The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1917-10-11
TOWN DESTITUTE
OF MERCHANTS
Causes Great Loss to Tho
Local Community.
INCONVENIENCE SOON SEEN,

A Firssids Diseussion Of "lts"i In Coco
There Was a Simultaneous Minra'
tion Of the Local Merchants and
psalsrs-Riahts Eneroaehsd Upon by
a Dangerous Outside sVstsm.
fcopyrirhisdsisl.s BY Thomas j. sulllvanl
Napoleon said that Imagination rules
the world. II Is the divine attribute of
the imagination that when the real
world IL shut out II can crePte world
for itself and With necromantlc
power can eonJuro up glorious shapes
and forms aud brilliant visions 10
make solitude populous and eradicate
the gloom of dapgeons. go
- just svpposins.
, To better eKsmpllfy the range and
possibilities OF the human Imagination
we will give a little imaginary" con
versation which took place In the cozy
cottage OF William and Alice Spencer
ON a recent evening.
civilian. you asked me what l
would do n the butcher. the baker. the
grocer. the druggist. the shoe dealer.
the lumberman. the coal merchant. the
hardware dealer and dry goods mer.
chant should pack up and leave town
on an everlasting vacation" said Alice.
, "why. that's easy. would get my
goods from the mail order houses. OF
course
No cstAlosvs ttsuss Credit
But" persisted wllliam. suppose
you were broke. a. usoaiT"
"0h." said Alice. that's ~. could
not get credit rrom the catalogue
houses: neithsr could inspect. the
stock and select the best. nor could !
take anything back and exchange Il,
a. in most cases. and II there was any
thing broken I would have 10 Ole a
claim with the railroad company. aud
Il would take tho better part OF
year 60 settle Il. u at ALI" t,f
"And supposing You wanted some
thing in 4 hurry" suggested william.
--fhats so."' said Alice. II would
have To- stock 40 IKE alumber a camp.
a. Il takes fron two weeks 10 the
end OF time 10 g''t anything froni those
mail order concerns. And, William. |
wonld not want 10 buy meat By mail;
I want To see what kind sna getting.
Well. we would Just have TO live With
out meat that's ali. ''' N'' ~.
Ne Garden Truck BY Mail.
-Garden stun yes. We would want II
fresh: no, not BY mail. thank you And
bread your mot her could make that
ss you always said yonr mother could
make better bread than I. Aiy. but |
hope ths bsksr won't 20. thought
Alice cheered up when William
smilinEly reminded her this WAS but
an Imaginary absence OF the town mer-
chants. f
But the CHEEKY smile on Alice's faee
lasted only 4 moment. a. William tan
ltziixingly inquired how about getting
shoes for her dainty little Chicago
feet
'shoesF' cried Alice. "whoeser heard
of any one with pride OF corns buying
shoes without lirst tryiog them on
yes. trying on mostly everything Ia the
store, And then what about getting
soied while you waltz Oh. no: We must
have shoe dealer anyway" answered
Alice.
William ssssmss Excited Toe.
Then William took the door ana
bodied forth the following words OF
wisdom:
~xes. hardware; sure 4 might borrow
a pound OF nails OF couple Of screws
/ from Brother Charles. II he had them.
but have you any idea. Alice. how
heavy nails and screws aud hardware
aref No? Well have. and freight
bills on that class Of stun are rulnous.
No. Alice; town without hardware
store s a bum town. aud Il our hard.
ware man Is going TO move | am TOO.
And. besldes, we want lumber yard
and coal yard. I don't want TO buy
lumber aud coal In car load lots"
But Wiiham. this Is only imagi-