The Hitchcock Clarion (Hitchcock, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 30, 1918 Page: 3 of 10
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THE HITCHCOCK CLA
Copyright by Prank
CHAPTER IX—Continued.
“Ask him,” I suggested.
“Meaning that you don't think I can.
I’ll bet my seal ring against yours that
I can make him propose before dark.
Mine is a very curious one too. A
Russian duke gave It to me. I never
met him, but he sent It to my dressing
room with some flowers."
It seemed to me to be a possible way
to gain a little solitude for reflection,
and I assented to the wager.
"You don’t intend to tell him, then,
that you are engaged already?"
"Oh, no, not until he proposes. Of
course I might like him better than I
do Ned. Then I’d never tell him.”
I could see that Ned Blaney was go-
ing to have the time of his life imme-
diately after he found himself hitched
more or less for life to this volatile
young person. Vida was not one of
those who would pass by an inviting
pasture lot simply because she was in
harness.
The rest of us went into the house.
As we came in the telephone was ring-
ing. Asking Luclle’s permission, I an-
swered it.
"Hello!” said a male voice, speaking
with staccato sharpness. "May I speak
to Mr. Llpton 8. Clair?"
I put my hand over the mouthpiece
and turned around. Lucile had gone
upstairs, but Bopp was gazing idly
out of the window.
“Is Mr. Clair still there in the yard?"
I asked him.
“No; he went off down the beach
with Miss Dunmore.”
"Hello!” I spoke again Into the tele-
phone. "Mr. Clair was here a moment
ago, but he has Just gone for a walk
with a young lady."
“Impossible!" The voice at the other
end shot that emphatically at me.
“It’s so.”
“Clair is a woman hater."
‘What if he Is? This one is going
to convert him."
“Humph. She can’t do it Who is
she?”
“Her name is Miss Tida Dunmore."
“Vida Dunmore there?"
“Certainly.”
“Thank heaven!” he ejaculated fer-
vently. “I’ve been waiting for hours
for her to get here. How does Bbe
come to be there?"
1 explained to the young man, who
proved to be Ned Blaney, as I had al-
ready suspected, all about the wreck of
the Mary Bell and the casting ashore
of her passengers.
“Thanks very much," said Blaney,
with considerable relief in his voice.
“I’ll come right over after her. Don’t
tell her that I called up and I will
surprise her. Goodby."
He hung up before I could tell him
that he probably couldn’t get any kind
of boat to come over to the island,
but I Judged that he would find that
out soon enough for himself.
“Where’s Miss Green?" I asked Bopp.
“I advised her to lie down for a lit-
*tle while and rest. This search is
wearing her out She is leaving every,
thing in my charge."
"I presume that congratulations are
in order,” I said, extending my hand
with as good a show of cordiality as I
could muster. “I do congratulate you,
Mr. Bopp."
“We’re not regularly engaged," Bopp
said sourly. “She has promised to be
mine if I can find her mother. That
makes me Just about as near engaged
to her as if wa had never met.”
So Luclle’s promise had a string tied
to it My heart leaped exultantly.
There was a chance yet
“Let’s have a drink on the strength
of your engagement anyway," I said,
starting toward the kitchen.
"Water?" queried Bopp, hoping
against hope.
"Why, yes."
“No, thanks. My tummle is looking
for Mount Ararat now.” He sank dis-
consolately into a seat In a moment
he rose wearily. “I’ve got to start out
again. I promised Lucile I would
search while she rested."
Hardly had he left the house when
the telephone rang again. I answer-
ed it.
“Hello."
“Hello. Is that you, Mr. Blainey?
Will you call Lucile to the telephone?
I want to”—
The voice ceased abruptly.
"Hello,” I called, “hello, hello!"
There was no answer.
The voice I had Just been listening
to was that of Mrs. Green.
*• M unsay Company.
After uwhile 1 got central’s attention
und demanded to be told why I had
been cut off.
“That party called up from a private
telephone," said central sweetly. "She
had no right to use it. It is a summer
telephone only, and the Instrument is
to be taken out next week."
"But It wus Mrs. Green who was
talking."
“It couldn't be," central was posi-
tive. “You are speaking from Mrs.
Green’s residence yourself."
“It was Mrs. Green. I recognized
her voice.”
"Just a minute.” There was a pause,
then: “Hello! That party called up
from Huntingdon’s. What could Mrs.
Greej be doing there on a stormy day
like this?"
I could not explain to a gossipy tele-
phone operator what had really hap-
pened to Mrs. Green. I did not know
much about it myself, and the few
facts of her disappearance that I was
cognizant of would hardly sound well
if repeated.
"Mrs. Green,” I hazarded, “went out
walking, and I suppose she stopped in
at Mr. Huntingdon’s."
“Do you know,” asked central, “that
Huntingdon’s is on a small island three
miles south of where you are and three
miles from the mainland? The walk-
ing is not very good."
I felt as if I had stepped off into
space from a high platform. “Proba-
bly—that is, the chances are"—I floun-
dered—“the chances are that she de-
cided to row, and the wind may have
carried her out of her way.”
I finally persuaded central to call up
Huntingdon’s. I think It was curiosi-
ty that made her relent I could be
sure that she would be listening to
whatever might be said by Mrs. Green
and myself.
“Hello!"
"Hello, Mrs. Green 1 This is Mr.
Blainey."
“Hello, Mr. Blainey!” There was a
ring of ladylike indignation in her
voice. “Can you explain to me, Mr.
Blainey, how I happened to find my-
self in a rowboat out in the middle of
the lake, wearing my red silk dress
and a nightcap tied under one ear?"
“Wait a minute, Mrs. Green, central
is listening.”
“I don’t care. She always does. She
probably wants to know Just as much
as I do. What happened? Was there
an earthquake? I remember the island
was sort of wobbly and hard to
walk on.”
"No, there wasn’t any earthquake,"
I answered. “We were fasting, you re-
member?"
"Yes. I remember that, but I’m not
any more. The first thing I did when
I landed was to break into this house
and cook myself a can of baked beans.
It’s funny if there wasn’t any earth-
quake. I remember the floor of the
house all running in funny little
waves."
“I’m afraid our time must be nearly
up," I suggested in the hope of turn-
ing the conversation. “Central will
cut us off.”
“No, I won’t,” Interposed a third
voice, the sweetly professional one of
the operator. ‘Talk all you want to.
There ain’t anybody waiting for the
line.”
"I suppose I must have got into the
boat when the earthquake commenced,”
persisted Mrs. Green, “but how did I
get oil the decollete red dress? And
where did I get the nightcap? I have
not worn that dress for ten years.”
I told her that we would have to
wait until she got home to explain a
number of things. “Lucile will be
very glad to know that you are safe,”
I added casually as if she had just
gone over to a neighbor's, hoping to
deceive central “She was afraid you
might get wet”
“Did Lucile know I was going?” in-
quired the startled Mrs. Green, who
apparently did not catch on to my
acting.
“No, not until after you had started,”
I said, skirting the edge of the truth
neatly. “She will be very glad to hear
that you are all right I’ll tell her as
soon as she wakes up. She is resting
now.”
“Sleeping? Now? What for?”
“Why,” I explained, “she was up all
night.”
“What? And all alone on that island
with you two young fellows and no
chaperon!"
“Oh, no,” I hastened to reassure her
and central, "not alone with us! There
are a lot of people hero-six or seven,
I should say."
“Holding a convention of earthquake
sufferers, I suppose,” Mrs. Green sur-
mised caustically. “What sort of peo-
ple are they?”
"Oh, very nice people.” I answered
promptly. "One of them is a lady."
“How do you know she is a lady,”
inquired Mrs. Green—“Just because she
happened to be wearing skirts when
she arrived?"
"Oh. no!” I said hastily. How could
I tell this elderly, dignified lady that
our feminine guest had not worn skirts
on her arrival.
“Humph 1” Mrs. Green was not par-
ticularly Impressed. ’The sooner I get
back the better. You’ll have to send
some one over after me because there
weren’t any oars in the boat I came
in. I wouldn’t go out in a rowboat
again anyway. Send u big boat or I
won’t leave here."
"I'll send for you Just as soon as I
can.” I was glad to have the conver-
sation draw to a close. It had been
bad enough already, but who could
tell what else might come out if we
kept on talking? "The storm ought to
quiet down soon now. Goodby for the
present.”
"Walt a minute. I want to ask”—
I am afraid I was guilty of rank dis-
courtesy In hanging up the receiver
before I heard her question, but I knew
I should be unable to answer it any-
way, and I had to have an opportunity
to think what it was all about
First of all, Lucile must be told and
an end put to her anxiety. I went
upstairs and called “Lucile I”
CHAPTER X.
The Clam Hunter.
PW* HERE was no answer, and 1
| stepped to the door of her room,
| which stood open. She was ly-
ing on her bed, dressed, with
her head on her arm, sleeping the dead
sleep of utter exhaustion. She seemed
very small and childish, and her fin-
gers curled adorably, like a baby’s. I
didn’t have the heart to waken her, so
I tiptoed out. The news would be
Just as welcome when she wakened
of her own accord, and sleep would do
her much good.
When I came downstairs I saw Bopp
go through the yard, looking under
every bush and into every gully. I
went out to tell him that Mrs. Green
was located.
He stopped when he saw me.
“I see Clair has cut you out with
your actress friend,” he said. "I saw
large share of the favor I had lost
with Lucile. Not that she would ad-
mit that abe needed food. Not ah*.
Vida and Liptou 8. Clair strolled by
while I was wading. It seemed to me
that she was making rapid progress to-
ward winning her bet
“Are you still looking for lira.
Green?” Clair called out as I fished
under water curiously.
“No,” I replied shortly, *T am teach-
ing a pet fish to swim.”
“You look as though you were tak-
ing one of those barefoot cures”
“I didn’t know you could cure bare
feet," supplied Vida. "By the way,
Mr. Blainey, does your ring come off
easily?”
“It would from your hand. Do you
wish to wear it?”
“Oh, no, not yet—not until I am en-
titled to. You can begin to work it
off though.”
“Did any one call me up on the tele-
phone?” asked Mr. Clair.
"Yes," I said.
“Why didn't you call me?" he de-
manded crossly. “I haven’t been far
away."
The self assurance of this man en-
raged me. Here he was, an uninvited
guest, complaining that be was not
paged as he would have been in a ho-
tel. I wondered where he got his ideas
of the social relations of modern peo-
ple. Who could have spoiled him so?
Sometimes the adulation of women
will put an ego on the bias that way,
but Clair was a professed woman
hater. I only hope that some day be
will write a play which it will be my
pleasure to review.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
INCREASE II WESTERN
CMm UUP VALUES'
But Forty and Fifty Bushels of
Wheat to the Acre.
REINDEER OF THE FAR NORTH
Herd of Animals Imported Several
Veare Ago From Labrador Have
Greatly Increase In Numbers.
Though perhaps most of us, young
and old, associate reindeer chiefly with
Santa’s Jingling bells, still there are,
besides the dear, familiar phantom
reindeer, the very real reindeer who
are serving a very real and much-
needed mission among the people of
the far North, among whom Dr. Wil-
fred T. Grenfell works and lives his
life of brotherly aid and uplift, Mary
M. Davis writes In Our Dumb Animals.
About six years ago Doctor Grenfell
imported from Labrador a herd of rein-
deer, number about 400, which during
their six years la Newfoundland have
increased to somewhere between 700
and 1,000. The Idea of bringing them
from their native Lapland was sug-
gested to Doctor Grenfell by the great
abundance of reindeer mosfi in New-
foundalnd. The reasons for the ex-
periment are many and far reaching.
The reindeer are valuable, not only
for their rich and delicious milk—
which would be a boon Indeed to the
dwellers of that northern part of New-
foundland in which Doctor Grenfell
works—but also are invaluable as
beasts of burden. In every way they
are as well adapted to the require-
ments of the North as are the Komatlk
dogs, which in many ways are an ab-
solute menace to the development of
the country.
“Ars you still looking for Mrs. Groan?”
Clair oallsd out.
them arm in arm on the beach a min-
ute ago. There’s no use talking, Mon-
ty, you can’t seem to hold a girl’s at-
tention long enough to slip a ring on
her. Why don’t yon try advertising in
one of those matrimonial papers?”
I made no answer, but turned around
abruptly and went back to- the house,
f was angry enough myself to let him
hunt until the crack of doom before I
would tell him that Mrs. Green was
found.
When I entered the house the tele-
phone was ringing again. I took off
the receiver.
“Hello!” I said.
“Hello!” said a masculine voice. “I
am a newspaper man, representing the
Hanlman syndicate. I understand that
you had an earthquake over there
this morning and that Mrs. Green, the
wife of the president of the First Na-
tional bank, made her escape in an
aeroplane dressed in a spangled red
ball gown. I want to know If I
have these facts absolutely correct be-
fore I”—
I carefully lowered the receiver un-
til it hung suspended from the wires
and tiptoed away from the telephone^
letting him talk to the empty air.
The story was out
When I went out, after leaving the
reporter holding the wire, so to speak,
I took Tootles for a walk, and I then
turned my attention to the undevelop-
ed food supply which I had discovered
earlier when walking with Vida.
There were hundreds of fresh water
clams on the beach, and It was possi-
ble to dig them in the cove when the
water was not particularly rough. I
spent the afternoon wading, compen-
sated for the cold discomfort of the
performance by the thought that by
providing food I would win back a
Meaning of “Sinn Fein.”
“Sinn Fein” (pronounced Shinn
Fain) Is a Celtic expression meaning
“ourselves alone," and is the name and
motto of an Irish party which con-
strues It as meaning both for and by
the Irish alone. It dates actively from
1900 and claims to be more practical
and comprehensive than any of the old
parties that have aimed at Irish inde-
pendence or self-government. Among
other things, it proposes to establish a
purely Irish parliament, army and
navy, mint, civil and consular service,
Judiciary and school system; also the
economic reorganization of Ireland by
Its own people on a purely Irish basis,
Including merchant marine, stock ex-
change, banks, etc,; all official and
business matters and correspondence
to be conducted in Gaelic, the use of
English language to be boycotted in
public offices, schools and business.
These and many other interesting re-
sults are to be accomplished by pas-
sive means and peaceable methods. It
Is not stated exactly how, but by some
kind of social and political pressure
without violence!
Light Best Suited to Eyes.
Recent investigations into the kind
of light best suited to the eyes have
important practical significance. The
studies were made from the point of
view of “contrast” to determine the
ideal contrast between the object
looked at and the surrounding back-
ground. It was found that the usual
contrast in brightness between objects
out of doors rarely exceeds the ratio
of 1 to 20. The eye can detect con-
trasts as delicate as 98 to 100. In-
doors, contrast in light and shadow
often runs as high as 1 to 200, and a
dark window frame against a bright
sky presents a contrast of 1 to 10,000.
The scale of contrasts best suited to
the eye lies btween 1 to 20 and 1 to
100.
During the past year there has been]
a greater demand for farm lands in
Western Canada than for a number ofl
years past. The demand is for good
fann lands Improved or unimproved.
And at an Increase of from ten to fif-
teen dollars an acre more than the*
Bame lands could be had for a couple)
of years ago.
The rise lu the price of every kind
of produce grown on these Western
lands, In some cases to double and In;
others to treble the price prevailing
fore 1914, huve attracted and are at-
tracting in ever-increasing proportions!
the men who are anxious to Invest
their money, und apply their energlen
In the production of wheat for which!
the allied nations are calling with
voices which grow louder and more/
anxious as the months roll on, and th«|
end of the war still seems distant*
Beef, and more especially bacon, ara)
required In ever greater quantities,;
and the price of all these things bast
soared, until it is not a question
what shall we produce, but how much
can we produce. Even should thl»
world calamity be brought to a closai
In six months from now, It will bei
years before normal pre-war prices
prevail, and meantime self-interest Uj
not patriotism Is turning the minds ofi
thousands back to the land. The in-
evitable consequence has been the rise
in values of land, especially wheat
land. I
The Calgary Herald, commenting oni
these conditions says:
“From Inquiries made from leadlnff
dealers In farming and ranching prop-
ertles, and from the information gath-
ered in other ways, it is known that
the value of all land—wheat landj
mixed farming properties, and even'
good grazing land—has risen in the
last two years 40 per cent. Wheat
lands in some districts have practical-
ly doubled in price. One dealer in
farm lands recently sold three sections
for $70 an acre, one extra good quar-
ter went as high as $90, and another
brought $100. These are, of course,
large prices, but that they will be
equaled or even surpassed In the near
future is beyond question. There is a
feature about this rush to the land
from which the most solid hope can
be drawn for the success of the move-
ment. The proper tillage of land, to
produce large crops In a climate like
ours is now understood and practiced
as it never was in the early days of]
the province. It would seem too that
with the Increase of land under culti-
vation, the seasons are changing
and the rainfall becoming greater and
more regular.
“Crops are being harvested, especial-
ly In Southern Alberta, which would,
have seemed impossible to the old-time
farmer, with his old-fashioned Ideas
of breaking and seeding. And at the
price now set by the government for
wheat and which possibly may be In-
creased during the coming season, the
return to the practical skilled agricul-
turist must necessarily be very large.
“What matters $10 or even $20 an
acre extra on wheat land when a re-
turn as high as 50 bushels and even
more may be taken from every acre
sown? With hogs bringing $20 a hun-
dred pounds; beef on the hoof at $12,
and mutton $18, while wool under the
new government arranged system of
handling and sale brings 65 cents a
pound (and these values cannot fall
to any great extent for some years)
the demand for land will continue and
values increase In a corresponding de-,
gree.
"There has never been In the history
of Canada a time so favorable for the
fanner as the present; self-interest,
the Inspiration of patriotic feeling, the
aid freely extended by the govern-
ment, who are permitting the import
of certain agricultural Implements
free, all these tend to still further,
raise the price of Alberta land.”—Ad-
vertisement.
Paradoxical.
Gushing Girl (to her friends)—Yon
ought to read that latest story by
Chamberton. It’s so real, I never saw
anything like It ^__
Taste and Smell.
Since the sense organs, the taBte and
smell buds, are sunk in the moist mu-
cous membrane they can only bn
touched by substance somewhat sol-
uble in water, and to reach the sense
of smell they must also be volatile sq
as to be diffused In the air inhaled bx
the nose. The “taste” of food Is most-
ly due to the volatile odors of It that
creep up the backstairs Into the olfac-
tory chamber.
A chemist given an unknown sub-
stance would have to make an ele-
mentary analysis and some tedious
tests to determine whether It was an
aldehyde or an ester, whether the car-
bon atoms were singly or doubly
linked and whether It was an opes
chain or closed. But let him get s
whiff of It and he can give Instantly a
pretty shrewd guess as to these points,
The foe will find It hard to
“victorious peace** for a nation whoso
best men are dead.
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Cox, D. E. The Hitchcock Clarion (Hitchcock, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 30, 1918, newspaper, May 30, 1918; Hitchcock, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1171773/m1/3/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.