Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA BEE,
I
1
if
If
Travel
Transport
Topics
Conducted by Goodrich
Of the many odd requests for
motor licenses received in Wiscon
sin, corresponding to street ad
dresses, telephone numbers, age ot
the owner, etc., E. Tausend, of Mad
ison, specified his desire for license
No. 1000 because it sounded lik his
name.
Reductions In auto prices during
the last few months have been
tough on Uncle Sam. They have
caused him to lose millions he other
wise would have collected as sales
taxes. The average drop of $150 in
the cost of flivvers meant a loss of
$656,250 a month to the government,
or about 47,800,000 a year.
Evidently working on the theory
that gasoline is a "joy juice," just
like whisky used to be in the wild
ly wicked days, the secretary of the
treasury has recommended a tax on
every gallon sold. If adonted the
tMx would net the government ap
proximately $290,000,000 yearly.
Recent increases h freight rates
will add $18,000,000 to the cost of
tapping automobiles from the man
yiiacturers to purchasers during the
fcoming year. ' To get even, every
iar owner will have to use his ma
"chine in making trips instead of de
pending upon the railroads. Auto
traveling is cheaper, and besides it's
'ots mote fun.
German helmets are being used as
the base of roadway instead of cob
blestones near London, England.
Our Weekly Don't Don't think
that because auto 'tires are plentiful
now they will be plentiful forever.
In fact, present indications point to
a shortage next spring. The reason
is that tires are, now being produced
The Bee's
H "IN LOVING MEMORY"
By RUTH LOGAN.
There had never been any fear in
ine hearts of the tenants that the
cent would be raised on the build
ing called Pleasant Court, so named
in an endeavor to lend a tolerable
sound to an intolerable building.
Persons any poorer than the pres
ent tenants could not afford to live
there; .those who were richer by a
shade in this world's goods would
not consent to live there,
Tht" court was a narrow, breathless-
grassless space where one wan
JjMl.'d in search of an entrance to
itfFy, 'unsanitary, breathless rooms,
tu, as is often the case,. - poverty
wa genteel in Pleasant Court Min
nie Haggerty used less slang than
her sister of the boulevard.
The Haggerty's were admittedly
the aristrocrats of the court Mrs.
Haggerty never wearied of telling
about the days when Michael was
alive. In those days the family
lived like queens and kings, if Mrs.
Haggerty's conceptions of royalty
were -correct. And when one
looked at Minnie, one was con
strained to the belief that at some
time in her life she had known a
phase of living quite foreign to the
surroundings in which she now
found herself. Her face, if lined
with fine threads sewed by the hand
of 'vorry. was beautiful. Great blue
uitVi havv curtains of black
- i ' 1 - ' -
f, and the color that was of na-
e's own blend in her cheeks,
'nnie Haggerty was fairly entitled
i her mother's assertion that she
, as a rose of Old Erin.- .
i "The rose' that blooms in the
i iums," laughed Minnie. Try as
lard as I will there doesn't seem to
be any way for us to get out of these
surroundings."
"You make enough, my child, but
we' can't pay any more for rent
while you carry the burden of sick
.tt Vnr mveelf T don't care, but
for you I wish we could move where
you belong. A letter from Ireland
rmp tnrlav. Sure and it made me
vnrv hannv. It was a wreath of
love for the grave of your dead
f-.V,r Pafrtrlr himself wrote the
letter. Yeais it has taken and much
of your father's money since he left
the old country, Dttt tne lau writes
' that Viio cioht is crraduallv heinc re-
si!?ored. It is that what I have to
a11 vnn Ko Inno-er will vnil need
to send the money across the wa
ter."
; Minnie removed tier hat and sat
down to th steaming food. She
was happy that the money no
1rtfrr errt ruer the water Thev
needed that $25 a month sadly but
it was an obligation neitner aim
nie nor Mrs. Haggerty could ig
Michael Haggerty had never failed
to send that sum trom tne day nts
old friend's widow in Ireland wrote
him that the boy Patrick, then 16.
had lost his sight in tne same ex-
tW made her a widow
uiuivm ......
After Michael's death the Haggerty
estate was found to be something
f 9 minus ouantitv. But Minnie
' "did not so much as entertain for a
I f Jk , fleeting moment v the possibility of
'did not so much as entertain for
s..Hftenlv Minnie out down her
V fork and turned to her mother smil
! the Wind man again
Somehow when he sings m the
court I cannot help but think of
Patrick. Why do you , suppose he
comes to this place? For three days
now he has not missed ja evening.
Qtire an A 'tis hut' three dav
since first we saw him." Mrs. Hag-
certy brushed a tear from her eyes.
"When he sings the Irish airs it
.seems like yesterday when your
father and I were over there. Maybe
we can spare a dime for the blind
man, Minnie, now that Vafnck no
longer needs the money."
" "And maybe a quarter, said Min
nie, reaching for her purse. "There
ic nn nne else in rieasani v-uuri iw
give him anything."
1 . 1..1,.AniM from arhirh
i ne nine
L.t.:.. ....itntil inrt tried . drap-ffen-
out , mothers shook dust cloths in
Bequest to Gits' Home
Lies Idle in Bank
Detroit, Mich. For 15 years a
fund has been lying idle in the De
troit Trust company.
Like a snowball rolling down hill,
it has grown larger and larger, ow
ing to the accrued interest.
It now aWunts to .$3,80772.
It's all over a cat and the bank is
worried. .
They have gone to court about it
the money.
Mrs. Dora I. Rathburn died No
vember 18, 1907. Her will filed for
probate January 13, 1908, left $3,500
to the "Detroit Cat club" and Shel
ter Home association.
Joseph L. Hudson and Frank T.
Scherer were named as executors.
After the last legal formalities they
began to look for the cat home
named in Mrs. Rathbun's will. None
existed. They searched the old di
rectories. They looked high and
low. No such organization had ever
been, incorporated.
The Detroit Trust Co. had been
named trustee and the money was
left in its care.
At last a representative of the
company has appeared before Judge
Edward Command, of probate court.
"What shall we do with this
money?" he asked. ,
Judge Command commented caus
tically about persons who would
draw wills providing funds for cats
when there is so much distress
in the world.
at the rate of only about 5,000,000 a
year, whereas they are being con
sumed at the rate of about 35,000,000
yearly.
Good road planks which both par
ties have included in their platforms
should not be forgotten in the dis
cussion of more spectacular issues.
Good roads are of tremendous im
portance to the country and should
not be sidetracked for any cause.
They strike deep into the roots of
fundamental progress and should be
provided at any cost.
Under the new law against motor
thieving, Samuel Burton was recent
ly sentenced by a judge in the mu
nicipal court of Philadelphia, Pa.,
for a term of not less than five
years nor more than seven. The
maximum penalty under the old law
was three years.
An electric advertising sign in
vented in France is so mounted on
a man's hat as to be practically in.
visible when the current is turned
off.
Short Story
defiance of the rules were always
filled with people when the blind
man, guided by a small boy, made
his appearance and sang the plain
tive melodies of the country of the
Haggerty's. -
For some reason the heavy black
lenses of the man seemed always
to be looking at the balcony where
Minnie stood. As she had said,
there was no one else to give him a
coin. Pleasant Court was not a lu
crative spot for those who depended
on gratuities. - -
And why did the blind man come,
since his . only chance of assistance
lay with the Haggertys? To sing
seven songs for a dime seemed a lit
tle unnecessary when there were
places but a short distance away
where money would have been
tossed with a reckless handv-
"Mickey, pretty Mickey The
eyes were raised to the balcony
where the girl stood. The small boy
scrambled for the quarter .she threw
down.
Then when the last note died away
the blind man did a surprising
thing. He slipped the heavy black
glasses from his eyes and looked di
rectly into those of Minnie Hag
gerty. '
"God bless you, he said softly
"and if you've a cup of tea Patrick
O Malley of the old country will
daughter of Michael Haggerty, may
the Lord bless his soul."
"And is it you, Patrick O'Malley?"
cried Mrs. Haggerty when the man
made his entrance into the place.
" 'Tis the image of your mother you
are."
"And 'tis the image of angels I
see when I think of Michael Hag
gerty and his wife and daughter,
He was looking with frank admira
tion into the . face of the radiant
Minnie. "The letter which I wrote
was delayed on purpose that I
might arrive first. Not until I
came out here did 1 know that
Michael had died a oaurjer from the
giving to every creature who had
less than he. High time it is that
Patrick O'Mallev takes on the bur
den. A little flat I have rented.
The one you lived in when Michael
died. Sure, and America is good
to the sons of Erin. Bv day. I am
a policeman in the first ward and
bv night i am tne escort oi Minnie
Haggerty and her mother. And
here is forty-five cents that you
have tossed to me the past three
nights. I'll exchange it for a cup
of-tea." ...
Back thev went to the life where
they lived like kings and queens.
Literally, the fiaggerty s nad cast
their bread uoon the waters, for
many was the day that Minnie had
eaten one niece of bread instead of
two, so that Patrick O'Malley might
see again the light ot day.
"Sure and 'tis I that am the hap
piest person on earth," said Patrick
two months later when Minnie
raised her eyes to his and nodded
her ead in answer to a. question oi
vital importance.
It is wrong you are, disagreed
Minnie. "What with your uniform
and club you look $ impressive I
can scarcely contain mv oride."
"The both of you are wrong,"
spoke up Mrs. Haggerty proudly.
"Tis the old mother that is-happier
It isn't the being back in the old
home that fills my heart with joy
It isn't the knowing that the rent
will be paid without worry. It is
memory of Michael, who worked
and slaved that Patrick might regain
his sight and come to America, to
marry Minnie, that gives me happt
ness. Sure, and the live things can
perish, but never can they take away
the memory of a good man like
Michael Haggerty. Never has Pat
rick forgotten to pray for his soul
before we break bread, and it is
well, for in the heart of every good
Irishman there is the gratitude that
does not die. And the wreaths you
send to the grave each week are
bigger than the wreaths the widow
Flynn carries to the grave of that
good-for-nothing husband of hers.
Sure and 'tis the old mother that
knows the greatest happiness.
On September 27, 1919, four men
were held up at midnight between
York and Darlington in a first-class
carriage. One was an architect,
nged 50; two were coi'ntry gentle
men from the neighborhood of
Aysgarth, in the late '40s, and the
last was the M. O. of a service bat
talion returning on demobilization.
He also ame from near Aysgarth,
where he had'a practice. They had
been a long time in the train; it
seemed longer and there was a dead
silence all down the line. The
architect, who had a gray beard,
stretched out his leg and yawned:
"Eh, bat I'm tired!" he said. "As
t;red as the old priest, Peter Monag
ham." One of the country gentlemen
asked who was the old priest, Peter
Monagham. The architect said he
was a good old priest who, on a
night when he was dog tired, re
ceived a summons to administer ex
treme unction. But he fell asleep,
being so very tired, and only wakea
in the morning light in greatshamc
and tribulation. So he rode very
fast to the house of his penitent and
was told the man had died.
"But, father," said his informant,
"he died easy and in the peace of
God. He was very troubled in the
early hours, but after you came and
administered the blessed sacraments
h grew calm, and so he made i
good end." According to the legend,
an angel, or it may have been the
priest's own soul, had come to con
fess the dying man while the- old
priest slept. So the old priest was
saved from great shame.
"Ah," one of tire country gentle
men said, "that would be in the old
days, and in Ireland."
"You won't find the like," the
other agreed, "in the north of Eng
land today. The more's the pity
for us that are getting on in years."
The three of them agreed. But the
M. O. happened to be an Irishman.
"I'll tell you a, story, if you like,"
h said. And though none of them
were very cordial at first, off he
went. The story he told was some
thing like this: It was, he said, in
the middle days of the war, and in
France. And if you wanted, he
emphasized, to know the heaviest
tiredness of all the world you must
know the tiredness of the war in
France in the winter of '16 and '17.
when the Somme push was stopped
and the heavy other work began to
be felt in battalion headquarters
and such places. Heavy, hard
work, endless papers, endless re
sponsibilities, bitter, hard weather
and danger that seldom ceased. It
was hard on the young, but it was
bitter, bitter hard on those that
were aging at all. Sorae knew it
less than others, but the M. O, would
know better than any, for he would
have a bird's-eye view of a whole
battalion, and its nerves, and its ill
ness, and its tiredness.
"I didn't know," the architect
said, "that it was really like that I
thought it ' was all fine and high
spirits, really, and things going with
a dash until your what's the word?
stopped one!"
"Ah, don't ye believe" it," the Irish
M. O. said. "It wasn't , so in the
battalion that I had the honor to be
attached to and it wasn't so in any
of the other battalions that I had
the honor to see, and they were
many. Did you ever hear of the
colonel of a regular battalion whq.
went mad," and walkedout .of his
own lines straight over to the Ger
mans, and went walking on and on,
stark mad, till the Germans took
him, three miles behind their lines,
fir nf the next colonel of the same
battalion who went home sick and
shot himself in his flat in .south
Audley street, or of the next who
well, there were many 1 mere were
manv who went . over the edge of
unreason but there were many and
many who stayed by the grace ot
God just on this side of the edge. By
the grace of God as in the casa
of the old priest, Peter Monagham.
It was like that wnn Lieut, oi.
Leslie Arkwrieht and it was very
nearly like it with his nephew, Lieu
tenant Hugh, both of my battalion.
And they, mind you, were two of
the best men that ever wrote 'Please
at the end of a memorandum about
the number of time passes issued to
their battalion. He was a hne, good,
kindly, warm-hearted old fellow
the colonel commanding and the
boy was a good boy. He had gayety
and sense of responsibility, and
youth, and great physical strength.
And they say that never in his life
did he sign a memorandum without
looking it through to be sure that
truth was in it and commas. Who
of us is there of which the like couia
he caid heaven helo US?
"Well, uncle and nephew were tne
best of pals. They thought alike, in
a way that was strange for the old
and the young. Why. it was queer
how, after dinner in the headquar
ters mess, one would begin a sen
tence and stop for a word and the
other finish it. Of course, it was tne
same blood in them very old blood,
and no doubt inbred, too. And their
voire were alike. Whv. if you were
at C. O.'s orderly room and had
your back to the table you could not
tell, supposing the G O. said, 'Six
days' field punishment, No. 11,' and
the boy repeated it tor tne purpose
of getting it surely correct on the
252 you couldn't tell which voice
wa which.
"So their friendship was, till there
rnme the winter of '16-'17. and Cap
tain Gotch (that isn't his name; he
is still alive he would be.) This
was one of those men as to whom
there is a black mark against their
names in the high books. There are
such men and there are such books
in the world. (I don't mean the
confidential records of a battalion
orderly room, but books kept higher
still.) They are merr who appear
four-square, able, -intelligent, they
generally have flashing teetn and
thev are unsound. They get on, but
they don't get on as well as you
expect them to. The inexperienced
like them enormously; the experi
enced hold their tongues about them.
"So Hush Arkwrieht liked Cap
tarn Gotch immensely. The fellow
had the usual fine teeth and fine,
rather thin legs and a well kept
mustache and brown eves that did
not always look at you, and fine
breeches, but he did not come out
till the winter of 1916, and he came
out as a captain of some seniority.
, "It isn't what you look for, but
no doubt he could give some reason
for it. There was a good deal of
gossip about hirri. He came from a
reserve battalion that wasn t popular
in the regiment So things were said
about him they were probably un
true. They ranged from nasty, very
nasty things about him and women
and the colonel of his reserve bat
In the Colonel's Shoes
By Ford Madox Hueffer
talion, to the allegation that a firm
in which he had been junior partner
before the war had been fined
heavily for trading with the enemy.
But no doubt they were not true, as
L said before. I don't know what
was the matter with him. I dare
say I -am unjust to him, but then
I didn't like him.
"But if I didn't there were plenty
did. The young fellows in the mess
when the battalion was in support
and they could get leave to go into
the big towns and cut a little splash
for a night they'd swear by Gotch.
He was their leader then. And
Hugh Arkwright went with the rest
of his age.
"That was how it came to sad
disagreement between him and the
old C. O. Hugh thought that his
uncle was unjust to Gotch. There
would be recommendations going
for jobs at divisional headquarters
and highre up. Circulars came in,
you know, asking for junior officers
who have knowledge of Memish,
Japanese, Maregasque, Basque, bay
onet fighting as practiced in Pushtu,
or for senior officers who have ex
oert knowledge of pig breeding, the
growing of Jerusalem artichokes, the
extraction of solder trom old tins,
the unraveling of gold lace God
knows what!
"And Captain Gotch would send
his name in for all these things and
the C. O. would send the name on,
but without any recommendation.
Young Hugh would see the memos
and his eyes would be troubled. He
was very intimate with Ootch by
March when the weather was
frightful. I forgot to say that Cap
tain Gotch had a fine baritone voice.
It has an imnortant beanne on the
last words of my story. He would
sing the popular sentimental songs
of the day and put in nasty meanings
and raise one brown eyebrow when
he come to them. It made him
Dooular with the men of the bat
talion who were not in his com
pany when he sang to them at smok
ing concerts, improvised in old
barns and tents and pigsties. But
his own company was nasty.
"One day the colonel came to me
as M. Q.. .
"'Pat,' he said, 'I don't believe I
can stick it Good God, that I
should have to say I don't believe
I can stick itl'
"I asked him what was the matter,
but it wasn't necessary to ask him
what was the matter. His mind was
overloaded. . You see, like his
nephew, he was nidefatigable and
he didn't leave as much as' he might
have to his subordinates. - And he
knew the name and regimental num
ber of every Tommy in his battalion,
and a little bit about each man, too.
He was a Yorkshireman and tner
came from the west country. But I
remember walking with him along
the main street m .Amiens in tne
twilight,1 and there was a Tommy
looking into a picture postcard
shop. ' , , ,
'"Hullo 09 Phillips,' the colonel
said to him. 'Going to buy a blood
stained souvenir for the little girl
in Cairleon-on-Usk?' And he knew
all his men like that.
"Rut latterlv it was patent that
he was feeling the strain. It took
the form; of falling asleep. He'd fall
asleep at table, in between two
words of" a sentence. That was
how we knew that Hugh could com
plete his sentences for him!) His
silver.head would drop forward and
his eyes close, or the same midway
in dealing at : a rubber of bridge.
And the officers would wait silent
and worried.
"On the morning he came to me
heM fallen-asleen whilst taking his
orderly room for , 10 seconds. He
said he didnt believe tneyd no
ticed it, and I . don't believe they
had. But he had dozed in his chair
at a table covered with a blanket,
with the assistant adjutant beside
him, and the prisoner, and escort,
and provost sergeant, and regimental
Sergeant major, and all in tront oi
him and Captain Gotch. In the
school room of a little town in
Flanders, it was. I forget the name.
It made it better or perhaps it
made it worse that the sleeping
fits only came on when we were
out of the trenches proper.
'"And the devil of it is,' he said,
'I wokd up to hear myself saying
like a bally rifle shot: "Case ex
plained!" And the charge was a
hell of a serious charge of refusing
to obey orders brought by that fel
low Gotch.
"'Apparently on a beastly, cold
wet night Gotch had stormed down
like a madman on his company, who
were on some sort of fatigue, carry
ing stones, or boxes, or cases of
dumbbells, or something. And two
of the men had said they couldn't
or wouldn't lift something wet and
heavy. It was a case that was open
to doubt. Gotchswore the men said
they wouldn't The company ser
geant major, who was a time serv
ing man with 23 years' service he
was the only witness was not ready
to swear what the word used had
been. It might have been "couldn't"
or it might have been "wouldn't." '
"So that the 'case explained' ver
dict, rendered actually in the C. O.'s
sleep, hadn't been outrageous. What
ever the object was that they had
been required to lift might on a
dark, wet night, have seemed be
yond two men's lifting power. The
C O. said, with, a trick of his old,
gentle jauntiness, that he had got
out of it all right, though Old Forty
had not liked it.
"'And I could see that my young
cub of a nephew didn't like it,
either,' he said. Young Hugh had
been recording the awards' on the
252 the charge sheet.
"'I strafed the two men well,' the
C. O. said, 'before the provost ser
geat could march them out. I said
that it was for the company officer
and not for the men to judge what
men could do. And so on.'
"Then he had cleared the room of
the other ranks the men and N.
C. O.'s 'And I said to Mr. Forty
that I wished that in future all of
ficers giving evidence against other
ranks should do it in writing when
ever possible, as is provided in king's
regulations, though it's apt to drop
out of observance here.'
. " 'And I expect Mr. Forty did not
like that much, either, sir,' I said to
myself softly.
"The C. O. started a little.
'"Did I call Captain Gotch "Old
Forty?", he asked rather gqilty. 'It
slipped out. You know, the men
call him that, too.'
" 'Bless you, sir,' I safd. 'I hear
it from every one of the sick I get
from A company. And they've
been many latterly.'
'"I wish to God,' the C. O. said,
'the fellow had never but that's
between you and me and that gatc-
post He sighed. And I knew he
was thinking of the estrangement
that was growing between him and
his nephew. He knew, you see,
what his nephew thought without
his nephew having to say what it
was, and he knew that his nephew
thought he had unjustly insulted
Captain Gotch by that verdict I
gave him a nux vomica tonic and
said I'd 'certify him as fit for six
months at the base. But he wouldn't
have that.
"It was only two nights later that
the nephew came to me just before
driving to some town or other
Steenenierch, I think with a brake
load of young fellows, in search of
diversion and, maybe, the young
ladies. I pray God that one of them
was kind to Hugh that night for
he was killed, driving back, by a
stray shell that dropped through
the bottom of the wagonette the
young boys were in, on a clear, still
moonlight night. But when he came
to me was before he started.
"He was terribly depressed about
his health and extraordinarily glad
about something else and he want
ed me to give him drugs to keep
him from breaking down. He was
a fine young fellow, 24, over six
feet, with corrugated brows like his
uncle, and a normal frown just like
his Uncle's only they both used to
break into bashful smiles, if you
understand what I mean, as if they
both were ashamed of smiling and
the softer emotions, as being ef
feminate during the war, but they
couldn't help liking the queer world
and the queer people in it. So there
he was,- miserable about his health
and happier than you ever saw any
body about his uncle, the C. O. He
said he'd been having illusions. And
when I asked him what illusions
did he think he saw pink and red
or bottle green blackbirds, he said
no; it was, queerer than that,' but
he couldn't tell me without telling
a long story. So I told him to
take some hooch and fire away.
"He told me a good deal that I
knew, about his coolness towards his
uncle, and then he came to that
morning. He said that just before
the orderly room the C. O. had said
to him that he wanted Captain Wil
kins, the adjutant, to help at orderly
room that morning marking down
the cases, instead cf Hugh, you
know. And that worried him, so
that instead of going to his papers
after breakfast he sat down in an
armchair by the fire in the A2 mess
dining room. It was a large French
house, the battalion headquarters at
that time, the village school just be
hind it being the orderly room.
"So he sat by the fire, worrying, i
"And then Gotch burst into the
room and rushed to a writing table
at the far end, beside the piano. He
snatched at a piece of piper and
cursed, and he began writing with a
scratchy pen and cursing and
scratching out and rewriting and
gnawing his beautiful mustache. He
said to himself: 'A d d pass it's
coming to if officers can't . . .
Then he roared out for a mess wait
er and cursed him for having a cod
fish's face and told him to take the
paper to the adjutant at the double
and curse him. And then he got up
with his back still to Hugh and sat
down at the piano and began to
dash off tinkling songs as hard as
he could hit the ivories.
"And then, Hugh said, in the midst
of his Own worries suddenly he be
gan to feel another-worry a heavy,
dreadful worry, as if all the battalion
was going to hell and as if the war
was hopeless. And as if the officers
of the battalion were not as much to
be trusted as they had been six
months ago, and a if the men of the
hi4flion were growing stubborn.
Son:ftiiing must be done about A
company. But what? And that
dreadful bounder, Gotch, with his
debts and the contempt of the menl
How was he to get rid of him? A
company junior officers would shield
Gotch. They were good boys. And
he was tired. And all his bones
ached. And his nephew, Hugh.
"And, suddenly, Hugh said he
knew that it was his uncle's worries
he was feeling. And he wanted to
go to his uncle. But he couldn't
move. And, of course, he couldn't
have gone to the C. O. in orderly
room if he could have moved.
"Gotch was banging on the piano,
but suddenly Hugh heard his uncle's
voice say in his ear: 'I can's keep .
. - . O, God, I can't keep : . .
I'm falling . . . falling . . .'
And then he himself, he, Hugh, him
self, was sitting on the hard wooden
chair at the C. O's. table. He felt
older, older,' and wiser and wiser,
and surer of himself than he had
ever felt sure. But his hand on the
blanket table cover was heavy and
white and hairy. And he said: 'Call
in the prisoners.' And the provost
sergeant- roared: 'Escort and com
pany Sergeant Major Wilson!' '
"And he reached his heavy hand
distastefully for the buff 252 which
was pinned to the field conduct sheet
and had on top of it a piece of
scrawled writing paper. And he
read a number and the name Wilson
and the rank, company sergeant mar
jor and the offense, 'Highly irregu
lar conduct to the prejudice of good
order and military discipline. Us
ing disrespectful language with re
gard to an officer.' And to himself
he said, That swine, Forty, is trying
to do in Wilson for not having given
false evidence against those two men
the day before yesterday.' But he
said aloud and heavily to the adju
tant at his side, 'Ask A company if
they "can't make out better charges
than that!' And he snorted with
contempt over his heavy gray mus
tache, 'Highly irregular conduct to
the prejudice '
"He leant back in his chair and
looked composedly at the always
worried face of the company ser
geant major. And he knew that the
sergeant major, with his brown face,
black eyes and waxed mustache was
the best man in the battalion. A
time-serving man, an old guardsman
with 23 years' service and never a
mark on his conduct sheet except
that six years before when he had
been regimental quartermaster ser
geant he had gone' mad over a
woman called Hurlett and broken
his leave and been reduced to ser
geantas will happen to the best
of men. But for that he would sure
ly have been a guards regimental
sergeant major. A good, honest
man!
"And 'Oid Forty,' MO feet down
and still digging,' the men called him
because he never left the bottom of
.the deepest dugout, was trying to
do Wilson in! Well, they would
see. .
"He said: 'Company Sergeant Ma
jor Wilson, you have heaiid the
4
charge. The first witness is your
company commander, Captain
Gotch. He writes: "On the 17-4-17
A company were ballotniir for leave
in my orderly room. The company
quartermaster sergeant was drawing
names from a hat in my presence
and the company sergeant major was
writing down the names. There
were seven names to be drawn out
of 24. When six had been drawn I
said: 'Company sergeant major, put
down the name of Lance Corporal
Howells, 579756.' The company ser
geant major demurred. I said: 'The
O, C. company has always the right
to nominate a man for special serv
ices.' The company sergeant major
said: 'It isn't done in this battalion,
sir.' I said: 'Those are mv orders.'
The company sergeant major wrote
down the name of Lance Corporal
Howells. As I was leaving the room
I heard the company sergeant major
say to the company quartermaster
sergeant: Gotch will miss 56 How
ells in the next 10 days. 1 ordered
him to be put under arrest. Next
witness.
"The provost sergeant roared,
'46721 Company Quartermaster Ser
geant Reynolds.' .
"Hugh said he could see that orig
inally Captain Gotch had written:
'Company Sergeant Major Wilson
said; "Lance Corporal Howells has
only been a short time with the com
pany since you came, sir! And all
the men whose names are down have
been on leave. And leave only just
open after three months." He haM
then struck out those words and
substituted, "The company, sergeant
major demurred, tie might nave
saved himself the trouble, tor the
quartermaster sergeant reported the
words, in full.
" 'And what happened then?'
" 'As Captain Gotch was going out
of the room,, sir, the company ser
geant major said to me, "Brother
Boche will miss Lance Corporal
Howell in the next 10 days." Cap
tain Gotch ordered me to put the
company sergeant major in the
Clink.'
"Hugh ' said that he reached across
the heavy white hand and took
the charge sheet trom the adjutant,
who had in the meantime resumed
possession of it. He was taking up
a pen and writing heavily himseit
the word 'Case while he said:
" 'Company Sergeant Major Wil
son:
"Wilson cleared his throat; he was
always husky. A good man, Hugh
said! And it was a pleasure for
him to hear Wilson say:
I beg of you, sir, for leave to
speak' the . time-honored guards
formula.
"He said tfcat he agreed to the evi
dence given by" Company Quarter
master Reynolds.
"And Hugh said that, while he was
heavily writing the word-'Dismissed'
after the word 'Case' on the charge
sheet (You must understand that a
commanding officer does not usually
write these things in ink himself, but
leaves it to the adjutant) he was
saying dryly: ,
'"Company sergeant major, it is
never a good thing for an N. C. O.
even to seem to comment on his
company officers orders. Captain
Gotch is a little hard of heanniz. he
added; 'case dismissed.'
'Hugh said that the roaring of the
provost sergeant getting in the next
case, and the men stamping as they
marched out, suddenly became the
voice of Captain Gotch, who had
swung round on the piano stool and
was saying:
" 'You, Hugh,' and then, 'By God,
if the C. O. gives Wilson "Case ex
plained" I shall go before the brig
adier.' . "Hugh said he answered:
"T should, Gotch. I should go
before division. Because if I were
in the colonel's shoes I should make
it, "Case Dismissed"
"Gotch said:
"'By God, what do you mean,
Hugh?'
"'I mean,' Hugh said, 'that divi
sion are 'asking for a junior officer
to look after divisional follies.'
"Gotch's jaw fell down and he
clenched his right fist. But sudden
ly he stiffened to attention. The
door had opened behind Hugh, but
he knew of course that the. colonel
had come in. There had been only
two cases at orderly room.
"The colorel had a -slip of paper
in his hand and was looking at it
with his brow knitted. It was a 252.
. "'Hugh,' he said, I'm getting to
write (eucedly like you.' And then:
"'Ah, Gotch. The adjutant says
the baths are open. See that A com
pany parades in good time.'
"'Hugh said he drew himself to
gether and looked at his uncle.
" 'I was just recommending Cap
tain Gotch, sir,' he uttered slowly
and deliberately, 'to apply for the
job of the divisional follies. It's
going begging.'
"The colonel nodded at Gotch.
"'I should. Gotch,' he said. 'I
could recommend you cordially.'
Gotch gathered up his hat, and
gloves, and stick, and left the room.
The old man fell into the chair by
the fire.
" 'Hugh,' he said, 'get me a drink.
'Hugh, were you ir. orderly room
just now.' .
" 'I don't know,' Hugh said. 'Yes,
yes. I think I was.'
"The C. O. imagined he was con
fused because he thought he would
be strafed for having been here.
"'That accounts for your hand
writing on this 252. I suppose the
adjutant was too busy,' he said. '1
didn't really notice who was there.
And then he lifted his tired eyes and
looked at Hugh with an awful ap
prehension: '"Was I was it all right?' he
"'You were splendid, sir,' Hugh
answered. 'You looked tired ill.
But you were splendid."
"He was mixing a whisky, and as
he handed it to his uncle he said:
" 'I hope to God that swine Gotch
goes to the division.'
"The colonel drank down h-s
whisky. ,
"Thank God, Hugh, my dear,
he said. T thought I was asleep
in my own orderly room.' "
Why are the six-day bicycle races
held annually at Madison Square
Garden, New York, so popular? No
one has ever been able to figure it
out. This year the crowds were so
large that thousands had to be
turned away daily. Similar races
have never succeeded well in other
cities and even in New York when
the same racers race outdoors only
a few bike fans go to see them.
Appearance of an old-fhioned
horse-drawn phaeton on iTuclid
avenue in Cleveland recently star
tled passing motorists so badly that
accidents were barely avoided. Isn't
passed to protect motorists
such distracting sights??
'r?
Bodies of Pilgrims ,
Taken to New Place
Plymouth, Mass. A motley col
lection of crumbling bones, cor
roded zinc and decayed wood, all
of the early rilgrim settlers of
Plymouth Colony, were removed
from their crypt in the recess over
Plymouth Rock and conveyed to
their new resting place in Pilgrim
Hall.
Previous to the removal of the
bones of the Pilgrim Fathers the
center stone on the canopy, weighing
about a ton, was removed with a
crane. The carved granite that sur
mounted the peak of the canopy was
likewise removed.
The banes were placed in the re
pository over the canopy in 1870.
Health Director Telia
Best Way to Catch a Cold
Mexico City, Mex. Health Com
missioner Robertson, the, neatest
way to catch a cold is to follow the
formula, as set forth in his weekly
health report:
"To successfully catch a cold," Dr.
Robertson says, "the best way is to
close all the windows and turn on
the heat. Also be sure and have on
heavy underwear.
"Wh?n you breathe in dry air for
a vhile, put on thin wraps and go
out in the cold.
"However, if this fails, try board
ing a street car or go to an assembly
hall there is sure to be someone
around with a cold.
"On the other hand, if you arc
seeking to avoid colds, keep the
house at temperature of 68 de
grees; get planty of fresh air in the
house; dress lightly in the house
and put on heavy outer clothing
when gc ng fit, and during inclem
ent weather dress ppreriate'y nd
accordingly.
"Above all, keep the teeth and
mouth clean.",
New Gas Wells Are
Found Near Dayton, 0.
Davton. O. Drilling on the Wem-
pler farm, a few miles north of hert,
J. E. Barnes struck a now or gas ai
150 feet which, when lighted, blazed
up 10 feet Several water-soaked tar
paulins were used in putting out the
blaze. ...
Another well in the neighborhood
struck several years ago, is of suf
ficient strength to supply one house
hold. The new well has a six-inch
opening. .Other farmers are contem
plating sinking holes.
The Bee's
PAULETTE ELOPES
By BEE M-DONALD.
"Nonsense, Paulette there's noth
ing to be afraid of it's as simple as
A B C."
"That may all be perhaps you've
eloped before but this is my first
experience, and it seems anything
but simple to me. Besides, I never
deliberately went contrary to dad's
wishes that I wasn't sorry for it aft
erwards." "In a case like that," said the
young man, with a touch of asperity,
there s nothing left for me but a
fare-the-well. I've told you I will
not stay around here any longer
without some kind of definite prom
ise for the future, to say nothing of
actually claiming you, so it's me for
the far country as soon as I can col
lect my traps."
"Just where do you expect to go?"
"How do I know? Away that's
all away where I can forget."
"But Darcy, I can't let you go this
way!" faltered the girl, beginning to
weep softly,
"This way or that it's all the
same to me if I can't have you. I'll
wager a dollar against a doughnut
that your father and mother were
married long before they were as
eld as we are. It's just a notion
that's all for your father to insist
we're too young, and I'd like a
chance to show him how mistaken
he is."
He had taken the girl protectingly
into the shelter of his strong young
arms, and as she ceased weeping he
held her head back and gazed stead
ily into her eyes.
"Well is the decision final?" he
asked.
"No I've got to go with you,
Darcy I simply cannot give you up
for anything or anybody!"
"Bully for our side! That's the
girl I thought you were all the time!
Now for our plan write the note
and leave it for your father, pack a
bag with enough things to last for a
few days, take the train due in town
at 4:30, and by the time my future
tather-in-law gets home to dinner his
fair blossom will have been plucked
from the ancestral tree. In the
meantime I'll run into town and get
a license."
She watched him as he went whis
tling down the path, turning every
few steps to wave at her, and when
he had disappeared behind the group
of trees near the gate, she again felt
her courage oozing out at her finger
tips. But she had given her word,
and that was one ' lesson her little
French mother had impressed upon
her before she had passed into the
great beyond never to break her
word, once she had given it.
It was only 1 o'clock, so she had
plenty of time to make preparation
for this hurried launching of her
frail bark on the matrimonial sea
and incidentally she had time for
much reflection. When the note was
written and her bag packed her heart
was like a load of lead within her.
She pictured her father coming in
that evening after his hard day at the
exchange, expecting the usual cheer
ful greeting and rinding only the
note telline him of her utter disregard
for his wishes. He had been such a
wonderful dad father and mother
both for so long and she did love
him so. But she loved Darcy Mc
Nair, too, and she would lose Darcy
if she let him go this time. Of her
dad she felt fairly certain. He would
be deenly grieved, she knew, but she
also felt reasonably sure of his ulti
mate forgiveness. The Rubicon of
her decision being finally oassed. she
tried to telephone her father, hoping
by this little attention to soften the
blow which awaitert him at home. He
was not in his office and she was
obliged to leave without hearing his
voice pgain.
At the station she learned that the
4:30 was a little late, so she decided
to resort to the trolley, hooirrff to
reach the railroad station in tl citv
9( tnnfl 9 hapw AA T4m nine and
'acW-a-dav! Thre was nve trmi
urcwing on tne suourom. iroucv
Maroi
Digest
Eighteen years ago;, specially de
signed clothing for aiUomobiling,
advertised to furnish "aXiauifeur's
leather suit, consisting of x jacket,
trousers, cap atid goggles in any
color found in kid gloves,' for
J50.00.
Designed for rural work and fitted
up with a dental chair, an automo-
M I' . - I I !.-
nne msnensarv oneraicu unucr wio
Pennsylvania department of health, i
is making a four months' tonr I
throughout the state. The traveling
laboratory is the first of its kind in
the United States under state aus
pices. Through the scarcity of materials
of all kinds in Germany, a three
wheeled motor vehicle, which can be
more easily handled than the usual
type, is in production. By installing
a two-cylinder motor it has a speed
of 45 miles an hour and makes 30
miles to a gallon.
The National Shell factory in
Bradford, staffed mostly by women
was one of the largest of its clas
in Great Britain, producing high
explosive shells and fuses during the
war. For miles around Bradford,
in brass works, motor ear.n ens, ma
chine shops attached c.onta.etc,
component parts of fuseilme ,nyo-
llirerl in Vllin tired of tliousaflhy -lv,
brought to the Bradford factorywT
assembly.
Motor trucks have been called
upon by progressive Chinese lead
ers, to assist in the modernizing of
Nantoon, one of , the oldest of
China's cities. Six large trucks with
omnibus bodies having a carrying,
capacity of 30 passengers each nave
been ordered from an American
manufacturer. They will be the only
means of transportation in the city.
Roads are being widened so they
can be used successfully.
American tourists visiting the bat
tlefields of Picardy and Flanders
need not worry about hotel accom
modations. Luxurious auto trailer
hotels have been provided in which
six persons can live with all the con
veniences on an American railway
Pullman. Berths are let down from
the sides and 'at the rear is a com
plete electric kitchen and buffet
Short Story
that afternoon than they had experi
enced in a whole year before. They
had a hot box to begin with. Then
an inconsiderate coal van went dead
on- the tracks, necessitating the call
of n S. O. 5v wacnn hefnre it ennlH
be removed. As a last straw they
were bridged, so that when Paulette
rail hreathlesslv intn rVie Penrrsl ita.
tion it was at least an hour past time
tor her train. iM ran wildly about
searching irr Darcv nH nlmnct t
once she senhtd that everyone else
was running about as wildly as she
was. Then it ws home in nn Vier
that the confusion was somewhat un-
........ i if . .. . I,. .
usual. women were soDoing ana
mutterinc inroherentlv. Mun'i fa-a
ere white and drawn and she saw
a stretcher with a sheeted form be
iner borne throucrh the station a wait.
ing ambulance outside.
"Wtiot io it all K,.?" .U.
stopping a porter who was hurry
ing by.
Four-thirty train wrecked just
outside the vards nennle IrilleH anA
injured."
The 4:30. And Darcy was expect
ine her on that! She cnnti'nneH Vier
search and, trying once to pass the
gates, was pushed rudely back by the
Cordon of puarde statinnet tViere TTi-
nally she sat down on the corner of
a bench, overcome by extreme nerv
ousness and remorse, and sobbed and
sobbed aloud. An elderly man
stopped and patted her gently on the
head.
"There, there, my girl," he said
soothingly, "remember that you are
iiui aiune in vonr ffrier luanv thr
have lost also."
"But I'm the one that's lost!"
wailed Paulette. "I was due to ar
rive on that train and took the trol
ley instead now he they will think
I've been killed."
"I would suggest you get to a
telephone and ease his their minds
as Ciuicklv as nosiihle." ansmorxt tli
man with just the suspicion of a
iwmKie in nis eye.
Paulette seized the advice eagerly,
wandering why she had not thought
of it before, bu' every telephone
booth in the vicinity was occupied,
so she determined to reach her
father's office if possible before he
left for home. She reached there in
record time and as she left the ele
vator she saw through the open door
opposite, the two men she loved
best in all the world, pacing the
fbor like a pair of mad animals.
She slipped in behind a screen while
they were walking toward the win
dows, just in time to hear Darcy
moan,
"I shall never get over it, Mr.
Henderson. It's every bit my fault
I urged her to do it and now she
lies out there dead under that
wreckage 1"
"We won't give up hope until the
wreckage is all cleared." v
"But they told me positively that
all passengers had been identified
or accounted for except two un
known women who were still under
one of the coaches. Do you think,
Mr. Henderson, you can ever for
give me?"
"Of course I can. my boy. I
forgive you so freely that if Paul
ette were here now I should ghre
her to you without a question
"In a case like that," said Paul- i
ette ouietly, coming out from behind i
her shelter, " I think it is quite time
for my resurrection." ,
Auto speeders have a "tacky"
time in Athens. When a traffic cop
m that city sees a speeder coming
he does not rest content by order
ng him into court. . He throws a
piked board in the auto's path anrl
if it is going so fast that it cannot
vp in time, its tires are punctured.
The practice is said to have reduced
peeding to a minimum.
Dangerous curves in Wyomlnrf
nr'Ji? bemr.r,kf.d "War
liehthouses." Flashes of nine-inch:
yellow rays. 45 times a minute, will
designate the spot. All railroad
crossings will be marked by red
V
Ma I
k