The Gotebo Gazette (Gotebo, Okla.), Vol. 20, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 2, 1920 Page: 3 of 8
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GOTEBO OKLA., GAZETTE
OKA
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Ok-
Ada.
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unca.
Kor-
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tcaa.
Paw-
Falr,
Onn-
Cor-
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and
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The House
of Whispers
*
W1LUAM
JOHNSTON
nvnimSs
OomUht fcy LtttU. Brown * Co.
UP TO DATE GHOSTS
Fiction readers who like
haunted houses and myste-
rious noises in the night,
and ghost doings that baf-
fle explanation, should stop,
look, and read right here.
For "The House of Whis-
pers" is well named. It's
even more fascinating than
the old-time haunted house,
because it's a mystery
apartment in a big city
building—the lovely heroine,
for instance, can creep
along a ledge from one win-
dow to another in the dead
of night, and a wonder-
ful pearl necklace can dis-
appear from a wall-safe
and find its way back again,
and the superintendent and
his employees can fasten a
charge of murder on the
hero, and there might be
room in the walls for secret
passageways. But there is
nothing new-fashioned or
queer about the loyalty and
devotion of the heroine for
her lover in trouble; it's the
same glorious thing that
has thrilled us all ever since
true love ceased to run
smooth. And of course she
gets the reward that she
deserves—and they live
happily ever after.
, CHAPTER I.
—1—
' With an exclamation of annoyance
I crumpled up the note from my great-
uncle Rufus and flung It on the floor.
My disappointment at Its contents was
the one thing needed to complete the
utter misery of a wretched day.
Only that morning my roommates,
Blrge and Roller, fortunate fellows,
had been Informed that their applica-
tions for the ambulance service had
been accepted. Our year of happy
companionship had come to an abrupt
end.
"Cheer op, old man," cried the op-
timistic Blrge, •"your lock will change
some time-"
J-Hlght." said Roller, as he stooped
to give a final tug to the straps of his
new kit bag. "a chap as crazy about
Adventure as you are la bound to meet
her soon."
"Stop It," I cried In desperation. "It
Is you two who are to have the great
opportunity. Soon you'll be seeing
shrapnel burst, alrplanea battling, reg-
iments charging, heroes dying, and I—
ril be sitting here alone In a ball-
room eating my heart out with lone-
someness and envy, spending my days
at an uncongenial desk, and my nights,
God knows how. after you fellows have
gone."
"You never can tell,'
sT)
chirped old
Blrge, "all kinds of strange things hap-
pen right here In New York. You may
be the one that has had a bellyful of
adventure before we return—If we do."
His last three words gave ua all a
sobering thought There was a chance,
more than a chance, that never again
on this earth would wo three be to-
gether again. Eight of our college
mates had preceded Blrge and Boiler
to the great battlefield. Already three
of them lay In hero graves somewhere
under the UUea of France.
The silence of a sad parting Ml on
us. The taxi cab came and we drove
together to the pier with hardly a word
spoken.
As we shook handa at the gang-
plank old Roller spoke again, a glis-
ten of tears In his eye, something al
most prophetic In his voice.
"Nelson." he said, "I feel It In my
t onw (hat something la going to hap-
pen to you soon, something thrilling."
"1 wish to God something would I"
1 answered bitterly.
Disconsolately I waved them a last
adieu from the dock. In a black mood
I railed against the fate that had left
me behind, poignantly lamenting the
la< k of the eight hundred dollars that
wuld have set me free to accompany
them.
Two letters, thrust under the door
In lodging-house fashion, awaited my
homecoming. One of then* I recog-
nised at once as my mother's weekly
billet of good advlcet and tossed aside
to be read when I was In s better
frame of mind. The other was In a
cramped, unfamiliar handwriting. As
I studied the envelope curiously a sus-
picion as to the writer's identity
flashed Into my mind and eagerly I
tore It open. My great-uncle, Rufus
Oaston, was an old. old man. It must
be from him. What eould he be writ-
ing to me about? Rufus Gaston was
rlcn—worth many millions.
It was merely an Invitation to dine
with him and his wife. Disgustedly I
flung It aside. It capped the climax of
my dissatisfaction with everything.
Her.* were my two chums starting off
to tbe war, and here was I, Spalding
Nelson, twenty-six, strong In physique,
save for a "football knee" that had
barred me from military service, thirst-
ing for excitement, left behind In the
prosaic business World and now bid-
den to an uninteresting meal with two
docteplt old- relatives. I made up my
piind not to answer the note. My great-
uncle Rufus could go hang, for all of
his million* I would not go near
him.
The right of my mother's letter lying
unopened on my desk served to recall
to roe that It was she who had prevent-
ed my going. Poor mother! She and
I had been at cross-purposes ever since
ray father's death while I was a young-
ster. It seemed to me that always she
had opposed everything 1 wanted to da
After I left college she had found a
place for me In the office of one of my
father's friends In the little western
city where our home was. I had been
two years getting away to Join Blrge
and Roller in New York. Most of all
she had set herself against my going
to France. She did not believe In war.
I was the only man left In the family.
She was far from well. If anything
should happen to her, my young sis-
ters had only me to look to. When
these pleas had failed to move me
she had not hesitated to remind me
that I was In her debt
Unfortunately this was true. My
years at college had cost me more than
my small patrimony. I had borrowed
freely from her, expecting soon to be
able to repay her. Like all young grad-
uates I had vastly overestimated my
earning capacity. Three years bad
elapsed and I still owed her eight bun'
dred dollars.
"I do not see," she had written
me, "how you can honorably feel free
to go while you are In my debt To
furnish you funds at college your
mother and sisters practiced many
economies. The girls are now reach-
ing an age when their expenses will be
much greater. I need the money for
them. The least you can do Is to pay
It back before you give up your posi-
tion and go off on wild-goose chases.*"
For this argument I could find no
aofcwer. My obligation to her was a
debt of honor that must be paid be-
fore I could be my own master. Bach
week I had been putting away five dol-
lars, and as It accumulated bad been
sending her a money order.
While I was debating what to do
I began to read my mother's latest let-
ter. The first part of It repeated her
many arguments. She wrote:
"Two days ago I received a letter
from my father's brother. Rufus Gas-
ton, upon whom you called when you
first went to New York. He asked
about you and made me a proposition
concerning you. I did not venture to
give him an answer. Your views and
mine are so seldom In accord. I gave
him your address and suggested that
he write to you himself. Probably ho
has done so by this time."
Hastily I rescued my great-uncle's
crumpled note from the floor and
smoothed it out If Rufus Gaston—
with his millions and no direct heir-
had made a proposition concerning me,
his letter took on a vastly more Inter-
esting complexion. Carefully I reread
It. seeking for some bidden meaning
between the lines, but It gave no clue
to what he had In mind. Ha merely
expressed the hope that I would bo
abl* to dine with him and his wife In-
formally next Thursday evening.
What could It mean? It was at
least well worth, looking Into. Mr.
Gaston was seventy-four. He had made
a fortune In the South American trade,
retiring at sixty-fire. There waa only
himself and his wife. On the Gaston
side, through my mother, my sisters
end 1 were the only blood relaUons.
I wondered If It could be that old
Rufus was thinking of making me his
heir—heir to the Gaston millions t
As I penned a cordial acceptance of
his dinner Invitation I determined to
set myself to pleasing the old couple,
whom I had met only once, on the oc-
casion of my call. A few years ago I
would have despised the thought of ca-
tering to wealth, but since I had dis-
covered how difficult It was to earn
money and how much more difficult to
save It, my views had changed.
I could hardly wait for the day he
had so* for mo to dine with then to
arrive, I found myself approaching
their residence fully three-quarters of
an hour before the time named. When
I discovered how early I was I decided
t-> loiter In the park for a few min-
utes. Old Rufus recently had given
up his Avenue residence and now lived
in one of those stately apartment
buildings erected In the East Eighties.
I turned Into Central park opposite
my great-uncle's street and dropped
Into the fltst bench I came to, deposit-
ing beside me a bunch of roses I had
purchased as my first move toward
winning a>y great-aunt's affections.
Lighting my pipe I gave mysfelf up
to pleasant reveries, from which I was
aroused by finding my roses tossed
suddenly to-the ground at my feet
"Pardon me," I aald Indignantly,
"but those belong to me."
"Benches ain't for bundles," croaked
an evil volee beside me.
Recovering my flowers, I turned to
find seated beside me a rat-eyed young
fellow, cheaply dressed, eyolng me with
an Insolent stare. As I looked at blm
he began crowding over toward me.
Plainly It was his Intention to oust me
from the bench.
"There's plenty of room on those
other benches over there," I suggested
resentfully.
"Beat It yourself If you don't Uke It
hero," he retorted, blowing the smoke
from a cheap cigarette In my face. "I
got a date -here, and I'm going to stay,
see?"
I answered with an angry retort and
hpt words followed. We had almost
come to blows when the bushes op-
posite us suddenly parted. I caught
sight for Just a second of a villainous
face, that of a man about forty, an
unforgettable face with a red scar
across the left cheek. He raised one
finger in an Imperative gesture, signal-
ing to my unwelcome companion on
the bench. With a profane exclama-
tion of dismay, the rat-eyed fellow
sprang up and walked hastily away
along the park path. Wondering
what It was all about I watched him
out of sight around a turning of the
asphalt and then glanced toward the
apartment house where In a few min-
utes 1 was to be a guesL
As I looked a young girl came out
of the house and walked slowly to-
ward the park. At the corner she
hesitated. She seemed to be debating
whether to Continue on down the ave-
nue or to turn Into the park. Appar-
ently the lure of the greenery won her,
for she came on slowly toward where
I was sitting. As ahe drew nearer I
observed her with interest, for she
was one of the prettiest girls I ever
bad seen. Her slim figure, her dainty
snkles, her carriage, everything about
her suggested the patrician. Her face,
rosy and youthfuC was set off by a
Jaunty feathered toque, from under
which a pair of soft black, roguish
eyes, shaded by long lashes, looked
out above a dainty nose. Just a bit
tip tilted, on either side of which a
fugitive dimple played.
To my great amazement she walked
right up to me and stopped short I
observed then that she seemed to be
greatly agitated. Involuntarily I
sprang to my feet and removed my
hat feeling certain that she had mis-
taken me for someone else.
She looked straight at me with an
odd tightening of the Hps. Into her
great dark eyes came a look in which
pride and fear seemed to mingle with
utter loathing.
"I am here," she said.
In my confusion I mumbled some-
thing, I hardly knew what She look-
ed me up and down with a puzzled air
and raised her hand to a red carna-
tion she was wearing.
"You were to wear one, too."
"I don't understand," I answered.
"Didn't you," she asked hesitating-
ly, "didn't you come here about the
paper*-"
"What papers?"
"You know—"
"I don't know," I replied. "I know
nothing about any papers. You must
have mistaken me for someone else.'
"But this was the placa—this bench
—the first bench?"
"I sat down here quite by accident'
"Oh I" she exclaimed with a sigh of
relief. "And you're not wearing
red carnation, either."
I recalled then'wlth misgiving that
the Ill-favored youth who Just a mo-
ment ago had disputed the bench with
me had been wearing a red carnation,
and that he had mattered something
about having a data Yet It did not
seem possible that a girl of this sort
would be having a rendezvous with
t scamp like him. I determined If
possible to ascertain the girl's mis-
sion.
"I ua merely waiting here," I batt-
ened to explain, "until it Is time for
mo to keep a dinner engagement with
some relatives In the apartment house
from which yon came,"
As I spoke I noticed that the fear
and loathing bad vanished from her
eyes and that she was looking with
relief at a little college pin I was
wearing. She was blushing now from
confusion at her mistake, and the ris-
ing red In her cheeks added greatly
to her exquisite loveliness.
"I was to meet someone here." she
faltered; "you quite understand, dout
your
"I understand perfectly," X
ed, and recalling the scar-faced man
who had been lurking In the bushes,
I hurried on to say, "but if I can be
of any service—"
•No, no,' she sobbed, apparently
overwhelmed by whatever It was that
was besetting her. "Ifs nothing-
nothing anyone can help."
"Tell me about the man you were
to meet here."
"Who are you?" she demanded, her
suspicion suddenly rising at my ques-
tion. "You're not a detective^?'
Far from It" I answered amused-
ly. "I'm Just plain Spalding Nelson,
on my way to dine with my great-
uncle Itufqa Gaston."
"Oh I" she said, relieved, "their
apartment Is' on the same floor as
flurs."
"Tell me about the man you were
to meet," I Insisted. "I may have seen
him."
'Did you? What was he like?" she
demanded eagerly.
"Don't you know him?" I countered.
"No, I never saw him. I don't even
know who he Is. I only know that
there was to be a man waiting here
on this bench this evening. We were
both to wear red carnations. I was
to come here dlone, to see him and
to get the—"
She stopped abruptly and tearing
off the flower she was wearing,
trampled It viciously under her foot
"Not so loud," I warned her, fear-
ful lest they might still be lurking
about and overhear us. "There were
two of them."
"Two," she whispered, turning pale.
"Yes, one waiting here on this bench,
and the other, a villainous scar-faced
fellow, hiding In the bushes yonder."
"I dare not go on with It" she
sobbed, "I dare not 1 I dare not 1 Oh,
what shall I do?"
"The thing to do now," I replied, "Is
for you to let me accompany you back
to your home. They will make no
further attempt to meet you this eve-
ning, since my presence has spoiled
their plans. Come, let me escort you.
Miss . . ."
As I hesitated over the name she
answered simply:
"Bradford—Barbara Bradford."
She pondered for a moment over my
suggestion and then turned to walk
with me toward the apartment house.
"What were the men like?" she
asked.
I described them as best I could,
though really the Impression that the
youth on the bench had left was vague.
His voice, an Insolent, hoarse, uncul-
tivated one, was almost all I could re-
call about him.
"I wonder who they were? I won-
der how they knew?"
"Knew what?"
Her lips tightened Into a straight
line.
"I can't tell you. I daren't It Isn't
my secret"
By this time we had reached her
home and the bowing doorman was
swinging back the great Iron door
for us. It had been my Intention to
announce my arrival, but recalling
that Miss Bradford had said that the
Gaston apartment was on the same
floor as hers, I stepped with her into
the elevator. When It had descended,
leaving us together In the corridor,
she turned to me and offered her hand.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Nelson."
"I wish you'd let me help you," I
cried.
She shook her head.
"Well, promise me one thing," I In-
sisted.
"What Is ltr
•That you never again will go alone
to the park to meet those men.'
A tremor shook her body, and once
more a look of terror crept Into her
eyes.
"I can't promise that I must meet
them. I must I I must 1"
I reached out and took her hand.
"Promise me, then, that before you
go again you will let me know."
"You must not try to stop my go-
ing," she cried desperately and free-
ing her hand turned quickly and un-
locking* her door left me standing
there alone, staring after her.
perplexed beyond measure as to
what I ought to do. after a moment I
pressed the beU and was admitted to
the Gasteo apartment and to the pres-
ence of my aged relatives.
Dfnmi umroiM irtwmtimu
SfiNMrSdiOOL
Lesson
(By REV. P. B. FITZWATBR. 1>. D-
Teacher of English Bible Hi the Moody
Bible InaUtuU of Chicago.)
(Copyright. 1 10. W.rt.rn N«wg*P*r_O^W
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER 5
THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.
LESSON TEXT—1 Kings f:l; :*. • t
GOLDEN TEXT—Mine house shall be
called a house of prayer for all people.—
Isa. 86:7.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL—11 Chron.
1:1; :1T.
PRIMARY TOPIC—God's House.
JUNIOR TOPIC—Solomon Builds the
Temple.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Putting Our Best Into the House of
God.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-The Value of a House af Worship.
Under the same roof with
the heroine.
(TO BB CONTINUED.)
Hard Life of Eskimo Doga.
An Eskimo dog has a bard lot In
the first place, It has to earn Its living
by drawing sledges. In the next place,
food la ao scarce that a dog Is usually
hungry, often hungry enough to eat Its
harness, or Indeed any bits of skla and
leather It can find. To prevent this,
the men rub tbe leather cords with tsr.
But In order to live st sll an Eskimo
dog baa to fight Its way. Whenever
there la a pack of dogs together they
fight The weak ones are driven away
or killed. The strongest *nd fiercest
one, who can thrash any or all the oth-
ers, Is known ss the "king dog." It has
the beat place upon which to lie and Its
choice of the food.
I. Solomon's Preparation (5:1-18).
He secured from King Hiram:
1. Wood for beams, ceilings, sheet-
lng, and chambers around the holy
house.
2. Stones for the great foundation.
These were secured from the Phoeni-
cian quarries and also from the moun-
tain upon which the temple was built
They were so shaped that when the
temple was erected there was no sound
of a hammer heard.
3. Skilled workmen. Among the Is-
raelites were not to be found men
skilled In this kind of work, so the
king arranged with Hiram to furnlah
capable men.
II. 8olomon Building the Templo
(6:1-38).
L The location—Mount Morah (II
Chron. 3:1). This was a suitable loca-
tion, as It was here that the Lord ap-
peared to Solomon's father, David.
2. The dimensions and materials. "If
a cubit was 18 inches, the temple
proper was 90 feet long, SO feet wide
and 45 feet high."
3. The contents: (1) Brazen altar;
(2) laver; (3) golden candlestick; (4)
cherubim.
III. The Dedication of the Temple
(8:1-66).
The dedication of the temple was
arranged to take place at a very favor-
able time. The success of an under-
taking is largely determined by the
time in which It Is held. This was ar-
ranged to take place at the most Joy-
ous of the several representative gath-
erings of the Jews. The dedicatory
services consisted of the following:
1. Bringing up the ark (w. 1-11).
The ark was God's dwelling place.
Tbe ark with the two tables of stone
under the mercy Beat shows God
manifesting himself with his people
on the ground of a law perfectly kept
and sins atoned for by the shedding
of blood. Following the completion
of the sacrifice, the temple was filled
with the glory of Jehovah.
2. Solomon's address to the people
(w. 2-21). He pointed out to the peo-
ple that God had chosen David to be
king, yet for certain reasons did not
allow him to build tbe temple, but
promised that his son should do the
work. Now that the work was done,
the temple was built and the ark of
the covenant was in its place, they
could be assured that God had raised
blm up in the room of his father.
3. Solomon's dedicatory prayer (w.
22-53). The ark having been placed In
a most holy place, and the address to
the people having been ended, the
king pours out his soul to God in
prayer. In this prayer Solomon grate-
fully acknowledges God's goodness in
the past giving glory to him, and
pleads that his promise to his father
be verified (vv. 22-26). He prays that
God's eyes msy continually be opened
towards the temple which he had now
taken possession of (vv. 27-33), so thai
(1) In case of contention between pa*
ties he would Judge between them (w.
81-32); (2) In case of being smitten
by the enemy, even though they had
sinned, upon confession of the sin.
God would forgive and restore (vv. 33,
84); (3) In case of famine as chastise-
ment for sin, upon confession and
prayer before the temple, God would
forgive and send rain (w. 85, 36);
(4) In case of pestilence and sickness.
If they prayed to God toward the tem-
ple, God would hear and forgive (vv.
37-40); (5) In case of the coming of
tbe foreigner, who comes at the news
of God's greatness, praying toward
Jerusalem, his prayer should he heard
(▼v. 41-45); (6) In case of going out to
battle, their cause should be main*
talned (vv. 44-48); (7) In case of be-
ing in captivity because of sin, God
would hear their prayers and restore
(rr. 46-53).
4. Solomon blesses the people (TV.
04-61). On the strength of the cove-
nant promises, be Invokes God's pres-
ence slwsya to be with them and to
keep than faithful, and exhorts the
people to have their hearts perfect be-
fore God, walking in bis command-
ments and statutes.
5. Solomon and the people offer sac-
rifices of thanksgiving (vr. 62-66). The
Joy of the people was full; they blessed
God and tbe king.
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Stephens, W. B. The Gotebo Gazette (Gotebo, Okla.), Vol. 20, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 2, 1920, newspaper, September 2, 1920; Gotebo, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metapth350536/m1/3/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.