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About Dakota County herald. (Dakota City, Neb.) 1891-1965 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 1920)
DAKOTA CITY HERALD, DAKOTA CITY NEBRASKA. mnHHnw; nvutf- JN YE OLDEN TIME ) A f i WE MAN'S MAN BUT HE REFORMS. Presently a pink-jowled, well curried, flashily dressed lig man, of about Webster's age, passed in the corridor, going toward the head of the train. An instant later a woman's voice said very distinctly : "I do not know you, sir; I do not wish to knew you, and it is loathsome of you to persist in addressing me. If you do not stop your annoying attentions, I shall call the conductor." "Ah! Beauty in distress," John Stuart Webster soliloquized. "I look so much like an Angora goat I might as well butt in." He stepped to the door of his stateroom. A girl stood in the vestibule, confronting the man who had just passed Webster's door. Webster bowed. "Madame, or mademoiselle, as the case may be," he said, "un like this other male biped, my sole purpose in presuming to address you is to suggest that there is not the slightest necessity for taking this matter tip with the condxictor. I am here and very much at your service." The girl turned and John Stuart Webster's heart flopped twice in rapid succession, like a trout newly grassed. She was as lovely as a royal flush. Her starry glance began at his miners boots, traveled up his old soiled, whipcord trousers, over his light blue chambray shirt and found the man behind the whiskers. She favored him with a quick, curious scrutiny and a grave, sweet smile. "Tliank you so much, sir," she answered, and passed down the corridor to the observation car. Well, that' the way they met. Webeter wai jut coming out of Death Valley. He'd made his pile, but he looked like a hobo. Ho waa dreaming of happineaa unending bath, iilk pajamas and un limited ham and egg. Thirty-nine, he alway been hy of the girl. Then he meet her and hi romance begins. In Denver he turns down a $25,000-a-year job a a consulting engineer to answer a call of adventure from an old pal who has struck pay dirt in Central America. And when he gets there behold, the girl of the train is there also. And right off quick there is a revolution on, with Webster and the girl in the thick of it. Follows some gorgeous fighting and thrilling adventure and everything. Oh, yes; "Webtter Man's Man" is by Peter B. Kyno. That's enough. He's the originator of Cappy Ricks, you know, and ho wrote "The Valley of the Giants." And he's as confirmed a globe-trotter as Jack London ever was and uses his local color with equal ability. Incidentally, he's considerable of a man's man himself he is a veteran of the Philippine scrap and in the Great War he won his double shoulder bars at the fighting front. CHAPTER I. When John Stunrt Webster, mining engineer and klckcr-up-of-dust on dis tant trails, flagged the S. P., L. A. & S. L. Limited at n blistered board sta tion In Death valley, California, he had definitely resolved to do certain things. To begin, he would Invade the dining car at the first call to dinner and order approximately twenty dol lars' worth of ham and eggs, which provender Is. as all who know will certify, the pinnacle of epicurean de light to an old sour-dough coming out of the wilderness with a healthy hank roll nnd a healthier appetite. Following the ham and eggs, Mr. Webster planned to saturate himself from soul to vermiform appendix with nicotine, which he purposed obtaining from tobacco wltb nicotine In It. It was a week since ho had smoked any thing with an odor even remotely like tobacco, for the August temperature In Death valley Is no respecter of moist ure in any man or hie tobacco. Upon arrival In Salt Lake City his spreo would really begin. Webster designed chartering a taxlcab nnd proceeding forthwith to a hotel where he would engage a sunny room with a bath, fill the bntktub, climb blithely In and soak for two hours at least, for It was near ly eight months since he had had a regular bath nnd he purposed making the most of his opportunity. His long drawn ablutions at length over, ho would don a silken dressing gown and slippers, order up a barber and pro ceed to part with enough hair and whiskers to upholster an automobile, and upon the completion of his ton sorlal udventures he would encaso his person In n suit of mauve-colored silk pajamas, climb Into bed nnd stay Micro for forty eight hours, merely wak ing long enough to take another bath, order up periodical consignments of hum and eggs, and Incidentally, muko certain that a friendly side-winder or huckwnllu hndn't crawled under the blanket with him. So much for John Stunrt Webster's plans. Now for the gentleman himself. No one not even the Pullman porter, Muvvwl Judge of mankind that he was could have discerned In the chrysalis that flagged the Limited the butterfly of fashion that wns to be. As tho fhouy George raised the vestibule plat form, opened the car door and looked out. lie had no confidence In tho lean, sun-baked big man standing by tho train. Plainly the fellow was not a first-class passenger but n wandering jirospeVtor, for ho was dog-dirty, a ruin of rags und hairy as a tarantula. The only clean thing about him was a tenvy-c:llbered automatic pistol of the urmy type, swinging at his hip. "Day conch an' tourist up In front," the knight of the whlskbroom nn aounccd In disapproving tones and ntnrted to close down tho platform. "So 1 porcolvcd,"Tohn Stuart Web-iti-r replied blandly. "I also observed Hut yon failed to employ tho title .i' when ndoiesslng a white man. Jut (hut platform hnck nnd hop out two with your little stool, you saddlo tilin (in of Senegumblu, or I'U t fi iiWl porter to catch." ".... '. . ' r (i in?;- iijT.t' BSTER-MAN'S Author of "Cappy Ricks," "The Valley of tered, and obeyed Instantly. Mr. Web ster handed him a disreputable-looking sultcnse and stepped aboard In state, only to bo Informed that there wasn't a vacant flrst-clnss berth on tho train. "Yes, I know I'm dirty," tho late ar rival announced cheerfully, "but still, as Bobby Burns once remarked, 'n man's n man for a' that' and I'm not unsanitary." "I'm very sorry," the conductor re plied perfunctorily and endeavored to pass on, but Webster secured a Arm grip on his lapel and frustrated the es cape. "You're not sorry," the ragged wan derer declared, "not one little bit You're only apprehensive. However, you needn't be. There Is no wild life on me, brother, I assure you." "But I tell you, tire train Is full up. You'll hnvo to roost In the dny conch or the tourist. I'm very sorry " "Nevertheless, despite your deep grief, something tells mo you're spoofing, so while I must, of necessity, accept your suggestion, said acceptance will bo but temporary. In about two hours, young fellow, you're going to make tho alarm ing discovery that you have bats In your belfry." And with a whiskery grin which, under the circumstances, was charming in its absolute freedom from malice, Mr. Webster departed for the day coach. Two hours later the conductor found him in tho aforementioned day coach, engaged In a mild game of poker with a mule-skinner, a Chinaman, an uged prospector, and a half-breed Indian, and waited until Mr. Webster, on a bob-tailed flush, bluffed the Chinaman out of a dollar-and-a-half pot. "Are you Mr. John S. Webster?" "Your assumption that I am that person Is so eminently correct that It would be a wasto of time for me to dispute It," Webster replied quizzical ly. "However, Just to prove that you're not the only clairvoyant on this train, I'm going to tell you something nbout yourself. In your pocket you have a telegram; It Is from Chicago, where your pay-check originates; It Is short, Kweet and comprehensive, con taining an order which you nro going to obey. It reads somewhat as fol lows : "'My friend, John S. Webster, wires me from Blank that he boarded train at Blank nnd wns refused flrst-closs accommodation because he looked like n hobo. Give him tho best -you have In stock, If you hnvo to throw somebody off tho train to accommodate him.' Signed, 'Sweeney.' "Do I hit tho target?" Tho conductor nodded. "You win, Mr. Webster," ho admitted. "Occasionally I lose, old timer. Well?" "No offense, Mr. Webeter, no offense. I can let you have a stateroom " "That's trading talk. I'll take it" The conductor gavo him his receipt and led him back to tho stateroom In tho observation car. At tho door Web ster handed him a flve-dollar bill. "For you, son," he said gently, "Just to take tho sting out of what I'm nbout to tell you. Now that I possess your receipt and know that ten men nnd a hoy can not take It away from me, I'm going to tell you who Sweeney Is," Who h-iT' 'be conductor jurlHl Already ho suspected ho had been out generaled. "Sweeney," said Mr. Webster, "Is tho chief cleM: In one of Chicago's most pretentious hotels nnd n youog man who can find nil tho tangles o a sit uation without working It out V.q loga rithms. I wired him the detail? ( my predicament; he heard tho Macedonian cry and kicked In. Nent, Is It nojV Tho conductor grinned. "I hnto to take your money," he dcclnrcd. "Don't. Just at present I'm very flush. Yes, sir, I'm as prosperous ns n ycnrllng burro up to his ears In alfalfu nnd the only use I have over found for money Is to make other people happy with It, thereby getting some enjoy ment out of It myself. When I'm broke I'll n ike some more." And Mr. Webster retired to his hnrd won snnctunry, where ho removed ns much alkali and perspiration as ho could, carded his long hnlr and whisk ers, manicured his linger nails with a jack-knife, changed his shirt, provided five minutes of Industry for George, with his whlskbroom nnd brush, and set himself patiently to await the tlrst call to dinner. Presently a plnk-Jowled, well curried, flashily dressed big man, of about Webs'tcr's age, passed In the cor ridor, going toward the head of tho train. An Instant later a woman's voice said very distinctly : "I do not know you, sir; I do not wish to know you, and It Is lonthsomo of you to persist In addressing me. If you do not stop your annoying atten tions, I shall call the conductor." "Ah I Beauty In distress," John Stuart Webster soliloquized. "I look so much like an 'Angora goat I might ns well butt In." Ho stepped to the door of his stateroom. A girl stood In tiro vestibule, confronting the man who had just passed Webster'r "'oor. Web ster bowed. "Madame, or mademoiselle, an the cose may be," ho said, "unlike this other male biped, my sole purpose, In presuming to nddress you Is to suggest that there Is not tho slightest necessity for taking this ranttcr up with tho con ductor. I am here and very much at your service." The girl turned nnd John Stunrt Webster's heart hopped twice In rapid succession, like a trout newly grassed. She was as lovely ns a royal flush. Her starry glance began nt his miner's boots, traveled up his old soiled, whip cord trousers, over his light bluo cham bray shirt und found the man behind the whiskers. She favored him with n quick, curious scrutiny and n grave, sweet smile. "Thank you so much, sir," she nnswered, and pnssed down tho corridor to the observation car. "Well, old-timer," Webster greeted the fellow who had been nnuoylng her, "how nbout you? What do you think wo ought to do nbout this little af fair?" "The sensible thing would bo to do nothing. You might start something you couldn't flnlsh." "Thnt's a dare," Webster dcclnrcd brightly, "and wasn't It the Immortal Huckleberry Finn who remarked th'at anybody thnt'd take a dare would suck eggs und steal sheep?" Ho was silent a few seconds, appraising his mnn. "I suppose you commenced operations by moving Into her section nnd asking If sho would like to have the window open and enjoy tho fresh air. Sho re buffed you, but being a persistent devil, you followed her (nto the ob servation car, and In all probability you ogled her at luncheon nnd ruined her appetite. And Just now, when you met her in this vestibule, you doubt less jostled her, begged her pardon and without wnltlng to be Introduced asked her to havo dinner with you this evening." "Well?" the fellow echoed belliger ently. "It's nil bod form. You shouldn't try to mnke n mnsh on n lady. I don't know who she Is, of course, but she's not common nnd for the sake of the mother that bore mo I always respect nnd protect a good woman nnd whale h out of those tluU do not." He reached Inside his stateroom and pressed the hell. The porter arrived on the run. "George," said Mr. Webster, "In a few minutes we're duo at Smlthvllle. If my memory serves me aright, we stop five minutes for water anil or ders." "Yussuh." "Iteinuln right here and let mo off us soon ns tho train comes to u stop," When tho train slid to a grinding halt and the porter opened the car door, Webster pointed. "Out!" ho snld. "This Ik no nice place to pull off a scrap." "Seo here, neighbor, I don't want to hnvo any trouble with you " "I know It. All tho same, you're go ing to hnvo It or come with me to that young ludy and beg her pnrdon." "All right. I'll apologize," and ho stnrted forward as If to pass Webster In tho vestibule, on his wuy to tho ob servation car, whither the subject of his annoying uttentlon had gone. Two steps brought him within striking dls tanco of his enemy, nnd before Web ster could dodge, n sizzling right handed blow landed on his Jaw und set him back on his hiiunchcs In tho ves tibule. It wif il3l(? a I'jitfi'Un ;t - all ioat MA By the Giants," Etc. but not quite. Ah Webster's body struck the floor the big automatic camu out of the holster; swinging In a weak circle, It covered tle other. "That wns a daisy," Webster mum bled. "If you move before my head clears, I'll put four bullets Into you bo fore you reach tho corridor." lie walled about a minute, then with the gun ho pointed to the car door and the masher stepped out. Webster hand ed the porter his gun and followed; two minutes Inter he returned, drag ging his assailant by the collar. Up the steps he Jerked the big battered hulk nnd tossed It In the corner of tho vestibule, Just as the girl cnnie through the car, making for the diner up ahoad. Again she favored him with that calm, grave, yet vitally Interested guze, nodded appreciatively, made as If to pass on, changed her mind, nnd said very gravely: "You arc a very court ly gentleman, sir." He bowed. There wns nothing else to do, nothing that he could say under the circumstances. To use his chlvnlry as a wedge to open an acquaintance never occurred to tlm but his whisk ers did occur to him. Hastily he backed Into his, stnteroom nnd closed tho door, presently ho rose and surveyed himself critically In the small mirror over the wnshstand. "No, Johnny," ho murmured, "wo can't go Into the diner now. We're too blamed disreputable. Wo wero bad enough before that big swlno hung tho shanty on our right eye, but whatever our physical nnd personal feelings, far be It from us to parade our Iridescent orb In public. Besides, one look at that queen Is enough to do us for the re mainder of our natural life, and a sec ond look, minus n proper Introduction, would only drive us Into a suicide's grave." lie sighed, rang for the porter "You Are a Very Courtly Gentleman." nnd told him to send n waiter for his order, slnco he would fain break his fast In tho prlvncy of his stateroom. And when the waiter came for tho order, such was Mr. Webster's mental perturbation that ham nnd eggs wero furthest from his thoughts. He or dered a steak with French fried po tatoes. John Stuart Webster pusscd n rest less night -Sleep came to him In hour ly Installments, from which he would roruu to ask himself whether It wns worth wi.iif to continue to go through the motions of living, or alight at tho next station, seek a lonely und unfre quented spot and there surrender to outrageous fortune. It wus altogether damnable. In n careless moment, Fnto had accorded him a gllmpso of tho only woman ho hnd ever met nnd de sired to meet ngnln for Webster wus essentially a mnn's mnn, and his pro fession and environment had militated against his opportunities for meeting cxtrnoidliiurywomen; and extraordi nary women were tho only kind that could hope to challenge IiIh serious at tention. Fate had accorded him u signal opportunity for knightly combat In the service of tills extraordinary woman, and In the absence of u formal Intro duction, what man could desire a finer opportunity for getting acquainted 1 If inly their meeting had but been do .nyed two weeks, ten days, a week I Once free of his ugly cocoon of rags und whiskers, tho butterfly Webster would not havo hesitated ono brief In stant to Inform himself of that young lady's address, following his summary disposal of her tormentor. But In all things there Is a limit, and John Stuart Webster's right oyo constituted u dcndllno beyond which, as a gentleman, ho dared not venture; so with n heavy heart ho bowed to tho inevitable. Brilliant and mysteri ous ns n meteorite sho hud flashed onco across his horizon and wus gone. In tho privacy of his stnteroom Web ster hud ham and eggs for breakfast. Ho was lighting his second cigar when tho porter knocked und euUrud with r I'UVi'lolia, PETJER B. KYNE "T.ndy In the observation enr nskei mo to deliver this to you, sub," ho nn uounced Importantly. It was n note, freshly written on tin train stationery. Webster rend: "The distressed lady desires to thank the gentleman In stnteroom A for his chivalry of yesterday. Sho Is profoundly sorry that In her scrvlca the gentleman In stateroom A wus so unfortunate as to acquire u red eye with blue trimmings." John Stunrt Webster sworo his mightiest oath, "By tho twelve apos tles, Simon, Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Mutthow, Thomas, James, Jude nnd Simon, nnd not omitting Judas Iscnrlot, the scaly scoundrel who betrayed his Lord and Master I" Ho searched through an old wallet until ho discovered a fairly clean professional card, across tho bot tom of which ho wrote, "Thank you. J. S. W." and sent It to tho no-longer-distressed lady. "Tho most signal adventure of my life Is now over," he soliloquized nnd turned to his cigar. "For tho sake of my self-respect, I had to let her know I'm not n hobo I And now to the tns' of framing up i scheme for futur acquaintance. I must learn her name and destination; so ns a prellnilnurj I'll Interview the train conductor." no did nnd under the nniellorntlnf. Influence of n flve-dollar bill the con ductor bent n respectful enr to tU Websterlnn message. "In Cur Seven," he began, "there V a young lady. I do not know what sec tlon sho occupies, neither do I knou her namo nnd destination. I only know whnt she looks like." The conductor nodded. "And you want to ascertain her namo nnd des tination ?" "I do." "All right. 1 have tho unused por tlon of her transportation to rctur to her lioforu we hit Suit Lake; her name Is on tho ticket und tho ticket Indicates her destination. , I'll make u mental note of both as soon ns I've -tf.sntliled her ticket." A few hours Inter the conductor camo tov Webster's stateroom and handed him a curd upon which wn written : "Dolores Kuey. From Los Angeles, vln San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake, to Salt Lake City. Denver & Illo Grande to Denver, Burlington to St. Louis, Illinois Central to New Orleans Stop-over at Denver." John Stunrt Webster studied th name after the conductor wlthdre "Thnt's n Spanish name," hu sold' qulzed, "but for all that, she's not a parakeet. All things considered, J guess I'll tuko n clutnce and Investi gate." CHAPTER II. Webster's dreams of bliss had, with very slight variations, come true ns per schedule. In Salt Lnko City ha abandoned the beefstenk on his dam aged eye for two businesslike lwches, which quickly reduced tho nocturna effect around his orb, enabling him, tho third dny, to saunter forth among his fcllnwmcn. By the end of the week ho wns a being relncnrnnted, and so ho packed a huge new, wardrobe trunk with his latest purchases and Journeyed on to Denver. Coincident with his arrival there, we again taka up tho thread of our story. Ono hour after his trunk nrrived the gentleman from Death valley migal have been observed standing befor a chevul glass looking long ana eurnestly nt the reflection of his mid-dle-ugcd person, the whllo he marked the lit of his new raiment. John Stunrt Webster was all dressed up for the first time In throe long, lnbor-rhU den yenrs, und wns tremendously glud of It. He lighted a cigar and stepped forth Into Seventeenth street along which he strolled until ho came to a certain building. Into the elevator m which ho entered and was whisked to tho twelfth fioor, where ho alighted and found himself before n wide portal which bore In gold letters the words: "F.nglneors' Club." The Engineers' club was tho closest approach to a home Hint John Stunrt Webster had known for twenty years, und suvo for the slight job of kill sntnlning which Father Time had dont on the edges of the close-cropped Weln sterlan mustache, tl.o returned prodl. gnl might have stepped out of the club but yesterday. Ho would not hava taken the short end of a modest hut that even a fresh log had been placed on tho fire or thut the domluo-pluyers over against tho wall hud won or lost n drink or two and then resumed play ing although; perchunco there were a few more gruy hnlrs In the thickly thatched head of old Neddy Jerome, sitting In his favorite scut by tha window and turning the cards in his eternal giimo of solitaire, In blissful Ignorance that John Stuart Webster stood within the portals of home and awaited tho fatted calf. "Keep a light in tho window for your old Jaclc-Pardner." (TO UK CONTINUED, Noble birth Is one thing unit u u "oft oollth'iM hoi'th Ifc another. Hoop skirts wero worn by tlioso who first asked tho druggist for, nnd in sisted on having, tho gonuino Qoldon Modi oal Discovery nut ud bv m mill Piorco ovor fifty years ago. Dress has changed very much sinco then! But Dr. Picrco's medicines contain tho samo de pendable ingredients. They aro standard today just ns thoy wero fifty years ago. Dr. Picrco'a Golden Medical Discovery for tho stomaoh and blood cannot bo surpassed by any remedy today. Dr. Picrco's Favorito Prescrip tion for weak women has novcr boon equalled for tho distressing complaints incident to woman hood. What others say: Giund Island, Neiiu. Tor tho past fifteen yonrs 1 havo boon wondor fully holpcd by taking Dr. riorco'a Fn-I vorite Prescription nnd hla Goldcm Medical Discovery whenevor my system has roqulrcd n toning up. I would, recommend theso inodiclnos to all mothers who becotno run-down, wook-i cnod or nervous. Thoy aro nlwnyal roliablo and can bo depended upon to! givo strength nnd renewed hoaltli." i Mns. II. 0. RoDSMSC-uaii, 418 Northl Pino 8trcct. Women Made Young Bright eyes, a clear skin and a body full of youth and health may bo yours if you will keep your system In order by regularly taking COLD MEDAL HMO-HHUm Th world's standard retnody for kidney, liver, bladder and uric add troubles, th enornles of HI and looks. In us sine 1690. All druggists, three sizes. took for the name CoM Medal on every Los and accent no tmltaUoa Saved My Life With Eatonic Says Now Jorsey Woman "I was nearly dead until I found Eatonic and I can truly say It saved my life. It Is tho best stomach medi cine over mnde," writes Mrs. Ella Smith. Acid stomach causes awful misery which Eatonic quickly gets rid of by tuklng up and carrying out tho acidity und gases which prevent good diges tion. A tablet taken after meals brings quick relief. Keeps tho stomach healthy and helps to provent tho many Ills so liable to arise from excess add. Don't suffer from stomach mlsorles when you can get a big box of Eatonic for a trlflo with your druggist's guar antee. Their Choice. Tho children were going to hnvo a stepfather. Mother hud Just tundo ,Uio aniiouhcemont und was waiting" to hear tholr opinions of her choice. Nine-Vent-old Ituth's camo first. "But, mother, ha hasn't any hair," sho pro tested. Mother smiled. Sho hnd been afraid they might offer worse ones than this. "But your own daddy didn't have much," she smiled.' For a minute Itutli wus silenced, hut sho was thinking. "I know, moth er," she admitted, "but you were young when you chose him. Now you know more and It docs seem llko you ought to bo a bettor chooser." UiBSDXHnUnfliV I 3 matr-u - - jMkIiM ur. asMm w iQim tr- -- V ,.