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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 1934)
Psychologist Declares Flapper’s Dizzy Days Over Farewell to the flapper. Her dizzy days are over. Comely she was, and full of pep. But she knew little or nothing about brakes, and she has skidded out of sight, according to Dr. Ernest L. Talbert, psychologist at the University of Cincinnati. In fact, the little miss is so far outmoded that one might almost expect a return of the staid days when the McGuflfey readers were the standard literature of the family, says the Literary Di gest. Doctor Talbert based his studies on the character of magazines over the years since the flapper walked on the stage and took her last cue. "Sev eral recent studies of American life from 1890 on show startling changes," he reported to a discussion group at Cincinnati. “A statistical investiga tion of articles printed in periodical* reveals a preoccupation with the changing conditions surrounding the family, with divorce, birth control, and sex morals. Approval of more modern habits show an upward curve from 1922 to 1929. “Since then comes a drop. A more conservative tone appears. The reign of the flapper is over. Periodicals of wide circulation are more conven tional and severe in their professed code than the intellectual organs and women's magazines." Sparrow and Linnet Take Turns Sitting on Nest A recent Issue of the British pub lication, Cage Bird World, related an extraordinary story of a hen hedge sparrow and a linnet that in sisted on nesting in the same spot Since neither would give In, the two birds finally constructed n Joint nest and both deposited eggs in it. Dur ing the incubation period the birds were observed to take turns on the nest, but when it was time for the eggs to hatch the linnet was driven off. Two baby sparrows and one linnet were hatched in the nest, but only the sparrows survived. If You Eat Starches Meats, Sweets Read This They’re All Necessary Foods — Hut All Acid - Forming. Hence Most of Vs Have “Acid Stomach” At Times. Easy Now to Relieve. Doctors say that much of the so called “indigestion,” from which so many of us suffer, is really acid in digestion . . . brought about by too many acid-formina foods in our modern diet. And that there is now a way to relieve this . . . often in minutes! Simply take Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia after meals. Almost im mediately this acts to neutralize the stomach acidity that brings on your trouble. You “forget you have a stomach 1” Try this just once! Take either the familiar liquid “PHILLIPS’ ”, or, now the convenient new Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia Tablets. But be sure you get Genuine “PHILLIPS’ Also in Tablet Form: Phillips' Milk of Magnesia Tablets are now on sale at all drug stores everywhere. Each tiny tablet is the equiva lent of a teaspoonful of Genuine Phillips' Milk of Magnesia. Phillips’ S? /I/(/A tif. tfrujnt\ta At the Hospital First Nurse—How’s business al the hospital? Second Ditto—So quiet you can hear a man’s fever drop. Clean PLUGS for MORE POWER ■pyr-ffS Plugs Cleaned BY THE NEW AC METHOD r a plug Dirts'and Oxide-Coated spark plugs mis-fire intermittently — rob bing your car of power. A thorough plug clean ing will restore that power—save gas, and assure quick starting. You will find the AC Spark Plug Cleaner at all better dealers, garages, and service k stations. Replace ifc*- “dly worn plugs, of r«*" course, with new ACs. KENNEL § URDER CASE ^ 'hy- $.S.VanDme~ w.nu * Cwriftfty 'k'tf'HiftU: H& SERVICE SYNOPSIS Philo Vance, expert In solving crime mysteries. Is called In to in vestigate the supposed suicide of Archer Coe. District Attorney Mark* ham and Vance go to Voe's house. Thfy find Wrede, a friend of Coe's, there; also a Signor Grass!, a guest. The door of the death chamber is bolted from the inside. They force it. Coe is clothed in a dressing gown, but wears street shoes. Heath says it is suicide. Vance says it is murder. The medical examiner says suicide; then finds evidences of mur der. He says Coe had been dead for hours when the bullet entered his head. A small wound Is found, which had bled Internally. Coe's coat and waistcoat have holes coin ciding with the wound, showing Coe was fully dressed when he was stabbed. They find a wounded Scotch terrier. Vance takes the dog to a veterinarian. CHAPTER III—Continued —5— “I know nothing about it, sir," he said with quiet suavity. "I am not of the police. Perhaps you know a great deal about It." His tone, though on the surface polite, was an insult. Heath was piqued. "We know plenty," he boasted truculently. “And when we get go ing, it won’t be so d—n pleasant for you.” Markham stepped forward. "You gentlemen will have to wait In the drawing room for a while," he said to Grassl and Wrede. “And please be so good as to keep the door closed until we want you. Come, Sergeant," Markham said, "we’d bet ter make a onee-over of Coe's room before the boys get here." Heath sullenly led the way up stairs. During the next five minutes or so, Markham and the sergeant walked about Coe's quarters giving them n cursory inspection. Heath went to each window and raised the shades. When he had completed his rounds he went up to Markham. "Here’s a funny one, sir. The win dows are all shut tight—but that ain't all. Every one of ’em is locked. And this room is on the second story, so that no one could get In from the outside. Why all the pre caution?” "Archer Coe was a peculiar man, Sergeant," Markham replied. "He was always afraid burglars would break in and steal his treasures.” "Who’d want this junk?” Heath grumbled skeptically, and moved to the desk. Markham, after casually Inspect ing the closet, walked across the room to the teakwood chest beneath one of the east windows. “I’ve seen nothing of the weapon that killed Coe,” he remarked. “It’s not here," Heath asserted dogmatically. “It was withdrawn from Coe’s body, and I’ll bet the guy cached It where it wouldn’t be found.” A few minutes later Vance re turned to the house. As he entered the room his face was troubled, and anger smoldered In his gray eyes. “There’s a good chance she’ll live," he reported; “hut that was a vicious blow some one dealt her. A blunt instrument of some kind." (I had rarely seen Vance so upset.) “What does it all mean?" Mark ham asked him. “Where does that dog fit in?” "I don't know yet.” Vance sank Into a chair and took out ills cig arette case. "But I have n feelin’ it's our opening wedge. That little dog Is the one totally irrelevant item in this whole bloody affair— she’s our one contact with the world outside. She doesn’t belong here, and therefore will have something important to say to us. Further more, she was wounded in tills house.” Markham’s eyes suddenly nar-' rowed. “And the wound was similar to i the one on Coe’s lieud, and in the same place.” Vance nodded dubiously. “But that may lie merely a coin cidence," he returned after a mo ment. “In any event, no one in this house cared for dogs. There's never been one here. No member of this household brought that dog In, Markham. But hud the dog got in by mistake, no member of the fam ily would have hesitated to strike it.” “You think an outsider brought) it In?” “No, that wouldn’t be reasonable I either.’ Vance frowned meditative- ] Jy. “Thnt’s the strange tiling about j the dog’s presence here. It was probably a terrible accident—n fatal1 I miscalculation. That’s why I’m so ■ deuced Interested. And then there’s this point to be considered: the per son who found the dog here was afraid to let her out. Instead—for] bis *wn safety he tried to kiii her j and then hid her behind the por tieres downstairs. And he almost succeeded In killing her. The dog either witnessed the stabbing or was present in the house shortly after ward.” “It’s a curious situation,” Mark ham murmured. "Yes. it’s curious,” Vance agreed. “And damnable. But once we trace the dog’s ownership, we may know something {vertlnent. That little Seattle is no mere pet-shop com panion. Far from It. She'd make trouble In the ring for some of our leading winners, I know h little about Scotties. Markham, and I have an idea she’s got both Lauries ton and Ornsny blood In her." “That’s all very well”—Markham was annoyed by Vance’s technical ities—-“but what do those things mean to anyone but a breeder? 1 can’t see that they get us any where." “Oh, but they do," smiled Vance. "They get us much forrader. The breeding of certain blood lines In this country Is known to every sprl ous dog fancier. And a bitch like this one is the result of years of In tensive breeding. Furthermore, she's in perfect show condition now; and the chances are that a dog as good as this one has been shown. And whenever a dog Is shown, another set of facts Is put on record." “Huh!" Heath was unimpressed. “But even If you did find the own er of tiiis niut, where would you be?' The owner might simply say. •Oh, thank you, kind sir. The little devil ran away last Thursday.'" Vance smiled. “So he might. Sergeant. But well bred dogs don’t follow strangers into unknown houses. Moreover, dogs as good as this one are not generally permitted to roam the streets unattended. There’s some thing particularly strange about that dog’s presence In this house last night. If I had the explana tion. I’d know infinitely more about the murderer. Until we have fur ther data, we must assume that he viciously injured the Scottie— probably to keep her quiet—” What Vance was going to say further was interrupted by a noise of footsteps and voices in tbe low er front hall. A moment later, three plain-clothes men and two uni formed officers from the local pre cinct station clattered into the room. “I have taken charge of the case," Markham told them. “We’re handling it from headquarters, but we’ll want two men to guurd the house.” ‘‘Certainly, sir." A heavy-set, gray-haired man saluted, and turned to the uniformed officers. "You, Hanlon and Riordan, stay here. Mr. Markham'll give you or ders.” J he three plain-clothes men had scarcely departed when the finger print experts—Captain Dubois and Detective Bellamy — arrived, with the official photographer, Peter Quackenbush. Under Heath's or ders, they went systematically about their work. “What I want to know,” the ser geant told them, “Is who locked those windows and turned on the lights In this room. And I want to know who went outa this room last." Vance beckoned Heath to one side. “I can throw some light Into the gloom of your uncertainties, Ser geant," he said. “Coe himself locked the windows and pulled down the shades; and he also switched on the lights. But I’ll ad mit I'm In a Stygian darkness us to who was the last person to hnndle the doorknob." Heath called to Captain Dubois, "Say, Cap; take tbe right thumb print of tbe body on the bed, and see if you can cheek It with the prints on the window-catches and the light switch." Dubois went to tbe bed. A few minutes luter he returned with a piece of cardboard on which was an ink impression of Coe's thumb. "You had the right dope. Ser geant." he said. "It looks like the guy on the bed locked this window,” lie then went through the same process of minute comparison with the catches <m the other windows. When he was through he came to Heath. "All the same—ns far as I can see. Two of the lockplates are blurred, but they seem to match." “Now, Cap," said Heath, "try the switch nnd the doorknob." Dubois went to the switch nnd, after sprinkling powder over It, blew upon it gently nnd studied It through his glass. "Same here," he nodded. “I can't be sure, you understand, until I get the photographic enlargements and compare ’em. But the prints look the same—the whorl type with a pronounced ridge dot and sever al distinctive bifurcations." Heath smoked a while In silence. "Try that gun on the desk, wrapped In my handkerchief." Dubois obeyed. "Nothing here." he told the ser geant after a few minutes. "The trigger's incised and wouldn’t take a print Looks to me as If It had been wiped clean before the fellow picked It up." "It had.” Vance spoke lethargical ly. “It’s a waste of time to Inspect the gun. If there are any marks on It, they're Coe's.” The sergeant stood glaring at Vance. Finally he shrugged and waved his hand in dismissal to Du bois. "Thanks, Cap. I guess that’ll be all." Dubois and Bellamy and the pho tographer had scarcely quitted the room when Commanding Ofllcer Moran of the detective bureau, fol lowed closely by Detectives Burke and Snitkin of the homicide bureau, came In. Moran greeted us plensantly and asked Markham several questions concerning the case. He seemed re lieved to find Markham on the scene, and, at the district attor ney's request, otlielally assigned Heath to the case. He left us al most immediately, manifestly glad to get away. Burge and Snlrkln had come at Heath's specific request, and, after greeting the sergeant, -stood by the mantelpiece awaiting orders. Markham sat down at the desk, and made a peremptory gesture to Heath. “Let’s see what we can find out from the people in the house, Ser geant." lie deferred to Vance. “What do you say to beginning with Gamble?” Vance nodded. “Quite. A bit of domestic gossip to start with. And don’t fall to pry into the movements and where abouts of brother Brisbane last night." There was, however, another In terruption before the examination took place. The front door hell rang, and presently two men bear ing a coffin-shaped basket entered the room. They lifted Coe’s body Into it, and. without a word, car ried their gruesome burden out. Markham drew a deep breath and looked at Ids watch. "Get Gnmhle up here, Sergeant,” he said, leaning back in Ids chair. Heath sent one of the uniformed officers to the street with Instruc tions to keep nil strangers away "How Do You Know Mr. Coe Took the Five-thirty Train?” from the house, the other he sta tioned In the hall outside of Coe’s room. He ordered Burke to the lower hall to answer the front door. Then he disappeared down the stairs. Presently he returned with the butler iu tow. Markham beckoned Gamble to the desk. The man came boldly for ward, but, despite his effort, he could not disguise his nervous fear. "We want some Information about the conditions In this house last night," Markham began gruff ly. “And we want the truth—un derstand?" “Certainly, sir—anything I know, sir." “First, take a look at that re volver. Kver seen It before.” "Yes, sir. I've seen it often. It was Mr. Archer Coe's revolver." "When did you see it last?" "Yesterday morning, sir, when 1 was straightening up the library. Mr. Coe had left a record hook on the table, and when I put it away in the drawer, I saw the revolver." Markham nodded, as If satisfied. "Who was In the house last night after dinner?" “Yesterday was Wednesday, sir," the man answered. “There is no dinner here on Wednesdays. It’s ' the servants' night off. Kvery one dines out—except Mr Archer Coe occasionally. I fix h cold supper for him sometimes before I go." "And last night ?" "I prepared a salad ami cold cuts for him. The rest of the family had engagements outside," "What time did you go?” “About six-thirty, sir." “And Ihere was no one but Mr. Archer Coe in the house ut that time?” “.No, sir—no one. Miss I.ake tele phoned from the Country club early In the afternoon that she would not , he home till late. And Mr. Crawl, Mr. Coe's guest, went out shortly before four. I understood he bad an appointment with the curator of oriental antiquities of the Metro politan museum." "And Mr. Brisbane Coe, you said over thq phone, was In Chicago." Markham's statement was actually a question. “He wasn't In Chicago at that time, sir,” Gamble explained. "He was en route, so to speak. He took the flve-thlrty train from the Grand Central last evening." “How do you know Mr. Coe took the five thirty train?" Gamble looked perplexed. "I didn’t exactly see him off, sir," he replied, after blinking several times. "But I phoned for the res ervations, and packed his suitcase, and got him a taxi." “What time did he leave the house?" "A little before live, sir.” Vance roused himself from ap parent lethargy. t "I say Gamble,"—he spoke with out looking up—"when did Mr. Brisbane decide on his Jaunt to Chi cago?" The butler turned his head toward Vance In mild surprise. “Why, not until after four o'clock. It was a rather sudden decision, sir —or so It seemed to me. He gen erally plans on his Chicago trips the day before." "Ah!" Vance raised his eyes lan guidly. “Does he make many trips to Chicago?” "About one a month, I should say, Rlr." "Do you know wlint the attraction is In Chicago?" “Not exactly, sir. But several times I have heard him discussing the meetings there of some learned society. My Impression Is that he goes to Chicago to attend them." "Yes, uulte reasonable. . . . Queer chap, Brisbane," Vance mused. “He's Interested In all sorts of out of-the-way subjects. ... So he made a sudden decision to migrate west after four o’clock yesterday, and departed before five. . . . Most In terestin'. . . . And now. Gamble, think carefully before you answer. Did you notice anything unusual In Mr. Brisbane Coe’s manner last eve ning?" The man gave a slight start. IBs gaze turned quickly to Vance, nnd he swallowed twice before nnswer tng. "I did, sir—so help me God, I did 1 He wns not altogether himself. He's usually very calm and even-going. But before he left here he seemed distracted ami—and fidgety. And he did a most peculiar thing, sir, be fore he left the house:—he shook hands with Mr. Archer. I’ve never seen him shake hands with Mr. Archer before. And he said ‘Good by, brother.’ It was most peculiar, for he has never, to my knowledge, called Mr. Archer by anything but his first name." "As I understand it, when Mr. Brisbane had gone you and Mr. Archer were left alone In the house." “Why, yes, sir." The man was brenthing heavily: all of his obse quiousness had departed. "But I only stayed long enough to prepare Mr. Archer’s supper. . . .’’ “And left Mr. Archer alone?” “Yes! He was sitting In the li brary downstairs reading." “And where did you go and how disport yourself?" Gamble leaned forward earnestly. "I had dinner, nnd then I went to a motion picture.” "And what other servants are there In the house?" For some reason the man breathed a deep sigh of relief. "There's only two, sir, beside my self." His voice was steadier now. "The Chinese cook—" "Ah, a Chinese cook, eh? How long has he been here?" “Only a few months." "(io on. “Then there’s Miss Luke’s per sonal maid. And that’s all, sir.” “When did the cook nnd Miss Lake's maid leave the house yester day?" “Right after lunch. That’s the usual order on Wednesdays, sir.” “And when did they return?" “Late last night. I myself came In at eleven. I was just retiring— about midnight, I should say. sir— when I heard the cook sneak In.” Vance's eyebrows went up. “Sneak?" “lie always sneaks, sir. He's very sly and tricky and—and de vious, sir—if you know what I mean.” "Probably his oriental upbring ing*” remarked Vunce casually,with a faint smile. “Tell me. Is it usual for the servants to stay out lute Wednesdays?" “Yes. sir." “Then, If anyone were familiar with the domestic arrangements here, he would know that he could count on the house being tree front servants Wednesday nights.” “Thafs right, sir.” Vunce smoked thoughtfully a mo-’ merit. Then: “Do you know at what hour Miss Lake and Mr. (irassl came In last night?" "I couldn't say, sir.” Humbleshot Vance a curious look from the cor ner of his eye. "Hut It must have been very late. It was after one o'clock before I went to sleep, and neither of them had returned at that time." “Mr. (Irassl has a key to the house?” “Yes, sir." "How long has Mr. flrnssl been Mr. Hoe's guest V “It was a week yesterday." 1 (TO UB OOMTINUSD) HOW S HO By Bob Nichols 0 Shooting Editor, Field and StrcamM GOOD eyesight Is a great aid In becoming a good wtngshot Hut on the other hand, poor eye sight need not necessarily hinder you to any marked extent in be coming a good shot. Some excel lent shots I have known are men who wear spectacles. Since all of the Information I give you has been gleaned from personal experience, not from hearsay, I tnke the liber ty of becoming personal and tell ing you that from enrly boyhood I have worn spectacles. Although I cannot see well enough without my glasses to read ordinary newspa per type, yet on the skeet Held I break Just ns good scores without my glasses as when wearing them. In fact, without the "specs’’ I do even a little better, striking an average. Slightly Incredible as this may seem, there is a trick In It, and I’ll tell you what It Is. Shooting skeet one knows exactly where his target Is coming from. One also knows within three seconds Just when It will flash Into view. Aud you know exactly Its line of flight. The fact Is, one does not need particularly keen eyesight to shoot well. Hut to see ull the game that gets In front of you In the field—this does require all the eyesight you can muster. Thus, with two gunners of equal shooting skill, the one with the keenest eyesight will In all prob ability get the most shots In the field and will, on that nccotint, kill the most game. Naturally, what I say here does not apply to skill In rifle shooting, because with the single-bullet gun and Iron sights the man with the keener eyes is nlwa.vs the better shot. Knowing that I shoot the shotgun a little better without spectacles, 1 frequently hunt In the field with out wearing them. Hut on such oc casions I like to hunt alone. 1 use my ears and do not want a distract ing sound of a companion rustjlng through the brush. Many a rabbit nnd grouse I have killed where, but for my ears, I would never have seen them to get a shot. Alone, I always hunt very slowly, so that I can catch quickly any sound other than my own. Hut even so, I Im agine mnny a rabbit gets up with in easy shooting dlstnnce of me that I never Ree. The secondary reason why I do not like to wear specta cles afield Is that they are n nui sance In rain or fog. But going without them Is somewhat danger ous in this respect: you muy be hit In the eye by switching brush with painful and even serious con sequences. Without your "specs" on your eyes are slow In their pro tective reflexes. The primary reason why 1 prefer to shoot without glnsses Is, ns I have said, that I shoot better with out them. For It Is true In shotgun shooting, that If you see well enough to distinguish your target, you can see well enough to hit It with a load of shot. All shotgun shooting should be done with the eyes at what I used to refer to as "wide vision.” Since then, one of my oculist friends hns given me the correct term for this. He calls It keeping the eyesight at "universal focus.” In other words, keep your eyes focused on no particular ob ject. This Is particularly applica ble In skeet shooting. Rut It ap plies In the field, t*o. Keep your eyes wide open. See everything clearly In your field of vision. When the target or bird flashes out do not strain your eyesight In Intense concentration of focus on It. Main tain your sight nt universal focus. In this way you will be alertly aware of the target, aware of the line nnd speed of Its flight, and also awnre of your gun without concen trating too much of your attention on It. Failure to keep the eyes at uni versal focus is largely responsible, In my opinion, for most shooters declaring that they cannot shoot with both eyes open. < 'ertnlnly you can’t shoot with both eyes open If you are trying to look Intently at your barrel from breech to muzzle, and nt the same time are trying to see the flying target! It Just can’t be done. Kven the crack aerial rifle and pistol shots could not make their astounding records with this kind of alternating eye atten tion. I am convinced that all good shots on moving or living targets, regardless of whether they shoot with shotgun, rifle, or pistol, use this universal eye focus In their shooting. If you can acquire this trick—and you certainly can—you Just can’t help becoming a much better shot. * (15. \Ve»t»rn Nvwstwner Union. Crow in the Mountains The mountain forget nie-not is a mat plant with flowers of the purest blue, exquisitely fragrant, against u background of gray foli age. says Nature Magazine, The mountain pink grows as n dense 1 cushion with numerous deep pink I flowers. The alpine gentian, (Jen tlana romanzovll, bus white funnel shaped flowers, streaked with blue and spattered with purplish dots The flowers are stemless. ahaut two Inches long, standing erect upild I thick grsutallke leaves. Practical House Frock PATTERN 9083 The nice thing about this frock one of the nice things—Is that you can wear It buttoned up some days and opened on others. If you face the rever with a contrasting color, as In the Illustration, It makes a great deal of difference whether you see the Inside of It or not—*lt really makes a different frock of It. It Is one of those house dresses which may be worn out of doors In the country or for shopping In the morn ings. The Inverted pleat makes the sleeves most flattering. Very attrac tive In a plain fabric as well ns ■ printed one. Pattern 0083 may be ordered only In sizes 34, 30, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 40. Size 30 requires 4 yards 30-Inch fab ric and % yard contrasting. Send FIFTEEN CENTS In coins or stamps (coins preferred) for this pattern. Be sure to write plainly your NAME. ADDRESS, the STYLE NUMBER and SIZE. Send your order to The Sewing Circle Pattern Department, 232 West 18th Street, New York, N. Y. DEMAND FOR NOVELTY “What we need.” said the emphatic citizen, "Is some new laws." "Maybe you’re right,’’ answered Senator Sorghum. "Even a law can grow old and convey the Impression that It has outlasted Its usefulness." —Washington Star. Hard to Fill Aunt ’Liza’s mistress was talking to her one morning when suddenly she discovered a little pickaninny standing shyly behind his mother's skirts. "Is this your little boy, Aunt ’Liza?” she asked. “Yes, miss, dot’s Prescription.” “Goodness, what a funny name, auntie, for a child! How In the world did you happen to call him that?” “Ah Simply calls him dot becuz ah has sech hnhd wuk getting him filled.” Just Reporting “Yes, dear,” she said to her friend over ten. "My husband, I assure you, Is the only man who has ever kissed me.” "Really, daring? Er—but tell me, are you bragging or complaining?"— Register (Des Moines). In Trouble Life Saver—Are you In difficul ties? Fair Bather—Yes. Needle and thread and a button as soon as you can get them.—Weekly Telegraph (Sheffield).