse
with Invisible personages, particularly
mentioning one "Simpledoria.” The youth
goes to his bearding house, the home of
Mrs. Apperthwalte, next door to the scene
ot the strange proceedings, bewildered.
PART II.—Next morning he dlscovere
his etrange neighbor is the Hon. David
Beasley, prominent politician, and uni
versally reapeejed. Telling ot his last
night's experience, he is markedly inter
rupted by a fellow boarder, a Mr. George
Dowden. Later, with Miss Apperthwalte.
he is an unseen witness of a purely
Imaginary jumping contest between Beas
ley and a "BUI Hammersley."
Miss
Apperthwalte appears deeply concerned,
there apparently being no possible ex
planation of the strange proceedings.
PART III.—The reporter learns that
Beasley and Miss Apperthwalte had at
one time been engaged, and that the
young lady had broken the engagement
because of Beasley's "lack of imagina
tion."
PART IV.—The “mystery" of "Simple-
doria” and "BUI Hammersley" is ex
plained by Mr. Dowden. Beasley Is car
ing for a small boy, Hamilton Swift,
Junior, a helpless invalid bodily though
more than ordinarily bright mentally, tne
eon of dear friends who are dead, and
“Slmpledoria" and "Bill Hammersley”
"Slmpledoria'
are creature»
creatures of Beasley’_
s ___
and ______
the small
...............................
boy'. imagination, ~
Beasley humoring the
little »ufferer by the "play acting.”
PART V.—The reporter becomes ac-
qualnt>-d with David Beasley and Is _ ln-
vtted to hla home, where he meets Hamil
ton Swift. Junior, and his circle of “In
visible* " which Beasley and George Dow
den have made very real to the child.
PART VI — Beasley is a strong candi
date for 1.1* tarty’s gubernatorial nomi
nation, his chief enemy being one Simeon
Peck, a small-souled, mean-thinking In
dividual The reporter Is sent hy his city
editor to see Peck, who declares he has
"something on" Beasley. Peck and a
number of his cronies, with two reporters,
set out for Beasley’» house, which Peck
declares la the renter of Christmas fes
tivities to v. i.ich Beasley has not deigned
to Invite hie party’s workers, to whom,
however, be l«x>ks for support in his po
litical aspirations. Assured of bls coming
triumph. Peck invites Georce Dowden, as
Bearley’s closest personal and political
friend, to join the party, taunting him
with the fact of his not being onsldered
good enough socially to be entertained by
Beaa'ey. Watching from the outside, they
see Beasley and his colored servitor Bob.
though apparently alone In a brightly
Illuminated room, with a ma--tficently
decorated Christmas tree. se< i gly en
tertaining a large number of gu -sis. Miss
Apperthwalte has joined Peek’s party,
and, considerably mystified^ they await
developments They tear David Beasley
(Dowden declares, for the first tlm- in his
life) make a speech, his only auditor ap
parently being Old Bob, though he talks
as if addressing a large gathering. Fol
lowing the speech, Beasley, hy himself,
dances a "quadrille," with aruazing fidel
ity to detail, and a full complen- nt of
Invisible partners. Pe< k Is jubilant. In
sisting that Beasley Is crazy nnd that ho
will have the news "all over town” to
morrow. Miss Apperthwalte Is bewildered.
The dance conclti led. the watchers for
the first time become aware of the pres
ence of Hamilton Fwift. Junior, and all
realise that David Beasley—In Miss Ap-
perthwaite’s opinion a man of no ¡¡»agi
nation—las devised the whole scheme to
«lye pleasure to bls little crippled ward
IS» reporters promise Peck the story will
be "all over town" tomorrow, and that
individual realists how greatly the human
Interest of the story will strengthen Beaa-
ley’s position.
He retires crestfallen.
Ml»» Apperthwalte. Dowden and the
young reporter join Beasley’s "party,”
the young lady humbly begging the ad
mission ol “just one fool, it's Christmas
tiawi”
_______________
>
hllarating measures. Hamilton Swif*,
Junior, towed by the beaming old mam
my. followed In his wagon, his thin
little arm uplifted and his lingers
curled as if they held a trusted hand.
When they '"reached the door, old
Bob rose, turned In after them, and,
still Addling, played the procession and
himself down the hall.
And so they marched away, and we
were left staring into the empty
room. . . .
“My soul I” said the Journal re
porter. gasping. “And he did all that—
just to please a little sick kid!”
“I can’t figure it out.” murmured
,
Sim Peek, piteously.
“I can,” snitl the Journal reporter.
“Tills story will be all over town to
morrow.” He glanced at me, and I
nodded. “It’ll be all over, town,” he
continued, "though not in any of the
papers—and I don't believe it’s going
to hurt Dave Beasley'» chances any.”
Mr. Peck and his companions turned
toward the street and went silently.
The young man from the Journal
overtook them. "Thank you for send
ing for me,” be said, cordially. “You’ve
given me a treat. I’m for Beasley!”
Dowden nut his hand on my
shoulder. IIo had not observed the
third figure still remaining.
“Well, sir,” he remarked, shaking
the snow from his coat, “they were
right about one thing: It certainly was
mighty low down of Dave not to invite
me—and you, too—to his Christmas
party. Let him go to thunder with
Ids old invitations. Fm going in. any
way! Com«» on. I'm plum froze.”
There was a side door Just beyond
the bay window, and Dowden went to
It and rang. loud and long. It
Beasley himself who opened It.
“What In the name—” he began, as
the ruddy light fell upon Dowden’»
face and upon tne, standing a little way
behind. “What are you two—snow
banks? What on earth are you fellow»
doing out here?”
“We’ve come to your Christmas par
ty, yott old horse-thief!" Thus Mr.
Dowden.
“Hoo-ray!" said Beasley.
Dowden turned to me. “Aren't you
coming?"
“What are you waiting for, old fsk
low?” said Beasley.
I wafted a moment longer, nnd then
It happened.
She came out of the shadow and
went to the foot of the step*, lier
cloak falling from her shoulders as she
passed me. I picked It up.
She lifted her arms pleadingly,
though her head was bent with what
seemed to me n beautiful «ort of
shame, She Mood there with the snow
driving against her and did not speak.
Beasley drew hla hand slowly across
his eyes—to see if they were really
there. I think.
"Itavld,” she said, at last. “Tou've
got so many lovely people In your
house tonight, isn't there room for
for Just one fool? It's et, rlNtmaa
time!”
(THE END).
J
•¡run »fiotflder, “Stf long so tfie rauier
makes a good deal; but whea he
'1 L SI i RN
n TT y FÄT u TÜNION
ilumps.”—hla voice was «till Boft, but
the steely glint returned to his eyes—
‘then me an’ my friende step in. SabeY
Bein’ the Unit kid In camp, we’ve con-
Uitooted ourselves hie guardian—Just
Ike every man in the plnee will do
Boon’s they hear of his bein' here.”
lie turned back to his companions.
The watery-eyed man, after one long,
wistful,farewell glancetoward the bur,
resumed hla fruit
less search of the
goods. There was
nothing now to
divide his at
tention ; he knew
the meu with
whom he had to
deal, and real
ized that hence
forth the bar was
to be as far re
moved from him
as though a wall
of granite inter
vened. But, to his
credit be Lt said,
even with the
realization came
n new firmness to
hla eyes.
“What’s that on the top shelf?" he
asked suddenly.
“That? Oh, that Is—I dunno,” hesi
tated the storekeeper, as he took down
the object In question and examined It
critically. “It got in with some goods
a year ago, an* has been up there ever
since.”
"Why, you chump!” cried the cran
berry owner derisively, "not to know
a Jumpin' jack when you see one!
I've bought lots of 'em to home for the
children. See!” and he pulled a string
which sent the uerubat tumbling
over the top of his red pole. “Just
thing for a kid.”
"Just the thing,” repeated
watery-eyed man, drawing a «lull hug
of gold dust from his pocket : “It’ll
make the boy laugh.”
As he was going out, the owner of
the cranberries stepped to hid side.
"Here, take this along with you,” he
said, relinquishing the can to which
he hud been clinging so fondly. “It’ll
help to make out a Christmas for th
boy.”
•And thin, too.” "And this,” added
the owner of the sardines nnd the
owner of the baked be-n«; and then
Sheriff Dobson pushed before them
and slipped something I. .„hi and
heavy into the hand which held the
Jumping-jack.
“It’s a nest-egg for the kid," he said
gravely. “Now yon better go hums an’
fill up his stockin’; an’ to-morrer you
can tell him Merry Christmas from us
ALF u dozen unshaven, red-
shirted miners were gath
ered about the dingy coun
ter of Bilger's, the one store'
In cutup. It was Christmas
eve, nnd they wanted some
thing extra for their dinner
on the morrow—Just to keep
them In mind of the day,
they
. But there wus little nov-
elty In the forlorn remnant of cans
u | m n t* • shelves, or In the half-empty
bm eis and boxes under the counter
am massed in the corners of the room.
Ono man found a stray box of snr
dims, and took possession of it with
the remark that, while it was not
“Cl -istmasy," he could have the sut-
i-f; . ¡Inn of knowing he was eating
tlie only sardines in camp; ano 1.er
drew out a cun of Boston baked beans
rum behind a squadron of tomatoes;
while n third, of more investigating
and determined turn of mind, hunted
among the boxes and barrels until he
actually discovered a can of Cape Cod
cranberries.
This brought the entire group of
Christmas hunters into a compact,
avx.ug circle; and while they were
nxioe ly debating the pro and con —
. ly the con—of u division of
the door opened quietly and a
- o« i i ouldered, watery-eyed man en
ter» J.
“Have you got any toys?" he asked,
hesitatingly.
T’ae storekeeper stared, and unani
mously as though by preconcerted ar
rangement, the group around the
canned representatives from Chpe Cod
turned md stared elso.
“Any—whut?" the storeken»er asked
blankly.
“To; s,” the man repeated looking ut
the ea rciiug faces with abashed em-
barra .rnent—“things to play with, I
mean, like children have at Christ
mas. You see.
see,* with a curious ■
mingling of apology and pride in his
voice, “my little ten-year-old boy came
in on the stage Just now—clean from
his grandma’s, back to Missouri. I’ve
been sendin’ for him these two years,
jf>ut couldn't seem to get to it till I
gSMck a vein last month."
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
He lurched heavily against the coun
ter. His watery eyes began to fill,
partly through his condition and partly
from some long dormant tenderness
which was beginning to reawaken.
“The boy’s consider'ble childish,” he
went on, rousing himself a little at
LAUNDRY AGENCY
the consciousness of being listened to
by men who usually pass<*d him with
out recognition, ‘‘an’ likes things to
Gall in for Good Work.
play with. So, bein’ it’s Christmas,
an’ he Jest cornin’, why, I thought
niebbe I’d better hunt some toys.”
Oregon
“Of course,” tried Dobson, the
Vernonia
sheriff, heartily; and "Of course,” “Of
course.” came promptly from others
of the group.
And then they looked about the store
inquiringly, eagerlj. in search of some
thing that would please a ten-year-old
boy who was
tty
childish. But there
was little they
At the
saw; only huge
miners’ boots, py
ramids of picks
and shovels and
blankets, barrels
of flour and beans
A Comfortable Place
and pork; and on
the shelves, tobac
co and canned
F. E. Malmeten, Prop:
goods, and a small
assortment of
earthen and tin
ware ; and then,
at the far end of
the store, a bar
for the accommo
dation of those
Just South of the Bank Bldg.
who were thirsty,
There were no dry nnd fancy goods
and notions upon the shelve«, no show
Confectionery for Ladies
cases upon the counter, no display In
Pool Room in Connection
the one dingy window. Such things
would begin to make the'r api>earance
Candles, Soft Drinks, Ice Cream
only with the coming of the first wom
Coffee, Sandwiches, Pie, etc.
an, and that was not yet.
NEW FIXTURES
“Rather a slim show for playthings,
Dobson," said the owner of the cran
berries, after a fruitless search with
A. E. FENNER
his eyes from one end of the store to
the other. Don’t s’pose a puck o’
playin’ cards would do?” as his gaze
paused hopefuly on an extensive as-
sortment of that popular article,
“They has pictures on ’em.”
“Wouldn’t do at all,’ answered Dob-
son decidedly, "They ain’t moral; an’
the first kid who patronizes us has
got to be brought up moraL Say,
you,” to the watery-eyed man, who
was edging towards the bar at the far
end of the store—“none o’ that 1”
"None o’ what?” asked the man quer
ulously.
"I nln’t steppfn’ on your
toes.*
HOILE DUNLAP
“No, but you are on the kid’s. See
here.” His voice had an Incisive ring
Vernonia,
which had made many stronger men
tremble. “You ain’t walkin’ the same
line you was twenty-four hours ago.
Then you was a poor, no-’count drunk-
ird, who’d a right to dig his grave
xlthout opposition from nobody; now
you’re markin’ out a trail for that kid
I. O. O. f.—Vernonia Ixxige No. 246,
to Toiler. See? Me an’ my friends meets every Tuesday night at 8:00
here ain’t no call to Interfere between o’clock, in Grange Hall. —Dr. B. L.
father an’ son,” dropping hia voice to Sears, Nobh Grand; J. W. Roue, Sec
tn <*asy, familiar tone, and placing a
band encouragingly udou the tremu- ret try.
Season
Greetings
ergerson bros
Aero«» fro id l lie Bunk
4
lohn Bryan’s
Barber Shop
You Are Next!
Meet Your Friends
Verro nia Hotel
“Vernonia Poni Hall”
Contracting and
General Building
Carpenter Work
DOLLE
magazine
SUBSCRIPTION
BUREAU
195 16th St., Portltncl, Oregon:
Every Publication under the .sun for the leisure momenta of folks who
know enough to have them.
This Season I . Recommend
The American Magazine
The Saturday Evening Post
Cosmopolitan
Vanity Fair
Col ier’s Weekly
Youths Companion
Baseball
Motion Picture Magazine
Country Gentleman
Life (That Jester)
Pictorial Review
Ladles Home Journal
Womans Home Companion
Good Housckeepdig
ETUDE
VOGUE
Modern Prlcilie
McCalls Magazine
Peoples Home Journei
Delineetor
DOCTORS KAUFFMAN and
• 1.50
1.50
1.50
2.50
2 AX)
5.00
2.00
IX»
IJ5
2.00
TAYLOR
Physicians and Surgeons
Phone 922.
DR. H. KAUFFMAN
Rewidence 1’hone 02K'<
Poetoffice Box L
FortSt GfOV«. Ort.
’
ML C. L TAYLOR
Assidane« I'huns IKS