FIRST INSTALMENT
Fog veiled the timbers of Yesler's
Wharf that July morning in a ghostly
?parMlf, whifh jmivered^' to -the roar
of trucks"and freshly shod hooves and
to the skirling invisible flight of gulls
around a phantom ship.
The spectre alongside was the ghost
of a ship once dead. On the hood of
one of her wheels, as it wavered above
the stringpiece, the faded letters of
"George E. Starr, Seattle," strickled
through an ancient glaze of rust and
soot. They Identified all that was mor
tal of a condemned side-wheel ferry
boat, which had been dragged from
the boneyard to make a first, and in
a way a posthumous, voyage beyond
the Sound.
But to the men on the wharf, that
derelict was an argosy. Her musty reek
of cresote, bilge and old ropes was the
aroma of romance. The brawl of the
trucks that loaded her with a song of
gold. '
And there was, in fact, a weaving
lilt of music in the roar. It came from
a quieter eddyxin the fog where a man
was playing an accordion, as he leaned
against an upturned bale of hay near
the ship's sidfe. Ignored by the crowd
and ignoring them, he poured into the
din a lazing medley that dissolved
there as vaguely as the mist ? so skill
fully pitched that its source was hard
ly noticeable. His frayed corduroy
clothes, the barked leather of his rid
ing boots, his lean, rangy figure and
sun-browned skin, did not distinguish
him in that weathered company. Clear
er light might have drawn attention
of an odd scar that cut the comer of
his mouth, accenting his look of high
temper and daring.
Oun scars were not a special matter
for comment In this crowd. Until the
? varied mob that followed them later,
the men who blazed the Yukon trails
in the early fall of '97, were almost all
hard-living men of the open; min
ers, cattlemen, railroaders and lum
berjacks from the Northwest and the
Southwest; men who knew little of the
Sea, but every hazard of mountain and
desert.
Not far from him, however, stood a
younger man, solitary like himself,
whose serious eyes traced the fcg maze
curiously, and seemed to find less nov
elty in the ship than in his fellow-voy
agers. Some dunnage bags, tied in
sailor- fashion, lay on the wharf at the
feet of the young observer. A faded
reefer jacket fitted his broad shoulders
with the snug effect that sailors call
"seagoing," and the same stamp of
the sea showed in his salt-stiffened
boots, his firm poise, and that uncon
scious gallantry of bearing which lends
grace to old clothes. ,
As the fog did not hide the two men
from each other's view it had the ef
fect of bringing them nearer* while
sharpening the contrast between them.
They were strongly built in different
ways; as oak and steel are different.
The younger man looked sturdier; the
man with the accordion concealed un
der his idle posture the quick resilience
of tempered metal. Both were sun-tan
ned ? if the ruddy brown of sea-sun can
be compared to the dry bronze of the
desert and the range. The boy's hair
was dark and curly; . the other's of a
sun-rusted color, and cut close, like
a trooper's. Both had steady eyes, but
where the boy's blue eyes reflected a
sober discipline and the positive clarity
of youth, the other's held a shade of
h^lf -mocking tolerance, as if he took
the world as he found it, and had found
it mixed.
~ Some sense of this, perhaps, drew
the musician's eyes for a curious in
stant on his listener. Looking away
again into the veiled shimmer beyond
the wharf, he began playing the tune
of an old sea ballad:
"In eighteen hundred and seventy
j six. . . "
At the quick light of recognition in
the boy's face, he masked a gleam of
amused interest.
"It that a Boston song?" he asked: -
The boy smiled. "My people used to
sail ships out of Boston. I've heard
the song since I was a nipper."
"Figured it was a line shot you come
from the coast," said the accordian
player. ?
"I'd take you to be from the North
west^' he ventured, uncertainly.
"Your eye's good, Bud," replied the
musician with a twinkle, as he im
provised a series of chords. "But I
been up and down a few. Ever hear
this. . and he begari, after a deep
intake of the afccordion, the chesty
ballad of Jack Donahue the Highway
man. Then' it drifted into music, un
familiar to him; half barbaric and
half -devotional melodies of the West
ern ranges, such as "Bill Roy," and
"Montana Kid." ?
In the midst of this repetory the pip
ing cry of a newsboy who came down
the wharf shouting.
"Extry! Buck Solo Make His Last
Stand! ! Posse Surrounds Bandit in
Mountain Pass!! Extra!" 4
The accordion player lifted his head
but did not pause in his playing, though
the newsy's cry echoed a story which
had been as keenly argued in the West
that month as the Corbett-Pitzsim
mons fight. An unidentified gunman on
a buckskin horse had ridden Into Ne
vada mining camp at night, trailing a
man whom he seemed to have mis
taken for some enemy. The mistake had
caused a blazing gun battle In the dark
street, from which he escaped. Not
long afterwards the buckskin reap
peared on the Deer's Lodge trail in
Montana, where its rider had stopped
a Mage to * search the passengers.
Strange to say, no money had been
taken, but an express messenger, try
ing to catch him off guard, had been
shot. Dodging a posse of marshals and
heading west, he had earned the sob
riquet of "Solo" in a camp on the Mon
tana border, having halted there long
enough to show a gifted group of Solo
players some unexpected phases of that
game. When the posse rode In, an hour
behind him, the gamblers he had en
tertained were sketchy in their des
cription. As he had changed horses the
marshals had little to guide them, but
they suspected him of being a wide
ranging gambler and outlaw known of
in the Northwest as "Buck Tracy." His
trail, lost at Clark's Pork, had been
picked up again crossing the Coeur D'
Alenes through Idaho, and the interest
excited by the long and desperate chase
began to close a net around him.
The boy bought a paper and read
the news bulletin. "They've got him
cornered in the Okanagan country,"
he said to the man with the accordion.
"He won't escape now."
"Kind of hope he don't?" asked the
other, without looking up from his
playing.
"I hope he" gets the full penalty of
the law," was the boy's uncompro
mising answer ."He deserves it."
The Westerner glanced at him
this maverick is worth a cuss. But
quiantly. "Pull penalty of the law, Bud,
would leave ~y6 kihd of short of law
yers, if you rammed it home. Not that
this maverick is worth an cuss. But
neither 1s the outfit that's doggin' him,
and neither was the express rider he
downed. I ain't so dead set on seein'
him hanged. Hope he dies shootin."
The fog had lightened a little, and
a gangplank now lumbered down from
the steamer's boat deck. As the boy
was assembling his dunnage bags, he
found himself under the scrutiny of an
official-looking person who had ap
peared abruptly out of the mist, and
stood framed in it, a few yards away.
The officer's eyes grew less sharp on
meeting his, and turned in a more
casual way on his comPanion, who had
closed the accordion case and was lean
ing over to fasten it.
"You two together?"
The boy nodded. It seemed unneces
sary to explain that he and the ac
cordion player were only chance ac
quaintances. Some official for the ship
ping company, he thought, was making
a check-up of passengers.
With another glance at the man
with the accordion, the officer passed
on. *
The Westerner threw a roll of blank
ets over his arm, put his accordion un
der it, and lifting one of the boy's
packs with his free hand, wedged
through the crowd that was swarm
ing up the gangway. They found the
cabin and covered parts of the deck
already claimed, but there was a shelt
ered space under a lifeboat aft of the
main cabin, where the boy stowed his
burden. Noticing that his companion
still kept the blankets on his shQulder,
he pushed his stuff aside to make
more room. The other considered him
soberly,
"You listen to me like a good gun,
Bud, in spite of them stern ideas about
the law," he said. "Ever hit a boggy
crossin' I'll stand by ye. My name's
Speed Malone." And he held out his
hand. ,
"Mine's Ed Maitland," the boy an
swered, somewhat puzzled at his earn
estness.
Dropping his light pack in the clear
ed space, the man rolled a cigarette,
and while crimping the edge of the
paper, took a roving look along the
deck. Then he made a back-rest of the
blankets, and stretched himself com
fortably, relaxing as from a long phy
sical strain while he smoked and
watched the crowd through half-closed
eyes ? still somehow as observant as
ever of each approach.
A deep shudder ran through the ship,
as the gates rattled shut. Hawsers,
thrown from the bitts, splashed into
the gloomy chasm between ship and
wharf, and the side-wheeler cast off
in a ponderous churning of white water
dropping a veil between herself and
the pier with a swiftness that owed
less to her pick-up than to the opa
queness of the fog.
As if the uncertainties of the ven
ture were not high enough, she was no
sooner in the channel than the click
of dice, chips s?nd coins began to rat
tle a careless measure above the voices
of the mist. Embarked for the realms
of gold, the miners were '"shooting"
their money with an easy mind.
The Westerner shifted his attention
from the rotted stay lines of the life
boat, and sat up to roll a fresh cigar
ette. Maitland noticed that two men,
a little to their right, had turned a tar
paulined bale into a card table. One
of them looked his way, with an in
vitation to Join the game. When he
declined, the man called over to Speed.
"Play a hand of cawrds, neighbor?"
Those oddly broadened rowels were as
clear as a state boundary.
"What kind of cards?" asked Speed,
with mild interest.
"We figure they's on'y one koind. If
you kin play Solo, the .tune is whur
you want to set it."
A faint reserve which had shown
in Speed's face at mention of the game
vanished in a smile. "I on'y play that
game by ear," he said.
"Didn't aim to scare ye none," was
the condescending answer.
? # ?
"Which you gets me wrong," amend
ed Speed, in the present tense of po
lite discourse. "What I shrink from is
exposin* your gifted Mormon duet to
the cold air without its pants, coat
and vest."
"Stim'lated a heap," rejoined the
man from Utah, "we stoifles ever'
scoople and stawrts the play. Stack
'em up. Bill. Gent allows he's a Solo
player."
On the point of rising, Speed said
to Maitland in an undertone, "Stake
me ten dollars. Bud."
Ten dollars happened to be half the
boy's cash, and the idea that the man
called Speed had started north with
neither outfit nor money was almost
incredible. But tfie request was made
so candidly that after a- moment's hes
itation he shook a gold piece from his
purse%
With a curious pause before accept
ing it, the Westerner asked, "You fig
ure these shorthorns can outplay me?"
" I was only thinking," Maitland
said, "that gambling is a loser's game."
His companion grinned. "If you was
not a natural-born gambler, Bud, you
wouldn't be on this ship. Watch us
lose."
Tl^e sweet singers preluded their har
mony with a considerate warning.
"Removin' gold mines from gamblers
is our daily routine, stranger. We'll
set a quarter point, unless you feel
hankerin's for ruin in a bigger way."
"Quarter suits me," said Speed mod
estly, and made a precarious club bid
which they passed with becoming
gravity. On the completion of the final
trick, however, their attention became
more exact.
TO BE CONTINUED
o
Double Value From
Winter (over Crops
Negro Farmer Nets Nice Profit;
Garden Campaign Gets
Close Attention; 4-H
Negro Club Work
L. P. Peace - will get double value
from land by planting winter cover
crops last fall. Peace seeded about
two acres and a half to clover and
barley in the early fall and went ahead
with his regular duties as does the
usual farmer. This crop got a good
start before the winter months came.
In the spring the crop grew vigorous
ly, but did not attract unusual atten
tion until a few days ago, then the
field was the center of attraction by
many farmers, buying plots of feed.
The plots are staked off in $20.00,
$11.00, $6.00 and $5.00 plots. C. J.
Ford states that Peace sowed about
$25.00 worth of seed and will receive
well over $100.00 for hay that has al
ready been engaged, besides feeding
his stock. This same land will be
planted in tobacco just as soon as the
feed is harvested.
As the terracing season is being re
placed by the planting season local
Agent Ford makes good report on the
Professional Cards
Dr. Robt. E. Long
Dentist
Wilburn & Satterfleld Building
Main Street - Roxboro, N. C.
B. I. SATTERFIELD
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Roxboro-Durham. N. C.
Roxboro Office: Thomas & Carver
Building. In office Monday & Saturday
Durham Office: 403 Trust Building. In
Durham Office Tuesday, Wednesday,
"Thursday and Friday each week.
DR. G. C. VICKERS .
Office at residence, on Route No. 144,
near T. H. Street old home, Mill Creek.
N. LUNSFORD
% Attorney-at-Law
Office over Thomas & Carver Building,
Roxboro, N. C.
DR. J, H. HUGHES
, Dentist
Office in Hotel Jones, next door to
Dr. TUcker's Office.
DR. J. D. BRADSHER
Dentist
Office over Wilburn & Satterfleld's
Store Building.
LET
JOHN CASH
Repair your shoes and repair your
chairs. Under Wilburn & Satterfleld.
T. Mitchell Tull
Roxboro Agent
PRUDENTIAL INS. CO.
First National Bank Bldg.
Mr. Carlton's Office.
The Circus Comes To Town Again
NEW YORK . . . Pinal proof that another open air season is here, is the
arrival of the circus with animals and clowns. Two famous twins, the Woods
boys, celebrated their third birthday by being presented to a real live clown,
Edward Polidor, as shown above.
terracing. He states that over three
hundred acres of land have been ter
raced for Negro farmers in all sec
tions of the county. One farmer
stated that he had been trying to
get some terracing done on his farm
for the past twelve years. All ter
races, which have been checked or
reported on, are giving very good re
sults.
The garden campaign, started by
Ford in the early spring is being giv
en very close attention at the pres
ent. All farmers, who have received
one of the five hundred letters con
cerning the garden contest, are re
quested to sign the information blank
accompanying the letter and return
it to the Agent. Gardens will be
judged at the time stated on the blank,
by you. A GOOD GARDEN FOR
HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND PLEAS
URE.
Twelve demonstrators have been se
lected to conduct corn projects, in va
rious parts of the county. This group
of farmers is competing with other
farmers in the state, in growing the
most corn on an acre at least cost.
The winning farmers will be given a
trip to the Nation's capitol, Washing
ton, D. C. The contest is sponsored by
the state.
4 H Club work among colored boys
has gotten off to a good start.. Sev
eral organizations have been organ
ized and are planning a Vide-a-wake
program for the summer states Ford.
All members of the club must be sons
of farmers or their guardians 'must
be farmers. If there is a boy in a
community where there is an organiza
tion and he is a son of a farmer he
should connect himself with the club
at once. "4H Club boys meet together
work together, play together, cooper
ate and achieve."
Negro Teachers
Close Extension
Work At Reception
Thirty - five Negro Teachers,
Their Instructor, And Guests
Hold Reception At P. C. T. S.
For the past seven months thirty five
Negro teachers of Person County have
taken extension work In history and
political science under the direction of
Prof. L. A. Wise, of Greensboro.
This grcup of teachers express much
enthusiasm and interest in these
courses, and on April 26 this work
closed with a reception given at Per
] son County Training School with all
members of the class and the instruc
tor present. Prof J. R. Thomas, Prin
of P. C. T. S. was special guest of the
i occasion. A delicious salad course, ice
I cream and cake were served.
Colored Ministers
Union Organized
Roxboro Colored Ministers Met Mon
day To Organize Union; Will Meet
Again Monday
The colored ministers of this city
met at the First Baptist Church last
Monday for the purpose of organizing
a minister's union of Roxboro and
vicinity. A large number of ministers
were present. Every thing was done
decently and in order. The union will
meet next Monday morning at the
First Baptist church at eleven o'clock.
The order of the day will be a paper
by Rev. L. W. Easterling.
Rev. L. W. Easterling. Pres.
Rev. T. B. Wilson, Secy.
o
READ THE COURIER ADS TO SAVE
TIME AND MONEY
.?'?** '' ? - . is - 1? ?
Our moderate charge is within the reach of all. You are
assured of an ability of a high order and a courtesy that
embraces every occasion. You can be assured of a con
sideration that means a consistently modest fee.
WOODY S FUNERAL HOME 0* 2
" ROXBORO- N. CAROLINA
"FOR MOTHER"
CANDY OR FLOWERS
ON HER DAY SEND OR CARRY HER CANDY OR FLOWERS,
THE GIFTS THAT EXACTLY EXPRESS YOUR FEELING OF
LOVE FOR HER, AND AN APPROPRIATE TRIBUTE TO ALL
THAT SHE HAS DONE FOR YOU.
Russell McPhail, Johnson's
And Whitman's Candies.
Graduation
o Gifts
:50<t?$5
a
>44
Mother's
Day
GIFTS
25c
Shu-Milk
19c
55c Pond's
Face Powder
39c
????????
$1.50
Kolorbak
$1.29
C RAZ Y
WATER
CRYSTALS
75c
Listerine
58c
30c
Capudine
21c
6 0 c
Fly Spray
39c
60c
Japanese Oil
49 c
25 c
B. C.
19c
ROXBORO DRUG CO.
MAIN STREET ROXBORO, N. C.