Evening Star Newspaper, April 4, 1926, Page 70

b THE SU NDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., APRIL 4, 1926—PART 5. WARMED UP TO WIN BY HERMAN B. DEUTSCH Fleabit, Smallest Jockey; Canobean, Biggest Horse; E. B., Shrewdest Bettor. mong race tr an initiate, there | expressions vou must Never say that you se; tell them you “had Let one hear from the words, “1 won money." | ways be “I win money," | are referring to a | ssfy of three seasons ago. Never describe a wager as an “even- | money bet’; it must always be “eve- | money And finally, never | a heavily s a | value your standing | among the Brethren of the Turf, call | ight recognize at once, | srrigan, an initiate, even ognizable as much ot | | F you would pas auent of the race track four use not on a hc horse. no lips must our you pabit « Sn't rec else while toward the living qu arnley barn at the New Orleans Fair Grounds. Fleabit bore all the earmarks of having happened to w a holocaust, or something marks and finger marks too. as he stood, he could have passed for e of those smudged new per cuts ich bear the caption, “In the Wake the Cyclone But by his speec know him, even that issued fro mo; e stumbied wear- rters of the oF h vou would have though the words his puffed lips were e indistinct. paway for evening in the sixth, and 1 bit thickly by way of money to win,’ explanation. You had Tad Beasley quoth demanded d. He noses f nd money, oe welches on me.” And then what?” )" then wi hen it was an’ I finished fifth.” agerly who was only renown as a Whereupon Fleabit 14 vears old despite hi vider and his uncanny skill in s of thoroughbreds from bar- nd, sat himself down v pl ne | a wept, finding v his bodily hurts and for the | t spent rage had left in him It was then that E. B. made his own presence in the stable known. Even though vou be no Initiate among the Brethren of the Turf, you have heard of E. B. and the Keep-a- Hustling Stock Farm, which he owns. For one thing, Elton Beau- regard Charnley has this unique dis- tinction: he is the only native Ken- tuckian_who ever achieved renown in the Kingdom of Bangtails without iring also the title of Cunn ah or Jedge. He was simply among turfmen that name means much the same as the name Cinsteln means in the fleld of u must picture a tall figure whose original harsh outlines have | been mellowed a bit by the softening hand of time. But no fattiness, mind and no stoop. Add a pink tenance, always cleanly shaven, unted by heavy mop of | white hair, fine blue eyes, firm lips | and a jaw whose square contours are still definite. Season the whole with a general air of kindliness and omit every last “youall” and the other trappings of the stage Kentuckian. Then you have E. B. It is quite true that the Kindliness was not apparent as the tall man stood in the stable where he sur- veved the wreck of his premier Jock leabit,” he remarked without heat—and without warmth, “would vou mind going over that story again, please?” * X FLEARIT came up for air with a start, and Tad Beasley success- fully performed the evolution which among the movie folks is known as a fade-out 2" asked Fleabit. ‘I said, would you mind going over the whole thing again, son?” “N-n-nos'r.” Well, let’s have it.” “It wasn’t nothing, sir. It was just me'n one of the other boys get in a argument.” “Hm-m-m! He must have been right handy with his fists, this other boy, to mark you up like he did. Big boy, was he?" Nennot so very. 1 look a lot worse'n 1 feel, sir. See?” He stood up and limbered himself just to show there was life in him still. “See, I ain't hurt—much.” Then he winced as a sudden stab of pain caught him unawares. He couldn’t help the little cry that escaped him. Where- upon E. B. sat himself down on the bale of prime alfalfa the boy had quitted and gathered the little bundle of miz'ry up in his big arms. “Now they ain't a mite of use you tryin’ to fool the old man, son, sald gently. “Besides which I heard 8 smart of what you was a-tellin Tad. - 755 ., 1 IN THE STIRRUPS, JOCKEY CORRIGAN COULD BE SEEN SAWING THE BIT IN WHAT WAS EVIDENTLY A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO HALT THE RUN- AWAY. |E | grimly. | to stir up all | Well, dly insults he could think of on pur of the moment. That was * 3] . reached down and absently ~+ plucked a brown stem from the bale on which he was sitting. This wisp he placed between his teeth. “ aln't saving exactly that you got what was coming to you, son,” he re marked, “because it don't look no ways right to me for a 150-pound man to go trouncin’ on a little kid like you. And I ain't saying exactly I'm glad it happened either, though 1 won't deny but it kind of locks like the workings of a just Providence. Still, Trumble’s a mighty funny im- plement to find in the hands of Provi- dence, at that.” Fleabit wriggled uncomfortably ain’t gonna do it no more, sir, promised. “Reckon T'll do my best to hely keep your word, too,” added F Then his voice took on a note ement. “Sull, I don’t rightly the whole business,” he “It don’t look like Trumble *h a rumpus for §10 Vho'd of pu understand continued. It don't, for a fact, now. put you up to this bet?” voter Flynn “Rides for Per “Hm-m-m! Well, yes, hat'd be about it. I didn't think that of Perr: for a fact, I didn’t. Reckon Holy Joe was at the bottom of it, anyway. nny, it don’t look like you left hardly a bean unspilled.” Fleabit deemed it prudent to rve a thoroughgoing silence ‘Messy job, picking up beans, B. went on. “But it ought to be done. Ought to be done by the party that's ble for the spill.” et Fleabit down. d up and try to stretch your- ," he commanded. Fleabit complied, grimacing painful- ly as racked and bruised muscles and joints protested vehemently against further ill usage. “And by tomorrow morning,” com- mented E. B., “you'll be stiffened. up like a board, and sore as the pointer pup that biundered in beehive. You will so. Mm-m-m! sir, the light's a-shinin’ in the dark places, sure enough. You probably don't un- derstand it yet, do you? Well. I'll tell vou. It might help the lesson to bite. Tomorrow afternoon’s the Mermentau Handlcap, with a $2,000 purse. There was just two horses had a chance to in ‘that race, and that was my Emulator and Perry Gordon's big Peri- gord. Ain't that fac es'T,” Whisp He, too, was beginning to understand. *“And ulator’s that high-strung and_sensitive, and at the same time hard mouthed, that it takes about all | vou got in you to give him the ride | he needs. Meaning to say likewise | that none of these other boys he abouts, that ain't used to him, coul ride him like you can either. with you in the shape you're in, there'll be only one horse that figures to win the Mermentau Handicap, meaning Perigord. And Perry Gor- don's jockey is the one tha touted vou off to this bet, which is a plant, pure and simple. We-e-ell, maybe not so pure; but awfully simple n. Holy Joe don't welch for any $10 lessen there’s something bigger be- hind it. Now do you see what you've gone and done?” Fleabit nodded miserably. “Well, that's all right then,” E. B. said heartily. “You run upstairs to the loft and get mother to put a couple of chunks of raw steak on your shining evening face where it'll do the most good. “Tell her I'll be up d'rectly, to help tuck away some of the same, medium rare, where it'll do me the most good. I don’t know but what if this'll learn you some sense. 1 won't owe Holy Joe Trumble a heap over'n’ about what I m to pay him back any £ * % * y Gordon, you said?" pre- Y. T was later that evening, after the two boys had been carefully tucked into bed, that E. B. discussed the ma ter more fully with Mother Charmle: who was properly sympathetic “You can't blame the little snickum- fritzers so_much,” E. B. defended y. “Boy's going to be boys, you .~ And that man Trumble, now. back of all this. There'll be some heavy beiting tomorrow on my Emu- lator, foks figuring him to be the favoright and all. Trumble's going to clean up. And I don’t deny I'd ltke to have had that $2,000 purse about as as the next one.” “Why don't you tell the stewards about it?” “What could they do, mother? It's N You know I don't allow my boys to bet. I've told both you snickum- fritzes that every time you had a leg up for me on one of my horses 1 was putting down a modest wager | for you, didn't I? An’ that I wouldn't stand for outside betting. Now, ain’t that so2” Fleabit nodded, the while he strug- gled heroically to dam a threatened deluge of tears. “So now 1 want continued E. B. Whereupon Fleabit recounted the sorrowful saga of his venture beyond the pale. Scooter Flynn, rider for Mister Perry Gordon, had approached him that morning, and had sworn by the name of the prophet's steed that Rompaway was a cinch in the sixth. Thus persuzded, Fleabit had commis- sloned Scopter to bet a couple of finnifs for him, with Holy Joe Trum- Lie, “oral” bookmaker. Rompaway had lived up to Scooter's advance motices of him, and Fleabit had therefore gone under the grand- :and, after the seventh race was over, 'to collect. Then Holy Joe had | deliberately welched on the bet, and Scooter backed up Holy Joe's claim by insisting he forgot to make the bet for Fleabit, offering that outraged vouth back his original $10, instead of 1 the straight of it,” all guesswork that I been,telling you. And I reckon Fleabit must have told Trumble some things he never learned out of his lessons that you been teach- ing the boys, so Trumble’d use that for an excuse.” A moment of silence fell on the cozy little room. “You know what'd be good—a real good cure for all this sort of thing?” B. B. asked wistfully. “I've wished a heap of times we could be fixed so's to build a sort of clubhouse for all the boys at the track. Nothing fancy, mother. No psalm_factory or an thing. But lots of books with detec. tive stories, and some pool tables and a gymnasium and games and things. They ain’t no getting round it, that'd give the little tads something to do after dark, and the heaven knows they ain’t a more desolate place on earth than a race track after- supper time. Something like that'd keep the youngsters out of all kinds of mis- chief.” Mother Charnley agreed comfort- ;. “Yes, father, that would be But it seems to me that no man ought to be allowed to beat a lit { tie boy, especially not one of our little the twenty to which he was justly en- titled. Fleabit had promptly t with his perfidy, adding the axed Holy Joe 7 or h, about Trumble. Yes, vou're right.” We'll have to give Trumble his needings. By the way, fsn't that a| o that, | about 10 o'clock? And don't I have to be out there on the track with the boys at 57 Guess we better forget the cares that infest the day set the alarm clock, mother? * ok Kk % HE were two outstanding fea- tures of the next day's racing card to occupy the interest and attention of the “talent,” and in both featu the name of E. B. figured prominently The first, of course, was the fact that rigord nosed out the heavily backed favorite, 13. B.'s Emulator, the Mermentau Handica. The second dealt with a big bay claiming plater, Canobean, who, for the fifth time in his career at the falr grounds, falled to unkink himself in time to finish in the money. Cano- bean, entered by the Delaney Stables in the sixth race, finished fourth over a distance of a mile and & furlongs What gave the insiders a jolt was that E. B. Charnley, after Canobean had thus quite definitely proved himself worthless on a race track, should im him for the full claiming price $1,500, when he probably might have bought him outright for less. “Old Man E. B. must be eatin’ it off the back of “his hand, or something," remarked Blue Grass Billings. “It's over my head like a circus agrecd Solly Gelbman. *What u suppose ails Canobean?"” just one of those unkinkable * veplied Blue Grass oracularly slow starter, bullt so that he's got to run a mile or more before he gets warmed good and moving fast. Take today, and the rush he was making the last two elghths. He was moving faster'n any other horse on the field at the finish, but he was so far behind by the time he got started that there wasn't a chance to catch u in Maybe E. B. wants to save him for the long feature: miles and that stuff?"” “Nix. They tried him in a 2-mile race once, and he died in the stretch. Hain't got two whole good miles in his whole muscle-bound, unkinkable framé. They've given him five starts at differ: ent distances now. He's got about 6 furlongs of real speed in him, and it takes him a mile to get warmed up to it. But at a mile and 6 furlongs he's too late getting started; at 2 miles he’s done shot his bolt: and at any dis- tance less'n a mile he can’t even get started at all.” Blue Grass' opinion was pretty gen- erally shared among the wise ones. For once E. B. had evidently been left at the post. Even Holy Joe Trum- ble could not keep from taking a dig at the old Kentuckian, of whom, as a he stood rather in awe. When vou going to start Cano bean?” Trumble asked one day, smil- ing. “Right plied mildly. well.” “That ain't what the railbirds tell B. re- shapin’ soon, 1 reckon,” E. “He seems to be me. “We-e-ell, Trumble, when you get to be my age, vou'll maybe learn that the railbirds didn't write all the hook There’s one or two things even some of the railbirds ain't found out yet.” “All right, E. B., let it go at that. What distance you going to try him at this time?" “Six furlongs, I was thinking of.” furlongs! Why, that oat hound don't start to run until after a mile. You start him at 6 furlongs and he’ll get mixed up with the finish of the next race.” o7 ““Course he will—if he's lucky and gets away to a good start. If he don't do that, he won't be finished by even | then.” “We-e-ell, you may be right. I don’t aim to have folks think 1 know it all.” “Ouch! What a dirty crack! Mean- ing to say I do, eh? Well, I tell you | what, E. B. When you do start Cano- bean at 6 furlongs, don't patronize the other books. I'll give you some rea) sure-nough odds, or let you take an’ write your own ticket. So be a good egg and do your betting with me that race, will you hank you, Trumble,” replied E. B. equably. “'Since you put it that way, don't be surprised if I take you at your word.” Trumble laughed uproariously as he retailed the conversation to his Inti mates later. They, too, appreciated the jest, and, seeking out E. B., asked him to let them in on the melon when it was ripe. E. B. took the baiting in good part; so much so that the book- “Right here,” smiled Trumble, I can get a dozen men who'd pay me a good percentage for the privilege of being allowed to underwrite that bet. Make out your ticket, B. B. Three hundred will be all right, and | were being led out 50 will three thoussnd. Got a blank?” | E. B. had a blank. that betting has been purified Loulsiana race tracks by solemn law. In the old days the bookr wrote out the tickets and them to the bettors. Thus they made book, and making book is now for bidden by the statute. As such things are conducted today, it is the bettor who writes out the ticket, which he hands to the bookmake Thus the mat °r becomes @ private transaction betwcen gentlemen, and the hookmaker, of making book, is merely The law | does not forbid the making of private bets between friends, and the list of any oralizer's friends may be found in the reports of the census takers Taking a blank c: B. scrawled upon it the wor nob $15,- 000--$300 (1) E Charnley,” and handed the memorandum, together with three one-hundred-dollar bills, to Holy Joe, who v appily profuse in his thanks to the other party to trictly oral transaction s a little late for Santa Claus,” observed, “but much obliged to E. B, just the same.” B. strode placidly away to the paddock, into which the horses were just being led. As he reached the in Cclosure, a buzzer shrilled. Jocke: and uniformed track valets appeared from their guarded quarters, the jock eys swaggering a bit in the consclous ness of immaculate silks and the crit ically admiring regard of the multi tude, close-packed about the chicken wire screening that fenced off the crowd. Cargfully folded blankets number cloths, weight pads and finally the light racing saddles were deftly placed, adjusted and fastened You know what to do?" E. B asked casually of little Fleabit, glow- ing in silks of carmine and white Fleabit nodded. Again the buzzer shrilled a warn- in, Everybody up!” ordered the pad- dock official. E. B. stooped and cupped his two big hands. Fleabit rested his left heel lightly in the cup and was almost flung into the saddle. The uniformed valet handed him the braided leather bat and reins, which he knotted care- | fully. Distantly, from the judges stand, came the silvery summons of on te kers | he that ol make sut as they heard iny strai And st ht u sald when we talked to him just now For be it known | & | handed |on the | the n {that young brow * K k% the bugle. A scarlet-coated parade leader, | mounted on a beautifully pled | pony, led the procession single file out of the paddock and to the track where they would be reviewed by the | judges, according to ancient custom, | before being led to the barrier for | the start. It was an old story to the “talent,” but none the less they crowded forward into two solid walls | to watch the parade from paddock to track gate. Between these living walls the horses minced nervously or ambled sedately according to their divers dispositions. Nobody knew exactly how it happened. Somewhere some one suddenly opened a folded newspaper as the horses filed by. One of them shied violently. The crowd suddenly swerved away, thus adding to the confusion. Jockeys, full power of their muscular Wrists, gentled their horses down—all but one. That one was Canobean. Shying, rocketing from side to side, ears laid using the | back flat, he suddenly bolted down the track away from the rest, and dashed off on a wild gallop of his own. Standing in the stirrups, Jockey Corrigan could be seen saw- ing the bit in what was evidently a desperate attempt to halt the run away. But Canobean would not be gainsaid. A full mile he ran, bringing up only when he reached the barrier where the other entries in the race were waiting for the start. B. better let you run his se ing machine instead of his horses, Corrigan, if that's the best you can do.” remarked the official starter with empha “Bring ‘em up now-— slow. Jerry turn that big gray the right way. Come in, Flynn, bring your—say, d've want me to set you down? Bring that . . ." With a taunt “Whang!” powerful springs shot the barrier up, and the jockeys, gathering their respective mounts _into their laps, flung them forward and awa, The far-off grandstand crowds voiced the roar with which the start malkers set thelr clockersto watching | Canobean’s exercise sprints. After all, | ou couldn't tell what E. B. might have up his sleeve. But the reports | of the clockers were distinctly reas- | suring. “Canobean does the first mile in two weeks and the next six lengths in close to the track record. After that his bolt’s done shot and they pretty near have to load him in a van and haul him back to the stable,” ran these reports. * k k % 'HUS, on the day when E. B. | L entered his unkinkable bay for a { six-furlong race, he was besieged by a merry crowd who offered him un- thinkable odds. But the big horse- man_quite_calmly singled out Holy Joe Trumble from the rush. “What odds did you say, Trumble?” he inquired mildly. “Any odds, E. B. Fifty to one if you want it.” “Well, that'll be nice. of a big bet, are you?” “Not on Canobean at six furlongs. Bring on the mint, and anything I can’t cover I can get plenty help for."” Not afraid of every race is greeted, but the roar came muffled across the wide green in- fleld to the riders. And, anyway, the real drama was enacted under the grandstand in the Palm Garden where Holy Joe Trumble, in color delicate green splotched here and there with yellow, was counting out $15,000. For Canobean, thoroughly un- kinked, off to a magnificent start, had kicked clotted dirt from the soft trac's back at the other horses with every drive of his powerful legs, and was never headed. For the six furlongs of that race he was the fastest-moving horse on the track. EE HERE was a frosty tinge to E. B.’s eyes as he came around to collect. “Lots of witnesses, Trumble,” he said in tones so low that only the oral- izer heard. “Plenty of people around to make sure that you didn’t welch on this like you did on that $10 bet with little Fleabit. Oh, yes, I knew what it was all about. Mighty few things about a race track an old fellow like me don’t get to hear sooner or later, if he keeps his ears open and his mouth shut. kink an unkinkable horse. And what he don’t hear or see he can sometimes “Oh, 1 wasn't thinking of betting more ' than That's a_smart of money, though. Calls for fifteen thousand if Canobean wins, at fifty to one.” three hundred dollars. | Trumble. fieure out. Er—yes—thank you, This -here’ll do righi nicely.” “It was anybody but old E. B. marked the presiding judge, “I'd Even learns how to un-| | | | printed in 15 | stamps” ace shied as they the p: Corrigan _ evidently ng enough to hold tha . That's a powerful know Every horse in the horse, you 1, Charnley won a lot of mones wce, didn't he” worpied one o ociaie judges. hey tel he got 50 to 1 from Trumble for 300. That makes $15,000 he cleans up. I honestly think it's our duty to look into- > A commotion at the door of the lit tle glass-sided kiosk interrupted the conversation. The superintendent for -ound broke in, ss of rule and defiant of all custom. He was v sheaf of bills of large denomina- twe 5 judges, wha'd you think of this?" 'he gasped, oui of breath. “Hadn't we ought to make some kind of public announcement? Old E. B. ey just comes up to me and do. 15,000 to build a freg clubhouse mnasium for the boys and at the fair grounds.” - ¥E RTED BY JEAN NEWTON HOW Penny for Your Thoughts. Many a man, looking at a maid who seems pensive, wishes that he knew what is-going on in the mind behind what sentiment to. rd him is veiled by eyes that tell him nothing. And he V8. “A penny for your thoughts It is & saying that is freque in common speech today, is not of modern orfgin liter inning: nth ce Lyily in overbes” tiy used hough it Indeed, it had ar back as the when it was used phues” and in the Jorn Heywood, first which is the earlies by s of ction of coll ings. English colloquial say “YOU RUN UPSTAIRS TO THE LOFT AND GE STEAK ON YOUR SHINING EVENING FACE WHERE IT'LL DO THE MOST GOOD.” ' MOTHER TO PUT A COUPLE OF CHUNKS OF RAW Government Aids Stamp Collecting - Through Special Post Office Branch O longer a mere “pastime of children” or “old man's hobby,” philately—the study and collection of stamps—has grown to such proportions that a Government bureau has been established in Washington to cater to the wants of the ever-increasing army of collectors throughout this country and in other lands. By means of a philatelic agency the Post Office Depariment for some years | not only has been able to supply the needs of philatelists everywhere but at the same time has brought thou- sands of dollars annually into the Treasury. The agency Is conducted under the direction of Third Assistant Postmas- ter General R. 8. Regar, who has been closely ociated with the work since it was begun in December, 1921, at the initiative of Second Assistant Postmaster General W. Irving Glover. A letter from a man who had been called a “nut” and’ treated dis- courteously by a Post Office employ® when he asked for “well centered led Mr. Glover to conceive the idea of a section within the de partment to meet demands of thi sorf. Emphasizing that stamp col- lecting is as fascinating a hobby to some men as golf is to others and that the Government might easily italize this situation, Mr. Glover outlined his plan before higher offl- but was told that he was “I had been called ‘crazy’ before,” aid Mr. Glover, in reviewing the his- tory of the agency, “so that did not afféct me. I let the matter drop for a few months and then brought it up again. Once more the authorities re- fused to approve of it. Will Hays was at that time Postmaster General and I asked him to give me permission to try out the idea for two months on the condition that if I didn’t take $5,000 in that time I would admit I was ‘crazy’ and abandon the project. He agreed to that proposition, so we began doing business. During the first month we took in $4,500, and from that start the agency has grown into a division selling well over $100,: 000 worth of stamps a year.’ Not only does the philatelic section fill a long-felt want but it also has turned out to be an exceptionally profitable undertaking to the govern- ment. Practically all the money taken in is clear profit. Stamps cost Uncle Sam about six and a_half cents a thousand for printing. When they are sold to collectors at their face value the amount received is practically a gift, for no service is performed in re- turn, as in the case with stamps placed on letters or parcels. * kK K THE philatelic agency established by Mr. Glover was the first of its kind in the world. After its worth had been proven other nations imitated | the idea. Canada sent a representative to Washington to study the methods used and copied the plan outright in the Dominion. Several other foreign governments followed America’s lead and organized philatelic departments modeled after the one here, The local agency i8 housed on the second floor of the City Post Office Building at North Capitol street and Massachusetts avenue. A. D. Collins is the agent in charge of the actual workings of the office. Stock is sent there from the Bureau of Engraving | and Printing in the same manner as to the regular Post Office. The stamps 's re-| reach the agency in panes or colls, say | perforated or imperforated, exactly as specifying the wa K ok O 1 HH to 8.4 H BT T ‘yl‘fiunnufll:v e P et perRit &% B 8 AR o5 B8, pgtt Gt i O i 2 §ux w4 SERN Y, Fang SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL ITED STATE STAMP EXHIBITION TION IN LONDON IN 1923. OF THE U} GLOVER WITH THE POST OFFICE DEPART- they come off the press. They are then carefully gone over and those un- suitable or undesirable from a phila- telic standpoint are returned. It you call at the window of the office you will be waited on in an efficient and courteous manner by Mrs. M. C. Shaughnessy, widow of Col. E. H. Shaughnessy, a former Second Assistant Postmaster General, who lost his life in the Knickerbocker Theater disaster of January, 3 will “speak your language’ a philateMst, and knows what v mean by ‘“well centered stamps “plate numbers,” “arrows,” and sim- flar terms, as does each of the five other clerks that make up the per- sonnel of the oftice. Though every one | there is enthusiastic over his work and endeavors to give accurate and impartial service, no one associated | with the agency is a philatelist. While Mrs. Shaughnessy looks after the window trade and acts as “chief stamp clerk,” the other- members of the office are kept constantly at work caring for the immense mail order business, whith literally circles the globe, the office having patrons in every continent of the earth as well as in ail parts of the United States. The extent to which these widely scattered philatelists apprectate the help of the Post Office agency is shown when they come to Washing- ton, either in the course of their busi- ness or for pleasure, and take pains to visit the division for the purpo of “getting acquainted” and expres: ing satisfaction over the Service they have received. The section has stamps of all cur- rent issues of the United States for sale as well as many sets now out of . circulation, going back as far as 1902. All are sold at their face value, al- though some would cost more if ob- tained through a dealer. An entire set of United States stamps of the is- sue of 1923, which contains 25 de- nominations, ranging from one-half cent to $5, can be purchased for $10.64. ‘When the stock in some of the series long off the press becomes low it is necessary to send out compara- tively poor specimens to patrons who must face the alternative of accepting them or none at all. In all other cases the agency is careful only to sell stamps that are as nearly perfect as can be obtained. Men are frequently not as particu- lar as they should be about their everyday work, but if they have a hobby it is a safe bet that they are fastidious in regard to it. Stamp col- lectors are no exception. They make a deep and detailed study of the little pleces of perforated paper, and points that wouldsbe entirely overlooked by the average user are of immense im- portance to the philatelist. All sorts of unique requests come into the of- fice, a striking example being the di- rections that are re?uantly given manner in which post- . , with ead of age on replies be paid; as, s a ten, two threes and a one, a single 17-cent stamp. TR ITH the exception of the month of December, and during those particularly t ‘spelis when are apt to stick togethe of the agency is unifor ghout the year. Rush periods oc cur whenever a new issue is bro out. Shortly after the 13-cent a cent Woodrow Wilson commemor series was placed on the market months ago, the office filled over 2 orders in one week While the agency will take care of transactions involving anv amount, its business is mainly with the pri vate collector and small dealer, as its verage sale of $6.60 indicates. The Jargest order the office ever filled was for $20,000 and was Lo a national chs store, which bought a pane of Harding memorial 2-cent issue of tember, 1923, to be placed in the win- dow of each of its es Some foreign countries, especially 2 few small African governments, have been charged with bringing out new issues for no reason other than to gouge” the philatelists. In the United States new stamps are issued only when absolutely necessary. Some- times popular demand results in new set, as in the e of the Hard- ing and Wilson memorials, and occa- sionally business requirements neces sitate the issuance of a special series, as was true at the time the 1 and 1%4-cent stamps were cr to meet the provisions of the new postal rates. As an {llustration of the conservatism of the Post Office De. partment in this respect, it is pointed out that from 1912 to 1922 the same 2.cent stamp was used, the only change during that period of 10 years being a shift from watermarked to unwatermarked paper. However, this, of course, was an important item to the collector who wants specimens of both in his album. To just how fine a point the Bureau of Engraving and Printing has devel- oped the art of stamp making can be seen in a small change that is put into effect twice each year.. It was found that the adhesive qualities of stamps were affected by temperature changes, and to offset this the bu- reau uses slightly different ingredients Winter from what is used during the Summer. The report of the number of stamps purchased for all purposes by the people of the United States in a year reminds one of the calculations of so- lar distances. During the twelve months ending last July we used 17,- 000,000,000 stamps of the denomina- tions from 1 cent to 10 cents. Of these, the y-cent stamp was least in demand, only about 57,000,000 being sold, wh.le the Z-center was naturally the most popular, well over 10,000,000, 000 passing through the mails. Beginning on the lst of next July, hange ason our ance of pro- ill en- c to cut Office De- capital r Gen- which is ame, Was ntal pr i both t in manufacturing the paste during the | Boden in an hour > of the such as plane de v the inspectors As soon as the corrected, and those few imperfect stamps that i ulation are highly prized by philatelist Inconsistencies in stamps are also soon noticed by tors. A British colony got out a stamp showing Co- lumBus us that ins | the 1 o t discoverer. Columbus was also the subject of an inconsistency in the United States is- sue of a decade or so ago, one stamp »f which showed him as smooth faced nd another as having a full beard, although the incidents portrayed on the two 1ps occurred within a few lays of each other. In addition to King George, a lst of the other royal personages who are stamp collectors includes King Albert of Belgium, King Alfonso XIIT of Spain, King Ahmad Fuad I of Egypt, Prince Hiroyasu of Japan and Crown Printe Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. A such prominent men as wrop P Arthur Hind, . H. R. Green, T. E. Steinway, al Fred Harris and former Sen- Joseph T. Frelinghuysen belong to the philatelic fraternity. prin ymetin 1it is Aerial Ambulance. THE aerial ambulance for the sick and wounded has made great progress in Sweden. There are vast districts in that country with com- paratively large populations which are totally deprived of means of loco- motion during part of the vear. In ‘Winter the roads are obstructed by snowdrifts and in Summer many vil- lages may be isolated by floods caused by the melting snows. In these clr- cumstances it was decided to make a trial of aerial transport, and the gov- ernment in 1923 agreed to share the expense of purchase of an airplane with the Swedish Red Cross. A Breguit biplane was chosen, with a 300-horsepower, 12-cylinder, water- copled Renault engine, capable of car- rying two stretcher cases with one at- tendant. Wheels were impracticable and were replaced by skiis, and a pair of floats were added to facilitate land- ing on water. Military airmen piloted the machine and the service began in December, 1924. During the Winter 11 patients were transported. One patient, suffering from hemorrhage and living in a very isolated district, was transferred to nd a half, where as the journey by sledge would taken 20 hours, thus gaining valuable hou Aviators’ Guide. OLLOWING a suggestion of the Army Alr Service, the Standard ofl Co. of California recently ordered the names of towns and eitles to be painted on the roofs of its warehouses v gulde to avi says Popular onthly. mes will be 1 12-foot o that a pilot can ascertain his location at & glance.