The San Juan islander. [volume], November 29, 1912, Image 7

About The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

                
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{ STORY : A
IPS
En f9 B Mm n I I D wim
MERCURY
Eleanor M. Ingram
Author of
"The Game and the Candle"
Illustrations By - ..
RJY WALTERS
(Copyright, 1810, by BobtM-UexTlU OoJ :
4
SYNOPSIS.
The story opens on Long Island near
New York city, where Miss Emily
Ffrench, a relative of Ethan Ffrench,
manufacturer of the celebrated ' Mer
cury" automobile, loses her way. The
car has stopped and her cousin, Dick
Ffrench, is too muddled with drink to
direct it aright. They meet another car
•which Is run by a professional racer
named Lestrange. The latter fixes up
the Ffrench car and directs Miss Ffrench
how to proceed homeward. Ethan
Ffrench has disinherited his son, who
hes disappeared. He informs Emily
plainly that he would like to have her
marry Dick, who is a good-natured but ir
responsible fellow. It appears that a
partner of Ethan Ffrench wanting an ex
pert to race with the "Mercury" at auto
events, has engaged Lestrange, and at
the Ffrench factory Emily encounters th«,
young man. They refer pleasantly to
their meeting when Dick comes along and
recognizes the young racer.
CHAPTER IV.
Mr. Ffrench and his niece were at
breakfast, on the Sunday when the
first account of the Georgia race
reached Ffrenchwood.
"You will take fresh coffee," Emily
was saying, the little silver pot poised
In her hand, when the door burst open
and Dick hurried, actually hurried, in
to the room.
"He's won! He's got it!" he cried,
brandishing the morning newspaper.
"The first.time for an American car
■with an American driver. And how
he won it! He distanced every car
on the track except the two big Ital
ian and French machines. Those he
couldn't get, of course; but the
Frenchman went out in the fourth
hour with a broken valve. Then he
•was set down for second place—sec
ond place, Emily, with every other big
car in the country entered. They say
he drove like, like —I don't know
■what. A hundred and some miles an
hour on the straight stretches."
"Oh," Emily faltered, setting down
the coffee-pot In her plate.
He stopped her eagerly, half turning
toward Mr. Ffrench, who had put on
his pince-nez to contemplate his
nephew in stupefaction, not at his
.statement, but at his condition.
"Wait. In the last hour, the Ital
ian car lost its chain and went over
Into a ditch on a back stretch, three
miles from a doctor. People around
picked the men out of the wreck, and
Lestrange came up to find that the
driver was likely to die from a sev
ered artery before help got there.
Emily, he stopped, stopped, with vic
tory in his hands, had the Italian lift
ed into the mechanic'an's seat, and
Rupert held him in while they dashed
around the course to the hospital. He
got him there fifteen minutes before
an ambulance could have reached him,
and the man will get well. But Le
strange had lost six minutes. He had
rushed straight to the doctor's, given
them the man, and gone right on, but
he had lost six minutes. When peo
ple realized what he'd done, they went
"wild. Every one thought he'd lost the
race, but they cheered him until they
couldn't shout. And he kept on driv
ing. It's all here," he waved the
gaudy sheet. "The paper's full of it.
He had half an hour to make up six
minutes, and he did it. He came in
nineteen seconds ahead of the near
est car. The crowd swarmed out on
the course and fell all over him. Old
Bailey's nearly crazy."
To see Dick excited would have
been marvel enough to hold his audi
tors mute, if the story Itself had not
possessed a quality to stir even non
sporting blood. Emily could only sit
and gaze at the headlines of the ex
tended newspaper, her dark eyes wide
and shining, her sofj lips apart.
"He telegraphed to Bailey," Dick
added in the pause. "Ten words: 'First
across line in Georgia race. Car in
fine shape. Lestrange.' That was
all."
Mr. Ffrench deliberately passed his
coffee-pot to Emily.
"You had better take your break
fast," he advised. "It is unusual to
see you noticing business affairs,
Dick; I might say unprecedented. I
am glad if Bailey's new man is cap
able of his work, at least. I suppose
for the rest, that he could scarcely
tio less than take an injured person to
the hospital. Why are you putting
sugar in my cup, Emily?"
"I don't know," she acknowledged
helplessly.
"I didn't mean to disturb any one,"
■aid Dick, sulky and resentful. 'It'll
be a big thing though for our cars,
Bailey says. I didn't know you dis
liked Lestrange."
Mr. Pfrench stiffened in his chair.
""I have not sufficient interest in the
man to dislike him," was the cold re
buke. "We will change the subject"
Emily bent her head, remedying her
mistake with the coffee. She compre
hended that her uncle had conceived
OB* of his strong, silent antipathies
for the young manager, and ihe wai ports of a motor had Bounded down
sorry- Sorry, although, remembering the valley, unmistakable to those fa-
Bailey'a unfortunate speech the night miliar with the testing of the stripped
Lestrange's engagement was proposed, cars, and rapidly approaching. Now,
she was not surprised. But she as Emily would have answered, the
looked across to Dick sympathetical- roar suddenly changed in character.
ly. So sympathetically, that after an appalling series of explosions mln
breakfast he followed her into the II- gled with the grind of outraged ma
brary, the colored journals in his chinery suddenly braked, and seme
hand. one shouted above the din. The next
"What's the matter with the old
gentleman this morning?" he com
plained. "He wants the business to
succeed, doesn't he? If he does, he
ought to like what Lestrange is doing
•for it. What's the matter with him?"
Emily shook back her yellow curls,
turning her gaze on him.
"You might guess, Dickie. H« is
lonely."
"Lonely! He!"
All the feminine Impulse to defend
flared up.
"Why not?" she exclaimed with pas
sion. "Who has he got? Who stands
with him in his house? No wonder he
can not bear the ma'h who. is hired to
do what a Ffrench should be doing.
It Is not the racing driver he dis
likes, but the manager. And do not
you blame him, Dick Ffrench."
Quite aghast, he stared after her as
she turned away to the nearest win
dow. But presently he followed her
over, still holding the papers.
"Don't you want to read about the
race?" he ventured.
Smiling, though her lashes were
damp, Emily accepted the peace offer
ing.
"Yes, please."
"You're not angry? You know I'm
a stupid chump sometimes; I don't
mean it."
This time she laughed outright
"No; I am sorry I was cross. It Is
I who would like to shirk my work.
Never mind me; let us read."
They did read, seated opposite each
other in the broad window-seat and
passing the sheets across as they fin
ished them. Dick had not exagger
ated, on the contrary he had not said
enough. Lestrange and his car were
the focus of the how's attention. The
caring, the reckless courage that risk
ed life for victory, the generosity
which could throw that victory away
to aid a comrade, and lastly the deter-
minatlon and skill which had won the
conquest after all —the whole formed
a feat too spectacular to escape pub
lic hysteria. It was very doubtful in
deed whether Lestrange liked his idol-
izing, but there was no escape.
The two who read were young.
"It was a splendid fight," sighed
"Never Mind Me; Let Us Read."
Dick, when they dropped the last
page.
"Yes," Emily assented. "When he
comes back, when you see him, give
him my congratulations."
"When I Bee him? Why don't you
tell him yourself?"
Something like a white shadow
wiped the scarlet of excitement from
her cheeks, as she averted her face.
"I shall not see him; I shall not go
to the factory any more. It will be
better, I am sure."
Vaguely puzzled and dismayed,
Dick sat looking at her, not daring
to question.
Emily kept her word during the
weeks that followed. Through Dick
and Bailey she heard of factory af
fairs; of the sudden increase of orders
for the Mercury automobiles, the add
ed prestige gained, and the public
favor bestowed on the car. But she
saw nothing of the man who was re
sponsible for all this. Instead she
went out more than ever before.
Their social circle was too painfully
exclusive to be large or gay.
Three times a week it was Mr.
Ffrench's stately custom to visit the
factory and inspect it with Bailey.
At other times Bailey came up to the
house, where affairs were conducted.
But in neither place did Mr. Pfrench
ever come in contact with his man
ager, during all the months while win
ter waxed and waned again to spring.
"That's Bailey's doing," chuckled
Dick, when Emily finally wondered
aloud at the circumstance. "He isn't
going to risk losing Lestrange because
our high and mighty uncle falls out
with him. And it would be pretty
likely to happen if they met Le
strange has a temper, you know, even
if it doesn't stick out all over him
like a hedgehog; and a dozen other
companies would give money to get
htm."
Emily nodded gravely. It was a sun
ny morning in the first of March, and
the cousins were at the end of the old
park surrounding Pfrenchwood, where
they had strolled before breakfast
. "Mr. Bailey likes Mr. Lestrange,"
she commented.
"Likes him! He loves him. You
know Lestrange lives with him; a
bachelor household, cozy as grigs."
Just past here ran the road, beyond
a high cedar hedge. While he was
speaking, the irregular explosive f
instant a huge mass sbot past the oth
er Bide of the hedge and there followed
a dull crash.
"That's one of our men!" gasped
Dick, and plunged headlong through
the shrubbery.
Dazed momentarily, Emily stood,
then caught up her skirts and ran aft
er him. She knew well enough what
the testers of the cars risked.
"Dick!" she appealed. "Dick!"
But it was not the wreck she antici
pated that met her eyes as she came
through the hedge. On the opposite
side of the road a long low skeleton
car was standing, one side lurched
drunkenly down with two wheels in
the gutter. Still in his seat, the driver
was leaning over the steering-wheel,
out of breath, but laughing a greeting
to the astonished Dick.
"A break in .the steering-gear," he
declared, by way of explanation. "I
told Bailey it was a weak point; now
perhaps he'll believe me and strength
en it."
"You're not hurt," Dick inferred.
"I think she's not —a tire gone.
Find anything wrong, lfupert?"
"Two tires off," said the laconic
mechanician. "Two funerals post-
poned. That was a pretty stop, Dar
ling."
"Very," coolly agreed Lestrange,
rising and removing his goggles.
"What's the matter, Ffrench?"
"You frightened us out of our five
sense, that's all. Do you usually prac
tise for races out here?"
"Us?" repeated Lestrange, and turn
ing, saw the girl at the edge of the
park. "Miss Ffrench, I beg your par
don !"
The swift change in his tone, the
ease of deference with which he bared
his head and, motor caps not being
readily donned or doffed, so remained
bareheaded in the bright sunlight, sav
ored of the Continent.
"It is too commonplace to say good
morning," Emily replied, her color ris
ing with her smile. "I am very glad
you escaped. But that is common
place, too. I'm afraid."
"Every one is commonplace before
breakfast," reassured her cousin.
"Honestly, Lestrange, do you practice
racing here?"
"Hardly. I'm trying out the car;
every car has to go through that be
fore it 1b used. Don't you know that
we've recently secured from the local
authorities a permit to run at any
speed over this road between four
o'clock an<J eight In the morning? I
thought all the countryside knew
that."
"But we have a regiment of men to
test cars."
Lestrange passed a caressing glance
over the dingy-gray machine in its
state of bareness that suggested in
decorum.
"This is my car, the one I'll race
this spring and summer. No one
drives it but me. Besides, I have to
have some diversion."
He stepped to the ground with the
last word, and went around to where
Rupert was on his knees beside the
machine.
"Can you fix it here?" he demanded.
"Not precisely," was the drawled re
ply. "Back to camp for it with a
horse in front."
"All right. You'll have to walk
down and get a car from Mr. Bailey
to tow it home."
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
HE GOT THROUGH THE GATE
Resourceful Chlcagoan Tampered
With the Truth, but Made Hie
Point, Just the Same.
"When all Is said and done Chicago
people can beat the world In resource
fulness," said an envious New Yorker.
"An exile from that city wished to see
his wife off on an eastern train that
positively refuses admittance to the
platform without a ticket He accom
panied bis wife to the' gate.
" 'Just wait around on the platform
a few seconds,' he said, 'and I'll come
through and help you arrange your
luggage.'
" '"¥ou can't go through," said a guile
less New York friend. 'If you have
anything to say you'd better say It
now.'
"'That's all right,' said the Chicago
man. Til be there.'
"Two minutes later he dashed up
brandishing a baby's milk bottle In the
face of the astonished gatekeeper.
** 'For heaven's sake, let me through,'
he said. 'I put this in my pocket at
the last minute and my wife has gone
off and forgotten it. The baby will
starve to death If she doesn't get if
"The guileless New Yorker, who
lacked sufficient wit to see his own
wife and three small children oft,
gasped in sheer envy, while the child
less Chicago man, using a milk bottle
as a harmless weapon, fought his way
through to the platform."
Wit of Augustus Thomas.
:{/ "The trouble "it with; amateur carv
ers," said Mr. Thomas, on one occa
sion, "is ? that -i the V gravy so | rarely
matches fe the wall : paper." A fatuous
argument he characterized as "like .V
chorus J girl's tights,' which touch every
I point and cover nothing." I £ When ? Mr.
Thomas was rehearsing "The Witch
ing Hour," - one *of the : management
stopped the players, and, turning to
[ the : author, c remarked: "1 think this
would be a good place for some witty
dialogue."
"Yes," replied Mr. Thomas. "A*
; for « Instance?" —Charming I Pollock fli >
"The Footlights— For* and Aft.- M
FARM
AND
USE KELP AS A FERTILIZER
Many Farmers Along Maine Coast
Gather Seaweed in Large Quanti
ties and Scatter on Land.
The main in the picture is one of
the many farmers on the Maine coast
who gather kelp to put on their lands
as fertilizer. Kelp is a seaweed which
is washed up on the shore, and at
low tide, farmers along the Atlantic
coast gather it In large quantities
and spread it upon their land. This
makes a very good fertilizer, particu
larly as so few animals are raised in
New England that stable manure is
scarce. However, as kelp Is now be-
Gathering Kelp.
ing used quite extensively in the man
ufacture of drugs and other things, it
is becoming more valuable for those
purposes than for fertilizer, and the
wonder is what these seashore far
mers will do next to obtain something
to enrich their soil.
BEE-KEEPING FOR A FARMER
No Agricultural Property Will Make
Equal Returns for Trouble Caused
by Honey Insects.
A great many farmers seem to think
that honey bees are not worth any
thing, but still they value what they
make very highly. Every one of them
would be glad to have honey on his
table all the time. If they would just
take a little extra time and labor they
could have all they wanted.
Just have a few hives in the back
yard, and you will have all the honey
you want for your own use. If you
have not any time at all to spend
with bees, why not let your wife or
the children have a few colonies?
Bee-keeping is a light, pleasant out
door work. Considering the time re
quired and money spent, there is
nothing that will net the owner any
more than the keeping of bees.
As high as ten dollars' worth of
honey has been gathered by a single
swarm of bees; but * generally they
gather about two dollars' worth in one
season.
Many people would keep bees if it
were not for their stings. A bee
keeper does not get stung often — h&
would not any more think of getting
stung in picking up a handful of bees
than you would in picking up a
downy little chick.
Honey is a good food for the sick
and well, old and young. It can be
used a great many ways in the
kitchen in preparing things for the
table.
TO HITCH A CORNSTALK POLE
With Fastening of Chain Near End of
Each Double-Tree Considerable
Trouble Is Obviated.
Hooking a stalk pole by fastening
a long chain from notches to cleavers
in the center of the double tree, often
causes a lot of trouble by the ends
Hooking a Stalk Pole.
jerking back and forth, caused by
light and heavy places in the stalks.
With the fastening of chain near the
end of each double tree the trouble
is obviated.
Locating the Apiary.
■;'■:.; ln starting _an ;■ apiary :;the^ first
thing (to%be f. considered is j the selec
tion of a ' suitable '^ location ; for the
hives. ' This should be in ; some f open
or : nearly open place where 5 there
will ' be no overhanging branches ■ from
trees to ; interfere with i: the I operation
of the apiarist, : convenient to 1 some
building to be ; used las a % shop '■', for
preparing and storing;; hives and ap-
I paratus, and near enough to the house
to *be > easily watched hin swarming
time, and, above all, in a place suffi
ciently level to make •it easy to get
around the hives and keep die grass
mowed ' about and around - them. : • '--
Buying Bees.
Bees may be bought at this season
very * cheaply and, \if you are a r good
judge of colonies, they may be bought
and moved a few > miles in a£. spring
wagon if handled very carefully. But
It is next to impossible to ship hives 1
full of bees and honey by railroad at
this time of year. Anyone con
templating | buying S had better con
tract now and ship in early spring
•ftor the most of the honey has been,
consumed, and the combs toughened
byagt.
GOOD . _„„*, muITS
All Varieties Should Be Grown in
Wide Rows to Ailow of Cultiva
tion by Horse and Hoe.
The ground between the rows and
around the bushes,.should be kept
fine and mellow. If the soil is al
lowed to become hard and allowed 'to
grow up in weeds and grass, the yield
will -r be ;• cut short, and f- the fruit ' will
be j small ' and of " inferior quality. All
bush f fruits should be grown ;in wide
rows, so the greater part of the culti
vation can be done with the horse,
hoe and cultivator.
The proper distance to plant cur
rants, raspberries, blackberries and
gooseberries in the fruit garden is
five feet apart each way for horse
cultivation. For the small family gar
den plant in rows five feet apart and
three apart in the row. This will al
low of the larger portion of the culti
vation being done with the horse cul
tivator. The ground around the bush
es must be broken up and mellowed
with the hoe. Expert fruit growers
maintain a dust mulch until the ber
ries are half size, then a thick coat
of long strawy manure, grass or rot
ted leaves is spread over the entire
ground about four inches thick.
This mulch prevents the growth of
weeds, and keeps the soil cool and
moist. When this method is fol
lowed the yield will be greater, the
berries free of dirt, and much larger
size, and of extra fine flavor. All
fruits succeed best when given plenty
of sunshine and air, along with intelli
gent culture. The common practice
of planting the bushes along the gar
den walk or fence row is bad, as the
bushes cannot be cultivated econom
ically. The yield and size of the ber
ries is greatly increased where there
Is a full supply of moisture.
The irrigation for fruit and vege
tables is being extended as a result
of tests made by practical men. The
method of irrigation for vegetables
and small fruits practiced by market
gardeners of Boston has been found
economical and profitable.
FOLDING LADDER MADE SAFE
Directions Given and Illustration
Shown of Quite Convenient Im
plement for Orchard.
A ladder built like this is very hand/
about the place in picking fruit or
pruning trees. For a ladder ten feet
long use two pieces one and one-fourth
inches thick by 5 inches wide for up
rights, writes Barton Evers of Forsyth,
Mo., In the Farmers' Mail and Breeze.
For the supports use two pieces of one
A Folding Safety Ladder.
b^ four-inch stuff. Bolt the two sup
ports together in the middle. Spread
the lower ends as shown and use a rod
for the connection at the upper end.
The longer the ladder, the heavier the
uprights should be. Such a ladder
can be folded and carried with ease.
HORTICULTUR&L
!6s^* NOTE'S
The Banana apple is well worth test
ing.
| Pruning shears can be used i every
month in the year. ? ■ 7 :
The quickest growing tree for a shel
ter belt is - the willow. ■
Pear trees planted on thin ground
are not so apt to become blighted.
■ | Prune the currants and gooseberries
as soon as the leaves fall, or early
next spring. ?^ '-','''•.■}'-^'<-^
"• Strawy, stalky manure makes an ideal
mulching fertilizer for both young and
old apple trees.
For a farm of ) 120 acres about ( 20
acres should be given up to the build
ings and orchard. ' * *
:■; In latitudes -i where crimson i clover
will grow, try sowing; it for a cover
crop in the orchard, v
While sandy soils are sprobably good
for strawberries, any soil not too rich
will bring good results. ;-■• i;- ■' \.
The surest and quickest way ■/ of
eradicating white grubs in a green
house soil would be to steam it.
Potash should be applied = to y all
kinds of fruit trees, v especially ; to
the peach and other stone fruits.
-5 If ;: climbing :; \ cutworms ' bother or
chard or ■ other crops ;by - eating ji buds
and foliage, I scatter poison bait about.
; Ripen the pears in a dark place.
They will assume a fine ; color, if ripen
ed between the layers of woolen blank
ets. - i. ;. ; . , '
Plow the J ground i for the •• late; or-;
chard. Disk it in late fall and it will
be in good - shape to plant _ . next
spring.
Heei fruit trees in on well drained
ground; putting two feet of dirt on the
roots and covering the tops with about
six inches. ■ ' yl-mM
Remember that the wood ashes that
come from the cook stove, fireplace or
furnace are the best kind of fertiliser
for the orchard, lawn or garden.
The best fruit trees for sm^ *pwn
lots or gardens are peaches am. 4!ier
rtes. Apple trees take up too much
room and art much longer In coming
Into bearing • ■ -. •- - ;
POULTRY AND GAj^
Cm set yon fancy price, f orWiHT%-,^
If «? d,? t>» «ame in season. wT^
Pearson-Page Co., Portl^ j
MAKE CHRbSsIS
| Boss and Girls wanted to mannf a T ■
! sell Perfection Furniture PoMsh a re **
15c. Retails 25c. Send 50c f or $£?**
! directions. Material costs 8c aT Ulaan^
CcDeptG, 311-12 Bernice Bid, t Mf *
Wash. g -' Taeoou,
f < When In PORTLAND .top at 7"\
; NEW SCOTT HOTEL
best place for family in city, rooms a??* '
Seventh and Ankeny Streets J
Convenient from All Depots by Streetcar \
—__L """ — **+
Economical Lighting Co.
Gasoline Hollow Wire Lighting Sysw.'
Mantles and Glassware
: Mantles for Cancnester. Aladdin all th j-»
entmake.of Kerosene Mantle Lam' ?"?■;;
Rag Mantles 60c per dozen. Write us Jun *
Agenti Wanted. 597 William Are., P^
TACOMA, WASHINGTON.
4i The School whose graduates get position. „
their money back. Send for Catalog. |WBIUOM «
INSTRUCTIONS IN THE
MOST MODERN METHODS
' A conservative, re- fjfy 2. '>g^> I
liable school, repre- L#^/C Jq IK\ j
sen ting : the very Wj^g\^^WAS ''
highest achievements ¥ §^f TV
in business education; FK, ' ** !
inculcating good citi- 31 MCCv j
zenship and business I Oi******t4jhJ j
honor; using methods I f< /.
of the highest author- k€>J fc i«7y .
ity, national in scope, f"'\^fg I C vy^
sound in character, L.?g*^is* *-^^' '
permanent inTesults; Vat^ma -nn »* ■
in such close touch TACOMA, WASH, ]
with the best business firms of the North
west as to be able to place worthy students
in good situations every week in the year. j
Daniel in Second Place.
Little Willies grandmother had
been telling him Bible stories, his
favorite being that of Daniel in the
lions' den. At the age of four he was
taken to a circus for the first time.
When the lion-tamer put his head into
the lion's mouth little Willies excite
ment knew no bounds. Jumping up
and down, he gleefully screamed: I
"Oh, my! That knocks the spots off*
Daniel!" \:<i
" Prognostics.
. The Cinnamon Scimitar's financial i
editor writes: "The dental profession
is looking down in the mouth. With
the scavenger, however, everything &|
picking up. The steeplejack's bust I
ness, if he is not careful, will be fall
ing off. In the automobile and rail
road line everything is running down.
The sausage and scrapple trade is on;
the pig. With the astronomer, ho* I
ever, things are looking up."
it
His Line of Work.
" "Sam, have you got a job novf
"Oh, yes, San." "What are you doing,
Sam?" "Why, I's gettin' my flfr
washin', boss."
Rheumatism
Neuralgia
Sprains
I P Miss C. MAHOKET, of .2708 K. St.,
.W. Washington, D. C, writesl: ' I«»
fered with rheumatism for five.years
V and I have just got hold of your Lmi
ment, and it has done me so rnuctt
good. My knees do not pain and toe
swelling has gone."
Quiets the Nerves
MBS. A.WEIDMAX, of 403 Thompson
years ago and left me with a jerWM
I friend told that to your L mimew
= f rienS• told me to try your Lmi£«»
and now 1 could not do without it. *
find after its use I can sleep.
SWANS,
LINIMENT
"Is a good Liniment. IkfP* 0"
hand 111 the time. My daogWJ
sprained her wist and used )ou
Liniment, and it has not hurt her
■ XIATC.IIfcK, fiMjr?*?Mml&M
• • •