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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1936-02-12, Page 6THURSDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1030 THE EXETER T1MES-ADVOCATE & D Fine SrfiafFiction in a new form. . . . Throe Prixe Short Storic# (of four, instalment* bx a nuuter atory-teller. , , , , They’re Rex Baach at hU baat, 01aKii-Sk ■I SYNOPSIS: Ben Furlong a young but practical oil man and driller fiom the Pennsylvania field, drifted into the Texas oil country, broke and looking Ur work. Finally he fetched up at the Durham home where live an elderly aunt, shortly widowed by the explosion of a powder wagon and her niece, pretty Betty Dur­ ham. . . . Perhaps because of his smile. Betty cooks some food for Ben and while he eats he learns the aunt, in town on business, has an oil man, Tiller Maddox, sinking an oil well for her. .... A short 6 inch bolt worked loose from the rigging and is in bottom of the well. Work been suspended for days as crew “fish” for the bolt and erating funds dwindle away. . . . Furlong offers to give a hand but , Betty in­ Maddox so tool which . On the or- Furlong is the has the op- Maddox objects. . . sists and overrules Furlong fashions a brings up the bolt . . der of Betty’s aunt, given a job . . , Maddox shows his, dislike for the new hand, es­ pecially because Ben and Betty i are so friendly. While the two j are in town shopping one even­ ing, Maddox calls upon the aunt, ! demanding she help his case with ; Betty or there will be no well. . NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY Mechanically Ben made an effort to rise, but could not manage it. “Must have ilrit on my head,” he muimhled thickly, and raised grop­ ing fingers. Then he sat up. He knew now that he had not fallen into h’ PR- “Where are they? What’s—hap­ pened?" a Betty was sobbing wildly; her ihair hung in a cascade about her shoulders; she was clad only in her nightdress, and it was soaked with the wnter she had poured over Ben to revive him. : Beside the open door to the hall lay tihe wreck of a chair; two of its legs were splintered, broken off; Ben realized more clearly now what R was that had crashed, down upon his head. With an efort he scramb­ led dizzily to his feet. Water was trickling into his eyes and blinding n.im; he brushed it away, then dis­ covered, to his great surprise, that it was not water at all, but blood, tris own blood. His head felt twice its normal size; his brain did not function clearly and his- limbs refus­ ed to o'bey him. , 1 Betty’s voice came to him as if from a long distance; she was telling trim something, trying^ to make him understand that they were alone in the house and that their assailant bad fled. When this became plain to Furlong, he sat down. It was some time before the girl succeeded in stanching, that flow of blood wound, for she was scarcely in condition to render help to any­ body. By the time her task was completed Ben had managed to get a pretty clear idea of what what had happened1. She had been awakened 5 by a sound and had realized that somebody was in .lier room; she had uttered a frightened challenge only to feel groping hands upon her, to iind herself in the grasp, of some un­ known person. >She retained no very clear recollection of anything after <hat; the rest was a. hideous night- imare. Not until the fuiscreant had jolted out of the house and. she bad finally managed somehow to- strike Reason for Iris flight, Then she had reason for his flight. The nshe thad stumbled over Ben and;had realized Chat it was his voice s&e had- heard palling to her, that R was $he sound d® his coming that J^jad interrupted the attack. His pligM feud done a ^obd deal to bring h,etv Wclf. to her- nelf, but now she tihre^lenedjto, again abandon her self-cogt$>ir Furlong, checked this By paying: “Betty Durham.! You’yd gpV nothing on but your nightie!”i it Was some time; |ater when the girl emerged from het’ room, dressed after a fashion, to fihd ttmr deliverer whiting in the kitchen with a scowl upon his face. i “You. got a gun?” he inquied, barshly- f “No, Ben. Why?”,V?m going to kilt Maddox.’’ Fdr a moment Betty stared at the ©peaker; with shakng ;hands she plucked at her dreqs. If was in a thin, reedy voice that she said: * “It wasn’t Maddox,” “How do y.m know?” “Oh, I 'know” It wasn’t Maddox.” “Are you sure?” The girl nodded and Ben bowed his throbbing head in his uiand's. “I’m glad,” he groaned i “Providence certainly brought me back. It wouldn’t happen that way once in a thousand times. Who­ ever it was, I’ll find him.” Both the man and the girl were in wi etched condition. The rest of the night they sat together, watching, the clock and listening .for a possible 'return of fhe muarader, waiting for the day to break. ■ It was shortly after they had fin- inshed breakfast that Furlong was surprised to discover signs of activ­ ity, movements, goings-on at the well which caused him to stare fix­ edly, theu to announce incredulous­ ly: 5 ‘ “Say I believe Maddox is fix­ ing to shoot the well!” Betty took her place, at his side. “Why—he can’t! He powder men won’t ibe morrow.” “All the same, he’s ! thing queer. <!I shiny tilings?” I “You couldn’t tire Tiller to touch [nitroglycerine. He’s scared of It—” i Ben uttered an oath. “I tell you he 1 is filling those cartridges. He’s crazy You've got to stop him!” Betty) turned, white; she shook her head. “I won’t go near the place. It's, it’s Aunt Mary’s well.” “Then I’ll stop ihirn. Why, it’s ten to one he’ll sear the rock, ruin the whole job and—.Damned if I don't believe he’s trying to do that very thing!” Furlong started for the door, but Betty clupg to him, When ihe push­ ed on past her she followed him. To­ gether they hurried across the field and took the path through the mes­ quite. As they went the girl contin­ ued to implore him not to interfere. Halfway to the drilling camp they -met the engineer hastening towards the farmhouse, and the latter an- •nounced, breathlessly: “Tiller has gone plumb off his nut! He’s going to shoot the well (himself. You had better stay clear.” dassent! The here till to- i They were still perhaps a hundred yards from the well, but Furlong’s practiced eye had seen something 'that suddenly raised'the thair upon . his head. The rope from which -was suspended the heavy charge of liquid death no longer ihung vertically, it no longer ran over the block and in­ to the casing; instead it was falling in loops about Maddox, It was coming up out of the well! Maddox himself was alive to what had happened. That which, ihe most greatly .feared had come upon him, and he also turned to flee. But the else he The He I doing some- See those cans1—those platform was slippery or tripped over tihe rope and fell, others heard his cry of terror, quickly regained his feet, but to Fur­ long it seemed as if his movements thereafter maddeningly slow and de­ liberate. The engineer’s apprehension had been well grounded. Once again gas had been released-far down in the 'earth, and’ now, like breath forced 'from the lungs of some tortured giant, it rose, propelling the smooth­ ly fitting cartridge of nitroglycerine ahead of it as a pea is propelled out of a pea-shooter. It was a phe­ nomenon by no means unusal in a well as unstable in. its balance of forces as this one. In fact, under like conditions none 'but a madman would have dared to risk Maddox’s maneuver. The behind mouth linder. path iliung the massive steel bit suspended from the wire cable. What happened next the observers were never able to agree upon, but the world dissolved into an infero of smoke and flame and tlfe sud­ denness of it rocked the sky, heaved the earth. The two together with a cataclysmic Furlong and Betty Durham tossed headlong, flung, down straws. 'When they scrambled their feet, dazed, .shaken, terrified, it was to find themselves enveloped in a mighty dust cloud. The eighty­ foot tower of heavy timbers was gone; in an instant it had utterly later had not put fifty feet him when up out of the well shot the gleaming tin cy- Directly above and in its forty-foot up- canie roar, were like to Hay Council was How Mr, his him. aty? Exvtw GJimes-Aitaiirate Established 1873 and 1887 at Exeter, Ontario Published every Thursday morning SUBSCRIPTION-— $2.0’0 per year in advance RATES—Farm or Real Estate for sale 50c, each insertion for first four insertions. 25c. each subse­ quent insertion. Miscellaneous ar­ ticles. To Rent, Wanted, Lost, or Found 10c. per line of six words. Reading notices 10c, per line. Card of Thanks 50c. Legal ad­ vertising 12 and 8p. per line. In Memoriam, with one verse 50c. extra verses 25c. each. Member of The Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association The regular monthly meeting of the 'Council of the Township of Hay was held in the Town Hall, Zurich, ■on Saturday, February 1st, with all the members present. The minutes of the meeting held January 13th, 1936, were adopted as read. AU the members of the Council including other officials of the Township were present took the Oath of Allegiance to King Edward V(III, as directed by The Department of Municipal. Af­ fairs, After disposing of numerous com­ munications tihe following resolution was passed; That the report of the auditors be adopted as presented with the in­ structions that the auditors notify all persons in arrears of taxes; for the year 1935 of the amount due 1 to. January 1st, 1936, and that 50 copies of the Report be printed for , public distribution. That By-laws Nos. 2, 3 and 4, ’36 f appointing officials of the Township of Hay for 1’936 and fixing remun- : . eration for same'be read three times * ■ and finally passed, ! That the following grants be made to Agricultural Societies for the year 1936: Zurich (Society $50.Q0; ;Hensall 'Spring Fair $1’6,00; Exeter Agricultural Society $10}*; and $5 toi Grand Bend .School Fair if a com­ petition is held in 1936. — That the Reeve apd Clerk be au­ thorized to sign on behalf of the Hay Municipal Telephone .System the new agreements between Peter (Mclsaac, Harryi G. Hess and the Hay Municipal Telephone System. That George Merner be appointed as Weed Inspector of the Township of Hay for the year 1936 at the sal­ ary of 35c. per hour for ployed at work including tation. That tihe rate of pay for formed in connection with of Hay Road .System, for the . 1936 shall he as follows: Man and team 40c. per hour; man alone 20c; commissioner only 25^.; man and 3 jhorses 50c.; man team and mower 60c. hour; gravel 15c. per yard. That the following be appointed Road Patrolmen of tihe various Road Divisions of the Township of Hay for 193 6: road’ 1 (a) M. M. Russell; (b) Robert Munn, (c) B. McArthur; Road 2 (a) C. Aidworth, (b) W. Coleman, (c) G. Dick, (d) S. Ropp; Road 3 (a) C. Aldsworth, (b) A. Monsseau, (c) O. Koehler; Road 4 (c) A. Reichert; Road 5 (a) H. H. Pfaff, (b) James Green, (c) J. M. Richardson; Road 6 (a). O. Greb, (b) N. /Foster; Road 7 (c) Fred Ha- berer; Road 8 (a) Adelbert Smith, >(b). Theodpre iSteinbac/h, (c) John Oesch; Road 9 (a) R. Miller, (b) G. • Surerus (c) Edmund Erb; Ro.ad 10 (a) Jos. M. Ziler (b) Robt. Adams, -(c) Erend E. Demomme; Road 11, Wm. Fisher.; Road 12, Wm. E. Turn­ bull; Road 13 P. (Scliade; Road 14 (a) P. Campbell (b) U, Pfile (c) R. Hendrick; Road 15 Gilbert Jef­ fery; Road 16, Wm. Ducharm©; Rd.. 17, M. Corriveau; Road 18 (a) T. "Dinsmore (b) W. FarTeli; Zurich Police Village, G. J. Thiel; Dashwood Police Village B. Gaiser and that a, (by-law,be prepared by the Clerk to confirm, the appointments: for the passing at the next Council meeting. That accounts covering payments on Telephone, Charity and Relief and General accounts be passed as per vouchers. Telephone Accounts ■—• Northern Electric Co. material $130.51; The .Stromberg-Carlson, material $19.- 39; National Revenue tax on tickets $25.84; Postage $6.20; Zurich Cen­ tral $51.00; H. G. Hess, $8.3.85- Charity and Relief—L, Sdhilbe & Son, coke, $3.23; J. W. Merner acct. $3.19; A. Mellck, milk $2.52; Wil­ liams Brps., flour $2.75. General accounts—The' Municipal World, dog tags etc. $27.81; M. Ra­ der wood, hall, $8.00; Schilbe. and Son coal, hall, $44.43;' Tuckersmith Telephone rates $81.3'6; R. Tinney wood $6.00; Ontario Hospital $45. The .council adjourned to meet on tMonday, March 2nd at 1.3,0 p.m. A. F. Hess, Clerk I The girl gasped; she voiced some I breathless querry, but Ben ran on:! “Youi’ uncle Joe left it to you, just as he promised. He left everything ’ to you, except a thousand dollars to her. This is his well and Maddox had it. I guess it’s a good will, even though your uncle wrote it himself. Anyhow it’s witnessed by two people Maddox and another. From the date I figure it must ilmve been signed just a day or so before he killed.” “Where did it come from? did Maddox—?’’ I’ve figured that out, too. Durham must have had it in pocket when Maddox found That would explain everything— now he made your aunt do just what lie wanted and why she didn’t dare to fire him.” “That’s why she said I’d have to marry him! That’s why—Oh, Ben!” Betty rose suddenly and clutched Furlong, “I knew she was a mean, selfish pld thing, but I never thought she was so—wicked. This oil is a curse to poor people. I hate it. '“Why, Betty!" Furlong exclaimed “You’re the wicked one to “.She’s the only kin I got I tried my best to love her. was so greedy for quick money that nothing mattered. Maddox too! It made beasts of them. I almost wish we'd never heard of oil.” After a moment the speaker continued, more quietly: “I lied to you last night. It was Tiller who came here.” Furlong’s body stiffened, he breathed an oath, then he muttered: “I thought so. Why didn’t you tell me?” “What’s more, she knew he was— coming. They arranged good as sent him! That’s : the kitchen key.” 'This announcement greeted with the growl of He began to pace about his face had grown threatening; ibis fingers were work­ ing as he stormed:., “Wait! Wait till she gets here!” “You can’t lay your hands woman—” “Han’t I?” he breathed. Betty shook her head; a moment, then a new expression slowly crept into lher eyes: her ictyln set itself firmly. “No!” she declared. “But you can lay ’em op her trunk and drag 'it out here where I, can pack it,” “I sure can,” Ben declared. “And what’s more, when you get it 'pack­ ed I .can lug it out to the gate where it will he nice and handy foi* her.” As he finished speaking his frown disappeared; it was replaced by a •grin and he said;: “Say, Hetty! What d’you think? I’m going to marry an heiress, after all.” (The End) i quarrel left and But she it. She as how he got the man : an animal, the room, black and time em- transpor- work per the TwP- i year back on a Professional Cards GLADMA BARRISTERS, Money to * Safe-dep & STANBUB EXETE SOLICI W© MU de Insur for use o£ our hout charge id HENSALL YCARLIN^ & MOR if SOL ORS, &o NNNT& BARRISTER! LOANSj Il| Office: Carling Block, Main Stree®, EXETER. ONT- Tor.) Physiciqil apd J. E, JACKSON, M.B., L. eon Office: At fetOdepce on Main St. just South of the Chevrolet Garage General Practice—Night or Day calls given prompt attention. Successor to Dr. Bio wiling Offic plug Block Dr. G. F. RouJ£ton, L. ER, ONT. Closed Wednesday Afternoons ;D H. H. COW^N, L.D.S.,D DBNTAL^URGEO Successor to tljgHate Dltf^tkinson Office opposi^ Mainjsxr Exeter Office 36w 4T$Iephones Res. 36j Closed Wednesday Afternoons ^st Office, He seized Betty, whirled her around and yelled, “Run!, Get Back!” J 6 ULTRA hsS s Brown (possible buyer): “How is she on the hills?” (Salesman: “Myi dear never know you were on this car if it wasn’t .for cars blocking the way.” sir, you’d a hill with the other REPORT 8. S. NO. 1, USBQBNE The following is the report of iS. So. 1, TJsborne for the .months figures ,S. of 79.54; Billie 78.81; JOHN WARD ClIIROPRACTlO, OST^^THY ELECTRO-THEp A P Y VIOLET,|pjMftlENTS 70 .MAIN ST. 31.—■ I EXETER ARTHUR WEBER LICENSED AUCTIONEElrfF" For Huron and Wd(llej$3r FARM SALES A SPJ PRIOEfB-^EAS,^ SATISFACTION I Phonq^7-^« ddiefifef' '.MALTY (ABLE ^RANTEED _____Dashwood R. R. W-L DASHWOOD *7* Furlong dashed past the speaker and emerged from the shelter of the busies in time to see Maddox gingerly swing a long, cylindrical tin over the well mo.uth and guide it into th© opening. A new ,manila rope (had bft&n run through a block on the derrick), and with this he low­ ered the Ben y/ellejl $t, hWR be waved his arms, Majldo^ glanced, over shoulder, fal^n" let ■ the. line, smoothly ^rough his hands. “Takie my tip and don’t go close,” the engineer shouted, ain’t no powder man and that is making gas, tShe blows off < ■few minutes'.” ' Betty seconded this warning in frantic tones* of appeal: “Let him go, Ben. He knows what he’s doing. You’ve got/ ho right stopping him. You’Tl just make trouble—’’ “It’s hone of my business, latter agreed, impatiently, is something crooked-—” speaking: then’ he seized Whirled he& aromnd with tlie sharp command, “Run, Get hack!” his slide i too “He ; well every the “but there He ceased Betty and FRANK TAYLOR LICENSED AUGTIO For Huron ihh(l FARM SALE^' Ac ’ECIALTY Prices Reasonahle^^Und Satisfaction Guaranteed , EXETER P. O. or RING 138 December and January. The indicate percentage. ■Sr. IV—iMargaret Dougall Russell Ferguson 73.03; Kestle 70.19. Jr. IV—Billie Reynolds Harry Dougall .78.17; Billie,Parsons 76.51; Donald Buchanan 76.33; A. Bpa 70.19; Harold Wurm 65.96; Lgwrence Dunn 65.23; Bobbie Jef­ fery 64.31. (Sr. Ill—.Howard Ferguson 69.72. Jr. Ill—.Bobbie Parsons 65.05. Second—Audrey Dick 86.22; Jack Muir 77.70; Calvprt Beckler 72.57; Billie Rowcliffe 71.89; Harry Jef­ fery 69.19; Jimmie Struyf 61.22. * 1st—(Gordon Buchanan 75. - Pr.—Margaret Wurm, (Jordon Moir, Gennoth Buchanan and Lloyd Ferguson equal; Alan Rowcliffe, ab- .s.ent. USBOBNE & IHBBERT MUTUAL ■;' FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY I \ Head Office, Farquhar, Opt. W. H. COATES Presided SAMUEL NQ/RRIS Vice-Presi^S SiREtfroRs f. McConnell, john t, ’ ■ ANGW'SINCLAIR ‘ HACKiSMF rfF" # AG1 Fjoi-inesser , foifuWftii * ALVi'NO' 5 for- THOMAS vanished. Where it had stood was a- shallow, smoking .crater. Splinters of planking, debris of every sort, were scattered far and wide; particles of earth and gravel were raining from the ilieavens with the sound of a. heavy hailstorm; nothing in th©; neighborhood of the well remained .except the boiler and engine, and’ ■the former lay on ; bushes rooted, scythe; That the enginery* came over tp the far mil­ house with a considerable bundle iii his arms. . . “H^riY’s Betty?” he 'inquired. • “She’s all right but pretty well bruised, of cotirse.” “Well, boys can town.” “Right 1 Durham 'gets back,*’ Here!s all of Tiller’s we could find. I reckon look after it.”, “Anything .'besid*es clothes?” ’ “N©t .miucli. A few letters and tihings we Idund .in /his bunk, i^izr Durham can keep, ’em. in cas© he’d got relatives. e There’s one suit ©f c1 othos that would fit m©» No use to; th roy *em away. Bay I it’s funny how. scared he was of powder. It mustaf been a hunch.” * I Shortly after the engineer had Iqfv Pen came to Betty with a queer light in his ey©s. In his hand he held a soiled sheet of foolscap paper- “Feel strop oflv’r cxploi F. Malcolm, teacher t [■ had been, shaved off afternoon its side.- EVen th© whipped out, up­ as. tyy a sweeping Furlong’s triend; I guess there’s nothin’ uS do, so we’re going in to’ I’ll stay here until Mrs. stuff that you better IElison •HN ary, after a. Asar.U: 1HMW ?. RiM 4 ’< ‘ • |k I *1T*S 1 g enough to stand an­ ion?” he enquired with his agitaVon, thing—» Thm t yorr nun’- it belongs to you!*’ 1 834 EI1RES HESS Iff 1935 Than IN; 1934 According to the report of the Fire ‘Marshall in the Province of Ontario 411^^,1935 property valued at $-'8,- 1,33,3'6 2 lyA? destftyed in 14,6'41 fireg.1 Tl^is is a’deci'ejhse from 19*34 .qf sj4fi/©§ .with.a coyreSppndipg decrease, of, $1^9 96,7 8 2 ip, the value of d©Uiy©y©d pi^operty, The loss per, cbptia in the" past year amounts to . $2.37 compared^^|tlt ?2.9.0 in. 1934. During th© larger class 'of /ires in the, _PI9VM.£© Whs in dwellings whe’ju fiheA numbering 11, 193,caused losses of $2,471,5.69. This represents. a decrease, of $350,000 over tihe loss of* 1934 a.n(* although,, 54'5 barhs burped iii 1935, there was a decrease of 3 7, from 1934. •yh.e most, frequent cause of fires in the last quarter of the year is that fijeni smoking, 6,64 fires destroyed $4^,23 4. .wprfh of property. Matches Were ako repponsible for a large WM of, $21,400. Fires of unknown­ origin destroyed, property worth. $691,350 and. electricity, was respon­ sible for 313 fires, the less being $484,100. Cedar«Chest AND NEW/FURNI RTentralia, Agent and BiddulpiT . RIS, Munro, Agent rullarton and Logan SCOTT, Cromarty, Agent for Hibbqr|u W. F. BEAVERS Secretary-TreasurerExeter, Ontario GLADMAN & STANBURY Solicitors, Exeter B QASHWj I suffering sick and Also furniturej^remod^ We take ord binet work order, of ca- at the PLANINC MILL to kinds ens, etc Anyone who has, from beiis know __ miserable they^ig|Fe yon feel, and the Worst s that as soon i^et rid of one another its place, seem- only to prolong jwur agony you see Wingham. Town Council foP.owed the lead of R’a TTpron HA'-r<v f*oun-I I tj.r Hi I’ e ando t/her simlliar devices au #ou0. pr misery. Boils are caused by bad blood, ut When the bldod is purified, cleansed and vitalized by B.B,B. the boils quickly disappear, your misery at an end, your health and strength improved, and your skim bocomes clean, smooth and fro© from ernption^, JTxwt tjty * botila i