Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1939-06-29, Page 6get me my rifle,” INTO THE SUNSET BY JACKSON GREGORY The Haverils, a widely scattered It if hadn’t been so far he would clan across hundreds of southwestern have drawn to go down and find out wilderness miles, were reputed a folk’ about things, ft was just as well not to antagonize. There were the Texas Haverils, big lean men with blue-black beards and challenging eyes. There were the Panhandle Haverils still farther west­ ward, Then, still farther west were the New Mexico Haverils, the Sun­ down Haverils as they came to be known. Of the Sundown Haverils there was one called Barry who in many ways could have been looked on as the em­ bodiment of the outstanding qualities •of the whole family. His father, Ben Haveril, was still a young man, lusty and rugged and violent, generous and kindly enough with his small flock at most times, little short of a devil when in drink. His mother, Lucinda, was one of the Oakwoods of Virginia who still clung tenaciously to their own family tradi­ tions and pride. It was she who had given her youngest his name, which wasn’t Bar­ ry at all but Baron. She said proudly that there had been a Baron Oakwood long ago, which meant nothing to lit- ■ tie Barry himself. In his latter ’teens Barry left home. He didn’t know why he went away. Also it was swiftly get­ ting dark; it would be a moonless night and whatever was happening down there would be over in a few minutes or would have to await sun­ up. But before sunup he was on his way to investigate. The dawn was bright­ ening and he had traveled half the distance when a voice called to him from a brush thicket: “Drop yore gun! Drop it quick or I’ll kill yuh!” The speaker was no t ten steps away. Barry let his rifle slide out of his hands and felt a queer prickling chill along his blood as he jerked his head about to stare. At first he could see. nothing but gray buck brush and gray rocks. Then he saw the muzzle of a rifle barrel resting on a flat-top­ ped boulder. “Step over this way,” said the voice “Step, Kid, or I’ll shoot yuh daid.” Barry obeyed. That was how he first, met up with Jesse Conroy. This Conroy, one the day Barry first saw him, was about twenty-three years old and, coiled as he was behind the rock, with his bright black eyes glittering and an HH . ____ .. _ ___ ___ ___ugly twist to his white-lipped mouth, He didn’t think about it. It was the' he made Barry think of a rattlesnake, forests pulling him. During the six or eight weeks be­ fore he had any thought of turning back homeward he made many long -exploratory trips toward both north and west through the mountains. On­ ly twice in that time did he see human beings. One day, toward sundown, he sat on a rock in front of his cabin look­ ing down into the long sinuous valley below, a sight lie seldom tired brood- -ing over. He had named it for him- -gelf Sun Creek Valley. He heard rifle shots muffled with •distance in an intervening neck of the woods. He had never heard so many shots so close together and wondered how many men there were and what they could be shooting at. He got his answer almost instantly. There were several Then shooting at a single rider who had fled on ahead into the lower end of Barry’s Sun Creek Valley. He saw the flash of reddish-yellow fire when the fugitive, fleeing no long­ er, fired at his pursuers whom Barry could not see. > A SHI Fl he at of he seemed just that full of the menace of sudden death. He was a flashing- ly handsome young devil and none the less devilish for an almost girlishly fine-featured face. There was enough light for Barry to make out that was pretty badly hurt. Conroy was suspicious of him first, afraid that he might be one the crowd that had -killed his ho’rse under him and shot him down last­ night. Once that he learned otherwise his manner changed. “I’m hurt right bad,” he said, “but I’ll make it yet. Especially if I can have help. Those fellers that rode me down, they’ll be cornin’ back after a while. But they won’t hurry; knocked over anyhow two an' mebbe three, an’ I’d of got ’em all if one o’ their bullets hadn't of glanced off’n a rock and drilled me.” “Why’d they want to drill you?” asked Barry. “They’re bandits, that’s what,” said Conroy. “Killers. Now yuh got to help me clean out afore they come sneakin’ back.” I FAMED U.S. POET-HUMORIST WAS BORN IN CANADA Almost the last wish of Walt Mas­ on (LOWER LEET), famed U.S. poet-humorist, was to return to the old home in Ontario where he was born. His father’s house (UPPER) still stands near the place where the village of Empire Mills once flourish­ ed near the present village of Colum­ bus. Recently the poet wrote from California to the postmistress of the hamlet for information about his boy­ hood friends. One to whom he start­ ed to correspond was Sampson Rob­ erts (LOWER RIGHT), now 81. The poet, who died recently, had sent him several of his works shortly after they were written. (UPPER LEFT) tlm cairn which today marks -the little village church Walt Mason attended * nodded Conroy. "Then me some help. I c’n hard- “I’ll go Barry. “Shore," come give ly walk, but if I had both Jaigs shot off I’d somehow make it," After they had done what they could do for Conroy’s two wounds, one through his left arm, one through Ijis left shoulder, he crawled into Bar­ ry’s bunk and lay quiet. When Conroy got out of bed to move restlessly about fie began ask­ ing questions. He wanted to know how it was that Barry lived here all alone, where he had come from—and why. Why had he come? Well, he’didn’t, rightly know. ’ He’d just left one place and gone another. Conroy watched him narrowly, plainly believing that he was being told a meagre part of the truth. Then he asked, still eyeing Barry with bright suspicion as if watching for sign of another lie, what his name-was. “Barry. Me, I’m Barry Haveril.” Conroy started laughing. “Say, that’s funny,"-he said,• “I’m a Haveril, too, one of the Texas Hav- erils; but my name’s Jesse, Conroy. Ever heard that name, Barry?” “No,” said Barry. “I never. But if you’re a Haveril how’s your name Conroy?” "Shucks,” said Jesse. “It’s my ol’ lady that’s the Haveril, an’ she mar­ ried a man name of ConYoy— Barry pondered. “I’d reckon that makes you anyhow a half Haveril,” he’said. Thereafter they called each other Cousin Jesse and Cousin Barry, until Jesse took to calling Barry just plain Sundown. “I’d like to hear about the bandits that chased you up here, Cousin Jesse,” said Barry one day. “I ain’t finished with them hombres, Sundown,” said Jesse angrily. “Shore, I’ll tell you about them.” He told his tale forcefully and clearly, and Barry Haveril believed every word of it, There were six of them, said Jesse. Tliey-> were Bud Waiters, a cowboy; Bill and Toni Bedloe, ranchers near Tylersville; Sam Johnson, teamstei- and deputy sheriff and all round crook; Jeff Cody, the gambler; and Dan Hardy. Most folk's didn’t suspect them for what they were, they were that crafty. But Jesse Conroy knew! Hadn't he seen as & boy, He left for a future of lame: died and his father was killed in and fortune not long after his mother | accident,An WINGHAM ADVANCE-TIMES them when they held up the Cold Springs stage; they’d killed the driv­ er and guard and got away with the strong box. Then they had seen Jesse Conroy, who just happened to be cut­ ting into the stage road from a side trail, and they knew it was all up with them unless they rubbed him out. “I’ll get ’em some day, Cousin Bar­ ry,” Jesse went on. “Yuli see if I don’t. But for a while I better go slow.” Presently a thin smile touched his lips as he said idly: “What do yuh think o’ this here six-gun o’ mine, Sundown?” “I never saw one like that,” breath­ ed Barry almost reverentially. “Try a shot with it,” offered Jesse. “I’ll show yuh.” Barry tingled; he held the weapon lovingly; he lowered it and raised it' just as Conroy had been doing. “l'*|l show yuh,” said Conroy again- Barry sat humbly listening as Jesse, leaning against the cabin wall, explained and demonstrated. Instantly he realized that his cousin was as deadly with the Colt as he himself was with his rifle. Jesse said, “Here’s some ca’tridges,” and poured them into Barry’s eager palm. And then he said laughing: “Yuh c’n have it, Sundown. I’m givin' it to yuh,” Barry just stood there, shells in one hand, giin in the other, and gawked at him. He knew that- he had heard the words correctly; it must be that they meant something else, Jesse laughed again, his handsome dark eyes flashing. “Shore,” he said. “Pm givin’ yuh my gun, Cousin Barry. It’s yore’n right this minute.” Barry looked at him with shining eyes. But that look was only a fleet­ ing one since in a flash his eyes re­ turned to the red-butted revolver and lingered there like a lover’s gaze. Then his feet began shuffling in the dead pine needles. He couldn’t think of anything to say. As the days passed, young Conroy grew steady on his legs again and his wounds healed and the healthy tan came back into his face. Barry could see the restlessness surge up higher and higher in him every day. One morning in a still dim bluish dawn Jesse Conroy slung his buck­ skin bag to his belt, shouldered his carbine and left. “So long, Cousin Barry,”, he said. “So long, Cousin Jesse,” said Barry. Barry watched him out of sight, on­ ly vaguely wondering where he was going., Then he returned to his cabin and sat on the step and unholstered his treasure. r He began thinking of his folk, es­ pecially of his sister, little Lucy. He wondered too about Zachary Blount; had the teacher - lawyer now in long- • tailed coat and high hat - carried her off? He rolled his pack, closed his door, shouldered his rifle, and with the comfortable feel of a heavy long bar­ rel bumping at his hip, turned back toward his father's place. He came within sight of the clearing and-the rock-and-log cabin toward the end of the second day; the sun was below the tops, of the pines so that already it was twilight all about the house, and he heard the call and saw the flickering wing-dip of a first night hawk. Otherwise all was very still. He experienced a queer, disturbing feeling, a swift consciousness of des­ ertion. The track down to the lower meadow and the narrow crooked path to the spring house were weed-grown. Then he found his mother’s letter.. Over the fire-place, a wan square in the dimness, was a sheet of paper on a nail. Barry took it down and read' it sitting on the Stoop. The first words were, “To Robert or Baron, -whichever comes home first.” Robert was Barry’s brother, the oldest of three sons. The rest of a hastily written letter answered all Barry's questions for him. First of all Lucy had married Zachary Blount and the two were living in Tylersville; Zachary was practicing law and was associated with a great mail, Judge Parker Blue. Through Zachary, Judge Blue had sent an offer to Barry’s fa­ ther to go into the cat(le business with him; on shares it was. $0 all the family were moving down into the cow country, onto one of the Judge’s several spreads. There was a postscript: “Whichever of you boys reads this first, let him leave it here for the other,” Well, his mother and father and his brother Lute were on a cattle ranch now. And 'Robert was somewhere or other. In the morning he decided to go out of his way a bit in making his re­ turn journey. That was because it dawned on Barry that he alone of his family might guess what Robert was up to. “Anyhow I’ll go past Tex Humph­ rey’s place,” Barry decided. •Barry happened to know that Rob­ ert was crazy about one of the Hum­ phrey girls. So now, turning his back on the old log home, he headed toward the CONFINED ABED BY LUMBAGO 'when In Pain ,for Weeks Acting on his principle of you know a good thing tell your friends about it," a man who has had very bad lumbago pains writes as fol­ lows:— “I suffered from lumbago, and for weeks could scarcely move in bed. I had treatment, but it did not ease the pain very much. A friend said, ‘Why not. take Kruschen Salts? Take them every morning and you’ll likely get relief from that pain in your back.’ So I have taken them every morning fur some time and I am in fit condition for my work again — thanks to Kruschen.”—C.B. Why is it that lumbago, backache, rheumatism and indigestion in' many cases yield to Kruschen Salts? Be­ cause it is a combination of several mineral salts that are vital for your bodily well-being. Each of these salts has an action of its own. Stomach, liver, kidneys and digestive tract are all benefited and toned up to a high state of efficiency. Humphreys’ horse ranch. He meant just to drop in and say “Howdy,” and ask casually, “Seen any o’ my folks lately, Tex?” But there was to be no such casual talk' that day. At the foot of Black (Mountain in a peaceful and quiet little whispering glen shut in by quivering aspens, he came suddenly, all without warning, upon the stark horror of a thing that only a short time before, surely not more than a day before, had been Robert Haveril. (Continued Next Week) LOWER SCHOOL EX­ AMINATION RESULTS The following students have secur­ ed promotion . at Wingham High School. Subjects in brackets indicate failures, Students may write supple­ mental examinations in the subjects bracketed in September or repeat them next year. Promoted from Grade IX to X: Class 1, 75% and over — Berna Yule; Helen Thomson; Jack Mow­ bray; James Coulter. Class 2, 66 to 74% Grace Kings­ ton; George Thomson; Shirley Cham- ney; Jean McKague; Olive Casemore; Louise ‘Uoultes; Ellen Bailey. Class 3, 60 to 65% —Joseph Fal­ coner; Isabel Scott; Eileen Dark; Norman Higgins; George Lloyd; Mary Tervit; Delbert Ewing (French, Pass 50 to 59% — Jack Hopper; Norman Fry; Alan Williams (Fr.); Eric Scliatte (Fr.); Irene Taylor (His­ tory); Grace Hutcheson (Math., Sci­ ence); Spence McKinnon (History, Geog.); Edna Jenkins; Eva Lediett (Math.); Isabel Miller; Edythe Camp­ bell (Geog.); Elva Welsh (Geog, Fr.); Dorothy Boyle (Hist., Science); Jack Carter (Math., Fr.); John Hain- Wellington Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Established 1840. Risks taken on all classes of insur­ ance at reasonable rates. Head Office, Guelph, Ont. COSENS & BOOTH, Agents, Wingham. DR. R. L. STEWART PHYSICIAN Telephone 29. Dr. Robt. C. REDMOND M.R.C.S. (Enjgland) L.R.C.P. (London) PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON DR. W. M. CONNELL PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Phone 19. W. A. CRAWFORD, M.D. Physician and Surgeon Located at the office of the late Dr. J. Kennedy. PhonC 151. Wingham es (Hist., Bus. Prac.); Florence Bee­ croft (Math., Science); Carroll Case- more (Math., French); Elmer Deycll (English, French). The following have successfully passed subjects they repeated in Grade IX, Margaret Haines, Douglas Kerr, Frances.Robinson, Evelyn Scott, Nor­ man Hastings, Mildred McClenaghan. The following students have secur­ ed promotion from Grade X to Grade XI. Clasg 1, 75% and over — Mildred McClenagban; Lois McGuire; Jean Underwood. Class 2, 66 to 74% — Edna Hogg, Jean Welwood, Margaret Connell, Louise Reid, Charles Procter, Betty Gannett, Wilson. Bernice Norman, Evelyn Class 3, 60 to 65%, — Rose Lewis, Stewart; Helen Walker,Dorothy Kathleen Willits. Pass 50 to 59% ~ Adeline Van­ sickle (Hist.); Frances Ergar; Flem­ ing Johnston; ‘ Betfy Lloyd (Hist,); Norman Mundy (Math., Latin); Ber­ tha Casmeore (Fr.); Clarence Hamil­ ton (Math., Fr.,); George Johnson; Frances Robinson (Math,, Fr,); Ann VanWy.ck (Math., Fr.); Louise Dore (Math., Latin); Ariel Johnston (Lat­ in, Fr.); Norma VanCamp (Fr.); JLouise Lloyd (Fr., Latin); Kenneth Johnson (Math., Hist.). WESTFIELD Miss Florence Dexter, of Leaming­ ton, visited with her cousin; Miss Mae Mason. Mrs. John Vincent has returned home from London Hospital greatly improved in health. Mr, and Mrs. Lome Badley have moved to the farm of Mr. Jame^ Mar­ shal. Mr. Glenn McGill, of Hamilton, vis­ ited with his parents, (Mr. and Mrs. James McGill. Mr.. Alex. Nethery, of Sarnia, visit­ ed with his brother, Mr. Chris. Neth­ ery and his sister, Mrs. James McGill. Congratulations are extended to Miss Mary Ellis on receiving the se­ cond prize in the recent Wingham Advance-Times Subscription Cam­ paign. Rev, H, C. Wilson took as his text on Sunday, Job 4: 16. There was sil­ ence and I heard a voice. The altar was decorated with flowers. Missionary programme was observ­ ed in Westfield United Sunday School on Sunday, The programme prepared by the committee with Mrs. Marvin McDowell as Convenor was as fol­ lows: Scripture lesson was read by Mae Mason and (Marjorie- McVittie; solo, Edith Cook; missionary talk, by Mae Wightman, reading, Dorothy Govier. The United Church, Westfield, will hold their 50th anniversary Jubilee on Sunday, July 2nd at 11 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. Rev. P. S. Banes of Buxton will be the speaker in the morning and Rev. Millyard, of London, will be the Dr. W. A. McKibbon, B.A. PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Located at the Office of the Late Dr. H. W. Colborne. Office Phone 54. z* HARRY FRYFOGLE Licensed Embalmer and Funeral. Director Furniture and Funeral Service Ambulance Service. Phones: Day 109W. Night 109J. J. W. BUSHFIELD Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc. Money to Loan. Office — Meyer Block, Wingham THOMAS FELLS AUCTIONEER REAL ESTATE SOLD A Thorough Knowledge of Farm Stock. Phone 231, Wingham. J. H. CRAWFORD Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc. Bonds, Investments & Mortgages Wingham Ontario Consistent Advertising in The Advance-Times f Gets Results » * R. S. HETHERINGTON BARRISTER and SOLICITOR Office — Morton Block. Telephone No. 66. J. ALVIN FOX Licensed Drugless Practitioner CHIROPRACTIC * DRUGLESS THERAPY - RADIONIC equipment Hours by Appointment Phone 191. Wingham V * F. A. PARKER OSTEOPATH Alt Diseases Treated. Office adjdining residence next id Anglican Church on Centra St Sunday by appointment Osteopathy Electricity Phone 272, Hoars, I a.m. to 8 p.m. A. R. & F. E. DUVAL CHIROPRACTORS CHIROPRACTIC and ELECTRO THERAPY North Street Wingham Telephone 8H. Thursday, June 29th, 1939 speaker in the evening., TURNBERRY COUNCIL The minutes of Council meeting:.' held in Bluevale, June 19, 1939. Members were all present. Moved by Moffat and Porter that the minutes of last meeting and Court of Revision on Assessment Roll of" 1938 be adopted as read. Carried. The following letters were reveived. and read: Can, Red Cross Soc„ Tor­ onto; Dept, of Public Welfare, Tor­ onto; Twp. of Howick, Fordwich; Bell Telephone Co., Wingham; Smith’s* Dairy, Wingham. ( The following tenders were receiv­ ed from W. S. Higgins, Wroxeter; Raymond Henning, Wingham. Moved by Wilton and Porter that the tender of Raymond Henning of $55.00 be accepted for the scraping: and painting of Bolt’s bridge. Work to be completed on or before Oct. 1,. 1939. Carried. Moved by Wilton and Breckenridge that Wm. Latronica be School At­ tendance Officer for balance of year 1939. Curried. The following accounts were paidz Roads $19.70, Relief $23.30, Sundries- $48.15. Moved by Wilton and Moffat that: we adjourn to meet at Bluevale ore Monday, July 24th, 1939, at 1 p.m. Carried. W. R. Cruikshank,R. Grain, YOUR EYES NEED ATTENTION Our 25 Point Scientific Examin­ ation enables us to give you Clear, Comfortable Vision F. F. HOMUTH Optometrist Phone 113. Harriston i