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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (April 26, 1923)
ONE OF OURS By W1LLA CATHER. t-'amous Nebraska Author. (Continued from Teaterdari SYNUFSIS. t l»ud# Wheeler, married to reljrlnu* j •l»u(hler or Jason Koj<e. Nebraska ! farmer, bus hnllt home on lantl given him by his father, Nat. Enid, Claude's wife, is in China where shs went when receiving a letter from her j Hunger sis-1 ler, Caroline, saying she was ill. Claude 1 formerly attended small college in lJn- 1 coin. Neb. While there he made friends or Erlich family, a motherly widow and five sons. He also has as friends, living near him at home, Ernest Havel and I.eonard Dawson. Ieonard Is married. Be fore his marriage to Enid Boyce. Claude whs much engrossed In study of Derman sdvance Into Belgium. Cpou Enid's sud den departure for China he again lakea up his Interest In the war Just prior to sinking of l.usltania. Claude, during his wife’s absence, lives with his mother, t lauds and Ernest llavel have argued o'er prohibition. In which cause Claude’s w-lfe Is active when at home. Ernest leaves in a huff, latter Interest In the w-ar draws them hack together. On way ti Frankfort from the ranch Claude pirks up Oladys Farmer, high school girl friend of Ills wife. Claude would like to ni<l on her hut banishes the thoiight when be realises it would cause talk In tow*n. CHAPTER VIII. During the bleak months of March Mr. Wheeler went to town in his buckboard almost every day. For the first time in his life he had a se cret anxiety. The one member of his family who had never given him the slightest trouble, his son Bayliss, was just now under a cloud. Bayliss was a pacifist, and kept •telling people that If only the United States would stay out of this war, and gather up what Europe was wast ing, she would soon be in actual pos session of the capital of the world. There was a kind of logio in Bayliss’ utterances that shook Nat Wheeler’s Imperturbable assumption that one point of view was as good as an other. When Bayliss fought the dram and the clgaret, Wheeler only laughed. That a son of his should turn out a prohibitionist, was a joke he could appreciate. But Bayliss’ at titude in the present crisis disturbed him. Day after day he sat about his eon’e place of business, interrupting his arguments with funny stories. Bayliaa did not go home at all that month. He e&ld to his father. "No, mother's too violent I’d better not." Claudet and hits mother read the papers in the evening, but they talked so little about what they read that Mahalley Inquired anxiously whether they weren’t still fighting over yonder. When she could get Claude alone for a moment, she pulled out Sunday supplement pictures of the devastated countries and asked him to tell her what waa to become of this family, photographed among the ruins of their home; of this old wo man, who sat by the roadside with h»r bundles. "Where's she goin’ to, anyways? See, Mr. Claude, she's got her Iron cook-pot, pore old thing, carryin’ it all the way!" Pictures of soldiers in gas masks puzzled her; gas was something she hadn't learned about in the civil war. so she worked it out for her self that these masks were worn by the army eooks, to protect their eyes when they were cutting up onions! “All them onions they have to cut up. it would put their eyes out If they didn’t wear somethin’,'’ ehe argued. on the morning of the 8th of April < 'laude came downstairs early and began to clean his boots, which were caked with dry mud. Mahalley was • squatting down beside her stove, blowing and puffing into it. The fire was always slow to start in heavy weather. Claude got an old knife and a brush, and putting bis foot cn a chair over by the west window, began to scrape his shoe. He had said good morning to Mahailey, nothing more. He hadn't slept well, and was pule. “Mr. Claude.” Mahailey grumbled, "this stove ain't never drawed good like my old one Mr. ltalph took away from me. I can't do nothin’ with it. Maybe you’ll clean it out for me next Sunday.” “I’ll clean it today, if you say so. I won't be here next Sunday. I’m going away.” Something dn his tone made Ma hailey get up, her eyes still blinking with the smoke, and look at him sharply. "You ain't goin' off there where Miss Enid is?” she asked anx iously. "No, Mahailey.” He had dropped the shoe brush and stood with one foot on the chair, his elbow on his knee, looking out of tho window as if he had forgotten himself. "No, I'm not going to China. I'm going over to help fight the Germans.” He was still staring out at the wet fields. Before he could stop her, be fore he knew what she was doing, she had caught and kissed his un worthy hand. "I knowed you would.’ she sobbed. ”1 always knowed you would, you nice boy. you! Old Mahail’ knowed!" Her upturned face was working all over; her mouth, her eyebrows, even the wrinkles on her low forehead were working and twitching. Claude felt a tightening In his rliroat as he tenderly regarded that face; behind the pale eyes, under the low brow where there was not room for many thoughts, an idea was struggling and tormenting her. The same idea that had been tormenting him. “You'rs all right, Mahailey,” he muttered, patting her back and turn ing away. “Now hurry breakfast.” “You ain’t told your mudder yit?” she whispered. “No, not yet. But she'll be all right, too.” He caught up hi? cap and went down to the barn to look after the horses. When Claude returned, the fam ily were already at the breakfast table. He slipped into his seat and watched hie mother while she drank her first cup of coffee. Then he ad dressed his father. "Father, I don’t see any use of waiting for the draft. If you can spare me. I'd like to get Into a train ing camp somewhere. I believe I d stand a chance of getting a commis sion.” “I shouldn’t wonder.” Mr. Wheeler poured maple syrup on hla pancakes with a liberal hand. “How do you feel about It. Evangeline?” Mrs. Wheeler had quietly put down her knife and fork. She looked at her husband In vague alarm, while her fingers moved restlessly about over the tablecloth. “I thought.” Claude went on hasti ly. “that maybe I would go up to Omaha tomorrow and find out where the training camps are to be located, snd have talk with the men in charge of the enlistment station. Of course." be added lightly, “they may not want me. I haven’t an idea what the re quirements are.” . “No. I don’t understand much about It either.” Mr. Wheeler rolled his top pancake and conveyed it to his mouth. After a moment of mastica tion lie said. "You figure on going tomorrow’" "I'd like to. 1 won't bother with baggage—some shirls and under clothes in my suitcase. 11 the govern ment wants me. it will clothe me." Mr. Wheeler pushed back his plate. "Well, now 1 guess you'd better come tut with me and look at the wheal. 1 don't know but Id best plow up that south quarter and put it in corn. 1 don't believe it will make anything much." When ("Intide and his father went out of the door. Dan spiang up with more alacrity than usual and plunged after them He did not wont to be left alone with Mrs. Wheeler. She remained sitting at the foot of the deserted breakfast table. She was not crying. Her eyes were utterly sight less. Her back was so stooped that site seemed to be bend.ng under a burden. Mahallty cleared the dishes away quietly. Out in the muddy fields Claude fin ished his talk with his father, lie ex plained that he wanted to slip away without saying goodbye to any one. "I have a way, you know." he said, flushing, “of beginning things and not getting very far with them. I don’t, want anything said about this until I’m sure. I may be rejected for one reason or another." Mr. 'Wheeler smiled. “T guess not. However, I'll tell Dan to keep hi* mouth shut. Will you just go over to Leonard Dawson's and get that wrench lie borrowed? It's about noon, and he'll likely be at home." Claude found big Leonard watering his team at the windmill. When Leort |ard asked him what he thought of the president's message, he blurted out at once that he was going to Omaha to enlist. Leonard reached up and pulled the lever that controlled the 'almost nlotlonless wheel. "Better wait a. few weeks and I'll go with you. I'm going to try for the marines. They take my eye." Claude, standing on the edge of the tank, almost fell backward. "Why, what—what for?" Iveonard looked hint over. "Good Ixtrd. Claude, you ain't the only fel low around here that wears pants! What for? Well, I'll tell you what for,” he held up three large red fin gers threateningly: "Belgium, the Lusitania, Kdith Cavell. That dirt's got under my skin. I'll get my corn planted, and then father'll look after Susie till I come hack.” Claude took a long breath. “Well, r DR. ALLWINE H SPECIALIST in painless ex traction and restoring lost teeth by best methods. Ripe experience and personal at tention to both. Because ft win be ah Rem of no little economy for us to have all our different breads known by the one name, and because it will be much easier for you to IDENTIFY our products, and also because we do not feel that the names we are now using tell the real story of their superior quality—we are anxious to have the “public” help us find just the right name for our breads. Therefore the offer of “reward” to the party who furnishes us with this BETTER NAME. Petersen & Pegau Baking Co. MAKERS OF Hard Roll Bread Tip-Top Rye Bread Sun-Maid Raisin Tip-Top Graham Boston Brown Bread Tip-Top Bread Tip-Top Vienna Wheat-a-Laxa Petersen & Petrau’s Whole Wheat Bread This new name shall be easy to pronounce ands easy to remember. It must be a “fitting” name for a quality loaf of bread. It may be a “coined” word, but not necessarily so. It should create confidence and must have an appeal “in ita ring” for the children as well as for the grownups. You must have your “suggested’’ names into our office not later than May 15th. A selected group of judge* will decide upon the “best" hame submitted and we will pay the above mentioned sum to the party giving the se lected name. It is understood that we shall hold all “rights" and privileges to the use of any name submitted. Addraaa "Naw Nam*** Judgaa, c'o Patartan A Pagau Baiting Co , 12th and Jackaen Straata, Omaha, Nab. Leonard, you fooled me. I believed all this chaff you've been giving me about noi caring who chewed up who.’ "And no inure do I care." Leonard protested, "noi a damn! Hut there's a limit. I've been ready to go since the Lusitania. I don't get any satis faction out of my place any more. Susie feels the. sumo way." Claude looked at his big neighbor. ' Well. I'm off tomorrow Leonard. Don't mention it to my folks, but if I can't get into the army. I'm going to enlist in the navy. They'll always take an able-bodied man. I'm not coming back here.'' He held out his hand and Leonard took it with a smack. "(loud luck. Claude. Maybe well meet in foreign parts. Wouldn't that be a joke! Clive my love to Laid when you write. I always did think she was n fine girl, though 1 rt:s • agreed with her on prohibition." I Claude crossed the fields mechanical* ly. without looking where lie went. Ilis power of vision was turned in* | ward upon scenes and events wholly! imaginary as yet. (Continued in The Morning Bee.) St. Louis banks have more womeo depositors than men. Governor of Minnesota to Address Lutheran Hally Governor J. A. O. f'reu* of Minne sota will be tlie principal speaker at a Lutheran mass meeting in the Bran dels theater Sunday. May t>. at 7:30. The 20 Lutheran congregations In Omaha will dispense with their reg ular services that evening. A chorus of 300 voices will sing. Governor Preus’ father and grand father were Lutheran clergymen, as was also his mother's father. Ile holds degrees from Luther college, the 1‘niversity of Minnesota and <>us tavuH Adolphus college. He was formerly secretary to Sen ator Knute Nelson. He is now serv ing hl« second term as governor. The 20 Omaha Lutheran congtegi tions supporting the mass meeting have property here wprth $1,643,000. They have 8.204 members. ].ast year they expended $278,301 for local ex penses and gave $300,688 to benev olences. These figures Include Im manuel Deaconess Institute. Thirty fourth street and Meredith avenue. Se\en Alleged Speeders Fined in Municipal Court Seven alleged speeders faced Judge VVapplch In municipal court yester day and were released with mines. They were Hex Baiker, 5112 Dodg« street, $7.50; Charles Dankes, 580'. South Twentieth street, $12.50: V Jones, 5107 South Twenty-fifth street. $12.50; Otto Langhelm, 4313 Soutn Thirteenth street, $7.50; Harry Davis, 4512 Blondo street, $15; H. A. Stewart, 0930 Florence boulevard, $10; L. M. Tefft, Majestic apartments, $12 50. THESE HART SCHAFFNER & MARX SUITS HAVE STYLE; THEY’RE NEW Any number of well-dressed men want smart style like this; easier fitting coats; pockets and buttons placed lower; wider trousers The all wool fabrics and tailoring are always the best; | to hold the style and give long wear j __ _ Copjrn*ht IMJ Bin ft Min I IfcWwriii ~n iinitwnriir»mi rur-rr tun— - . _ J The Brandeis Store OMAHA