The Electra News (Electra, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 17, 1934 Page: 2 of 8
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THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1934
THE ELECTRA.NEWS
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CHAPTER IX
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No Waiting for
HOT Water
Dickey &
McGann
Rocky Point P.-T.A.
Makes Fine Record
During Past Year
V
Change Schedule
On Trains Sunday
Dr. A.F. Homme
DENTIST
there’s one
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PROFESSIONAL
—Directory—
Natural GasCa
7,
14,
21,
4,
'or yet.
sat. A
Electra Knights
Hear Grand Lodge
Reports Monda
over
J. Ray
a posi-
commit-
--> mem-
EDEN;
I'Jlj
Help.”
Peter ft. Kyno
W.N.U.SERVICE
and
infected
Mi ,
Mrs. G. A
Mrs.A.
M rs.
Drink Water with Meals
Good For Stomach
Water with meals helps stomach
juices, aids digestion. If bloated
with gas add a spoonful of Adler-
ika. One dose cleans out poisons
and washes BOTH upper and lower
bowels.—Talton Drug Co. (ad)
1, arrives 2:06
No. 7, arrives
11,1
jtea
20$
as follows:
Formation;”
the soft ball team and
ments were made concerning
tice and the season schedule.
for
in K. (
circles here, has been
supreme representative
Texas Grand Lodge.
Plans were discussed relative
the soft ball team and announce-
prac-
tra, examined 47 children, only
three of whom were without de-
fect. The trio without defects
J. D. Cossey, Nellie Coats
It I' IS J J
"Henry! Help, Help.” Babson
Shrilled to His Satellite.
OUTLAWS/
OF JLe
A good hot bath cleans better. Followed by a
dashing cold shower it becomes a spring tonic
—and a good one! But, if the faucet marked
“hot” only runs cold or luke-warm water it is
a good sign you need a modern automatic gas
hot water system. Here’s a chance to have
one at a worthwhile saving!
J. R. Huggins, station agent at
the Fort Worth and Denver depot
announces a change in the schedule
of passenger trains through Elec-
tra, effective Sunday, May 20, as
follows:
Northbound, No.
p. m.; northbound
2:56 a. m.
Southbound, No.
p. m. and southbound No. 8, arrives
2:37 a. m.
The southbound train No. 8 car-
ries a through sleeper to Houston
and intermediate points in South
Texas with direct connection at
Dallas, Mr. Hunter says. This is a
new, service available to Electrans
for the first time. No. 7, the north-
bound train which arrives at 2:55
a. m. carries a sleeper back from
Houston with the same through ser-
vice into Denver.
“I could stand up under that In-
sect’s teasings. Brainerd,” TIchenor
told him when the tale was done, “hut 1
shouldn't like to see Miss Kershaw put
to that extremity. Weil, you can give
me yuur note If you care to. or yon
may consider tills advance as a dona-
tion to the cause of good men and
true. But I hive a request to make
of you. Th? Valley Center Register
Is the mouthpiece and the champion
df Forlorn Valley and I desire that It
continue to he Just that. The war for
the water ib on and It’s going to be
some war. I ask you, therefore, to
print the news from the front honest-
ly and Impartially. II may be that
from time to time Miss Kershaw and
I—and the Mountain Valley Power
company, which is me—will have
something to say to your subscribers.
I’ll expect you to print ft—and I don't
care two hoots In a hollow how you
ridicule or condemn it in your edi-
torial column. That’s your privilege.”*
"There must he something wrong with
your head,’’ Brainerd protested, “bur
whatever the trouble is. I like, II How-
ever before I fill in tills check—and
you'll take my gratitude for granted—
It Is my duty to Inform you that from
this day forward the Valley Center
Register Is going to operate In red
Ink. I mean that 1 can never hope to
repay this loan from the profits of
a losing enterprise.”
"Just make certain you can dra'v
a living out of It, and If you can't.
president-elect of the
P.-T. A. conference,
following officers:
Mrs. W. S. Hart, president; Mrs.
A. E. Bailey, vice president;
J. R. Byrd, secretary;
Hunter, ’ treasurer; Mrs.A. W.
Rowell, health chairman; Mrs. H
F. Greer, hospitality chairman.
Chairmen of other committees were
absent and will be installed later.
~ Delegates to the Wichita County
on
as-
in
Swap
Ruud
Council meeting held at Electra
May 3 expressed thanks to the
sociation for its co-operation
serving as joint hostess with Elec-
tra “for the occasion.
A group of students
ented in a short program which was
followed by a surprise treat for al!
present, iced tea and six kinds of
cake.
following a hard morning's work tn the
branding corral, Editor Brainerd’s
swan song and rousing editorial
promptly came to their attrition. In-
deed, there was no escaping either, for
the editorial in black brevier type filled
the first two columns on the front
page and In the center of the same
page, boxed and also in brevier, the
swan song appeared.
Lorry read the articles first and.
without comment, handed the paper to
Nate. When he had finished reading
It he looked up at her whimsically.
"How stupid that fellow Rabson Is.” he
commented. “He's hog-wild with pow-
er. One could cash every bet that
when there’s something constructive
to be done Babson will choose the wrong
way of doing it. Hurrah for Joe
Brainerd 1"
“It takes a man to accept ruin rather
than orders that conflict with his sense
of Justice. I wonder what sort of dirty
work Babson wanted him to do/’
“I don’t know, 1 ••tin’t even suspect,
but I’m willing to a..w with Brainerd,
on suspicion, that the work wms dirty."
He commenced to chuckle with n cer-
tain Joyous malevolence. “Well, sweet-
heart, in line with my policy of becom-
ing the big man of this district and
also in line with my promise to tease
the animal. I believe It’s up to me to
save the sole editor and proprietor pro
tem of the Valley (’enter Register."
About two o’clock that afternoon
Nate vvalked In on Joe Brainerd and
solemnly proffered that suffering Indi-
vidual Uis hand. “Where can w» talk
privately?” he asked.
Brainerd Indicated his den. TIche-
nor sat in at the desk, where he filled
In a check to Joseph p. Brainerd and
signed It. "You fill in the figures." he
said, "and my bank will pay the check."
Brainerd stared at him. "What do
I have to do for this?”
“Just continue to fight for the best
Interests of Forlorn Valley."
“Walt a minute. TIchenor. Who told
you *lhat you were the man I was or-
dered to attack?"
“Why, nobody told me. 1 didn’t even
suspect it. I decided to get behind
you merely after my own heart”
“Sit down,” Brainerd commanded.
Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Blain and son
Lamon, spent Mother’s Day with
their parents and other relatives at
Terrell. Mr. Blain’s mother, Mrs.
V. H. Blain, returned home with
them for a two week visit.
Telephone 209
209 West Bryan
Mr. and Mrs. J. Russell Gilbert
left Tuesday for Tulsa to attend
the oil exposition being held there
this week.
*
F. M. Gwinn of Levelland,
guest of his sister, Mrs.
ClyncH and nephews, Sterling
A. J.’Gwinn in the County
community last week.
cuse me. Nate. It’s Ave minutes of
three and I have just time to get to
the bank and deposit this manna from
Heaven. I'll fill your check In for six
thousand”—and he did.
Babson glared nt the editor os the
latter came Into the bank, but said
nothing until Brainerd was about to
depart.
"Brainerd, this hank doesn’t want
your business I Close out your ac-
count.”
“Thanks for the Information. I have
Just deposited Nate Tichenor’s check
for six thousand dollars. It's on a
San Francisco bank, and as soon as
It has gone through clearing PH give
you my check for what -I owe the bank
and tlieo clean the balance right out.
I wouldn’t keep tin money Id a bank
I know Is going to bust.”
"So you’ve sold out to TIchenor,"
Babson Jeered.
Little Joe Brainerd's face grew red;
he swelled like a turkey gobbler.
“You Insulted me yesterday and I
poked you twice for it.” he screamed.
"Now you’ve insulted me again and
I’m going to clean up on you.” Then
he leaped. In reality, he bounded
like a tennis ball clearing the railing
and landing beside Babson’s desk,
“Henry 1 Help, help," Babson shrilled
to his satellite. “Call Bill Rooney." he
ordered his stenographer. Then he
went down under the Impact of Joe
Brainerd’s furious onslaught, where-
upon the editor crawled him and ham-
mered him until his fists hurl him,
•>
see me.”
“I owe the bank three thousand, and
there's a deed of trust on this building
for fifteen hundred. I’d like to pay
that al! up and hare a balance for
operating capital. But
more point you’ve overlooked.
I bank this check in Babson's bank
everybody will know you’re back of me
and It will be said that you control
me editorially."
“Well, that will be fine. It will
automatically prevent you from show-
ing me any editorial preferment”
"You he mighty careful somebody
doesn’t kill you off in the shank of
your callow youth, my friend. You're
a temptation. With you out of the
way there wouldn’t be any water war,
because the Kershaw girl couldn't put
up a winning fight Do you realize
that?”
“Who’d have that much enterprise?"
“Babson might Instigate it" Joo
Brainerd was very earnest not*. “That
man’s private fortune and the future
of his bank hinges on the future of
Forlorn Valley, and I don’t think he
would give an icicle in Iceland for a
human life if It stood ‘ between him
and his desires. The battle for water
In this state is as old as the state
and it is unending. There is more
drama and more tragedy In It than
most people realize; enough men
have died with their boots on beside a
stream to fill my obituary column for
the next ten years. Needs must when
the devil drives, Nate TIchenor. and
the devil Is up on the front seat driv-
ing through Forlorn Valley and Silas
Babson was the first man to recognize
him. Now he’ll point him out to the
others and the job of exorcizing him
will commence at tire mass meeting
In the plaza next Saturday afternoon.”
"I shall attend that mass meeting,
and I shall address it."
“Provided you’re permitted. Babson
will call it to order and address ft
first, and when he finishes you'll have
a hostile audience on your hands.”
"They’ll listen to me. I’m going to
make them a proposition they’ve got
to listen to. I’ve about made up my
came in for luncheon the next noon, ■ mind not to Install the power station,
but build my dam good and high
and store water for sale to Forlorn
Valley. I’m not going to stand selfish
ly by and see those old settlers leav-
Ing their abandoned farms. But I’m
going to smash that blood-sticker Bab-
son. by smashing his bank.”
“How?”
"By starting a new bank here. In
return for the lifeglvlng water I shall
have to sell them, the people will have
to do business at my bank, ril rent
money at six per cent i’ll take up
every loan they have with the Bank of
Valley Center, and when they switch
their deposits to my bank Babson will
be left with Insufficient capital to meet
the withdrawals.”
"How about the minority stockhold-
ers? They're rather decent, substan
tin! citizens."
"When the smoke clears away I’ll
settle with them privately so they'll
not lose a dollar.”
“You may not be able tn secure a
state charter for your bank”
"Then i’ll operate a national hank.”
"Well.” Joe Rralnerd answered slow-
ly. "I’m certainly glad you’re my
friend and not my enemy. Do you
want me to spread the glad tidings of
your contemplated philanthropy
Forlorn Valley?"
"No, keep that news bottled up. I
want to have the people meet me with
all the acclaim a Roman mob was
wont to accord the entrance of the
Christian martyrs in the Coliseum. I
want Bahson to lead them on to make
fools of themselves, so 1 can show him
up later for » false leader."
"Almost everybody here calls the
other fellow by his first name. My
name’s Joe. May I call you Nate?" he
sold.”
“The pleasure Is mutual, Joe.
may.”
They ’shook hands. And then Joe
Brainerd glanced at the clo^k. "Ex-
| housed in paid for
I of trust on that’
“Is that a threat, Mr. Babson?”
“Suppose we call It a gentle hint,
Joe." '
“Then let’s (Jult arguing. I’ll not
wage a mean, dirty, personal war
against Nathan TIchenor and that Ker-
shaw glrL That’s final—and I suggest
that If and when you get surface Irri-
gation Into Forlorn Valley, you go out to
the main canal, jump In and drown
yourself."
“Well, that fixes your clock Brain-
erd.” Babson commenced to rearrange
hls pens and pencils on thefr rack and
to shuffle the unanswered correspond-
ence on bls desk. "I’ll Just take over
the Valley Center Register and put In
a man who’s loyal,"
Joe Brainerd stood up. He was a
small man, but like most small men
he lacked neither courage nor conceit.
He struck, silently and savagely—furi-
ous blows, left and right, to Babson's
sneering face; as the banker sprawled
back of his desk the quondam pro-
prietor of Valley Center's lone palla-
dium of liberty walked out of the bank
and back to hls office, where he seized
a pad of copy paper and wrote:
"With this issue the present editor of
the Valley Center Register sings hls
swan song. Because he wouldn’t take
orders from Silas Babson and do the
latter’s dirty work, the Bank of Valley
Center, which holds a chattel mort-
gage on the Register’s plant, but nnt
.on the editor’s soul, will kick ye sole
editor - and proprietor out into the
geometrical center of Valley Center
boulevard and put in an editor who
will lick the hand that feeds him,
even if he doesn’t relish the dirty diet.
“The editor desires to express -his
gratitude to the citizens of Forlorn
Valley who have so loyally supported
him and his policies. Of course we
have found It expedient at times to
tread on somebody’s toes, but we
haven’t held mean little grudges, and
when the fight was over we were al-
ways willing to shake hands. And we
have not always won. Hence, we hope
to be forgiven our trespasses as we
forgive those who have trespassed
against us.
"The editor, eventually, may be
forced to buy himself a tin bill and
compete with the birds for a liveli-
hood, but never let it be said of him
that he existed at the price of an-
other's shame and humiliation. In or-
der that ruthless and powerful In-
terests might feed,a personal grouch.
“Joseph P. Brainerd,
"Sole Editor and Proprietor,
"Pro Tem,
"Valley Center Register.”
When TIchenor and Lorry Kershaw
after which- he grasped Babson by, the
throat and bumped hls head against
the floor. He was like a desperado of
the olden days who, having cleaned
out a barroom, could not be happy un
til he bad shot out the lights. He had
landed heavily twice on Henry Rook-
by when the latter interfered, and
when Deputy Sheriff Bill Rooney came
pulling Into the hank in response to
the stenographer’s summons. Mr. Rook-
by was crouching in his locked cage,
while the demon editor strove to climb
over the steel wire netting to get at
him.
"Joe, you stop that.” Mr. Rooney
coipmanded, grasped the little mad-
man by the seat of the trousers and
jerked him down. “Boy, you ain't
actin’ right.”
"You serve Babson’s writs of at-
tachment, you fat fool.” Brainerd
shrieked, and presented Mr. Rooney
with a decoration commonly known as
a mouse on the eye. Out of hls good
eye Mr. Rooney observed that his
quarry was weeping with rage; so he
folded Brainerd to his ample abdomen
and curried the lunatic out of the
bank, screaming and kicking, and se-
cured him In the local basrlle.
“It’3 war,” Brainerd screamed, as
Rooney turned the key in the lot k.
“Babson accused me of selling out.
Selling outl Understand? He said
I’d sold out! I’m free I Fl! print the
news, but—you watch my editorials.
I’ll sizzle like a Roman candle, be-
cause I'm free. I’m free. I'm free . . .”
He was stretched out on a bench
weeping childishly when Nate TIche-
nor catne “over and bailed him out.
"The war is on.” he sobbed. “The war
is on, Nate, and I’ve fired the first
gun.”
was
Nellie Coats and
Beula Farris. Thirty-seven of the
children had defective
several had enlarged
tonsils, it was said.
Mrs. W. S. Hart,
leader gave a report on subjects dis-
cussed, as follows: March
“Habit Formation;” March
“Physical Development;” March
“Mental Development;”
“Character Training.”
Mrs. T. M. Black, health chair-
man for the Wichita county P.-T.
A. council gave a talk on “Health
as a Leading Phase of Parem-
Teacher Wdrk.’’
Mrs. John Murphree, Iowa Park,
13th district
installed the
Joe Brainerd, editor of the Valley
Center Register, had been summoned
to the Bank of Valley Center. Babson
led him into bls private office. And
then, for the last time, be disclosed his
plan for the organization of the For-
lorn Valley Irrigation district
"Here’s the copy for a full-page ad,”
be finished. “It’s a cal) for a mass
meeting of the citizens, to be held next
Saturday afternoon in the plaza, for
the purpose of discussing the water
situation and the appointment of ■
joomxnittee to investigate the possibill-
I ties of leading surface irrigation Into
the valley. I’ll plant the Idea good and
strong in their minds at that mass
meeting, but In the meantime you get
out a good rousing editorial that will
give them something to think about.
iwarn ’em that this Mountain Valley
I Power company Is about to grab the
i water for power purposes. Tel) ’em
Nate Tlchenor’s the Mountain Valley
! Power company. Give TIchenor b—J
7 in a quiet way, but be firm. If we
; tackle TIchenor now the chances are
J we can euchre hls company out of a
^contract to sell water to Forlorn Vai-
Hey. Get the idea? He told me hls
‘‘company wouldn’t consider selling us
| water' and why. If we threaten hls
source of water supply, chances are
• he’ll change his mind and do business
| with us. And that’s what we're after."
< Brainerd, remembering hls recent
1 experience with TIchenor, needed no
.urging to enlist in Bahson’s cause,
I Within two hours he was back In Bab-
! son’s office with a copy of his edi-
ItoriaL "That’s certainly a rousing edl-
•’torlal," Babson complimented him, "but
^there’d be a lot- more punch to it if
{you tied into Nate TIchenor more vig-
♦ orously.’’
I “Why, Tichenor hasn’j. done any-
I thing out of the way, has he?"
I "He’s swiped our water, hasn’t he—
■ or he’s trying to swipe It?"
I "He’s perfectly within his rights,
I Mr. Babson. How did he know we
wanted the water?”
"The rights of the people are para-
mount to those of the individual, but
whether they are or not. It suits me to
have you tie into this fellow. Attack
.him. Impute things to him. Run a
{history of hls family and the Ker-
jshaws—continued from week to week.
* I want to incite the community against
}htm. This (s a war we're about to
^engage In, Joe and in war you’ve got
i to make people hate or they won’t
.fight well.- We’ll have to fight for the
Eden Valley water, but we can win,
^although to do so we may have to
[buy both, the Circle K and the Bar H
, la order to acquire their water rights.
But If we tackle the owners now—hold
them up to obloquy and ridicule and
prbllr hate, they just can’t live In this
^country, understand, and they’ll be
"^lad to sell and get out.”
Brainerd replied: "Mr. Babson, It’s
■-a job I don't like—for two reasons.
’ One-—business; the other—ethical.”
; “Bear in mind, Joe, that the con-
tinued prosperity of Forlorn Valley Is
matter of profound interest to you
’and me.”
’ "I’m on the horns of a dilemma.
•Mr. Babson. If I attack Tichenor In
•the manner you suggest he will start an
opposition newspaper in this town and
ruin me."
"How can he? He can’t get any
local advertising. I’d see to that, even
if the lo’ca) people were fools enough
•to support their natural enemy by glv
Ing him advertising."
“But he promised me he’d do it. Mr.
iBabson.”
"A mere bluff."
*1 think you’ve got that man wrong
I sized him up as one who will go
through. I understand none of his peo-
ple have ever made a promise they
didn’t keep. Rad as they were and
bad as the Kershnws were, both clans
had the courage of wounded grizzly
hears. I’m afraid of him.”
Bahson smiled patiently "The Hens
leys and the Kersht^vs never hint their
courage tested outside Eden Valley.
Joe. Let Tichenor come projecting
around Forlorn Valley and he’ll find a
man to call his bluff."
“I tell you, Mr. Rabson, it’s a job I
do not want. Tichenor will tight back
—and the only way a man can tight
the only newspaper that’s attacking
him is to start ao opposition newspa-
per and mail hls copies gratis to his
-enemies. And I tell you further J dis-
like the fight because It’s dirty. I’ll
light Tichenor all over ths lot for ths
•sake of Forlorn Valley and Its crying
raeeds; but I'lh fight him on the Issue
finvolved and not hls family history.”
“I see." Babson murmured sadly,
“"you’re an Idealist, too."
“I hope I haven’t lost all my Ideal-
ism.”
"I see. Well, Joe, I hate to remind
jou of it, but you owe this bank three
thousand dollars and the bank bolds a
chattel mortgage on your plant And ’’ And he related to Tichenor every detail
harea’t got the building you're ] of hla conversation with Babsoa.
“Hot” faucets will not run cold
water with a new Ruud install-
ed. It supplies -hot water in-
stantly ! Because of stock re-
duction sale you can own one
for mighty little down and
unusually small monthly pay-
ments. In addition there’s a
liberal trade-in allowance and
an extra discount for cash!
Rank of knight was conferred
Ross Stubblefield at the regular
meeting of the Electra Knights of
Pythias lodge, Monday evening, at
the castle hall. Jake Tinnin, chan-
cellor commander, made a report on
the Texas K. of P. grand lodg«
meeting held at Mexia last
He announced that J. W. Malone
past chancellor of the local lodge
has .been appointed as deputy
district No. 21 and that
Cordei* was re-elected to
I tion on the transportation ...........
tee. Of particular interest to mem.
bers was the report that John Lee
Smith of Throckmorton, well known
in K. of P. and American Legion
named as
from the
’ A splendid record was set by the
Rocky Point Parent-Teachers Asso-
ciation during the past year, ac-
cording to reports rendered at the
annual meeting held at the school
auditorium on Tuesday evening,
May 8. Mrs. B. A. Farris, chairman,
turned in a fine report for the
health committee, announcing
receipt of a certificate from the
National Congress of Mothers and
P.-T. A. for having carried out the
last years’ Summer Round-up in
accordance with the requirements
of the national headquarters. She
gave a report on the* work for
this year which was started witn
a health clinic on May 6th when
Drs. W. H. Ogden, P. E. Fish and
R. R. Ramey, members of the staff
of Parmley-Ogden hospital at Elec-
47 children,
were
were pre-;-
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The Electra News (Electra, Tex.), Vol. 27, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 17, 1934, newspaper, May 17, 1934; Electra, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1238142/m1/2/: accessed May 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Electra Public Library.