Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, November 23, 1921, Page 2

! { The little cabin clung to the scarred hillside and pine trees clustered around It as if to protect the tiny home from the cruel blasts of thé ap- proaching winter. In summer it was very lovely there. Birds nested in the deep pine: woods ®ehind the cabin and a robin had huilt 1A the tallest pine over the roof. But now the robins had fled and the woods were qulet save for the scolding chat- ter of blue jays and the occaslonal bark of squirrels. The grass had died under the touch of a blighting frost and the wind whistled keenly down the mountain. Hester Prentice leaned against the doorway and looked sorrowfully at the bleak bhillside and the dark hole in the. earth where her husband had delved for many months, A few flecks of gold had rewarded his ef- forts and although he still maintained | ‘an outward aif of cheerfulness Hes- ter read growlng despair in his stooped shoulders and evasive eye, and only this morning she had noted with a little shock that his dark halr was sllvered around the temples. “And Dick is only thirty,” she mur- mured to herself with a catch of the breath. “That awful mine! With its alluring promises that are never ful- filled it is sapping his life of youth and happiness. Such a mockery to eall it ‘Horn of Plenty. ‘The Vam- pire’ would be a better name.” Tears clouded her blue eyes and for the moment she lost the cheer- fulness that had sustained her ever since her marriage to Dick Prentice six months before. Family and friends had protested at her foolhardiness in risking everything upon the mining claim staked out in distant Montana. “There is Dick, you' know,” she had smiled confidently at them. “With Dick, I would go anywhere—take any chance in the world!" So she had married him and the summer -had' been an_ideal one, but. 2o X CZs WW | ,_’MU Huter Prentice’ Leaned Against the Doorway. l\ovember was upon them and Thanks- giving oniy a few days away. Momesickness tugged at her heart- strings. Back there In New England they were making elaborate prepara- tlons for the great festival. They had written and urged the young pion- eers to come home for Thanksgiving. Hester, smiled bitterly. Why, there was scdrcely a bushel of flour in the house and the bacon was almost gone —what could one do with nothing coming in? Dlck’s hopefulness ‘had jarred on her nerves. Only this morning she had spoken ‘sharply to bhim when he had made some remark about Thanks- glving. A pang of remorse now sent her harrying down toward the shaft. At the very edge of the opening she liesitated and peered .within the tun- nel, Dick was there—sitting on a keg, his head bowed In his hands; alone with his disappointment ! “Dick, Dick!” she ecried, going to him and folding his head in her arms. “Come up to the house, Leave this dreadfnl place!” Hig face was hot with fever and his eyes were bright, “I: helieve 1 will come up for a while, dear,” he laughed uncertainly, “This hole in the ground has rather igat on my nerves, and if I could only sleep fi -~ while—there—there I've forgotte cer that dynamite—" e do that, dear,” protested “You know I'll be just us o ate Come!” Hester supported Dick up the hill ‘and ‘somehow got him into bed, and because they were iwenty iniles from ‘the” nearest town and there was no direct means of communication save through their nelghbor, Lin Dowd, five miles away, she had to adminis-’ ter the simple remedies at her com- mand until she. could devise some way of getting word to the doctor, Presently Dick was muttering rest- lessly in the little bedroom while Hes- ter picked up his gun and went qulck- 1y up Into the woods behind the cabin. 1f she conld only make Lin Dowd | hear -the report of the gun he might suspect trouble and come to her aid. Once in_the dim alsles of the pines she started a wild turkey which flut- tered up with a raucous squawk. _“There is our Thanksgiving din- ner!” cried Hester, *“What un idiot ‘L:am to think that one can't be happy and, thunkful ‘anywhere in the world ! y_y, it Dick w e only well again I Would be tlie oSt uengntea womai in the universe. But we wlll have a: Thanksgiving dinner in spite of you!” she turned and shook her flst at the Horn of Plenty below. “I will make some mincemeat—squirrel will help some, although I bate to kill the dar-! lings—and those wild grape preserves 1 made will be deliclous! Why didn’t I think of It before Instead of grume Started a Wild Turkey. bling? I'm afraid Dick has noticed my downheartedness. Well, I won't give way again.” With this resolution Hester lifted the gun and fired several shots in the direction of the Dowd place. She thought she heard a signaling shot in return, and, satisfied that help would goon be on the way, she went back to the cabin and discovered that Dick was sleeping quietly. It was a lonely day for her, for Dick slept far into the afternoon. She completed her plans for Thanksgiving day, and while she stood in the door- yard watching the trail along which she expected to see Lin Dowd’s mules come galloping at any instant, a great plan took form in her mind. “If 1 could only blow the old Horn of Plenly to bits, Dick would admit defeat and go home with me. There i he could have some chance in father's | oflice and I would work, too, if neces- | sary. This suspense Is killing him.” She bit her lip thoughtfully as she went down the hillside to the mine. | | She was familiar with the wm'klugs and had often helped Dick, holding | the hand drill and fetching and carry- | Ing for him falthfully. She opened the door of the tool ! shed and rolled a keg of gunpowder | into the mouth of the tunnel. Then she fnserted a fuse into the opening| ! and carried the length to.a large rock half-way up the slope. “I'here, you greedy old Horn of 'lumy you've swallowed all our hopes and uur money. When you have van- ished, perhaps we can begin over again somewhere else!” . Hester did not light her fuse then, | detonation that shook the hillside as 3 not for §everal days; Because DIcK e quired all her attentlon, Lin Dowd | evidently had not heard her call for help and she was compelled to do the | best she could alone and unaided. On Thanksgiving morning Dick was much better. He said he felt as strong as a lion and would get up and eat some of the toothsome viands whose odors filled the cabin with reminders of Thanksgiving days in New England. Hester had actpally shot and killed a | wild turkey and she was jubilant over Dick Required All Her Attention. her skill. The turkey was roasting in| the oven now while Hester put the tinishing touches to lher tinned vege-i tables and the pumpkin pies she had made, [ “I suppose you covered the dyna- mite, Hester?” asked Dick suddenly. “L forgot, dear,” she replied, and ! she had also forgotten her intention of blowing up the mine. Thanksgiv- ing preparations had driven despair and bitterness from her heart. “I will run down there in a few moments.” “I believe 1 feel able to go myself,” | began Dick, who had dressed himself and was trying his strength. Hester made such protest that he compromised on walking as far as the blg rock. She stood in the doorway watching him with tender eyes. e paused by the rock, waved his hand and scratched a match to light his. pipe. He tossed the flaming match end aside and Hester, watching it, saw it flame on the ground and then a sullen streak of red ran down the hill to- ward the shaft. “The fuse—fuse!” she screamed, running toward her husband. But she was too late!. The quick fuse had accomplished its purpose. It ‘reached the gunpowder—there was a deafening explosion, followed by a the store of dynamite tore into the | earth, She found Dick rising to his feet, white and stern-looking. “What was that, Hester?” he agked, Tearfully, Hester made her confes- sion, and -she had scarcely finished when they were confronted by anoth- er. disaster—the = little cabin. they | ealled home burst into flames, ignited by the overturned cook stove. Hulf an hour later, they faced each other amid the smoking ruins of their | home. Below was a jumbled heap of upturned rocks that marked the site of the illusive Horn of Plenty. Hester, wide-eyed and pale, was afrald to meet her husband's eyes. 'I'his was indeed a cruel Thanksgiving —her own fault, too! H A shout came up the hill. Lin Dowd had heard the roar of the explosion and had lashed his mules up the trail to the Plent!vc clnhn Tl\cy saw hhn the slope. and studied the ground, then he came'| hurrying to meet them. ! “Anybody hurt?’ e asked anxious- | 1y, and finding that the young settlers were intact, he tossed his hat down on 'the ground and proceeded to exe- cute a welrd dance around the embers of their home. THE BEMIDJI DAILY PIONEER 1énve the mules and come n-foot up | HE stopped at the mine »)nu re a millionaire for keeps! “That Horn of Plenty mine has cer- tainly overflowed with gold—and I'm ! darned gladyof it—and if you folks can'stop hugging each other you bet- tgr come along down and get some Thanksgiving dinner!” Copyright, 1921, Western Newspaper Unlon. “Are you crazy?” demanded Dick at last. “Almost,” admitted Xin breathless- | 1y, pauslng to confront them. “You folks better come dowm to our house to dinner. Sarah’s got a wild turkey { with all’ the trimmings. There Was a Deafening Explosion. | will want to give thanks all the rest of your lives—understaid?’ “We don’t understand,” replied chk grimly. “Come with me, then.”” Lin led the way down to the upheaval that marked the site of the mine.- “Look at this— and thi: The explosion hus cut into the vein that you always believed was there—you wouldn’t hav Gy N"‘“b]es TURKISH Thethree ¢reatest. cigarettetobaccos, blending MILDNESS- ~AROMA one-eleven | cigarettes. 20&'01’15¢ FLETH, A otlier way, and, well, I gue England manufactures littie of its| The greater par/ of her supply comes from Norway in spe- cial fast wooden ships. You two | The goul 'united to God In strong bonds of love makes every day one of thankegiving to God for the numberless blecs- ‘ings that flow uninterrupt . from Him, but it is well to unite’ often in public thanksgiving that we may. teach the minds of the forgetful children of the Father . their duty of gratitude. ! subscrite for fhe Luly Eroaen YOUR REASON assures you that there is no substitute for ScuttsEmuIsmn An old saying, but nonethe- § less true: A bottle of Scott’s Emulsion taken in time, helps keep the doctor away. S owne. Rloomfield. N 20-16 scott & Bowne. Toomfield, N3 T T T T S ORDER EARLY FROM YOUR DEALER EITHITI T TG I I O T ilte TN THANKSGHVENG *Dinner INSIST ON Kones Gream Supreme We are making up a special : TUTI-FRUTI Flavorvfor Thanksgiving L T T T T T, found' e IR 0 O Take Life Easv" HERE Y OU ARE, LADIES! This is your chance—make your husband come T PREMIR ELECTRI Elks Building Youar December 5th. Remember! Cards, provided you. Christmas Card Special Name ENGRAVED on Christmas order 50 or more before F R E E * . We have thousands of Beautiful Samples from which to select, in adclition to our big stock carried for immediate delivery. Say It With Cards This Christmas We Engrave Your Néme on all orders of 50 or more FREE Pioneer Stationery Store .Phone 799-J—or Pioneer Office, Phones 922-923 T I T AT across— ! Youwant a Vacuum Cleaner We have dozens of them and will offer them at practically One-third Off. . C CLEANERS; Regular $45.00, NOW $30.00 On Easy Payment Plan—10% Off for Cash PREMIER ELECTRIC CLEANERS; Regular $60.00, - NOW $42.50 On Easy Payment Plan—10% Off for Cash Minnesota Electric Light & Power Co. —Phone 26-W— Bemidji IO i I T [ I M TR IR BATTERY STORAGE Cold weather is here! Have you neg- lected to take care of your Storage Bat- ? "We have the best place in the city to care for it, and our prices are the low- } Telephone 970— -we will do the rest. Wet Storage 75¢ per month Dry Storage $6.00 a season —— “Seryige” Is Our Motto ——= C. W. Jewett Gompany's Service RADIATOR REPAIRING Our Radiator Re- pair Department has been working full blast the past week on Radiators from all over this ,terri- - tory. If you have a leak- ing Radiator, bring it to us, we can re- pair it. Radiator Shutters, Hood and Radiator Covers. Denatured Alcohol 70c per gallon AUTOMOBILE STORAGE Are you going to let your car freeze up solid every night? —-Crank it until you .are black in the face, _ besides losing half of the forenoon getting started? Or are you going to store it with us in a clean, dry, steam- heated stall, where you have twenty- four hours’ service. $5—$10—$15 per month