"VgFTSpTV s? T:Ff)!f?'VfE&fr& JUST GOSSIP benedicks' Ball WU Be Held Tonight in the Ritz Carlton Mahy Dinners to Precede AffmV -, I rt "tr rarty ror xounger Set-Anecdotes ITII tho memories of mince pie, plum DUddlnitr turkey, cranberries, terra w, Wn chlCKn Bainu, buu,i i.uu ujn vti into me W I cm a blt rn,u fts l0 'he - itrf should go) upon our exhausted "trirH W " turn lon,snt ,0 moT" f tlTttfex. nnu - - iraw oh how, will our heads and dtgca lian.'.Whd It alii ' Tonight will mark th first of the big irnnust balls which ore given for the le lcdlton of society by o commllleo of ' n who are among the foremost of Phil. .-tt.Ma'a social loauer. Ami so wo navo x th9 Benedicks Dall. nnd It Is to bo given t for -the first time In U history at the tmU.CArlton JIotcl ln!,,0',', of Horticul tural Ilistl. as in tho last few ywn. It "look muchly to mo ns If there must be very many who have not received their ial invitation to tho ball this season, far surely they could not expect to fit all th'e guests of previous years Into a small ' Sdlroom Such Is tho case, however, and j u 1 have heard of no heart-break nor murmuring nmong tho social elect who " r wont to ffo. perhaps they have all kn K1. n"or M, for y0J ,,now u'" i possible to havo soa-.l floors going at fince at the JUU. I nun hosts for tho ball this year Include fUjfthn Hampton Barnes, Ned Benle, !Bu Boric. Jr., John Cndwalader, Jr., Bn Chew. Charles Coxo, George W. C. PWel. George U. Fraxlor, Georgo Har- Arisen. Jr" rcmocnon iimcnmMJii. vyh- Wn struiners urn: mmj 4..i..vv..... vrtderick Mason, ieu oiorruu, mu . bold. Wllllum I.yttleton Suvago. Kdgar we i ECOtt, AlcclC van uonsseiner, juvruni Lowber Welsh and Charlton 1'arnall. Tht natronesscs of the ball will be Mrs. Bf 1 m John Hampton Barnes, Mrs. Edward V. Beale, Mrs, Beauvcau Boric, Jr., Mrs. John Cadwaladcr, Jr., and Mrs. Charlton tirnall. w , Of course tticro win do n- uuihuii --.!. 1 lolmHii si as will iin "dinners. Tile ucraiu wu..... ..... -.. Sfertain at their home, 2018 lxcust street: Jlr and Mrs. Pembcrton Hutchinson will Htlr. a dinner nt tho Itltx Carlton: tho B ' . .111 JM..Al,1 fjohn Hampton uarnos .' Ifar Suianno Elliot, and Ixrralne Graham itnll be euest of honor at a dinner which iDr. nd Mrs. Hobart Haro will glvo. ImnE school set will have a Bay time '-i-' -. ..... -. E-MhU afternoon, when airs. aucr jw on Freeman win Evo a " i"" . . ..- -i.i. mm rnvlrAt titrret. Tho OBI ' ln0 "" ""-- Jtrfman boys nro homo for tho holiday and are Ercatly In domand at all the pur tit. Mrs. Freeman Is an Ideal hostess nd Vnowa Just how to mako the young 'wonle enloy themsolvcs. Tho party this iitttrnoon will bo iiulto some size. I un McrtUnd. SQIT Is really true tne l'irsi v-uy ir""i aad Troop A will soon bo homel So irate does It seem that tho Thayer men Uve decided to put off their pariy lor vr.r. ..., TVirnthv Newbold. until Ed- iraffid and Aleck arrive after tho tenth. M, in tht all five may? havo tho honor of jpria.liy entertaining her. It must bo isrialjhty nice when one is coins: oui w '9 lutve flvo bis cousins or tne opposuo nc ":t,Ur snd clad to see that one moots raSrv one and has a splendid tlmo, for KjS'S.tter how popular a deb Is, tho flrnl v'lK3. .. -.. irtrt nrrlftnta. and icauiina parnen mo i...... . S one has hrothers and cousins by tit bJlMozen or so it certainly helps. i T ua Walter Honklnson will bo back iTttroe to entertain beforo the first As Kiably. The irayety will surely bo sreatly lapnentcd when all tha cnvairy come corse. r iTTONESTLY. did you oyer In your life XI hear anything to equal tho remarks jchlca people make to newly engaged tlrlj? I havo ono In mind nt present ho li wlldlv nnd soruphlcally In love, fed whose little slippered feet have not Wt ... .a - whan loathed earth since me greuv " " ? asked her to havo him. . She Just 'rtsiates supernal bliss all the time. Iiislno her expression of countenanco Mybea a young married woman to whom Mwas introaucea ni a iuw"" tad looked nt her very keenly and then nmirktd: "How long havo you been tngaredr "Bevoral months; Deameu IM!s Fiancee, "but It has only been an Ti .i,- wiv-ntt .aid blaso Rrt, , "I wn engaged In March nnd aunea two monins wwi"'"i - - He fell you. you don't begin to know them 5til you're married, and sometimes you i pleasantly surprised, but oftener you t awfuU blows!" and aho ahook her oftr.owlngly. as much as tq eay. ' IraoVthe brutes." NANCY WYNNE. Pfirsonals !um i.ik... ni,-.( not Knruco street. Km llsued Invitations for a dinner on Feb- inury U In honor of her oaugmer, 4ublh Norrls Brock. Wrt. Osrdner Cassatt has Issued Invlta- for dinner on January is. ifUr, and Mrs. William Bell Watklns are Mlvlnir ennrraiiilallnna on the birth Of a Etta. lira t7nibini uiiii h remembered as iMNflltdya Mackay-Bmlth. it Francis Btrawbrldss. of Wlssahlckon liifWe. win riva a. luncheon at Manhslm 8fTutdy, January . In honor of her wiu Anna Strawbriace. IhA Ckt Ph.nlm I1.A nrmfl.ntown IKtt Club, to be htld pn Monday ov: Hgar. January 8, at -U "o'clock, will benefit U" nomena Army ana Navy imiisi iitton p( Oermantown. : The commUUe In chargo Includes Mrs. iB!ron, Mrs. MauUP W. Fsgan, Mrs. S?rd Hacker. Mr Balttar ds Mare, . Charles A. Martin. Mrs. Josph 3VIVIU sr . . n -n.-lll tf.a ; ff Churchill William and Mr, Alx- ZT t rriiier, Jr , TH srogram will consist of estbetlo lito trill alu. it,. t.u... n.ni n..u and rn 8,-5."" "" vw w fi.p""' t" e ct. entlUcd xnabbette A Study n Lauathter."' also will bo given ifs?'n!rr o' the PUya and Payers. n- nacoed. an artist a moaei. jr en Kcholts. a 8tranaer. Mr Joseph tSlrM?ly Dtertng, and tUrr, keeper of a jSt0 The action passes in Pierre's :t?sJu.ft 14 ,tr1 ,n th" LatiA Quarttr -J remainder ox tha program Includes jwso uu by ZolUn do Kor-ath esiheUo 2 br Miss Marguertta C. Walx. In 2j.w and aong by Mrs, Jftuauel .j. '-. . . 4UkM.fc MW.VVWV. m "XT 01 ui Orphiu CSub ABOUT PEOPLE ". Plioln lr l'linto Crntttia MRS. EDWIN D. PECK Mrs. Peck before her marrinrje last month wna Miss Holon Hnrmnnn Radloy. Sho li tho daughter of Mr. nnd Mrs. Edwin Stone Radlcy. of Oak Lane. George Dallas Dixon Mrs. Jamei lirge, Mrs. William Ilyrd 1'sge. Mrs. Atrxmuler W. Wlitcr and Mrs I'rnnch Howard Wil liams are pntrnntnori of the atlalr Dancing will complete the evening's fen tlvltles Mr and Mrs. James Beach I.tcM. of Aldworth, Ardmore. announce the engage, ment of their daughtor. Miss I'rnnctn l"or rlll Lsdd, to Mr Morrill A. Kerehcr. of Ooihen, Ind The Illustrated Musical Talks which are to bo klven on altomite Thursdiys, brglnnlng January 4, at Wltherspoon Hall, nro under the patronage of soma of the moil distin guished Philadelphia women, who are well known for their Interest In nrtlstlc nmttern The honorary lco pres'denti inctmle Mm A J. Canfntt. Mrs Cornellui Hlevenson. Mrs Leopold Stokowskl and Mla Frances A. Wlster. while Mrs. W W Arnctt. Mrs. Louts F. Benson, Mrs Arthur Bldille, Mrs. Edward W, Bole. Mist Mnry A. Unrnlinm, Mrs. Hamuol II Carpenter. Mrs C How ard Clark. Jr, Mrs. Herbert U Clark. Miss Mary E. Converse. Mrs. Norton Downs, Mrs. Itussell Duane. Mrs .Samuel 8 Fels, Mrs. Ceorco A. Fletcher, Mrs. John Mar shall O cat. Mrs John H. Gibbon, Mri Frank T. Grlswold, Mrs Ellsha A Han cock, Mrs. nichird H. Harte. Mrs. Charles W. Henry. Mrs. Rydney II Hutchlnnon, Mrs. Charles Tl Ingersoll. Miss Nina Lea, Mrs. Joseph Leldy, Mrs. Theodore J. Lewis. Mrs. J, Bertram Llpplncott, Mrs. I.ouls C. Madeira. Mrs. John Illanchard Mllrsr Mrs. Langdon E. Mitchell, Mrs, Ilandal Morgan, Mrs. Edgar T. Scott. Mrs. Edward II Smith. Mrs. Isaac T. Btnrr. JIrs John Conyngham Stevens. Mrs. William Jay Turner. Mrs Alexander Van nensselaer. Mrs. Samuel D. Wnrrlner. Mrs. Andrew Wheeler. Mrs. A. If. Wlnteraten. Mrs. Joseph L. Woolaton and Mrs. Pope Yeatman will act as patron esses. I Jilt season the "Talks" were so successful that the committee In charge was ablo to donato a substantial sum remain ing after all expenses were paid to the Pension Fund of the Philadelphia Orches tra, and this year the committee hopes to contribute an oten larger amount to the Endowment Fund of the orchestra. The Manufacturers' Club gae a Christ- LAST NIGHT . V '" Cvpyrtfbt. Life PuMUbJag Cempany. A composite; picture of Mabol's mistletoe experience. mas party yesterday morning at 10 o.Uo); a rnSCing-pleiure ent.rUlmnent was held w th. auditorlunl and H J Christmas tree was exhibited to the guests. w. H, Chase-, of MT Oxford sUett, wna has been suffering from plturtay. wfll laave ihortly for Florida with hu family tt re main some time. r Mr and Mrs. A Chertak swnw Ue en70gmnt of their davgbter. Mto. Tlllyo Chertak. to Mr. Saramj Ojaes. wnaouraged by tho suecess of their rn toSTrtThfvPBU Boom" Ust Lent, st Edward's PUyers wUl preswt anathr of pZbert Hugh BtmoB't mltY plays, pt Nativity Play." tonight ad twnorrow "'uonslgnor Bn9H M followed th llnia of toe famw 0vBlry play, only Sog .t wore auttaWf for our time Jrh sacred drama eonstoU of Ave as In ihicTSrstory of the Jourtwy la Bhle- SrhSt. the wUoa M tlw sbptertU Sm Jl4li LTI II I I I ! I t EVENING LEDGEtt- RIMED APPEAL ASKS CASH FOR SUFFRAGISTS Pcnnsylvnnla Branch of Connrcs. 8lonnl Union Shiga for Campaign Fund The IVnmiylvanbi ltrarwh of the ron greulnnnl t.'nlon for Woman Suffrage In appealing for fund to ftnMt Its campaign for the ballet has istraed verses, written by the recently sptMlnlH finftno chairman of the branch The rerMfted appeal Is It Twyr cartrtBHS itn tMI ."lBrr Hek ' AM jm wM slat rsar ly. . . . Drw from rmr yatjr Msk bwk .. And ! twvt HMk haste. thn AM mt II an Mil Mate. in- .xatr rr win m. ..-..?.. ". .rT. "f-T-s MW YMt W.I1I 1. MlaXlAi rr (to dsir bst tt& It ye'ir Chrletim left MKi warn ml J . aivi tom would lar rna. l't Imn yme fftk jm Vntr rl . aim, HwirMt m ibi tirsm, Vt rll ta tM C. l fSe A wihn nbatt M STk ls. rna r vera, sn iji ti Tha neatea rmtnl. nat rt "I.fcMiw jrakj'r aAied sand. hht Bil AM that joo'w i It welt I know Ian thai a rsmtxlsn ati . I knew It eoH (i-ll. It (Mm a M artJ IMnm see Mtlt. AW I .hill tk-arWar. rtl . A N'T Tear sltl la twin vau Wins Yotr esmralsn ta an hm " In MW wnra .! or r. Ne nltar haw a fl, It au ill.! nr 4M nat bilmt Tha bat thine tnr yaur wat Jut hark mr nrla ami take ailrtrai Ummhr lira thllln Ilala IIuIMIim la tha tltrit aiWrfta Whare I' L' 'a fan fea " The checks It Is explained prostfully. should be roade payable to the treaaurer of the Congressional t'nlon APPEAL FOR FUNDS FOR PLAGUE VICTIMS Emergency Aid Committee Sends Request for Aid to City s Parents An nppeal (or fund tor the little 'hlla delphlans who are convalescing from Infan tile paralysis was Issued today by the Homo Itellef Division of tho emergency Aid Com mittee. The appeal I addressed especially to the paren's of children who escaped the scourge Contributions should lie sent to the haid nunrters of the organisation, nt 1131 Wal nut street. Tho appeal says "Aid us In Ihe care of the children who ore now leaving the contnleaeonl hospitals and n ru going back to their homes and mother. All aro morn or less bidly crip pled and In need of braces, and the long, nenry treatment, which will enable them. In perhaps a J ear or two. to run or walk of tine their hands ns your rhlldrrn do "Won't ou give whit you can In happy thankfulness that our children nre pot suf fering an theso children are, paralysed In both legs or both armsr None Is sbla to play an your children are doing today" SICjMA ALPHA EPSILON MEETS IN PITTSnUKGH Nearly 1200 Delegates Asscmblo for Ilicnninl National Meeting of Fra ternity, Showing Great Growth PITTSnUttail. Dee :B Nearly 1200 detrgntei nnd member lsltora are here to day for tha opening of the biennial meeting of Sigma Alpha Hpsllon fraternity, double tho number In attihidance nt nny previous national meeting Today wan "get together" session. Tomorrow will be staged tho most elaborate exemplification of the fraternity Tltunl eer eeun nt u national meeting. Thursday nlnht tho annual banquet will ho held, tho npeakorn list Including Dan It. Almy, of New York, president of the na tional body. It Key Plttman. of Tonopah. Nov. ; Federal Judge Arthur J. Tuttle. of Detroit; Colonel William flrandon. of Tus caloosn, Ala . the birthplace of the order, and United States Senator-elect Philander C. Knox Tha comonllon ball, Friday night, will close the meeting MARINES HERE TOR CHRISTMAS Trnnsport Hnncock Arrives After Po lice Duty in Santo Domingo The United Singes transport Hancock, with 400 marines nhoard, arrived at League Island Nary Yard In time for Christmas dinner yesterday, the first meal on United States soil for nlxteen months, the marines having been engaged In police duty during that time In Santo Domingo The men wore members of the Fourth, Fifth. Sixth. Fifteenth and Nineteenth companies of marines, attached to Phila delphia, and the Ninth company, an artil lery battalion of Annapolis. It was the opinion of the men that there was no prospect of Immediate peace on tho Island. The C3oernment. they said, was completely disorganised and several Inde pendent bandits ruled the mountnlnoualn terlor. Hope of pacification lies, they said. In the eventual disarmament of the natives. TURKEY IN AIR FLIGHT Gives Exhibition in Aeronautics and Is Finally Subdued Itesldsnts along Rnrlham street In Oer mantown are wondering today If turkeys can havo premonitions. Tha wonderment was provoked by what seems to have been a Very evident caso of It yesterday. Shortly before dinner tlmo a wild turkey was re'en flying through the air above the street, finally alighting on a roof of a three-story bouse. What teemed to haya made It wild was the approach of dinner time and the Bhadow of an axe. It escapod from a poultry man In Coulter street, west of Wayne avenue, and volplaned down the thoroughfare. It was finally subdued by a hurled stone and carried away by a negro. If .It had had a premonition, tho negro's targe and copious smile toatirtci) to Its cv rtctness. TO AID STRICKEN-POLAND Cardinal Gibbons Accents Honorary Chairmanship of Committee UALTIMOTIB, Dec. tl. Cardinal alb ums has aaeepted tha honorary chairman ship of the Maryland Committee for the llellef of Poland' War Vkllms. Jle ex pressed keen sympathy for lbs work and said he would assist In every way possible; . The cardinal said a woman who recently had been In the ravaged sections of Poland told him that virtually all children under seven )tars had psrlshcd for want of food or shelter. Thug Heats nnd Robs Socialist Carl Heonar, of Haw York, a Socialist orator, t In ft serious ssndltkm In the Children' Homeopathic Hospital suffsrlng from a frstned Mw and nose and cuts and bruUes Initiated lat night by a robber who attacked 14m after be had finished speaking at a meeting at Hevoth street and Oirard avenue, penntr was walking up rvinm sisee ra m iKHia ani. and a ajaall amount of rasoey Alleged Meek Veddjng Causes Arrest J p Krarbty said to have lived with his wife and children tn West Philadelphia, was ne44 la ISI0 ball by Magistrate Ileaton, Ib Central Poltoo Court yesterday, until Investigation could b made of a complaint Sled by Kthai rriuiag, Mvtntesn year old. 1097 Nurth, SUUiaan street accusing him of Uttvlox married tier turousb a mock ctra iuuu Tha miiitiauK. kvhe atd. look ptaev) la tiarrisburg sad As latMixaUa U be- iB BiAlt Hun. ' PHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, - . . - TIME, TODAY; PLACE, EVERYWHERE flirt imw AmT T ay, S2?B Ceprnsht Ufa rnt1iahlnr Cemiwnr narrlnttj br arclH arransamant. "Ills sister's and his cousin's nnd his mint's." BEYOND THE GREAT OBLIVION (Sequel to "Tho Vacant World") Ry GEORGE ALLAN ENGLAND CopvHaM, l, ev rrasli A. Vnaary Cortvaiv TUB STOnT TltUrt FAH , Allan fllarn and llaalrle Kandrlrk ar med at tha ol4 manalon of Van Ambuts. atart la work In aarnaat ta ma tha hem; habllabla, Durlns tha waae of "sattjins lown" lhr IU an tha nn lhal Alln raichei wi a ruda rn.1. ni same. . Tha worM a Ion. man aixnile a sraat rt'ai ef hla tlma afiar that In tha eonalructtnn of a wortiiy aaaaotns eraft, for h rln airlAra tha world In qutat of eltl lajlnn, Tif the r thr atari en their rHafTtma. ny nlaht lhair hay travalad down ! .U" tan. ihroush tha llarliin Ulnar and 'J,il mlla alonr lha aound Slam doaa en ir a faw mlnuiaa and whan ha awssa" Dnda lha toat la balnc drawn br . "rrinj rurrrnt leward a irt ralarart In ann;? mlraculoua war h and Paalrlca ara from daalh In lha sraat rtunae. nut m boat and all (hair prov-lalone ar ''j Altar a wifh'i aacampmant on tha alda or Ih aaa, thar taeotar aurflfltnl atrantlh ana auppllaa In aat oft asaln for lloalon. Thar raach lha nilna of ITo'ldanee. n. 1 . whara Slam flmla a "atl-Mraaaevaa aaraplana In It thar atart Ihalr nlaht to lloalon. but anraunlar a hurricane and ara carried far out of thalr couraa CUAPTRll XX On tha Lip ef Ilia Chaam VKItY near, now, was the strange appa rition On. on. swift ns a falcon, tho plane hurtled Stern glanced at llratrlce. Never had ha seen her more beautiful. About her face, rosy nnd full of life, tha luxuriant looso hnlr wan whipping. Her ejer sparkled with this new excitement, and on her full red lips n smllo betrayed her keen enjoyment. No trace of fear was there nothing but confldance nnd strength and Joy In the adventure, Tho phenomenon of the world's end for nothing elso decrlbes It adequately now appeared distinctly as a Jagged line, beyond which nothing showed It differed from the, horlion line. Inasmuch as It was close at hand. Already the adventurers could peer down upon It at An acute angle. Plainly could they seo the outlines of trees growing along the verge. Hut beyond them, nothing. It differed essentially from n canyon, be causo there- was no other slda at alt Strain his eyo as ho might, Slern could detect no opposite wnll And now, realising some thing of the posnlbllltles of such n chasm, he swung the Fnulllao southward, Flying parallel to the edge of this tremendous harrier, ho sought to solve tho mystery of Its true nature. "If I go higher, perhaps I may be ablo tn got some notion of It," thought he, and swinging upwind, ho splraled till tha baro meter showed.he had gained another thou sand feet. Ilut oven the additions) view profited him nothing. Half a mile to westward tho ragged tree-line still showed as before, with vacancy behind It, and as far as Stern could seo to north, to south. It stretched away till the dim blue distance swallowed It. Yet. straight ncrona tne gulf, no lann appeared. Only the sky Itself wan lslblo there, ns calm and as unbroken as In tho xenlth, yet extending far below vrhera tho horlxon-llne should have been down. In fact, to where the tree-line cut It oft from Stern's vision. Tho effect vas precisely that of coming to tho edge of n vast plain, beyond which nothing lay save space, nnd peering over. "The end of the world. Indeed! thought the engineer, despite himself. Dut what can It meant What can have happened to the sphere to have changed It like this? Oood heavens, what a marvel what a catastrophe I" Determined at all haiards to know more of this tltanlq break or "fault," or what soever It might bo. he banked again, and now. on a descending slant, veerea uown to. ward the lip of the chasm. 'doing out over It!" cried Iteatrlce. He nodded. "It may be miles deep!" "You can't get killed any deader falling a hundred mites than you can a hundred feet I" he shouted back abovo the droning racket of tho motor. And, wllli a fresh grip on the wheel, head well forward, every sense alert and keen to meet whatever conditions might arise, to batllo wth cross-currents, "air-holes," or any other vortices swlrl'ng up nut of those unknown depths, ho skimmed the Paulllso fair toward tho lip of the monstrous va cancy. . . ., Now as they rushed almost above the verge he could seo conclusively they were not dealing with a canyon llko tha Yosemlte or like any other he bad ever seen or heard of In lh old days. ... There was positively no bottom to the tirrlflo thing I , . .. Just a sheer edge and beyond thst noth- " Nowhere 'any sgn of an opposlt; bankj nowhers the faintest trace Of land. Par. far below, oven a few faint clouds showed float Ing there s If In mld-baven. Tho effect was ghastly, unnerving and altogether terrible Not that Stern feared height. No,' It was the unreality of the ex. oerltnce1. trio Inexplicable character of this yawning edge of the world that almost overcame him, ... Only by a strong exerolse of will power could he hold the biplane to her course. His very Instinct was to veer, to retreat back to solid earth and land somewhero and ones more, at all haiards, get the contest ef "nufstern resisted all these Impulses and .now had driven the Paulllac right to tho Up of the vast nothingness. Now they were over! "My OodT be cried, stunned by the real. Itatlon of this thing. "Sheer space I No bottom anywhere I" ,,., For all at onsa they bad abet, as It were, out Into n-veld whloh seemed to M w connection at all with the earth they now were quitting. . ,.., Stern caught a glimpse of the tall forest growing tip to within' a hundred yrts C tbe edge, then of smatler trees, dwindling to bushes and grasses, aad straws J sand that bordered the gap sasd and rocks, barren as though aewe up-draft from tbs void had killed off vegetable growth along tho very brink. . Then aU slid back b4 away. The red ribbed wall of the great cbasm. batted .. hrnlran a hi ...ma lBOOIWel VS,Ble dl ester some cjsnlc cataclysm, felt away and away, downward. dUnnaer aod raora am, ontu it fad4 gradually lata hu h. tbsn vasl utterly Aud there btow lay nothiBgnavfa and sstnlwfuevaa a4tatM4 out ta froirt to wbre ' the s'ght lost Itself In pearly vapors that overdlmmtd the sky. Ileatrlro glanced ot Stern ns tho Paulllso sped true us nn arrow In Its fight, nut Into this str.vngn and Incomprehensible vncnlty Just a abad pnler now ho seemed, Do spite the kmTirtnd, a glister of sweat drops studded his forehead. Ills Jaw was set. set hard ; sho could see the powerful max illary muaelea knotted thero where the throat cords met tho nnglo of the bone. And she understood that, for tho first time elncn their tremendous adventure had be gun, the man felt shaken by this latest and greatest of all the mysteries they had been called upon to face. Already the verge lay far behind; nnd now tho sense of empty spaco abovo and on all sldts nnd thero below wbr overpow- ' Stern gasped with a peculiar choking sound Then all at once, throwing tho front steering plane at an nngte, he brought the machine about nnd headed for tho distant land. Ho spoke no word, nor did she; but they both swept the edge of the chasm with anxious eyes, seeking n placo to light. It was with tremendous relief thnt they both saw tho solid earth onco more below them And when, five minutes later, having chosen a clear and rnnd-bnrren on tho verge, some two miles southward nlong the nbyss, Stern brought tho machine to earth, they felt a gratitude and a relief not to bo voiced In words. My Jove!" exclaimed the mnn. lifting Ileatrlce from Hie seat. "If thnt Isn't enough to shake a man's nerve and upset all his Ideas, geological and otherwise. I'd Ilka to know what Is!" "doing to try to cross ItT" she nsked anxiously; "that Is. If there Is nny other side? I know, of course, that If thoro Is you'll find out, somn way or other I" "You overestimate me," ho replied, "All I can do, for now, Is to camp down here nnd try to tlgurn tho problem out with your help Whatever this thing Is, It's evident It stands between us nnd our plan. Hither Chicago lies on the other side (pro vided, of course, as ou say, that thero Is ono) or else It'a been swallowed up, ages ego, by whatever catastrophe produced this yawning gulf, "In either event we'e got tn try to dis cover the truth, and act accordingly. Hut for now, there's nothing w can do It's getting late already. We've had enough for ono ilny, llttla girl Come on, let's make tho machine ready for tho night, nnd camp down here and have a bite to eat. Perhaps by tomorrow wo may know just what wo'ro up against 1" The moon had risen, flooding Ihe world with spectral light, before tho two adven turers had finished their menl. All during It they had kept nn unusual silence. The presence of that terrlblo gulf, there not two hundred feet away to westward of them, Imposed Its awe upon their thoughts. And after the meal was done, by tacit understanding they refrained from trying to approach It or to peer over. Too great tho risks by night They spoke but little, and presently exhausted by tha trying .events of the day sought sleep under tho vanes of the Paulllac. Ilut for an hour, tired as ho was, tho engineer lay thinking of the chasm, trying In vain to solvo Ha problem or to under stand how thoy wero to follow nny further the search for the ruins of Chicago, where fuel was to be had, or to carry out the work of trying to find some living members of the human race. Morning found them revived and any 6 10-in. Viclrola W xa KsS 6 10-ln. Total $2 upw.Tow.N JaU-im PUsalsot a- 11)10 ,., strengthened Keen beforo they mads their fire or prenared their breakfast therfcwtr exploring the edge of the gigantic cleft dolnir nrst lo make sure no rock should crumble under the glrl'a tread, nn danger threaten. Stern tested evfry foot of tho way to the very edge of the sheer chaam "Slowly now'" he cautioned, taking her hand "UVvo got to be oaretul her. My God, what a drop!" Awed, despite themselves, they stood Ultra on a flat slab of sehlat that projected boldly over tho void Seen from this point the Immense nothlngneoa opened out belaw them eren mere Mnlule than It had deemed frvm the biplane. The fact Is common knowltdg that a height viewed from a balloon or aeroplane Is always far less dltiylng thsn from a lofty building or a monument, dlddlness vanish when ho olW support lies under the feet This fact Stern nnd the girl ap preciated to tho full as they peered over the edge Ten times mere ominous and fright ful the vast blue mystery beneath them now appeared than It had seemed before. ..,, "'?'." loolt nM,r down," earn tn girl. iy lying Hat and poring over there can't be nny danger " t..r.A,ii W' J om on condition that I keep tight hold of you'" Cautiously yioy lay down and worked their way to tho edge The engineer circled ..2" !',u',, Vr"11 wlt, hl nn e. ''"'ly.now'" he warned "When you Tla." ' ,ft m kno,r nn' we'H go Imck." The effect of the chasm, from the Very edge of the rock, was terrlfjlng. It was like nothing ever seen by human ryes. Peering down into tho Clrnnrt Canon of tho Colorado would have been child's play beside It Fur this was no question of looking down n half-mile, n mile or even five, to some solid bottom. lioltom there was none nothing nave dull purple hase, shifting vapors and an tin. earthly dim light which seemed to radiate upward as though the sun's rays, reflected, wero striving to beat up again. There must bo miles nnd miles of air below us." said Stern, "to account for this curloui iiRht effect. Air, of courso, will eventually cut off the vision. Given n suffl clently thick layer, say rffow hundred miles, It couldn't bo seen through. So If there Is n bottom to this place, be It 100 or even BOO miles down, of course, wo couldn't see It. AU we could sea would bo tho air, which would glvo this sort of blue ffect." "Yes; but In that case how can wo see the sun or tho moon or stnra?" "Mght from abovo only has to plerco forty or fifty miles of really dense air. Above that height It's excessively rarlfled. While down below earth level, of courso, It would got more nnd moro dense all tho time, till nt the bottom ot a (00-mllo drop tho density nnd pressuro would bo tremen dous." Ilcatrlcn madfl no answer. Tho spectnole she wss gazing nt filled her with solemn thoughts Jaggrd, rent nnd riven, tho rock extended downwnrd. Here vast and broken ledges ran along Its flanks red, yellow, black, all seared nnd burned nnd cltrlded as by the fire of hell; thero huge masses, up-piled, seemed about to fall Into the abyss. A qunrter-inlle to southward n rivulet had found Us way over a projecting ledge Spraying nnd silvery It fell, till, dissipated by the tip-draft from tho abyss. It dissolved In mist. Tho ledgo on which they were lying ex tended downward perhaps 300 yards, then sloped backward, leaving sheer empty space beneath them They seemed to b poised In intd-henven. It was totally tinllko the sen sation on n mountnln top, or oven floating among tho clouds; for n moment It seemed to Stern that ha was looking up toward an unfathomable, Infinite domo above him. lie shuddered, desplto his cool nnd scien tific spirit of observation. "Some chemical action going on some where down there," said ho, hnlf to divert his own attention from his thoughts. "Smell that sulphur? If this placo wasn't onco the scene ot volcanic activities, I'm no Judgol" A moderate yet very steady wind blew upward from tho chasm, freighted with a scent of sulphur and somo other substanco new to Stern. Ileatrlcn. all at onco overcome by sudden giddiness, drow back and hid her faca In both hands. "No bottom to It no end 1" sho said In n scared tone, "Hore'a tho end of tho world, right here, and beyond this very rock nothing I" Stern, puxsled, shook his head. , 'That's renlly Impossible, bsurd and ridiculous, of courne." ho answered, 'There must bo something beyond. The way this stone falls proves that" Ho pitched n two pound tump of granlto far out Into tho nlr. It foil vertically, whirl ing, and vanished with the speod of n meteor. 'It a whole side ot the earth had split oft, and what wo reo down below there wero really sky, of courso tho earth's center of gravity would havo shifted." ho explained, "and that rock would have fallen In toward tho cliff below us. not straight down.'.' "How can you bo sunt It doesn't fall that way after tho Imputes you gave It has beon lostr "I shall have to make some close sclentlfla tests here, lasting n day or two, before I'm positive: but my Impression li thnt this, after all, la only a canyon a split In the surface rather than an actual end of the crust." (CONTINUED TOMOnnOW) What's Doing Tonight MMtlns. Dalawara ,Iller Tann Mamorlal nrldse Commute. Itotal Adolphla, H o'clocs. Organisation ef Zionlat Hoclatr, Youns Alan's llebraw Association. 101S Matter slreal, 8 o dork. Halvatlnn Armr rhrlatmis calibration for children Mualral Kund lull , Tha Mualn Club. Atillna Ifotrl. Iienadlcka' lull. Horticultural Kail. & fcrvv Heppe's deliver free to point in the United States Record purchased from Hcppe's will be promptly Iclivercd (all transportation charges prepaid) to any point in the United States.. Every Keconl Jrom Hcppe' is guaranteed to be new and perfect. The Records used in the salesrooms are never sold. Write pr phone us your orders, and if you need a Viclrola, the Ileppe Rental-Payment Plan wllUoffer you any style at the cash price, with no extra charge (or the privilege of partial payments. Heppe Holiday Outfits VICTROLA V. ...51B.O0 VICTROLA VIII.. Records... 4.50 Kecorus, your selec tion 5 00 Total cost .... 910.80 $1 down, $2.50 monthly. VICTROLA V!.... $25.00 Total cost ....$45.00 $4 down, $3.50 monthly. VICTROLA (X... $50,00 Records, your selec tion 10.00 Records... 4.50 cost ,...$20,50 Total cost . . $60.0? $5 down, $4 monthly. down, $3 monthly, WRITE FOR CATALOGS Charge Account .Solicited C. J. Heppe & Son (Founded 1665) Philadelphia tifri&r. e. i Uitat 4 jo i$t p -ii- BmiMERS PROMISE H , . BEST SHOW EVER "Phllly Follies," It Hna BewftiV Dubbed, and It Will Star ,? Thorn AH SPECIAL TRAINS COMING f Phllsdelphla Is now gelling ready for ds own big Jubilation the mummers' pa geant. width will extend the glad hand to mt You nro nsiured In advance that It wlli j be worth going milt tn see. Tha rII 4. roads aro aware ot this fact, and hav ar ranged far ddiena nnd dostns ot special trains from the big cities of the east and. south. Fifteen thousand actors and fffly brai bands In nn act more than five miles long that's It In a nutshell It's no exaggera tion to eay that alt the performer will ba clad mora gorgeously than aver before. Miles of silks, satin and Jewel will gleam, on this palh of prosperity Many of tho kings In the glittering pre cession will havo nearly two hundred page carrying their mammoth capes. Homo of theso aro greater than the width of Brtatd street. Scores of women and girls hava been engaged for weeks adding tho llttla touches essential to tha mammoth designs. In the nrtlstlo section of the parade woman will come In for a targe share of attention. Her fads and follies ot tha last year will bo shown by truthful types. Tho matlneo girl, tha queen of the ball room, tho social leader, the athletto girl, the glrCwho shops, and In fact all the girl In their very glrllest gewgaw will ba on view. A special prlxea havs been offered In this connection, the women types promiaa to be a very conspicuous featuro of th big show. All tho things you have been reading; about will also bo In lino. Thero wilt b more than half a hundred floats depleting- v the political. Industrial and characterlatlo slda of American life. Many of these will bo real object lessons, nnd no doubt you'll get a tin or two ns to how to handle soma of tho most Important problems of tho dsy, Common Councilman John If. XJalxley, chairman of Councils' New Tear Com mittee, expects tho big Jubilation to bo a, record-breaker, nnd 1L Bart Mellugh, organiser of tho whols show, says there' no doubt about It, In view of the big plana for your enjoy ment, you can havo no bolter engagement tho morn of January 1, 1,17, than watching tho Phllly follies. TROUDADOim SINGS AGAIN Philadelphia Opera Compnny Repents Vcrtll Work In Fine, Fashion The Philadelphia C-rsnd Opera Company entered tho second -week of Ita enterprise of furnishing our music-lovers with nn oper atic season marked by performances dra matically, vocally and Instrumentally ndo nuato with a repetition of -the ever favorite Verdlnn melodies of "II Trovatore." Thero wns scheduled a Christmas matlneo per formance of "Lucia." but on account qf tho great competition ot new nttractlona In tho playhouses the Yuletldo celebration ot tha opera organisation was confined to tha in filled love of the Troubadour and hla Leonora, n lovo complicated tiy tho ovll passion nnd malice ot tho Count dl Luna nnd the tragic career of tho gypsy Asucena. It Is not out of place to set on record here tho fact that tha audlenco was not ot tho slsablo nnd financially gratifying pro portions which encourage Impresarios and enable the settlement of bills with real money. The performances given by thla organisation have been exceedingly good and desorve tho recognition of the full-paid houses nsldo from the support due to local pride. The city should rally to tho com pany's support 1 The cast was very capable. Forrest Lnmont 'the young Amorlcan tenor, of opulent nnd golden voice, sang the Im passioned melodies of the Troubadour hfrp with gusto nnd ringing Quality. Tho Latin fervor and convincing hlatrlontsm of Esther I'ormblbl made Leonora seem far from & phonographic puppet The Axucena of Mar garet Jarman wan Intense and tha diabolic Court ot Manrlco Aleto was sinister In action nnd graceful In Vocallxm, Maestro Httoro Martini conducted tho score with full appreciation of Ita marvels ot tuna and sweetness. 105, SHE TIUES NEW DANCES Brooklyn Woman Finds Modern Steps n Pit Dlfllcult NHW YOIIK, Dec. :o. Mrs, Alice Ben nett celebrated her 105th birthday anni versary at her home, 1B3 Webster avenue, Brooklyn, whero she haa lived more than fifty years. Sho wan greeted by a throng of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, who found her busily mak ing plans for trimming the Christmas tret and cooking Christmas dinner. In tho ove nlnc thero was n dance at the house, and Mrs. Bennett tried out a few steps. Bho found tha modern dances a bit dimcult to master nt her ago. however, Mrs, Bennett Is tn excellent health. Bhe was bom In Dublin and came to this coun try elghly-flve years ago. She Is ths widow of Thomas Bennett, a Flatbush farmer. She has a daughter, Mrs, Nell C. ICerswell, In Philadelphia. $40.00 Viclrola IX, 3 s ''"t ' 4 Ctok Mrs. ry BtMm Cw, Mr fetthJWJ
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers