Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1921.
" &f)e
BLUE
MOON
Tale of the
Flatooods
By DAVID ANDERSON
W. W .W.W. W WWW w W w.w.w.w V.V.V.V.V.
(Copyright by the Bobbs-Merrlll Company)
He chuckled all the way to the door.
A small crowd waited outside. No
body knows how news leaks out In a
small town. Not a man but knew how
much the pearl had brought. One of
the crowd, a lanky, one-eyed fisher
man, sidled up to the Pearlhunter.
“Y’u got It, didn’t y’u?"
The Pearlhunter was too slow, and
the little Jew answered for him.
“Course he got it. What chance a
pore devil pearl buyer got mit d'e
whole town against 'lm I”
That statement, or one like It, was
what the crowd had been waiting for.
The tension was over. The finding and
selling of the famous gem, the most
valuable pearl ever “h’isted" along the
Wabash, was now history—Flatwoods
history. The one-eyed fisherman
chucked his hat up In the air and
yelled—a lusty cheer, In which the
crowd Joined. One would have thought
that each man there had sold a Blue
Moon—or found one.
The Pearlhunter felt a good deal as
the crowd seemed to feel —a loosening
of the tension. For that matter, the
fat little buyer seemed to feel some
tiling of the same relief. Caught up In
the crowd, both buyer and seller were
swept across the rond and Into the ex
pectant door of the Mud Hen.
The Pearlhunter had Just twenty-five
dollars and twenty-seven cents in his
pocket. He had counted it that morn
ing while waiting for Louie Solomon to
come. It was the last cent after pay
ing his mother's funeral expenses. He
threw a pocket-worn twenty-dollar bill
on the bar and motioned to the crowd.
“Make It good whisky,” he said. “No
‘squirrel’ goes this round.”
He couldn’t have made a better
speech for the occasion. The crowd
cheered. The little Jew said some-
“Make It Good Whisky,” He Said.
thing, hut It couldn’t be heard. The
bartender set out a long row of glasses.
The river men grew suddenly quiet
with the gurgle of the filling.
I Each man picked up a glass and
stood waiting until every other man
was served. The crowd was too occu
pied to notice it, but the Pearlhunter’s
knees were fairly shaking under him;
his face set and pale. Hu was about
to do the hardest thing he had ever
tackled in his life, even harder than
mentioning money to the Wild Rose.
He picked up his glass; set It down —
pushed It back.
“Water for mine!”
To a man, the crowd whirled and
stared. Louie Solomon swore.
“Vot iss!” he said. “You make it
foolishness?”
“No,” was the slow answer. “I’m
off this for keeps.”
“H—1!” growled the one-eyed fisher
man. "Since’t when did y’u quit?”
"Yesterday—about sundown.”
He raised his glass and clinked with
Louie Solomon —the aristocratic bour
bon against the Flatwoods spring—and
drank the celebration of his great day
in a glass of water. The others were
too busy Just then, or cared too little,
to press the point, or take the trouble
to wonder Just what and what all he
meant by "yesterday —ahuut sundown."
Louie Solomon set his glass down
with a bang.
“Himmei I Dot don’dt shtruck bot
tom yet It vas all soaked up In mine
throat a-ready. Fill ’em up ag’in, all
hands roundt Undt dis one iss on
Louie.
“Where iss mine friendt vot trim
from me twenty-t’ree dollar?” Louie
asked, feeling his vest pocket, as he
had done probably a score of times
since crossing the street.
“Oh. he went up the Yellow branch
this afternoop. io look ut some fiinbeF
options,” the hnrtender answered.
“Tell ’lm mebbe he come by d’e camp
t’night undt glff me chance to git It
hack my twenty-t’ree dollar.”
“I'll tell him when he in.”
The bartender wiped off the bar. The
Pearlhunter was already out on the
sidewalk, where the Jew soon Joined
him, and they walked together down to
the white skiff. The three rowers were
still in their places, glum as their em
ployer was voluble. t
It was well toward evening when
they pulled up to the landing at which
the houseboat lay. Louie gave careful
directions where to build the fire, and
followed the Pearlhunter up through
the underbrush beyond the strip of
open shore, and to the cabin, tapping,
every few steps, the pocket where the
pearl lay. He went straight to the
spring.
“You should eat supper mlt me,
hain'dt it?” he said, the dripping
gourd poised in his hand.
“Sure. But I'm not much on that —
friend —of yours. I think I'll leave be
fore he comes."
The Pearlhunter had for some time
been debating with himself whether
or not to wurn Solomon of the danger
ous character of the man that was com
ing. The one consideration that kept
him from speaking was the fact that
he had no proof —certain knowledge,
but no proof. He decided not to speak
—yet.
“You no like him?” The Jew
laughed easily, hung the gourd back
on the stick and stood looking out over
the landscape spreading away under
the genial sunshine.
**Yot you do now?”
The question caught the Pearlhunter
unawares. He, too, was gazing out
over the landscape, but absorbed in
things of which the placid little Jew
had not the remotest Inkling.
“I hardly know,” he answered slow
ly, as If feeling for each word.
“Thought maybe Pd go to school.”
“School 1” The Jew ridiculed the
word with his hands. “I know a-ready
men could be professors, undt dey got
not’lng. I go by school not more as
two weeks for mine life, undt look at
me.”
The Pearlhunter did look at him —
hard-faced, red-nosed, yellowish teeth,
a potty protuberance swung to the
front of his waistline. It looked like
two weeks wasted.
“Why you don’t buy timber? You
can shoot It dis waterfall into a flume
undt run a mill yet.”
The Pearlhunter made no answer.
The little Jew talked on.
"You can buy It d'e Flatwoods a
ready yet, if you handle right your
money." He walked back around the
end of the cabin. The Pearlhunter
followed. "Veil, you come Tong ven
you get ready, haln’dt It?”
He went on down the slope, through
the bushes toward his skiff; the Pearl
hunter turned in at the eabim door.
Alone at last, he did the very thing
that nine men out of ten would have
done; took the draft out of his pocket
and fingered it over —the concrete and
tangible evidence of a great day won.
He had seen it born at midnight; had
seen It drive in through the gates of
dawn —and now it was forever his. He
spelled out the magic words; Five
thousand, a wavy line, no hundredths,
dollars. He said each bold figure over
to himself. Slowly a face grew alive
among the words and figures; a face
framed in yellow hair; eyes that
laughed. They had laughed for him.
he had made them laugh. The draft
would make them laugh again. And
tomorrow site should send for that sur
geon.
The sound of groaning came to at
the cabin door from the bushes down
the hill. The face was gone from the
draft. He thrust it back in his pocket
and stepped out into the yard. His
first thought was that the little Jew,
none too sure-footed among the rocks,
had stumbled and hurt himself.
The groan came again. He sprang
into the bushes. The Jew had hurt
himself. A look so wild and terrible
the Pearlhunter had never seen upon
the face of a man. He had fallen upon
his back, with one arm cramped under
him. The other arm was free, but he
seemed unable to rise. With his free
hand he was clawing desperately at
his bosom, and the fingers of the hand
were mussed with blood.
The Pearlhunter leaped down the
hill and bent over him. It was then
he saw what the bloody hand was
clawing at —the handle of a knife, hilt
deep in his breast. The Pearlhunter
raised him, and the other hand came
free. It clutched a hit of cloth of nam
ing red —a red mask.
The Jew opened his eyes, recognized
the man bearing him up.
“Dot tindier buyer," he gasped out of
his flooded chest. ‘He choke me —I
“He Choke Me—l Tear Off de Maak^-“
tear off d’e mnsk —he shtlck me.” The
stricken Jew dropped the mask and
heat the pocket of his vest. “Himmel I
D’e pearl! D’e Blue Moon 1” His eyes
grew vacant; flared up again. “Mine
Gott! Rachel! Rachel!”
llis mouth quivered open so wide
that his beard rumpled upon his breast,
and the blood welled out over his chin.
Ills eyes bulged; the smeared lingers
censed clawing at the knife; he gasped
twice; and dropped hack —dead.
The Pearlhunter picked up the bit
of scarleb cloth that had fallen from
the dead man’s hand. It Is surprising
how fast a man can think when he has
to. The mystery of the arm thrust In
at the cabin door across the moonlight
cleared. The finding of a red mask be
side the body would Identify the mur
derer to any man ii) the Wabash coun
try; the finding of another, upon a
search of the cabin, would be deemed
sufficient proof that the tenant of the
cabin wns the murderer.
But why had the bandit planned to
lay the theft of the Jewel on-him? It
was not his way. He took his toll at
the pistol’s point and galloped away.
Why had he changed his methods now?
He had laid his plans well, though
they hadn’t worked out quite as he ex
pected. The killing of Louie Solomon
had been an accident, forced on him by
the fact that the little Jew, In his
struggles, had chanced to claw the
mask off and had recognized' him. Oth
erwise he would have merely choked
him Into unconsciousness, taken the
pearl and left the mask behind to com
plete the tangle he was weaving
around another man. He had probably
Intended taking the pearl some time
that night, leaving his mask behind,
and afterward, when the hue and cry
was raised, suggest a search of the
cabin. His chance had come sooner
than he had expected. Of course, he
could not have foreseen that the man
he wished to fix the crime upon would
be the first to find the body.
It was not lost on the Pearlhunter
that he had undoubtedly crowded the
murderer dose, else why had he left
the knife? But why all these elaborate
plans against him? Was it some an
cient grudge he bore his blood? Did
he wish somebody to die in his place
to deceive an outraged world into
thinking the Red Mask was settled for
good and all, and so give him a chance
to start over again? Was it because
he was not yet ready to leave the Flat
woods? It was probably for all these
reasons. But with the last, there
flashed across the young man’s mind
that scene at the fence. It stung him
like a lash. t
Even though the evidence secreted In
the cabin was now In ashes, by that
dead body was the most dangerous
place in the world for him J®st then.
Hardly five seconds had passed since
the last gasp of Louie Solomon, so fast
does a man think under such a stress,
when the Pearlhunter threw- the mask'
down by the body and turned to steal
back up the hill.
“Up with ’em!”
He whirled; stared; slowly raised
his hands. It’s one thing to face odds;
quite another to face certain death.
Behind the three black muzzles poking
out through the bushes glowered the
truculent, bearded faces of Louie Solo
mon's three rowers.
Grim as the three Fates, they stalked
toward him. Two of them kept him
covered, while the third plucked the
revolver from his pocket and dropped
it into his own. After that he bent
over the body of his master; touched
his face; lifted a hand; laid It across
his breast. He picked up the red mask
and snarled around at the others. The
others growled; swore; and the Pearl
hunter fancied the revolvers pointed
at him a little straighter, a little more
vindictively. It was not the first time
these three had faced the Ired Mask.
He had long been their particular
nightmare. It was the first time they
hnd seen him with his mask off, and
with empty hands.
The one kneeling by the body
seemed to be the leader. He felt care
fully inside the pocket where the pearl
had been pinned; searched the other
pockets; felt carefully over the cloth
ing. He rose after the fruitless search
and faced the Pearlhunter.
“Where iss it?"
The Pearlhunter shook his head.
With a snarled word of Yiddish,
doubtless a curse, and a flourish of
his clenched hand that came uncom
fortably close to the young man’s
face, the Jew began to search him:
pockets; hems; waist-band; socks;
even Ills hatband, ears and hair. Of
course the search again proved fruit
less. The Jew drew his revolvef,
cocked it, and thrust it into the Peurl
hunter’3 face.
“Where iss It?"
The bearded lips were drawn so
tense that the yellow teeth w r ere bare.
The Pearlhunter knew the yellow
teeth meant exactly what they seemed
to mean. Louie Solomon's three
guardsmen had a reputation along the
Wabash. The reward for the Red
Mask was the same whether dead or
alive. Still, his death would not bring
them any nearer finding the pearl. He
pinned his hope there, and shook his
head.
“I'm not the Red Mask. I didn’t kill
Louie Solomon. And I don’t know
where the Blue Moon Is.”
The answer was not convincing.
Nothing he could have said Just then
would have been. Whether the Jew
believed it, or any part of it his face
gnre no sign. He backed away two
step® and leveled his revolver full at
the Penrihunter’s breast, like a man
about to pistol another and deliberate
ly planning to make a clean Job of it
The Instant came when the Pearl
hunter believed the grimy finger was
about to press the trigger and he was
almost in the act of diving beneath
the muzzle when the Jew motioned to
THE WINDER NEWS
MRS. ALICE GRESHAM DODD,
mother of first American sol
dier killed in France, who gives en
tire credit for recovery of her health
to tiio well-known medicine, Tanlae.
~ . , . - •
The following remarkable statement
was made recently by Mrs. Alice Gres
ham Dodd, the mother of Corporal
Jus. B. Gresham, who was the first
American soldier killed in France.
The statement was made at the Gres
ham Memorial Home, which was pre
sented to her by the patriotic people
of Indiana as an evidence of their, ap
preciation of the services rendered to
his country by her son.
The shock of her son's death resulted
in a serious breakdown in Mrs. Dodd's
health, but every one will learn with
interest and pleasure that she Is now
in splendid health again. Mrs. Dodd
gives the entire credit for her recovery
to the celebrated medicine, Tanlac.
She said. “After my dear boy’s
death I had a general breakdown in
health. At first it was just indiges
tion. M.v food would upset me and
I had to diet myself very carefully.
1 also had rheumatism with sefere
pains in my shoulders, back and arms
and at times I would suffer greatly,
and m.v joints would become swollen
and stiff. I was hardly able to do
but very little about the house and
at times could not even cook a meal.
I became very nervous and restless
and at night would lie awake for
hours.
“A friend of mine advised me to try
Tanlac. 1 am glad 1 did, for it proved
to be the best nusliciue I have ever
taken. It soon gave me a splendid
appetite and relieved me entirely of
indigestion. My rheumatism also dis
appeared and 1 am now able to do my
house-work with the greatest ease. My
nerves are steady and strong. 1 sleep
well at night and my health is better
than in years. I shall always be grate
ful for what Tanlac has (lone for me."
Tanlac is sold in every town by one
good druggist.
Mansions tor the Soul.
Make yonr-telves nests of pleasant
houghts. bright fancies. satisfied
nemorles. noble histories, faithful say
tigs. treasure houses of c rec,o,, s an d
•estful thoughts which care cannot dls
rurb. nor pain make gloomy, oar pov
trtv fake away from us —houses built
without hands, for our souls to live
n.—John Ruskln.
one of the others and said something
In Yiddish.
The man spoken to darted away
through the bushes toward the boat
landing. The Pearlhunter breathed
again.
The man soon reappeared, carrying
a piece of rope. One at a time, he
took the Penrihunter’s hnnds, drew
them behind his hack, and bound
them securely together. Even then,
so great was their dread of the man
he was supposed to he, that one of
them constantly held a gtm on him.
With the knife still sticking In the
dead man’s bnPast, they carried him
down to the boat, driving the Pearl
hunter before them. There they load
ed them in, the dead and the living,
and rowed back up the river to the
village—the second time that dny; the
same trip; the same boat; the same
five men. Then, a great day opening;
the greatest trade ever made among
pearl fishers along the Wabash In
prospect; now, the day nearly done;
the pearl lost; one of tlie men dead;
another likely soon to be!
What a difference In the crowd that
met them at the wharf! Aguln driv
ing their prisoner before them, the
three grim henchmen carried the dead
man up the hill to a small plot of
open ground west of the Mud Hen and
laid hhn down upon the grass..
For the second time that day the
village emptied Its houses to meet
them. Women came this time —old
women with wared fnces; girls with
blooming cheeks; and chfld£en. Hard
men that had drunk To the Pearlhunt
er barely two hours ago came out of
the Mud Hen utfff’ stood staring at him
in sullen silence. Men from the stores
and shops came running. Men that
had neither stores nor shops strag
gled In from every quarter of the vil
lage and Jostled about In the ever
growing, ominously muttering circle.
Suddenly, and unexpectedly, two of
the henchmen caught the Pearlhunter
and held h’m while the third tied the
red mask over Ids eyes. Bound as he
was, he had flung them loose In an in
stant and raked the mask off against
his shoulder. But that one brief rno
(Continued next week.)
Important Meeting at
The Baptist Church
Thursday afternoon, March 31st at
three o'clock, the representatives of the
churches nn tlihe Mulberry and Appa
laehcc associations will gather at the
First Baptist church here for a con
ference.
Lunch will be served at l o’clock and
at 8 o’cock. Revs. E. 11. Jennings, pas
tor of Prince Avenue church, Ath
ens, and Rev. J. -I*. (’ampin'll, of the
First Baptist church, of Gainesville,
will speak on imjiortant phases of the
work. A large crowd is expected and
all the church workers of this section
are cordially invited to be present.
Tallassee Dots
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Haynie were tlie
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Burt Ideas Sun
day.
Misses Mellie and Bell Haynie spent
Saturday night with Mrs. Sallic Pot
ter.
Miss Mazelle Hartley spent Saturday
night with Miss Idzzie Wallace.
Misses Bird and Prudie Bell Sikes
were guests of Misses Minnie and Mae
bell Draper Saturday afternoon.
Miss Bird Sikes was the guest of
Miss Thelma Daniel Thursday night.
Mrs. Annie Wallace and and Mrs. H.
G. Hartley and children were the guests
of Mr. ami Mrs. Jim Sikes Sunday.
The party that was given by Misses
Essie and Lillian Slmford Saturday
night was highly enjoyed by all present
Mr. B. V. Alema and Mr. E. M Ful
ler were guests of Misses Lais Nichol
son and Annie Hunter Saturday night.
Mr. and Mrs. Can Nicholson were
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Burt Lieas
Sunday afternoon.
Mr. Judsin Caruth was the guest of
Miss Pird Sikes Sunday afternoon.
Mr. G.ady Smith was the guest of
Miss Buruice Daniel Sunday Afternoon.
Mr. .1. C. Sikes was the guest ot Mr.
J. T. Danes Sunday morning.
Mrs. 11. L. Sikes was the guest if Mrs.
H. G. Hartley Saturday afternoon.
The school at Bunker Hill lius i!9
pupils on the roll.
How’s This?
We offer One Hundred i")otlarx
Reward for any case o. Catarrh
that cannot be cured by Hall’s
Catarrh Cure.
F. J. CHENEV & CO., Toledo, O.
We, the undersigned, have known F. J.
Cheney for the last 15 years, and believe
him perfectly honorable in nil business
transactions and financially able to carry
jut any obligations made by his firm.
NATIONAL BANK OF COMMERCE,
Toledo, O.
Hall’s Oo’arrh Cure is taaen Internally,
acting directly upon the blood and mu
cous surfaces of tlw system. Testimonials
Pent free. Price 75 cents per bottle. Sold
by all Druggists.
Take Hairs Farr'lv Pills for constipation.
A Tonic
For Women
“I was hardly able to drag, I
was so weakened,” writes Mrs.
W. F. Ray, of Easley, S. C.
‘‘The doctortreated me for about
two months, still I didn’t get
any better. I had a large fam
ily and felt I surely must do
something to enable me to take
care of my little ones. J had
beard of
The Woman’s Tonic
“I decided to try it,” con
tinues Mrs. Ray ... “I took
eight bottles in all ... I re
gained my strength and have
had no more trouble with wo
manly weakness. I have ten
children and am able to do ail
my housework and a lot out
doors ... I can sure recom
mend CarduL”
Take Cardui today. It may
be just what yofl need.
At all druggists.
Etl
Capital City Dry Cleaning
■ and Dyeing ■
The Graceful is again the Fashion, and the Capital
City is making new again the
Wrappy Coat South’s Winter W T raps by careful
Dry Cleaning and Perfect Dyeing.
We dye your old wraps the new Spring
'- colors; and by simply taking out the
inner lining you can make the Winter
model a light. Spring style.
This is real economy.
**Parcel Post Your Package—Look to Us for Results
Capital City Dry Cleaning Dye Works .
ATLANTA, GA. t
SUBSCRIPTION: SI.SO A YEAR
Classified Ads.
sl.sr> buys ft genuine Aluminum Tea
Kettle at WOODRUFFS.
0-Quart Aluminum Kettles, guaran
teed, only $1.85 at Woodruffs.
Come, to Woodruff Hardware Cos.
for all kinds of Aluminum ware at spe
cially attractive prices.
Double Boilers, Preserving Kettles,
Stewers in Aluminumware at rock bot
tom prices. See our goods and prices
before buying aluminumware. —Wood-
ruff Hardware Company.
Claims Adjusted Promptly
ATHENS COLLECTING AGENCY
Athens, Georgia
102 Shackelford Building—-Phone 121)7
Send us your claims today. Collected
for reasonable commissions. We cover
Northeast Georgia.
For Rough or dressed oldfleld lum
ber see Allen Guffin. 30-tf.
WANTED —Men or women to take
orders among friends and neighbors for
the genuine guaranteed hosiery, full
ine for men, women and children. Elim
inates darning. We pay 75c an hour
spare time or -$.‘15.00 a week for full
time. Experience unnecessary. Write
International Stocking Mills, Norris
town, Pa.
Plant the best seed fresh frootn the
farm in bulk at Woodruffs.
Choice TimoUiy Hay at $40.00 per
ton. —Emory Smith at L. L. Moore s
barn.
Fresh garden seed in the bulk at
Woodruffs.
No. 13 Imitation Oliver Plow Points,
25 cents each at Woodruff Hdw. Cos.
Compare our hay prices with others.
Emory Smith at L. L. Moore’s Barn, tf
Get an aluminum percolator ut Wood
ruffs for $l.OO, Only a tew left at
this price.
Choice Timothy Hay, one bale o*
a ton at $2.00 per hundred pounds.
Emory Smith at L. L. Moore’s barn.
Stable Manure for sale. "W ill de
liver inside city limits. —L. L- Moore.
Allen Guffin can supply you with
rough or dressed lumber ut attractive
prices. ' 30tf '
>
25c gets a No. I.H Imitation piivcr
plow point at WOODRUFFS.
COTTON SEED FOR SALE.
two bushels Fuller's Improved Poullnot
Cotton B*ed for sale at $l.OO per bush
el.—G. W. Fuller, It. F. D., Winder,
Ga. 4t
There is MORE POWER in THAT
GOOD GULF GASOLINE and SU
PREME AUTO OIL.
Genuine Syracuse and Vulcan points
guaranteed to last one third longer at
WOODRUFF HARDWARE CO.
HAY FOR SALE.
I will have in a very short time a
car of choice Timothy Hay. See me
before buying. Cheap for cash.—L. P.
Floy, Phone 348.
A New Shoe Shop. Good work at
low prices. For Half Soles, 65,c 75c,
SI.OO. Your patronage will be appre
ciated. Shop over Hegars & Sons store.
—Lowe Bullock. 2t pd.
FORD PARTS—Get them direct from
the Weeks-lloffman factory; guaran
teed; you sure money—Woodruff Hard
ware Cos.
GET THE BEST Ford parts guaran
teed—save money ut Woodruc Hard
ware Cos.,
Near the Cuspldc mitory.
A Kansas student wbo appears to
)e related to our old friend, Mrs.
Blanderby, was describing the sunken
jardeo on the school campus. “In the
place where they had tulips,” he said,
•they’ve now got a row ot salivas with
loine spltoomas In the center.”—Bos
ton Transcript