Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia eagle. (Vernonia, Or.) 1922-1974 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1953)
TROUBLE ON THE HILL (Nbte: This was written by the Old Man on the Hill over a year and a half ago, but in some way became misplaced and is being published at this lat date ) By Charley Castnar Dear Elsie: I thought I would write and let you know how Jack was get. ting along up here on Calamity Hill. I know you are anxious about him and. to tell the truth, I have been a bit uneasy about him myself for I know he misses you v.ry much and I have been afraid his u Tiles would get him down and discontented so I have been do.ng my best to cheer him up and get ins mind off worrying about you. I know you would want me to do that and I think I have succeeded but doing so brought about other problems that will solve themselves in time—I hope. You see. Ma went to Portland for a few days visit and left me and Jack alone on the farm, so there are two lonesome old bach elors up on The Hill. While Jack was b aring up bravely I could see that if something was not dene he would be liable to hit the trail back to Medford so, in order to cheer him up, I pre vailed on him to go down to a dance, given by "The Get Ac quaint», d Club.” in Vernonia. I also thought 1 might stand a bit of cheering up myself for, my own Squaw being gone, it never do for both of us •ur grief for our absent ones get us down. At th? time it seemed a grand id a, but the way it turned out I somehow have my doubts. One thing sure, it took our in nds off our present worries, but brought on other problems that were nearer and more pressing. Th-.* motivating spirit of "The Get Ac quaint, d Club” was an auburn haired charmer nam-d Mazie and in all fairnsss, I must say that this Mazie p *rson was the con- solingest iittle bundle of sweet ness that ever made a person forget his troubles and sadness; one look at her symstrical figure and cr-amy. satin Skin and one felt that life had not been in vain and one look from her lim pid, blue eyes and one felt as though he had just quaffed a glass of rare old wine or had a shot of vitamin G-2. High away I could see that Jack was g ad he had com * and, I introduced him to this Mazie person, he wanted to fill out an application for membership in th? club right now. But he is still mindful of his former obligations and told me that he was a bit forgetful and. if ths need arose, I was to r mind him that he was an engaged man; that was a good idea for he proved to b? the most absent-minded person I ever knew. Mazie took him under her protective wing and proceeded to help him get acquainted and from then on he was the chief attrac tion and was always ■ urrourided by a bevy of heart-warming trouble-forgetting charmers and appeared to be having the time of his life. I broks through the circle now and then to remind him that he was an engaged man. He al ways seemed grateful and thank ed me, so everything was all right. I was glad to see that he was forgetting his worry and sorrow over your absence and beginning to take a new interest in life. He seerr.rd to want to dance with Mazie most of the time and, while his terpsichorean efforts were not the most graceful he made up in vigor and determina- tion what he lacked in artistry. About this time a big logger, who it appeared, was Mazies’ es cort to the dance, barged in and wanted to dance with Mazie him self; but hs was told that Jack was a stranger and just getting acquainted and besides, the Good Book says ’turneth not away the stranger, thou may be entertain ing an angel unaware." Being thus confronted with the scriptures, Mazies’ escort was pro perly impressed and did not ar gue the question further, although I did hear him saying something about getting too blamed well acquainted "and besides, he don't look like no angel to ms.” Some thing in the way he said this made me think I had better re mind Jack again that he was an engaged man. which I did and he thanked me so everything was alright again. But I was a bit apprehensive and was glad when the dance was over and we could go home. It seems that it had been ar ranged for a select number of us to go to some club, partake of refreshments and get better ac quainted. Mazie started off with Jack, but her logger friend came up and allowed as he was her escort for the evening that he would take hsr off Jack’s hands. Things looked ominous for a minute, but Mazie was equal to the occasion—said she was so tired and weak after all the danc ing that she would feel safer if she had a big, stalwart man on each side, so everything was all right again. THE VERNONIA EAGLE Marvin Kamholz Editor and Publisher Official Newspaper of Vernonia. Oregon Entered as second class mail matter. August 4. 1922 at the post office .n Vernonia. Oregon, undr th? act of March 3. M579. Subscription price $3.00 yearly in the Nehalem Valley, Else- where $3 50. I I ! I : ' I I ; I 1 1 1 I i ' ! i I I | I I I i 1 | It turned out to be a very de I lightful party; everyone had a good time although the coffee was not as good as Ma makes, Among the refreshments served was a kind of temperence drink called Mr. Thomas Collins. While "perfectly harmless it seemed to have the quality of making one talkative and soon everyone was holding forth on their favorite topic. Mazie told how she would have been Apple Queen of Ne halem Valley only the judges were crooked or had been bought off. Her logg r esc >rt told how he climbed a fir tree three hun dred feet tall and cut the top out of it. I wanted to tell how I won the checker player championship of Nebraska but no one would pay any attention to me. They were all listening to Jack telling of his exploits up in the frozen North—how he pulled a polar bear out through a hole in 'the ice and then swung him I around till the bear was so dizzy that h? would not stand up and Jack then cut his head off and everyone had bear steak for din- ner. Mazie said she just loved bear stories f< r they made her fe i scar d and shivery all over I and when she was scared and shivery she liked to feel a strong, protecting arm around her. Jack obligingly suppli d the strong, protecting arm. I over- heard Mazie’s logger friend say- mg something about how he also had a strong arm. but it was liable to be used for something besides protecting. The way he said it made m. a bit apprehen- sive and I rem nded Jack that was an engaged man. But time he aid not thank ine. fact, he acted as though 1 interfering. All things must end some- times but w? were sorry when it was time for the party to break up. Mazie was escorted home with Jack on one side and her logger friend on the other, After the good by.s had been said Jack and I start d to hunt fur our car. but we couldn't fmd it. Either we had forgotten where we had left it or the place had been changed or something. Any- how we finally . gave up and started to walk home. Jack seemed to be happy and was singing something about building a nest somewhere out West and sitting in it and watch the world go by. But I did noi feel like singing. My old, rheu matic legs were bothering me and before we came to Calamity Hill they gave out and I could go no farther, I told Jack to go on and leave me there, that he was a young man and had his life be fore him while my sands of life were nearly run out anyhow. H ? refused and said: "never let it be said that Jack Young de serted a pal m time of stress or danger," that he would carry me on his back—even as Aeneas bore old Anchises from the burning walls of Troy, so would he carry m? to the top of Calamity Hill. I was very much touched by such a noble gesture of devoten and told him so. I I got on his back and started off up the hill, but after a few steps, he put me down again— said that I was too heavy, that he couldn’t understand how an old bundle of bones 'ike I was could weigh so much; that I must run at least 24 ounces to the pound. I resented being re ferred to as “an old bundle of bones” and told him that 1 had lots of meat on my bones, good meat too. I would make as good steaks as he would, probably bet ter. He finally said he would go back to town and find a taxi, or something to take us home. That was the last I saw of him till the next day. 1 was still sitting be side the road when Otto Myers came by in his car. Mr. Myers works in the night shift at the mill and gets off work about three or four o’clock and was on his way home; he took me on up the hill and let me off at our place. I was still sleeping the sleep of the just when Jack came home. He woke me up and told me if I should see a big logger coming up the road with a pcavy on his shoulder that I was to tell him that he (Jack) had gone to Med ford and would not be back for a long time. Just why he wanted me to say that I don’t know, but I have long since learned not to ask too many questions. If this logger shows up, I suppose I will do as Jack says for he is really a grand guy and I like him. Nevertheless it will be a severe strain on my conscience to say that Jack has gone to Medford while all the time I know he is out back in the woods some- where. You s.e. Elsie, veracity is one of my outstanding virtues. I am known all up and down the Nehalem valley as "truthful Char ley.” Consequently you can un derstand my reluctance to do or say anything that would jeo pardize my standing in the com munity. So you can tee I am laying quite a sacrifice on the altar of friendship. Anyhow that is the way things stack up at the present writing. I I think I have succeeded in get I I ting Jack's mind off worrying i about your absence, at least for I the present Besides, from all indications, he seems to have other problems on his mind that may keep him occupied for the time being. Meanwhile you have no ne;d to worry about Jack, I will take good care of him. (Second Note: Charley wrote the note at the beginning of this column and what he says is a lot of hot air! He didn't misplace it as he says. He just want: d to write anoth r column for The Eagle so used the note as an ex cuse to get it published Ed ) Three Home from College Studies BIRKENFELD — Home from college for the holidays were G oreianr.a and Norman Miiis and John Berg. Russell Stuve and Bev. rlv Clos ner spent Christ mas with Rus- sell’s mother in Dallas. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Turner stopped in Birkenfeld Saturday for a short visit with friends and relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Don Jensen and family had Christmas dinn r with Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Elliott and family. Kathryn Elliott spent Christ mas day at home. She returned to Portland in the evening. Ann Wilburn of Portland avcompam -d her home. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ban e r spent Saturday evening with Mr. and Mrs. Claude Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wallace ->f Woodburn ar? the parents 9-pound, 14-ounce boy born cemb-r 23. They named Charles Neal. Mrs. Wallace formerly Beverly Winslow. ’’HE Hospital Stay End Improvement Said Siow BIRKENFELD - Fred White is home again fr on the hospital. Reports are he is improving slow, ly- Mr. and Mrs. Randy Gatriel- son and Jimmy ^pent the week end with Mrs. Adah Hoberg. Mr. and Mrs Don J nsen and family spent Sunday in Tigard with relatives. Claude Johi in called on Guy Bellingham Fuday evening Donald Dell- -ia stopped in Bir kenfeld Friday enroute to As toria. He runs a filling static i in Neyvport. Out-of-State Families Visit MIST — Clender.an drove up f: a week a co parents. M strom, for n are n- Sale m. Mr. and Mrs. Chet and four children California Sunday, and visited with her and Mrs. L. P. Wik. ally a week. They from California EAGLE. VERNONIA. ORE. Son at Home For Holidays Mr .and 1 Mrs. and children of . and Mrs Frank lildren visited at ir. and Mis. Glen Christmas \ isitors at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. M Peachey were George Peachey of Sun Francisco and Mr. and Mrs Car- son Strong and children of Aber deen, Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Olin or K Iso spent th * week end at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. R. Olin. Mrs, Artie Buckner spent Christmas day with her daugh- j ter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. j Hill Bond, at Fori :< Grove. Miss Betty Jane Snook arrived : Tuesday from Los Angel *s tn : pend th - holidays at the ho.ae of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Vir gil Snook. Christmas guests at the Ed Buckner home wire Howard Run- THURSDAY, JAN. 1. 1953 dell of North Bend. Mr. and Mis Everett Rundell and Mr ami Mrs l • : * Mr. and Mis. C. N. Rundell Mr. and Mrs. Iziuis Huntlev went to Portland Monday for a check up on his arm and to visit a few days at the home of Mr Mrs< Louis Hunt!: daughter Betty. a> Breedin and daugh- Christmas day late Huntley . Mary Teel, TYPEWRITER for sale Underwood Number 5 Standard Typewriter, Reconditioned and Guaranteed $37.50 The Vernonia Eagle Printing — Office Supplies Telenhone 191 EDWARDS lb. 83c 2-lb.$1.65 .Wore flavor* Mort enjoyment1 Afore good cup. per pound! Why’ Because thew coffee* ere roasted to our order rushed by truck to Sefeway before time can rob them of freehne« end vigor They coet you leee. too Check pncee end compere We believe you’ll epee that these fret* coffees offer mere for your money. ADRWAY lb. 78c 2-Ib.S1.55 AA GRADE FEATURE VALUES THAT SAVE YOU MONEY Sunny Dawn 'o SHADY LANE 4 Bi FRESH BUTTER Sugar Belle l ib. 75c Nucoa or Sunnybank MRS. WRIGHTS BREAD White or Whole Wheat l’/2-lb. loaf TEA TIMER CRACKERS Crisp and Fresh 1-lb. pkg. 36c 2 49c 3 45c can» No. 303 Gardenside Cream Style can» 2 2 Ko. 303 cans lib. carton» 29c 65c Take advantage of these PORK BUYS Cut from tender young porker» SHOULDEB ROAST lb. 33c SHOULDER STEAK lb. 39c Perk Sausage lb. 39 Bound Steak 8’£ 79c Sirloin Steak« lb. Ground Beef ‘*12. 49c T-Bone Steaks n,. Pot Boast B:id< u». 69c sijce(i Bacon DEL MONTE — EARLY GARDEN SWEET PEAS Fancy Quality Price* •ffectiT* thru Saturday, Jan. 3 CRAGMONT BEVERAGES Nice Variety Pius bottle deposit 32-ox. O Í bottle u 1UI uJl X SAFEWAY f 5 89c 98c 49c
