The mini LANTERN
By TEMPLE BAILEY —=—
O PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY —WNU SERVICE
CHAPTER XII—Continued
—18—
“Baldy,” Evans said, "I don't
agree with you that it was—the mon
ey. That may have helped in her
decision. But I think she cares—”
‘‘For Towne—nonsense.”
‘‘It isn’t nonsense. She knows
nothing of love. She may have tak
en the shadow for the substance.
, 4 And he can be very—charming.” It
” wrung his heart to say it But al
most with clairvoyance he saw
the truth.
When they returned to the house
Baldy found a message from Edith.
He was to call her up.
‘‘Uncle Frederick has Just told
me,” she said, “that Jane is to be
my aunt. Isn’t it Joyful?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Why not?”
“Oh, Towne’s all right. But not
for Jane.”
“I see. But he’s really in love
with her, poor old duck. Talked
about it all through dinner. He’s
going to try awfully hard to make
her happy.”
“Then you approve?”
He heard her gay laugh over the
wire. “It will be nice—to have you
—in the family. I’ll be your niece
in-law.”
“You’ll be nothing of the kind.
“You can’t help being — Uncle
Baldy. Isn’t that—delicious? And
now, will you come in tonight and
i sit by my fire? Uncle Frederick is
r out.”
“I’ve sat too often by your fire.”
“Too often for your own peace of
mind? I know that. And I’m glad
of it." Again he heard a ripple of
laughter.
“It isn’t a thing to laugh at.”
She hesitated, then said in a dif
ferent tone, “I am not laughing. But
I want you by my fire tonight."
It was late when Evans went up
stairs. He had spent the evening
with his mother, discussing with her
some mfetters where his legal knowl
edge helped. They did not speak of
Jane. Their avoidance of the sub
ject showed their preoccupation with
it. But neither dared approach it.
On the bedside table in Evans’
room lay the valentine he had
bought for Jane. There it was, with
its cupids and bleeding hearts—its
forget-me-nots—and golden darts.
^ Arthur Lane and Sandy talked it
over. “I wonder what has hap
pened. He looks dreadful.”
The two boys were on their way to
Castle Manor. They wanted books.
Evans’ library was a treasure-house
for youthful readers. It had all the
old adventuring tales. And Evans
had read everything. He would sim
ply walk up to a shelf, lay his hand
on a book, and say, "Here's one
you’ll like.” And he was never
wrong.
But of late, Evans Follette had
met them with an effort. “Look for
yourselves,” he had said, when they
asked for books, and had sat star
ing into the fire. And he had not
urged them to stay. His manner
had been kind but inattentive. They
were puzzled and a little hurt. “I
feel sorta queer when he acts that
way,” Sandy was saying, “as if he
didn’t take any interest. I don’t
even know whether he wants us any
more.”
Arthur refused to believe his hero
inhospitable. “It’s just that he’s got
t things on his mind.”
They reached the house and rang
the bell. Old Mary let them in.
“He’s in the library,” she said,
and they went towards it. The door
was open and they entered. But
the room was empty . . .
That morning Baldy had had a let
ter from Jane and had handed it to
Evans. It was the first long letter
since her engagement to Towne.
Baldy had written to his sister, flam
ingly, demanding to know if she
were really happy. And she had
said:
"I shall be when Judy is better.
That is all I can think of just now.
Her life is hanging in the balance.
We can never be thankful enough
that we got the specialist when we
did. He had found the trouble. The
question now is whether she will
have the strength for another opera
tion. When she gets through with
that! Well, then I’ll talk to you,
darling. I hardly know how I feel.
The days are so whirling. Mr.
Towne has been more than gener
ous. If the little I can give him
will repay him, then I must give it,
dearest. And it won’t be hard. He
is so very good to me."
And now this letter had come aft
er Towne’s second visit:
“Baldy, dear, I am very happy.
And I want you to set your mind at
rest. I am not marrying Mr. Towne
for what he has done for us all, but
because I love him. Please believe
it. You can’t understand what he
has been to me in these dark days.
I have learned to know how kind he
is—and how strong. I haven’t a
care in the world when he is here,
and everything is so—marvellous.
You should see my ring—a great
♦
sapphire. Baldy, in a square of dia
monds. He is crazy to buy things
for me, but I won’t let him. I will
take things for Judy but not for
myself. You can see that, of course.
I just go everywhere with him in
my cheap little frocks, to the thea
ters and to all the great restaurants,
and we have the most delectable
things to eat. It is really great
fun.”
Since he had heard the news of
Jane's approaching marriage, Ev
ans had lived in a dream. The peo
ple about him had seemed shadow
shapes. He had walked and talked
with them, remembering nothing
afterward but his great weariness.
He had eaten his meals at stated
times, and had not known what he
was eating. He had gone to his of
fice, and behind closed doors had
sat at his desk, staring.
And now this letter! "You see
what she says,” Baldy had raged.
"Of course she isn’t in love with
him. But she thinks she is. There’s
nothing more that I can do.”
Evans had taken the letter to the
library to read. He was alone, ex
cept for Rusty, who had limped
after him and laid at his feet.
She loved—Towne. And that set
tled it. "I am marrying Mr. Towne
"I can’t stand much
excitement.”
because I love him.” Nothing could
be plainer than that. Baldy might
protest. But the words were there.
As Evans sat gazing into the fire,
he saw her as she had so often
been in this old room—as a child,
sprawled on the hearth-rug over
some entrancing book from his
shelves, swinging her feet on the
edge of a table while he bragged
of his athletic prowess; leaning over
war-maps, while he pointed out the
fields of fighting; curled up in a
corner on the couch while he read
to her—“Oh, silver shrine, here
will I take my rest ...”
He could stand his thoughts no
longer. Without hat or heavy coat,
he stepped through one of the long
windows and into the night.
As he walked on in the darkness,
he had no knowledge of his destina
tion. He swept on and on. pursued
by dreadful thoughts.
On and on through the blackness.
. . . No moon ... a wet wind blow
ing ... on and on .
He came to a bridge which crossed
a culvert. No water flowed under
it. But down the road which led
through the Glen was another
bridge, and beneath it a deep, still
pool.
With the thought of that deep and
quiet pool came momentary relief
from the horrors which had hounded
him. It would be easy. A second's
struggle. Then everything over.
Peace. No fears. No dread of the
future . . .
It seemed a long time after, that,
leaning against the buttress of the
bridge, he heard, with increasing
clearness, the sound of boys’ voices
in the dark.
He drew back among the shadows.
It was Sandy and Arthur. Not three
feet away from him—passing.
"Well, of course, Mr. Follette is
just a man,” Sandy was saying.
"Maybe he is,” Arthur spoke
earnestly, "but I don’t know.
There’s something about him—”
He paused.
“Go on,” Sandy urged.
"Well, something”—Arthur was
struggling to express himself,
"splendid. It shines like a light—”
Their brisk footsteps left the
bridge, and were dulled by the dirt
road beyond. Sandy’s response was
inaudible. A last murmur, and then
silence.
Evans was swept by a wave of
emotion; his heart, warm and alive,
began to beat in the place where
there had been frozen emptiness.
“Something spier.. ’ *hat shines
like a light!”
Years afterward he spoke of this
moment to Jane. “I can’t describe
it It was a miracle—their coming.
As much of a miracle as that light
which shone on Paul as he rode to
Damascus. The change within me
was absolute. 1 was born again.
All the old fears slipped from me
like a garment. I was saved. Jane,
by those boys’ voices in the dark.”
The next day was Sunday. Evans
called up Sandy and Arthur and in
vited them to supper. "Old Mary
said you were here last night, and
didn’t find me. I’ve a book or two
for you. Can you come and get
them? And stay to supper. Miss
Towne will be here and her uncle.”
The boys could not know that they
were asked as a shield and buckler
in the battle which Evans was fight
ing. It seemed to him that he could
not meet Frederick Towne. Yet it
had been, of course, the logical thing
to ask him. Edith had invited her
self, and Towne had, of course,
much to tell about Jane.
Evans, therefore, with an outward
effect of tranquillity, played the
host. After supper, however, he
took the boys with him to the li
brary.
On the table lay a gray volume.
He opened it and showed the Cruik
shank illustrations.
“I've been reading this. It’s great
stuff."
“Oh, Pilgrim’s Progress,” said
Sandy; “do you like it?”
“Yes.” Evans leaned above the
book where it lay open under the
light, and started to read to them.
That night Evans found out for the
first time something about his moth
er. “You look tired, dearest,” he
had said, when their guests were
gone, and he and she had come into
the great hall together.
“I am tired.” She sat down on
an old horsehair sofa. “I can’t stand
much excitement. It makes me feel
like an old lady."
“You’ll never grow old. He felt
a deep tenderness for her in this
moment of confessed weakness. She
had always been so strong. Had re
fused to lean. She had, in fact, tak
en from him his son’s prerogative
of protectiveness.
“You’d better see Hallam,” Evans
said.
“I’ve seen him.”
“What did he say?"
“My heart—”
He looked at her in alarm. “Moth
er! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What was the use? There’s noth
ing to be worried about. Only he
says I must not push myself.”
“I am worried. Let me look aft
er the men in the morning early.
That will give you an extra nap.”
“Oh, I won’t do it, Evans. You
have your work.”
“It won’t hurt me. And I am go
ing to boss you around a bit.” He
stooped and kissed her. “You are
too precious to lose, Mumsie.”
She clung to him. “What would I
do without you, my dear?”
He helped her up the stairs. And
as she climbed slowly, his arm
about her, he thought of that dark
moment by the bridge.
If those young voices had not
come to him in the night, this loving
soul might have been stricken and
made desolate; left alone in her
time of greatest need.
CHAPTER XIII
Once more the Washington papers
had headlines that spoke of Dela
field Simms. He had married a
stenographer in Frederick Towne's
office. And it was Towne's niece
that he had deserted at the altar.
And most remarkable of all, Edith
Towne had been at the wedding. It
was Eloise Harper who told the re
porters.
“They were married at the old
Inn below Alexandria this morning,
by the local Methodist clergyman.
Miss Logan is a Methodist—fancy.
And Edith was bridesmaid.”
But Eloise did not know that Lucy
had worn the wedding dress and
veil that Edith had given her and
looked lovely in them. And that
after the ceremony, Delafleld had
wrung Edith's hand and had said,
“I shall never know* how to thank
you for what you have been to
Lucy."
“Gee, but you’re superlative,”
Baldy told her as they walked in
the garden.
“Am I?”
“Yes. And the way you carried
it off.”
“I didn’t carry it off. It carried
itself.”
“Are you sure it didn’t hurt?”
She smiled at him from beneath
her big hat. “Not a bit.”
The moment was ripe for ro
mance. But Baldy almost feverish
ly kept the conversation away from
serious things. They had talked se
riously enough, God knew, the other
night by Edith’s fire. He had seen
her lonely In the thought of her fu
ture.
“When Uncle Fred marries I
won’t stay here."
He had yearned to take her in his
arms, to tell her that against his
heart she should never again know
loneliness. But he had not dared.
What had he to offer? A boy’s love.
Against her gold.
So he talked of Jane. “She doesn’t
want her engagement announced un
til she gets back. I think she's
right.”
“I don’t,” Edith said lazily. “If I
loved a man I’d want to shout it
to the world.”
They were sitting on a rustic
bench under the blossoming plum
tree. Edith’s hands were clasped
oemna ner neaa, ana ine wingea
sleeves of her gown fell back and
showed her bare arms. Baldy want
ed to unclasp those hands, crush
them to his lips—but instead he
stood up, looking over the river.
“Do you see the ducks out there?
Wild ones at that. A sign of spring."
She rose and stood beside him.
“And you can talk of—ducks—on a
day like this?"
"Yes,” he did not look at her,
“ducks are—safe."
He heard her low laugh. “Silly
boy.”
He turned, his gray eyes filled
with limpid light. "Perhaps I am.
But I should be a fool if I told you
how I love you. Worship you.
You know it, of course. But nothing
can come of it, even if I were pre
sumptuous enough to think that you
—care.”
She swept out her hands in an
appealing gesture. “Say it. I want
to hear.”
She was adorable. But he drew
back a little. “We’ve gone too far
and too fast. It is my fault, of
course, for being a romantic fool.”
“I’m afraid we’re a pair of ro
I mantic fools, Baldy.”
He turned and put his hands on
her shoulders. “Edith, I—mustn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Not until I have something to
offer you—”
“You have something to offer—”
“Oh, I know what you mean. But
—I won’t. Somehow this affair of
Jane’s with your uncle has made
me see—”
“See what?”
“Oh, how the world would look at
it. How he’d look at it.”
“Uncle Frederick? He hasn’t any
thing to do with it. I’m my own
mistress."
(TO lit: CONTINUED)
Great Lakes Shrink; Geologists Do Not Agree
That in the comparatively recent
past our Great Lakes were much
larger than they are today is no se
cret. And indications that the re
cession is continuing are easily dis
coverable. But just how rapidly the
outlines and levels of the lakes
change is another matter, and some
reports made by two men from the
University of Michigan invite atten
tion to this somewhat important
question, says Detroit Free Press.
Recently Dr. E. G. Greenman,
archeologist, uncovered on Great
Cloche island in the Georgian bay re
gion the evidences of a great gath
ering of Indians at a spot which
was then on the beach of the lake.
But this same spot is 28 feet higher
than the present beach.
Estimating that the water table
has been falling for some thousands
of years at the rate of a foot in
from 38 to 50 years, Dr. George M.
Stanley after studying the site be
lieves the Red Men held their pow
wow and feast somewhere between
500 and 800 A. D.
However, all geologists are not in
agreement regarding the rate at
which the big lakes have been re
ceding, and the estimate of one con
servative savant would put the gath
ering back about 3,500 years, which
would be in the neighborhood of
1600 B. C.
The difference in estimates seems
in considerable degree to be a dif
ference of opinion about the steadi
ness of the rate of recession. And
it is quite understandable that the
shrinkage may have been much
more rapid just after the glaciers
melted and the lake outlets were
numerous and bigger than today.
Another point that needs to be tak
en into account is the changing tilt
of some of the shoreline.
There are strong indications that
not so long ago the land in the vi
cinity of the Straits of Mackinac, for
example, was definitely lower than it
is today, perhaps because the com
pression caused by the weight of the
big glaciers still remained. And
there also are indications that the
land levels at the southern end of
Lake Michigan were higher.
Certainly we know that lands have
emerged at the Straits and have
been engulfed in the regions near
Chicago.
So how much of the rise of the
shore at Grand Cloche and other
places is due to lake shrinkage and
how much is the result of the elastic
ity of earth which has been relieved
of a great weight is quite a question.
Indeed, it’s the uncertainty about
all this that makes the subject fas
cinating.
Smart Hand-Crocheted Dress
Good Style the Year Round
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
OH, FOR a dress that is cool to
wear on hot sultry days, warm
and "comfy" to wear on cool days,
a dress that somehow or other pos
sesses the magic of fitting into the
scheme of things, whether it be go
ing places about town during the ac
tive hours of the day or doing more
or less of a society stunt at informal
bridge party or tea in the afternoon
at the club.
The answer? Well, here it is right
before your very eyes in the ac
companying illustration — dresses
that are hand-crocheted of mercer
ized cotton. Yes’m, a dress like
either of the models pictured will
prove a friend in need and indeed
at any time of the year. As to
solving the mid-season problem
of something to wear that tides over
the gap between fashions old and
fashions new, you’ll find a hand
crocheted dress gives the perfect
answer. Such a gown is correct
and likable to wear this very min
ute and for the girl who will be far
ing to school in the early autumn
days.
The best way of putting to the test
all we have been saying about the
crochet theme is to make such a
dress for yourself. Just a few lei
sure moments devoted here and
there, that would otherwise be wast
ed, to the crocheting thereof and’in
an unbelievably short time you will
be the exultant possessor of a dress
that will prove a treasure in your
wardrobe, the whole year round.
Want to try it? Well, here’s how!
—go to your nearest fancy work
shop or department. There you will
find oodles of mercerized crochet
cottons in adorable colors. How
ever, that once done, together with
the acquiring of exactly the right
size crochet hook, not forgetting to
ask for a pamphlet of instructions
as how to make, which is always
available where you buy yarns.
There’s good news for crocheters
this year in that the idea of styling
is being played up for all it is
worth. For the first time crochet
has been treated like fabric. The
result is a collection of crocheted
dresses unmatched for smartness,
wearability, fit and individuality.
Most important is the way in
which the newer crocheted frocks
fit and mold the figure. Dressmak
er touches are also stressed. Pad
ded shoulders are emphasized, zip
per closings are used, skirts swing
gracefully, with a view to achieving
the young look so much exploited
this season.
Typical of the new crochet fash
ions is the casual, neat-as-a-pin
dress as shown to the left in the pic
ture. A decorative zipper down the
front, closing at the throat with two
pompoms, high-placed pockets and
a wide contrasting belt give it the
dressmaker touches. Even the belt
is crocheted. Worked in lustrous
mercerized crochet cotton, the en
tire outfit is simple to make.
The hand-crocheted dress to the
right has the stylish look. Its lines
are fluid and soft with the shoulders
slightly exaggerated to slenderize
the silhouette, making it graceful
for the more mature figure as well
as for the slim and svelte young
woman. The stitch is open and lacy
—delightfully cool to wear through
out the summer. Later on you will
find this type gown an ideal starter
for the fall wardrobe.
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.1
Designer Visions
Coming Fashions
Quoting Edith Head, top designer
of clothes for Hollywood notables:
"The reign of the popular simple
frock or suit is over. Everything
indicates that the fall and winter
styles will be lavish in fabric and
extremely romantic and flattering.
Clothes will doubtless cause social
functions to increase in formality
and it will be, ali and all, a dressy
season.”
"1 am sure,” predicted Miss
Head, ‘ that there will be no cer
tain or definite skirt, sleeve, or coat
lengths in the coming trend. Worn
en will dress strictly to their own
individuality, getting away from the
‘sheep' fads and crazes which made
all of us look alike for the past sev
eral years. At last feminine
fashions will assume something
else than ‘all poured of the same
mold.’
‘‘The high note of the new trend,”
said the designer, “will be magnif
icence of material. Silks, brocades,
velvets, and embroidered fabrics
will be abundant and tailored, all
purpose models will hear a definite
death knell.”
Rich Silk Fabrics
For Coats, Suits
It is with an eye to the future
that women are buying the smart
new coats now showing in the mid
summer collections, made of rich
silk fabric. A costume of the hand
some bengalines and such will car
ry through until the “frost is on
the pumpkin.” The appeal of these
handsome suits ia not to be with
stood bv best dressed fashionables.
Red Dots White
Still the rage tor polka dots goes
on. In the picture it is white silk
chiffon with red polka dots that
fashions a most captivating eve
ning dress. For country club wear
and city roofs under starlit skies
with music in the air here is the
gown ideal. The halo hat in tones
of red matches the kid belt which is
tied with a fabric bow. The brace
let is the new-type bubble lass that
glitters in prismatic colors.
BIRTH RATE DROP
HURTS MILK PRICE
Need Seen for Increased
Use by Adults.
By LELAND SPENCES
The decline in the number of
^oung children is one reason for the
reduced use of milk the past few
years, according to the New York
state college of agriculture.
The declining birth rate calls for
special efforts by the milk industry
to push the general use of milk as
a drink by adults, and especially to
break down the tendency of ado
lescents to switch from milk to oth
er drinks.
Efforts should also be continued
to find ways to get fluid milk at less
cost to families of low incomes. This
is the surest way to ward off the
substitution of other forms of milk
for fresh milk.
As for dealers' "spreads" on re
tail milk in nine important mar
kets of the United States, the
spreads were reduced during the de
pression, but are now larger than
ever.
The inability of milk dealers to
reduce their spread on retail milk
is the main reason for the less
friendly public attitude toward them
the past few years. Those acquaint
ed with the situation, however, know
that the chief obstacle to reducing
the spread is high wages and the
difficulty of using less labor, espe
cially for retail delivery.
As to the outlook for the milk in
dustry during the next two years,
the Cornell milk marketing special
ists say much depends on the trend
of commodity prices.
Green Vegetables Needed
For Well-Balanced Diet
Even before the searchlight of
food research was turned on leafy,
green vegetables their value in hu
man nutrition was pretty generally
appreciated. Today they have an
important place on the list of "pro
tective foods”—a way nutritionists
have of designating foods with a
very high dietetic rating.
Leafy, green vegetables merit a
place on this list chiefly because
they are rich in both iron and vita
min A. Many of them are also
very rich sources of calcium. These
three nutrients, according to a re
cent nation-wide survey, are food
essentials in which American diets
are often low.
Green leaves are also excellent
sources of vitamin G. Thrown In
for good measure are considerable
amounts of vitamin C and Vitamin
Bl. Leafy vegetables, in addition,
contribute bulk or roughage, some
of which is usually desirable in the
diets of persons in normal health.
Aerial Photos Offer
Accurate Farm Record
With the advent of the Agricul
tural Adjustment act. and the need
for accurate field measurement to
check compliance with the soil con
servation program, aerial photog
raphy came into its own as a cheap,
quick, indisputable method of land
mapping.
Accurate field measurement is im
portant under the AAA because
conservation payments are made
at a specified rate per acre of land
planted. Prior to the use of air
photography, a number of methods,
ranging from the old measuring
wheel to surveying, were used.
Cost of checking performance
from the air is about one-third less
than the earlier methods of land
measurement. Air photography
costs about four cents per acre as
compared with six cents per acre
under older measuring methods.
The cost is included as part of the
administrative expense deducted
from payments to farmers.
Farm Facts
Mushrooms have been cultivated
commercially in the United States
for less than a half century.
• • •
The importance of live stock in
Ohio agriculture is shown by the
figures for farm income in 1938.
Sales of all farm crops brought
$63,881,000 but the sales of live stock
and live stock products totaled
$218,685,000.
• • • •
Success of artificial insemination
in breeding of dairy cattle, tried for
the past three months in six south
ern-tier counties, has led officials of
New York state college of agricul
ture to sanction the method for
use by dairymen throughout the
state.
* • •
Farmers now pay approximately
$1,500,000,000 annually for power
and power machinery but before the
World war they sold power in the
form of work animals for several
hundred million dollars annually.
• • •
One cord of barnyard manure or
other well-rotted organic material
per 5,000 square feet of garden is
recommended as the first fertilizer
to apply to the garden. This may
be supplemented with superphos
phate or with a balance fertilizer as
needed,
i
