Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, April 23, 1915, Page 6

g with Elementals By G. W. MASTERS (Copyright, 1915, by W. G. Chapman.) “Business is mighty slow, Profes- sor Nahum,” said Madame Ida, the medium, to the latest satellite whom she had picked up in the course of her journeys up and down the length and breadth of the land. #It might be better,” admitted the we folks » too, want to sure that the parties who call on them are the real parties. The astral influ- ence—" “Would fifty dollars bring up my son’s spirit for me? asked the old man eagerly. Madame Ida’'s mouth watered. Fifty dollars! That was just the sum she had longed for. Even a medium is human, and she had seen a spring suit—but why prolong the story? Madame Ida thought that the spirits sht be induced to bring up his son not, of course, for the money, but because of his faith, “It's faith that counts, you know,” she said. “Do you want the sitting at once, Mr. Karpen?" | She pouched the fitty dollars and went into the cabinet. “Professor, the old fool’s stayed to see his son,” she said. “Don’t be scared to go out to him. I've got the fifty, and he won’t try any rough- house business, I guess.” Old Mr. Karpen, seated alone in front of the cabinet, saw a luminous o O R ¥ JANE {TER’S CONTRACT Jane Carter rushed up the steps; leading to the tiny apartment which she shared with two artist friends as impecunious as herself, and burst into the living room. Her flushed face and sparkling eyes were pleasant to see. “Oh, girl she cried, “I'm so sor- Ty to be late when it's my night to “Yes, you cruel creature, Iltl.rv.d," Jjoked Miss Mason. “But | what is the excitement you're trying to keep from bubbling over?” | The other occupant of the room, | Miss Day, anticipating pleasant news, i closed her desk. | “I'm too high in the clouds to fry potatoes, but hungry enough to eat I'm ! completed. “It's just too wonderful!” sighed Jane. “I geem to be living In @ dream. “I hate to look around and see how little there is to be done. Two more weeks and I'm through.” “Maybe you'll get Mr. Lord’s town house to do over,” suggested Miss Mason, the practical. “No, Mr. Lord means to sell that town house and live exclusively in the country. Personally, I can’t un- derstand why anybody should desire such an enormous mansion.” “Very likely he means to announce his engagement,” observed Miss Day, holding a sketch at arm’s length and inspecting it critically. Jane gave an odd, hysterical giggle and jumped up quickly. “Good night, girls, I'm going to bed.” ; ; | But on the threshold she turned. “Is there anything I can do for eith- ér of you?" she asked. | “That was brutal of you!” exclaim- ed Miss Mason, severely. i “It was rather raw to say that and By CATHERINE COOPE. SO0000000C0000000 (Copyright, 1915, by_the McClure Newspa- paper Syndicate) » Mary Anne turnec from the hnxlhe fice after securing her seat fo; matinee on the following Satl?l’ ay. d She would have left the foyer mnt | gone out for the pleasant jat;l‘n' through the shops but for the fact t:s her attention was attracted “l, = poor little woman who stood forlorn! !y holding a tiny infant in her a‘rlilh:: The woman had been arguing quietly | with the boxoffice man, but to noi ":lnlnm sorry, madam, but infants in | arms are not allowed in the theater. ‘ It is against the laws of the house.’ i There was finality in the young | 's voice. m.v‘l:I:h hoer usual impulsiveness Mary | OO000000 Anne approached the woman mdi professor, gloomily. cloud upon the floor, which slowly ,them,” cried Jane, “so come out with-: ey 5 Madame Ida, driven out of Iowa, me and I'll treas to a real dinner.” ! and at her wits' end, had “eonsidered Sanged (HtoLes Torm Of B seih By ] “My, but you're rash! You'll not I could bite out my tongpe now.” answered Miss Day, regretfully. “It's herself fortunate in securing the serv- fces of the starving young wman who | had agreed to work for her on thei basis of a division of the receipts in- stead of on salary. They had had quite a successful tour in Ohio, stop- ping for a day and a night at the | the agtral influence might project an | little country villages, where the gul- ' gjemental in his place and snatch him ' lible are just as numerous as they ever were in spite of education. “Queer business, ain't it, profes- sor?” soliloquized Madame Ida. “But Lord, all business is a graft. It's re- spectable, and it don’t do no harm and does do a lot of good, that's what 1 say. At least, it makes some folks think they’'re seeing the spirits of their beloved dead, and even if they ain’t sure that it's true it helps. That’s what I say—it helps. Never had no folks of your own, did you, professor?” “Not since I was a boy,” the professor gloomily. “Well, listen now,” said Madame | Ida. “There's a rich old guy in this place that's crazy on spirits. 1 got a line on him and I've sent him an ad- vertisement cof tonight’s meeting. He answered “It's Faith That Counts, You Know."” ought to be good for fifty it we can work him right. Had & son who run away and was wild, or something of the sort, and he's got the idea that he's in the summerland and thinks he didn’t treat him square. Work the game for all it's worth tonight, pro- fessor.” “Sure,” answered the professor. “Karpen is his name—Henery Kar- pen, and he's got a mint of money. | We might manage to stay over a few days, and perhaps give him private settings. Shrewd old fellow he is, | man. was a tremulous spirit, for the pro- fessor was more ill at ease than he had been in many a day “Here is your son, Mr. Karpen,” said the medium softly. “Don't touch him. He isn't fully materialized yet, and if you were to lay hands on him away.” “Father!” whispered the tremulous wraith. “You wanted to see me, fa- ther. O how glad T am! You didn't treat me very well when I was in the world of fleshly phenomena—" “I know I didn't, Percy,” answered old Mr. Karpen, “How 1is Edith?” ghost. Oh, tolerable,” answered the old man. “At least, she was the last inquired the time I heard of her. How did you die, ' Percy?” “I am not dead,” said Percy with a sob. “I have passed over into the summerland, as the result of.a blow on the head, delivered—" “In a saloon, Percy? have I warned you—" “No, father. It was a quarrel in a freight car. 1 was working my way home to you, to implore your forgive- ness, when the brakeman found me and struck me on the-forehead. I was stunned by the blow and pitched for- ward over a bridge on to a jagged rock in the river bed a thousand feet below. When I recovered conscious- ness I wab in summerland. Father, have you cared for Edith?" “Why, no, Percy,” answered the old “I told you not to get married until you found a job. I didn't feel called upon to support Edith, But I understand she has a steady job at a dollar a day as a seamstress—" “Then listen, father!” cried the ghost passionately. “I swear to you that unless you take Edith into your home and cherish her I will haunt you for the remainder of your days. 1 will never give you peace. If you love me, cherish my poor wife—" “l don’t know about that, Percy,” answered the old man thoughttully. *“I understand that she can take pretty good care of the child—" “What!” shouted Percy, and for the first time a dreadful suspicion began to show itself in Madame Ida’s man- ner. “Have I a child?”" “A pretty little two-year-old, Per- cy,” said the old man wistfully. “As sweet a little toddler as ever I saw.” “And you have let my wife and child starve on a dollar a day, you infernal scoundrel!” shouted the ghost, throwing off its trappin, nd striding up to the father. “Father, it is I, Percy, in flesh and blood. I am not a ghost.” The old man rose stiffly out of his chair. “That's just like you, Percy,” he sald reproachfully. “You never were strong for veracity. First you tell me you are a spirit and then you say you How often too, they say, in the law. But Lord, that's the kind that we catch the easiest. So work him, professor.” aren't. . Which am I to believe?” “He 1is a spirit,” cried Madame Ida. “The elementals have got him and be able to buy new shoes this week,” ‘warned Miss Day. “Be merciful and tell the news!" implored Miss Mason. Jane swept aside a number of pack- ages and perched on the cleared space of the table. she began a trifie unsteadily. as I was going out for lunch a stran- ger, all togged up in stunning motor- ing costume, asked if I could direct bhim to Miss Jane Carter, the interior decorator. 1 hated him to see that . shabby hole of a studio, but there was ,Bo way out of it. He was awfully nice and didn’t look around a bit, and sald I was recommended highly as baving excellent ideas and good taste. |Isn’t that lovely? He Is the big | banker, Daniel Lord, and wants his country home decorated. He took me there in his motor this afternoon and the house is magnificent.” | “You deserve it, dear,” exclaimed Miss Day. “I can't tell you how glad ’l am that luck is finally coming your way.” “Really, girls, it will take months to do it as he wishes it done, and , while we were out there he suggested ! one innovation after the other, and Is retaining me a great deal longer than necessary to oversee details. Before I left, he made me sign a contract— 'as if 1 would balk half way!” “It's as well to have all that set- tled,” commented the business-like | Miss Mason. ! “Is he young, old or indifferent?” chimed in Miss Day. “Married?” | “About thirty-eight and unmarried! Now I'll die if I don't get something to eat. If you love me, come!" groan- . ed Jane, jumping off the table. | They left the apartment and start” ed towards an Italian cafe, all takling at once. The sudden change in Jane's fortunes delighted the older i girls. Jane was to start water-color drawings of the rooms the following day for Mr. Lord's inspection. When the drawings were delivered Mr. Lord returned them personally and declared himself delighted, in- sisting upon paying a liberal retain- ing ftee. “I hated to take that money,” con- fided Jane, blushing a rosy red at the recollection of her discussion with Mr. Lord. “Mr. Lord declared that it was only good business to accept it.” “When your time is taken for that length of time, you should be.com- _ bensated,” declared Miss Day. “All the same, it seems so mate- ral,” sighed Jane. “You little dunce” scolded Miss Mason; “all the big decorators do fit. What have you to live on while this contract is on deck? It requires your exclusive attention and all other work must be dropped.’ As the decorating of the huge house progressed, Mr. Lord found it of such absorbing Importance that he fre- qQuently called in the evenings to dis- cuss details. His great motor took Jane to any country houses of his “T will,” muttered the professor, ris- | built up a framework of flesh and friends which possessed unusual feat- ing and going into the cabinet, which was set with the accessories for the seance, Madame Ida had advertised ex- blood about him. Karpen. land—" “I tell you I am & human being, 1 warned you, Mr. Your son is in summer- ures, and the great banker alwa found time to go along and satisfy his thirst for decorative knowledge. These spins through the gorgeously tensively, not through the newspa-|YOu old impostor,” shouted Percy, colored October country were fairy- pers, which was apt to bring down the , Clutching his father by the arm. “Fa. land to Jane. attentions of the police, but by means of handbills, and by letters addressed to persons whom she had learned, ther, surely you know me; me!” “It does look like you, Percy,” ad- Look at As they were fre- qQuently late returning to town, they dined at queer inns or picturesque farmhouses. Jane's frequent lateness through underground channels, to be | Mitted his father. “But you know the Seemed to pass unnoticed by her spiritualistically inclined. As a re- elementals are clever fellows. How friends, and as her financial affairs sult there was a fairly full house at a | 40 I know you aren’t in summerland Iimproved, certain luxuries, hitherto dollar aplece, among the audience be- | and that the elementals are just fool- | unknown, appeared in the apartment. ing old Mr. Karpen. Watching him narrowly out of the corner of her eye, Madame Ida decided that the old law- ing me?” “Of course they're fooling you,” shouted Madame Ida angrily. “You “Isn’t she the darling?” remarked { Miss Day. “Just think of her trudg- ; Ing all the way to the market for per- yer could be “worked” as easily as|aren’t the first man that has been | simmons because she knew 1 liked the rest. She had instructed the professor not to permit the spirits to approach the fooled by an elemental. Why, Queen Victoria once sald to me—" “I'm_afrald you are an elemental, thém. Most girls would be too much taken up with their qwn affairs to think of others. She's wonderfully old man that night, this being the | Percy,” said his father, shaking his | unselfish.” { method adopted to pique and stimu- Iate the curiosity. head. “And I'm sorry., because if it So while the pro.| Was really you I'd ask you to forget | son. “Indeed she is,” agreed Miss Ma- “Do you know I have an idea fessor, a'tired in flowing robes, ca-|the past and come home with me, | that she is very fond of Mr. Lord in pered about the assemblage in the | Where your wife and baby have been | a delightfully friendly way, so let's dim light for the benefit of most of ( living two years past, and—say, Per- | be careful not to spoil her innocent the audience, eliciting exclamations of awe by his shrewd “fishing” proc- cy, you infernal chump, if you're ready to quit this foolishness and pleasure In his kindness and consider- ation for her. She is such a sensi- esses, Mr. Karpen saw no spirit of | come home there’s a job waiting for | tive little goose, and if she got the bis son. At last the spectators filed away, but the old man lingered. Presently he was alone with the woman, the medium being presumably entranced within the cabinet. “Now, Madame Ida,” he said, you and the calf ready for the butcher.” “You bet your life!” yelled Percy, flinging his arms about his father. And Madame Ida, looking alternate- ‘ly at the door and at her fifty dollars, idea that his interest is more for her than her work it would be a shock.” “He can't help admiring her work,” answered the loyal Miss Day. “Neith- or can he help admiring such an earnest little worker. Jame is too 1 | realized thatishe would have to find | sensible to misunderstand his kind- came here to see the spirit of my|® Dew professor before the next | mess.” son, and I generally get what I want in this world.” “Ah, Mr. Sharpen—no, the spirit tells me your name is Carp’—thank you, Karpen—you see, it is difficult to | get the spirits invariably at the first | to sharpen a lead pencil with a pair | gan Miss Day, anxiously. attempt. Spirits are like human be- “Landlady.” seance. Woman's 8kill. A man likes to boast about his me chanical ability, but it takes a woman of scissors.—Cincinnati Inquirer. Phoebe’s Only Chance. Cats at a cat show are not scored She got up to answer the doorbell and returned carrying a long box. “That’s the third box of American Beauties this week,” she observed. “I hope he doesn’t overdo it,” be Py S But Jane returned from the country Varied Menu. The chorus girl dines one day ea & The distinction which the posses-| on their rat catching records; there |srust and the next on a crustaceam slon of land used to give is still exem- plified in the titles of “landlord” and “landlady.” Persons are amused at the colored washwoman, for instance, who insists on the term “lady.” But Jot the same woman run a rooming Douse, of whatever description, and she is not a “landwoman,” but a “land- fore it would be of no use to enter Phoebe. She’ll have to be shown in & steel and wire trap exhibition— Toledo Daily Blade. New York Evening Mail. like Jane, too, to forgive a person the second after a nasty dig and of- fer to do something for her. I never dreamed that she cared about him. Looks as though she does.” ' Miss Mason nodded slowly. “In that case I suppose it's better that the house will be finished so soonm,” she said moodily. The rapidly progressing work did not inspire Jane with any great amount of regret. Her pleasure in it was suddenly gone. ! “I'll be happy when it is all over ' and done with,” she told the girls. | The last two weeks seemed to {cause her considerable restlessness. I “She has something on her mind | as sure anything,” observed Miss | Mason. “If this contract is going !o} make her unhappy, I, for one, am sorry that she ever got it.” “Here too!” replied Miss Day. “One | can easily see how she avolds dis- cussing the house or Mr. Lord, and | that's not natural when a task has been well and speedily accomplished.” One evening Mr. Lord brought Jane home in his motor, as the slush was | unspeakable. He stayed some little time talking about his plans for the | future. Jane was noticeably silent. | but it seemed an effort for her not to enter into the conversation. At last Mr. Lord arose. “The day Miss Carter says my house is fin- ished, you must all come out to a cel- ebration dinner. Now don't forget. I'm keeping a big surprise for that ! event! Isn't that so, Miss Carter?” he asked, smiling enigmatically. The second he was gone, Jane hur- ried off to her room. “l know what the surprise is," am-! nounced Miss Mason. ‘“He has fixed up this house for his wife, and per~‘ | haps told Jane this evening coming into town.” “I don't know what ever I would do If he were to anmounce it that night,” groaned Miss Day. | At last the house was completed. Mr. Lord called for the trio in his motor, but scarcely a word was spok- en on the way out. The tour through the fresh, beautiful rooms filled the ; girls with sadness. Jane was unus- ually quiet, and even the lavish praise bestowed upon her falled to lift tfe vell of quiet which seemed to envelop her. She presided at the dinner table in an equally silent mood. At last Mr. Lord stood up, a gl of light wine in his hand. “Now for the surprise!” he cried, gayly. “We must drink to the future mistress of this house!" Miss Mason and Miss Day choked down a sip of the wine, and dared not look toward poor Jame. There | was an awkward pause. ! “Won't you give me your good wishes, girls?” asked Jane, in a wee, small voice. “You don't know hoW many times I have nearly let the cat ' out of the bag these last few weeks. ! The only safe course was not to talk at all.” Then the astonished girls saw Mr. Lord put his arm around Jane's waist and draw her towards him. “Ladies—now drink it this time— to the future mistress of this house!™ he exclaimed joyfully. Dominion Fisherles Important. Those who know the extent and im- portance of the Canadian fisheries are not surprised that the Dominion guards her fishing interests so jeal- ously. In 1908 the fish catch in Can- adian waters was valued at $26,451,- 085. That included all fish products and seals. The capital invested in the fisheries in that year was $15,608,- 376. The value of all vessels, boats, fishing implements, lobster plantas, freezers and fish houses was em- braced in that total. A fishing fleet of 1,414 vessels was employed. Nine of the fleet were engaged hunting for seal. There also were 39,965 boats, manned by 71,070 men. It was no- ticed in that year that gasoline boats were bel sed more and more, and that the fishermen were profiting by it British Cavalry Lack Horses. The British army on mobilization will require 132,000 horses, and no one bas the slightest idea where they can be found. Good authorities tell us that this number of animals of the military age does not exist in the country. With the growth of mechani- cal transport the necessity of taking steps to secure a supply of horses in War grows more and more urgent. ‘We can not, unfortunately, mount our cavalry on taxicabs. We still breed the best horses in the world—but they mhuhtuphrm\--otbnln armies, while the British war office is counting its pence.—London Mail. Goat Is Regimental Pet, The everyday goat is responsible for | Holt without loss of time. ! deep flush to the girl's cheeks. | , titlously watching Mary Anne's fran- | tic efforts to pacify the baby came | he take his milk?" “I can't go in with 'im and I've paid my way in from Bexhill. . My friends are up there now. They' I!‘ he:, wondering what's ‘appened to me. | “Couldn't I take care of l:he bn:;oy o up and see the panto- ;::'irl‘z?yo: :avep(hu whole afternoon | tree. Do let me.” [ Mary Anne saw the woman through i the doorway, then turned with her charge, wondering what her impulsive nature had got her into this time. | Mary Anne lived in the suburbs.: herself. She remembered the huge; open fires that she had seen in the' Liverpool station when she had come in the morning to business. | She soon arrived beside the warm | fire without mishap. She had not been | comfortably ensconced there for a pal- try five minutes before the infant| showed most positive signs of dissatis- faction with Mary Anne's treatment | of him. He wailed softly at first but persons in the waiting room stared or, more truthfully, glared at Mary | Anne, while one or two men walked disgustedly out of the station. The girl was distracted She wished she had never wanted to see “Jack and the Becnstalk” She pined for knowledge of the care of infants and determined to study up Doctor | The fact the baby let slip the bottle his moth- er had given Mary Anne brought a A young man, who had been surrep- | over and picked up the fallen bottle | and presented it to her. ! “Is there anything T can do for you?" he asked, and he seemed col likely to know more than she did about infants that Mary Annesmiled | gratefully. “There may be a pin stick- i ing him—have you looked?” “No-0,” sald Mary Anne. know just where to look.” “Great Scott! Who dressed your baby? Let me have a look?” He took the baby from Miss Anne's arms very firmly but gently and Mary Anne heaved a sigh of relifef. The young man certainly knew how to handle a baby. | “No doubt you have several of your own?" she vouched only half aloud. “No—not guilty. I am a doctor. That {8 why 1 had the temerity to offer my assistance. There seems noth- ing wrong with the kiddie. Wouldn't “I didn't “No,” Mary Anne said with a wist- ful smile that sent a wave of pecullar emotion over the voung man. “He didn't seem to want it.” “Maybe you gave it to him too hot," suggested the doctor. “Hot! It was stone cold.” gazed fearfully at the baby. “Cold milk for an infant! You are a flne mother” the doctor com- mented. “But T am not his mother,” protest- ed Mary Anne wiih a rush of cclor to her cheeks. “I don’t know a thing about babies.” “Quite unnecessary {informution,” laughed the doctor, somehow very much relieved that Mary Anne was not the infant's mother. He had been wondering how 80 neat and dainty a girl could take such wretched care of a baby. Mary Anne told him of her adven- ture with a shy smile. She marveled how the baby had become wonderrally | contented in the doctor's arms. | She | “I suppose you wouldn't mind snow- e ing me the number of your seat for Saturday?" Doctor Cosgrove asked tentatively as they went toward the | theater with the sleeping baby. “I have been intending to see ‘Jack and the Beanstalk.' " His guilty expression told Mury | Anne that the pantomime had never entered his head before. “My seat is No. 14.D she said quickly, Mary Anne blushed hotly and Doc- tor Cosgrove burst into hearty lauzh- ter when the little mother of the | fant came beaming from the tl ter. “Your mieses has been an ance!! | wish 1 could give her as much hap piness as she has given me today.” “j think you have done more'—rx)r us,” the man said quickly, ang cast a glance at Mary Anne, “She is not my ‘misses’—at present,” he added, and went over to the boxoffice to see it te T:wnld secure No. 13-D. ® smile in his eyes as h, :’dh;e:m. told Mary Ann:r:;::n;g A N success iy ful, and she, too, —_—— Greatest Fault. The greatest of faults is sclous of none—Thomas P Carlyle, material for wooq It has been quoted o t cents a cubic inch, anq lboul-u[.::: by the thousand board feet. 5 %”’ ) WHO GETS THF MONEY YOU EARN? DO You ¢ DOES:SOMEEODY ELSE WHO DOES NOT ERRN ZT7EUT' YOUR “EARNING POWER" CANNOT LASTIALWAYs, WHILE YOUARE MAKING MONEY BANK IT AND:gg FOR OLD AGE. JUST DO A LTITTLE THINKING. REVK _WITH US. WE PAY 5 PERICENT INTEREST ON TIME DEPOSITS, American State Bank “BE AN AMERICAN ONE OF us.” Now is.the Time to Lay In a Supply F 98 Ib Sacks Best Plain Flour - 338§ 24 Ib. Sacks Best Plain Flour - 1. 12 Ib. Sacks Best Plain Flour - 98 Ib. Srlf-Rising Flour “It's a Wise Head that Builds a Shed” o Some one, also wise, has said,— To protect your tools from dew and du-t. And the ravages of rain and rust’ Plenty of,Shed Room On a Farm Is pretty 890d evidence of economical and suecessful management. \ Lakeland Manufacturing Company LAKELAND, FLA. I PHONEs B