A Bluff In
The Aegean Sea
By F. A. MITCHEL
; „■ ■*,
* *
During the second year of the pan-
European war I commanded a 2,000
ton tramp steamer called the Ajax.
I left Smyrna in August, 1915, with
a cargo of rugs and other Asiatic
goods for the port of New York. I
was obliged to steam through the
Greek archipelago, which I knew af
forded fine nesting for corsairs. I did
not fear Greeks, but I dreaded Asiatics
from the opposite eastern coast. If I
could get through to the open Mediter
ranean sea I would feel a reasonable
expectation of getting my cargo te
America and a large profit.
One day while passing between two
Greek islands I was called from the
Boon meal by the lookout, who report
ed a small craft resembling a tug pot
ting out from a cove and steering a
course with the evident intention ta
head us off. Through my glass I saw
that she carried the German flag.
Now, I did not believe that any Ger
man craft would be sailing in those
waters, which were occupied by the
allied fleets, especially the British. It
tills one were really German I was of
the opinion that she was a tender for
a submarine. However, I could only
wait and learn. I kept on my course,
watching in every direction for a peri
scope, till the tug—for such she proved
to be—was close on to my bows.
Through my glass I could see on her
feck a number of men in sailor cos
tume who might be in the German
service; but, Judging from their
swarthy complexions, they were Asi
atics.
One man who appeared to be com
mander wore the uniform of a Ger
man naval officer, but I believed he
had obtained it without having a com
mission. He was whiter than his men
and might have been a European. One
thing I noticed particularly—there was
BO appearance of cannon. Whatever
armament there was doubtless consist
ed of such weapons as could be wield
ed by individuals. However, while I
looked a port was opened and the nose
of a little barker appeared. It was as
terrifying as a bull pup. I did not be
lieve it could sink us, though it might
put our machinery out of commission.
With its appearance the commander
of the tug called through a megaphone
something in German which one of my
men who understood the language
thought to be a demand for surren
der. A submarine was ready to blow
us out of water. We were given ten
minutes to take to the boats.
Never was there a more palpable
case of bluff. There was no subma
rine, nothing which could be relied on
to sink us. We were in danger of be
ing boarded and overpowered by Asiat
ic pirates playing the submarine act.
Though I was not deceived, I confess
. It looked to me that the only chance
for our lives was to take to the boats
and leave our cargo to the pirates.
There were a few small arms aboard,
but not enough of them or men to use
them to put up an adequate defense.
But we had a means of defense that
I had often thought of using in case
of being attacked by the small enemies
that infest certain Asiatic coasts. I
determined to try it now. I had plen
ty of hose, and I ordered it attached
to the steam cocks of the boiler. There
were two hose which could be used
separately. I asked for more time
from the pirate and was told that not
a minute would be granted. So I or.
dered the men to pretend to begin
the work of lowering the boats, and
they made a great ado with the ropes,
but accomplished nothing. During the
few minutes they were thus engaged
we were attaching the hose to the
boiler and running the nozzles on deck,
where they were hidden under the
gunwale. When all was ready I or
dered the men away from the boats,
and word was shouted to the pirate
that if he wanted our ship to come
and take it or if he intended to blow
us up to do so.
This was evidently not in his calcu
lations. There was a conference among
them; then we could see arms brought
on deck. It was evident that they in
tended to board us. Meanwhile they
ran up against us and were about to
lash to us when I took a hose and,
pointing it down at them, sent a
stream of scalding water among them,
which caused them to desist and get
out of range as soon as possible.
A number of them had been scalded
just enough to make them furious
with pain, and, after taking time t«
consider, they launched a rowboat car
ried on their deck and manned it, and
while the tug came under our bows
the rowboat approached our stern.
There was some protection for them
both fore and aft, but as soon as a
man appeared at either point he re
ceived a dose of steam that sent him
howling back, and some of them were
knocked into the brine.
This plan having failed, both board
ing parties retreated and, joining forces
on the tug, began to pepper us with
their little barker. I sent men l>elow
to plug holes that might be made un
der water: but, fearing damage to our
boilei which would put us at their
mercy, I determined to assume the of
fensive Pointing the vessel straight
at the tug before she could get out of
the way, I ran alongside of her and
drove every man below with s-alding
water.
It was now evident that I bad mas-,
tered tbem. and, putting on all steam.
I showed them a clean pair of heels,
in a few hours I was clear of the
archipelago and in due time reached
New York, where I sold my cargo at
a splendid profit
■ ' == n
| A Woman's j
' | Rights |j
| By ETHEL HOLMES j|
a -
Miss Elinor Bates was preparing In"
trousseau for her marriage with .. ,vr;
Weatherby when she received a noie
from him calling the affair off. He gave
no excuse, but Elinor knew that he had
never been known to stick to one giri
for any length of time and felt sure
chat she had been replaced.
Miss Bates was a native of South
Carolina, but had spent ten of her
twenty years in the north, where she
had imbibed the ideas of the new worn
an. Her grandfather had fought a
duel, and in her family the code was
considered the only way of settling un
pleasant affairs. These two conditions,
a belief in the right of an injured per
son to demand satisfaction from the
tnjurer and the elevation of women to
the privileges of men, decided her to
I send a challenge to Mr. Weatherby.
Jack was dressing for dinner when
he received Elinor's note, for she had
not gone so far as to send a second,
and, laying it open on the dresser, read
It, finishing making a bow of his neck
tie at the same time. When he bad
finished both he lighted a cigarette
and, throwing himself into an easy
chair, gave himself up to thought
Now, the reason for his breaking
with Elinor was that the income to
support her was to come from his fa
ther, who had agreed to give him $5,-
000 a year, and he had at the last mo
ment changed his mind. Jack, think
ing that an explanation of this would
only serve to irritate Elinor against his
father, chose another course.
Jack, who did not consider that truth
had any more place in love affairs than
In a statement of a woman's age, re
plied to the challenge by saying that
he had promised his mother that he
would never fight a duel. On this ac
count he must decline to render Miss
Bates what he must confess was her
right to demand and to receive.
When Elinor received this letter she
! saw at once that her effort to punish
her recreant lover had failed. Had she
been a man she might have published
him as a poltroon and a coward with
effect, but should she do so as a wo
man she would only make herself ridic
ulous. Nobody would blame him fo:
refusing to fight a woman.
Women had horsewhipped men who
had Jilted them, and it seemed to Eli
nor that this would be the natural
consequence in her case. It would be
following in the course of men too.
Men who had refused to tight men h.;d
I been horsewhipped by the challenger.
But Elinor hoped by a threat to pro
duce results without taking such dras
tic measures. She wrote Jack another
note stating that she proposed to horse
whip him the next time she met him.
This, she thought, would bring him to
terms. There could be no greater
dread for a man than to stand in the
face of a gathering crowd and receive
a dressing from a woman. Miss Bates
was forced to admit that this was not
the same relative position as bet wee.;
two men, for Jack would not be priv
ileged to strike back.
Jack thought over this uew phase of
the case and made up his mind to
make no reply. He dearly loved the
girl who was trying to punish him for
a crime he had not committed and
which pained him as much as it pain
ed her.
Elinor provided herself with a whip
She endeavored to secure the tradi
tional "cowhide" that had been used
by her ancestors on those who refused
to fight, but she failed to do so. How T
ever, she procured a good, stout whip
and slung it about her waist under her
coat. She selected it on account of the
color of its handle, which harmonized
with that of the costume she intended
to wear when she did the whipping.
To be candid. Miss Bates shrank
from publicity as much as she pre
sumed her recreant lover would shrink
from it In this she weakened. In
stead of waiting till she met him in a
crowd she went one morning to the
Weatherby residence, which stood
back from the street and was partly
hidden by shrubbery. Entering the
1 grounds, she concealed herself behind
foliage and waited for Jack to appear.
Presently he emerged from a side door
and was making his way to the garage
when Elinor pounced upon him.
Elinor had made a mistake in notify-
I lng him of her Intention to horsewhip
him. It enabled him to prepare him
self for the encounter. As soon as she
began to rain blows upon'him he drew
from his pocket a yard of satin ribbon
I and returned blow for blow with it.
Mr. Weatherby senior was in his ac
customed seat in the libfary reading
the morning paper when, hearing the
sound of Elinor's whip on Jack's coat
and trousers, he looked out through
the window.
Raising the sash, he watched the
fight for a few moments, then cried
out to be informed what It meant.
Elinor ceased her blows and said:
"Your son has treated me abo in
Inably, and I am punishing him as he
deserves."
"Jack, you young rascal, what does
this mean?"
"It means, father, that I couldn't
marry without the income you prom
ised me. and really it was you ami not
1 who is biamable if any one is.''
"H"m:" said'the old man thoughtful
ly. "How much was I to give you?"
"Five thousand a year."
"Well. sir. do your duty, and I'll do
mine."
It was all made up then and there,
and the settlement was made five min
utes before the weddinjr.
MOVIE DOINGS
MISS ELLA HALL A
SYMPHONY IN PINK
Ella Hall grows prettier every day,
but she never seems to grow any older.
The little Bluebird star is like Peter
Pan—she refuses to grow up. Her lat
est photoplay shows her rn the engaging
character of a twelve-year-old house
keeper to two lawyers, living in bache
lor apartments in dear old London.
She also plays the part of an earl's
daughter, whom the little housekeeper
60 closely resembles that she Is per
suaded to substitute for her for a few
Ella Hall, Bluebird Star.
clays, so that the countess her mother,
separated from the earl, can smuggle
the little Lady Marion out of the
country. The picture was booked for
a week's run at the Rialto theatre, on
Broadway, New York, one of the larg
est picture theatres in the world, and
had a great success. Miss Hall has to
wear childish clothes in it, and that Is
one reason why she has just indulged
in some very smart new "grown-up"
garments. Everybody loves a change.
The picture shows her brand new
evening wrap, which is built of pink
pussy willow taffeta, and has a huge
iflar.on-like collar, edged with cording
NEW DETECTIVE STAR
A series of photoplays, with the in
spiring general title, "The Perils of the
-} Secret Service,"
have been writ
ten and directed
at Universal City
sonage than
George Branson
each complete in
MRjjflr; < / itself, with a lead
-7 ing character
gfvj'v tywfci whose adven
■r f I tures in the em "
ploy of our gov-
MUfe: lb. —ernment as a spe
j. * cial sort of detec-
Kingsley Benedict. t)ve _ dlplomat>
form the series. The were
published oHginally under the title
'Yorke Norroy, Diplomatic Agent," and
had a great success.
There are only two characters run
ning throughout the series of eight epl
jodes. or adventures. The more Impor
tant of these is Yorke Norroy, played
by Kingsley Benedict, and he will be
found to be a creation as distinct and
individual as that of Sherlock Holmes
aimself. Benedict will be remembered
for many w r ell-studied performances on
the screen.
He had seen no less than seventeen
pears of stage experience before his
srst picture engagement. He has trav
eled extensively, making himself at
home in all countries. His stage work
was accomplished under the banner of
some of the most famous managers of
our stage, Charles Frohman, and Klaw
and Erlanger, for example.
An interesting phase of the charac
ter of Yorke Norroy, as Mr. Howard
has conceived it, is the author's insist
ence that his hero kas the appearance
of being merely a man of fashion, a
social favorite, with no ambition above
the desire to be the best-dressed man
in his set and a delightful entertainer
of pretty women. This exterior con
ceals the real man, the keen intelli
gence and wonderful resourcefulness,
the knowledge of men and women and
the proven courage, which make Nor
roy the trusted agent of his govern
ment. This portrait might almost be
that of Kingsley Benedict himself. Of
about medium height, with gray eyes
and light-brown hair, rather slightly
built, always beautifully dressed and
wearing his clothes with an air of
great distinction, Benedict gives no in
dication in his appearance of being an
expert horseman, a wonderful swords
man and an all-around athlete. He is
fully competent to depict the traveled
adventurer, at home in all the Euro
pean capitals, for he knows them all
by personal experience.
of the silk. There Is a big ruche around
the hem, which also recalls the operat
ic heroine. Unfortunately we cannot
see the lining, which is of flowered
chiffon, in a pale yellow shade, with
bunches of posies, in Dresden color
ings. all over it. Miss Hall says that
it is prettier than the outside.
She is all ready to go to dinner in
a restaurant, so she is wearing a hat
of pink silk crepe, with the new cloak,
and her frock is of pink taffeta and
silver lace. There are silver slippers,
with tremendous heels to go with the
pretty costume.
STUDIO NOTES
Dorothy Davenport of Universal has
a hard time making her dogs and her
garden get along together.
Lynn Reynolds, the Bluebird direc
tor, has completed a picture staged in
Alaska.
The Universal Screen Magazine has
been such a huge success that It will
be released every week.
Henry de Vries, famous Protean
actor, supported Ruth Stonehouse in
its Bluebird, "The Saintly Sinner."
Ben Wilson and Neva Gerber have
the leads in the new Universal serial,
"The Voice on the Wire."
Director General Blystone of the
L-KO Komedies has been forced, by
bad weather, to put aside his circus
picture for the present.
Eddie Lyons and Lee Moran, the
Universal Nestor comedians, are im
mensely popular in Scotland's picture
theatres.
The nickname of Agnes Vernon, the
little Bluebird star, playing in 'The
Man Who Took a Chance," is
"Brownie."
Jack Mulhall, who kills four men
in the first reel of the Red Feather,
"The Terror," says really he wouldn't
hurt a fly.
Joe Moore, the youngest of the fa
mous picture family, is cast In a
forthcoming L-KO Komedy with Alice
Howell.
The scene of Mary MacLaren's next
Bluebird will be laid during the In
dian wars, and the play is called "The
Plow Woman."
Stuart Paton, the director of the
next Universal serial, "The Voice on
the Wire," is a Scotchman by birth,
and has offered his services to his
country.
Dan Russell is starred in a picture
built around a six-day bicycle race.
The plans which were used for the
track at Madison Square Garden in
New York were borrowed for the con
struction of the set.
MISS NEVA GERBER'S HOBBY
Neva Gerber, the pretty leading lady
of the new serial, "The Voice on the
Wire," is said to
S possess the most
attractive dress
ing room at Uni
versal City. The
walls and ceiling
are tinted pale
blue, and the win
dows are hung
with blue and
white Japanese
chintz. There are
j wicker chairs with
chintz curtains,
and handsome
rugs on the floor.
| The room con
tains many sou-
venirs from her
Neva Gerber. admirers. On the
walls hang some
original paintings and sketches, the
work of the donors, while her dresser
is adorned by two statuettes in bronze.
There is a Japanese table of black
lacquer, which was presented to her
by a naval officer, and on it is a dainty
tea service in blue of white china. On
chilly afternoons the little actress often
invites her fellow workers to an Infor
mal tea party.
W hat distinguishes the room even
more than its pretty arrangement, is
the fact that no matter how busy or
how hurried Miss Gerber may be, she
never allows it to be out of order.
Everything is always daintily dusted,
and all the various articles are in their
places. For, of course she nevef for
gets that the room is primarily for use
and not for beauty, and she knows that
a good workman always keeps his tools
in the pink of perfection.
IBSEN'S "DOLL'S HOUSE" ON THE
SCREEN.
Bluebird Photoplay Inc. is producing
Henrik Ibsen's famous drama, "The
Doll's House." as a five-reel feature,
under the direction of Joseph De
Grasse. This most celebrated of all
the plays of the great Norwegian
dramatist has been an immense suc
cess on the speaking stage, and has
been played in almost every country
in the world where the theatre is an
institution. It has been translated into
all languages.
In the film version the principal
roles will be taken by Dorothy Phil
lips. who will eaact Nora, and Lon
Chaney, who will play her husband,
with William H. Stowell in support.
The play is receiving the most careful
adaptation, and the settings and ac
cessories will all be as painstakingly
worked out as if the production were
for a great Broadway theatre. The
play is expected to duplicate the suc
cess as a motion picture which it hat
%& ** firiii.'" w; PJI drama.
FOOD AND WAR
Shortage in Raw Materials Gives Rise
to Alarm Among Manufacturing In
terests—America Must Apply Every
Resource to Meet World's Demand
for Food—Labor Saving Machines
and Man Power on the Farms Vital
Factors in Economic Crisis—Appeal
for Government Action.
Government action ensuring the
farmers of America ample supplies of
farm implements and competent farm
: labor is virtually necessary to this
country's future participation in the
war, declare the manufacturers of
farming tools and machinery in the
United States. This action must be im
mediate and radical, they say, or In
1918 the United States will fail to pro
duce foodstuffs necessary to feed the
civil population of our allies and to
keep the allied armies in fighting trim.
This declaration is made in a public
statement by the National Implement
and Vehicle Association, whose mem
, bers manufacture most of the farming
Implements used In and exported from
the United States. It is the Associa
tion's answer to an anxious Inquiry
j about reports of a prospective Imple
ment shortage addressed to it In behalf
of the country's farming interests by
ex-Governor W. D. Hoard of Wiscon
sin, one of the leaders of American ag
riculture and publisher of Hoard's
Dairyman. The statement, which la
signed by Charles S. Brantlngham,
Chairman of the Association's Execu
tive Committee, says:
Unless prompt action is taken by
the Government, our country will make
the same mistakes that have result
ed In compelling our allies to ap
peal to us to save them from famine.
Unless we protect the production of
labor-saving farm machinery and the
supply of skilled farm labor we, too,
must soon face a shrinkage of food
supplies.
Without such action as is here sug
gested and urged, the farmers of
the United States will not have enough
machines or men in 1918 to meet the
demands upon them.
"We are now confronted by shortages
of raw material and factory labor that
will begin to be manifest in shortages
of certain lines of farm machinery this
fall and will result In serious shortages
In many vital lines next year. Stocks
j on hand in important kinds of tools
I and machines are smaller than in nor-
I mal years, because of earlier scarcity
' of factory labor and a rapidly tighten
ing scarcity of all raw materials.
"Farmers have deferred during the
| last three years the replacing of old
and badly worn tools and machines.
Now, confronted by the practical cer
j tainty that the war is to continue in
, definitely, with attendant assurance of
a heavy demand and high prices for all
| their products, and by an inevitable
shortage of farm laboi; they cannot put
j off longer replacements of worn out
machines and the additions to equlp
: ment necessary to increase acreage
and production.
"It is also essential in meeting the
demand of the farmers for implements
that there shall be preference in trans
portation for raw materials to the fac
tories and for finished goods from the
factories to the farms.
"For the last ten years farm labor
! has been more and more difficult to
I secure, and now with fen enormous in
crease in the demand for labor In mu
nitions factories, and the withdrawal
of many young men from productive'
occupations, there is bound to be a
shortage of farm labor such as this
( country has never known. In Kansas
alone a vast number of fertile acres on
which the wheat crop failed will lie
idle this summer, chiefly for lack of
i labor and partly through lack of ma
j chines .to replant to corn.
"We regara it as vital to keep on the
farms the «uen now there who know
the business, especially the men
trained in the use of labor-saving ma
chinery. It would be wasteful and
foolish to let them go and afterward
try to replace them with unskilled men.
"We seek no advantage for our In
dustry over any other, but we realize
and we want the public to realize that
without this product and without suf
i ficient labor the farmers of the United
< States cannot increase or even main
tain their production of foodstuffs next
year. To avert the calamity that such
a condition will surely produce, our in
dustry and the farming industry which
it chiefly supports must be put upon
the same preferred basis as the making
of war munitions, even if other less
vital industries suffer thereby for ma
terials and men.
"These are the measures that we de
clare to be vital to the feeding
nation and its allies next year:
"1. That the manufacture of farm
; materials be given equal preference
with the manufacture of war muni
tions as regards supplies of necessary
raw materials.
"2. That service to the country in
farm machinery factories be consid
ered of equal importance with service
in munition making plants, Govern
i ment or private.
"3. That labor on the farms be con
sidered as of equal importance with
the production of war munitions.
"4. That the raw materials for farm
ing machinery and th<* finished goods
l>e given equal prefer' nee by the trans
portation agencies of the eourrry with
munitions of war.
"These measur. ~ n.ust >i»- taken im-
I mediateiy to be elective, because the
use and demand for farming machinery
are seasonal. We must hav» right now
j materials and the uieu to make the
farm machinery that the farmer at
home and abroad must use this Fall
and next Spring. Delay in action will
be as disastrous as failure to act at
all."
SUBMARINES IN WARFARE.
Only Men of Iron Norvoa and Quick
Decision Can Work Them.
"It calls for men of iron nerves and
quick decision to man our submarines
either in peace or war," writes Frank
E. Evans in St. Nicholas. "Subma
rine experts look ui>on the factor of
nerves as the most important of all,
and they have given to it the title of
calculation.
"Within the cramped walls that art
the home of the crew are housed the
most intricate mechanisms that man
has invented for warfare. Outside its
steel walls are mines, great nets of
wire, explosives, shells and seaplanes,
all devised for its destruction, and the
sharp keels of ships that slice through
them as a knife cuts cheese. Th*
smallest shell can penetrate them, and
nets ran hold the submarine as help
less as a child in the grasp of a giant.
"Danger lies everywhere for the ti
ger of the sef»s. The ocean In which
i it lives is a i>owder tank that waits
I but for a spurt. Only nerves of Iron
can cope against such an array of ene
mies. The sb'ghtest hesitation of Its
captain in the face of any of them
means the end of his ship and his
crew.
"As one exjiert has put it the whole
A B C of submarine warfare Is to act
at an Instant's warning with nerves of
' steel."
MAKING GASES LIQUID.
Knowledge of the "Critical Tempera
ture" Solved the Problem.
In regard to the boiling jiolnta of
llqnld, there is an upper limit to the
point at which a thing bolls — that Is,
changes to the state of vapor. It is
called the critical temperature. No
matter how great a pressure exists on
a substance, if it is at a temperature
greater than its critical it will change
to vapor anyhow.
The Ignorance of this point held
back the making of liquefied gases—
such as air, carbon dioxide, etc. —for
many years. The exiierimenters tried
to liquefy gases at ordinary temj»era
tures by enormous pressures, whereas
if they had just cooled the gases be
low their critical temperatures before
applyiug the pressure liquefaction
would have ensued immediately.
This is the method employed today
in making liquid air. The air is com
pressed at first and then allowed to
issue from a small orifice, thus ex
panding and cooling; is then pumped
back and compressed 6y the pump, al
lowed to go through the orifice again,
thus cooling still more, until at last It
is below the critical temperature, when
the compression caused by the pump
liquefies it.
Nature of 8le«p.
Investigation by scientists of the na
ture of the sleep of persons In normal
health shows that It varies according
to the daily diet and the different hours
at which sleep is begun. Altogether
the ideal hour for retiring is 10 o'clock.
The sleep of a person going to bed
regularly at approximately this time
gradually augments in intensity for the
space of an hour. It then suddenly be
comes very profound, reaching its max
imum intensity at about 11:30 o'clock.
Within five or six minutes from this
time it has been found that the sleep
begins to be less deep. In an hour the
sleeper is again In the same condition
of slumber as at alxrnt 11:15. From
this time until after 2 o'clock the rest
is steady and light. From 2 until 4
it augments, and th<>n it consistently
diminishes until it ceases at the cus
toinary time of rising.
—'
Stevenson at Noyon.
The Cathedral of Xoyon, hi France,
exercised a great fascination over Rob
ert Louis Stevenson. "I have seldom
looked on the east end of a church
with more complete sympathy," he
i wrote. "As it fianges out in three
wide terraces and settles down broad
ly on the earth it looks like the poop
of some great old battleship. There is
a roll in the ground, and the towers
just appear above the pitch of the roof,
as though the good ship were bowing
lazily over an Atlantic swell. At any
moment it might be a hundred feet
away from you, mounting the next bil
! low. At any moment a window might
open and some old admiral thrust forth
a cocked hat and make an observa
tion."—Loudon Chronicle.
To Keep From Losing Breath.
Where respiration is rhythmical there
ts no loss of breath in walking fast,
running uphill or going upstairs. The
method of preventing breathlessneas
j consists in maintaining the rhythm and
the K{>eed of respiration. When the
breathing is rhythmic the breathing
keeps pace with the step. The out
breaking must be twice the length
of the inbreathing, and not more than
eighteen or twenty complete breath cir
cuits must be made j»er minute.
Bluebirds.
During the nesting season the
bird may be found in the United
States (west to Arizona. Colorado,
Wyoming and Montana), southern
Canada. Mexico and Guatemala. In
the winter it is found in the southern
half of the eastern United States and
south to Guatemala.
Domestic Economy.
"Does your wife economize?"
"Ye- ** replied Mr. Meekton. "8b».
has figured to a nicety how many new
gowns the money I spend for cijrfcrs
would buy."—Washington Star
Queil of the Bible.
The quail mentioned in the Bible ir»
Exodus xvi, Numbers xl and in Psalm
cr, 40, is a bird of passage about the
size of a turtledove afti resembling tbe
I American partridge