Zurich Herald, 1945-12-13, Page 7,/,r' HELEN TOPPING MILLER
CHAPTER X
"I can take care of old man
Harper. He owes me stoney."
"1 woudn't talk to too many
people about this well, Mr. Ma-
son," Gary advised. "If you get a
wildcatdown and it turns out to be
a producer, the wise thing to do
would be to shut it down and keep
quiet about it. You might want to
get leases on the other land that
touches your pool."
"I don't want a lot of land. All
1 want is a good oil well. And I've
got a fat chance to keep this well
quiet. Everybody in the county
knows about it already."
"That's because you've talked
too much," Mona Lee said, "You
send that wire off to Junior now,
Harvey, right away."
"All right, all right, Mother,
don't shove me!"
"Would you speak to Adelaide
before you go to Austin about tak-
ing me over to the oil fields in the
car, Mr. Mason?" Gary asked.
"Hey, Addie!" Harvey raised
his voice in a whoop as he went
down the stairs.
* * *
Adelaide was waiting in the car
when .Gary went down. "All right,
mister," she said. "Here's your
taxi."
"Thanks a lot, I hope I didn't in-
terfere with, any of your plans?"
"I was supposed to be playing
bridge at Grace's, but she can just
find somebody else. She's being
snippy anyway, and Oliver goes.
around telling people that Dad's
crazy and will probably go broke."
At Gary's direction Adelaide
turned into a muddy little road
that twisted between stumps, over
frail wooden bridges, past leases,
each one fenced carefully with
good steel fence, past batteries of
tanks and little shacks with rickety
cars standing in the yards and
dreary looking clothes flapping on
lines. Lean, faded women came to
the doors of these shacks, looked
out hopefully,patiently watched
them pass; dirty children scram-
bled out of the road; dogs slunk
into bushes—the hungry, vague,
hopeful fringe of humanity that
lingers on the edge of every oil
field. The men, muscled and lean,
waited for roughneck jobs, pipe-
laying jobs, any scrap from the
vast, teeming feast of exploitation.
* * *
"Now we have to look for a
-- well that's just been finished,"
Gary said, "where there's an out-
fit standing waiting to be moved.
And then, after we find an outfit,
we have to persuade them to move
twenty miles or more on to a wild-
cat job, and that will be a selling
job too, for mostly they don't like
wildcats very much."
finished?"
"How can you tell a well that's
"There's one over there. See
that derrick with the red mud,.
piled around under it and all the
machinery still standing? Well,
it's down and cased in and the
Christmas tree's set up—so I know
it's finished."
"I don't see any Christmas tree.
You're crazy, Gary."
• "See that contraption of pipe
and wheels and stuff sticking up
out of the hole in the floor? That's
what oil nien call a Christmas
tree!"
A rickety trailer was parked un-
der a tree, and beyond lay an un-
shaven man of middle age, with
his hat dragged down over his eyes
and a small white dog curled up in
a sleepy knot on his chest. The dog
sprang awake and came charging,
yapping, as they approached, and
the man sat up.
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ISSUE 50-1945
"Know who owns this drilling
outfit?" Gary asked.
"Sure I know—Hyniie Starr
owns it. Go up yonder and talk to
Jim Hickey. Up in that shanty
with the red front on it, just be-
yond that machine shop, towards
the stripper. Thies a good driller—
good as there is."
* a
Jim Hickey talked glibly and
eagerly. .He would, so he prom-
ised, get a well down quicker and
cheaper than any other pian
around.
Gary came back and said, "Let's
go. His stuff is old. He hasn't
got the money to have it over-
hauled. We'll look somewhere
else."
He folded the grimy paper on
which Jim Hickey had estimated
his drilling costs, and put it in his
pocket. I'll show this to your
father, but he probably won't want
to risk Hickey on the job."
It was dark when they turned
back toward the ranch.
Gary sat alone with Mona Lee
for a while, listening to the radio.
then went upstairs to his room to
write letters—to oil men that he
knew, asking for a job.
He had finished the third epistle
when he heard Mona Lee coming
up the stairs. She stopped outside
his door and said, "I thought you'd
gone to bed. Gary, would you go
over to Grace's place with me?
She telephoned—and it's late, and
Harvey doesn't like it if I drive
alone at night."
Gary got up quickly. "Of course.
Is someone sick?"
Mona Lee hesitated, ,looking
worried and unhappy. "No, I guess
it's just one of Oliver's sprees.
Grace was crying, and she said
she had to. talk to me and Oliver
had left the car in town, so I told
her I'd come."
* * *
They locked all the doors and
left the key in the asparagus -fern
box for Adelaide, and Gary held
the flashlight while Mona Lee
backed the car out of the garage.
The Kimball house was a new,
smart white bungalow on the edge
of the little town and, as they
drove in, every window was
lighted.
"Oliver's not .hone," Mona Lee
said. "Grace is scared when she's
alone and she turns on every light.
You wait here, Gary, till I find out
what she wants tb talk about. You
can turn on the radio—I guess it
works."
A lighted door opened and she
disappeared inside, so Gary leaned
back an snapped buttons and tried
to interest himself in a dance band
and then in a news broadcast.
And then that door opened. and
Mona Lee came out and cane
around to her seat, getting in be-
side him without a word. Gary did
not ask questions, and the silence
lasted till they were almost back at
the ranch. Then Mona Lee slowed
the car and drew a deep, weary
breath and sighed patiently.
"Grad and Oliver have had
some sort of a fight—and she says
it's about her father's oil well, but
she doesn't dare tell me what it is.
And Oliver's gone off and never
even said good -by."
* * *
Gary said, "Too bad to worry
you like this, and then not tell you
what it's all about, so you can
help."
"It's all a gamble anyway—and
just talking about it hasn't been
good for any of us, Harvey Junior
paying two thousand dollars for a
car—and his father letting him do
it, and Adelaide snaking all kinds
of crazy plans as if her father were '
a millionaire already."
"They'll setle down." Gary tried
to be comforting. "I wouldn't wor-
ry too much."
Harvey Mason went off to Aus-
tin, looking strange and dressed up
it his Sunday clothes, his saddle -
colored face very dark above a
shining white collar. He had fumed
because Mona Lee forbade hiss to
wear his boots or his big cowman's
hat.
"If you're going to be an oil man
you'd better look like one," stated
Mona Lee irmly, "and not like
some old cow waddy."
(To Be Continued)
CHILDREN
LOVE
VENO'S
FOR •teen,,,ae) r;
COUGHS - COLDS
BRONCHITIS
ASTHMA
WHOOPiNG COUGI
SIMPLE SORE THROAT
9O$' A oar le 'ODAY!
PARAPUP 'SURVIVES WAR ---AUTO GETS HIM
"Paratrooping was never like this," groans , Trooper, parachute -
jumping cocker spaniel, former mascot of the 467th Parachute
Field Artillery Battalion. He's pictured "hospitalized" in the
Memphis, Tenn., home of his owner, Capt. William Lewelling,
after being run down by a hit -run driver on a Memphis street.
` ICLES
of
GINGER
FARM
By
Gwendoline .P Clarke
6. 4' • • b
Really, I honestly believe that
Christmas sneaks up on `us faster
with every passing 'year. A few
weeks ago it seemed ridictelous even
to be thinking about Christmas.
And then the weeks just rolled
away and here we are almost cata-
pulted into such things as the mid-
dle of Christmas shopping, prepar-
ations for Christmas concerts, gift
problems, poultry picking, Christ-
mas cakes 'and puddings, invitations
received or given, tax bills, and ad-
vance notice that instead of
"dreaming of a white Christmas"
we should be. preparing for it.
That's a regular jumble, isn't it?
But you know very' well that's the
way it goes. No one that I ever
knew was able to give his or her
undivided attention to Yuletide
preparations, least of all on a farm.
* * *
Take this place, for instance.
Now that we have ordered our tur-
key and invited six house guests
for Christmas it behooves me to
think about puddinbs and things.
But do you suppose I can settle
to it with the threshing machine
sitting like a black menace in the
middle of the yard. It has been
there for three days waiting for de-
cent threshing. weather. You see
it is clover we shall be threshing
and for that we need cold weather.
is esterday it was cold enough to
please anyone—ten above by our
thermometer—but • then yesterday
was Sunday, so that settled that.
However, last night we did go so
far as to arrange to thresh Mon-
day afternoon. But now the
weather has turned soft again—it
is up to thirty-seven degrees and I
don't know whether to prepare for
threshers or not. It's a great life,
this farming! But yet I don't
know of a better one. However,
let's get back to thoughts of
Christmas.
* * *
Ladies—I haven't told you about
my advance Christmas present,
have I? I'll tell you now because
,then if you are interested you
might casually hand this paper over
to your better half with the remark
—"There now—there's an idea for
Christmas!"
Well now, this thing that I am
referring to is a "pressure cooker."
You have seen them advertised,
haven't you? Personally, I have
been reading the descriptive adver-
tisements in American magazines
for two years; I also knew enough
about a pressure cooker to know
it would be a jolly nice thing to
have. It is rather an expensive
thing to buy but I wouldn't put it
in the luxury class because I feel
the money is well spent because ,t
saves time and fuel, and, more im-
portant still, food cookd by pres-
sure is nicer and more nourishing
than done any other way because
none of the natural juices have a
chance to escape. For instance,
take a cheap cut of meat, add to it
the necessary vegetables and You
have a stew that really is a stew
— flavoursome, nourishing and
quick. • The time between unwrap-
ping the meat and serving the fin-
ished stew, complete with dump-
lings, need not be more than half
an hour. Macaroni and cheese can
be on the table in fifteen minutes.
Carrots in ten minutes. Scalloped
potatoes, twenty minutes. I could
go on and tell you more, but isn't
that enough? The time 1 have
given you includes preparation
time -because, after all, all food
must be prepared before any
cooker can do its work. I night
add I have had my cooker over a
months and I don't think a day has
gone by without my using it at
least once, often twice each day.
* * *
There are several makes of pies•
sure cooker on the market now,
either of aluminnin, stainless steel
or metal elloy of some kind, Ours
is the latter, I believe all makes
work stuck on the sante principle..
They are perfectly safe and easy
to operate if used, according to di-
rections, but I hate to think what
would happen if the lid were forced
open before the steam had been
allowed to escape—there is a little
gadget on top for that purpose.
Unfortunately, so many people
are inclined to take chances around
the hone. Chances which so often
result in anaccident that could
often have been avoided had the
parties concerned taken just a lit-
tle snore time, We are all in such
hurry these day. But I ask you
—in a hurry for what? What is ao
important that we cannot take rea-
sonable care se that disasters such
a: burns and -scalds shall not oc-
cur? The death of little children
aF a result of fires started hurriedly
with coal oil or gas is absolutelf
erirninal.
Gift Suggestion
Because everybody saves and
collects something or other, any
body, man, woman or child, would
love to have a glorified letter file
as a Christmas gift. They are at-
tractive, useful, inexpensive and so
easy to make.
The letter files may be purchased
for about 25 cents. For the cover-
ing you niay use fancy gift wrap-
ping or any leftover wallpaper (the
wallpaper makes a sturdier cover).
A linen mending tape with a glue
backing is used to bind the edges.
This tape makes a neat finish, serv-
ing also as a reinforcement to the
corners. With the application of a
generous coat of bakelite varnish,
the letter file becomes very shiny
and entirely professional in appear-
anc.
STOPS COUGHS
Sunday Rh ►aal
vaso
Decembc.: 16
EXALTING CHRIST IN THE
LIFE OF THE NATION
Lesson: Isaiah 9:2, 3, 6, 7;
Luke 1;26--33.
Isaiah 0:2—The inhaiiitants of
the region of Galilee were repre-
sented as walking, or living, in
darkness because they tvere far
from the capital and had few reli-
gions privileges; they were com-
paratively rude and uncultured.
The language of the prophet re-
fers to the time when the Messiah
would come to that dark region
and become both its light and its
deliverer.
3.—This joy would be a holy joy
because it would- be before the
Lord. It would be a joy over
blessings received as the figure of
the harvest ii.dicates; and joy over
evil averted, as the figure of divid-
ing the spoil indicates.
6.—It would be 700 years before
Christ came in to the world, but
the present tense is used because
of the absolute certainty of the
promise being fulfilled.
• The Government h a s been
'placed upon IIis shoulder; He has
been given all power in "Heaven
and in Earth," He is Wonderful;
this title implies that He will be
exalted above the ordinary course
of nature and that His whole mani-
festation will be a miracle.
Ile Is Couksellor; the word is
'expressive of great wisdom and of
qualifications to guide the human
race. He is • the Mighty God—a
title that means the Supreme God,
Next He is the liverlasting
Father for in lit* divine nature
Christ and the Father are one. Fin-
ally He is the Prince of Peace. He
has made peace between Jew and
Gentile and Be will yet idler in
an era of universal peace.
7.—in contrast to all • earthly
kingdoms which have their rise
and fall, the Kingdom of Christ
knows no end, for it is an ever-
lasting kingdom and will perpet-
ually extend its 1,cninriaries.
Mary and the Angr
• Luke 1: 26-3u.—The angel's
word of salutation ''Mail" is, equi-
valent of 'jay be with thee," im-
plying she v, -as truly honored to
have the privilege of giving birth
to the world's Redeemer, the Son
of God. Mary was not troubled
with doubts and unbelief, but with
confusion at the honor bestowed
on her. Mary had no cause for
fear but rather for joy, for she had
found favor with God,
31-33.—The message of the an-
gel revealed -to Mary that her Son
should be esus The Saviour. He
was coming to redeem Israel, to
save His people from their sins—
and not Israel only, but all the
world. The House of Jacob means
the descendants of Jacob. His
own name was changed from
Jacob to Israel, and thus his de-
scendants were called the children
of Israel. The Kingdom of Christ
shall never be destroyed. It shall
stand forever.
Blended for Qua
LAD
TSA
The outdoor man, whether he be
farmer, truck driver, or railway
operator, is often subject to backache.
This may be the result of exposure
to cold and dampness or the result
of strain from the jolting and
bumping of the vehicle he rides.
To many people, women as well as
men, it would be great to be free of
backache—one of the most common
and annoying of ailments. And here
is how you may be relieved of back-
ache and other symptoms of poisons
in the blood.
The treatment suggested is Dr.
Chase's Kidney Liver Pills. By
reason of their stimulating action on
both the liver and kidneys, you have
two chances to one of getting relief
from your backache by using Dr.
Chase's Pills. The torpid liver is
aroused to action, the kidneys are
stimulated and consequently these
organs help to purify the blood of the
poisonous impurities which bring
pains and aches and tired feelings.
Keep regular and keep well by -
using Dr. Chase's Kidney Liver Pills.
35cts. a box.
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You'll Enjoy it Again
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EMEMB
E
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