The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1917-12-27
TREADS like FICTION,
This HEPPNER ROMANCE
(By Pat CroW.)

cards for December 22 he turned up
the queen of diamonds, despite the
fact that old man Winter, russell
mantle clad, nodded wearily with
out the door. Old Sol tiptoed thru
the, golden window of the east, smiled
away the light mists that hung over
the lowlands, touched a button or
two and the dewy gates of another
day were thrown open. Reclining in
a large easy chair within a gorgeous
ly furnished apartment of the Hotel
Benson sat slender young girl.
A shaft of morning light penetrated
the rich drapery Of the window, and
falling upon her pleasant face added
lnster to her soft fawn-like eyes.
The day, almost the shortest of the
year. was to appear to her the long
est. ! She closed her eyes and gently
rocking to and fro began to contem-
plate slowly moving train two hun
dred miles away. The enchanting
music Of distant chime stole gently
to her ears followed by the slowly
measured tones Of bell that told the
hour Of nine. 20. 10y! he's leaving
now!" The words We're thought out
loud although the fair speaker was
quite alone. A peachy smile filtered
through her pretty features as she
glanced at slender finger upon
which cleaned gem of purest light,
while the color in her cheeks alterna-
ted and finally assumed a tinge like
the white and red within the bosom
of q rose.
was seated at a clean trough at
the Palace Hotel, and had just start
ed the last morsel of batter-cake on
its journey to the cavity in my face,
when a front foot was thrust in front
of me, and subdued voice with tears
in 1t said: "Good-by, Pat! I'm goin'
over the hurdle. Take this package
over to your cave and burn 1t up"
Before I could even think the owner
of the voice had released my hand
and vanished like a sun-fish. 1 hur-
ried to the front door just in time to
see q bob-tailed Buick turn the cor
ner on one wheel two blocks away,
headed for the station. I took the
package and without investigating
ITS contents consigned 1t to inflam-
mable precincts of an air-tight heater
within my cave. The package need
ed no investigation by me. l knew
what it contained. | had done the
same thing quarter of century ago
preliminary to cutting off in the
bloom of her youth a young girl, and
causing her to leave nice home ana
three meals day In exchange for
the privilege of leading me dogs
life and handing me the ice-pitcher
as often as she saw fit.
The elevator in the Multnomah
county court house had started on its
upward journey when rather gruff
voice said: II want the Sheriffs
Of I mean the ia" County
Clerk" timidly suggested the trim
little woman who seemed to accom-
pany the individual with the rather
gruff voice. Sure thing! what's
the matter with you, elevator boy,
are you crazy?" The pair strolled
through the large door into an elon-
gated room with long counter be-
hind which stood a knowing looking
gentleman. 81 want box of No. IL
shell mean extradition pap wait
minute" License" whispered
the little woman as she surveyed her
escort critically. "Why, certainly!
in the name of the Board of Health
and all horned cattle! is everybody
around here drunk, or am I crazy?"
The knowing looking gentleman be-
hind the counter ventured: EVERY
body sober around here"
GALL A-b-o-a-r-d!" reverberated
through the rafters of the Portland
Union Station and the passengers
aboard the Shasta Limited seemed to
see a train slowly moving in the op-
posite direction, and not until they
reached the Willamette river bridge
did they realize that their own train
was on its way instead.
Within a splendid state room
aboard this train sat dear little girl.
Dear to her father and mother. Dear
to a host of loving friends who have
seen her grow from childhood's hap
py hours to pure and noble woman
hood. But dearer still, she seemed to
the one who sat facing her with
contented smile upon his face. No
ticing a half startled look come over
her face he said: Forgotten some
thing dear?" "Oh, moi" and she
turned her eyes toward the eternal
snow upon ''The Mountain that was
God" which had just come into view.
1t had just dawned upon her that
Leila Campbell was Mrs. P. A. Ander-
son.