Evening Star Newspaper, May 22, 1921, Page 74

g THE SUNDAY “STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., MAY N . 1921—PART 4. 29 2 A FLYER IN ANNUITIES s 6o ttooims ? NOTHER ofl : Those In- ~tensely Interest- |ing Pod, Bender 1 & Co. Stories by aWriter Who Ranks High in FTER a few weeks spent in Bermuda, partly idling. part- 1y dallying with certain trivial matters which, though petty, nevertheless kept the checkbook de- cently padded, Pod and the Doctor felt a yearning of the heart toward home. “All very picturesque and nifty. T &dmit,” the Doc remarked. from his _rocker on the broad piazza of the Hamilton House, “but still. there’ nothing like home, sweet home, after al.” Moodily his eyes wandered over the sparkling harbor, the white sails. the whiter cottages and the turquoise of the bruad Atlantic, beyond whose far horizon lay the Land of Graft Unlim- ited. Slats, catching his mood, nodded he murmured, stretch- ing his huge. white-linen-clad bulk on the long wicker steamer chair beside his partner. Prosperity and lack of exercise had brought him up to 2 at the Commercial Trust Compan and. sitting at one of the little glas topped tables reserved for patrons. proceeded to make out a check call- ing for $12,000, which the Reverend Mr. Benedict signed. and Mr. Hogan carefully “X'd," chewing the while on an_unlighted cigar. . “Here's where Goodrich makes his contribution to that anti-poverty fund, eh?’ remarked the clergyman in a'low tone. “It's double-cinched nd diamond-hitched, ~provided we an turn the trick before it percolates through his upper works. When I got next (o this coin-mill in ‘98 1 vowed I'd come back some day_for another bunch, and here I an what the wise ones call the psy- hological moment. See? Grab that moment, Slatsey. then side-step— that's my tactics. Here, take the check—now play it across the board, old boy. and—st-t-t! Herc comes & brass-buttoned coon. What the “Beggin' yo' pardins, gemmens, quoth the smoke deferentiaily, bow=- 'ing with Chesterfieldian grace, “but Pres'dent Goodrich say he'd like fo' to see yo' in his office a minute. He's waitin’ now. . Step right in, ef y0 please “Say , see here,” quericd Hogan; “is its predestination as an ideal city. must beycarried forward in no sense as a local project, but must be a great national purpose in which the entire citizenship of the mnation co-operates.” That is the sentiment with which the present-day first occupied Charles L'Enfant proposes to “carry on” the plans for the Federal city on the shore of the Potomac as origi- nally made under direction of Presi- dent Washington and extended by the Senate park commission plan in 1901. Now this job of “Officer in charge Col. Clarence O. Sherrill of the En- gincer Corps Is so many-sided that might consider him a “jack of all trades.” (1) Custodian of the nation's me- Monument; which is the greatest monument ever erected by any nation to a single in- dividual, costing $1,500,000, Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington |on COL. SHERRILL ENTHUSIASTIC IN BEAUTIFYING OF WASHINGTON Engineer Officer With ‘M;my Duties Is Working on Parkway System Which . He Deems Greatest in the World. ASHINGTON must be de- veloped not only as the tal, including Rock Creek Park. which is admittedly the most beautiful park okt = in the world; takes full care of the}l most beautiful city in | \yhite House and grounds. p the world, but to fulfill (4) Military aid to the President, at- tending him on all official occasions, and also attendant on Mrs. Harding whenever she appears at any func- tion as_“first lady of the land.” (5) In charge of the propagating gardens and the White House gar- dens, and of decorating the White House for all occasions. There is a group of seventeen greenhouses in which are raised more than three-quarters of a million plants each year for the parks scattered throughout the city. (6) Commanding officer of the park police doing duty in all the parks and all government reservations in the_ National Capital. (7) Member of the public buildings commission. of which Senator Smoot is chairman, and which assigns office This incumbent of the office in 1790 by Maj. Peter space in ail buildings occupied by of public buildings and grounds” for|government activities, whether owned which President Harding selected | °F Jeased by Uncle Sam. (8) Member of the zoning commis- ,sion_which regulates the height and use to which buildings may be put in the capital. (9) Member of the hoard of sur- veys and maps. the first definite step toward rcorzanization and consoli- dation in the government service. There were fifteen organizations draw- ing plans. He is chairman of the com- mittee drawing up plans for co-ordi- nation. (10)" Member of the Alaska inter- department development board. (11) War_Department representa- tive on the National Research Counci (12) War Department_representative the committee of the engineering council for co-ordination of government Here are some of his * k k% including the the Washington Lincoln Memorial, and the ne explained his method: “To swing so many activities, it is essential for me to pick out good men to take charge of the various activities and give them the widest_latitude under careful supervi- sion. It is not enough to give an order. but to see that the order is properly carried out.” * ¥ kX Col. Sherrill is a fine example of the new type of official President Harding sought out—full of “pep” and zeal; with high fleals of service and idealistio vision moderated by practi- cal experience; deeply conscious that this country belongs to all the people, and that.the best way to have a high type of patriotism and morale in war is to maintain and develop it through happiness and prosperity of all the people during days of peace. Ho is alert, vigorous, genial, with s hearty hand-clasp and ready sympathy. His courtesy and affability have made him an ideal selection for military aid. In that pacity he visits of forelgn officials to the White House. The course of procedure varies with the grade of the visitor. When a foreign official of high rank calls at the White House he is accompanied by the assistant secretary of state and the President's aid. Then two other alds escort the party into the green rooms. The Secretary of State soccompanies the President to the blue room, where the President receives the foreign official. who is brought into the blue room by the assistant secretary of state and the Pres dent's aid. Col. Sherrill has come into this office’ with an enviable background of efficient and well-varied service. and with the luster of outstanding leadership during the world war. He is a native of North Carolina. He is an honor graduate of States Military Academy (1901), hav- ing come out second in his class. He was also an honor graduate of the School of the Line and Staff Collegc, Fort Leavenworth. He had two tours of service in the Philippines, one at Panama, at three gulf coast cities and two tours in Washington. While at Panama. he had charge of all the fortification works on the canal and was department e%x of Gen. Clarence Ed to the world war. neer on the staff lwards. just prior the United | every possible w |ing out Washington's plans in a w ! befitting the greatest nation on the be chief of staff of that division dur ing the Argonne defenee. After thi armistice he joined the 3d Army under General Dickman, and drew uj plans for occupation of the Coblens bridgehead of the army of occupation He was called back to the Unite States in the spring of 1919 to taks charge of all the fortification coms struction work of the United Statet government under the chief of eng! eers, which position he filled un®® selected by the president to carry along the L'Enfant plan for the de- velopment of the nation's capital. *x x % “We are working here now on the greatest parkway system in the world,” Col Sherrill explained with enthusiasm, with the frankness of a boy acknowledging his gratifica- tion at being the executive officer in charge of carrying out Washington's “dream™ for the mation's capital. He pointed out that “Washington it already unique among the great cities of the world on account of the tre- mendous area given over to parks 1n the very center of the city. “We contemplate a parkway ent tirely surrounding the city,” he pointed out on a well-marked map hanging beside his desk, “making a continuous drive for more than twenty-five miles through the most beautiful scenery that nature can give and the trained hand of man can adorn. Washington is ideally situ- ated for such a pretentious under- taking. and the work is progressing surprisingly fast.” “I am vitally interested in pushing the beautification of Washington in because 1 realize its importance. 1 want particulari to impress upon the people everywhere throughout the country that this is national enterprise, and not in any ense local. This is the shrine of the . where the patriotism and pride of all must pay worship. The federal government alone can handle the development with fitting scope and promptness. Nothing should 1 allowed to stand in the way of carr: face of the globe.” With « steady tendency toward more. national cemetery, the nation’s shrine *“I getcha, Steve. Time to dr:.“ nol;fl}i d G i g 3 <) T for its hero dead. An’ these penny ante games here ain 2 = e | T 7 e 4 o cnity= . : t t % A p (2) In charge of the twenty-three to him: “How do military aid to the President well 5§ to do it ali? Folks might be just 1901, which, he said. “is to be the very D inere pobs buildings representing the State, War dally with some real get-there propo- 5 e State, Wa "ol ¢ ; ally & oAl Nowy, moip, recutting & fores ot| 0r No one ‘man can do|trained, for he was a junior aid at|pears of a great plaza vista develo contracts, * ok ok ¥ Which prompts the question which . Col. Sherill also emphasized the pro-y 2 Col. Sherill comes to the position of posed “Union Square” idea, approved I put to him: “How do you manage by the Senate park commission in in saying, sition again, that's all to the mustard. e S i« f that and do it right’ His|the White House during the adminis-|ment between the Capitol and Was “-%Lu,» is right.” said Ben. “There’s 1,250 for their upkeep and housing ap- | answer showed that he has learned | yration of Theodore Roosevelt, in 1903, | ingtos Monument.” “Union Squarc & boat out of here to New York this proximately 30,000 government employes. | the sccret of being a good executive, e s would occupy twelve city blocks just 7. r us Two of these buildings, the Navy An.|2nd showed why President Harding|and he was also aid-de-camp to Maj.| west of the Capitol. At the very door) D e aried Pod, withun- 5 i e selected him as one of the new-|Gen. J. Franklin Bell for two years.|of this development is the “largest = nex and the Munitions buildings, are |type federal officials, He said: When the United States went to|oquestrian statue in the worid, thef) usual ambition. ¢ “Oh, I've becn incubating an idea for some time concerning a certain the largest office buildings in the world. (3) Caretaker in chief of 3,500 acres parks in the nation's cap war Colonel Sherrill took command and organized, trained and led the engineers of the famous Libertv Division. Then he was advanced to couldn’t do it, only 1 have an efficient organization to carry on the work for me.” Pressed to clucidate a little Grant Memorial,” which Col. Sherrill calls “the most wonderful outdoor mec- morial ever conceived."” fiduciary iustitution in the Hub that ey H e o needs a’little blood-letting to prevent it having apoplexy, it's that top- heavy with the unearned increment. The frame-up I've got buzzing round my thinkery now will be an east-and- west proposition. 1 pulled Act 1 in Chicago. on the Grangers' National Bank, last Junc. That's how I was fiying so lofty when I met you in the Hotel de Gink, otherwise known *as a bench in the park. Now I've got a hunch we can fiy still loftier in Act 11, on the strength of Act L. So ®et 2 move on and let's pack our Kkeisters to lay a little paper in Vel- vetburg, in_the good old U. S. A. Unlimited Suckers’ Agsregation!” Some days thereafter three passen- gers sat in a smoking compartment of the 1 o'clock limited out of New York, Boston bound. A curiqus _trio were, three ill-assorted elements from the big human hive. One, a commer- cial traveler, courted his briar and read “The Alibi"; the second, a stout gentleman, dressed in _ expensive though rather erratic fashion, drew | luxuriously at a black cigar, stared| out the window at the whirling land- scape, and rubbed his freshly shaven chin with satisfaction; while the third, & tall clergyman of reserved bearing, yoccupied himself steadfastly by look- ing up references .in his pocket con- cordance and making copius notes in a_portfolio. Now and again the clergyman pass- ed some remark anent his pastoral duties or a forthcoming sermon, to which the stout gentleman replied by monosylables, seemingly ill at ease in the presence of this man of the cloth. * % * % ‘A T Providence the commercial trav- eler left the compartment, and no one took his place. In some curious manner he carried away with him the air of sancity whioh permeated the atmosphere. “Say, you petrified jelly-roll” re- marked the clergyman as the train bowled out of the station, “toss us out a smoke, can’'t you? It gives me the wee-waws to play sky-pilot more than half an hour at a time. But tell me. on the level, how does it go?" “Like salve on a sore to answer- ed the fat gentleman. “Only don't spread it too thick Or_some one may slip an’ tumble, see? What sort of a! gazebo is the old Goodrich, anyway?i Bug-eyed an’' suspicious, or how?" *“One of the great and glorious tribe of E. Z. Marx,” answered the clergy- man striking a match by deftly snip-| ping it with his finger-nail. “Easiest | ever! He'll fall for anything. 1 put the trimming-tools to him myself. six years ago, but didn’t score hard. That's why I'm so keen to come again and gather the ripe harvest. As things are fixed now, he'll drop like a plum—h. omly waiting to be shaken.™ “Listens good, but are you sure?’ “Just as sure as T am that these here Rasaritos set. me back a quarter apiece, nd that Youre costing me like sixty. Sure? I should say yes! With our present lay we can get the jacks under his trust company and elevate it before he even gets the idea soaked through his cranium that he's being did. Just you watch and—cheese it! The con! “Tickets, please!” exclaimed that worthy, entering the compartment. “Here you are,” said the cleric, hold ing out two pasteboards. “My friend" and mine. Have you a time-table on the B. & M.? Yes, we're going through to Portland. You'll get me one? Ah. thank you, thank you. Yes, it is good weather for traveling, though a trifle warm.” The conductor departed. “How d’you do it?” inquired the stout gentleman, admiringly. I thought I could juggle ’‘em along some, but say, you've got me beaten| to a syllable! It's worth a gold mine to be understudy to an article like you. Here, let’s christe: He snapped open his Gladstone bag and brought out a half-pint flask of very strong waters. Shortly there- 'ter the flask, eloquently empty. went spinning from a window of the ex- press. which, clipping along in a simoon of dust, was every minute shortening by a mile the distance be- tween our two friends and President Abner Goodrich _of the Commercial Trust Company, Boston, Mass. ‘That _afterncon when Preasident Goodrich came back from lunch he found waiting for him in his inner office two strangers. One of these, an sustere clergyman, sat reading his breviary in short-sighted fashion, while the other, evidently an original, lolled back fatly in his chair and| Sezed vacantly at the coffered ceiling. Both rose to greet him: the ciergy- man fumbled through his pocketbook and finally produced a card, which. &fter minute inspection, he presented to_Goodrich. “Francis G. Benedict,” read the! president. “Rector of St. Luke's! Church, Roxbury.” i “At your service, sir,” murmured the clergyman, bowing. “Permit me the pleasure of makirg you acquaint- ed with Mr. Hogap—Michael J. Hogan —of my paris] “Glad to know you!" tended a fat and hirsute paw, which the bank president, seeing no escape, took reluctantly. *“Mr. Hogan is & benefactor of mine,” pursued the clergyman, ‘“or rather, of my church. He lacks the —the outward manifestations of cul- ture, to some extent, but—er—his they | |ince of an i exclaimed | gan to himself. Hogan, much embarrassed. He ex-| neart and soul amply make up the deficiency. A diamond, sir, a true diamond in the rough! Since he en- tered the parish, our poor have profit- td_extraordinarily. “His hobby—to use a cant exprei slon—is what he terms an ‘anti-pov- erty fund most Taudable one, I am sure. You see, to speak frankly, though to a certain extent—er—illit- srate, Mr. Hogan has amassed a con- aiderable fortune in the past two < years, and now he has asked me to help him invest his money in a cer- tain manner which I trust ma advantageous to all concerned Yes?” queried Goodrich impas- sively, settling himself at his desk. “Be dsenled, gentlemen; pray don’ tan ‘As 1 was remarking,” continued the clergyman: drawing up a chair, the while Mr. Hogan flopped down on a leather divan which occupied one side of the office, “my friend has placed his fortune in my hands and has asked me to advise him in in- vesting it. I have looked into the reliability of various institutions, and have chosen yours as one eminently! safe to do business with.” “Thank you,” remarked Goodrich, succinctly. * % ¥ x uI HAVE therefore,” continued the clergyman, *“advised him to de- posit a considerable sum with you. 1, personally, neither have nor de- sire worldly goods; but I quite under- stand his attitude toward safeguard- ing the fortune he has acquired, for the furtherance of his own comfort and the cause of charity in my parish. Mr. Hogan has, like—like many im- perfectly educated men, the ability to make but not to keep money. Par- don me, but do you—er—follow the copper market?" “Well, to a cert extent,” an- swered Goodrich, in a non-committal voice, yet with a certain note of in- terest. “Why do you ask?’ “Simply because my friend here, Mr. Hogan. has been for some time‘past one of those disturbing factors—let|li me say the chief factor—which, though hidden from public knowl- 3 - “So2* “Yes, he has (as he puts it, rather | crudely) ‘raked-off’ over a quarter of a million in the last six months, and | expects to clear as much more before the market breaks. Now you under- stand, Mr. Goodrich, T am not at all in sympathy with certain of his methods; but still, since he is my friend and has contributed so lib- erally to missionary and other work, I have consented to act as a mediator for him in the delicate matter of arranging a rather unusual invest- ment, and in negotiating for him, if poasible a—a life income in exchange for a certain large corporation to be paid you in cash. Do I state the | case correctly, Mr. Hogan?" i “Dead right'” answered the copper magnate, shufMing his fect in the thick carpet and twirling his thumbs. “You see. Mr. President. I ain’t much | on the talk—I can make the stuff all | right enough, though; but what I want now is to find some way to keep it. see? Had snug on to a mil- | lion four years ago an’ went through | it like a greased pig through a crowd Now, this killin' I want to salt down. hope you an' the dominie can | fix it some way 80's 1 can turn the| whole bunch over to you, an’ get %o | i i 1 i much a vear as long as I hang out. 1 don't want no more worry or bother—just to draw the shon every three months, fixin's to you. see? I'll leave the It's two hundred an’ fifty thou. clear in exchange for a good income, that's all” He ended his speech With a hearty use of a flamboyant silk handkerchief. President Goodrich dissembled a certain glitter of the cye by leaning over his desk and carefully arrang- ing a bundie of checks (during.which operation the two visitors exchanged hideous grimaces, then answered Ju- dicially: To be outspoken, Mr. Benedict, your proposition is a curious ona, somewhat in the nature of an an- nuity. T take it. and therefore, strict- iy speaking, rather more in the prov- insurance company than f the Commercial Trust; yet. under the circumstances—well—posgibly we may consider it. Are you—er—pre- pared to discuss details at present and—and make a deposit to guaran- tee your friend’s commercial relia- bility? In matters of this kind, you | know——" “Certainly. 1 understand perfectly I'm quite at your ervice. No time like the present. “The old fall-guy’'s bolted the bait, sinker, hook an’' all!” muttered Ho- ow, one good jerk “Well, let's get to business!" said Qoodrich _briskly, glancing at the “These are busy days with| an’ we land him!" For half an hour the banker and| the clergyman talked In quict tones, Goodrich the while making extensive calculations which he expounded at great length. The Rev. Mr. Benedict nodded assent or asked an occasional question, with here and there “I see.” “s ‘understand,” "Exactly 80." hy way of encouragement. Once or twice he put keen query, which Goodrich skllitully met, or raised an objection, in the explana- tion of which the president, betrayed his thinly veiled anxisty to closs the deal. Between them the-eventually drew up a paper detaifng the pro- irich, e posed transaction, and made it ready to receive the ‘X" of Mr. Hogan. * k Xk X 7THE latter gentleman, the while, sat fumbling over certain papers and sorting them on his knee. This task completed to his satisfaction, he replaced the papers in his breast pocket and wandered idly about the luxurious office, hands clasped behind him, gazing with blank eyes at the pictures or staring vacantly through the plate glass windows into the thronging traffic of State Street be- low. His back looked stodgily phleg- matic; yet nevertheless his pulse was running well over a hundred—higher than it had done since one unlucky day, five years before, when he had dallied with certain railroad pay checks, which had soon thereafter proved to be free passes to a bit in the Trenton “stir.” - Now_his whole future lay at stake. Was_he to continue polishing park benches, getting hand-outs and wear- ing bulgy kicks. or was he hence- forth to ride in Pullmans, eat game- birds and smoke Rosaritos? The question, as he turned it over in his mind, drew his brows into a black frown and set his fat fingers nervous- iy_clenching. Finally, after what seemed at the very least a year, the Rev. Mr. Bene- dict arose, saying: “Now, Mr. Hogan, if you please, the matter s entirely arranged. quite sat-| isfactorily, I trust. President Good- rich doesn’t care to receive more than $200,000; but that sum, according to our pian, will yield tén thousand a year, payable semi-annualiy. It in- volves entire surrender of the princi- pal. as in an annu but the income will be absolutely ured, and for Here is a paper for us to con- u can sign it at vour leis- We are to come back tomor- he added, turning to Good- lsho'ly needs dat five, but—but—jes’ e really shouid be taking our | he aolne in there, or is there some one with him?" “Well, sah. Ah'd sho'ly like fo’ to oblige yo' wif inframmation, but Pres'dent Goodrich he say—he say ——" The messenger’s eyes rolled ex- pressively and a sickly grin spread over his sable face. “Here, my boy,” spoke up the clergyman in a subdued tone, look- ing the negro full in the eye. “Here's a five-dollar gold-piece. Now 1is there or isn’t there a police inspector in there with him? My friend here and I are in the secret; you needn't be afraid. to tell us—and, besides, there's a fiver in it for you! “Oh, Lawdy, massa!” ejaculated the coon, his hands twitching for the goldpiece and his eves bulging, “Ah wait a minute And he pattered away down the marble floor. Hogan's red jowls paled with sud- den panic; the dominie glanced around with remarkable keenness for %0 near-sighted a man. “The Jjig's up!" he whispered. “We've got to beat it—but slow time or we're flopped! Here, freeze on to some of thees papers and then we'll —skiddoo! The bulls!” % The last words burst from him in an irrepressible panic as the street door opefed sharply and a bluecoat officiously entered" the bank. 1 Hogan sprang up, tipping over his chair, and with a fistful of loose pap- ers hiked for thc rear exit hard pressed by the clergyman. But ere tne worthy pair reached safety the president’s door burst violently open, Mr. Goodrich, darting out with amaz- ing agility, headed off Slats and floored him with a “facer.” The stiff blow on his meaty muzzle sounded like a brick striking a quarter of beef. At Slats’ fall. which rattled the win- dows, the dominie backed up into a corner, whipped a venomous automatic from his coat pocket and, with un- biblical language, covered Goodrich. But before the ministerial trigger finger further for the benefit of the publi {(Copyright, 1921, by The Washington Star.) had time to pull, the messenger hurl- leave. I'm afraid we have presumed on far too much of your time already. Pardon me for just a moment. though, while I ask whether you will permit Mr. Hogan to deposit check? Very good. very good—my { friend has a certified check on_ the| Baltimore Exchange Bank. You'd like to see it? part of the estate. An excellent bank —Mr. Hogan carries a considerable balance there. Your recciving teller is—Ilast window on the right? Thank vou. You'll mention the matter to well; good day. good day.” ev. Mr. Benedict howed gra-! murmuared took copper king of gratitude, and both their leave. - President Good- ! rich, left alone. rubbed his white | hands with an extreme satisfaction. the astute clergyman deposited in Mr, Hogan's name a properly certified check on_the Baltimore Exchange Bank for $25.000. #* ok k¥ UR fricnd Goodrich was sitting at his desk next morning looking over a defunct mortgage in semi-idle fashion. when a tag-end of Boston | cast wind eddying through a half- opened window, caught a little slip of paper which lay under the leather divan where Pod had sat, and whirled it wantonly out upon the carpet. The wye of Goodrich the &lip was curious—: of names with hieroglyphs annexed. An odd-looking slip. The president's curiosity was aroused; he got up emingly a list heavily, bent, and picked it up from | the floor. | 0Odd_indeed! What banker’ would not think odd a list of the richest Boston houses, marked by stars, triangles and_circles. with cryptic words thereto? Strange indeed that the Commercial Trust Company. most nified of institutions. should be cored in red and designated ejaculated President Good- rich, sinkiniz back with the grace of a hippopotamus into his leather chair. (Ho weighed 220 on the bath-mat.) “Meat! Well, well! Meat, indeed! nd he scratched his bald-spot vig- crougly, frowning the while. The frown lasted only a moment, .000 as an in- | endent account for personal needs? : . ilded cor- No objection 1o carrying It subject to | deflected bullet. splintered a gild With pleasure! Yes, | | bleeding mouth and essayed to swallow | | “Here! followed, for | ed a brimming ink-well with such excellent ai mas to strike the out- stretched arm like an inky meteor. Crang ! The gun barked deafeningly and the nice just as Chief Inspector Ferrell popped out of the office. ¢ s s +EXT instant Goodrich leaped in 4N on the bespattered clergyman and the two went down rough-and-tumble in a tangle of fists and bad language. Slats on tho instant, wise as a ser-! pent, though not harmless as a dove, thrust the newly written check into his; it: but Ferrell, prying open his jaws} with deft, ungentle thumbs, dredged out | the paper, bedrabbled but still legible.; Thoroughly cowed, Slats lay bellowing for merey like a Yearling calf. ) “Explanation! ~Explanation’ for this i outrage " panted the dominie from un- derncath 230 pounds of president. “As-; sault on’a_clergyman! - Explanation, re and now! 1 demand it!” e tady | Steady * growled Goodrich. ‘Are you still too near-sighted | to read this, or shall I lend you my glasses? f And, still keeping a strange-hold with one hand, he held in front of the dominie’s eyes with the other a tele- graph-blank bearing this cryptogramic message : “Certified check 43322, forgery, noO funds in Baltimore Exchange, maKe ar- rest, alleged Benedict wanted connectior 3 % ., Chicago, las arcl Grangers' ' Bank g0, last Murch 1t's fiftcen years apiece, right " ejaculated Ferrell, elbowing his way through the turbulent crowd of clerks and minions. “Fifteen ycars, over and above a good stretch for the Chicago break! Mr. Goodrich, allow me the pleasure of makin' you acquainted with the guy you're flattenin’ out—he’s Pittsburg Bender, alias Doc Ben. ‘want- ed' in the Windy City for touchin’ the Grangers National last spring to the tune of forty thousand dollars® Longer Days. From Popular Science Monthly. The days are getting longer. Not the hours of daylight increasing with being chased away by an open-face smile as a great white light broke into his mind. Reaching for his “Bankers' Register” he opened it at “Illinois” and thumbed it rapidly un- til_Chicago lay under his gaze. Shortly ‘thereafter a peremptory “buzz-z-z!" on_ the electric signal summoned Cashier Packard to the presidential desk. The two men remained in heart-to- heart conference g pithy quarter of an hour. Toward/the end of it two telephone messages went from the bank: one, a local, to police head- quartera in Pemborton square; the he advancing year, but days as :lmud by the revolution of the earth on its axis. The process is extreme- 1y slow, but all the same the fact remains that the days actually are otting longer. B he-eartn's power of rotation is growing weaker, and as a result its revolution on its axis is slowing up. Which means, of course, that the day is lengthening. An epoch must eventually arrive when the day will be equal in length to the year; that is, to the time it takes for the earth to revolve about tha sun. Then the earth will always turn the same face oiher, long distance, to the Exchange Bank in Baltimore., Of which me sages our clergyman and his fllit- crate friend were ignorant as babes unborn, Because of this blissful ignorance |and permanent darkness, Mr. Hogan and his epiritual guide presented themselves about 2 o'clock toward the solar luminary, just as the moon now always turns the same face toward us, and one-half of our planet will ,ve sunshine all the year, whilo the other half is in total ‘That is, if the sun still is shining. It may be- come a dun and chilly orb before then. 7, player-piano The Gulbransen This suburban model is— *495 a slight payment down sends it to your home. The world’s best 2 years—24 months in which to pay e Muisie in the home is worth more for its harmonious influence than such music ever cost The Gulbransen provides such music, be- cause it makes every kind of piano music avail- able. You can entertain children of all ages with lullabies, nursery rhymes to music, or game songs. You can have jolly dancing and singing parties for grown-ups of all ages. Or you can A mother singing to her baby—a grand- study the masterpieces of music of all times. mother playing the old songs she loves so well —a husband and wife in a quiet musical evening at home. These are the pictures tonight in thousands of homes where the Gulbransen is enshrined as a friend. You can enjoy the playing of famous artists—become an accomplished performer yourself—play wonderful accompaniments for other instruments or singers. All music is open It meets every occasion with appealing, ap- to you if you have a Gulbransen propriate selections. It forestalls the alibi of “forgotten” music, kills the bugaboo of prac- ticing. For any one who wants to can easily play it well. The suburban model Gulbransen at $495 _ | —is made possible through quantity production on this standardized model. More Gulbransens are sold than any other player-piano, because the Gulbransen satisfies that many more people. Of all instruments the Gulbransen is the most satisfying because it brings you the double pleasure of listening and performing. Any one can play for you or you can enjoy the fascina- tion of personally producing music yourself. The Soloelle reproducing player-piano . comes to The Hecht Co. delivers any of these Any one can play a player-piano, but not $1 0 precisely as a great artist would play. The used pianos to you Instruments taken in exchange but thoroughly Soloelle reproduces the artistic playing down to i the most minute shading. With a Soloelle built gone over and now sold with our guarantee of into the G“lb““s'en player-piano you have satisfaction. complete melody control without guidance or Mason & Hamlin, $265 Hallett & Davis, $175 effort. ‘Hazleton, $125 Reinhardt, $185 Schenke, $295 1 Stadie & Son, $210 Demonstration at any time— without obligation of any kind Seventh at F Seventh O, «r The Hecht <