m WMMMMIUMIMIH** 881 1 THE 1 1 AUGUST! I MOON § Sp By Harrison Clark iP" Copyright, 1908, by Benj. B. Hamplon Wlllllllllll "Ah!" cried Wilberton, sitting up straight in his chair on the year round resort hotel veranda. "Here is where Dull Monotony packs his things and hikes from the seaside." "I should like to know why," com mented Mrs. Wilberton skeptically. "I am sure nothing has occurred " "Well, something will occur very shortly," her husband assured her. "Why," he exclaimed, "things simply cannot be quiescent with a woman as pretty as that in their midst." He nodded. Mrs. Wilberton, letting her gaze follow the direction of the nod, saw a young \ oinan following the valise-encumbered porter toward the hotel entrance. She was a tall young woman, and slender, and her tan trav eling gown was unquestionably in the latest style. By the hand she held a very small boy who was having great trouble with a very large straw hat. "Your taste in women is constantly changing," Mrs. Wilberton averred in a tone which plainly conveyed her contempt for such inconsistency. Mrs. Wilberton was fat and she was not tall, and her eyes were not gray. "Since when " "Oh, I always liked them tall and slender!" "This one is positively thin!" "And with dark hair and big gray eyes!" "One can never be sure about hair." "And clear, clean complexion, free of drug store blush " "It is certainly absurd to regard that complexion as real, or pretty, or even artistically done. And anyhow it will not last two I'ays in this sun and sea breeze." "She walks well, a sort of queenly gait " "Very carefully studied from some second-rate actress, I dare say— not at all natural, and decidedly—er-inio lent." "She doesn't seem to be very en thusiastic," agreed Wilberton. "I'robably some stenographer or dressmaker taking a vacation on her year's savings," commented Mrs. Wil berton, with an air of dismissing the subject. "No one seems to recognize her, and there are nice people here from everywhere. She ij registering. It would seem, as you are so greatly interested in her, you would see who she is, or at least the name she regis ters, and where she is from," she add ed reprovingly. "Oh, so 1 might! Hadn't occurred to me." Wilberton arose deliberately and sauntered into the office. The new arrival was just leaving for her room, still under the porter's guidance and still holding by the hand the little boy with the big hat. "Who is she, Julius?" he asked of the hotel clerk. "The laty who just registered? The one wi' the little poy? Just went out? In the cottage No. 43? The tall one wit' the black 1 air—yes?" Wilberton took possession of the register and read the name, Helen Ilvyne Brown, St. Louis. "Is she 'Miss' or 'Mrs.' wondered Wilberton. "W'y she's got a little poy!" de clared Julius.. Without enthusiasm he returned to his wife. "Men do find out so little," complain ed that lady when he had reported. "Why on earth respectable people can not goto a hotel without being brought into contact with such per sons " Wilberton, recognizing this as the beginning of a sermonlstlc disquisi tion which might lead into unpleasant paths, applied his usual preventive. "Oh, I was about to forget my ap pointment to meet Stacy at the club house for a game of billiards before luncheon. If you will b3 very care ful," he called as he was leaving, "the new arrival may not contaminate you before I return." Twenty-four hours later the Wilber tons were again in their chairs on the hotel veranda, watching the morning train arrivals. "Oh, isn't that the handsomest man!" exclaimed Mrs. Wilberton, as a six-footer built like a lumber cutter and carrying himself with the swing of a college athlete and the air of a colonel on campaign, crunched his way behind the porter over the crushed-shell walk. "I don't think he is Adonis come to the seaside, so far as face is con cerned," commented Wilberton. "His features are rather heavy and that Jaw belongs to a prize tighter. Rut Lord, I should like to own those shoul ders! I'd have something decent to eat, or I'd do things to that cook. He is certainly—a—dandy!" Mrs. Wilberton gave a little snifT of annoyance. "I sometimes believe you would not care if I eloped——' "Why—is Ajax Hercules an old flame?" asked Wilberton. "Certainly not!" was the positive reply, Accompanied by the flirt t>f ■ fan. "And at any rate I am sure that is not his name. I wish you would be more careful about holding your shoulders up! If you had taken my advice you would be as fine-looking na that man." "Why I do believe that man has already registered!" said Mrs. Wilber ton. Men do things so precipitately. I am willing to wager that he did not ask a word about the rates or the hours for meals, or whether his room had hot and cold water " "Or whether the chambermaid had a family, or whether tight sleeves would be worn in 1999," Wilberton in terrupted. "I shouldn't be surprised if he had his trunk checks in his hand and didn't have to block the line while he searched for them at the bottom of an alligator-skin suit case." "Men have pockets," Mrs. Wilber ton began with dignity. "Women are the architects of their own dresses," retorted Wilberton. And he rose and went to the reg ister. "It's Brown!" he announced upon his return. "William J. Brown. How fortunate it is not Jones or Smith!" "The husband of Mrs. Brown! Per haps he is Mr. Brown!" "No, 1 think he is 'Colonel' Brown, lie registers from St. Louis, and that is in the colonel belt." "Why that's where she's from." "I wonder how they left the seven thousand other Browns of St. Louis!" "I was sure there was a mystery about that woman as soon as I laid eyes on her." "It is a mystery where she keeps herself. She hasn't been seen out of her room. She hasn't been in the water, and she wasn't in the parlor or on the veranda last night, and Miflin says she wasn't at breakfast " "Jeremiah Wilberton, 1 should ihink a man of your age and responsibili ties " "Oh. that's all right. Charley ller pel was giving me the details, and he hasn't either age or responsibilities." "Well, you seem to have remember ed " "Just that instant! —remembered that Stacy was waiting for me to play billiards " And he sauntered away. "No, he isn't her husband," said Wilberton confided as they entered the dining room for dinner. "1 know he isn't, for lie has a room in the annex, while she is in the cottage. She turned to he soup silefitly. Wilberton dallied with a slice of to mato. Suddenly a shriek rang out. "Goodness me!" cried Mrs. Wilber ton, starting nervously. "Those chil dren!" as the shriek was repeated. "Why on earth they are permitted in the dining room, and why on earth mothers haven't any more sense and consideration " "She didn't bring her boy," said Wil berton, pleased. "I daresay," Mrs. Wilberton began coldly, after a pause, "she is one of those intellectual persons who regard children as incumbrances and has the poor little thing locked in a room this very minute simply starving—Why, isn't that Mr. Brown?" she interrupt ed herself excited as the arrival of the morning walked thoughtfuly down the dining room. "It is! And —look! —he is going straight toward her ta ble! 1 knew they must be acquaint ed !" "I'll bei his chest measurement is one hundred," declared Wilberton un der his breath, as Brown sat down. "I shall certainly incite him against the cook." "See!" whispered his wife. "She has turned pale. And he doesn't look in her direction! I wonuer what on earth!" "His appetite's all right," declared Wilberton. "1 hope he'll get indiges tion so that he will be in proper mood for the cook." "Oh!" gasped Mrs. Wilberton on the veranda some two hours after dinner. There was a chorus of similar gasps from thi other women. Helen Alvyne Brown was entering the parlor. She was dazzlingly beau tiful, her dark hair piled high, rose in it, a cloud-gray princess gown perfect ly fitting her long, exquisitely rounded body, and not a jewel save the iiercy opal blazing in one ring on her right hand. There was a slight flush in her cheek and she was smiling and talk ing vivaciously with the enchanted Herpel who was leading her to the piano. There was a complete cessation for a moment of feminine chatter and a positive wave of masculine "whews" as she touched the keys. She smiled up at Herpel and laughed: "What shall it be?" And without waiting for his stammering reply began the Jewel Song. Her voice rippled gloriously through the parlor and the hotel cor ridors, and along the veranda out into the sweet moonlight. "Lord!" said Wilberton as the last note died softly away. His wife was resuming the comment which he had silenced four times' in the course of the song. He arose abruptly. "I want a cigar,' he said. "All about him the hum of enthusi astic praise of the singer and the song, praise tainted here and there with en vy and rendered offensive in many places by the absurdities of ignorance. He made his way to the hotel desk, which was also the cigar stand. Juli us was in a state of fearsome per turbation. and queer foreign excla mations were exploding from his lips. "I shall invite him to a challenge," he detonated as Wilberton came up. "Let me have a cigar," begged Wil beiton. "He called me a chackass iu my face," protested Julius. "A cigar, please," Wilberton repeafr ed. "Who is this zoological expert?" "Who? W'y, that Frown —that pig proat—" and he sputtered a volley of presumptively adequate expletives. "Brown? What was the occasion for his succinct diagnosis?" "W'y ho come up to the desk, ant ask for a cigar—yes? Ant the lady is singink, ant while I reach for the cigar I say, 'The lady sing nice yes?' Ant he —vot you say—groont! —oonli! —so! 'She haf a goot colve — better as many vot 1 iiear in Berlin,' I say. Ant still more he groont— oouh! 'You know t'e laty?' I say. 'I see you start to sit by t'e same taplo wit' her—Ant right in my face lie say, 'You Chackass!' and go stomp! stomp! out from the oillce!" "And so he called you a damned Jackass!" mused Wilberton. "No," Julius corrected him hastily —"not t'e turn —he dit not say tam!" Mrs. Wilberton was absorbed in talk about the cloud-gray princess with two other women when Wilberton returned to the veranda; and as the Mystery was singing again— a present-day bal lad—he strolled away, listening and smoking. Presently he came to a seat under the salt cedars, and drop ped into it, unconsciously listening to the voice. It was several minutes bo fore he knew that a man was in the next seat, likewise smoking. The dis covery did not interest him; for the Mystery had burst into a rippling, rol licking thing, which he recognized as belonging to the "Chimes of Norman dy," or "Bohemian Girl," or the "Sul tan of Zulu," or something its origin being of infinitesimal importance, aud the thing worth while being the delici ous sweetness of its present rendering. And he listened, and smoked, and looked out over the moonlit bay. "Something like a sigh came from the next seat as the song ended, and the glowing cigar was lowered and its ash flipped away. Wilberton left moved by compassion. "That's a beautiful voice," he said; and he was surprised at the softness of his words as though the song were not ended and he did not wish to in terrupt it. "The most beautiful I have heard since ever," said the Next Seat. "A Miss Brown of St. —" began Wil berton. "Yes, 1 know," interrupted the Next Seat. "Mrs. Brown." "Oh! Mrs.," agreed Wilberton. "She's bcautiul, Widow?" "Widow Yes," he answered. And then: "I knew her husband name the same —related, you know. Knew them both before they were married. She was a bcautiul girl—and lias grown more beautiful every year. Used to like me pretty well; and I— well, you can guess about me. But — her husband was a high-kicking, hard mouthed, mean-uatured brute, and she blamed me for it. So, of course — When a woman holds a man responsi ble for her husband's meannesses, he might as well plead guilty and ac cept banishment. There was a boy "Some day, Jeremiah Wilberton, you will be sensible enough to pay atten tion to my intuitions," Mrs. Wilberton was declaring with much satisfaction. They were on the veranda and Wilber ton had just been giving her an ac count of his conversation with Brown. Consideration for his own seliish de sire togo to sleep had caused him to withhold the account the night before. "1 knew the minute I saw her," Mrs. Wilberton continued, "that there was something mysterious about that wo man. How on earth men can be so completely deluded by such scheming creatures " "Why, what's she been scheming?" asked Wilberton. "I am sure she simply drove poor Mr. Brown—her husband, i mean to his grave," Mrs. Wilberton continued complacently. "And Mr. Brown —this Mr. Brown —has such a sad look in his eyes that I am sure he is suffering constantly—though why he hasn't found her out before now I certainly can't understand. But that is the way with men. They are perfectly devoted to women who are heartless, and make martyrs of women who are constant. For she is heartless, Jeremiah Wilber ton. You saw how secluded she kept herself before he came, as though she were entirely too good for the rest of us—some princess of the blood " "She certainly can give most prin cesses forty pounds and romp under the wire an easy winner in the Good Looks stake " Mrs. Wilberton interrupted him with a sniff of impatience and contin ued: "But as soon as he came and after her disgraceful rudeness to hiiu in the dining room " "I didn't see any rudeness —unless it has become rude to blush when a man turns away from a table!" "Say—come—l've got to see Stacy and settled with htm for that beating he gave me yesterday," said Wilber ton, beginning a retreat. "That woman spends a fortune on clothes," declared Mrs. Wilberton. She and Wilberton were at the table and Mrs. Brown followed by three-score of feminine eyes and four men, was sweeping into the dining room. "That gown is imported beyond any doubt. Paquin, I am sure; and he charges outrageously." "Maybe she got it at a Thursday bargain," said Wilberton. "She cer tainly looks well in blue." "It is simply disgraceful the way the men hang around her," declared Mrs. Wilberton. "The married men are worse than the single ones. I nev er saw any woman at a respectable bathing resort act as she did this afternoon." "Try the prunes," urged Wilberton. "You can't think of other disgraceful things when you eat these prunes. I haven't seen Brown myself." Mrs. Wilkerton's indignation waa of the silent sort for the rest of th« meal. Mrs. Wilberton was one of a party of matrons who were enjoying them selves at cards. All the men who were not playing court to Helen Alvyne Brown were in the hands of their wives. And there was nothing left for Wilberton but to stroll away with his cigar to the salt cedars. There he could hear the golden voice and not hear the chatter. Ho stretch ed himself comfortably over two chairs and smoked, and looked out over the bay, and listened. Another cigar was glowing a short distance away, and he had an idea that Brown was responsible for it; but Brown probably wanted to bo alone, and Wil berton certainly did. So lie smoked in solitude; and when nis cigar was finished he continued to sit in soli tude; and even when the voice of gold ceased Wilberton awoke with a start. There was the rustle of a woman's garments and a woman, alone dropped with a sigh into a seat a few feet away. The shadows were dark under the salt cedars; neither the glare of the elec tric lights from the hotel nor the glow of the moonlight Altered through the thick foliage. But out on the rip pling bay a silvery path of light was laid, and the woman was clearly sil houtted against this. . . . Thera couldn't be any doubt of it—she was Alvyne Brown; and Wilberton stared wonderingly am went to making wild guesses as to why she had stolen away, and how she had managed to escape from her worshipful retinue. And while he was wondering and mak ing guesses the dark head dropped and there was an outburst of woman's sobs passionate, miserable. And instantly there came the crash of an overturned seat, and the man who had been behind the other cigar came looming through the shadows, lie stopped before the sobbing wo man. "Helen!" he cried. I lis voice was tender and low. "Oh, why don't you leave me alone!" cried the woman. Her head was raised and her attitude was re sentful perhaps defiant. "You know 1 don't want that I want to be 'eft alone." "Has anyone woundeu you, Helen?" There was a queer, hard note in his voice. "No— it is not your affair," she an swered. "Whatever concerns you must al ways be my affair," he said. "Why do you pursue me?" she de manded. "Why did you come here?" "1 didn't know you were here," ho answered; and then, with a trace of bitterness: "1 believed the mistaken paragraph which said you had gone to Palm Beach. 1 thought the length of the Gulf of Mexico was distance enough between us to please even you." "You had no right to think what wouli] please me." "There are some rights which can not be withdrawn or surrendered," he answered sadly. "And 1 have not mo lested you " "You have! You have driven me to pretend that I was enjoying myself, when 1 wanted to rest -rest! For I am so tired!" The last word was a cry; and throw ing her arms against the back of the seat she leaned her head upon thein and wept hysterically. The man stood statutelike for a moment; then with a yearning cry he took a step forward, bent over, and caught the weeping woman in his arms. "Good Lord!" cried Wilberton voice lessly. The mental exclamation was not of surprise at the man's action but for the sudden realization that he was an eavesdropper. He got care fully to his feet and stole away with out disturbing a pebble. And he did not look back! "Wake up, my dear," cried Wilber ton at seven o'clock the next morning as he burst into his wife's bedroom. "I've been to a wedding," he cried, and began to hum the Mendelssohn march very much out of tune. Mrs. Wilberton assumed a sitting posture and cried, "Jeremiah!" with the same single and eye-defying mo tion. "Turn—turn—tee turn, turn turn turn," hummed Wilberton. "You bet! Best man- gave bride away " "Who?" screamed Mrs. Wilberton. "And why didn't you take me?" "Guess both answers," said Wilber ton. "Turn —tee turn —turn, tee tu-u-m, tu—Woman, unhand me!" For Mrs. Wilberton had him by both shoulders shaking him. "I'll scream!" she cried. "Do you think you can do any bet ter than that?" he asked. "Hist!" be whispered, and tiptoed and listened In approved farce-comedy fashion. "It's —the—Browns!" Mrs. Wilberton collapsed to' a seat upon the side of the bed. "What did she have on?" she asked breathless iy. "Something green and yellow "Jeremiah!" she shrieked. "Impos sible!" "I don't know; but it was pretty. And she was more beautiful than •ver " "I knew that woman would figure In a sensation! How did they happen to inviie you?" "Brown'saw me on the beach (I went for a walk this morning) told me—asked me—l was delighted. He said they had made It all up last night —too late then to find a preacher wanted to have it all over with before hotel woke up " "I always did say there was a mys " "VM; I believe I hand you. Lady was ready—so was the kid—lmpressed automobile —broke law and robbed park of all its blooms for bridal bou quet—honk, honk to license clerk's house—honk, honk to parsonage—"if any man. ... let him forever afterward hold his peace'—'l will' —• 'Ten dollars please'—and—" He yawned wearily. "Oh, there wasn't anything interesting!" "Bid she wear a hat?" "Yes. That is, no —yes —yes —no — I don't know. He had one; I held it for him. And say, her husband hasn't been dead three years " "I knew " "No. Hasn't been dead at all." "Jeremiah Wil " "Not dead yet—divorced! And this Brown " "Oh!" "He was the husband he told mo , about being to blame for " "I'll wager she was mostly to blame!" "That's what she says—says she ! was a silly fool, a vain child —and they almost quarreled about it iu the auto " "Well," I never!" "But it's all right now —breakfast at eight. Oh!" he cried, springing up; "where's my cane —that heaviest one?" "Of all things! What on earth " j "I'm to order the breakfast of the cook, and I may need the moral sup> port of a club." "lOight o'clock! Oh!" gasped Mrs. Wilberton, "Why, I will have to rush my head off to be ready!" As Wilberton went out humming the wedding march, he heard the noise of a frantic search for breakfast ap parel and the cry, "Do find that maid and send her up here at once!" When the Doctor Is Away. People are often very much dlsap pointed to find that their family phjr>- sician Is away from home when they most need his services. Diseases Ilka cramp, colic and cholera morbus re quire prompt treatment, and have In many instances proven fatal beforo medicine could be procured or a physi cian summoned. The right way. Is to keep on hand a bottle of some rolinble medicine for the relief of such ail ments, thereby escaping much pain and suffering, and possibly saving life. The Storm-Nose at Sea. The picturesque name of Storm nose (Gewitternase) Is given In Ger many to the wave of high barometric pressure which often precedes a storm or a heavy squall. The baro meter rises suddenly, and then falls more gradually. It is believed that this phenomenon is responsible for •udden changes in the level of the sea. Observations on the seas surrounding Denmark have led to the conclusion that the change of level thus produced sometimes amounts to no less than three feet. Bald Heads. Thomas, five years old, came face to face the other day with an uncle he had never seen before, and no ticed that this uncle had a bald head surrounded by a fringe of hair —such a head as the cartoonists used to draw of David B. Hill. This fact, added to the uncle's extreme height and thin ness, excited Tommy's comment. "Say, mamma," he said, turning to his mother, "my new uncle grew up so fast his hair didn't have time to reach the top of his head!" A Test for Eyesight. An interesting test for eyesight may be had by observing Ursa Major —the Great Bear—on a clear starlit night. Not everyone Is aware that Mlzar, the second star In the constel lation, is a double star. To observe this doublet demands good vision. Some starry night look up to the sky and see If you can discern it. If you do see it, you can rest content in the knowledge that your eyesight is not defective. He Doesn't Get Far. The world has little use for th« man who needs an ear trumpet to bear the call of Duty. j . ■■s•■••s<■■■s>;•*•'«s»■+■;.-V;i. •>v-i^.-l^.-.>s(.->#.;14...i£->4<.-H^.-4l.•l'fc--4<-•>^--t><-■►s*••'s»'■■♦'-•'^■•'♦•■•■V'-^V<-^V<^ 111 Dependable ill ® ~ P*? m 11 b-fru »■ + < §££* Wk handle goods that arc cheap, hut not kh^-h WW cheap goods. Wo want our goods to become &IT.*. vour iroods and our store your store. If it is sag ' . ■ sss |p Clothing, or gf **** if Shoes or J| I Anything | to furnish man, woman or child up in classy, s?£•.,< attractive and dapendahlo attire, then we have ££sjsji just the articles you need. Give us a call now. |j| MAX MAMOLEN, LAPORTE. jj| j MAINE'S DECK EXPOSED Wreck of Battleship Comes Into View After Thirteen Years. The work of pumping the water out of the cofferdam which was built around the wreck of the battleship Maine in Havana harbor, was resumed. The water had been lowered a total depth of three feet, two inches. At that time (he top and sides of the wreck's afterdeck were beginning to come into view and the sighting hood of the ' after-turret on the port side was just awash. The greater part of the afterdeck is now clearly visible, showing the con fused masses of wreckage covered with marine growths. The forward | rart of the ship, upon which the | greatest force of the explosion was ex erted, is still submerged. It is the intention of the army en ' gineers to proceed slowly with the I pumping until the level of the water | will have been lowered ilve feet, and i then suspend all operations until the j arrival of the board of American army officers. After the American officers arrive the work of removing the water from the cofferdam and preparing the wreck for full inspection will proceed ra pidly. I "Sand Statues" on Beach Removed. ( The "sand statues on the beach" at Atlantic City, N. J., are gone. The workmen under the direction of the j beach superintendent have destroyed 1 them. This was a part of the annual cleaning order of Mayor Stoy, at the opening of the bathing season. The "white wings" exposed cement blocks and several tons of steel and iron frame work when they tore away the sand covering of the "art," along with other "details." These were not known, by the public, who have mar veled at the clear-cut lines of the "sand" figures and showered coins on the broad white sheets bearing the in scription: "I do this to pay my way through college." Carrying out of the mayor's order also brought some strenuous objection fron? t;en, who will not see forty agait-. 'T.en the public learned »Uat the youths, who were thought to bt ! "sand artists," were hired at so much a day. Still another discovery was that one I "artist" was a magnate. Four "gal leries" were found to be the result of his enterprise. He was seldom seen at work except in the early mornings. Ilis bank account is said to be suffi cient to keep him during the winter months on the fruits of his summer 1 toil. The "astists" hereafter must k»ep their models down to a fo t in height and must employ .san I exclusively, i The penalty for violation w.ll cause their removal from the beach. ! Slay Traitor Who Sold Battle. "Red" Lopez, ordered linpr'soned by Francisco I. Madero, Jr., en the charge j that he had "sold out" to American j interests while in command of a sec i tion of the insurrecto garrison at Agua ! Prieta, Mexico, has been put to death. Lopez was being conveyed to Ca nanea to serve an eight-year sentence imposed by the court martial, i Conflicting stories are told by the guard which was accompanying 1.0-pez. pez. One is that the former insurrecto leader had been shot while attempting to escape; another that he pleaded to | be executed rather than to be taken to prison. It Is alleged also that Lopez had confessed to having received S4OOO for the surrender of Agua Prieta to the federals. When the guards of Artuo (Red) Lopez arrived a( Cananea, they deliv ered his serape and sombrero (o Gen eral Lomieii. "He (ried to escape," re ported the guards who were takiug hini to prison. Few Die From Smallpox. In nearly 20,000 cafes of smallpox reported in (he United States during 1909 there were only ninety-two deaths, making the average mortality rate less than one-half of one per cent. The public health service statistics announced show that even this dimin ished number of cases by coniparisor with last year was excessive.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers