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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1920)
HSP yfUr • • . .*-—— V V %* V Copyright, 1920, by J. P. Lippincott Co. •Phyllis brushed off her tears, and •lulled. You seemed to hare to do so much smiling in this house! -‘I know," she said. "I worry about tils condition to much. But you see —he’s—all 1 have.Good-night, Wallis." Once out of Allan’s room, she ran. sat full speed till she gained her own Aied, where she could cry in peace will morning if she wanted to, with no one to interrupt. That was all wight. The trouble was going to lie next morning. But somehow, when morning came, <he old routine was dragged through with. Directions had to be given the servants as usual, Allans comfort and amusement seen to, |ust as if nothing had happened. It was a perfect day, golden and per fumed, with Just that little tang of fresh windiness that June days have fn the northern states. And Allan must not lose it—he must be wheeled •at Into the garden. She came out to him, in the place where they usually sat, and sank for • moment in the hammock, that •fterncon. She had avoided him all the morning. I JUOl UttUlB BBC u CTCI jruuufl «u all right," she said, leaning to ward him in that childlike, earnest My he knew so well. "1 don't need to stay here If I worry you.” "I’d rather you stay, if you don't Wind," he answered. Phyllis looked •t him intently. He was white and dispirited, and his voice was list ton. Oh, Phyllis thought, if Louise Frey had only been kind enough to die In babyhood. Instead of under Allan’s automobile! What could there have been about her to hold Allan so long? She glanced at his weary face again. This would never dal What had come to be her dom ftaant instinct, keeping Allan’s spirits Mg, emboldened her to bend forward, had even laugh a little. “Come, Allan!” Bhe said. “Even 8 we’re not going to stay together tfways, wo might as well be cheor tw till we do part. We used to be Food friends enough. Can't we be ao • little longer?" It sounded heart toss to her after she had said it, but 8 seemed the only way to speak, the smiled at him bravely. Allan looked at her mutely for a Moment, as if she had hurt him. “You’re right,” he said suddenly. “There’s no time but. the present, utter all. Come over here, closer to me, Phyllis. You've been awfully Food to me, child—isn’t there any thin#—anything I could do for you— something you could remember after wards, and say, ‘Well, he did that tor me, any way?” Phyllis's eyes filled with tears. •You have given me everything al ready," she said, catching her breath She didn't feel as if she could stand much more of this. “Everything!" he said bitterly. “ SJo, 1 haven't. I can’t give you what every girl want*—a well, strong man to be her husband—the health and strength that any man In the street has." “Oh, don’t speak that way Allan!” She bent over him sympathetic ally, moved by his words. In another moment the misunderstanding might have been straightened out. It It had not been for his reply. "I wish I never had seen you at all!" he said involuntarily. In her sensitive state of mind the hurt was all she felt—not the deeper mean ing that lay behind Qie words. “I’ll relieve you of my presence for awhile," she flashed back. Before she gave herself time to think, she she had left the garden, with some thing which might be called a floun ce. “When people say things like that to you,” she said as she walked sway from him, “it’s carrying being an invalid a little too far!” Allan heard the side-door slam. He had never suspected before that Phyllis had a temper. And yet, what could be have said? But she gave him no opportunity to find out. In just about the time It might take to find gloves and a parasol, another door clanged in the distance. The street door. PhylllB had evidently gone out. Phyllis, on her swift way down the street, grew angrier and angrier. She tried to persuade herself to make allowances for Allan, but they refus cd to be made. She -felt more bitterly toward him than she ever had toward any one in her life. If she only hadn't leaned over him and been sorry for him, just before she got a slap In the face like that! She walked rapidly down the main street Of the little village. She hardly knew where she was going. She had been called on by most of the local people, but she did not feel like being agreeable, or making formal calif Just now. And what / was the use of making friends, any way, when she was going back to her rags, poor little Cinderella that she was! Below and around .and above everything else came the stinging thought that she had given Allan so much—that she had taken so much for granted. Herquick steps finally took her to the outskirts of the village, to a little green stretch of woods. There she walked up and down for awhile, try ing to think more quietly. She found the tide of her anger ebbing sudden ly, and her mind forming all sorts of excuses for Allan. But that was not the way to get quiet—thinking of Allan. She tried to put him resolutely from her mind, and think about her own future plans. The first thing to do, she decided, was to rub up her library work a little. It was with an unexpected feeling of having returned to her own place that she crossed the marble floor of the village library. She felt as If she ought to hurry down to the cloak room, instead of waiting leisurely at the desk for her card. It all seemed uncannily like home—there was even a girl inside the desk who looked liko Anna Black of her own Green way branch. Phyllis could hear, with a faint amusement, that the girl was scolding energetically In Anna Black's own way. The words struck on her quick ears, though they were not Intended to carry. i uai o wuiu comes oi trusting to volunteer help. Telephones at the last moment ‘she has a headache.' and not a single soul to look after the story hour! And the children are al most all here already.” "Well Just have to send them home,” said the other girl, looking up from her trayful of cards. “It’s too late to get anybody else, and good ness knows we can’t get It In!” “They ought to have another lib rarian,” fretted the girl who looked like Anna. “They could afford It well enough, with their Soldier’s Monu ments and all.” Phyllis smiled to herself from where she was Investigating the card catalog. It all sounded so exceed ingly natural. Then that swift in stinct of hers to help caught her over to the desk, and she heard her self saying: _ “I’ve had some-experience in story telling; maybe I could help you with the story-hour. I couldn't help hear ing that your story-teller has dis appointed you.” The girl like Anna fell on her with rapture. "Heaven must have sent you,” she said. The other one, evidently slower and more cautious by nature, rose too, and came toward her. “You have a card here, haven't you?” she said. "I think I’ve seen you.” “Yes,” Phyllis said, with a pang at speaking the name she had grown to love bearing; "I’m Mrs. Harring ton—Phyllis Harrington. We live at the other end of the village.” “Oh, in the house with the garden all shut off from the lane!” said the girl like Anna, delightedly. “That lovely old house that used to belong to the Jamesons. Oh, yes, I know. You’re here for the summer, aren’t you, and you’re husband has been very ill?” "Exactly,” said Phyllis, smiling, though she wished people wouldn’t talk about Allan! They seemed pos sessed to mention him! “We’ll be obliged forever if you’ll do It,” said the other girl, evidently the head librarian. “Can you do it now? The children are waiting.” “Certainly,” said Phyllis, and fol lowed the younger girl straightway to the basement, where, it seemed, the story hour was held. She won dered, as they went,Tf the girl envied her expensively perishable summer organdie, with its flying sashes and costly accessories; if the girl thought about her swinging Jeweleries and endless leisure with a wish to have them for herself. She had wanted such things, she knew, when she was being happy on $50 a month. And perhaps some of the women she had watched then had had heartaches under their furs. The children, already sitting In a decorous ring on their low chairs, seemed after the first surprise to approve of Phyllis. The librarian lingered for little by way of keeping order if it should be necessary, watched the competent sweep with which Phyllis gathered the child ren around her, with an air of as h^r, heard the opening of the story and left with an air of astonished approval. Phyllis, late best story teller of the Greenway Branch, vachted her go wit^ a bit of pro fessional triumph in he' heart. She told thn children stories till the cime was op, atm tnen "lust one story more." She had not forgotten how, she found. But she never told them the story of “How the Elephant Got His Trunk.” that foolish, fascina ting story-hour classic that she had told Allan the night his mother bad died; the story that had sent him to sleep quietly for the first time in years.Oh, dear, was every thing in the world connected with Allan in some way or other? It was nearly six when she went up. engulfed in children, to the cir culating room. There the night-lib rarian caught her. She had evidently been told to try to get Phyllis for more story-hours, for she did her best to make her promise. They talked shop together for an hour and a half. Then the growing twi light reminded Phyllis that it was time to go back. She had been shirk ing going home, she realized now, all the afternoon. She said goodbye to the night librarian, and went on down the village street, lagging un consciously. it must have been about eight by this time. It. was a mile back to the house. She could have taken the trolley part of the way, but she felt restless and like walking. She had forgotten that walking at night through well known, well lighted city streets, and going in half-dusk through country byways, were two different things. She was destined to be reminded of the difference. “Can you help a poor man, lady?" said a whlnning foiee behind her, when she had a quarter of the way yet to go. She turned to see a big tramp, a terrifying brute with a half propitiating, half-fierce look on his heavy unshaven face. She was des perately frightened. She had been spoken to once or twice in the city, but there there was always a police man, or a house you could run Into If you had to. But here, In the un guarded dust of a country lane, It it was a different matter. The long gold chain that swung from below her wafst, the big diamond on her finger, the gold mesh purse—all the jewelry she took such, achild like delight in wearing—she remembered them in terror,J3he was no brown clad working-girl now, to slip along disregarded. And the tramp did not look like a deserving object. "If you will come to the house to morrow,” she said, hurrying on as she spoke, "I’ll have some work for you. The *rst house on this street that you come to." She did not dare give him anything, or {.end him a way. “Won’t you gimme somethin’ now, lady?” whined the tramp, continuing to follow. “I’m a starvin' man.” She dared not open her purse and appease him by giving him money— she had too much with her. That morning she had received the check for her monthly income from Mr. De Guenther, sent Wallis down to cash It, and then stuffed It in her bag and forgotten it In the stress of the day. The man might take the money and strike her senseless, even kill her. "To-morrow, she said, going rapid ' ly on. She had now what would a mount to about three city blocks to traverse still. There was a short way from outside the garden-hedge through to the garden, which cut off about a half a block. If she could gain this she would be safe. “Naw, yeh don’t,” snarled the tramp, as she fled on. “Ye’ll set that bull-pup o’ yours on me. I been there an’ come away again. You just gim me some o’them rings an’ things an’ we’ll call it square, me fine lady!” Phyllis's heart stood still at this open menace, but she ran on still. A sudden thought came to her. She snatched her gilt sash-buckle—a pretty thing but of small value— from her waist, and hurled it far be hind the tramp. In the half-light it might have been her gold mesh-bag. nor Allan saw that Which caught the other in an embrace they never knew. They stood locked together, forgetting everythoing else, he in tha idea of her peril, she In the won der of hi*s standing. “Oh, darling, darling!” Allan was saying over and over again. “You are safe—thank heaven you are safe! Oh, PhyTITs, I could never for give myself if you had been hurt! Phylis speak to me!” But Phyllis’s own safety did not concern her now. She could only think of one thing. “You can stand! You can stand!” she reiterated. Then a wonderful thought came to her, striking across the others, as she stood locked in this miracul ously raised Allan's arms. She spoke without knowing that she had said it aloud. “Do you care, too?” she said very low. Then the dominant thought returned. “You must sit down again,” she said hurriedly, to cover her confusion, and what she had said. “Please* Allan, sit down. Please, deary—you’ll tire yourself* Allan sank into his Chair again, still holding her. She dropped on her knees beside him, with her arms around him. She had a little leisure now to eb8erve that Wallis, the evernresourceful, had t|ed the tr^unp neatly with the outdoor man’s saa ponders, which were nearer the surface than his own, and succeeded in prying off the still unappeased Foxy, who evidently was wronged at not having the tramp to finish. They carried him off. into the back kitchen garden. Allan now that ae was certain of Phyllis's safety, paid them not the least attention. "Did you mean it?” he said pas sionately. "Tell me, did you mean what you said?” Phyllis dropped her disheaveled head on Allan's shoulder. “I’m afraid—I’m going to cry, and - and I know you don’t like it!” she panted. Allan half drew, half guided her up into his arms. “Was it true?” he insisted, giving her an impulsive little shaka. She sat up on his knees, wide-eyed and wet-cheeked like a child. “But you knew that all along!” she said. “That was why I felt so humiliated. It was you that I thought didn’t care—” Allan laughed joyously. “Care!’? he said. “I should think I did first, last, and all the time! Why, Phyllis, child, didn’t 1 behave like a brute be cause I was jealous enough of John Hewitt to throw him in the rijrer? He was the first man you had seen since you married me—-attractive, and well, and clever, and all that— it would have been natural enough if you’d liked him.” “Liked him!” said Phyllis in dis dain. “When there was you? And I thought—I thought it was the mem ory of Louise Frey that made you act that way. You didn’t want to talk about her, and you said it was all a mistake—” “I was a brute,” said Allan again. “It was the memory that I was about as useful as a rag doll, and that the world was full of live men with real legs and arms, ready to fall In love with you. “There’s nobody but you In the world,” whispered Phyllis. "But you’re well now, or you will be soon,” she added joyously. She slipped awaj frojt jtlm. "Allan, don’t you want to try and stand again? If you did It then, you can do It now." -■« "Yes, by Jove, I do!” he said. But this time the effort to rise was no ticeable. Still, he could do it, with Phyllis’s eager help. “It must have been what Dr. Hew itt called neurasthenic inhibition,” said Phyllis, watching the miracle of a standing Allan. "That was what we were talking about by the door that night, you foolish boy! Oh, how tall you are! I never real ized you were tall, lying down, somehow!" “I don’t have to bend very far to kiss you, though,” suggested Allan, suiting the action to the word. (To be continued next week.) Accursed 3-hour Day. From the Manufacturers’ Record. When the Industrial worker has been told by the president of the United States that he must work eight hours a day or be paid on that basis a very large wage. It will be very difficult for him to change his opinion on the subject; and yet he too must face the reality that In limiting his hours and limiting his output he is setting an example to the farmer which will be followed as sure as night follows day. In the light of the present turmoil of strikes, the increasing scarcity of labor on the farms and in the factories, the lessened production of food products, of cotton, of wool and of manufactured goods, with steadily rising prices, we wonder If President Wilson does not sometimes wish he had never made the statement to the effect that society had decided upon an 8-hour day. The Manufacturers’ Record repeats what It has been saying for many years: It believes In high wages, high salaries and a larger profit for the farmers than they made prior to two years ago. It fully recognizes which Is taking place, but It does not believe that It Is pos sible to produce the things which the world must have on the eight-hour-a-day plan. So far as we have been able to study, no man working only eight hours a day has ever made a great success. No physician, no preacher, no teacher, no farmer, no manufacturer, no man in public life who has been able to achieve much for himself or humanity ever did so on eight hours of labor. Mr. Wilson woifld never have been president if he had worked only eight hours a day. and he would never have made any stir in the world if, after he had been elected president, he had worked only eight hours a day. Away forever with the eight-hour-a-day curse upon humanity! — A Short fJomja£<". From tne Houston Chronicle. "What did you marry him for?” ' •'His money.” “What do you want a divorce for?" I ‘T’ve got it.” These Days. (; 't*.. From Judge. “What Is meant by the ’freedom of the seas’?" “Haven’t you ever heard about the three-mile limit regulation?” Progressing. From the Kansas City Star. “Do you play golf, Mr. Gloom?” “No.” replied the cynic, “but I have Anally got so that I can stand to see other people play It without insulting them.” Why the Room? From the Louisville Courier-Journal. “Something good. I think It will make a hit.” “What Is It?" “A garage with one living room at tached.” A Bargain Struck. From the Rotarian. A city man. visiting a small comJ— town, boarded a stage with two dilapi dated horses, and found that he had no other currency than a 86 bill. This be offered to the driver. The latter took It, looked It over for a moment or so, then sulked: "Which horse Or wou want?" , - LE MARS LADS WELD FOR ROBBING STORE Two Charged With Stealing Silk Shirts and Ties Worth $1,060. LaMars, la.. June 4.—Silk shirt* and nackties valued at $1,050 were stolen from the Gearke & Drod'e clothing store here early Wednesday morning and George Hart and How ard Kenner two LeMars youths, were arrested today, charged with having stolen the goods. Each furnished bond for $1,500. Following the robbery the youths are said to have gone to the clothing store and to have presented them selves a* "amateur detective*." They are Maid*to have told the store pro prietors that they would like to be "put on the case" and to have asked that they be given $156 for their "services" in the event they recovered the goods. With police, the two lads went to a grain bin near the outskirts of the city, where the goods were found. Afterwards Hart and Renner are said to have confessed they stole the goods. The store was entered after a win dow had been broken and the shirts and ties were carried away in trav eling bags also taken from the store, HOME RULE BILL Additional Troops Bushing to Ireland Include 2,000 to Protect Coast Guard Stations. London, June 4.—Walter Long, on behalf of the British government, made an announcement in the house of commons this afternoon which is believed to mean the abandonment of the present home rule bill, owing to Sian Fein threats of creating an Irish republic under its provisions. In thg course of the Irish debate, the first lord of the admiralty said that if this was the intention of the Jhogovernment j would ^suspend action ’ oh the bill and let parliament take whatever ac tion It deemed “necessary.” The Sinn Fein threat is that the Irish republicans, by virtue of their majority in the southern Irish parlia ment which would be established un der the home rule bill, would pass a measure proclaiming Ireland to be a republic. Sir Hamar Greenwood, chief secre tary for Ireland, was compelled to an swer many questions on the turbulent situation in Ireland. He said the gov ernment was taking fresh measures to protect the police stations from at tacks by marauders. Serious Situation in New Theater. The Sinn Fein campaign against Irish coast guard stations has pro duced a serious situation in a new theater, by endangering shops along the coasts, and impeding navigation. The government has cautioned ma riners not to rely on the signals, as they may be false signals flashed by enemies with a view to wrecking the ships. The additional troops rushing to Ireland include 2,000 to protect the coast guard stations. KING GEORGE ENTITLED TO FULL 55 CANDLES London, June 4.—King George cele brated his 55tli birthday today, and in honor of the event artillery salutes were fired in St. James Park, London, the Broad Walk, Windsor, anu at all naval and military depoLs. At the military depots the garrisons were re viewed. Vast crowds gave King George a tremendous reception as he rode to the parade ground at the head of a brilliant headquarter's staff. He was* attended by Field Marshals Earl Haig, the Duke of Connaught, Lord Gren fell, Sir William Robertson and Sir Henry Wilson, and most of the famous leaders in the late war. Queen Mary with Princess Mary took up a position at the saluting base. Tlie king addressed the troops, complimenting them upon their ap pearance and war records. At the ' conclusion of the review, the king took his place at the head of the troops and ltd them back to Bucking ham Palace. Tonight the king gave a state ban quet in Buckingham Palace. For the first time since the out break of the war, and in compliment to King George on the occasion of his birthday, the German flag flew from the staff at the embassy here today. The flag was conspicuous to vas sersby, particularly returned soldiers, but ‘.* ~re was no demonstration re- i porletT --- • ----> . - -- BOY AUTO DRIVER DIES FROM INJURIES Iowa Lad Fell Asleep at Wheel and Car Went Into Ditch. Council Bluffs, Ia„ June 4.—While driving home from Den: ion with Rus sell Reader, William McKIm, 17. of Deloit, fell asleep whilp at the wheel, the car went into the ditch and Mc Kim was so badly injured he died in a hospital at Schleswig. PACKSNGCCMPANf TRIES TO REORGANIZE Pes Moines, la.. Ju le 4 —Stock holders of the Associated Packinp Company, thrown into the hands of receiver in a manner smiku?, tpr'ttiat employed in the Midland Packing Company case, met to'.ay ia an ef fort to reorcranir.e. A lively row i» said to have developed, and it is not known what the outcor**e will he. _ N JOHNSON'S BOOM DUE FOR SETBACK SAT TJT SAGES” He Now Occupies Center of Arena, but It’s Predicted i He’ll Weaken Before Con vention Starts. B ROBERT J. BENDER. United News Staff Correspondent. Chicago, June 4.—Republican can didates and the national party leaders are now bracing themselves to meet the onslaught of Senator Johnson's presidential* maneuvers. After breaking in on the precon vention doings Thursday with a band, a parade, plenty of flags and copious . noise, his actions and his words con vinced everyone that about the Cal ifornian is to center the leading con flagrations from now on. John.-on’s political bag,, into which he plunged his hand before he had been in the city an hour, is full of interesting things. By way of a star ter he already has drawn from it a generous assortment of defies which he has distributed all around. The media of his initial presentations were a crowd to which he spoke after his arrival and a group of news papermen with whom he talked im mediately thereafter. Johnson’s Statements Given. For the delegates and national com mittee upon whom will rest the re sponsibility of drafting a platform, he had the following:' “I am here to see that the conven tion does not pussyfoot nor skulk nor hide on the issue of the League of Natiens. I shall insist that the con vention take a manly, courageous stand in o^iiosition to the league as it sow is proposed.” For the so-called "party leaders”, the senator had this: "I am here to insist that this year it be the purpose to elect as well as select in the matter of a nominee. In the past there has been too much concern about selecting the nominee and not enough concern as to the possibility of his election.” For the opposing candidates in the fUdd, Johnson presented this^m;^: j" _ ^ ITfiancial backing, no widespre*ad organization, but I have one thing that none of the others in this contest lias and that is the popular approval of the people of this country. I polled 1,250,000 republican votes in the primaries, far tnore than my nearest opponent. I don’t assume that the delegates will follow the ex pression of their voters but if they do, the result is not uncertain.” “Raps” New York Papers. And then, before closing his bag, the senator dr forth one more par cel, this one for “certain of the New York press.” Some New York News papers, he said, “like the New York Times, the Tribune and others, have decreed that there is no place in the republican party for the common, ordinary citizen. I challenge their right to take this position, resent their attitude and one of the things I am here for is to see that it is - not effected.” Johnson’s arrival on the scene today had the effect of putting all the other candidates any many of the old line leaders in an attitude of defense. While the senator declared he “an ticipated no turmoil,” the political weather forecasters immediately hoisted storm flags all over the place. He catches both General Wood and Governor Lowden at a time when their respective candidacies are hav ing a slump and it happens that the slumps are largely due to the “politi cal boodle” charges of Johnson and his followers. Hence his coming finds him in no friendly mood. As for those party leaders, who are chary about naming Johnson, they predict he will create additional an tagonism before the convention, suf ficient to bear down on his boom af ter a fr«v days. Johnson's coming has switched the picture once more. First, t*5e strength of Wood was such as to place him on the defensive against the field—and his boom lost momentum, temporarily at least. With the falling of the Wood stock the quotations on the Lowden chances reached new heights, in fact, reached a point where he found himself agarinst the field and then it was checked. Now comes Johnson, and with his leading opponents halted for the mo ment. he finds himself with the field against him. Therefore, say the sages, his boom, in turn, will'present ly feel the chilling blasts. The big question now is whether any of these leading booms can re bound from their respective slumps. The Wood followers are confident, hut a general feeling among political leaders that Wood can win is notably lacking. The Lowden's supporters still think the governor’s position is still the* strongest because ne t\as slumped at a time which will permit of a come back at the mos4. effrctive period in the convention. But Liwden has oofinitely lost a number of votes already as a result of the JJissouri money disclosures, not so much because delegates are not Gtill for Lowden. but rather because some are afraid if they vote for the governor there will be folks back home that think they got something for it. A dozen, if not more, originally Lowden men. have decided, at least for the moment, that they can’t re main with him. # Johnson and his followers believe he wi;l carry on to a successful finish because "the party leaders as well as the Johnson boosters know Johnson is a vote getter and can win in No vember.” Johnson emphasized this belief both in his speech and in personal con versation later. Nevertheless, one hears more and more talk among party leaders that the situation appears to favor sweep ing off the existing slate and inject ing some rand date whose pre-con vention fight has not brought ani mosities or political mud.