(f MERRY %QUAHE
A NEIGHBOURLY NOVEL
by UKACE S. RICHMOND
s
’ Gordon Maekav preached
vigorous, unusual sermon. Fear
I was less occupied with ser
mon. however, than with the
preacher. Effect of him some
what like having airplane fly
low over one’s head—thrilling
but lucking one momentarily
want to dodge and duck.
Power, purpose, persistence—
them make a stout humming
from his wings. When the
plane takes a slant upward and
away, one breathes freer. If
he should invite one to be his
paasenger, Lord only knows
whether one would be more
faacinnted or fearful.
Departing congregation
much interested in Mrs. Srhuy- 1
ler Cluise in society of ex-teacti
*r. Heard suppressed whis
perings: caught glances, most
ly friendly, a few askance;
Gilder-'eevos unconseioilS of ,T.
J.’s presence; Broughtons pur
suing middle course of half
nod. Thoroughly enjoyed it all.
Home again, uniform on,
knives and forks laid. Rever
berations of airplane dying
away in distance, overcome by
humn ings of mosquitoes close
at hand. Mrs. Lawton quite
ftnauf rable... .What docs it
matter?
V 1.
“Good morning, Josephine.
Jflrs. < 'bane in?”
“Sin ’s out rilling with Mas
ter Bob, Doctor Fiske. She’ll
be buck goon, I think... .She’s
doming now.”
Bichard Fiske turned upon
•{hi: old stone doorstep to see
two figures on horseback cant
ering up the driveway—a
driveway no longer overgrown
with weeds but trimly neat. At
«vcn a short distance it, looked
as if twq boys were arriving,
one sturdily slender, the other
•Trail and lithe. Sully Chase
and her eight-year-old son were
• jolly-looking pair as they
came along, both faces flushed
through the summer tan which
was beginning to show as a re
sult of throe full weeks of daily
rides over the hills.
Seeing the familiar tall form
waiting at an unusual hour ot
the day, Sally reined up in
•1 cud of going on to the old
barn. Doctor Fiske came to
meet her, laying hand upon her
horse’s nose, which sniffed at ,
him expectantly.
“The top of the morning to
yon. Rich!” Sally hailed him
Raylv. Then quickly: “What’s
the matter?”
“Do you read me so easily as
that? Nothing alarming, I hope
—yet urgent.”
She slipped off her horse,
dapping the shining brown
flanks lightly as she called:
“•Jimmy! Look after Prince,
will you?” Then she said:
“Tell me quickly. Rich. Ts
it anything about, Schuyler?”
“Yes. He’s had a touch of
fever in London, and it’s been
complicated by the necessity
for an operation. Caldwell
cabled me you’d better come,
just as an ordinary precau
tion.” Howard Caldwell was
one or t,he clergymen who ac
companied Schuyler Chase on
bis trip abroad.
“Lot me sec the cable.” Sal
ly’s voice was steady, but her
band shook a little as she took
Ihc yellow paper. Doctor
Fiske had known it would be
iircI; s* to deny her. “Just as
an ordinary precaution” does
not. often go over the trans
JVtlnntic eahles.
The message read :
l>r Kicha rd Fiakc, New York:
Chase fever operation send
mife immediately.
Caldwell.
“Xow you know all that 1
do.” the doctor said gently, ns
8al'y studied the meager words
with a studied frown. “But
realizing Schuyler’s run-down,
overstrung condition when ho
left. I think it's safe to deduce
that Caldwell and Bronson
r rely want the moral effect
of your presence, and that the
ease isn’t necessarily in dan
Mines and Us It fin
Tram the Milwaukee Journal.
John I* (call chief of the United
Mine Wortier*, makes a plrture of
the ; mI industry In which there U
dc omtort "As affecting the
mine 4 ronditiuw* are had; as af
fecting the operator*, they hardly
oi.-u'd be worse It is doubtful
artie'her the bituminous coat Indus
•ry pays 1 per rent after its flaco
eh* are paid" Here. then, in
the irdustry governing the live* of
mil ns of Americans. w» have been
fat:-rr* al.tle we have heard rwHti
lt r out iwwssta of our prosperity
gr humanity.
Mi IwwU aays th* railroads ars
ger. It may easily be that
Schuyler himself-”
“He hasn’t sent for me,”
said Sally firmly, and lifted
her head in the proud gesture
her friend and physician knew
so well. She would never ad
mit what he was practically
sure of, that Schuyler in any
crisis would demand her pres
ence, at no matter what cost.
“Of course I’ll go—by the first
boat.” She pulled off her rid
ing gloves as if that were the
first in a sequence of hasty
preparations.
“I knew you would. So I’ve
got passage for you on the
Aquitania for Southampton. It
sails this afternoon at three.”
“But how iu the world did
you-”
“Happen to know several
officials, and when I put the
case up to them they cut a lot
of red tape. A last-minute
cancellation was a great piece
of luck, too, for it gives you
pretty fair quarters, though
not what I’d have liked for
you.”
“Did that cable come just
this morning?”
“Yesterday noon,” said
Richard Fiske, looking her
straight in the eyes. “I held
it till I could arrange this pass
age—'had to have that much
time. No need to tell you till
ir/tn onnlil ufav*f V Ail
know you! And when I got the
passage, I cabled back.”
Her gratitude to him was in
her face aud in her low-spoken
words, “Bless you, Rich—in
deed you do. I should have
been tortured until I knew I
could go. Now, I’ve only to
plan how to leave the chil
dren.”
She put her hand to her head
for an instant, thrusting it
through the shining masses of
her fair hair. Her worried
glance turned to young Bob,
striding at the driveway; then
shifted to a distant group at
the foot of the garden, where
Barbra played in a sand pile
while the nursemaid Mary sat
crotchcting beside little Schuy
ler, tumbling about upon a
blanket on the grass.
“That’s ensy. Leave them
with Josephine. I’d give her
a certificate of fitness at sight.
She’s no housemaid, she’s a real
person, and I’ve no possible
idea how you caiue to get her
in a uniform.”
Sally was leading the way in
to the house. In the square
parlor she stood turning the
possibilities over in her mind.
“I ought to have some older
woman—perhaps a trained
nurse. Couldn’t you get me
oncT”
“Nonsense. The youngsters
are all healthy and hearty as
advertisements for a break tost
food. Josephine knows them
and they like her—I’ve
watched them running after
her. She’s perfectly compe
tent, or I don’t know brains
and sense when I see them.
A 1 T_ * . _ __ T 1_
sum i jm wuiuvc j yj u a ii * uu vww
at least twice a week, and be
on call at any time. Leave the
children to .Josephine and me.
Sally, and don’t have a care.”
“She is competent, I'in
sure,” Sally agreed. “But that
would he to put her in charge
of the whole house. She could
n't do it any other way. I don’t
know how Mrs. Lawson and
Mary-•”
“Let ’em blow up if they’re
jealous. I’ll bet Josephine can
handle ’em.” Doctor Fiske
looked as if for the moment he
had forgotten the possible
tragedy taking place on the
other side of the Atlantic for
the more than probable comedy
about to he enacted on this one.
“And I’ll back her in any do- j
■nestle energy. I can put the
fear of man into any servant
alive. Trust us. Sally dear—
and go pack your hag. You
must have lunch and then be
I to blame for much For. he charges
they combine with coal operators
to break the unions The Milwau
kee road, he charges would r utter
pay Iff a ion for coal than buv It at
I |3 from mines which hav? the
union teals. The teeming i medy
for this would be to requite rail
road!. which base their d manrt
tor rates upon their coats. «> buy
supplies at the lowest obu "table
price But this would not mt *t Mr.
Lewta' objection For in it * best
breath he U declaring that the
Pennsylvania la reducing vhole
communities to proveny bee use It
will not buy escept at prtr -t for
1 bidding profitable operation The
off. I’ll eo order it for you ”,
“No, thank you. I must tell I
them all myself. Josephine
first—if you’re really perfect
ly sure—”
“Dead sure. I’d pick that
girl out of a thousand volun
teers to help me run an emer
gency hospital after an earth
quake, without a particle of
training. Why, Sally, where
are your eyest”
“Oh, I’ve observed her. I do
think she will do—and much
better than any friend I could
summon or who would come
that I can think of.”
Sally disappeared, and Dr.
Richard Fiske stood looking at
the door which had closed be
hind her, thinkhig thoughts in
which he had, more or less un
wisely, indulged himself many
times before. She was so
strong, and so sweet, so ready
to sacrifice herself, she de
served somebody to stand by
her on her own ground, not a
step below her, pulling on her.
He knew he was unfair to
Schuyler, and yet—well—he
felt he wasn’t altogether un
fair. It would take a good deal
to convince him of that.
In the kitchen Mrs. Chase
was stating her case.
“I shall have to put Jose
phine in charge of everything
here, Mrs. Lawson, because my
friends arc all out of town, my
family live too far away, and
I don’t know of anybody to
call on. Doctor Fiske thinks
her perfectly competent. Of
course you will manage the kit
chen as usual—I can depend on
you for that ? But since some
body must be responsible for
everything in the house, and
especially for the children, I’m
appointing Miss .Tenney. I’in
going to ask you and Mary to
call her that. I understand,”
she added quickly, “that you
will find that a little difficult
at first, but it’s the only way
I can arrange in such a hurry.”
Mrs. Lawson said something
unintelligible, turning her back
as she bent over the oven, and
Sally realized forbodingly that
trouble would be brewing from
the moment that the door
closed behind her. But there
was no time to apply more oil
upon the waters than could be
done in this hasty interview.
Mrs. Lawson had not been long
in her employ, and could not
be relied upon as an old and
loyal family servant. Well,
Richard Fiske was right, there
was nothing to do but to trust
Josephine .Tenney.
“Remember, please, Mrs.
Lawson,” Sally said, with the
pleasant dignity which was pe
culiarly hers in dealing with
domestic affairs, “that, I am
very anxious about my hus
band, and that I want to go
away without any worries as to
the way things will be done in
my absence. Whatever diffi
culties come up, please make
the best of them till I am back;
then we will settle everything
properly. May I rely on you T”
The woman turned at this
appeal, an answered humanly
enough that she was sorry
about Doctor Chase, and would
try to get. along without Mrs.
Chase. “But I’m free to say I
think you’re making a mistake
to put a waitress in charge of
things she knows nothing
about.” she relieved her in
jured feelings by saving.
"\t icq .Tpnnnv t c a cr»Ti aaI
teacher.” S ally decided
promptly to reveal the whole
situation. ‘‘She only took this
position as vacation work. Per
haps knowing that will make
a difference, Mrs. Lawson.
You will sec that she can easily
learn how to take charge of a
home... .That’s all. I think.
I’ll say goodbye to you all
when I’ve packed and had the
coffee you’re to make for me.”
She ran upstairs, to find that
.To had brought out her travel
ing clothes, her bags, and had
laid everything else in readi
ness of which she could think.
Tn Sally’s eyes she already
looked like a friend.
‘‘Oh. Josephine—thank you!
And please stay while I dress,
for I’ll have no other time to
talk things over. Do you know
I'm leaving everything in
charge of vouT I suppose Doc
coat puchaae of tha railroad* are so
enormous that their o radices are
aim oat a controlling factor.
Bo we gat a new and disturbing
light upon tha difficulty of nrebtng
tha railroad* tha servant and not
*ha m aiter of tha public. Through
tha interstate commerce rcmmU
'lon. we have tried to end tha evils
of favoritism by forbidding rebates
*nd requiring tha equitable dis
tribution of frelgbt cars We have
triad to Unit gouging by fixing
rataa Theoretically there la even
umtrol of financial hocus-porus
and looting through ’he u..er»tate
* nsunwie cununiaajoat function of
tor Fiske told yon. or you
wouldu t have thought to do all
this for me.”
‘‘Yes, Mrs. Chase, Doctor
Fiske told me just why you
were going, and that there was
nobody except me to trust with
the children and the house.
Please let me promise you that
I’ll take every care of them. 1
do know children pretty tbor
oughly, and 1 know your wish
es about their food and sleep
and the rest of it. You’re not
to be anxious about us.”
Sally looked into Josephine
Jenney’s steady, beautiful eyes
under their level dark brows,
noted afresh the cool, charming
poise of her manner, and recog
nized the sure signs of one who
could safely be placed in au
thority because she was wholly
fit to use it. Sally drew a deep
breath of relief, and her con
fidence was made fast.
‘‘Thank you—that does help
so much.” she said. ‘‘And now,
I've told Mrs. Lawson you’re
to be called Miss Jenney, and
you must enforce that. If you
are actually mistress in my ab
sence you must be mistress in
name, too.”
‘‘Yes, I suppose so. It will
undoubtedly be—the cause of
interesting developments in the
kitchen,” Jo answered, so pre
cisely as one of Sally’s friends
might have said it that even
in this hour of anxietv both
*•
young women smiled amusedly,
as visions of domestic furies
over questions of precedence
came into their minds. Then
Sally sobered again as she laid
practical details before her as
sistant, which ended with:
‘‘Please take off the uniform
before T tro. Josenhinp. so the
others may spe I wanted you to
do it. I’m going to eall you
Josephine, still, you see, but as
a friend now—and my strong
right arm.”
So when, au hour later ,Sally
Chase, in traveling clothes, her
luggage already in Doctor
Fiske’s car, stood up from the
long embraces she had given
Bob and Barbara—a kiss on the
cheek of the sleeping baby be
ing all she had ventured—as
she was able to put the beloved
three into the hands of one who
looked, as she had looked on
that Sunday a week ago, so like
“one of the family,” that Sal
ly’s heart was suddenly more
at ease about them than she
could have believed possible.
As she took her place in the
car, and Doctor Fiske ran
around to its other side, in a
hurry to get her off and end
the emotional strain, an unex
pected arrival halted him.
There was the sound of a quick
step on the driveway, and the
next instant a ruggedly attrac
tive face looked in upon Sally;
thick, sandy hair with a touch
of curl in it gleamed in the
sun; and a quiet voice with a
strong Scotish accent said rap
idly :
“I’ll not delay you a minute.
Mrs. Chase. I just got word i
you were off to meet your hus- i
band. I’m Gordon Maekay,
and I’m used to trying to be
of sairviee. I want to keep an
eye on your household, if !
you’re willing. I’d like to
come over and play with the
bairns, and if I’m needed in
any way Miss Jennev can call
on me. Will you let me take
care of anv deeficulties that
may come up, for you?
How in the world did the
man know it all, even to Jo
Jenny's new position? Let
those who live in small towns
tell. But Sally didn't bother
to wonder about that, in this
hurried moment. All she knew
or eared for was that this was
the Scottish preacher she had
so liked, and that still another
“strong ripht arm” was at her
disposal. The man looked as
if he could indeed move tnoun
tains of “deeficnlties” at need.
(TO B»: CONTINUED)
A Touching Talc.
From Le Petit Bleu.
“Of course you remember? W«
went to college together. Well, here’s
what brought me to see you—I have
a magnificent proposition and It will
take S2.V000 to swing It.”
"Let's come to the point Do you
want a dollar?"
"I I dtdn t dare ask vou for If
passing upon Issue* of securities
And there was the law which for
bad e railroad* to own coal mint*
and oil well* and other busineeaea
But there Is still the large loop
tiok*. Mr Lewi* indicates whether
hia particular marge* are well
founded or not. there is nothing tc
prevent those who own the rail
road* Lean owning other com pen tee
And this may give one road an
interest in paying excessive price*
for equipment and supplt*a.
another, an interest in depressing
price* rhe latter mould be difficult
to condemn a* a business policy, but
Mr Lewis charge U that it la done j
to redu e miner* to Mivitude
FRED NIBLO
Photoplay Director, writes:
“To a moving picture director there is no comfort
or luxury like a good cigarette. Such a cigarette
I have found in *The Lucky Strike*—and during
the filming of big pictures like *Ben Hur* I smoked.
*Luckies* even while directing in the open air
thousands of supernumeraries, and never once
did l ever suffer from
throat irritation.**
“It’s toasted”
No Throat Irritation-No Cough.,
©1928. The American Tobacco Co.. Inc.
1_ ______
modern Suite
Evidently It has remained for Cali
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In architecture. At the recent con
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had been discussed as to their rela
tive merits for various parts of the
country.
“All very fine,” finally Interrupted
the Californian, “but out our way,
we’re introducing an entirely new
style, to suit our own self-evident
needs—a garage for three cars, with
a built-in living-room.”
It’s a Question
Apartment Hunter—How much Is
this apartment with the piano?
Manager — Let’s see — would you
mind playing It first, please?
There are myriads of babies as fine
as any theory of eugenics could have
produced.
Of Course I
“They say he has a fortune with
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“That's nothing!"
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