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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 1917)
The Protector of Finance Tales of Resilius Marvel, Guardian of Bank Treasure By WELDON J. COBB j THE DEAD YEAR’S HARVEST __ Cr^ifhc W. G. Chapman “] | THEKK *•* b quick mil at the t.;,pB-*ne. and Itewlliu* Marvel ... •«! the receiver as though t* '.ad teen expecting a message. J k • ' 'he expression of lus eyes a the :,r*t wopj imparted over the w — n*et his andi-ipatiou*. Then I »>ir 1 t::a ask In rapid succession: Letters—numbers—series?" He (frnriied rapidly on his shirt cufl as the replies came Verify." were his final words : " ’E b>€ Tel. Series of 15**6 ' Very well." and bung up the receiver and arose tc t.» feet "Come with me ” he add e- na ply. and I knew tha' the great head of the United Bankers Protec tive association was started on an other case" E 6.'" 1 observed with a sud den sh-ck of memory bs we reached the street—“If that applies to a one t-ndr. d dollar treasury note—" It d vouchsafed Marvel terse Tl..-n you probably have the man ” if .i.sinjctlots have been followed, yes replied my friend Who is It?” The Central National " That makes ten " Yt - «-- ep good tab." complimented Mart • 1— exactly ten What an opti mist this original tte queer mas: be!" Bn- within a week ten counter feit 1: *o note* had been passed upon the cry bank: On a certain Monday mcming a spruce, sprightly young man of about twenty-five had come Into our mstitution and had presented himself at the paying teller's window srith Eve 1'. ■ treasury' notes. He asked tc have them changed into bills of smaller denominations and was read:.y acccmm-fated The teller tad noted they were comparatively new that their serial numbers were consecutive An expert glance satis fied him. h- wever that they were all r.gL They were placed ».-h other hundreds to make up a package of twenv- or |i t*0 and nothing more was thought of it. Four mornings later Resilius Mar I ■ came into the bank with Xo 2&S. *5*3 of the same series Across its fat * was stamped the word "Counter feit it broad red letters taking in tbe full front surface of the note. • Have you any of those?" he in quired. placing the bill before me. I w.il tad out." 1 replied, and then rather wonderingly scanned the note. It wt .id have passed muster with me. and i mted myself something of a specialist in my line. It * k half an hour to go the [I round-- of the cages It is almost sec 1 and nature for a teller to remember I an; has handled, especially r these . f large denomination. The mac who tad changed the treasury I BO* - * fra stranger soon had the five I 1c question in evidence. Two more of the *100 notes turned jk up twenty lour hours later at another VtBotitutloc Then two other banks I each contributed like bills In each K ease a smiling, easy-mannered young I fellow had pas.-ed the nous Marvel ■ had named progress to me as it cul ■ m-nuted Xow a tenth note had W turned up 1 accompanied him to the f Central National The floor officer was waiting for Lhart-I. and knew him There was a ■Sutter of importance and excitement pIt his manner at be.ug concerned in a professional transaction with the ftr- e- head of the United Bankers F: ■ •.ective association. He took us tc the paying teller, saying nothing, but looking the part of an humble Ids'rument of justice who had co-op I *rn -d ;n capturing a crook." The ta ler, looking wise and keen and In a | Suppressed way exultant, beckoned to I as and we went beyond the railing ■ an. around into an anteroom, where 1 ke joined us k| “There is one of the hundred you ■ae> 1 for us. Mr Marvel." he said. Mil handed a 1100 bill to my friend iRes.lius Marvel Loaded, cave the ■HU a close scrutiny, and returned it ti- tel.- r w^th the wt ris. Cancel and preserve It for evidence. ~Jk'h- re i* the man*" FTh*- teller sl.pped the note into his at pork* : and took out a'key. "This **y." he directed, and we toll* - <-d :..m down a narrow corridor A* he started to open a steel-studded door Marvel halted him "One moment.' l»e said—"tell me th< circumstances of the matter." •by jr'wr warning had prepared as all. of ccurse." explained the bank man. When the fellow with his note presented i*„ I pretended to be called by my aoslstsnt in the next cage. I Quietl) preeee i th*- call button, sig naling what ! wanted to the chief clerk s d*-sk He and the floor officer came up quietly The man at the w r.dow lock'd amazed and indignant a* the officer seized his arm. He de manded to know what his arrest m*-an- When 1 told him that the bill •a* cc.utt* it seemed to me as *f all of a *■ some inghtful sug gest rn dr v* v „ face colorless. He ■' or Now* Tes. Mr Marv'l. * *n<i the speaker un it* ked tfc* doer He started back as *■ ;et.-d .: and *cared blankly at a man standing in the center of the place before e high desk with a table top "Too bad"' rpoke Marvel quickly, as he crowded past our guide and his eye swept the room in his rapid, com prehensive way. 1 did not make out what Marvel had taken it. with that practised eye of his at a glance, until I had got nearly up to the desk, which I found was one used in sealing money en velopes A strong gas Jet was going Near It were the steel dies, wax sucks and cord used in securing pack ages The prisoner had evidently been busy during bis brief period of forced retirement. A pair of small scissors and a safety razor lay on the j tab.e. Also, under the gas jet was quite a heap of frt .h. warm cinders. j Thi- eyebrows of the captive were i ;agged and irregular, and his upper l:p was rough and scraped "He has tried to disguise himself!" shouted the bank teller, instantly. "To disfigure himself, you mean." interpolated Marvel. "He has done more than that. He Las been busy removing all identification marks— j papers, clothing tags—hello! what's this?” From behind the man there sud- j denlv sprang out a small lively dog. He was of the fox terrier breed, and ; barked at us lustily. "Oh. the animal »as with him when he came into the bank,” explained the teller Followed him in here. Be longs to him, I supnose.” 1 see." nodded n-y friend, thought fully "Now. then my man!" He fixed his eye sharply on the pris oner The latter d» not flinch under the cynosure. He must have been a handsome appeariTg young man be- j fore he had jabbed those scissors into his eyebrows. He wis very pale, but there was nothing o; the cringing or alarmed culprit abou* him. "I see it is useless to ask you your name." observed Marvel “We will make a search, but 1 fancy you have forestalled what yov. were shrewd enough to suspect awaited you.” My friend was right. The man had cut off even the launlrv marks on his linen, had removed every letter ar.d card from his pock' thook. and had burned them on the tu*.rble top of the sealing table. You won't tell ^fcur name, of course." said Marve* “Will you talk at all?" "I will make only one statement,” came the cool, compose i reply. ' I shall be glad t'» receive it,” re plied Marvel. "I did not know *tti\il half hour since that I was ptTiuitig counterfeit I money." "You know it now"'' "Yes,” came the vspoase. acco a panied with a tremi r of the finely . chiseled lips. "I hat ten $100 bills, and I have passed them ail." "Where did you get them?" "1 will answer tha* question and rest my case there," wa.- the singular reply. "After that it up to you to do what you choose: iT.d after that I shall absolutely refu/v to say one word—I found them " I hat v. as ail—ah a; the start, all at the finish. Argument, menaces, ca jolery. sympathy—these went for nothing. Marvel studied the prisoner silently. Then he whispered to the teller. The latter retired, to reappear with the floor officer Marvel gave this mar. some low-toned instructions. The officer placed a come-along upon the wrist of the prisoner. You can leave the dog." spoke Mar vel suddenly. The prisoner turned and his lips parted He was evidently about to put in a plea for the continued com panionship of the little animal, whom he seemed to regard with fondness With something of a sigh, he re pressed utterance, however, pulled his hat down over his eyes and stolid ly accompanied the' officer from the place. 'Get me a piece of stout cord," Mar vel directed the teller, and in another few minutes we were on our way to the offices of the United Bankers' Pro tective association. The little animal whined ani worried, but trotted alone, guidjd by Marvel. The latter turned the dog loose in an empty room and sat down in his own favor ite chair in his private office "There is some thinking to do,” he observed, "but 1 should like to have you back here about an hour before dusk." 1 was curious enough and interested enough to greet the invitation as a favor, and said so. "And by the way, my friend." he called after me as I reached the door, "that young man we have secured told the truth—he did not know the II "0 bills were counterfeit until the teller at the Central National told him so " I wondered how Resilius Marvel had round this out. but I knew he was right. He usually treasured up his de ductions and discoveries until a case was ended When be anticipated an | announcement, I had found in the past. It wa3 only when he was very ! sure of his ground. When I reached his office again it was w£!l on tow ards evening. Marvel ! was ready with the little fox terrier under his arm. With the animal, he led the way to an auto, and we pro ceeded back to the Central National. The city center streets were com paratively deserted, as the business crowds had gone homewards some time since. Marvel carried the dog tc the barred front of the bank, set j the little animal cn the pavement and returned to the machine .Inst follow that dog," he ordered to the chauffeur, and fixed his eye closely upon the object of his interest. ■ The fox terrier crowded through .the barred gate protecting the en- | trance to the bank, ran up to the great bronze doors and lifted its bead >-n,‘ bowled. Then it sniffed around :n a circle, came out to the j avement. threw its nose up in the air in several directions and trotted down the street on a bee line. There could be no doubt that the clever animal knew the way home, for it proved never at fault, never hesitated, and buckled down sturdily at if knowing it had a long jaunt ahead. This proved true. It made only square turns at corners, and gradually left the business center for the better residence portion of the city. "Keep close," directed Marvel to the chaufTeur as the animal reached a broad boulevard and increased its pace. “Follow." he ordered addition- \ ally, as the dog suddenly diverged from its course and turned down a bread alley. Then, as our forerunner reached an iron fence inclosing a gar den and crowded through between two pickets. Marvel spoke one quick, imperative word: “Stop!” leaped out of the machine and ran up to the fence. I could see beyond him. The dog had burst Into a joyful bark, and al most instantly a stout woman, evi dently a servant, crossed my range of vision. She caressed an;! talked to the leaping animal and walked to the fence, as If expecting that the ani mal's arrival prefaced that of its ex pected master. She came directly up to Marvel, the fence between them. He spoke to her and she answered him, took a look down the al ley, and, turning, went back towards a pretentious appearing mansion facing the avenue. “Drive to the next street and wait for us," Marvel said to the chauffeur, and beckoned me to join him. “We will get around to the front of the house,” he remarked, as we completed the length of the- lane, and turned to carry out this plan. “That is the home of the dog. I asked the woman you saw if the dog belonged there.” “And she said yes?” “With the addendum that its owner was the nephew of her master, and she wondered why he did not come home with the animal, as he usually did.” It was no task to locate the front of the lot where the dog had run to cover. It was an imposing stone structure. We halted in front of it. and my friend read aloud the name engraven on the broad old-style sil ver plate on one of the ornamental front doors: "Arnold Buckinghf :n.” Then Resilius Marvel looked at me. and my eyes meeting his expressive glance, full of wonder, reflected some what a manifest surprise, if not a positive shock in his own. There was not a better name at the banks than that of Arnold Bucking ham. Resilius Marvel knew it from hearsay, and I from practical knowl edge of a financial responsibility rated way up in the millions. There could not help but be a direct challenge in my face. My companion simply shrugged his shoulders. * Come,” he said, his course of pro cedure boldly formulated iD his mind within the space of a minute, and he led the way up the steps, rang the front door bell and stepped inside the vestibule. I wondered what strange freak of fate had led us to this icrdly mansion, to the presence of a man retired from active business with a royal fortune, his honored record a synonym for high business integrity, his name good for the entire reserve of our bank. I wondered, too, how my himself together. He directed one look at Marvel—reproachful, pleading, a lost look. His were the eyes of a man who saw a stranger enter his presence and bring a stately fabric into the midst of sudden devastation and ruin. “Where—where is my nephew?” his lips framed, rather than uttered. "How came he to find the notes—?” It was an admission, and I noted Marvel's lips settle grimly—a point bcored, a start made. "If you had the notes in this house,” he ventured audaciously, “what of the j plates from which thev were print- i ed?” “You know- all! Then it is—ruin!" ! broke in a despairing cry from the old man s lips. "Quick, call someone!” directed Marvel, as Buckingham fell to one side. A spasm convulsed his frame j and he lay rigid and speechless. My frleud had lifted him to an easier posi tion. while I hastened to the hall and advised the servant there of his mas ter's condition. We waited until after a physician had been called. He shook his head seriously while they placed the mil lionaire on a couch. Then he went to work on him. His attitude be came more reassuring as the patient recovered consciousness and looked about him in a bewildered way. Then as his eye fell on Marvel the old fright or fear, terror or apprehension, or whatever it was. came back into ! his fnce. "Take," he urged, "a blank signed check. Fill in for any amount, only save—save my family from shame." "And the plates?" gently but firm- j ly persisted Marvel, waving back the proffered check. "Come—come—” the tortured tones grew- more feeble, "when 1—I send for you." We saw that he was going into an other sinking spell. Marvel hastily summoned the physician, and we passed down the hall and out of the house. Silently my friend led the wav to the machine awaiting us at the corner of the next street, reached his office, dismissed the chauffeur anc nodded a casual adieu to myself. I could not resist an impulse of in tense curiosity and impatience to drop in upon him on my way to the . bank the next morning. I found him with a newspaper folded across his knee and his eyes regarding it with a vexed expression ‘ Did you see it?" he inquired. I guessed what, and told him so, • and ran hurriedly over an item an nouncing that a new $100 treasury note counterfeit—the particulars con cerning which, even to the approxi- j mate serial numbers were given— had appeared on the market. "Some one has babbled," scolded my friend. "It may make a compli cation.” I did not see how. just then. I knew belter—later Marvel had noth 1 ^A ^ r?i3« "i HAVE COME ON AN IMPORTANT AND SERIOUS ^ MISSION IN BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT. MR BUCKINGHAM" HE ANNOUNCED. friend, skilled ar.d ail powerful as he was. would proceed in a case where the sure criminal trail led straight from the portals of a common prison to this abode of luxury ar*d wealth. A servant answered a question put by Marvel, and ushered him into a majestic reception room, took his card, and we both arose ae a man aged, austere, dignified, came into the apartment with an easy, old-fashioned sense of courtesy that charmed me. He had Marvel's card in his hand, and I fancied the name it bo'e had aroused him into curiosity or interest as to the personality it represented. Marvel w eighed his man in tho scales of a mature judgment, and went to the heart of his subject forthwith “I have come on an important and serious mission in behalf of the gov ernment. Mr. Buckingham," he an nounced. "Of the—government?” Very slowly, as though difficult of utterance, Air. Buckingham pro nounced that last word. I thought he quivered, I was sure his natural ruddy color lessened. “You have a relative, a nephew. I understand," resumed Marvel; ar.d then followed a rapid description of the young man who had passed the $100 counterfeits—plus his denr.ded mustache—building up a portrait ‘hat I saw at once was lecognizable by our host. "You are describing my neph-w, Alan Dean,” said Mr. Buckingham, steely cold, because he was controll ing himself. "What or him, sir?” “Just this, Mr. Buckinghtr- He Is in my hands after passing ten coun terfeit $100 treasury notes on the city banks.” The old man, his hands grasping the arms of the chair, tried to hold j mg to impart to me of progress or I importance in the case, but late that afternoon there came a hurry call for j me from him. I closed my desk and j was soon in his company. He handed me a card which he ' took from an envelope. It read sim ply, in pencil scrawl: “I must see i you—A. B.” “I may need you,” observed my | friend, and after a half hour's spin j we arrived at the home of the mil- ! lionaire. The servant who answered the sum mons at the door seemed to know i we were expected. She led us down the hall to a sort of library, saying that Mr. Buckingham was engaged, but that she would announce our pres ence shortly. Then she left us alone in the room, half darkened by the ap proaching shadows of eventide. I caught some rapid words from a room beyond the heavy draperies, ev idently a smoking apartment off the library. I noted, however, that Mar vel heard them quicker than I, for he moved from his seat to a chair closer to the masked doorway. The words, not in the tones of Mr. Buckingham, were rapid, insistent, almost menac ing: “The plates—the plates!” There was an utterance akin to a groan, and it proceeded from the lips of the millionaire, I readily traced. Then the former voice, only clacking, wheedling anC menacing at the same time, spoks again: “Mr. Buckingham, I am here in the interests of a client who has one proposition to make to you. My prom ise ends with a distinct and final neg ative or affirmative. It places me in a regrettable and unfortunate posi tion to be the representative of men who are dangerous criminals, but— I am a lawyer. Shall 1 briefly state ! the case?" There was no reply, at least none audible to us. The speaker contip uea: "Some years ago, your son Pereira Buckingham, chief engraver for the government, was taken 111 and re moved to a sanitarium while you were absent in Europe. Too close ap plication to delicate expert work had blighted his mind He escaped from | the sanitarium, and three men 1 will j not name, but once known as the most finished shovers of the queer in the world, got hold of him. They saw their opportunity and improved it \ They were shrewd, capable men and ! made no blunders. What they did you will now learn for the first time. "Those men secured the upper floor of a lonely, secluded house. They fitted It up tts nearly as possible tike one of the work rooms In the treasury department. They took your deluded son there, and made him believe that he was producing new 1906 series j $100 plates for the government. For [ nearly a year that was his home. His mind did not refuse to act me chanically along the line eye and skill had directed for so many years. In brief, he made two plates, so perfect that they were almost duplicates of the original government plates. Twelve impressions were made, and j two of these were tested by being j placed in circulation. Today they are j somewhere in existence, their valid- ; ity never doubted. Within that week it must have been, while unguarded and alone, your son had a flash of his 1 old mentality. At all events, when | his three captors returned they found ' him gone, and with him the two treas ury plates and the ten printed $100 bills "Now for your end of the story, as I understand it: Your son appeared j at this home, suddenly, unexpectedly. j He must have brought the plates and the notes. You believed him a coun terfeiter, for before he could explain to you, his insane mood returned. You at once removed him to a private asylum. Later you sent him with a relative. Alan Dean, to Paris. He re gained his reason Today he occupies a studio in the French capital, patron ized by devotees of high art. Happily married all that year of mental dark ness forgotten, restored to his right mind, he is a wonderful producer of art etchings, a man of fame, and mar velously prosperous. You have been content to keep him out of the coun try. You never sought to enlighten him as to that lost year in his life.” “I know all this—why go over it!” . came in muffled tones of suffering from the millionaire. "So that the matter may be clearly understood between us," was the prompt response. "Within a week after your son's escape from the coun terfeiters, one of their number came to see you. He caused you to believe that your son had deliberately left the ! government service to go into a scheme to secure millions by using his professional skill as a counter feiter. You told him a lie. You led him to believe that your son had de stroyed the ten treasury notes and the two plates, i ne man. however, threat ened to find the son you had hidden away, to denounce him to the police as a dangerous counterfeiter. To si lence this man. you paid $50,000, and that ended the matter for the time being.” "I know not how," continued the lawyer, but my client, when today he saw the announcement in the newspapers that certain counterfeit j Slid v* very notes of a certain series were in circulation, at once was :orced to an irresistible conclusion. Those notes came from this house— hey could come hom nowhere else. Your nephew, only recently arrived .rota Paris, where your son is living. .- missing from vour home since yes erday. A man answering his descrip tion passed the notes. Putting this and that together, my client reasons that you have also the plates. He must have them." Again a groan from the lips of the tortured man. We heard a tottering step cross the door. Marvel was at my side as the draperies were agitated. He reached me in a swift glide and drew me be side him to a curtained alcove in the library as Arnold Buckingham entered and turned on a light. The old man's lips were trembling and he was whispering hoarsely to himself. His eyes were those of a man on the verge of losing his senses. He produced a key, opened a strong box sAfe, and from some inner recess drew out two oblong pieces of metal. In a lash Marvel was at his side. "On your life, not a word!" he ab jured <he shrinking, well-nigh stricken millionaire. “I will deal with the wretches who seek to blackmail you.” I pressed to the side of Buckingham and supported him, or he would have fallen. I saw Marvt/1 hold the plates toward the light. He drew a magni fying glass from his pocket and looked them over. wnat was tne sigmncance or the quick, momentary smile that crossed his lips, I knew not then. Before 1 j could even conjAture a cause, he had parted the draperies, and I heard the lawyer's metallic voice exclaim: "Resilius Marvel!” “You know me,” was the stern re- ! ply. "Ani I you, Israel Craft, dis- J barred attorney, fence, go-between i and agent of the hunted and lost. You | do well to strain the limit of justice ; to the danger point.” “I am within the law," crackled from »he mean, servile lips. "Admitted. What I wish to know is—have you the affidavits you boast ed of to Mr. Arnold Buckingham a minute since?” "I have.” “Y.'ill you add a statement of your knowledge of this unfortunate busi ness?” "For the plates—yes.” Marvel led the man into the libra ry. He pointed to an open desk, and said simply: "Write.” It was at the end of ten minutes that I saw Resilius Marvel receive into his hands four documents. He scrutinized them closely. Then he said: "There are the plates. Now your men and my men are—quits.” I was amazed—more than that, petrified. I saw Marvel accompany ing the lawyer to the door. Then. returning, he drew Buckingham aside. He conversed with him in low tones, t At the end of ten minutes I saw hope end courage come into the face of the old man. It was the relief and grati tude of a person drawn from the edge of a fearsome precip:»3. "The nephew who passed those notes, and who recently came from ; the son in Paris,” explained Marvel at ife left the mansion, "was told by Percy Buckingham that he might have what he found in his old home room. He stumbled across those counterfeit notes. The son is in hap py ignorance of that blighted year in his life. The father need bear no further anxiety. He will reimborse the banks gladly, the affair must be hushed up, and the man who gets the plates—” He paused in an impressive way. Then Resilius Marvel laughed—a low, strange laugh of intense satisfaction. "But they have them! I do not understand.” I floundered. “They have them, yes,” assented Marvel, "and so much worthless trumpery they are.” "I do not yet comprehend you.” “They bear a sure record, that in his lucid awakening the night of his escape. Percy Buckingham placed upon them,” said Marvel. "They are as useless as old metal.” “You mean—?” "When these knaves come to print their issue, they will find that, finely but plainly engraven across front and back plate, is one warning word.” . "You mean?” “ 'Counterfeit.' ” — MAKING USE OF PUFFBALLS May Be Cooked in Many Ways If One Is Sure the Right Kind Is in Hand. Puffballs are the safest of all fund for the beginner, none of them being poisonous: and they are at the same time excellent and easy to obtain, writes William A. Murrill. assistant di rector of the New York Botanical gar den, in the American Museum Journal. Being tender, they cook quickly and are easily digested. They should as a rule be cut open before cooking to see that they are not toy old and that they are really puffballs. If they are white and firm like cream cheese inside,1 showing no yellow or brownish discol oration, they are of the right age to use. If the interior shows no special structures, but is smooth and homoge neous. then one may be sure he has a puffball. The "egg" of the deadly amanita contains the young cap and stem inside, which are readily seen | when the "egg" is cut; and the “egg" of the stlnkhom shows the stem and a green mass inside surrounded by a lay er of jelly-like substance. Puffballs may be cooked alone in va rious ways or used in stews and ome lets and for stuffing roast fowls. When used in omelets they should be stewed first. All kinds except the very small one should first be peeled and cut In to slices or cubes, after which they may be fried quickly in butter or dipped in beaten egg and fried like eggplant or cooked in any of the ways recommended for the ordinary mush room. The smaller kinds are much Inferior in flavor to the larger ones and need a few specimens of some good mushroom to make them attrac tive. An Educational Garden. The educational garden of L*r. J. B. Hurry, a horticulturist of Reading. England, is a novelty as a private en terprise. Useful plants of various kinds are grouped in several special plots. Among plants employed in medi cine are eucalyptus, belladonna, aco nite. stramonium, gentian, liquorice, podophyllin. asafetida. valerian, hen bane, castor oil. cinchona, and opium poppy; foods include such plants as maize, millet, sugar, rice, bananas, ar rowroot. ginger, pepper, chicory, olive, and caruamon; plants supplying cloth ing and textile materials embrace flax, hemp, cotton. Jute, ramie, and nettle; and there are such plants yielding dyes as woad, indigo, madder, dyers weed, turmeric, annatto. and alkanet. Con servatories display tea, coffee, soya beans, monkey-nuts, guava, chick pea, cinnnmon. and camphor. In the gnr den is also a museum, and in this nu merous industrial products are shown, with labels referring to the plants from which they are derived. On cer tain days the public, including the old er school children, is given free admis sion to the garden. -, Preface to Politics. We have almost no spiritual wea pons against classicalism : universities, churches, newspapers are by-products of a commercial success; we have no tradition of Intellectual revolt. The American college student has the grav ity and mental habits of a Supreme court judge; his “wild oats’* are rare ly spiritual; the critical, analytical habit of mind is distrusted. We say that “knocking’’ Is a sign of the “sore head,” and we sublimate criticism by saying that "every knock is a boost.” America does not play with ideas: gen erous speculation is regarded as insin cere. and shunned as if it might endan ger the optimism which underlies suc cess. Ali this becomes such an in-; sulatioc against new ideas that when the Yankee goes abroad he takes his environment with him.—Walter Lipp mann. Meaning of "Purim.” The word "purim.” the name of the great annual festival of the Jews, means “lots.” This feast commem orates the preservation of the Jews in Persia from the massacre with which they were threatened by Hainan (Es ther 9). They gave the name purim or “lots" to commemorate the festival be- j cause he had thrown lots to ascertain what day would be auspicious for the massacre. — Woman May Be Auctioneer. Although there is no record that a ' woman has ever been ar auctioneer, it is on record that in xT>12. the then mayor of New York. Mr. Gaynor. answered an Inquiry addressed to him by a woman by saying that there was nothing in the law to prevent a woman from becoming an auctioneer. Strange enough, it was a milliner who made the Inquiry. WOMEN! IT IS MAGIC! LIFT OUT ANY CORN ■ — Apply a few drops then lift corns or calluses off with fingers—no pain. Just think! You ean lift off any corn or callus without pain or soreness. A Cincinnati man discov ered this ether compound and named it freezone. Any druggist will sell a tiny bot tle of freezone. like here shown, for very little cost. You apply a few drops di rectly upon a tender corn or callus. Instantly the soreness disappears, then shortly you will find the corn or callus so loose that you can lift It right off. Freezone is wonderful. It dries instantly. It doesn’t eat away the corn or cal lus, but shrivels it up with out even irritating the sur rounding skin. Hard, soft or corns be tween the toes, as well as 'painful calluses, lift right off. There is no pain be fore or afterwards. If your druggist hasn't freezone, tell him to order a small bottle for you from his whole sale drug house.—adv. SHARKS TO SERVE MANKIND Veteran Fisherman Believes That, Properly Handled, the Meat of the Fish Is Edible. Russell J. Coles of Danville, Va, who taught Colonel Roosevelt how to harpoon devilfish, announced that he has discovered a method of preventing world-wide starvation by tests he has carried out with regard to certain spe cies of the dark shark and ray family. Mr. Coles has just come back from Morehead City. X. C., where he caught a number of fish, and despite the pop- 1 ular belief that the eating of them would bring death in a terrible form, he decided to take the risk and he sampled several of them. He has sent a complete record of his findings to Herbert Hoover in the hope that the food administrator will incline an ear and start the fashion of shark eating. Mr. Coles believes that the sides of the larger fish may be tanned and con verted into marketable leather. After trying several methods the Danville man gives the following re cipe for cooking shark steak : Salt heavily for 30 minute-, soak out in three waters, parboil a few minutes, change water, parboil again, cook heavily seasoned and serve hot. The amount of seasoning must be used ac cording to tile odor of the meat. Already Done. “That chorus will soon catch up the national airs." “From what the director lias been saying to them. I should judge they lad already caught Hail Columbia. The vindictive chap never has as much fun as the fellow who can smile and forget it. H" — " « Won't You Try to Stop Needless Telephone Calls —the Lines Are Very Busy and Equipment is Scarce The constantly Increasing scarcity of men and materials is causing great difficulty iu getting and installing tele phone equipment for the most urgent needs. Long distance telephone fa cilities are loaded to their ut most capacity, and local serv ice in some localities is suf fering on account of the con ditions over which the tele phone companies have no con trol. As the war goes on. the government's requirements for trained telephone men and for service and equipment are increasing. The present busi ness activity is also likely to he extended as the war con tinues. You can help the telephone companies “do their bit" for the government by asking for no additional equipment un less absolutely essential to the conduct of your business and by putting every possible restraint on the unnecessary and exrravngnnt use of the local and long distance serv ice. Just Try iten Korn Krackers and you will say: “Here’s good eating from first to last bite.” Iten (Com Krackers tSStO gocd, because they are baked just right of a wholesome blend of corn flour and wheat flour. Rich in food values, too. A pound of Iten Korn Krackers contains an average of 40 large crackers, yielding 1860 calories. Com bread yields only 1175 calories to the pound. Ask your grocer for an 8-lb. box of hen Kom Krackers for $1.25. You'll get full money's worth in both quantity and quality. G-o-o-d eating from first to last bite. Rm SP?W'uttion E.Col«nmn.Was* r« & t Vi I ^ 'nuum-D C Book' II ** ■ trm 5 11 ■ t?st r^tcrrncv:. r«u"»