The Forrest City times. [volume], September 06, 1912, Image 6

About The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919

Image provided by: Arkansas State Archives

                
a
SYNOPSIS.
Richard Llghtnut, «n American with an
affectmj Kn^lish at cant, rwrlvi-s a pres
cnt from a friend in China. Tho present ;
proves to be a pair of pajama* A l»tt*»r
hints of surprises to the wearer. Llghtnut
dons the pajamas and late at nlsrht «cfs j
up for a smoke. His servant. Jenkins. ;
comes In and. failing to recognize Light
nut, attempts to put him out. Thinking (
the servant crazy. IJghtnut changes his
clothes Intending to sumfnon help When
he reap[**ars Jenkins falls on hi** n*ck
with joy, confirming Lightnut’s t>elief
that he Is crazy. Jenkins telle IJghtnut of
the encounter he had with a hideous
Chinaman dressed In pajamas. In a ,
message from his friend. Jack Billings
llghtnut Is asked to put up “the kid"
for the night on his way home from col
lege. I^ater IJghtnut finds a beautiful
girl In black pajamas in his room IJght
nut Is shocked by the girl’s drinking,
•ranking and slangy talk She t^Ils him
her name 1* Francis an 1 puzzles him
with a story of her love for her sister's
room-tnate. named France#. Next morn- |
Ing the girl la missing and IJghtnut hur
tle# to the boat to *• *• her off. H - In a."- j
coated by a husky college boy. who call,
him "Dicky," hut he doe# not s'e the
girl. Jack Rilling* calls to .pend the
night with IJghtnut. They discover
priceless ruble, hidden In the buttons of
the pajamas. RIKings dona the pajamas
and retire, I.lffhtnut later discovers
In his apartment a beefy person In mut
ton chop whiskers and wearing pajamas
Jenkins calls the police, who declare the
Intruder to be a criminal, tailed “Foxy
Orandpa" The Intruder declare* lie Is
Uffhtnuf's truest and appeals to the lat
ter In vain. He Is hustled off to tall
In the morning I.lffhtnut Is astonished to
find RHllngs ffotie and more astonished
when he tret, a message from the litter,
xlemandlnff hi* clothe* I.lffhtnut. bound
for Tnrrytown. Billings' home, discovers
"Frances." the fflr! of the pajamas, on
the train IJghtnut speaks to her and al
ludes to the night before. She declares
Indignantly that I.lffhtnut never saw her
1n black pajama* At Tnrrytown Frances
Is met by a huskv rnlleffe youth who
Italls IJghtnut as "DickyTi e latter Iff- j
tiores the boy, who then threat ns to
thrash him for offendlne Frances l ici t- j
<nut take* the next train home. BllllnffS 1
storms over the outrage of his arrest. He j
•nd I.lffhtnut discover mysterious Chi
nese charaeters on the pajamas. Profes
sor TViozenh* rrv Is called In to Interpret
<he hlerofflvphl s He rnv. s over what he
vails the lost stlk of St-I.lng-Ohl. The
■writing declare* that a p r* n weiring
the pajamas will take on the scmld 'nee ;
of the previous wearer. The prof' ssor !
Iborrows the pajamas for experiment. I
"Billings” dressed In pajamas Is f .und In j
the professor's room and Is tnk< o home !
In an automobile with Frances inj a wo- 1
man I.lghtnut calls "the frump." l.iffht
nut Is nriffereil by "the frump’s slander
ous talk about "Francis ' "Billings" Is |
■taken to his room. A serxant tells I.lffht- |
nut that a message has Just been re
ceived stating that Billings was under ar- i
rest in New York f"r stealing a suit of ,
t*lack pajamas Judge BllllnffS astonishes
I.lffhtnut with a tale of Francis' esen
|>ade« I.lghtnut asks permission to speak
in "Frances " The judge declares that
•not another living person would tackle
the Job, and IJghtnut. tils mind oecup'ed
with the beautiful Frances. Is greatlx'
mystified. Policeman O'Keefe returns the
I>i»c.k pajamas and IJghtnut sends them
■to Billings' room I.lghtnut has an Inter
esting hour with Frances He tells of the
Sitings the Judge has been saving about
"Frances." much to "Frances' " amuse
ment. Judge Billings refuses to Inter
cede for a man under arrest claiming to
•he his son Jack The Judge promises
Jack to wear the pajamas that night
Next morning Jenkins tell* I.lffhtnut he
saw him (Ldghtnut) fighting with a youth
In the library during the night.
CHAPTER XXVIII.—(Continued.)
Jenkins proceeded rapidly: "You
was cording a dressing-robe about you
as you came In and 1 see a glimpse
by FRANCIS PERRY ELLIOTT
** ILLUSTRATIONS />/ RAY WA inns
COPY/r/G/YY /?// or £0£££ OQftJWry
“Oh, that!'* 1 said with contempt,
for I knew he meant that mucker
Scoggins. Then Incredulously: "Oh,
I say, you don't mean 1 was talking
to him? And asleep?”
Jenkins eyed me reproachfully. ;
"Not asleep, sir,” he remonstrated
gently.
“But I tell you—”
"Mr. Llghtnut. sir. It was the1
punch!" He shook his head. “It you'll
excuse me for mentioning—”
"Oh!" 1 remarked weakly, falling
back upon my pillow. "Jove, Jenkins!”
And I Just looked at him stupidly—
fact!
"Go on." I said. “Tell me all!”
"Yes, sir,” resumed Jenkins, "as 1
was saying, you came in with—you
know—er—the young fellow. He kind
er slouched In, looking a bit sulky.
" Tve been watching for you to get
back from the dog-tight.’ you says to
him: 'sit down, 1 want to talk to you.' j
Hut the young fellow Just stood square
in the middle of the floor and Just
kinder scowled black.
‘'Then you says, pieasant-llke: Tve
been talking with a friend of yours,
my son, who thinks I haven't treated
you quite fair.'
***0!‘ says this young fellow, and
seems kinder surprised. Then he got
red.
'* ‘And so, my boy,’ you went on,
tightening your glass as you looked at
him, ‘if I've been harsh I'm sorry—
suppose we start all over again—what
do you say? I don’t want to cross you
in anything If I can help it—I want to
help you.' ”
My abrupt ejaculation halted Jen
kins an instant, then he proceeded:
“ 'I say, do you mean that?' asks
young Mr. Hi—I mean, this young fel
low"—Jenkins stirred nervously—
"UDd you says, kinder laughing:
'there's my hand on it!' and then you
both shook.
*' 'One minute,’ says the boy, still
looking kinder puzzled and uncertain,
I want to know what about Frances,
How do we stand about that?’
"You just laughed sorter and went
up and clapped him right on the
shoulder, and you says: Why, If you
can, my son, just go in and win her.
1 don't care''—and you said it hearty
like. You went on: T haven't a word
to say—In fact. I'd be only too giad to
see you succeed.’ ”
Here 1 straightened with almost a
screech: ,
"What? 1 said that? Oh, now, Jen
kins. you—oh, you’re mistaken!"
Jenkins eyed me sorrowfully.
"Your words, sir, exactly, and then
you went on, kinder persuadlngiy:
‘Why, I haven’t meant to stand In
your way at all!' ”
1 groaned.
"Go on!" I breathed through my
teeth. Then 1 straightened forward.
"What did the judge call that punch—
what kind?"
"Heidelberg punch, sir,"—a sympa
thetic pause as I swept my hand
through my hair "Yes. sir, it cer
"O!” I Rerrarked, Weakly.
*>f one of your dark suits underneath
And following right behind you was
•bat young Mr. Hi— b m - pardon, sir,
1 remember you said I wasn't to men
•Ion any one connected w ith that ni—
b‘tn! You know who i mean, sir?"—
be paused anxiously Young man.
•It—freckled face—and the big lot
cf“—his spreading Angers cuived
above bla head—•‘awfully yellow nalr
—t»m, you know, sir*-'
s talnly must be something high—oh.
awful, sir!"
He went on as 1 dipped my head at
him. "Then this young chap catches
you by the hand and be says. Why.
you're a brick, after all! And you
says: Yes, we’ll g*t along Letter now. \
my boy, and you want to be mighty
grateful to Dicky Lightnut for It And
' this young fellow says, kinder stall
I mg: Indeed, 1 am*' And then him
**►
and you just shook hands again all
over.”
Jenkins storped for breath, but I
didn't say a word. By Jove, it all made
me a bit sick, don't you know. Oh.
1 must have been maudlin, that's what
—maudlin. I managed to wag my
head to start him off again; couldn't
speak, you know:
"Yes, sir.” Then you says: 'That’s
all right, now, my boy; so ?ou run
along, because I'm awfully busy. To- j
morrow we’ll talk some more.'
" 'Bully!’ says the chap. 'Good night,
old man!' Then he turns back, kinder
smiling sidewise. 'It's sure on the
level, is it-, that you're going to let me
have a clear road with Frances?'
“ ‘Oh. bother Frances!' you says
laughing. 'Yes, yes, and when you :
win her, she'll be to me as my own
girl. And I know I’ll have her love,
too.’
“ ‘What'3 that?" says the young fel
low, kinder frowning. And you says,
easy-like, 'Why, we'll Just be one hap
py family.' Then you chuckled like
you was mighty pleased and Eays:
‘And I think 6he is learning to like me
pretty well already. Why, do you
know what she did tonight? She
came right up to me and in the sweet
ost way kissed mo good night.”'
“Oh!” I said, digging my fingers
into the bedclothes. “Oh!”
"Yes, sir!” said Jenkins chokily. He
went on; "This young fellow Just
marches right close up to you and
says, speaking kinder quiet and nis
eyes shining, 'You 6ay France* kissed
you?' And you sorter gave a laugh
and dug him in the side and you
rays, ‘i do believe the boy is jealous!
yes, you rascal, she certainly
did—she kissed me!*
"'Well, it's a lie!' he says back,
pointing at you with his finger. 'Be
cause it ain't like her.' And ho got
closer.
seo here,* ho saye, 'have you Just
been trying to get gRy with me to
night? Huh!—well. I’m just going to
box your jaws for luck!1
" 'What?' you gaspa—'what's thntr
—and you storms up to him—'Why,
you young puppy, do you know who
you’re talking to?’ you says,
" Bail!’ he cays, and ho just goes up
and snaps his Angara In your faca.
You chokes kinder, and then you
yells at him: Why, you young ruf
fian. 1'vo spanked you before, and 1
can do It rgaln—'
"'Yah!’ bo says, making faces at
you. 'You apankad! You tK cw when
I wasn't looking. My foot slipped.’
”‘Hoot slipped, you blanked fool!’!
you shouts at him, and then—" Jen-■
kins wiped his forehaad—’’Thea tho
r.oxt thing I roo, you rcLxod.”
"Ah!" I brenthed with ro!i*f. "That's
bettor!”
1 ohuckled. Then suddenly I ielt ro
reoreoful.
'Whore did I hit him this time, Jer
kins—did you r.oileo? Was he hurt
much?"
Jenkir.s looked down, avoiding my
eyes. "Urn, not exactly, sir,” he said;
"In fact, it was—er—kinder the other
way.”
I stared, aghast.
“You don’t moan, Jenkins—"
Jenkins evidently did! Hla eyos ex
pressed both pity and embarrassment.
\\ hat he did to you,"—he rolled
his glance upward, trying to shape
the Idea— I believe, sir. It’s what you
might call"—his voice dropped—"I be
lieve it 3 what they do call wiping up
the floor with."
I closed my eyes an Instant
"Finish!" I whispered, feebly flip
ping my hand at him.
mo leit then, sir, but the noise
brought Wilkes and we helped you
upstairs. You wouldn't go any farther
than the door of the judge's hedrooru
wanted to tell him, we supposed.
When we got that far, 1 noticed Mr
Jack Hillings' door—it's right oppo
site, you remember, sir—was standing
just a little open. He called out very
anxiously and shrill: 'Oh. do be very
careful of the pajamas! My! my! l
hope the pajamas are not hurt!'
And at that, you just bangs In
side the Judge's room and In about
two minutes, he stuck his head out.
looking kinder towsled and mad Ilk*
he'd been waked from a sound sleep,
and he lire* a wrappeU-up parcel at
the door opposite and yells:
“There are your pajamas, you un
natural, heartless prodigal! Pajamas,
Indeed, at such a time!' Ajid then 1
see Mr. Jack's arm come out and Hah
the package Inside
"Then the judge turns on me and
Wilkes and ordered us to clear out
and go to bed And Wilkes said we d
best do It because the Judge would
take care of you and get you to your
room quietly. And the last tiling l
heard before he slammed inside his
room was:
““ “There’s one thing; I've got a
daughter!' ’“
1 looked at Jenkins miserably He
was right; he did have a daughter
and I wanted her. Uut Just now. i
wished with all heart that she was
somebody's anybody else's daughter
—than that of the m n who had wit
nessed my humiliation
Ar.d afterwards—
How had he managed to get me to
my room? And bad she seen or beard
me? Oh. she must have!
Well, nothing matured now—noth
I If 1,
*
lng could ever matter any more. It
was some miserable comfort to reel,
and know, that nothing worse could
ever happen!
Why, there was nothing worse left
In all the world. By Jove. I was sure
of that much!
And just then a knock sounded
CHAPTER XXIX.
" 'fj —
I Touch Bottom.
"Pardon, sir, for not waiting till
you came down," the butler was say
ing, "but Mr. Billings was just so set
on me bringing this to you, I had to."
He had entered, responding to Jen
kins’ Invitation, bearing In his hand a
gray paper parcel.
"For m«?” I questioned, as he laid
It on the table, and 1 eyed It ominous
ly. Yet It could not be the same I had
sent Billings myself—I could see that
—for It was smaller, more compact,
and la a different wrapper. But I was
afraid to examine It.
"Yes, sir—he’s very bad this morn
Ing, sir; the— er—that Is, something
last night seems to have excited him.
His eye roved eloquently between
I Sat There a Moment Swallowing
Hard.
Jenkins and myself. He continued
soberly:
"He's locked me ani Perkins out ol
bis rooms again, and wouldn't open
the door only wide enough to stick this
through. And his message"—hesitat
ingly—"he said just tell you you had
better get these pajamas back where
they came from just as quickly as you
could—you would If you were wise,
he said."
"Oh!" 1 uttered, dazed by this new
blow. So It wa? her pajamas.
But there wag more of the message
—1 could see it In Wilkes' eye.
"Yes, sir," he went on as 1 gave
him a nod. "Mr. Billings called
through the door crack—and his voice
was particularly shrill—screechy-like 1
—very unnatural, sir—and he said
You tell him I say he’ll find It very
dangerous to keep them by him a mo
ment; tell him my advice is to return
them Immediately"
«ere me outier nesitated an instant
and added: "And he said Tor me to
try to remember three letters 1 was
to mention—said you would under
stand.”
"Three letters?" 1 repeated dully.
"Yes. sir, three letters—I did re
member 'em, too. berause they hap
pened to be the initials of a young
woman I—h'm! Q F, D., sir."
"Q. E. DT I said, puzzled and mis
erable. "What's Q E. D.?" And then
an idea startled me.
“Oh I say. you mean—er—P. D. Q
—eh. Wilkes?" It sounded tike Jack'
But he seemed sure he didn't; in
sisted oil Q. E. D. When he had with
drawn, 1 sat there a moment, swal
lowing hard. By Jove, when a cha#
has had the hardest blow of hts Hfe,
and that. too. from his best friend. 1
it's devilish hard to come up smiling.
Presently 1 pulled myaeli together.
Jenkins, as he helped me drees, eyed
me In a frightened way. his face kind
of pale and greenish. .Neither of us
said a word, but I knew I had bla
sympathy, poor fellow- and it helped*
Then, with the parcel in my hand. 1 |
marched slowly down the stairs, foi*
getting even some instructions I j
should have given Jenkins
She was there In the IfvitTjeroom—
she and the frump. And when 1 saw
her dear face and realized what dis
aster had come between us, I felt j
things whirling around me like a Jolly !
what e-lts-name and dropped my hand *
on a chair-back hard, until I could
stiffen and smile up. But. by Jove
she was on!
(TO RE CONTINUED.)
Eager for Particular*.
"We had two baronesses and a
countess at our reception yesterday
"How splendid! Dtd they sine
dance, or merely talk about ihe erud
Hy of art tc AmerlcaT"
ROBINSON FLAYS
NEW ELECTION LAW
Scores Act Number 3 Which He
Declares Can Result On
ly In Corruption.
HE ALLEGES HYPOCRISY
Declares for Woman's Suffrage if
Women Want it and Discusses
Other issues.
Mr. Robinson had a fine and attcn
tive audience to hear him on August
3Sth at Walnut Ridge, I^iwreuce coun
ty. He made a great speech. Dwell
ing upon the changes in the Sta'e*
election laws, contemplated under
Proposed Act No. 3,
which was initiated under process of
Republican petitions, Mr. Robinson
said:
“The Republican platform declares
for Act No. 3, and Mr. Roland, the
Republican nominee for governor,
strongly urges its adoption. I am m
fjualifiedly opposed to the passage of
tliis measure. Whatever may have
been the purpose of those who init
iated it, its adoption will be a menace
to fair elections in Arkansas, end, in
my judgment, it will invite and en
courage the grossest frauds. I.et me
expose one feature of the bill that
no fair-minded man can approve.
"Proposed Act 3 requires that the
State Board of Election Commission
ers shall choose the County Election
Commissioners from lists of thro*
names each furnished by the chairman
of the Democratic State Central Com
mitte and the chairman of the Sta'e
Republican Central Committee. it
also provides that the County Election
Commissioners shall select the elec
tion judges from similar lists fur
nished by the chairman of fhe Coun
ty Republican Central Committee.
Where there is no county organiza
tion. the State chairman will furnish
the list of judsres for his party.
“This clearly places the power rf
appofnting the election officers ia the
chairmen of the Democratic and the
State Republican Committees and of
the corresponding officers of the re
spective county committees for said
parties. The only discretion allowed
the State Hoard of Election Comm!:
sioners is a choice from the rs?s Pf
three names each furnished by the
respective chairmen The propose,’
act docs not require that the chairman
furnishing any list shall he sworn.
It imposes no obligation on him what
ever to act fairly or honestly. If he
acts otherwise, no penalty Is pro
scribed and none can he imposed
The opportunities for fr: ud which this
act affords are unlimited. Many im
por'ant questions aside from the
choire of officers will be determined
In the September election and in all
general elections hereafter. Concern
ing some of them, fierce contests
have arisen. Creat. Interests are in
volved. Cnder such circumstances if
Is Inconceivable that any inteir -on;
per-on would favor Act No. which
will deliver the eon'rol of elections
to those party representatives who
are not officers that are sworn hefor
assuming their duties to select of
ficers to hold the election. I.ot me
Illustrate; If Act No. 3 were in force,
the State chairman for the Democrat
ic party and for the Republican par
ty could get a fortune f >r permitting
someone interested in the passage or
defeat of tho Turner-Jacobson bill, or
the passage or defeat of Statewide
Prohibition In return for the privi’.
m me i ounxy Election
Commissioners, and no offense would
be committid under Act N'o. 3. if •his
were done. The same would ho true
as to the selection of Judges. Re
sponsibility would be divided and cor
ruption would become inevitable.
"The Democratic party has enacted
election laws which, in the main, are
fair. I said in the campaign prelim
Ir.ary to the primary, and 1 repent ;•
row. that our election laws should bo
amended at least in one particular
Tho State Board ct Rlection Coromis
•iorers should be organized so that
■o officer who Is a candidate mv
have tho power to participate In nam
ing the election officers who hold
the elections before which he is a
candidate. The present method in this
particular unquestionably affords on
portunity for frauds and combina
tions, both in the primaries and In
general elections, and should be
amended.
" Representatives of the Republican
party are hypocritical wh«m they pre
tend to favor fair elections. They
have deliberately committed frauds
in State and National elections
throughout the history of the Repub
lican party.
"In 1871 the Republican party
passed an act In this State which was
the means of more corruption and op
pression during the few years that it
was in force than has occurred under
Democratic administration since Ark
ansas was admitted ta the Union.
Under thp Republican election law
or Arkansas, the County Assessor
'repared the registration list and ad
•nltted such persons as he found qual
•fled, denying registration to all ex !
enfederates. The governor was roi
owered to set aside any registration
Which he regarded fraudulent
order a new one. D<1 *•
‘This placed the control or the «tt .
government in ihe hands of
baggers and negroes. Resident JZ
citizens were disfranchised .
turers and recently liberate* stav“'
controlled the government. s
"The assessor, under this Re^ub„
can law, appointed one regular iU(*
and one alternate to serve if „
uiar judge failed to attend. Roth
judge and the alternate were Rep h
, licans. No other party could be Vec
i ognized, because one judge held th'
election. ne
"The assessor, as an elect-on 0*
fmer. was given all the power of *n.
circuit court, and any pe,, m
ing him in the performance of ’ s «}u
ties, or hindering any person Yn E0'
ing to or from the place of registra
tion was deemed guilty of n felo '
and punishable with Imprisonment jn
the penitentiary for not 1.than two
nor more than five years.
"Think of it! A county assessor
with power to punish for contempt'
“A political henchman empowered
to send a citizen to the penitentiary
for five years on the mere protenVe
that the citizen had annoyed him a3
an election officer!
"Section 26 of the Republican elec
tion law which I am discussing, pro
vided that no balIot%should be so
marked that it might be known how
any person voted .
"This enabled the election judge *o
substitute new ballots for those voted
and thus totally change the result of
the election without any possiblity of
detect ion.
"Worse than that! The election
judge was authorized to send any dis
orderly person to jail for CO days, or
to fine him $100.
"Thus, the men who had made Ark
ansas, the white citizens who had
fought in the Confederate army, wero
all disfranchised. Ignorant negroes,
totally unfamiliar with political ques
tions. and but. a few years before
given thHr freedom: political free
booters, many of whom bad fled
from justice in other States, became
the governing class. All sorts of
shnmos anj orim-:* wer - committed
and went unpunished. Oppression
prevailed throughout the State. Tor
ture, robbery, arson, and assassina
tion more hideous than during the
Civil War, were general.
"This oppressive election law con
tained a humorous provision. Sec
t ion "1 required the judge, upon open
ing the poll*. to open the ballot box
in the presence of the people thcro
ar-Si ml led, turn it upside down, and
then lock it and keep it locked until
all the people had gone.
"raise bottoms wore frequently
used. The balluis actually voted w-rre
abstracted and others substituted.
This Republican election law and it*
administration became the subject of
a Congressional investigation. The
chairman of the investigating com
mittee, himself a Republican, report
ed to Congress in part:
“ ‘It is hardly necessary to add,
after setting forth these facts,
that in the State of Arkansas
elections are but mere farces.
T'ndor the constitution anil laws
the registrators can and do dis
franchise ju t as many as they
please. A1X THF1 GREAT OF
KICKS ARE BOUGHT AND
iOLD.
‘‘‘Railroad bonds and levee
bonds, as well as positions in
which official robbery may be
perpe; rated, are granted and
awarded to political partisans
until it is the merest mockery to
say that reconstructed Arkansas
has a republican form of govern
ment.’
"This ir the judgment of a great and
unbiased Republican on tha record ct
the Republican party in Arkansas.
When rr.v opi>onent, Mr. Roland, de
nounces election frauds under Demo
cratic flection laws, I point n:m >
this record of shame and crime wt-1
ten in the Wool and tears of an op
pressed people, and challenge lem to
obliterate it or to mitigate it.
“The only answer made by Repub
lican speakers is a plea of the statute
of limitation. It does not avail apa nst
a political party giving no evtdenca
of reform, offering no apology for !">
oppressicn and failures. The same
man that dominated the Republican
party during reconstruction, controls
it now. He selects Mr. Remmfll a*
chairman of the State Central Com
mittee, Mr. Roland as the nominee for
governor, names the delegates to
national convention, writes the State
platform and parcels out postoffice*
and marshal8hlps with unquestioned
authority.
“The Republican party has a record
for unfair elections in national n°‘
itics which I ruav discuss at another
time. Arkansas is net ready yet to
permit General Clayton or his hench
men to rewrite our election la"1*
Preparing for Game Season.
Hermitage.—The game law for hill
ing deer has expired and the hunters
of the county are training thef
hounds and getting their guns 1°
shape to start for th» woods.
are getting scarce in this county, an
it will only be a question of time un >
they will be extinct.
Imbodcn.—Mayor Whalen of Ho*i*
lins issued a call st> the holder- cf d..
scrip to present the sam* to th ”r'('
er authorities for reisauanre wifT
30 days. The object of cal litf in tb
cutstanding scrip is to pet a r 'ir"
correct Knowledge of the liaW-U!** o‘
the town.