The Bluffton news. [volume], June 25, 1942, Image 7

About The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current

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THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 1912
THE STORY SO FAR: Clay Morgan,
a solitary man who cannot forget the
wife who died hating him, refuses to
“play hall’’ with Ben Herendeen, a
rancher who wants to run the cattle
country his own way. Morgan is a big
rancher and knows he must protect him
self against rustlers and “nesters,” but
he doesn’t like Herendeen’s methods. Of
his old friends, only Hack Breathitt has
not gone over to Herendeen’s side. The
others—like Lige White, Charley Hill
bouse and Gurd Grant—are supporting
Herendeen more or less in self defense.
Gurd Grant’s sister, Catherine, is in
love with Clay. She comes to see him
and is forced to hide when riders are
heard approaching. The first is Hack
Breathitt, out of breath from hard riding.
Now continue with the story.
CHAPTER V
Hack Breathitt stepped to the
porch. He said: “I guess I nce^ a
little help on this.” He was a thin,
agitated shape in the shadows he
was swearing softly to himself, full
of anger. He listened to the strength
ening rush of the yonder horses.
“That will be Herendeen and Lige
White and Gurd Grant. It has come
to a hell of a pass when a man
can’t ride these hills as he pleases.”
Clay Morgan said, rough and sud
den: “If they’re stepping on your
feet, take a shot at them.”
Hack let out a heavy, irritated
sigh. “Not yet, Clay. I'm tryin’ to
be peaceable.”
They said no more, for the three
ranchers had reached the yard.
They were stopped, they were keep
ing to their saddles, and letting the
silence run they could see Hack
and Morgan on the porch, touched
by the outshining lamp light from
the living room of the house.
The three left their saddles, slow
ly coming into the light. Morgan
had his quick sight of their faces, of
Gurd’s worried expression and of
Lige White’s embarrassed dislike at
what he was now doing, and of Ben
Herendeen’s bony, flat triumph.
“It’s what I expected,” Herendeen
said.
“You’re lucky i didn’t knock you
out of that saddle,” grumbled Hack
Breathitt.
“If you had nothin’ to worry
about, why run?” asked Herendeen.
Hack Breathitt was a shrewd man
and he had no trust in Ben Heren
deen. He said, halfway between out
rage and amusement: “Wasn’t run
nin’, Ben. I was just bein’ careful.
I just kept rememberin’ Ollie
Jacks.”
Gurd Grant said: “We were com
ing along the trail down by Dell
Lake and saw you and Pete Bor
ders riding together. Pete hit off
one way and you went another. All
we wanted to know was why you
camped with him last night. But
you made a run of it.”
“Clay,” said Herendeen, “you pro
pose to shelter every brush-jumper
that comes along?”
“Hack’s a friend of mine,” stated
Morgan, “and he’s on my land. I’ll
stand behind him.”
Herendeen said, to Breathitt, “If
I ever see you around my country,
Hack, I’ll open up on you.” He
swung on his heels and left the
porch.
From his place by the doorway,
Morgan noticed Gurd Grant swing
from the porch end with a strange
jerk of his shoulders and cross at
once to his horse. He mounted
quickly, waiting for Lige White and
Herendeen. Darkness covered this
yard but Morgan saw Gurd’s white
and vague and staring face in the
heavy shadows. A moment later all
three of them trotted from the yard.
As they left, Lige White said
something to Grant. Gurd Grant
never heard it. In stepping to the
end of the porch he had noticed his
sister’s horse in the farther dark
ness and at that moment all his
long wonder at her relations with
Morgan froze into solid certainty—
and left him, in that one passing
interval, no longer Morgan's friend.
Hack said: “Well, I’ll drift along.”
“Put up for the night, Hack.”
“No,” said Hack. “But I’m obliged
for the help.” He looked down at
the floor, involved in his own un
certain thoughts. “It is the last
time I’ll run from those fellows,
Clay. I wanted no shootin’. Now, I
don’t give a damn.”
“Watch your step. Don’t let Ben
push you into the wrong stall.”
Hack drew a long breath. “So
far,” he said, “I ain’t done a thing
to be ashamed of, Clay. I want
you to know that. Well, so-long.”
He was soon gone, galloping south
ward down the narrow valley. Mor
gan waited until the sound of all
these travelers faded into the night
before going to the living room.
Catherine came from the hallway
toward him.
“Clay—did he see my horse?”
“I took it back of the house.”
Relief came to her, though there
was a shading of worry that
wouldn’t leave. “Gurd’s a little
touchy about me. I wouldn’t want
...” She didn’t finish that sentence.
She showed him a stronger color
ing, and covered it up with a quick
question. “I heard all the talk. Are
you sure you’re right, Clay?”
He said: “Do what you can to
keep Gurd out of it. Ben’s going to
play hell with a lot of people. If it
comes to a showdown I’ll have to
go against him.”
She murmured, “I know,” and the
color of her eyes turned darker,
turned softer. She saw the length
of his jaw and the tension around
his lips and the smoky excitement
rising in his eyes. She said in a
small, hurried voice, “Good night,
Clay,” and went by him. He walked
to the porch ar^ waited until she
rode around the house. She paused
a moment and held out her hand.
The pressure of it was strong and
the shock was there again for him.
SUMMIT RUDE
By Ernest Haycox
She said, at once cool and near
laughter: “Will I see you in town,
Clay? There’s a dance Friday. I
think Ben will be taking me.”
“I’ll be there,” he said.
On Thursday evening just beyond
sunset, Ben Herendeen reached the
ridge behind the Gale homestead
and came over it so suddenly that
he caught the Gale family eating
supper under a lone juniper tree in
the yard. He might have taken the
route straight across Fanolango Des
ert, but this would have given Gale
notice from afar. Liard Connor and
Bones McGeen, both being men who
liked this kind of business, were with
him.
It amused Herendeen to see the
complete shock his arrival pro
duced. Gale rose, gaunt and gray
headed and old-faced in the twilight.
Mrs. Gale suddenly reached for
the smallest child, wrapping her
apron around him.
There were three other children
in the family, a girl near twenty
and two younger boys. All of them
remained still and for a moment he
could see something pretty close to
terror in the eyes of Gale’s wife.
In a way it pleased him to find them
still on the ranch. He proposed to
make an example of the family and
this made it easy.
“I gave you time,” pointed out
Herendeen.
“Time for what?” asked Gale.
“To kick a man around like a dog?
I ain’t hurting you. This ain’t near
your range. It should be Mr. White’s
say—and he ain’t complained.” He
didn’t speak of his legal right to be
here on free Government land, for
he knew how hopeless it was in front
of a cattleman in cattle country.
“That’s enough,” said Herendeen.
“All you nesters are alike. I give
you twenty minutes to clear your
junk out of the shack.”
Mrs. Gale at once turned and ran
for the house, calling over her shoul
ders, “Gale, help me. Daisy—come
help me.”
Gale didn’t move. He had his head
down and he stared at the ground,
hard-caught by indecision and futili
ty. The girl, Herendeen observed,
was pretty. He stared at her out
of interested eyes and was irritated
by the judgment he discovered on
her face.
The women were carrying their
possessions out of the house—their
kitchen implements, their clothes,
their few sticks of furniture. Her
endeen said, almost laughing, “Old
man, if you expect to save your
wagon you better get it out of the
shed.”
Gale stirred himself. He walked
across the yard with his knees nev
er quite straightening. He called to
the oldest boy, “Give me a hand, son
ny,” and both of them seized the
tongue of the wagon and backed it
from the shed. Afterwards Gale
went into the corral for his horses.
Herendeen watched the family move
around the yard. He looked at his
watch, and was a little disappoint
ed that it was so easy. He said:
“That’s twenty minutes. Set ’em
afire.”
Bones McGeen rode to the shed.
Liard Connor got down and went
into the house. Herendeen heard
him tramping around the place the
stove crashed down and in a little
while smoke began to puff through
the door. Connor came back. Mc
Geen had piled some sage wood
against the corner of the shed, and
now this fire began to burn. Gale
stopped harnessing the horses. He
put his back against the wagon,
watching the fire catch hold.
One side of the shed turned into a
yellow sheet of flame the doorway
of the shanty showed a solid roll of
smoke and fire inside—and there was
no way now for the Gales to save
anything. Herendeen said, to his
men: “I guess that’s all.” But he
looked at the girl, speculating on
her. He said: “I’m not as bad as
you’d figure. You want a job? It’s
one way of keeping your family
alive, anyhow.”
Gale left the horses and walked to
Herendeen. He said: “Mr. Heren
deen, my daughter would drop dead
before she took anything from you.
4
Mrs. Gale suddenly reached foi
the smallest child, wrapping hei
apron around him—
And if she did take anything I’d
kill her. I guess you’ve done us all
the hurt you can. Go on and leave
us alone. Someday, maybe I can
pay you back.”
“Hold on there,” said Herendeen.
He got off his horse and walked
up to Gale, catching the front of
Gale’s shirt in his fingers. He shook
Gale a little but there wasn’t any
resistance in the older man at all
his body swayed to the pressure of
Herendeen’s arm. Mrs. Gale’s eyes
showed a sudden terror. One of the
boys reached down to seize a rock
he would have thrown it at Heren
deen if the girl hadn’t caught his
arm.
Herendeen said: “You had better
keep your damned mouth shut.
Hitch up that team and get out of
the country. I don’t want to see
you on this range again.”
He released Gale and returned to
his horse. Connor and McGeen
joined him, the three of them cir
cling the snapping, twisted rush of
fire flames broke through the shan
ty’s roof and the sky above this
area began to glow. Looking back
as a matter of caution, Herendeen
saw the family still standing by the
juniper tree. The girl had taken
the youngest child in her arms. Gale
had moved over to his wife. His
arm was around her she had thrown
her apron across her face and was
crying.
Late Friday afternoon, just as
Clay Morgan was ready to leave
the ranch for War Pass, Vance Ket
chell came into the Long Seven yard
and dropped off a tired horse. Vance
was a steady-going young man who
once had been a puncher for Heren
deen’s Three Pines and now owned
a few cows of his own up on the
slope of the Cache Mountains. He
didn’t say anything for a moment
but Morgan saw that he was under
considerable strain—and waited for
Vance to make his talk. Vance
fashioned a cigarette, lighted it and
stood with his feet apart, staring
across the narrow valley flats. He
said, “Pretty country,” but really
didn’t see it. When he pushed his
hat back a mop of hair, black as
crow, dropped down on his forehead.
“Clay,” he said at last, “you hear
about the Gales?”
“Yes.”
“I saw them over in Freeport yes
terday. Pretty tough—pretty tough.”
He smoked on and Morgan knew he
had not yet come to his point. Some
thing on the summit of the Mogul
Hills seemed to interest Vance Ket
chell as he added casually: “I like
the family—I like the girl.”
“Sure,” said Morgan, and under
stood part of Vance's trouble then.
“Clay, if that can happen to a
nester, it can happen to me. I’m
pretty small potatoes and it looks
like something’s afoot to push us
out.” He stared at Morgan, then said
in an idle voice, “I heard the big
outfits held a meetin’ the other day.”
“Wasn’t present,” said Clay.
He knew what lay in Ketchell’s
mind. Ketchell was a cow hand at
heart but he had his own interests
to worry about now, and the affair
at the Gale homestead hit pretty
close. Ketchell was figuring out the
politics of the country, wondering
where his, Morgan’s, weight would
be. Ketchell was too old a hand to
ask the direct question, but never
theless he kept circling around,
hunting an answer.
Ketchell said: “I don’t think it
was right of Herendeen. Can’t blame
a big outfit for watchin’ its own
fences, but I ain’t so ignorant as I
used to be. Small folks have got
rights, Clay. There’s a hell of a
lot of them in this world—and they
got rights.”
“If I were Gale,” said Morgan,
“I’d cut the price of that home
stead out of Herendeen's hide.”
He saw relief change Ketchell’s
face completely. Vance tossed
away the cigarette he was grin
ning beneath the shadow of his hat
brim. “Yeah,” he said. “Well, see
you in church.” He was on the horse
and soon away and somewhere in
his mind was a decision formed in
that little space of time.
(TO BE COM I ED)
Must Be Wide Awake
To Grow Good Fruit
Early spring weather conditions
favored the control of insects and
diseases attacking Ohio fruit but
conditions have changed since May
15 and growers now have to be wide
awake to protect fruit from damage.
Growers can get advice on spray
ing by having their names placed on
county agricultural agents’ mailing
lists to receive the spray service
letter.
These letters are prepared by the
extension men at the University and
give specific directions about ma
terials to use and times to apply
sprays to control certain diseases or
insects. The time of applying sprays
is very important in securing ade
quate protection for the fruit.
The last spray service letter tells
growers that codling moths have
been flying since May 28, at Lorain
and Port Clinton. The letter ad
vises the application of a second
cover spray for codling moth control,
starting June 20 and finishing as
soon as possible.
The spray also can be used to con
trol apple scab by adding the proper
kind and amount of sulfur. Apple
scab is reported in many Ohio orch
ards and rains prevented timing the
early sprays to give adequate con
trol of this disease.
Orchard owners who have had
trouble with apple maggot are ad
vised to repeat the cover spray
about July 10, using either the lead
arsenate recommended for codling
moth control or calcium arsenate.
Present prospects indicate that prices
for clean fruit will more than repay
costs of producing it in 1942.
News want ads bring quick results.
THE/BLUFFTON NEWS. BLUFFTON, OHIO
Mainly,
PeManal
Town talk ...Ml hadn’t heard
it our phone burned out Satur
day night sure those cherries
are ripe but who's gonna pick
’em and what about the sugar
the bakery will be closed all
next week to catch up on sugar, he
said wonder if they’re going to
play golf this summer nothing
doing yet yeah, the old binder
will have to do ... no new ones
or even second hand and
there may be some wheat cut by the
end of this week farmers say
yield this year will set no new high
records and few expect more than
an average crop.
Bluffton dads were really in the
money when Father’s day rolled
around last Sunday. If you think
Dad wasn’t handsomely remembered
you just don’t know what’s going
on. Good times and full pay en
velopes in the Bluffton district were
reflected in shirts, ties and socks
showered upon dads in such quan
tities that Bluffton retailers found
their shelves practically swept bare
of these items when they closed up
shop Saturday night.
Uncle Sam’s navy is really going
places these days—thanks to its
equipment and the men who know
how to operate it. Paul Martinka,
mechanical engineer at the Central
Ohio’s Woodcock generating plant
here who knows the workings of a
steam turbine better than you know
your automobile expects to leave
this summer for naval service. Paul
is a graduate of Case, top flight
scientific school in Cleveland where
he specialized in operation of tur
bines and also marine architecture
and design.
There may have been men in
Bluffton the first of the week busier
than Eli Deppler—but w-e don’t
know who they were. Saturday
night’s electrical storm put out of
commission more than ten percent
of Bluffton’s telephone service and
Eli as manager and chief trouble
shooter was kept busy with a job
big enough for a half-dozen men.
If your phone’s out just be ‘patient.
Remember the storm was the worst
in recent years for telephone dam
age and extra telephone repairmen
are not to be had.
Another of Bluffton’s claims to
distinction as a town that is dif
ferent is the fact that it has a
family of opossums that call this
their home. The animals have a
nest in the vicinity of the Steiner
hatchery on Cherry street but are
seen at night in various parts of
the business district. Since moving
to town more than a year ago they
have become tame and have little
fear of humans.
It w-as refreshing the other day
to find a Bluffton woman—we prom
ised not to use her name—who has
the courage to fly in the face of the
age-old rule that Monday is washday.
Her washday is Saturday instead of
Monday—for the very good reason
that daughter who is free from
school on Saturday can lend valuable
assistance. So the family washing
flaps on the line in solitary grandeur
in that neighborhood every Saturday
morning as proof that it is possible
to plan housework according to
reason rather than in obedience to
custom.
If you expect to spend your vaca
tion at home this summer and picnic
in your back yard, the state highway
department will furnish free of
LOCAL AND LONG
DISTANCE HAULING
Every Load Insured
STAGER BROS.
Bluffton. Ohio
For Vigor and Health—
include meat in your menu.
Always ready to serve you.
Bigler Bros,
Fresh and Salt Meats
WE PAY FOR
HORSES $6.00
COWS $4.00
(of size and condition)
Call
ALLEN COUNTY FERTILIZER
23221—LIMA, OHIO
Reverse Tel. Charges E. G. Buehsieh, Inc.
TOMAT
Added to Charley Trippiehorn’s
collection of reptiles ’and other pets
is an opossum, the gift of officials at
the Toledo zoo where Charles again
was a recent visitor. The animal
has a real appetite and has shown a
special liking for hamburger and
milk.
Donna Lou Stratton, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Donivan Stratton of
near Columbus Grove, has a Shet
land pony that has the peculiarity of
refusing to move when it rains. The
moment it starts raining the pony
stays in the same spot until the rain
has stopped.
How to Display Ceiling Prices
Ceiling Price may be shown for a group of identical
items on the same shelf-such as canned tomatoes.
charge plans for construction of a
picnic oven, picnic tables and
benches. Plans for rustic type
shelter houses also are available.
Address the division of landscape
architecture, Ohio Department of
Highways, Columbus.
Remember Galen Leatherman, for
mer Bluffton college student? Well,
Galen was superintendent of schools
in Hoytville, Wood county last year.
Following the close of school he left
Saturday with a group of selectees
for the army. His induction leaves
but one single man above high
school age in Hoytville, Galen said.
Malcolm Basinger found mowing
the lawn for Bill Edwards pays
dividends almost in gold. Malcolm,
an enthusiastic stamp collector, was
only too glad when Bill offered to
pay’ him in old stamps. Upon
searching thru the pile of stamps
given to him Malcolm found two
American 20 cent stamps with a
1915 date and having a market
value of seven dollars each. The
stamps were uncancelled and had a
perforation number in the proper
amount to make the high valuation.
The town has been all but taken
___ mu tiTi a tfll WTIM*
col
I
over by the several hundred United
Brethren boys and girls attending
the Sandusky young people’s confer
ence being held on the Bluffton
college campus. Many residents
were inquiring as- to the sudden in
flux of youngsters on the Bluffton
streets, not knowing that a church
conference was in progress. Inci
dentally the college cooks are having
quite a time finding enough food in
the town for a crowd of that size.
Have you noticed how popular the
game of croquet is becoming in this
town Maybe tire and impending
gasoline restrictions have something
to do with it but we have noticed an
unusually large number of people
playing the old fashioned game in
the yards on Sunday afternoons or
other times of leisure.
We have to take our hats off to
this year's senior class at Bluffton
High school. Often the graduating
seniors have left school with a debt
to be assumed by the oncoming class
but this year’s senior group has a
balance in the treasury of better
than $300. The officers are holding
meetings trying to decide what dis
posal should be made of the funds.
Two heavily loaded branches of
luscious looking cherries are on dis
play at the Bluffton News window
giving proof that the Bluffton dis
trict is productive of quality fruits.
One is from the fruit farm of Mrs.
Fred Lehman, three and one-half
miles west of town and the other
from a tree of yellow Morenci's at
the Chester Huber farm, south of
town.
While Burdette Clark was walk
ing down the streets of Honolulu,
Hawaii and thinking that he had not
seen any onefrom the ole home
town for ages who should be run
into but Joe Swank. The boys,
Allen County Farm
For Sale
X-32 STULTZ 80 acres—SE% Section 24, Jackson
Township. Located 3^ miles northwest of Ada on
good gravel road. There is a 36x54 barn and small
crib on this tract of land. Farm is well tiled, good
fence, and cut by stream. The soil is silt loam,
gently rolling with 66 acres under cultivation and
14 acres of pasture.
Reasonable down payment small annual payments,
with our insurance feature protecting your family
and investment.
For further details get in touch with—
Edwin Lockwood, Authorized Farm Sales Representative
501 Cook Tower, Lima, Ohio
or See your local realtor
PAGE SEVEN
both in the United States navy, had
supper together and had an enjoy
able time reminiscing and exchang
ing information as to the where
abouts of their various mutual ac­
quaintances in the armed forces.
We haven’t made inquiry as to the
reason but let it be known that
Harold Santschi and Maurice Kohli
are raising skunks. The boys have
two baby skunk pets that they hope
to raise to maturity in the back
yard of the Mrs. John Fett residence
on South Main street.
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT
The Statr of Ohio.
Allen County. as
Estate of John J. Bsulertwher. Decased.
Dan R. Trippiehorn of Bluffton, Ohio, has
been appointed and qualified as Administrator
with will annexed of the estate of John J.
Radertscher. late of Allen Count, Ohio, de
ceased.
Dated this 9th day of June. 1942.
RAYMOND P. SMITH.
10 Probate Judge.
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT
The State of Ohio,
Allen County, ss
Estate of Mrs. Nellie Lewis. Deceased.
Harry E. Lewis of R. D. No. 5. Lima. Ohio,
has been apiwinted and qualified as adminis
trator of the estate of Mrs. Nellie Lewis, late
of Allen County. Ohio, deceased.
Dated this 2nd day of June, 1942
RAYMOND P. SMITH.
10 Probate Judge.
Mt. Cory
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Jones were
Sunday dinner guests of Mrs. Grace
Jones in Columbus Grove.
Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Ghaster and
daughter Ruth called on Mrs. Emma
Auspahl in Findlay Sunday evening.
Charles Boobring called Saturday
evening on Mr. and Mrs. T. B.
Ghaster and daughter Ruth and
Jennie Ghaster.
Mrs. Frank Balister, Ruth Ghaster
called on Mrs. J. E. Jones Sunday
evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Will Nonnamaker
motored to LaFayette to visit their
son Earl Nonnamaker.
Mrs. Anna Keel spent last week
in Toledo with her son Merrell Keel
and family. They accompanied her
home for the week-end.
Mr. and Mrs. Lehr Green, Mr. and
Mrs. Richard Reiter, Mrs. Ralph
Steininger and daughter Alice visit
ed in Cleveland over the week-end.
Mrs. Adrian Warren, who is now
at Elyria, spent one night last week
in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil
Woolley.
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Kramer spent
Sunday evening with Mr. and Mrs.
Ray Nonnamaker.
Eugene Smith and sons King and
Paul of New Castle, Indiana, are
visiting Mr. and Mrs. W. S. King.
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Kramer called
Tuesday evening on Mr. and Mrs.
A. E. Holmes.
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Kramer called
Friday evening on Mr. and Mrs.
I Bernard Stratton.
Mrs. J. J. White and Mrs. Pearl
Jordan returned home Saturday
after a two weeks’ visit at Warren.
Gene Jordan spent the week-end
at his home here.
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Boobring and
daughter Mrs. Eugene Klapp and
son Kit of Kentucky motored to
Norwalk to visit Mr. and Mrs.
Harold Folk and family, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Cherry of
Findlay called Thursday evening on
Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Ghaster and
Jennie Ghaster.
Mr. and Mrs. Willis King and
daughter Judy spent Sunday with
Dr. and Mrs. A. E. King.