The Drumright Derrick (Drumright, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 30, Ed. 1 Friday, September 26, 1913 Page: 2 of 8
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> 5
A i.
THE DERRICK, DRUMRIGHT, OK L A.
HE COMES
UP SMILING
lUusimiecl h
ccvmxstfT /wj or aaaaj ajww ra
SYNOPSIS.
Th« Watermelon and James. two
tramps, bantvrlng each othor recrnrdlng
their iMTa.inul apprHrnnt-e. decide ta
clean up. aequli" new clothes und let
their companion, Mike. bo the judge
as to which la the better looking. W ater-
■aelon (ova to a barber shop.
CHAPTER II.—Continued.
"Three, sixty," announced Harry
tn some trepidation, lest be be flatly
and promptly corrected.
The barber reached for the slip and
added It on hla own account "Three,
sixty," he agreed, an.l glutted.
"Count the cash," ordered the Wa-
termelon, and Marry counted, slowly,
carefully, laboriously, aud the rest
counted with him, more or loss audi-
bly.
When the last coin had been count-
ad, there was a moment of puziled
alienee. The Watermelon broke It.
"Three, thirty-five," said he. "What
did I tell you?"
"Here," snapped the barber, "let me
count If
Ha pushed Harry aside and again
all counted as the barber passed the
colna. Quarters, dimes, nickels and
pennies. the last one was llngeringly
laid on the pile and the sum was lack-
lag a quarter to make It complete ac-
cording to the registered slip.
"Three dollars and thirty-five ceuts,"
aald the Watermelon again, like the
voice of doom
"Wall, I vnm!" exclaimed Harry.
"How'd he do It?" asked the gro-
cer's son. with an eye out for pos-
sibly similar emergencies nearer
home.
The Watermelon shrugged. "1 don't
know," said he. "Can't do It myself,
boulder that got In Its path. The Wa-
termelon determined to follow the
The wood ended abruptly at a stone
wall. There was a road beyond the
wall, and beyond the road, another
stone wall and more woods It was
a narrow woodland road, a short cut
to the hotel. !t wound Its way out of
sight, up a hill, through the pines. It
was grass-grown and shady and the
treea met overhead. Sweetbrler and
wild roses grew along the stone walls,
while gay little flowers and delicate
ferns ventured out Into the road Itself,
and with every passing breeze nodded
merrily from the ruts of last winter's
wood hauling. By the side of the
road, like a glaring anachronism, a
variety theater In Paradise, a vacuum
cleaner among the ferns and daisies,
stood a huge red touring car with
shining brass work and raised top. No
one was anywhere In sight and the
Watermelon climbed Into the tonneau
. . .. . , ; and leaned comfortably back In the
brook, sure that In the end It would r00my depths
lunil him ♦ n # I. .■ .„*.! nil.. • !
lead him to the hotel. City people
had a falling for brooks and no hotel
management would miss the chance
"Home. Henry," said he languidly
to an imaginary chauffeur.
A honk, honk behind him answered.
V ,HaVinl°n! gU,rglinK by\?l0Be Bt I He leaned from "the car and saw an-
•m ' |6 i r°°v. gre* wit*er and other turn Into the road and come
' ' Rn 'rough a break In the toward him. It was a touring car, big
trees the Watermelon saw a lake, dis- and blue A„ e,der, entlemanj fat.
appearing In the leafy distance. He eerloU8_ ,mportant> wa8 at the wheei.
•T k .p / raw, 7 Be8lde htm sat lady-and a chauf"
u - 1n',° 11 ma" 6 f°r T 37' feur languished In the tonneau.
ihe.rtTnHJ a, , Kr6e? J P?! "Hell°- Thomas," called the old
another™. 8 W gentleman with the affability of a per-
The w 8p as • forming elephant, addressing the Wa-
,o , :Trl0n eCld^'rom,bftt t termelon by the name of his car. as
IwimL? w * w °. y " the ™8tom ot the road.
T le'hlB °wn P1"? "Hell°. William." answered the Wa-
Z h I T*?' 8J1P^ '" ° termelon. wondering why they called
the bushes and slowly wriggled his hlm xhomaB
Z2L1r ?h° "ttle, g«de. The lak! T The old gentleman flushed angrily
„ rn!t r, ,T a P pea red. It and the ,ady , h a de„ htful
InTwa. fl m i through the woods ,8UKh of g)rHgh amugement The Wa.
aud was finally lost from view around termeIon smlled
n«Hv ,PT0nt07 • Thf tree8/rew -We are a Packard." explained the
^, ° ,he „water8 ^ge a dense oW gentleman ,uffl
in ^ one who wished .-Are r ga,d th# Waterme,on>
in r , T! ?."tUd V*?? wbol'y unimpressed by the informa-
in nature s simple clothing. The lake t)on ..We„ , B,B.t Thomafl...
was too far from the hotel to have cjUled vou b the nam0 Qf ur
Hnn, car'" pald the old gentleman. "I sur-
tions of that hostelry. All this the mlM that you have not had one ,
Watermelon noticed at a glance. He ..j don.t fee, M ,f , 0WQed u D0W
also noticed that the man swimming the Watermelon admitted.
in the cool, brown depths, with long,
easy strokes, was alone and a strang-
er. The Watermelon looked for the
The old gentleman smiled genially.
Anything was pardonable but fiip-
... j . . . . pancy In response to his own utter-
clothes and found them on a log, prac- anceg> none of wh)ch wa> ever lack.
Ing In weight or Importance. The
young man. It seemed, was only lgno-
tieallv at his feet.
In everything but color they ful-
filled his dream of what raiment should rant.
be like. Instead of the pale gray he -Are you In trouble?" he asked
«. the i.i >, . rather faT°red. the suit was brown, with a gleam of anticipated pleasure
hot the fellers In the cities have got- a light brown with a tinv v, _ ^ ...
. . . orown, wun a tinj green stripe, in his eyes. To tinker with a ma-
t«o ao they can open era the minute barely visible intprtu-inod with > .< ,, . ... . .
th. M«ek t,„n. *(. Tkw «..„! . ^1-ioie, intertwined witn a chine and accomplish nothing but
t** c"r turns his back. They can faint suggestion of red. forming a har-
crying need for an imme. ate bath
monious «iiole that was vastly plea*- was his dearest recreation.
ing to the Watermelon's esthetic ~n0," said the Watermelon, thinking
sense. In the matter of socks, he 0f the three, ten. in the pocket of the
realized that the stranger had not new clothes an<f of the lonely swim-
taken the best advantage of his oppor mer. "I ain't—vet."
Th.i i«„i, . tunit-v- Instead of being red or green The old gentleman was vaguely dis-
not hi hrH--> 1 t0 chaT"8cter to the delicate sug- appointed. "Can you run your ma-
chine?" he asked, hopeful of a reply
In the negative.
"No," said the Watermelon.
"Won't go, eh?" The old gentle-
man turned off the power In his car
and stepped forth, agilely, Joyfully,
do It without any noise, too, and so
««lck you can't catch 'em. I'll be
hanged if 1 know how they do It."
Axalti the barber counted the
change again he totaled the numbers
o« the regtsterod slip They would
•ot agree
quarter could not be bridged ; pestion of those colors found in the
^H* said It was automatic book suit, they were a soft dun brown
keeping" moaned the barber, glaring There was a tie of the same shade
at the slip that would register nothing ' R„d a silk negligee shirt of white with
*<«a than three dollars and sixty freeD Mnp<.s The owner wat
***" ... , . j clearly a young man of rare taste. 1UIU1, ,ellcl7, jvj.uwj,
,k - * K ^ unhamtH>r^ by * vexatious limluUon prepared to do irreparable damage to
th* Watermelon. It s the money that of his pocketbook. the, stranger s car. He drew off his
He could be seen swimming slowly
He gatheftsi up the coins, slowly, j and luxuriously in the little lake, per-
'ke barber turned away fectly contented, unconscious that
the painful sight some one besides the woodpeckers and
"IV you want a shave?" he asked the squirrels were watching him
When he disappeared, the Watermelon
The Watermelon sank gracefully | quickly, carefully gathered up the
t«to the chair "It's hard luck." said
ke sympathetically, ' but you oughtn't
t* be so easy Get wise, get wise."
clothes and likewise disappeared.
The swimmer was a big man and
the clothes as good a fit as one could
look for under the circumstances.
They set off the Watermelon's long,
lean figure to perfection, and the hat.
a soft and expensive panama, lent
added distinction. The Watermelon
removed the three dollars and ten
cents and the keys from his own
pockets, and making a bundle of his
cast-off clothes, stuffed them out of
CHAPTER III.
Enter Mr Batchelor.
With hair nicely cut. face once
More as smooth as a boy's, and three
dollars and ten cvnts in his pocket,
the Watermelon gated fondly at him
••If In the glass and felt sorry for
James He gently patted his hair. , sight tn a hollow log, where later he
* t. shiny and smelling of bay rum could return and find them It was
arranged his hat with great nicety at ' Just as well to leave the stranger a
Just the graceful angle he preferred practical captive In nature's depths
as doing the most Justice to his until the beauty show was pulled off
charms, and sallied forth to look for a After that event, he would return. ,
ult of clothes He had scanned criti and If the stranger was amenable to
cally thoee he had encountered In the reason, he could have his good clothes
barber shop with an eye to future pos back, but If he acted put out at all
•e«slou. but none of them, at least ifr punishment he would hare to ac-
what he had been able to see of them cept the Watermelon's glorious attire
the coat having generally been con Clean shaven, well-clothed, there was
•ptvuou* by Its absence, had pleased no longer any need for him to go to
bin The> had the uncompromising the hotel, ur.lesa^ie wished to dine
cut of the eountn and the Water there . If the devotee of nature, hack
melon felt that the attractions ihat :n the swimming pool, was a stranger
gloves
slipped
them
which. Between thirty and thirty-five,
the unconquerable youth of the mod
era age radiated from every fold of
her dainty frock, from the big hat
and graceful veil. Her hair was soft
and brown and thick, her mouth was
rather large, thin-lipped and humor-
ous, and yet pathetic, the mouth of
one who laughs through tears, seeing
the piteous, so closely Intermingled
with the amusing. Her eyes were
brown, clever, with delicate brows
and a high, smooth forehead. The Wa-
termelon decided that she was not
pretty, but distinctly classy He
smiled at the friendliness he saw in
the eyes and turned to the old gentle-
man, who waB now thoroughly ab-
sorbed.
"I need a monkey-wrench," said he
"I thought at first that there was
something the matter with the car-
buretor, but think now that It must
be In the crank shaft assembly.
"Oh, yes," agreed the Watermelon
vaguely, and got the wrench from the
tool-box as directed.
"I—1 think that maybe you had bet-
let us tow you to some garage," said
the lady timorously, her voice barely
audible above the old gentleman's
noisy administrations.
"Search me," returned the Water-
welon, standing by to lend assistance
with every tool from the box in his
arms or near by where he could reach
It instantly at an imperious com-
mand.
"Automobiles," said the lady, "are
like the modern schoolmarms, always
breaking down."
"Like hoboes," suggested the Water-
melon, "always broke."
The old gentleman straightened up.
"There Is something the matter with
the gasoline Inlet valve," he an-
nounced firmly.
"The whole car must be rotten,"
surmlBed the Watermelon, catching
the oil-can as It was about to slip
from his already overburdened hands.
"No, no," returned the old gentle-
man reassuringly, as he buttoned his
long linen ulster securely. "The crank
shaft seems to be all right, but the—"
He knelt down, still talking, and
the Watermelon had a horrible fear
for a moment that his would-be bene-
factor was about to offer up prayers
for the safety of the car. He reached
out his hand to stay proceedings,
when the old gentleman spoke:
"I must get under the car."
"Maybe It's all right," suggested the
Watermelon, who did not like the idea
of being forced to go after him with
the tools.
"Father," the lady's voice was gen-
tle, but firm, and the old gentleman
paused. "Let Alphonse go. You know
we are to dine with the Bartletts. Al-
phonse, please find out what the
trouble Is."
Alphonse alighted promptly. He was
a thin, dapper little man, with a
blase superiority that was impressive
as betokening a professional knowl-
HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
Remedy Ends Constipation
Don't worry and don't take Calomel.
Put your sluggish Liver in Una con-
dition and get rid of sick headache,
biliousness and dUiinesa.
Get a box of the famous HOT
SPRINGS LIVER BUTTONS of any
worthy druggist to-day, 25 cents.
Gentle, blissful, wonderful worker*
they surely are: take one to-night and
free the bowels from poisonous waste
and gas. You'll feel bright and happy
to-morrow.
There's nothing on earth so good
for Constipation and stubborn llrer.
Free Sample of HOT SPRINGS
LIVER BUTTONS from Hot Springs
Chemical Co., Hot Springs, Ark.
General Directions.
Mrs. Youngwlfe—How do you make
mlnca pie?
Mre. Matron—Oh, out of anything!
—Judge.
Not Fit For Ladles
Public sentiment should be against it,
and we believe it is; there can be no rea-
son why ladies should have to suffer with
headaches and neuralgia, especially when
Hunt's Lightning Oil gives such prompt
relief. It is simply a question of getting*,
the ladies to try it. All drugguti sell
Hunt's Lightning Oil in 25c and 60c bot-
tles.—Adv.
The Sensation.
Knicker—These are said to be
times of great moral uplift!
Bocker—1 know It; but I don't like
to ride in an elevator all the time.—
Judge.
Not an Improvement.
Bacon—And has your neighbor done
anything to improve the neighbor-
hood?
Egbert—I should say not. He's Just
bought his son a cornet.
Industry Denied.
"Your husband says he has to alt
at a desk all day."
"Yes," replied the energetic woman;
"but most of the time he keeps his
feet on the desk."
Mrs.
Self Evident Fact.
"Are you going to attend
Snapper's musicale?"
"Do you observe any strong armed
Individuals propelling me by main
force In the direction of Mrs. Snap-
per's villa?"
"I do not."
"Then you may surmise that I am
not going to attend Mrs Snapper's
musicale."
Reminding Him.
The engagement was broken.
"And so it Is all over?" spake a sym-
pathetic friend.
"Yea," answered the ex-flance; "she
said she would never have anything
to do with me again."
"Then why this distraught meln,
seeing that the damsel appealed not
edge of the idiosyncrasies of motor- unto thee?"
cars. He approached the car and an- I "She writes to me every day asking
the trouble practically at [ me to try to forget her."
nounced
once.
"There is no gasolene."
The old gentleman was not In the
least perturbed over his own slight
error in Judgment "A frequent, very
frequent oversight," said he, rising.
"We will tow you to the hotel, my
dear sir. You can get the gasolene
there "
Turkish Crops All Good.
Turkish crops this year are to be
exceptionally good. In the farmer dis-
tricts the crops have already been
gathered In and in the hilly parts of
Asia Minor a beginning Is now being
made. Although nearly all the males
,.v. , ^ „ ,, . capable of bearing arms In Asia Minor
Never mind, said the Watermelon, were called to the front. 20 per cent,
can hoof It I more land was put under cuItlvaU(m
He Slipped Into the Busies.
be hesl-
pocket. then for a moment
tsted.
"Where is your chauffeur?"
"I haven't one," Mid the
gaied beck at hun from the mirror in three parts and not a guest at the me'on-
Weter
•ere worth* of something better He
bed a vague fancy tor light gray with
pearl-colored waistcoat and purple
•ocfcs a suit pesateslng tbe gentle
folds sad undulation* of tbe city, not
iHe •cent, though *twrdy. cutllres e!
the country The hotel eemed the
boat place to took for what he want
•4 so he turned la that direction
The botel « several miles from
the village Its rabies and c! mrets
ocmiIJ he seee j tn aloof
mm from tbe *\v>4 on a dtetaM hill
•Me The Walermelor
The old gentleman disapproved
V'ntll you know more about your
can hoof It
"Hoof It!" The old gentleman was
pained and hurt "Hoof it. when I
have my car right here! No. indeed.
Alphonse, get the tope."
The Watermelon protested. "Aw,
really, you know—"
"Weren't you going to the hotel V
"I was thinking some of It But
the car—"
"Alphonse. get the rope. It will be
a pleasure. We have always got to
j lend assistance to a broken car. We
may be in the same fix ourselves some
day."
Alphonse brought the rope and the
Watermelon watched them adjust It
When the last knot was tied to the
old gentleman's liking, he turned to
the Watermelon and presented him
with hf card The Watermelon took
it and read the name. "Brig.-Gen
Charles Montrose Crossman, U. S A
Retired." Then, not to be outdone
he reached In the still unexplored
pockets of his new clothes with confi-
dent ease, and finding a pocketbook
drew It forth, opened it on the mere
chance that there would be a card
■■Ithln. found one and presented It
that in 1912 and many of the grain
crops will be four or five times as big
as last year.
hotel the Watermelon felt that he
could do this with pleasure and safety *— i to -n p*l l *. " ~~ "
It was after twelve, and his everrres «*« >lne. you should have one." said nBconcprn,
ent deeire to eat was becoming too orm,ortc*"y "1 sm practically an * * -—i
pronounced to be comfortable It
wouli be a fitting climax to a highly
to ing to hare dinner
delightful
expert, and yet I always take, mine
with m''
He waved
any comment on
surrounded by gentle folk again, for °*° B,rttow,:s conduct and fore
the Wi-.-ermelon came of a gentle '"""d to the machine
L-
the ro * dipped down * cad ibio the
vaJW> and ras h:s eye ever 'he Inter
•••tag landscape l\v the road, tt
vmM be at least tve .'•* through
the tnvH tbe d.«-ance dw indeed to
about three Tbe Waterrre oa took
to the woods A Iwt laughed be-
tween Its ■>*••? banks. ttmbJ.^g tau<
ttttie waterfalls ever every
family He had no fe«r. for
ttme at least of the owner of the
borrowed clothes making himself
r.eoeeearily conspicuous But. OB
paused where other hand, if he
-Father - suggested the lady gently
the general and tb^
owner of the clothes were not ac-
quainted.
"W llliam Hargrave Batchelor - read
tbe general aloud, while hia round
fat face beamed with pleasure
have beard about you.
r
• - — *' wu.' §>~alla/. j -la/« |A ^ ' —
maybe you had better let Alphonse— v? ' ,Ur •f,'u«" ano*
"I
and am
• rweet at the
-Met. lh+ ftothee oa!d probably be
reoorr-.ted and murder be the s:m
r^est w.ution of their change of owe-
er* 8*ill. reasoned tbe Watermelon
■ 1th a shrewd guess at the tratk tf
he were a r-est. It «« kardly likely
:hat be woaid be swtmmtvg alcae ta
T sola'ed po d. ta the betiuag sa l
d'eVg". ed by cat art
Alphonse sure of the reply, made
no ?BCTe to alight and assist
The old gentleman, with fceac1 near
ly out of sight, peering here and
there, tapping thts and sounding that,
replied with evident anaoyaace "Cer-
tainly not. Hesretta. I am perfectly
capable- -"
His words tratVed o* into vagwe
mattertnga
The Watercrkin glanced at tbe
lad; giri or scnit. be was aot sure I
The Watermelon grasped the ei
tended hand aad wrung It with fervor
"The pleasure !• all mine." said he
with airy grace and sublime self-as*ur
IDff
rou 10 i«uch
ter Henrietta, this Is voung Mr Hat
chelor of New Tork Tou have re.
about him. ay dear, in the pa^r, Vie
broke the cotton ring on Well s ...
>*a< eeh Vov may remember VI *
i ro—isc. Mr Batchelor
<TO Kg COKTUttttp .
From
Our Oven*
To
Your Table
Untouched by human
hands—
Post
Toasties
~lhe aristocrat of Ready*
to-Serve foods.
A table dainty, made of
* Kite Indian cora — present-
ing delicious Navour and
wholeiome nourishment in
new and appetizing form.
I Ke steadily increasing sale
of tKn food speaks \.4u.T ei
m bcKalf ot its cxcefiroce. '
An order for
Post Toasties
package oI
from youi
giacer will provide a treat fog
the taKole family.
The Memory Linger*"
IW.D- r.y.H,., Ua ,w
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Blair, H. S. The Drumright Derrick (Drumright, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 30, Ed. 1 Friday, September 26, 1913, newspaper, September 26, 1913; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc147665/m1/2/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.