“Sands of Death”
By FLOYD GIBBONS
Famous Headline Hunter
IIFE wouldn’t be worth living if it weren’t for its uncer
tainties. We wouldn’t have half so much fun if it weren’t
for the tricks Fate plays on us every now and then to—well
—sort of keep us on our toes.
Here’s the story of a lad who had adventure bounce back on him.
He is Sidney Smith of Chicago, and Sid set out with a gun one day to
give some ducks the adventure of their lives.
But Fate turned the tables, and Sid wound up In the midst
of a hair-raising adventure himself.
It was in Socorro, N. Mex., in November, 1900, that Sid took a notion
to go duck hunting. He got his friend. Bill Nelson, to go with him and
they started out together one frosty November morning to look for birds
along the Rio Grande, which runs within a mile of the town.
River Bed Was Full of Quicksands.
The river was low at that time of the year. You could darned near
walk across it without getting wet. The dry, muddy bed of the river, or
dinarily full of patches of quicksand, was solid, with a hard crust of
frozen sand on the top.
Sid and Bill reached the river and started to walk across these
sands toward the other side where the ducks had congregated. Walking
and wading through little rivulets, they came within fifteen yards of
the opposite bank, and there they were stopped by a rivulet wider and
deeper than the others.
A torrent of water was rushing through It so swiftly that they
knew it would be dangerous to cross. Still, they were willing to
try it, for all the ducks were on the opposite side of the river.
Bill Nelson was a six-footer and weighed about 200 pounds. Fight
ing his way through rushing water up to his waist, he managed
to get across. But Sid, who weighed only 130, couldn’t make It.
There was nothing to do but turn back. Sid called to Bill to go ahead
—that he would wait on the other side. Maybe some ducks, stirred by
Bill’s shooting, would fly over to his side. He started back to the bank,
but by this time the sun had melted the frozen crust on the top of the
fsand. Sid sank In up to his ankles at every step—and sometimes he
sank in deeper.
Sid Jumped Right Into It.
The squish, squish of his feet in the mud alarmed him. All that
stretch of muddy silt looked alike, and any minute he was liable to sink
into quicksand. He picked his way as carefully as he could, and
kept plodding steadily on toward the safety of the bank. And luck was
'with him. He made the bank.
As he reached it, he heard Bill Nelson shooting, somewhere on the
other side of the river. ’’Sure enough,” he says, ”a heavy flight of
ducks rose from the opposite shore and started for my side of the river.
They seemed to head for a slough about a quarter of a mile upstream,
and I started toward it, working my way through dense thickets that
covered the bottom lands. I was almost there when I came to a cut
about four feet wide.
“The ground on my side of it was firm, so I jumped across.
As 1 landed I Instinctively bent my knees in preparation for the
Jar I expected and—”
And that movement saved Sid Smith’s life!
Sid jumped—and he landed in a mess of quicksand. Had he landed
feet first, he might have gone in up to his neck. As it was, with his
knees bent, he fell half backwards. A wider surface of his body hit
the sand, and he went in to a point half way between his waist and his
armpits.
Says Sid: "It wasn’t possible for me to work myself out of my rub
ber waders. I soon found that out. I began reaching out with my gun,
gathering in every brunch or twig I could. As I drew them to me I piled
them under my arms. My movements were slow and careful as I could
make them, for I knew only too well that every violent motion I made
would only serve to make me sink deeper into the quagmire.”
Bill Heard His Distress Shots.
But in spite of all his care, Sid was sinking into the quicksand.
With the twigs and branches under him, he lay back, spreading his weight
over as wide an area as possible, and began to Are his gun. Three shots
—closely spaced—a distress signal that he hoped Bill Nelson would hear
and recognize.
But what If Bill didn’t hear It? What if no one heard it?
It wasn't a pleasant thought, and Sid didn’t like to think about it.
Sid waited ten minutes and fired three more shots. And all the time
he was sinking, slowly—steadily. Seven times he fired that series of
shots. For seventy minutes, as nearly as he could judge it, he sent
out signals. And on the last try he heard an answering shot.
Or was it an answer? Sid hoped so. By that time he was buried up
to his armpits. Only his arms and shoulders were above ground. He
fired three more quick shots in answer to the one he had heard—and
when that was done'just one shell remained. If that last shot was an
answer, he might have a chance. If it wasn’t—if it was only the shot of
a hunter shooting ducks—well, then Sid might as well give up and resign
himself to one of the most horrible deaths known.
Rescue in (he Nick of Time.
The gun was useless now. Sid rolled his coat up, tucked it under his
right arm. He laid his gun out at arms length and placed his hands on
it. Anything to distribute his weight. Anything to keep him alive for an
extra few seconds. He might need those seconds—if help came.
He began shouting then, at intervals, hoping to guide some
one to the spot. Still he kept sinking. For fifteen minutes he
kept up his shouts—and then, suddenly, he heard Bill Nelson's an
swering voice.
In two minutes. Bill was on the spot Sid had Jumped from. In a
few minutes more he had a good-sized branch under each of Sid’s
arms. And with that to start on, it wasn’t long before Sid was out
again. Sid was safe—but the experience has left its mark on him.
"From that day to this," he says, "I have had to exercise my will power
to force myself to wade streams or to wall- along the banks while hunt
ing or fishing."
( ©—WNU Service.
Faithful Pilgrims Trek
to Black Virgin Shrine
Montserrat, Spain, is the name of
a fantastic mountain pass that rises
abruptly to a height of 3,000 feet
from the rolling foothills of Cata
luna. It is also the name of a fa
mous monastery, which clings like
a swallow’s nest halfway up the
steep slopes of the mountain, about
35 miles northwest of Barcelona.
For centuries, states a correspond
ent in the St. Louis Globe-Demo
crat, this medieval Benedictine
monastery has been the na ton's
most famous shrine, to which thou
sands of the Spanish faithful make
pilgrimage each year to pay hom
age to what is called the Black Vir
gin. This wooden image, darkened
by age, is not, however, the only
•source of Montserrat’s fame. Mont
serrat, in Catalan tradition, is the
Montsalvatsh or Monsalvat of the
Middle ages, site of the castle of the
Holy GraiL Here Ignatius of Loy
ola, a wounded soldier, knelt in
prayer, and Went away to found the
Society of Jesus.
According to legend, the Black
Virgin was carved by St Luke and
brought to Baicelona A. D. 50 by St.
Peter. During the Moorish invasion
and occupation it was hidden by
Christian monks in one of the caves
of Montserrat near the site of the
present monastery. An effort was
made to bring it down from the
mountains, but, although the statue
is not quite life-size, the shepherds
reported that it could not be moved
beyond the ledge where the monas
tery stands. The Basilica, accord
ingly, was erected to protect it, and
the monastery built to care for the
pilgrims who climbed the mountain
to worship at the virgin's shrine.
The Irish Flag
“Erin go Bragh” is Gaelic for
“Ireland Forever.” The symbols
on the Irish flag Include an Irish
player ol the harp, the national mu
sical instrument of Ireland; the
wreath of shamrocks representing
that used by St Patrick, which il
lustrates the Blessed Trinity. The
three leaves of the shamrock repre
sent the first, second and third per
sons of the Blessed Trinity, and the
shamrock itself is the Blessed Trin
ity.
-
Suits Stress Short Pitted Jackets
liy CI1ER1E NICHOLAS
THE coronation of the king and
4ueen ol Great Britain is reflect
ing no little influence throughout the
world of fashion Which perhaps ac
counts for the tremendous vogue
for handsome suits tailored of hand
some woolens which is sweeping
throughout fashion’s domain. Since
London is proving a magnet for de
signers and merchants who wish to
keep in touch with what's going on
in a fashion way where such stir
ring epoch making events are tak
ing place, their first reaction would
naturally be in favor of stunning
woolen tailored apparel since Eng
lish women set pace for the world
in this direction.
At any rate this is proving an
outstanding season for the tailored
suit and all that goes with it in
the way of chic accessories. The
new woolens are as an intriguing lot
a. ever launched forth on a fashion
career. While most any length jack
et is rccepted this year as good
style, yet when it comes to top
notch swank the fashion-wise are
centering their interest about the
Jaunty short-jacket types.
The suit to the left in the picture
combines nubby wool sheer tweed
with even nubbier knit and you know
that the nubbier the smarter is the
word this season for woolens. The
short fitted jacket in brown and
beige tweed has three half-moon
pockets lined with the brown knit of
the skirt. There’s a brown knit ascot,
a belt and but-ons that are amusing
in their oddity. By the way, you
can add to the lure of a costume
like this by wearing a blouse that
fastens with fruit or vegetable but
tons. Seeing is believing in regard
to these whimsical buttons, some of
which are miniature strawberries
or perhaps wee apples or peaches.
If you prefer oblong buttons ask
for the lilliputian bananas they are
displaying this season or the teeny
weeny ears of corn, each and all
in the realistic colorings of Nature.
The two-piece suit of pin-checked
wool tweed on the seated figure is
beige flecked with white, according
to Schiaparelli's fabric version.
Such an exciting color theme as
beige has grown to be this season!
It’s beige for your suit, for your
furs, for your monotone crepe after
noon gown and for accessories with
your nayy or black suit beige is a
most important message. The dia
mond shaped composition buttons
that fasten this jacket are decidedly
novel and therefore impart the ex
clusive look. Panels form ingenious
breast pockets. A navy blouse peeps
from under the stand-up collar.
Check and double check! Here
you sec the game played in the
suit to the right in the group. A
navy and white box-swagger coatee
in soft wool with large pa-tch pock
ets and rounded lapels over a single
breasted jacket to match makes
this one of the smartest and most
practical suits of the season. A navy
monotone tweed skirt in simple lines
is a pleasing variation from the
check of the jacket. Wear with thii
costume a white baku breton sailor
with roll brim faced in patent leath
er, for you must know that patent
leather touches are ace-high chic.
The checked swagger-and-jacket
suit just described is a good ex
ample of the fashion now prevail
ing for ensembles that are that
composite they furnish quite a com
plete wardrobe in themselves. The
present scheme of costume design
that includes several items such as
skirt, jacket, roomy topcoat and of
ten an added cape denotes a vtery
practical turn of affairs. These are
so related in color and technique
that combine them as you will,
they never fail to form a perfect
unified outfit.
© Western Newspaper Union.
“AMOUR” SILK PRINT
Hr CIIKKIK NICHOLAS
The love affair that startled the
world takes on a fashion note. Look
at the silk over-blousette which this
! perfectly ooiffed and hatted lady
is wearing and you will be able to
decipher the word “amour” design
fully patterned in stripes on the
printed silk. The blousette is worn
over a black silk crepe dress. The
silk print is done in black and gray
i on a white silk crepe. The breton
: sailor she wears flared off the fore
head instead of tilted forward is a
; “last word" hat fashion.
Nosegays tor Buttonhole
A smart Paris wrinkle is an eve
ning corsage of dahlias in seven
different tones or one with three
j lilac sprays, white and mauve
violets.
GLASS SLIPPERS ARE
LATEST FOOT MAGIC
By CHEKIE NICHOLAS
Glass slippers for the modern
Cinderella are the latest word in
foot-magic from Paris. To show that
they are a 1937 vogue and won't
actually disappear at midnight,
they are trimmed in gold kid and
show bright nail lacquer gleaming
through.
Another version of the Cinderella
slipper is created of woven strands
of crystal. This, too, is semi-trans
parent. Other more practical types
of footwear for spring indicate the
growing importance of the pedicure
as a fashion requisite. Tipped-toe
shoes (with just the tip cut out at
front, sports and evening slippers
made of twisted bands of printed
linen—all reveal lace-tipped stock
ings and brightly lacquered toes.
Rust and ruby-red and burgundy
are especially popular, usually worn
a tone deeper than the fingernails.
Roman sandals and flat-heeled
gold evening slippers with tiny
strappings will be particularly popu
lar with the "tall and willowy.”
Printed slippers made from the
same material as the evening gown
and colored kid sandals are also
high in favor.
Ventilated Headwear Is
Latest Edict From Paris
Ventilated headwear is a top
note in the new collection Agnes
shows. Pie-shaped wedges are cut
out of black brims that lie low
and hug the hair. Half-hats that
reach back only to the ears are
finished the rest of the way with
flowing bladk veils.
A wide-brimmed black Panama,
cut In two lengthwise, joins to
gether again with half a dozen
bows of black velvet baby ribbon.
All its edges are also velvet-bound.
Agnes, too, makes much use of
ribbon. Birdlike bows perch on
the crowms of her sailor hats and
stand aloft on the “cut-away” fronts
of her off-the-face models.
AROUND
the HOUSE
k Items of Interest
[I to the Housewife
Colorful Apples — If apples
are put in water containing a little
lemon juice a few minutes before
cooking, they will keep their color
• * *
Angel Cake — One cupful of
white of eggs, one and one-quarter
cupfuls of granulated sugar. One
cupful of flour. One-half teaspoon
cream of tartar A pinch of salt
added to whites before whipping;
flavor to taste. Cook in a very
slow oven. Yolks of the eggs may
be used for mayonnaise.
* * •
Oiling Household Machinery—
A little oil applied when needed
will keep household machinery
working longer and always ready
for work. You can use cooking or
salad oil to lubricate small cook
ing equipment.
When Washing Paint—Add a lit
tle turpentine to the hot soapy
water. It greatly simplifies the
job and makes much less ‘‘elbow
grease” necessary, especially
when the paint has that rather
greasy film caused by the fumes
from fires or gas stoves.
* * *
Bechamel Sauce—Melt a quar
ter cup butter in saucepan, add
one-quarter cup flour, stir until
smooth. Adfl gradually one and a
half cups of highly seasoned chick
en stock while stirring constantly.
Add one-half cup of hot cream
and beat until smooth and glossy.
Knowledge
WE GREEDILY ask of a
man, “Does he know
Latin or Greek? Does he write
poetry or prose?” But whether
he has become better or worse
we never care, a straw. We
ought to ask, not who knows
the most, but who knows the
best. In true education any
thing that comes to our hand is
as good as a book. So ex
amine every man’s talent, a
peasant, a bricklayer, a pass
erby. You may learn some
thing from all, each in his own
line, of the real affair of this
earth—how to live and die well.
—Montaigne, 1533-1592.
Season with salt, pepper and fine
grating of nutmeg. If a yellow
sauce is desired, remove sauce
from range and add the beaten
yolks of two eggs diluted with
one-quarter cup warm cream.
Do not allow sauce to boil after
adding egg yolks.
* * *
Cleaning Reed Furniture — A
stiff brush dipped in furniture pol
ish is good for cleaning reed and
rattan furniture.
* • •
Garbage as a Compost—Gar
bage and vegetable matter of all
sorts buried underground will in
time rot into excellent compost
for use on lawn, garden or field.
• • *
Stuffed Celery—Prepare inner
stalks of celery. Fill them with
equal parts of creamed Rocque
fort and cream cheese, mashed
till smooth with paprika, and
serve side by side on a boat
shaped dish, or diced, in place of
celery and cheese. Or if preferred
use creamed cream cheese for
the filling after flavoring it to
taste with pepper, salt, paprika,
chopped chives or shallots and
pimiento. A touch of tomato cat
sup can also be added.
©—WNU Service.
__2
Average Wedding Age
In the United States today the
average age at marriage is 21.7
years for women and 24.b years ,
for men. Today, women marryr
four months earlier and men
eleven months earlier than they
did 21 years ago.—Collier’s Weekly.
Dr. Pierce’s Favorite Prescription is a
tonic which has been helping women
of all ages for nearly 70 years. Adv.
Debts of Honor
I pay debts of honor, not hon
orable debts.—Reynolds.
A WORD OF ]
ADVICE
TO HOUSEWIVES
Don’t take chances with your furniture
polish. Use only genuine O-Cedar Polish
—first choice of housekeepers the world
«over for 30 years. Quickly re*
stores lustre, protects and
preserves your furniture. A
^ Full satisfaction Ar
guaranteed. Af
• Many a famous Southern cook has made her reputation with Jewel
pastry, cakes, and hot breads. A Special-Blend of vegetable fat with
other bland cooking fats, Jewel actually creams faster; makes more lender
baked foods. And, with a high smoke point, it’s excellent for frying.
% SECRET A DESERTED MILL/
MELVIN PURVIS, FORMER ACE G-MAN, AND HIS SECRET
OPERATORS CAPTURE THE MARQUETTE COUNTERFEITERS!
jrsssssa.*
3 MFL™ 'sms■*— 5
1 ;E-2LE*«2i&y«•£“?j; 1
5 -3 s-aflssssassaa
* does not paicj U
Melvin Purvis visits Billy and Sally, two of his —
Secret Operators living in a town near tho
Canadian border...
C I'M UP HERE AFTER A GANG OF
COUNTERFEITERS SMUGGLING FAKE
MONEY INTO CANADA AND PASSING
IT THERE...IF I SHOW MYSELF TOO
MUCH AROUND HERE IT'LL AROUSE
SUSPICION. AND SO I WANT vOU TWO
TO SCOUT AROUND THE COUNTRY
SIDE... SEE IF YOU CAN SPOT
ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY
After two days of combinp the country
side, Ililly and Sally arrive at an old
deserted lumber mill, end...
^SURE WE GOT EVERYTHING,'
PIERRE? THIS NEIGHBOR
HOOD MAKES ME NERVOUS
--I WANT TO CLEAR OUT
pi/ OU|-*ZE MONEY PRIN UNO
PRESS SHE IS ON ZE TRUCK UNOER
ZE LOAD Of WOOD... NOW WE
„ LEAVE QUEECK FOR CANADA! ,
fTHEY'LL ESCAPE GEFORE
WE CAN GET WORD TO
MR.DURVlS’*WHAT'lL WE
TSTEP ON IT AN' WEllt
TlBE OVER THE BORDER 1
"TTINANHOURlti
I
- -
/the SECRET OPERATORsS
-> GUILTY SIGN//1
'well, "MILLIONS* MARQUETTE, 'I
THE JIG IS UP! YOU TWO CAN
USE ALL THAT NICE COUNTERFEIT
MONEY YOU PRINTED TO RENT
'that WAS MIGHT Y CLE VER OF YOU QlLLv'l
-MARKING THAT TRUCK WITH OUR SECRET
OPERATORS GUILTY SIGN TO LET ME KNOW
IT WAS THE COUNTERFEITERS!... HAVE SOME
MORE POST TOASTIES? ThEY RE JUST WHAT
MY SECRET OPERATORS NEED-AFTER A j
^trenuousoay!^ j THAN—V
If W MR. PURVIS-•
m i m ^ vou °£T 1 willI- y
BOYS' BIN (left).
GIRLS' BIN
(above). Both of
polished gold bronze, satin-gold
finish. Sent FREE, together with
Secret Operator s Manual to* 2 i e<J
Post Toasties box-tops.
MANY OTHER SWELL FREE
PRIZES SHOWN IN MANUAC
FOR BETTER BREAKFASTS FOR THE
WHOLE FAMILY.. . CRISP, CRUNCHY
POST TOASTIES!
Here's why millions of families prefer crisp, crunchy,
delicious Post Toasties for breakfast every morning:
Post Toasties are made from the sweet, tender little
hearts of the com, where
most of the rich flavor is
stored. And then, these
golden-brown flakes are
toasted double crisp, so they
will keep their crunchy, ap
petizing goodness longer in
milk or cream.
Get Post Toasties, the
better cornflakes, right away
—the price is low. A Post Ce
real-made byGeneral Foods.
ASK FOR POST TOASTIES
IN HOTELS. RESTAURANTS
AND DINING CARS. TOO
L.
(COME ON. BOYS AND GIR LSI
BE A SECRET OPERATOR
IN MV NEW LAW-ANO-ORDER
PATROLl GET MV NEW ^ECRET
OPERATOR'S SHIELD AND MY
SECRET OPERATOR'S BOOK
CONTAINING SPECIAL IN
STRUCTIONS... ALSO PICTURES
OP ALL MV WONDERfUL rREt
PRI7ESI JUST SEND ME THE
COUPON BELOW, WITH 2 ElB
POST TOASTIES PACKAGE
TOPS. ACT NOW I
V —
r — W 0 6 3-37 ^
Melvin Purvis, I
e/e Pest Toasties, Bottle Creek, Michigan >
I enclose 2 Post Toasties peckMte-tops. Please send me
Secret Operator s Badge and Manual. Check whetflef |
boy ( ) or girl ( ). Put correct postage on letter. }
Name-----|
G(Vr txpiru D€ctmktr il7iw£TG<*** *U.S. A.~)~ S
U-.-- — •—e-aaae. — —
