The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-10-14

the Brooklyn bridge, and when with
craned neck or bulging eyes you mere
ly gasp and exclaim by heck" then
your Manhattan friend noncbalantly
turns away with the remark, mot a
bad little building"
Just so do the natives Of Woodfield
conduct their visiting friends to the
Stafford poultry farm. Strangers In
varlaby admire the magnificent home
and grounds Of the millionaire owner,
and at sight C the immense farm just
black with poultry houses invariably
their eyes bulge, they gasp and de-
clare, "Good night" "Its certainly
some place." they say, "but one thing
puzzles me. You say this Stafford Is
millonare?"
''Yes, sir, Ted Stafford made his
pile all right" and Cy smiles to him
self as il enjoying some secret Joke.
"Wel, why under the sun doesn't
he buy n real automobile? These fiiv-
vers Of his are camoulaged with wire
wheels and made-to-order bodies so
they almost deceive you, but still
they're only fliyvers when all's said
and done"
Aha Cy knew that was coming.
lie licks his chops and begins. For Of
all the stories that Woodfield likes to
tell about her citizens that is the fa-
torite.
1t was eight years ago in the month
Of June. Ted Stafford and his mother
lived together on their little farm do
ing very prosperous egg business,
the nucleus of the Stafford poultry
farm. When Ted graduated from Har-
ward two years previous he was en-
tirely satisfied to settle down as
farmer
This June afternoon, however, Ted
was not farming. Just after dinner
he took a bath and donned his "city"
clothes When he walked into the
kitchen, straw hat In hand, his mother
appraised him with an expression Of
proud admiration.
Dear me, Ted" she joked, "its no
wonder Ruth likes Woodfield. ] GER
tainly admire her taste"
Jaw, cut it out, ma. Say, ma, do
you like this tie?'
OF course she did. And If ma did,
then Ruth surely would.
Just now he was setting out for the
station to meet the 8 AS, which was
bringing Ruth from the city.
Tt was about quarter-past three
when Ted alghted from the depot
wagon. He bustled into the station
and shouted a greeting to Ira Jones,
who performed the duties of ticket
agent, baggage master and telegraph
operator, and whose official title was
"stati0n agent" Ira was the news
renter of Woodfeld since he picked
up the doings of the surrounding
towns from the agents along the line.
Outside of this, the use of the tele-
graph in Woodfied was negligible.
whats new, Iry?" queried Ted.
"Well, they got new barber down
in Johnsonyille, and there's bur
lesque show comm inter Eastway
night. Reckon Woodfield's
male population will be kinda de-
pleted Thursday p. m. Think you'll
go DOWN.
mo, ] guess not, Ira"
Here their dialogue was interrupted
by the clicking Of the telegraph re-
celver. Ted sauntered over to the gum
machine and surveyed himself as best
he could In the little circle Of mirror.
He bestowed a second or two on his
tie and began TO caress his mustache.
At least Ted claimed it was mus
tache; but were he not a six-f0oter
some of his acquaintances might have
However, it was still very |
young and like all young things, was |
rather weak, with its best days before
it,
Tied !" Something in Ira's voice |
him. and he rushed to the
ticket window. CONSERVATION was
written on every line Of Ira's face.
assay Ted, w-was there some
friend of yours on the 3:45%
whats the matter?"
IT'S gone over the banking at Fair
field junction Some mix-up in sig
a collision
Ted felt the hot blood surge through
his arteries. My God Try. do they
was an! body hurt?"
Ira spent the next few minutes fran
licaIly clicking his instrument, while
Ted waited tensely as pale as a stat
Ne and as rigid.
"What they say, Ira-what they
say?"
"ile says they don't. know for sure,
Dut they expect considerable injuries
m maybe some Deaths" Ira was
truthful but not tactful.
Ted commenced to pace the floor in
4 frenzy of anxiety. If he could only
10 something-if he could only act
But this suspense -.
Meanwhile the little instrument
vas still clicking. This time Ira was
aking a message in pencil. With the
cessation of the clicking he called
,ut, "A wire from Boston for Theo-
lore Stafford"
Ted devoured the message and when
he finished he was weak with joy To
his date he rates that telegram
lmong his most valuable possessions.
Mr.. Theodore Stafford, Woodfield.
Mass:
missed the 3:45. win arrive