Oklahoma City Daily Pointer (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 220, Ed. 1 Tuesday, October 12, 1909 Page: 4 of 8
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llhKjajinc
SYNDICATE MINE
HANKSOIVIN'S Thurs-
day. come a week."
announced Stumpy
Houth, as he looked
up from a week-old
old newspaper.
"Fat lot w've got
to be thankfulf or,"
growled Bounce Oily-
ien, as he picked up
the two cards which
the dealer slipped him
and found a tray and deuce Instead
of the seven and the Jack he needed
to fill the straight.
"That's right, chimed In Dutch
Pete, as he mournfully surveyed the
big room of.what had once been the
Palace faro parlors "If we was all
to put It tpgethei there wouldn't be
enough for one man to bo thankful
for." .. . „„
Sort of Thanksglvln' syndicate"^
gal'l Routh "That's not a bad Idea."
You couldn't get it with a syndi-
cate," w«b the surly response from
the barkeeper. "Last year Turkey
Creek wnfe a new Gdldflelds. Why,
right here In this room I've Been
lL.Mi.000 change hands in a night.
The week Denver Charley left he
took in $17.50." .... , ,
You can't kick at that," remind-
ed Houth. "When ho gave up the
game you came In for (his elegant
structure for almost not hIn'."
The barkeeper surveyed the big
room in disgust. From the ceiling
hui'K " dozen swinging lamps while
others decorated the brackets along
the sides. , ^
I'ime was when they had all been
burning. Now one bracket had been
lighted that Routh might read his pa-
pci. Another burned over the table
when; were gathered most of those
who were left in the camp, watching
a poker game.
The feeble Illumination only seem-
ed to accentuate tlie darkness of the
fur corners and to increase Pete'fl
melancholy.
In the days when the placer gold
was supposed to Indicate the exist-
ence of rich deposits five barkeepers
had been employed He had been one
of them and to him his employer had
given the place when the camp had
been deserted by most of the fortune
hunters. .
The place barely supported Pete
alone and the once crowded gam-
bling rooms now served as a sort of
club room for the few remaining op-
timists.
Routh laid down the paper and
grinned at Pete's expression.
"Them was fine old times back
hoi o." he said rtmlniscently. "1 re-
member the turkey and the cranber-
ries ,tnd the pumpkin pies and the
minces and the chicken pie : nd
"Shut up." commanded Olllen.
"Where are you going to get your
mince pies in this forsaken hole? '
"Wouldn't you like one?" teased
Routh. dodging the empty bottle all-
ien flung at hiin. "Honest now, I
mean It! What's the matter with a
Thanksgiving syndesis?"
"And where'U you get your pies
and things and who'll cook 'ein?"
demanded Olllen. "We won't be
thankful If you do the cookln'."
"The 'lunger's' wife," explained
Routh "She told me a while bark
she was from New England. Bet Bhe
can make em."
Olllen nodded. Julian Gordon, or-
dered West In the hope that a life
in the open might save him from
the white plague was one of the first
to make Turkey Creek. He still held
on In the hope that some change
might come.
In any event he could not move,
for the little gold he and his brave-
little wifo could wash from the
stream barely paid for the flour and
bacon and the few other necessaries.
"Guess she could do It," asserted
allien "What do you say. boys?
Let's come In on Routh's syndicate
and have a Thanksgiving, even If we
ain't got nothln' to >e thankful for
except!n' a good dinner."
"That's something to be thankful
for," reminded Routh. to whom the
simplest cookery was an unattainable
accomplishment. "We've got 10 days
to make ready In. It takes two days
to go to town and three to come back.
That leaves five full days. Come on.
I ll go and see the lunger's wife, and
If she says she'll do It I'll come back
and pass the hnt."
Routh stepped bravely out Into the
rain. The Gordon cabin was at the
far end of the gulch; no pleasant
walk In the chill November shower,
but he whistled as he strode along.
It was years since he had enjoyed
a real Thanksgiving dinner. Some-
how It seemed to bring back a sense
of nearness to home even to think
of a proper celebration.
His enthusiasm gave eloquence to
his arguments, and presently he was
plodding back with Mrs. Gordon's
promise,
"It's all right," he announced as
he shook off the wet and caine Into
the room. "Mis' Gordon eays she'll
do the cooking and be glad to. I've
got a list of what Bhe wants. Pro-
duce."
For example he threw down hlB
own pouch of gold and Into the buck-
skin hag the others shook a portion
of their scanty store
"What'B left goes to the lunger, so
don't be backward." urged Routh,
cheerfully, as the bag was passed
around and he smiled as he felt Its
growing weight.
The whole camp turned to give
Mm a sod <-tT the following morning
and Pete loaned his pack mule In case
Routh'b could not carry the load On
h« return trip the trail would be
all up hill and the list was a heavy
one.
Once past the turn Routh was seen
no more and the rest went back to
their dreary routine of washing gold
from the gravel of the stream.
When the deposit had been discov-
ered It had been argued from the
to discover him and his shout of sur-| ace. It was the only range In I u^rhen where Mrs Gordo^ and her "The thanksgiving of the thank-
Sm<,oM0hUe8Bhhtatnhty °tllPr8 t0"* n' ; ?h°ed ."ndTh.'me"' sa« sister ™,ke,i away until. « i
ln 'L'° <^1 i baThe°ha7a "was ! "ent "rch of" game. I With elaborate the ,ur-
- . v.- ........—a The turley he had been able to key was carved so skillfully tnat eacn
— —♦ than large man was served a tiny slice of white
slice, and and dark meat and then supplement-
i. must be ing the service with the side dishes
since beef . tho feast begau.
the ques- But even more sucessful than the
w turkey was the pie, a generous cut of
her along. You fellows unload them | "Looks like —♦ 1 - 1—
• lir. •<>... fi\t\ti ivhlln a'* trr\ (
lurKuy wtio tut* pits, a bcuoiuud
her alone You fellows unload them I "Looks line it upsei some sum. i For two days the popping of! peace and pumpkin to each man,
mulwia and give 'em feed while we go others we know." Glllen suggested ! Routh's Run could be heard in the with a cube of cheese atop of each.
sirio gulches and the string of birds and Pete, moved to generosity,
i.Kita <<■ ni«• Mi-ire Then Rout.h hroucht out a box of cigars with the
i
sine guicnuB uuu mc oinuS «i w.. w .
and rabbits grew apace. Then Routh j brought out a box of cigars with tne
transferred his attention to the coffee.
kitchen again and feasted his nos-
trils upon the savory odors of mince
and pumpkin pies, while he brought
in tho wood and helped pare and
prepare.
The whole camp had become vital-
ly interested In the dinner and
"I got some things to tell you. fel-
lows," announced Routh as he strug-
gled to his feet. "I ain't much of a
hand on speeches, but here goes.
"This syndicate of the Thankless
was a big idea and it would have
spoiled it' we had all been thankful
for anything but a good dinner. But
now that it's over, I want to tell you
that you've got a lot more to be
hanlrfiil fnv than vnn rpnli'/n
they sat in the big gambling room
over their nightly poker they dls-'
cussed the probable menu. mui >uu ve rul u. iui mw,c
Tho dinner waB Bet for 2 o'clock ! thankful for than you realize,
on Thanksgiving day. but the guests "To begin with, we've all been a
began to assemble shortly after « I •
ucBou ! pack of fools trying to trace tho
Every man had made some attempt to placer gold to Ihe mother lode
ROUTH'S GUN COULD BE HEARD IN THE GULCHES.
richness of the find that a mother I on."
lode must be close by. but the stream | He had vanished Into the darkness
had been explored to Its Bouree with i as he spoke and the others turned
no result Still hope burned eternal ; their attention to the (wo pack an!
and while the men got out just j male. The packs were heavy indee t
enough to keep their supplies up they I and as they were carried into the
spent the rest of the time in prospect- | palace many were the conjectures as
ing for the lode, beating over ground : to what was what.
thai had been tried a hundred times pete had donated the use of the
before. stove that In more proseprmis days
It was late on the sixth day when | had served to cook the meals thai
Routh reappeared Pete was the first I were served the patrons of the pal
EiVCl J ill a ll muw iiiuuvs —... v. .. - -
dress up. but none reached the hights
attained by R- uth, who was resplen-
dent In a white shirt, paper collar
and flaming red tie.
He stood on guard at the door of
the gambling room* which was to be
the banquet hall, and no amount of
persuasion could induce him to let
any of the curious have even a peep
at the joys within.
Now and then a current of air
would bring to the hungry an appe-
tizing odor of roasting turkey, but
not even a glimnse of the place did
thev have until Mrs. Gordon, her face
beaming with good humor, threw
open the doors and invited them to
enter.
The first men to enter stood stock
still until pushed on by those be-
hind. Some of the old tables had
been scrubbed to snowy whiteness
and alot - the sides were ranged rude
j benches. As the leading mover of the
1 syndicate. Routh had the post of
honor at the head of the table. Neil
Hardy on his left and Mrs. Gordon
' on his right when the two women
could be induced to sit clown between
eourfes. At the heed of the table
with a laugh. , . .-w
For a moment It looked as though (the courses. m 'i.. ~
'here might be trouble, but It ended i smoked the turkey and at intervals
In Rou h's Joining good naturedly in '! down the board were other roasts of
the laugh and then news of the out- game.
side world replaced the gossip of Heaping dishes of vegetables stood
nearer home. guard 1 eside the meats and the cen-
The next morning a plume of iter of the table was made gay with
smoke over the palace announced evergreens and paper roses. Rex,e1'-
that preparations for the dinner had ently they stood while Mrs. Gordon
•ommenced Routh constituted him- nronounced a simple grace, then
. _ I We
all went up streai because that's
where the gold comes from. We
plumb forgot about freshets In the
spring The gold's all in Little Tur-
tle gulch, and there's enough there
to make ur all wealthy. I got a claim
staked out, and so's Miss Hardy and
the Gordons, but there's enough for
all, and I propose that this syndicate
be turned into the Thanksgiving
Mine Syndicate. All In favor say
'aye.' "
For a moment the men sat stunned.
It had never occurred to them that
the gold might have been washed
down in the spring flooua. It was
but natural ihat they should look
along the watercourse and they had
all ignored the smaller gulch until
Routh ad invaded the place In
search of the game that had beeu
driven there from the larger valley.
Routh's last words seemed to bring
home to them a realization of tho
belated luck and the "ayes" thun-
dered forth as the question was put.
"We'll stake off the claims tomor-
row." completed Routh. "and then
I'll go to Grass Valley and have a
lawyer draw up the papers that will
make this syndicate a permanent
thing." he went on, "If Pete will
bring out the bottle. I want you all
to drink to the future of Mrs. Routh.
Miss Hardy says she'll marry me and
alongside of Nell Hardy. I'll tell you
boys, a mia an" a patch of a thing
thankful for—not even the
MEETING MR. RANDALL
N ROUTE. U P. R- R
"Dearest Mabel:
"After a throe
months' merry - go-
round of balls, opera
and the like, your
provincial little cou
sin is returning to
puHturei green and
1 liuiue on the hill-
1 mot many
i but did not
mee' my fate, >'U predicted that
1 would do Th. > - /re all very nice
men. but so much alike.
•"lhree of them came to the train
to sec me i ff. Each sent ni« a box of
red rosea, a hox of candy and a novel
The ruse's were alike and from the
samu florist's, the candy of the same
brand and from the same confection
er s. the 'iooUs bore Ihe same title.
• I rent you my programs of the
operas and plays and my dance
cards, bo vou know abe ' what I
lia \ e he';n doing. Thore in nothing
else to tell—maybe thsre will be. I
juav meet my fate right on my own
doorBtep. I think not. however, be-
cause I am rwfully tired of htm al-
ready.
"To he Hire I haven't seen him
yet, bu hi name has crept Into
even Hn.' of every page of every
hlieet of every letter I have had from
home.
"lie Is 'the Celery King.' He real-
ly has another name, but If they
ever mentioned It I have forgotten
It He iB cr.lled that by everyone
lie bought all mat lowland for miles
around ""r farm -nd Is growing cel-
ery. "tjui- summer he built an ideal
tambllng farmhouse near our farm.
but he only cam, there to live .he himself one of the family. Papa ..on too. J^handsome „,an came
day after I went t<* visit Aunt Janet
He has made a big success and he
writes fluently of his manly quali-
ties; mamma of his charming man-
ners, disposition and kind heart;
while little brother and sister laud
hit generous bestowals of rides and
bon bona
"I am really bored to death by de-
scriptions of him and his belongings.
Doubtless he Ib In the same condi-
tion regarding me, for you know
into the ear and made straight for
me. He said 1 beg your pardon,
but aren't you Miss Robyne?'
" 'Yes,' I replied, and then before
I kne^* i 1 thought out loud, 'And
you mu«t be the understudy to the
Celery King.'
"I wish you could have seen the
dancing of his expressive eyes. He
sat down beside me and said; 'Of
HE SAIL*. "I BEG PARDON. AREN'T
YOU MISS ROBYNE?"
and his celery are really famous.
• They are very chummy with him
at home. He Is over there every day
or evening end eeeme to have made
i they are all over-given to dlsserta- , course, I would know you. Miss Ro-
' tlons of the undersigned and mamma , byne. for I knew you were to be on
writes bo often: 'We have told him ' this train nd I have seen photo-
ail about you.' ! graphs of you many t'mes, but how
"It seems he has an understudy j did you know who I am?'
living with him, a young man from | "Then I told 1.1m what mamma
the East who Is learning the tricks had written about their drawing
i and manners of ce ery plants. They ! cuts. 'So,' I concluded. 'I presume
! have written very little about him, .you came down on the morning train
however. 1 feel that I shall much : to outwit The Celery King.'
prefer him to t..e 'elery King. " 'No,' he replied slowly, 'I didn't
"1 will finish this letter tonight at (care abo t outwitting him; I came to
my own hearthstcne, and then I can see you.'
tell you all about him for in mam-1 " 'Now that vou have Been me,
rna'B last letter she said that our one you might introduce yourself, ^ou
, and only driving horse has goue were simply mentioned as "the
Is me. and that the Celery King and young man learning the celery busi-
the understudy h i both volunteered , nese, so I dubbed you "The unuer-
to come to the station for me. j study." '
"They drew cuts to see which I " 'Pardon me; my name is owen,
would corns and the Celery King was And were they i\s reticent regarding
the lucky—or unlucky—man The i The Celery King ."
understudy had laughed and Bald j " 'No,' 1 groaned. 'They have
I that he was quite a diplomat him grown so absurdly Interested In him
solf and that it might happen that! though I don't know his name-
he would see me first, after all. "Randall" supplied the understudy
"We are slowing up at Lexington!—and have written of him until l
and I just paw the Handsomest man I must confess I grew tired of reading
going into the ticket office Maybe their letters. You were scarcely
he will *et on thiB train! More anon mentioned, which is in your favor.
j "'1 believe 1 like the appellation
"April 16, Bedtime (?). j of "The Understudy."' lie mused
"There was much more and quite 'You see, an understudy has noth
Ing to do but commit the \ art, and
then stard around and wait for an
opportunity to play the role.
" 'Yes,' I replied, 'ana did you
ever notice that when the under-
study gets a chance he makes a big-
ger hit than the star?'
" '1 hope so,' he murmured in fond.
Impressive tone, 'that It will prove
true in this case.'
"I was really sorry when we
reached the next station, for I knew
the next stop would bring us to our
Journey's end, an.! there would be
that prig of a Celt y King.
"You know I am confidential
sometimes pnd 1 told Mr. Owen what
1 was thinking, and asked him if we
couldn't shake the 'star.' He said
that would be hardly right, for. after
all, Mr. Randall had been fair In the
matter.
"We stopped so long at the station
that Mr. Owen got off to see what
as the delay. He came back and
said a freight train had broken
down a I w miles ahead, and that it
would be three hours before we could
go on. So he telegraphed papa, and
we had a cozy little dinner at a res-
taurant, walked about town and be-
fore 1 knew it those three lovely
hours had slipped by.
•• I wonder if the Celery King Is
waiting all this time,' I said as the
train drew up at our station.
" i know I would be,' he made
answer.
" 'There he is!' I exclaimed as we
got out. a id 1 saw a touring car with
a slight, brown-looking uian at the
wheel.
" 'No; that «Bn't Randall; It is Sue
chauffeur.' Bald Mr. Owen, going up
ROBYN
M IV
tonight, but he said he owned it to
Randall to let him come.
"Mamma, papt and I talked our
heads off at least. I did. They did
not get much chance.
"'It was too bad. mourned Jium-
ma, 'tlia* Mr. Rardall couldn't come.
but It was nice in Mm to send for
you. His man bi pped here on tho
way to the train, afte- we got tho
message.'
"I didn't tell her about Mr. Owen
then. I was afraid she wouldn't likes
it. I was unpacking in the evening
when she came ir.o my room.
" 'Mr. Randall is downstairs. Lou.
I am not dressed, a"d your father la
at the barn. Go .'own and introduce
yourself. .Ve are •■c informal with
him.'
"1 went down and there sat Mr.
Owen.
" 'O,' I said,joyfully, it's you.
Mamma said "Mr. Handall."
" '1 am Mr. Ttandall—Mr. Owen
Randall—' he said gravely.
" 'Not—the celery king!" I stam-
mered faintly,
" 'Yes. Won't you wait, please,
until I explain. I was so anxious
to meet you (I didn't gel bored by
hearing of you) that 1 went to Lex-
ington to ride back with you Be-
fore I had : n opportunity to explain
who I was, you eoufeased to a prej-
udice to me, and you teemed to like
me tolerably well in the role of
someone else, so I didn't venture to
'fess up until 1 had won a little fa-
vor. Won't you forgive me—•
please?'
"I didn't like the deception a bit,
and I was "'ully ashamed, remsfn •
berlng all I had «ald, but I heard
mamma coming—and—well. I said
- You know I told you understud-
ies always made a hit.'
'And, well, it's late. I musn'
write any more tonight. As ever,
i "Your Own Lou."
FINDING A SISTER
KRIIAP8 th' 'ill
be some stat< room
givei up?" mi 1
<*d Dora hop* full'.
"Occasionally oni
one decides t« wail
over a boat, don't
they?"
i The clerk smiled
down into the >.ager
face.
"I iun sorry,"' lie said gently. "I
can offer you little hope. The only
reservation that Ib not yet taken up
for thi* boat iu for Mr Jenniugs.
The rest have come iu and Mr. Jen-
nings wrote that he would be here
to hi. You see the end of the sea-
bou finds < eryone wanting to go
bona at the same time. The boats
come up loaded and go back over-
loaded "
"These tickets iye good over-
land?" asked Dora hopefully.
"No. The trip by train costs |2S1
more. We will niako an exchauge
if vou Ilk. .'
Dora shook her head. She could
not confess that she did not have
anj money l «ft She had meant to
be savinu but there were ho many
pretty things to buy. They cost a
trifle more than Bhe could afford, and
there we;e so many people to buy
for that she felt that she could uot
slight that her purse was perilously
close to emptiness. As it was, Bhe
would have to eat crackers Instead
of regular meals.
With all berths sold and a long
waiting list, Dora felt there was
small chance, and sh - looked envi-
ously at the list the clerk had shown
her with each reservation neatly
checked off Ouly the Stephen Jen-
nings wnf unchecked, and as Dora
turned to go an !dea flashed into her
mind.
The-e was a park opposite the
steamship office and sli. too" t shad}
bench to wait until the clerk whe
had attended her had gone to lunch
Then oho boldly entered tho office
again, and another clerk came to
wait upon her.
"I want the reservation made for
Mr. Stephen Jennings." she said
boldly. "He ib my broths? and the
resenation was made for me."
Unquestionlngly, the clerk handed
over the room ch«*ck, and with a fast
beating heart Dora hurried from the
place. It seemed a terrible thing to
do. but her need was desperate and
she breathed a little prayer that Mr.
Jennings m.ght be able to afford the
extra fare required by the land trip.
When the ship swung out of the
harbor that evening Dora breathed
more freely. She had feared that
perhaps the real owner of the stafe-
looin would come to claim his prop-
erty. and she had But on the deck
starting at the sound of every pass
lug footfall.
Someone took the eliair beside her
and Dora frowned. It was the man
who had given her his turn the sec
time she had gone to the steamer
office.
Miss Jennin 1 belie\e?" he
iskcti courteously as *e raised his
cap.
No. 1 am not," snapped Dora.
"I beg your pardon." was the smil-
ing reply. "1 heard you ask for
Jennings' stateroom and heard you
say that you were his sister. 1 never
met his sister, but as 1 knew Steve
very well 1 wanted to ask her If 1
could be of service."
"You can't," snapped Dora, impo-
litely. "I suppt i you mean well,
but I am not Mr. Jennings' sister
and •"
"And you stole his stateroom
suggested t hi
"How dare
Dora.
ti
spouse.
you
aid
stormed
lUi'-t re-
oti! When
e Miss .len-
was no Miss
ut that you
tion in some
1 think 1
"It won't bother him in
least. ..---uisd thi quid. "If It 1
prom bed to ' should have interfei
1' v ti. • '
| vou walk off with tho ticket un
my
uost
niugs and I kuew
lennings 1 tigU'
had h'Mrd of '
way and had take
can guess the rest. Money all g ie,
no chance for a room and you must
get back. Am I right?"
"It was a horrid thing to do," she
admitted. It was Mke stealing, but
I had to do something. 1 could not
pay another week's board, and 1
didn't have the rice of the railroad
fare. So I wi.ited until the clerk
who told me about the reservation
went to lunch and got it from the
other clerk Ho you suppose that
it will mak:- it hard for Mr Jeu-
nlngsT"
"It's not a bit funny. reproved
Dora. "1 ;lon't see anything to augh
at It was wicked and I m sorry I
had to do It, but I was desperate. My
money was all g. ne I shall ha' to
live on crackers until 1 get back be-
cause l cannot t-fTord to eat iu the
cabin."
"You are a plucky little girl," de-
clared the stranger. Don't you
worry. Jennings - a* —Ifht
He saw that Dora wanted to cry
and with an inut'.tion almost >ml-
nlne he slipped vuy tu let her have
her cry out. He was back before thu
'signal was given tor dinner.
• You slip dow?, to the ca'oiu and
bsthe your eyes." he commanded
said
pirit
ire "ot going to live on crack-
the ixt two days. You are
to be my gueFt."
mi uot in the habit of letting
r. persons take me to dinner,"
"«i a with a flash of he. old
..... dear «*hlld," said the man
gently. am not offering ou char-
ity. 1 have a perfect right to tako
my sister do vn to dinner if I want
to 1 am Jennings, you know I
managed to ret half a room with a
mau I know. Doesn't it make a dif-
ference: '
I gue3S it does. assented bora
as she smiled through her tears Into
the grave, earnest eyes. "It's heap-
ing coals of lire on my iead.
though."
• Not in *ho least, declared Jei
ning l Jose a stateroom and find
-a sister rta< ad ntage is all
mine.'
- ^
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Oklahoma City Daily Pointer (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 4, No. 220, Ed. 1 Tuesday, October 12, 1909, newspaper, October 12, 1909; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc153147/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.