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A AOVEL or NEW YORK: UrE I
SffTZry, BEACA t T
'ILLUSTRATION 4^ E PARKER
SYNOPSIS.
Peter Knight, defeated for political of
fice in his town, decides to venture New
York In order that the family fortunes
Jsiight benefit by the expected rise of is
charming daughter, Lorelei. A vv«.U
known critic Interview's Lorelei Knight,
now stage beauty with Bergman’s Revue,
for a special article. Her coin-huntine
mother outlines Lorelei’s ambitions, but
Blosjon, the press agent, later adds his
Infotr.natlon.
»«»<••••••••»••••••»•••»•*
• •
• There is a lesson here for the •
• small town girl who thinks she *
• has a call to go on the stage. Too •
• many pretty lasses from the £
• country mc»t a bad fate in the •
• sordid life Of the city and too •
• often success is bought at the •
• price of sorrow. •
• •
•••••••••••••••••••••••••a
CHAPTER II—Continued.
publicity pleased her. lu due course
rival managers began to make offers,
which Mrs. Knight, rising nobly to the
first test of her business ability, used
ns levers to raise her daughter's salary
and to pry out of Bergman a five-year
contract. The role of the Fairy Prin
cess was a result.
Lorelei had arrived at the point
where further advancement depended
upon study and hard work; but, since
these formed no part of the family
program, she remained idle. Profi
ciency In stagecraft of any sort comes
only at the expense of peonage, and
this girl was being groomed solely for
matrimony.
With the support of the family en
tirely upon her shoulders, she had been
driven to many shifts in order to
stretch her salary to livable propor
tions. Peter was a total burden, and
Jim either refused or was unable to
contribute toward the common fund,
while the mother devoted her time al
most solely to managing Lorelei's af
fairs. Presents were showered upon
the girl, and these Mrs. Knight con
verted Into cash. Conspicuous stage
characters are always welcome at the
prominent cafes; hence Lorelei never
had to pay for food or drink when
alone, and when escorted she received
a commission on the money spent. She
was well paid for posing: advertise
ments of toilet articles, face creams,
dentifrices, yielded something. In the
commercial exploitation of her daugh
ter Mrs. Knight developed something
like genius. But of all the so-called
“grafts” open to handsome girls in her
business the quickest and best returns
came front prodigal entertainers like j
Jarvis Hammon.
direction with an expression of pecul
iar, derisive aruuserueut.
Hammou was the center of an ad
miring group; congratulations were be
ing buried at him from every quarter.
At his side was I.ilas Lynn, very dark,
very striking, very expensively gowned
and elaborately bejeweled. The room
was dinning with the strains of an
invisible orchestra and the vocal up
roar. Becoming conscious of Lorelei's
gaze, her escort looked down, showing
his teeth in a grin that was not of
pleasure.
“You like it?" he asked.
“It's beautiful, but—the extrava
gance is almost criminal.”
“I>on’t tel! me how many starving
newsboys or how many poor families
the cost of this supper would support
for a year. I hate poor people. Now
for the ortolans and the humming
bird tongues. No doubt there's a pearl
ij*. every winecup. Prepare to have
your palate tickled with a feather
when your appetite flags.”
“That’s what the Romans did, isn't
it?”
“A gold safety razor—evidently n
warning not to play with edged tools.
I wonder if Miss Lynn bought one for
Jarvis?”
“No, why did you say that.” Lorelei
asked, quickly, “and why did you ask
in that peculiar tone if she and I were
friends?"
The man leaned closer, saying in a
voice that did not carry above the
clamor:
“I suppose you know she’s making a
fool of him? I suppose you realize
what it means when a woman of her
stamp gets a man with money in her
power? You must know all there is
to "know from the outside: it occurred
“His mother's son. Need we say
more? He’s a freat help to the family,
for he keeps ’em from getting too
proud over LoMbI. He sells introduc
tions to his sit.er.”
Campbell PPpe's exclamation was
lost in a babble of voices as a bevy
of “Swimming Girls" descended from
the enchanted regions above and scur
ried out upon the stage. Through the
double curtail: the orchestra could be
faintly heard; a voice was crying,
“Places."
“Some Soul Kissers with this troupe,
eh?” remarked Slosson, when the
scampering figures had disappeared.
“Yes. BergrJnn has made a fortune
out of ' this PTad of show. He’s a
friend to the 'T',red Business Man.’ ”
“Speaking of the weary Wall street
workers, there uhll be a dozen of our
ribbon winners at the Hammon sup
per tonight.”
’’Tell me. is Lorelei Knight a regu
lar—er—frequenter of these affairs?”
"Sure. It's f'art of the graft.”
“I see.”
“She has to flece out her salary like
the other girls. Why, her whole family
is around her isck—mother, brother
and father. Oij man Knight was run
over by a tasltftb last summer. It
didn't hurt the machine, but he's got a
broken back iS something. Too bad
it wasn't broifier Jimmy. You must
meet him. by ihe way. I never beard
of Lorelei's dtiug anything really—
bad.”
For the ramuent Campbell Pope
made no reply. Meanwhile a great
wave of singlaf flooded the regions at
the back of tht theater as the curtain
rose and the cJtrrus broke into sudden
sound. When !*» did speak it was with
unusunl bitteriftss.
“Are you a student as well as an
artist. Miss Knight.”
“I thought you were going to be
pleasant, but you’re not, are you?"
Locelei was smilingly fixedly. “I’m
afraid you don’t intend to have a good
time, Mr.—” They had found their
places at the table, and Lorelei’s escort
was seating her. “I didn’t catch your
name when we were introduced.”
“Nor I.” said he, taking his place be
side her. “It sounded like Rice Curry
or some other dish, but it’s really Mer
kle—John T. Merkle.”
“Ah! You’re a banker. Aren’t you
pretty—reckless confessing your rank,
as it were?”
“I’m a bachelor: also an invalid and
an insomniac. You couldn’t bring me
any more trouble than I have.” Again
he looked toward Hammon, and this
time he frowned. “From Indications
I'll soon have company, however."
“Indeed. Is there talk of a divorce
there?” She inclined her head in the
host’s direction.
Merkle retorted acidly: “My dear
child, don’t try to act the ingenue.
You’re in the same show as Miss Lynn,
and you must know what's going on.
This sort of thing can't continue indefi
nitely, for Mrs. Hammon is very much
alive, to say nothing of her daughters.
Let’s be natural, at least. I haven't
slept lately, and I’m not patient enough
to he polite.”
“It's a bargain. I’ll try to be as
disagreeable as you are," said Lorelei;
and Mr. Merkle signified bis prompt
acquiescence. He lit a huge mono
grammed cigarette, pushed aside his
hors d'oeuvres. and reluctantly turned
down his array of wineglasses one by
one.
“Can't eat, can’t drink, can't sleep."
he grumbled.. "Stewed prunes and rice
for my portion. Waiter, tiring me a
bottle of vichy, and when it's gone
bring me another."
The diners had arranged themselves
by now; tbe supper had.begun’. A bo
hemian spirit prevailed: the ardor of
the men. lashed on by laughter, co
quetry and smiles, rose quickly; wine
flowed, and a general Intimacy began.
Introductions were no longer neces
sary. tbe talk flew back and forth
along the rim of the rose-strewn semi
circle.
As Lorelei and her companion left |
their taxicabs nnd entered Proctor's j
Hotel, shortly before midnight, they !
were met by a head waiter and shown
into an ornate ivory-and-gold elevator,
which lifted them noiselessly to an up
per floor. Thoy made their exit into a
deep-carpeted hall, at the end of which
two splendid creatures In the panoply
of German field marshals stood guard
over one of the smaller banquet rooms.
Hammon himself greeted the girls
when they had surrendered their
wraps, and, after his introduction to
Lorelei, engaged Lilas in earnest con
versation.
Lorelei watched him curiously. She
saw a powerfully built gray-haired
man, whose vigor age had not im
paired. In face he was perhaps fifty
years old. In body he was much less.
He had a bold, incisive manner that
was compelling and stamped him as a
big man in more ways than one. Play
fully he pinched Lilas’ cheek, then
turned with a smile to say:
“You’ll pardon us for whispering,
won’t you, Miss Knight? You see, Li
las got up this little party, and I've
been waiting to consult her about some
of the details. Awfully good of you to
come. I hope you'll find my friends
agreeable and enjoy yourself."
Perhaps twenty men in evening
dress and as many elaborately gowned
young women were gossiping and
smoking as the last comers appeared.
Someone raised a vigorous complaint
at the host’s tardiness, but Harumnn
laughed a rejoinder, then gave a sig
nal. whereupon folding doors at the
end of the room were thrown back, nnd
those nearest the banquet hall moved
toward it.
Hammon was introducing two of his
friends—one a languid, middle-aged
man, the other a large-featured person
with a rumbling voice. The former
dropped his cigarette and 1 lowed cour
teously. His appearance as he faced
Lorelei was prepossessing, and she
breathed a thanksgiving as she took
his arm.
“I Suppose You Know She's Making
a Fool of Him?”
to .ne that you might also know some
thing about the inside of the affair.
Do you?"
“I'm afraid not. 4 All I’ve heard is
the common gossip.”
“There's a good deal here that
doesn’t show on the surface. That
woman is a menace to a great many
people, of whom I happen to be one."
"You speak as if she were a dauger
ous character, and as if she had delib
erately entangled him," Lorelei said,
defendingly. “As a matter of fact, she
did nothing of the sort: she avoided
him as long as she could, but he per
sisted. he persecuted her until she was
forced to—accept him. Men of his
wealth can do anything, you know.”
“She had scruples?”
“No more than the rest of us, I pre
sume. She gave her two weeks' no
tice because he annoyed her: but be
fore the time was up Bergman took a
hand. He sent for her one evening,
and when she went down there was
Mr. Hammon, too. When she came
upstairs she was hysterical. She cried
and laughed and cursed—it was ter
rible."
“Curious,” murmured the man. star
ing at the object of their controversy.
"What did she say?”
“Oh, nothing connected. She called
him every kind of a monster, accused
him of every crime from murder to—"
“Murder!" The banker started.
It a the rotteuest business In the
world. Slossou. Two years ago she
was a country girl; now she's a Broad
way belle. How long will she last,
d'you think?”
“She’s too beautiful to last long,”
agreed the pre.*s agent, soberly, “espe
cia'ly now that the wolves are on her
trail. But he> danger isn’t so much
from the peopl* she meets with as the
people she eatf with. That family of
hers would dr'.<e any girl to the limit
They intend 19 cash in on her; the
mother says six’
“And they tutl, too. She can have
her choice of tJf* wealthy rounders.”
“Don’t get rr,e wrong.” Slosson has
Lorelei turned from the man on her
left, who had regaled her with an end
less story, the point of which had sent
the teller in hiccups of laughter, and
said to John Merkle:
“I'm glad I'm with you tonight. I
don’t like drinking men.”
“Can a girl in your position afford
preferences?” he inquired, tartly, Thus
far the banker laid fully lived up to his
sour reputation.
“All women are extravagant. I
have preferences, even if I can't afford
them. If you were a tippler instead of
a plain grouch I could tell you precise
ly how you’d act and what you’d talk
about. I’d die if I had to teach you
the taugo.”
Mr. .Merkle grunted, “So would I.”
She smiled sweetly. “You see. we’re
both unpleasant people.”
Merkle meditated in silence while
she attacked her food with a healthy,
youthful appetite that awoke bis envy.
“I suppose you see a lot of this sort
of thing?” he at length suggested.
"There's something of the kind near
ly every night. This party isn’t as
bad as some, for the very reason that
most of the tnen are from out of town,
nnd it’s a bit of a novelty to them.
Hut there's a crowd of regular New
Yorkers — the younger men about
town—” She paused significantly. ”1
accepted one invitation from them. It
was quite enough."
“I’ve traveled some.” observed
Merkle, "but this city is getting to be
the limit.”
She nodded her amber head. "There's
only one Paris, after all. and that’s
New York." ,
The meal grew noisier; the orches
tra interspersed sensuous melodies
from the popular successes with the
tantalizing ragtime airs that had set
the city to singing. Silent-footed at
tendants deposited tissue-covered pack
ages before the guests. There was a
flutter of excitement as the women be
gan to examine their favors.
"What is it?” Merkle inquired, lean
ing toward Lorelei.
“The new saddlebag purse. See?
It's very Frenchy. Gold fittings—and
a coin purse and card case inside. See
the monogram? Lilas picked these out
for Mr. Hammon, and they’re exqui
site. We share the same dressing room,
you know.”
Merkle regarded her with a sudden
new interest.
“Then—I dare say you're close
friends?”
“We’re close enough—in that room;
but scarcely friends. What did you
get?”
"He had made a long ngnt to Deal
her down, and she was unstrung. She
seemed to have a queer physical aver
sion to him."
"Humph! She's got nobly over that.”
“I’ve told you this because yon
seemed to think she's to blame, when
it is ail Mr. Ilammon's doing.”
"It’s a peculiar situation—very.
You've interested me. In a way I
don't blame him for seeking amuse
ment and happiness where be can find
it, and yet—I'm afraid of the result”
“The city is full of Samsons, and
most of them have their Delilahs."
Merkle agreed. "These men put
Mammon where he Is. I wonder if
they will let him stay there. It de
pends upon Hint girl yonder.” Me
turned to answer n question from Han
nibal Wharton, and Lorelei gave her
attention to the part of the entertain
ment which was beginning on the
stage. Of a sudden the clamor was
silenced, and indifference gave place
to curiosity, for the music had begun
the Introduction of one of Adoree Dem
orest’s songs. Lorelei had never seen
tlds much-discussed actress, whose
wickedness had set the town agog, anil
her first impression was vaguely dis
appointing. Miss Demorest’s beauty
was b.v no means remarkable. She
was animated, audacious, vividly alive
In a daring costume of solid black,
against and through which her limbs
flashed with startling effect as she
performed her famous Danse do Nuit.
"Hin-m! Nothing very extreme about
flint," remarked Merkle. at length. “It
would be beautiful if It were better
done."
Hammon clapped the other gentle
man upon the shoulder, crying: "Han
nibal. I saw your supper partner flirt
ing with ‘Handsome Dan’ Avery. Bet
ter find her quick.”
Lorelei recognized the deep-voiced
man as Hannibal C. Wharton, one of
the dominant figures in the Steel syn
dicate: she knew him instantly from
his newspaper pictures. The man be
side her, however, was a stranger, and
she raised her eyes to his with some
curiosity. He was studying her with
manifest admiration, despite the fact
that his lean features were cast in a
sardonic mold.
“It is a pleasure to meet a celebrity
like you, Miss Knight." he murmured.
As they enter*d the banquet hall she
gave a little cry of pleasure, for it was
evident that Hammon. noted ns he was
for lavish expenditure, had outdone
himself this time. The whole room had
been transformed into a bower of
roses, great, climbing bushes, heavy
with blooms. The table, a horseshoe
of silver and white, of glittering plate
and sparkling cut glass, faced a rustic
stage which occupied one end of the
room: occupying the inner arc of the
half-circle was a wide but shallow
stone fountain, upon the surface of
which floated large-leaved Egyptian
pond lilies. Fat-bellied goldfish with
filmy fins, and tails like Iridescent wed
ding trains, propelled themselves indo
lently about.
Hut the surprising feature of the dec
orating scheme was not apparent at
first glance. Through the bewildering
riot of greenery had been woven an al
most invisible netting, nnd the space
behind formed a prison for birds and
butterflies. Disturbed by the commo
tion. the feathered creatures twittered
and fluttered against the netting in «
panic. As for the butterflies, no arti
ficial light could deceive them, and
they clung with closed wings to leaves
and branches, only now and then dis
playing their full glory in a sleepy pro
test.
"How—beautiful!” gasped Lorelei,
when she bad taken in the whole
scene. “But—the poor little things
are frightened.” She looked up to find
her companion staring in Hammon's
“You’ll Pardon Us for Whispering,
Won’t You?”
tened to quality. "She's square; un
derstand?”
"Of course; ‘object matrimony.’ It’s
the old story, nnd her mother will see
to the ring and the orange blossoms.
But what’s the difference, after all,
Slosson? It’ll be hell for her, and a
sale to the highest bidder, either way.”
CHAPTER III.
in his summary of Lorelei's present
life Sicwson bad not been far wrong.
Many changes had come to the Knights
during the past two years—changes of
habit, of thought and of outlook; the
entire family had found it necessary to
alter their system of ilving. But it
was In the girl that the changes
Showed most. When Mrs. Knight had
forecast an immediate success for her
daughter she had spoken with the wis
dom of a Cassandra. Moreover, she
took naturally to the work, finding it
more Hke play; and, being quite free
from girlish timidity, she felt no stage
fright, even upon her first appearance.
Her recognition had followed quickly—
tt was impossible to hide such perfec
tion of loveliness as hers—and the
Lorelei njjreod. She had heen star
ing with all a woman's Intentness at
this sister whose strength consisted of
her frailty, and now inquired:
“How does she get away with it?”
“By the power of suggestion. I dare
say. Her public is looking for some
thing devilish, and discovers whatever
it chooses to imagine in what she says
and does.”
Hanulbal Wharton had changed his
seat, and, regardless of the dancer, be
gun a conversation with Merkle. After
a time Lorelei heard him say:
“It coat me five thousand dollars to
pay for the damage those boys did.
They threatened to jail Bob, but of
course I didn't allow that."
“I remember. That was five years
CHAPTER IV.
The hand-clapping ceased ns the
dancer reappeared, smiling and bow
ing.
"I will dance again if you wish.’"
she announced, in perfect English, “in
troducing my new partner, Mr.—” she
glanced into tlie wings inquiringly—
“Seuor Roberto. It is his first public
appearance in this country, and we
will endeavor to execute u variation
of the Argentine tango."
Mr. Wharton was still talking.
“That's my way of raising a son. I
taught Bob to drink when I drank, to
smoke when I smoked, and all that.
My father raised me that way.”
The opening strain of a Spanish
dance floated out from the hidden mu
sicians, Mile. Demorest whirled into
view in the arms of a young man in eve
ning dress. She was still laughing, but
her partner wore a grave face, and his
eyes wore lowered; he followed the in
tricate movements of the dance with
some difficulty. To Lorelei he appeared
disappointingly amateurish. Then a
ripple of merriment, growing into a
guffaw, advised her that something out
of the ordinary was occurring.
“The—scoundrel!" Hannibal Wbar
ton cried.
Merkle observed dryly: “He's won
your thousand. I withdraw what I
said about him: it requires a gigantic
intelligence to outwit you.” To Lorelei
he added: “This will be considered a
great joke on Broadway.”
“That is Mr. Wharton’s son?”
“It is—and the most dissipated lump
of arrogance in New York.”
"Bob," the father shouted, “quit that
foolishness and come down here!” But
the junior Wharton, his eyes fixed
upon the stage, merely danced the
harder. A few moments later he sank
into a chair near his father, saying:
“Well, dad. what d'you think of my
educated legs? I learned that at night
school.”
Wharton grumbled unintelligibly,
but it was plain that he was not en
tirely displeased at his son's prank.
“Y'ou were superb.” said Merkle
warmly. “It’s the best thing I ever
saw you do. Bob. You could almost
make a liviug for yourself at it.”
The young man grinned, showing
rows of firm, strong teeth. Lorelei,
who was watching him, decided that
he must have at least twice the usual
number: yet it was a good mouth—a
good. big. generous mouth.
“Thanks for those glorious words of
praise: that's more than we're doing on
the Street nowadays. Whew! Got
any grape-juice for a growing boy?"
He helped himself to his father’s wine
glass and drained it. “You can settle
now, dad—one thousand iron men. I
owe it to Demorest.”
“What do you mean?”
“Debt of honor. I heard she was
due here with some kind of an electric
thrill, so I offered her my share of the
sweepstakes to further disgrace herself
by dancing with me.” He caught Lore
What are considered the earliest evi
dences of man's existence on this con
tinent, and the estimated date of the
same? Charles Conrad Abbott, arch
eologist. after seeking all his life to
find an answer to these very questions,
wrote: “The literature of the subject
is enormous and stands quite as much
a monument to our ignorance as to our
erudition.” Archeologists have been
unable to agree upon the time he first
appeared here. Occasionally, says tho
Kansas City Star, a skull or a skeleton
is found, as the Lansing skeleton in
Kansas, and a great controversy rages
over it, some archeologists claiming
for it great antiquity, and others class
ing it as quite modern. It is safe to
say that the majority do not accept
any of the skeletons that have been
found as conclusive evidence of man’s
existence here before the ice ages.
And yet they generally do agree that
man was here before the ice age, the
date of which is variously estimated,
the .average estimate being around
20,000 years ago.
The "ice age” was a period when
the north part of this continent was
covered with a cap of ice a mile or
two thick. It extended south to a little
beyond Kansas City in this region. As
It gradually melted there were great
floods which deposited the deep earth
banks hereabouts known as “loess.”
Mr. Abbott believes the only evi
dences we have of man’s ancient exist
ence here, which admit of no dispute,
are our seacoast shell heaps, notably
along the Atlantic coast. That these
clams and oysters were placed there
by man is proved by the implements
found in them. In many places the
base of the heaps are several feet be
low the ocean’s surface at low tide,
proving that the land has sunk that
much since they began to be piled up,
and this would place the beginning of
, the shell heaps back nearly to the last
' lei’s eye Mini stared boldly. "Hedo! ’
believe in fairies, too. dad. Introduce
me to tiie Princess."
Merkle volunteered this service, and
Bob promptly hitched bis chair closer
Lorelei saw that he was very drin k,
and marveled at his control during th.
recent exhibition.
“Tell me more about the ‘Parti-color
Petticoat’ and ‘Dento! Chewing Gum.'
Miss Knight. Your face is a household
word in every street car," he began.
She replied promptly, quoting hap
hazard from the various advertise
ments in which site figured. "It never
shrinks; it holds its shape; it must he
seen to he appreciated: is cool, re
freshing. and prevents decay.”
“How did you meet that French
dancer?” Hannibal Wharton queried,
sourly, of his sou.
“I stormed the stage door and way
laid her in the wings. She thought I
was you, dad. Wharton is a grand old
name.” He chuckled at his father’s
exclamation.
"Where did you learn those Argen
tine wiggles?”
“Hard times are to blame, dad. Tfie
old men on the exchange play golf i*!l
day. and the young ones turkey-trot t.!l
night. I stay up late in the hope that
I may find a quarter that some sun
urbanite has dropped.”
The elder men rose and sauntered
away in the direction of their host,
whereupon Bob winked.
“They’ve left us flat. Why? Be
cause the wicked Mile. Demorest bus
finally made her appearance as a
guest. My dad is a splendid shock
absorber. Naughty, naughty papa!”
“It's probably well that you came
with her: fathers are so indiscreet”
Young Wharton signaled to a waiter
who was passing with a wine bottle
and a napkin.
“Tarry!” he cried. “Remove the
shroud, please, and let rne look at poor
old Roderer. Thanks. How natural
he tastes.” Then to Lorelei: “The gov
ernor is a woman hater; but no man
is safe in range of your liquid orbs.
Miss Knight. Wouldn't mother enjoy
rending the list of Hammon's guests at
tliis party? ‘Among those present were
Mr. Hannibal C. Wharton, the well
known rolling-mill man: Miss Lorelei
Knight, principal first-act fairy of the
Bergman Revue, and Mile. Adoree
Demorest, the friend of a king. A good
time was had by a!!, and the diners
enjoyed themselves very nice.' ” He
laughed loudly, and the girl stirred.
“She’d be pleased to read also that
you came late, but highly intoxicated.”
“Ah! Salvation Nell." Rob took no
offense. “If the hour was late she'd
know my intoxication followed as a
matter of course. I am a derivative
of alcohol, the one and infallible argu
ment against temperance. Miss
Knight.”
“You talk as if you were always
drunk."
“Oh—not always. By day I am fre
quently sober, but at such times I am
fit company for neither man nor beast:
I am harsh and unsympathetic: I
scheme and I connive. With nightfall,
however, there comes a metamorpho
sis. Once I am stocked up with ales,
wines, liquors and cigars, I become a
living, palpitating Influence for good,
spreading happiness and prosperity in
my wake.”
ago. and I5oi> hasn't changed a ivhit.
I think he's a menace to society.”
Wharton laughed, but his reply was
lost in the clamorous demand for an
encore by Mile. Demorest.
“So he gets his devilment from you.
eh?” Merkle Inquired.
“It isn’t devilment. Bob’s all right.
He’s running with a fast crowd, and
he has to keep up his end.”
“Bah! lie hasn't been sober in a
year.”
"You’re a dyspeptic, .lohn. You were
born with a gray beard, and you’re not
growing younger. He wanted to come
to this party, but—I didn’t care to have
him for obvious reasons, so I told
Hammon to refuse him even if he
asked. He bet me a thousand dollars
he'd come anyhow, and I’ve been ex
pecting him to overpower those door
men or creep up the tire escape.”
Do you consider yourself in such a
condition now?” queried Lorelei,
vaguely amused.
“I am, and, since it is long past the
closing hour of one and the tango par
lors are dark, suppose we blow this
'Who's Who in Pittsburgh' and taxi
cab out to a roadhouse where the bass
fiddle is still inhabited and the second
generation is trotting to the ‘Robert E.
Lee'?"
Lorelei shook her head with a smile.
“I don't care to go.”
“Strange!” Mr. Wharton* helped
himself to a goblet of wine, appearing
to heap the liquor above the edge of
the glass. “No, if I were sober I
could understand how you might pre
fer these ‘pappy guys’ to me, for no
body likes me then, but I’m agreeably
pickled. Merkle won’t take you any
where, for he’s full of distilled water
and has a directors’ meeting at ten.”
••••••••••••••••••••••••A
Will young Mr, Wharton prove o
in the end to be a menace cr a J
salvation to this beautiful girl •
pursued by smuthounds?
•
•••••••••••••••••a*ososeo
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Man’s Existence an Earth
ice agG. The age of the shell heaps is
also established as reaching back far
from the fact that since they were
deposited the same species of mollusk
has gradually undergone an evolu
tionary change.
The cliff dwellings of Colorado and
elsewhere are not believed to be of
great antiquity. The mounds of which
there are so many, especially in the
southern and middle western states,
were built by modern Indians, many of
them by the Cherokees. The ruins of
Mexico and Central America, white of
great age, are not supposed to go back
more than a few thousand years.
/s to the origin of man in America
there are great divergencies of opin- ;
ion.
Eduard Seler. professor of American ;
antiquity in the Observatory of Berlin, j
says: "Where the various prehistoric I
peoples of America came from no one !
knows. I do not think they came from |
Asia in comparatively recent times :
Man is very old in America. I think; j
perhaps he antedates the glacia'
period. The cultures of the prehis :
toric peoples bear no trace of bein? |
imported either from Asia or Europe, j
Neither their architecture nor scienta
were brought from other countries j
The architecture of the ancient peo- '
pies of America bears no resemblance
to anything we know in the old world.
It is my belief that the architecture,
the astronomical knowledge, the
science and culture of prehistoric
Mexico developed there without a hint
of information from Europe or Asia."
The contrary view is insisted on by I
as eminent investigators who believe
the evidence indicates man must have
floated her® from Asia, or crossed by
way of what is now the Bering straits
from Siberia, or come by way of a
ridge of land that once connected north
Europe with North America.
WOMAN AVOIDS
OPERATION
Medicine Which Made Sur
geon’s Work Unnecessary.
Astoria, N. Y. — “For two years I
was feeling ill and took all kinds of
ionics, i was gct
ing worse every day.
I had chills, my head
would ache, I was
always tired I could
not walk straight
because of the pain
in myback and I had
pains in my stom
ach. I went to a
doctor and he said I
must go under an
operation, but J did
not go. I read in
t j. the paper about
Lydia E. Pinkham s Vegetable Com
pound and told my husband about it I
said ‘I know nothing will help me but I
will try this.’ I found myself improv
ing from the very first bottle, and in two
weeks time I was able to sit down and
eat a hearty breakfast with my hus
band, which l had notdone for two \ ar3.
I am now in the best of health V-.J
did not have the operation.” —
John A. Koenig, 502 Flushing Avenue
Astoria, N. Y.
Every one dreads the surgeon’s knife
and the operating table. Sometime s
nothing else will do; but many times
doctors say they are necessary when
they are not Letter after letter comes
to the Pinkham Laboratory, telling how
operations were advised and were not
performed; or,if performed.did no good,
but Lydia E.Pinkham’s Vegetable Com
pound was used and good health followed.
If you want advice write* to
Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Co.
(confidential), Lynn, Mass.
Nearly the Truth.
"Did your office boy tell you the
truth when he said he was obliged to
go to a funeral?”
“No. But It was almost as bad as
a funeral. The home team suffered a
humiliating defeat.”
HEAL YOUR SKIN TROUBLES
j With Cuticura, the Quick, Sure and
Easy Way. Trial Free
Bathe with Cuticura Soap, dry and
apply the Ointment. They stop itch
ing instantly, clear away pimples,
blackheads, redness and roughness, re
move dandruff and scalp irritation,
heal red, rough and sore hands as
well as most b.*by skin troubles.
Free sample each by mail with Book.
1 Address postcard. Cuticura, Dept. L,
Boston. Sold everywhere.—Adv.
Heads and “Tales.”
When the dynamite trial was held
in this city, the name of Charles Mil
ler became a household word. In one
small Indiana town the children of a
certain family who knew the attorney
were fond of acting out Bible scenes.
The two older sisters had decided on
the story of John the Baptist, and
asked little John to take the part of
the Bible hero. John was from Mis
souri and had to be shown. After care
fully explaining the Importance of his
part to him, and the mighty character
whom he was to Impersonate, John
looked up In disgust, and drawled:
"Naw! I ain’t goin' to be no John the
Baptist. I’d rather be somebody great
like Charlie Miller.” — Indianapolis
News.
Stood Up for His Mother.
Three-year-old Sherman was visit
ing a neighbor and sat watching her
make a cake. As she put in the in
gredients he kept asking. "What’s
that?” Finally he asked her what
kind of cake she was making and the
lady replied:
“An angel cake. Don’t your mamma
ever make angel cake?”
He studied for a little time and
then, in a tone of assurance that his
mamma could not be outdone by any
one, replied:
“No, she just makes the Lord's
cake.”
Albumen in Wheat.
Professor Dawley says that chemical
analysis of different grains shows
wheat to contain a larger amount of
albumen than any other grain. There
fore it is the grain to make the base
for egg-producing food.
The Proper Place.
“Janet's young man is an aviator.”
“Then why don’t she entertain him
in the sky parlor?”
t
In this Matter |
of Health
one is either with the winners
or with the losers.
It’s largely a question of
right eating—right food. For
sound health one must cut out
rich, indigestible foods and
choose those that are known
to contain the elements that
! build sturdy bodies and keen
btains.
Grape-Nuts
is a wonderfully balanced
food, made from whole wheat
and barley. It contains all the
nutriment of the grain, includ
ing the mineral phosphates
indispensable in Nature’s plan
for body and brain rebuilding.
Grape-Nuts is a concen
trated food, easy to digest.
It is economical, has delicious
flavor, comes ready to eat,
and has helped thousands in
the winning class.
“There’s a Reason”
