The El Reno Daily Democrat (El Reno, Okla.), Vol. 32, No. 95, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 20, 1922 Page: 3 of 4
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lj Tke Reading ||
|1 of the Riddle -I
Si WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE j|
^iMiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiTiiiiiimiiiiiii:
Copyright, 1922, by the Macmillan Co.
''Dear, was ft really you or I?
In truth the riddle's ill to read,
Bo many are the deaths we die
Before we can be dead indeed."
—W. E. Henley.
TUB town of Willow Creel! lies
lit the Junction or a rivulet of
that name, with the Big Muil-
dy. But the people of that commu-
nity being horn scoffers, have chuii.ed
the name of the Big Muddy in com-
mon parlance to "Mud Crick,'■ and,
transformed by the alchemy of popu-
lar depreciation, the name of the town
itself lias shriveled Into "Wilier
Creek." It might have been some-
thing of a town, as towns go in the
West, but instead of pulling with his
neighbors for the success of the town,
each of its founders spent his time
making fun of the pretensions of oth-
ers. When there was talk fin the part
of "old man" Mead, the primeval post-
master, of securing the government
land office for Willow Creek, the In-
dian trader, and the saloonkeeper, and
the blacksmith, made great sport of
the old man's ambition. A few years
later, when civilization had crowded
In with a hotel, a lumber yard, a new
saloon, and a barber shop, someone
spoke of starting a newspaper; but
the laugh that went up from Willow
Creek was the only unanimity that
greeted Editor McCray when his back
Was turned. But the newspaper came,
and so did the people, and they kept
coming, until, when the "boom" of fhe
later eighties struck Kansas, it found
Willow Creek with about two thou-
sand scoffing inhabitants.
But, in one way or another, the
"boom" seemed to bring wealth to
Willow Creek. And with wealth,
came some attempts at the organi-
zation of polite society. There were
innumerable young real estate agents,
young doctors, young lawyers, and
clerks, all from the East, in the vil-
lage; and these, with the daughters of
the early settlers and such friends as
they chanced to make In the high
school, constituted the aristocracy of
the town. It was a vulnerable aris-
tocracy. and the scoffers made sad
havoc with It.
It was said of Flora McCray, who
went to hoarding school and came
back, timid, retiring, and distinctly
unsocial, that, "She needn't hold her-
self so high. If her father would only
pay back the money he stole in the
school land fraud she would be as
common as anybody." But the girl
paid no heed to these rumors, if she
heard them. She quietly tilled her
small sphere, bounded on one side by
her meek-voiced mother nnd her busy
father, on another side by her church
and her "church social," on a third
side by a very brief glimpse of a very
big world and her memory of it, and
on the fourth side by occasional day
dreams and night thoughts, pretty
much the same as those which come
to any young girl of good health, good
spirits, and twenty-one years, who has
never had a sweetheart.
As the reaction, caused by the de-
cadence of real estate prices set in,
Willow Creek became poorer. As the
young men, who paid for the orches-
tras, and halls, and flowers, gradually
left town, 1 he young women, who for-
merly frequented receptions, parties,
nnd balls, were seen more nnd more |
often at the "church socials." After
a two years' Ineffectual struggle Wil-
low Creek gave it up. the town could
no longer support two branches of
society, and the "church crowd" and
the "dance crowd" merged into one.
\\ hen it was announced that the
entire social body of Willow Creek
was going out to Uobinson's for a
"taffy pull" one Saturday night, the
rest of Willow Creek laughed. The
town people sneered at the young wom-
en who had planned the party, and In-
timated flint the night ride out to Itob-
lnson's and back was a heroic meas-
ure; and they laughed at old man
Robinson and his Tainlly for tolerating
people who would snub them If they
came to town, nnd lastly they laughed
at the young men who would have to
pay the livery bills.
Saturday morning, John Howard,
Mr. McCray's partner in the stock
business, came up from the farm on
Dry Creek, and after going over some
details of business, McCray asked Ills
partner to Sunday dinner, as was his
custom, when the young man was In
town, and the invitation was accepted,
purlng the "boom" Howard had made
money, lie had mingled with what is
known as the "swell set" of Willow
Creek, and though not a favorite at
the flood of the "boom," the very fact
thai he had the social instinct, made
him a necessity in society at its ebb.
Soon after leaving his partner's of-
fice, he had learned of the plans for
the "taffy pull," that evening. He was
urged to go, and finding that all the
"rigs" wore full, and that all the girls
of his "set" were provided with es-
corts, in a moment of despairing In-
spiration the young man sent a note
to his partner's daughter, asking for
"the pleasure of her company." His
Invitation wns accepted, and late that
afternoon. Flora McCray stepped Into
a buggy with the first beau she had
ever had, and headed a long proces-
sion for Robinson's.
• •••••*
Someone hud stopped the clock that
night, and the young women, putting
o their wfups, guessed that It was
tiMrty midnight, when the "taffy poll*
at Robinson's broke up. As Flora Mc-
Cray sat alone in the Robinson parlor
waiting to hear the grinding of wheels
across the graveled path that would
herald her escort's buggy, she went
over the evening's Impressions In her
mind. She decided that It had been
a very pleasant evening, fihe had nev-
er before found herself surrounded by
the masterful attentions of a young
inan. She was pleased with his busi-
ness-like devotion to her coffee cup,
and was amused, yet a little startled,
when he piled a monument of cake
upon her plate and called on every-
one to pass things down his way as
Miss McCray was very hungry. It was
a new sensation to find herself a part
of the merriment. Heretofore, she had
been only a spectator at such scenes.
And thus, with n mind Isolated from
the vain world by such reflections, she
starred with Howard on their home-
ward ride.
It was a blustering, cloudy night.
At first they chatted on about the
commonplaces of Willow Creek. Flora
McCray tried again and again to
associate her recollection of the
familiar face of her father's partner
with the smooth-shaven face so near
her in the night. Her repeated efforts
were tantalizing. Little by little, did
the wizard of the night weave her
fancies, and then herself Into the woof
of his uncanny spell. Not only was
she with a stranger, but she wns her-
self a stranger to herself. It may have
been the utter lonesotneness of the
night that drew her close to him, but
she came, and was not afraid.
Again he reached over lief, and
again tucked the wraps closer than
ever about her, and the fumbling
touches of his hands awakened the
girl's new self to a delightful reali-
zation of the fact that a new being
had come lo her out of the darkness.
She came even closer to this new-found
presence, and almost cuddled against
the man's great coat, and snuggled un-
der his arm, that rested loosely up h
the cushions behind her. Their talk,
which had been growing more and
more serious, gradually stopped
"Are you cold—dear?" the young
man asked, when he felt her come
close to him. His words and his tone
startled the girl and altnost broke the
spell. Flora McCray struggled a mo-
ment with the Girl In the Dark, and
shuddered In despair as a voice from
ALWAYS U«l
CALUMET
The Economy BAKING POWDER
BARRETT'S GROCERY
rjr^jtrjtrjrjtrjrjgrjrj*
put the Nat down, hoe aid not Unit
lit It again, hut blew out the light and
went to bed with her face turned from
the guilty reminder. And all night
long Flora McC ray lashed herself for
the folly of fite Girl in the Dark. As
site remembered It. she had made all
the advances; he had only been kind
nnd good to her.
The next morning, all of Willow
Creek knew that John Howard had
taken Flora McCray to Robinson's the
night before, and that he was going
to eat Sunday dinner with tlie Mc
Crays that ufternoon. But the town,
as usual, was divided. One-halt
claimed that the McCrays had to luivt
all of Howard's money, or they would
fail; and the other half that John
lluward wns going to mnrry Flora Mr
Cray to keep the old man from prose
cutlng him for running off mortgaged
cattle and reporting them as dead
And In the whole town 110 one could
have been so thoroughly surprised as
was Mr. McCray, when his daughter
said to him, "Father, if Mr. Howard |
says anything to you about me. you |
will tell him—that—I cannot marry
him."
McCray and his daughter were walk-
ing along the narrow, rough sidewalk RFfFIVPH
toward the church, when these words •' v
were spoken. The mother had dropped
back, and was not in hearing distance
McCray could not find voice for a few
exclamatory "whys" nnd "vvhats" lie
fore his daughter had said firmly, "You
will be sure, won't you, father?" and
was waiting for her mother to catch
up with them. After the service, the
women, Flora and her mother among
them, hurried home to attend to the
feast tif the day.
At the dinner table the young pen- i
pie met for the first time that day.
Flora McCray felt keenly, and with
a twinge of anguish, that the young
man's cordlnl suavity in greeting her
was only Inspired by grntltude for hei
generosity In releasing hint from anj
obligation.
.'the met his eye, and thought slit
read there n recollection of every-
thing that had been. Then, as she
looked down and away, nil the sweet-
ness and unreality of the night's ride
was made renl to her.
After dinner the men went into tlie
pnrlor, where they smoked and talked
alone, while the women put awu.v the
best china, afraid to trust It to the
"hired girl." Finally, young Howard
■lie a petition in the District Court
n and for Canadian County, State of
Oklahoma, against the above named
lefendants and said defendant. B. C
Crites, must answer said petition on
or before the 10th day of January,
1923, or said petition will be taken
as true and personal Judgment ren
dered in said action against said de
I fendant, B. C. Crites, on said coupon
I note dated the 24th day of Septem
J her, 1920, In the sum of $2361.80 prin-
j cipal, interest, attorney's fees and
expenses in protecting plaintiffs Hen,
and for the foreclosure of a certain
real estate mortgage of even date se-
curing said coupon jote on the fol-
lowing described renl estate in Can-
adian County, to-wit:
SE. 1-4 of Section 19, Town-
ship 12 North of Range 10
subject, however to a first morf-
face of Four Thousand Dallar-i
($4,000.00) in favor of the Commls-
sloners of the I.and Office and ad
Judging that default has been mads
In said mortgage and mat plaintiff j
has first lien on said premises sub I
Ject to said firsi mortgage for tha
Assortment
VASES
BASKETS
CANDLE STICKS
BARNARD'S
amount due and owing by tH« 4*
dant, B. C. Crltos, in the sum of
$2,361.80 principal, Interest, attor-
ney's fees and expenses, together
with accruing interest thereon
frum the 24th day of March, 1922.
Ar.d ordering said premises to be
sold without appraisement, proceeds
to be applied to amount due plain-
tiff and for costs of suit.
And forever barring said defen-
dant, B. C. Crites, from all right
title, Interest and estate In and to
said above described land, or any
part thereof.
FRANK TAYLOR. Court Clerk.
Commissioner of the Land Office of
the State of Oklahoma
Ry GEO. E. MERRITT,
Attorney for Plaintiff. ■«
(Seal) (First Pub. Nev. 29)
CHICHESTER S PILLS
V ypw TIIK DIAMOND 11 RAND. A
I.Mtllral A«k your DrupfUt .or /j\
• Dlmondllrand/At
IMIU In Krd And Wold m^Alllc\V/
boin, tealed with Illu* Rlbboa.
Take no other. Bujr of roar v _
Drucflnt. AtkrofClfK.CltfKH.TEBf
DIAMOND lilt AND 1*I*LA, fo. t*
yeais known as Bdt,Sif««t, Alwmjrt Reliable
SOLD BY DRUGGISTS EVERYWHERf
CLASSIFIED
MALE HELD WANTED
DODGE CARS
WE HAVE a few used Dodge Cars to sell at
the right price. Get our prices before you
buy—we can save you money.
MERVELDT MOTOR COMPANY
202 South Rock Island. Phone 89
WANTED—Dairy hand
Dairy. Phone 1168-R.
AGENTS WANTED
I
pTTodd
SHIRT manufacturer wants agents,
sell advertised brand men's shirts di-
rect to wearer; no capital or experi
ence required; free samples. Madi-
son Mills, 505 Broadway, New York.
20p
FOR RENT
FOR RENT—5 room furnished house,
no children. Call 387-R. 21p
MERRY CHRISTMAS
A. Prestolite Battery will make your car merry
this Christmas and next. Buy one now at a re-
duced price. i
SERVICE REPAIR SHOP
Phone 1256
FOR RENT—3 room house
Inquire 101 N. Admire.
FURNISHED rooms ror light house
keeping, close to mills. 1121 Sou'h
Rl„.i Island. Phone 304-H. 5tlp
FOR RENT—Modern 5 room apart-
ment, ground floor. Phone 711. 6tfc
FOR RENT—2 modern rooms fur.i-
'shed, suitable for four men: hot and
cold water Phone 1110-R 5tfc
FOR SAt.i*
FOR SALE—Four room house
two lots, $1250, $800 cash.
Mayberry, 619 North Admire.
I
and
Jim
23p
I
Christmas
Savings Club j*
s
5
—now forn .ng—
JOIN NOW
A. few cents starts you.
We pay four per cent Interest
"She Came Even Closer to This New Found Presence, and Almost Cuddled
Against the Man's Great Coat."
CAR FOR SALE—Bargain if taken
at once; 4 new tires, new battery, A
No. 1 condition. Call 1316-J, 5:30
p. r until 7. 20p
MISCELLANEOUS
the Girl, who felt a strong arm quiet
her, answered; "A little."
• •••*«•
As the lights of the town came In
sight the young couple grew silent. A
turn in the rond brought the buggy
under the white glare of an electric
light. Flora McCray was sitting up-
right with her hands folded under ihe
robe, and Howard, with the whip and
the lines In his hands, was consciously
clucking at the horses. Each saw the
other's face clearly, and as they
crossed the circle of light the man
spoke:
"It must be two o'clock."
The girl did not reply, nnd the young
and Mr. McCray thought that the eve
ning mall would be in and distributed
They put on their overcoats and wer«
In the hall, when the elder mac
opened the dining-room door and said:
"Mother, John thinks It's time to go,
and I am going to walk down to th j
post office with him."
When the front door closed Mrs. Mc
Cray said:
"What a nice young man John How
ard Is, isn't he?"
"Oh, yes, he Is nice enough, I guess,'
answered the daughter, rising to gc
to her room.
As she neared the top of the stairs
Flora McCray quickened her pace
STORAGE—For autos,
Lanman Welding and
Phone 660.
furniture, etc.
Machine Co
16tf-
TO TRADE—El Reno
farm. Phone 770-J.
property
for
21p
man leaned over to look out of the 1 She ran through the upper hall. Onct
buggy, as if to scan the clouds. The j in her room, she went straight to tin
prospect did not altogether satisfy him j dresser, where the rumpled hat
and he said
"It's going to be a pretty gloomy
Sunday, I guess."
As Howard put out his arras to
help her from the buggy she barely
touched his outstretched hand, and her
decided shyness surprised him. In a
bewilderment of confusion he said:
"You have made me very happy to-
stlll lying. The lonely girl stood be
fore It a moment, and then, stooping
awkwardly, touched the crumpled vel
vet with pursed, uncertain lips, as one
ashamed. It may have been the dusk
In the room, or It may have been tin
ghost of an odor from a cigar, thai
transported this unschooled heart
back to the darkness, and the Joy ol
LOST—Small yellow cow with crop
in right ear. Phone 19 or 62. xxx
LOST-
RK 51
-Belt from
; reward.
Phone
22c
CITIZENS NATIONAL RANK CLUB
b' Come in and Let Us Explain 1 his to You.
- * •
'WjrjrjrjTJP.
Per Cent
Discount
night, Miss McCray. Shall I speak to j a first caress. But dusk, or ghost,
your father when I come out to din- J or something, came to this shy girl
tier tomorrow?" there, and nerved her whole being, s«
The girl did not reply, but went up j that she was no longer awkward, nt
the steps and into the house, while 1 longer uncertain, nor in any wls«
the young man climbed Into the buggy, ! ashamed. The pretty velvet toy sb«
and beat time with the whip to the made her shrine, nnd In her worshlf
tune lie was whistling, as he gave the
horses the rein fur the stable.
Flora McCrnj locked Hie door and
slipped the holt as quietly as she
could. She blew out the light In the
I pnrlor and stole noiselessly upstnlrs.
Just before going to bed she started
to put away her hat. She picked It
up. The velvet and the ribbon
t leemcd crushed. She put out her
[ hand to smooth them. A hot flush of
she kissed It, rubbed It with her burn
Ing cheek, and burled her face In Iti
sacred folds.
In Willow Creek where they scofc
and higgle over sordid things. In Wll
low Creek the hard, the arid, the bar
ren, they say—no matter what, hut In
and out of the narrow ways, turning
the sharp corners with the rest, with
tiretl feet, and timid, unsure hnnds
there goes a woman whose womanhood
recollection swept over her, Kid she ' came to her as a dreain in the n.ght
NOTICE BY PUBLICATION |
Mortgage Foreclosure
In the District Court in and for Can-
adian County, State of Oklahoma.
The State of Oklahoma on relation
of the Commissioners of tho Land
Office of said State: J. B- A. Rob
ertson. Governor and Chairman; J.
S. Morris, Secretary of State; F
C. Carter, State Auditor; R. H. W.l-
son, State Superintendent of Publ ''
Instruction, and J. A. Whltehurst,
President State Board of Agricu.-
ture, constituting the Commission-
ers of the Land Office of the Sta'e
of Oklahoma,
Plaint! Tf,
vs. No. 6237
B C. Crites, Board of County Com-
missioners of Canadian County and
Clyde Matthews, County Treasur-
er of Canadian Ciuniy, Oklahoma
Defendants.
State of Oklahoma to
B. C. Crites.
Said defendant B. e. Writes, wil!
take notice that said plaintiff, the
State of Oklahoma on relation of tho
Commissioners of the Land Office,
did on the 30th day of March, 1922.
ON YOUR CHRISTMAS
PURCHASE
We are closine out our stock of
White Ivory at a sacrifice. Con-
sisting of all extra pieces such as
Clocks, Mirrors, Trays, Etc.
Now is the time to finish out that set of Ivory
£ that hitherto has been so expensive.
* 1-3 off on all Roll Manicure Sets. These are
^ certainly bargains at wholesale prices.
%
^ See our line and prices—then compare with
^ others.
^ Select your presents from the following list;
^ we have many others too numerous to mention:
Eversharp Pencils, Flash Lights, Stationery,
k Razors, Shaving Mirrors, Can'ly Baby Sets, Rub-
J her Toys, Kodak Albums, Perfumery and Fine
J Toilet Waters. Perfume Sets, Compact Powders,
5 Dresser Sets and Fancy Perfume Atomizers.
Remember, this is the store where your dol-
\ lars go the farthest.
%
\ Patterson Drug Co,
j Phones: 118 and 168. Free Delivery
S
§
5
!
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Maher, T. W. The El Reno Daily Democrat (El Reno, Okla.), Vol. 32, No. 95, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 20, 1922, newspaper, December 20, 1922; El Reno, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc153580/m1/3/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.