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IIIE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS
THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN
(AND NEWS)
Published Every Afternoon
(Except Sunday)
3y THE GEORGIAN COMPANY
It 25 West AtnUnma St.. Atlanta. Ga,
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THE GEORGIAN AND NEWS prints
no tufclenii or objectionable ndvertls-
lap. Neither does It print whisky or
any liquor ads.
AND NEWS stands for Atlanta's own
ing Its own gA* and electric light
plants, as It now owns Its water
works. Other cities do this and get
C HS •• low ns TO cents, with a profit
the eflr. This should lie done at
oooe. THE GF.OItGIAN AND NKWB
relieves Hint If airret rnllwnjrn eon lie
operated sneresaftillr by Bnrope.ii
ntiea, on the, ore. (here to no good
nn nederbiklnff.
•cl it* tore In lh.f direction NOW.
Rolling bones gather no coin.
Too much brew makes tco many
brut sent.
Near Orleans Is the latest victim of
the Sunday lid.
The law la trying to squeese the
water out of the Illinois milk trust.
Would yon call the man who carves
epltnpbs on tombstones a monument
al liar?
Antomoblllng puts wrinkles into
women's "faces. It puts crimps Into
pedestrians very frequently.
A porker roateil up some bombs In
Russia,, thereby changing the old
adage to "root bog and die."
Somebody ndvtoes girls to marry
round-faced men. Most of them look
for the men with a round wad.
"I bet you can't shoot my bat off,”
eald n California man to a companion.
The head went alryig with the hat.
It cotta $2,000 a year to keep a race
home. Race horses cost some men
more than that who do not keep them.
Senator Burkett looms potential as
vice presidential timber. He Is tho
only man mentioned to date for that
Job.' > '
Young Rockefeller soya money Ib
not good for poor people. It's easy
for a man like that to Bay such a
thing.
Pittsburg concerns will turn out
300.000,(00 tin cans uezt year. Geor
gia will bo a closed market on them
in a few days.
A Burlington minister delivered his
Christmas sermon in verse. A man
must be well versed In Biblical lore
to do such a thing.
A Chicago man aays St. Louis wom
en have larger feet than those of the
Windy City. Most people will be from
Missouri on that statement.
Wisconsin has selected interior
decorations for her new state capi
tal. They will not be like those used
on Pennsylvania's state house.
If old Sam Houston could only come
back and see what George Bailey It
doing to graqdoldlexas he'd be sorry
he' rounded It Into the Union.
"Prohibition goes to bat In the
South In two weeks more," says The
Detroit News. Paradoxical as It may
seem. Old Booze will get "canned” In
this teagne in a few days.
A twenty-tnoath-old baby boy can
lift a scuttle filled with cool. When
lie's ten yearn old be frill complain
that It's too heavy for him, Just like
all boys do.
Booth Tarktngton was arrested In
Indianapolis the other day for kick
ing a detective. Still one would hard
ly have supposed that Tarktngton
needed the advertising.
Shipments of turkeys from the
South bested the Eastern gobbler
trust. The Richmond Tlmes-Dispatch
will probably claim that old BUI Skll-
Itt, of Henrico county, Virginia, ship
ped most of them.
In 2,000 years the shape of fish
hooks has not changed. The size of
the Osh caught with them changes
constantly, however, being guided
solely by the aMUty of the man tell-
AS NEARLY AS WE CAN SEE IT.
There Is so much being said about hard times and good times and
prospects and probabilities that we may well stop a while and take a
little Inventory of the country and conditions and then take a new start.
The newspapers sometimes protest so much that we find ourselves
doubting whether we should believe everything, and possibly we all fall
victims to the fault of whistling too loudly. So let's talk It over a little
and see what there la to expect.
It Is true that business Is still somewhat depressed—business has
had a spell of sickness and requires a little time for recovery. Just as a
man who has had typhoid fever—but there is no denying that strength
Is returning to business.
To begin at the beginning, wo must' consider money—money was at
the seat of It all. And while most of-us believe that Wall-st. tried to
punish the country by holding back the money, the, fact remains that
money was tight. The public got scared and began to call on the banks
In New York for their money, and as a result some of the banks were
placed In receivers' bands.
Of course, the news spread, and the whole country began to tighten.
Savings depositors began to give sixty days’ notice, as required by law,
and It looked as If hard times had set In. In actual fact, howevor. It was
not as bad as It may have seemed, for the actual hank clearings, which
mean the amount of money handled In the banks, last month—at the
height of the money scare—was, for the United States, about 29 per cent
less than November a year ago. Wo do not consider this serious in view
of the rCcord-bt-caklog Increases we have grown to expect.
Then, too, we see plainly that the seriousness of It Ib over, nnd the
most unmistakable sign Is that the day after Christmas was sixty days
from the giving of notice by savings depositors in New York, and hardly
a depositor called for his money. Again, the government, when the situa
tion wag acute, set put to Issue on* hundred nnd fifty millions of bonds,
which would really put that much more money Into use, but stopped
when only a quarter of It had been Issued because the need for It had
passed. And soundest of all. Is the tact that In November this year the
treasury had nine hundred and four millions as against one hundred and
sixty-four millions tho samo time In 1893, when we had our last panic.
So If dollars are dollars and credit is credit, the money question Is
righting Itself, and we have long since passed the pedk In the hill and
are going down the other side.
The next step, then, Ib business activity and labor. No one can ex
pect that everybody will be as busy as usual, when everybody Is econ
omizing and trying to do with leas. Wo know of merchants who have
bought lea* goods, consequently they Will sell less, and for awhile there
will bo less labor required In the various factories of the world to pro-
duco these goods. But this Is only a natural precaution, and the very
workman himself began to economize possibly before the merchant did,
so nobody is to blame. This Is all righting Itself, nnd those who read
closely will see that where labor was laid off early In The depression. It
Is going bock to work, and In other sections U Is Jnst being laid off.
We read that the railroads 'ore laying off hands fqr short periods and
that the New England cotton mills are going to cut their output 25 per
cent for a few months, but we read, on the other hand, that tho steel
trust Is putting six thousand men back to work and conditions are grad
ually going back to normal.
Now as to ourselves In particular: The storm here has centered
around the failure of one of our banka. It was an Interesting tact that
on last Saturday, tho day tho bank opened for tho last time, there was
almost the old spirit among our business men, and Christmas buyers
were as choerful as they ever were. So let’s remember that any cloud
that ha* been oast over us locally by this unfortunate evont does not
nfcan that the country at large has slipped back a step. And certainly
Atlanta hat not slipped back, for the Noal Bank did not get into its pres
ent condition this month, nor last month, nor probably this year, and
maybe not last year, but had been doing what It ought not to do with
tho people's money for some time, nnd the only difference Is that you
have found It out. whllo six months ago you were In Ignorance of It.
If the little run of last Saturday had not happened, everybody who
bad money In that Institution would feel Just ns rich today as If they had
the cash In their hands. It's always best to know where we stand, and
Atlanta Isn't any worse off—It only thought It was better off.
Wo have heard rumors of some of our friends being booked for fail
ure who we know are not only paying all tlietr bills bat have paid ovary
bill In advance and taken the cnBh discount. On the other hand, we know
of some about whom the public has not tost any sleep who art) strug
gling against odda that sometimes they fear they enn not meet.
Even If we had a few failures that could not bo helped, it would not
ruin our city nor our state. Frank Munaey, one of tho greatest suc
cesses of the age, says he has fatlod, but ho figures that If be falls five
times out of seven ho has still succeeded.
We are founded on too firm a rock—our own prosperity rests In tho
necessities of life, whllo even the Industrial sections have quit talking
about the past and are looking ahead. Tho longer we talk of the mat
ter and the longer the papers print about It and “whistle thru the grave
yard.” the longer we will feel depressed. So here's for forgetting It all
and throwing up our hat for the future.
"To see the good In people is not so much an act of charity as of
justice.”
firowth and Progress of the New South
Tlif» Genrglau here record# curb d*7
*anif ecouomlc fact la reference to
the onward progress of the South.
BY
JOSEPH B. LIVELY
Fort Monde. Fin., Is not a new town, yet ot the present time It's n boom town
and thoro u protmbly no plate In Florida that is growing faster from a business
viewpoint than this old Indian historic tort town. Fort Mc-nde from Its present
rate of active growth will boon be one of the progressive little cities of Honda.
If tho writer expected to lie/here when this article fa read It would lie safer to
say **Ng cities.” However, the town Is growing and reel estate Is booming. A
newspaper. The Fort Meade Observer, Or. William F. Zander editor, is one of the
recent business enterprises, nnd Is a credit to the town nud profession. Many new
cement •izJ brick buildings ore In course of erection and many wore planned to
be built In the near future. Some of the richest phosphate mines In the state
are located here nnd add much to making this one of the best growing business
towns lu Florida, nnd with the flue orange groves nnd vegetable farms lu every
direction surrounding tho place Fort Meade baa a fntnri* second to noue In this
loud of flowers ana fruit.
Frostproof, Flo., the land df lakes among the bills of virgin plue forests, the
natural home of fruits and flowers, with Its many flue homes surrounded l»y
orange groves of perfect green nnd gold. Is no doubt one of the most beautiful
•pots In beautiful Florida at this season of the year. Here the grower lives
content In the knowledge that bis fruit win not freeze and cause him to lose all
of that which Is necessary to support home and family.
The Greenfield, Tenn.. Fruit Grower*’ Association held Its annual meeting
December 6. A very Interesting report of the year’s work was rend by the secre
tary. showing the association to be In excellent condition financially. Great prepare*
tlona ate being planned for the coming /ear and It Is estimated there will be l.SOO
to 2.00) acres cultivated In the various fruits and vegetables. The shippers ajl not
In perfect harmony nnd Greenfield Is sure to become the largest shipping point lu
West Tennessee.
SOME LITERARY NOTES
ItHIHNMMMMUIIilHHHil
By WEX JONES.
"Mtltbjr'* Millions’’ In n thrilling story of
mystery. The central figure., miserly old
John Mil It by, has feifed up two million dol
lars from the 4|»roflts of his peanut viwd.
Ills wealth Is all In gold, nnd Maltb. teeps
It bidden In a sock under his chair. Sain
light Is tempted by the’ stories of Mnltby’s
fair to the nutfcor to teli how Ham reforms
and marries old Mnltby'a beautiful daugh
ter, who hnd been entirely forgotten by the
miser until Bnm drew his attention to her
ono day lu Brooklyn, where she had gone to
be alone.
Sylvester Souffle, whose latest book.
“Tops/ Tarry," Is selling In some stores as
faat as I (on testa Biscuits, doesn't like to
work In the morning, ond never thinks of
doing anything in the afternoon. Work In
the evening ho dislikes very mneb. and
work at nlgnt Is. of course, out of the uues-
tlon. As n result Mr. Souffle takes a long
time to write a long novel.
"Tho Commercial Aspect of the North
Pole” Is published by tho„Ynrvnrd Society
for SWcntlflc Research. An the North Pole
has no commercial aspect, the author has
done better than might have been expected.
Hooks of travel nre always Interesting,
lome of the lw»rt published this season ore:
"Tiffin in Tibet," by Anglo-Indian;
Anyone.
Books afford a flue field for the dlwrlml*
anting selection of Christina* present*.
They can be had to match n!mo»t any fur
niture.
Boy* will be fs solas ted by "Around the
Globe." It I* ft thrilling story of adven
tures In many land* nnd »eas. Hve boys
build nn airship which, by the ejeetlou of
gas nnd by loading with lead, can bo con
verted Into a knbnmrln*. They fir to the
North Pole, dire to the bottom of the ocean
nnd catch a whale, which they train to fol
low them by feeding It with eon* of sar
dine*. When the boys nre chased by rob
ber* In tho Sahara J>e*ert the whale kills
the bandits with a blow of Us tall. There
nre many other realistic Incidents that win
Tbre# ton* *0ld In two day*.
"Troy Tenor, the Cowboy.' f
Order It now with your winter coal.
Second edition of ten tons now ready.
"Troy Tenor Is a character that grip*
the render like a door closing on yonr
thumb.”—Book Weekly.
"There are no files on Troy Tenor, tho
Cowboy.’"—Heury James In the Evening
Ghost.
Order a hundred weight for yonr fnmlljr.
—Advt.
MADD0X-RUCKER BANKING CO.
CORNER ALABAMA AND BROAD STS.
I F you are thinking of opening a bank account, or
of changing the location of your present one, we
would invite you to look into the facilities offered
by this institution. We are confident that we can
help you. Consult our officers.
THE PARMENTER MILLIONS
... A Stirring Novel of Love, Conspiracy and Adventure. ..
(Copyright, 1907, by Artbnr W. M urchin out.)
TAKING OF NEXT CENSUS
WILL COST S14.000.000
A YOUNQ SOUTHERNER SIGNALLY HONORED.
The appointment of William James Bryan, ot Jacksonville, Florida,
to fill the unexpired senatorial term of the late Hon. Stephen R. Mal
lory has brought Into national prominence a remarkable young Southern
er. Only tblrty-one years of age. Senator Bryan has been signally hon
ored In being called to a position "bf great political distinction. His col
leagues In tho senate will be men generally of much greater age and ot
much longer experience In matters appertaining to governmental affairs.
Ho will be compelled to contend with and against men trained In tho In
tricate phases ot national politics by years of active participation In tho
problems and policies which have made the history of tho times suc
ceeding the Civil war the most vital and Important In the annals of tho
country.
That Senator Bryan Is equal to thts supremo test ot hts Intellectual
attainments and of hts capacity to deal with the great political prob
lems of the day his Georgia friends have little or do doubt Graduating
at Emory Cotloge, Oxford, In 1896, Mr. Bryan was regarded by his class
mates and by Uls college professors aa destined for a future public ca
reer of great usefulness and of unusual brilliancy. That these prophe
cies and predictions were not born simply ot personal regard and af
fection is evidenced by the remarkable honor Just paid him In his ap
pointment as United States senator from Florida at thirty-one years
of age.
Senator Bryan corned 1 of a brainy race. His father held various po
sitions of treat and honor In Florida and his people have made their Im
press upon the political and legal, history of that state. He la a cousin
of the great commoner, William Jennings Bryaa.
The appointment of so young a man to so elevated an office must of
necessity prove an Inspiration to the young men of the country and es
pecially, to those of the South.
This recognition of worth. Intellect, capacity and aptitude, regard
less of the limitations of youth and of the political aspirations of older
and mare experienced men, baa opened to the aspiring young men of tbs
South another' door of hope and opportunity.
It has also established a precedent which shall serve as a guide for
the future preferment of young men In the South who prove themselves
worthy of party advancement end of political prominence. The Georgia
friends of Senator Bryan—and they are scattered throughout the state—
rejoice la the distinction which has come to him so easily In his life.
They also predict that the fat nre bojds no limitations to hit politi
cal career which has begun with such a splendlt' recognition ot bis Intel- •
I—>--.i rml of M» mer-t worth. ,
Washington, Dec. 27.—A bill will be
passed St this session of congress‘pro
viding for taking the 1910 census,
which. It Is estimated, will cost $14,-
000,000. Bills for this census have been
prepared by Director North, end have
been Introduced In the house and sen
ate.
Actual work of taking the census will
begin April IS, 1000, though the enu
meration of population does not com
mence until April. 1910. Heretofore the
enumeration bos been token on Juno 1.
This change will have the effect of
showing great gains In the population
of cities like New York. Boston and
Philadelphia. Director North says that
the summer resorts begin to attract tn
May. and that If the census Is delayed
until June 1, tho enumerators will find
many vacant houses.
Many Supervisor*.
In the lest census 000 supervisors
were employed. It Is proposed to have
ISO supervisors for tho thirteenth cen
sus. The bill provides that these super
visors shall be authorized to begin
work on July 1. 1909. eo that the enu
meration districts can be laid out and
their geographical limits clearly defined
and scrutinized In every locality, with
a view to the correction of omissions
and errors. Mr. North says he will
make an effort to have hlgh-clsss men
designated as supervisors and to this
end he proposes that these officials
•hall be paid a minimum compensation
of *1,200 a year. The supervisors ore
to bo appointed by the president, and
so far aa practicable and desirable the
boundaries of the supervisors' districts
are to confirm to tho boundaries of the
congressional district.
There will be one supervisor for
Greater New York who will be paid a
salary approximating $6,000 a year. In
most cases the supervisor la to be paid
a compensation based upon the popula
tion of his district.
PEOPLE AND THINGS
GOSSIP FROM THE HOTELS
AND THE STREET CORNERS
'•Bee that msu sitting there with the
Mrspaper lu front of, hts rare? sri-ed
Itnsxer Dutton, of the Piedmont. 'Well,
e's « Pinkerton detective, swl the tost
time he was here he hsd the cltaso of hie
IlfeV No. 1 don't hnow what hts name Is
this time. I looked itnttthelsst time ho
mi bore, bat Ife probably different now.
lb
newspapers
reeembfinr
resistor al
two countries were
wrs printed tue etory snout n men
lie Heymoml Ullcbeook trying to
at the l'ledmont when the potlre of
tilrles were aearehlug for the actor.
na not printed i
lowing the night
. ' Per Capita Cost.
The appropriations for the twelfth
census were approximately 113,500,000.
Mr. North asks an appropriation of
*14.000,000 for the census of 1910.
The per capita cost of the first cen
sus taken tn 1790 was $.01212, while the
per capita cost of the cenaus of 1900
was $.1650. Mr. North does not think
there will be any Increase in the per
capita cost of the thirteenth census.
There ore now (35 clerks employed
In the census office. About 3,600 cferks
will be required for the thirteenth Cen
sus ft Is proposed also that there shall
bo (5,000 enumerators instead of 45,-
OOO, the numbor employed in 1000.
This Increase In tho number of enu
merators Is made necessary by the de
sire to complete the work of enumera
tion In a shorter period than hereto
fore, To this end, the enumeration
districts wll be reduced from 4,000 to
2,000 population. In all elites over 5,000
Inhabitants, the enumeration Is to be
completed within two weeks after
April 16.
Insular Csnsua.
In 1900 there was a grand scramble
for census patronage. Each senator
and representative was permitted to
nominate a limited numbor of clerks.
The nominees were then submitted to
a sort of non-competitive examine
tlon which was conducted by the offi
clals of the census office. If the nom
inee proved utterly unsuitable he was
not given an appointment, but If there
seemed to be doubt as to his qualifica
tions, political Influence had a material
bearing on his retention or dismissal.
Mr, North says that he thinks it
will be possible to compile the statis
tics of population In three or four
months after the close of cnumeratlim.
It Is estimated ttuit an additional ap
proprlatlon of ll.oOO.OOO will be re
qulred If It la desired that a census of
Porto Rico and the Philippines shall be
token In connection with the enumera
tion In the staten.
ARMY-NAVY ORDERS
AND
MOVEMENTS OF VESSELS.
a get
Now, the
•round
mouthed. But that man
sag don't (to
shouting their Identity from the
house tope and they are mighty m
wanted
r ail that everybody else knew. Ite
o Sir. Hradidreet, the clerk. who
- — — be recog-
iiTuphreldeJ lTraitoireet"u«iii«c he didn't
grab the wan and bow blui snd i asked all
sorts of ouestlsws us to the usau s descrip
tion and the tllre.-thm hs took upon leaving
the hotel. Finally be uuU bate thought
he wan saving too mack and getting too ex
cited. for he calmed down and speut the
day in a search of the town. That was the
last time I saw him until today, lie's
looking tot eosoe one now. If you set,over
to one side you will see he tout reading
that ns traps per, bnt Is esrefslty siting an
thatusu at the writing -jerk nearestJhW«
Anid when the wan at the desk nulled bis
letter and went oat. tho fly cop followed.
IL Gresham, formerly with the Bss-
lmard la Atlanta, W taw city ticket agent
nt Birmingham for the spent
Christum In Atlanta and trill l>e here la
the Seaboard ofrtce a few dare helping out
daring the holiday rash before relnrulng
te Birmingham.
Officials of the United Stsfee district at
torney’s office sre now st work preparing •
report for the department of Justice on the
work done « the tost term <>r wort. This
will be finished before ike first of the, new
end will show that n ronaideraldc
it of hasliieaa boa been transacted of ...
a criminal nature. While there have hoeu cnnalderrd sertoos and be expects to be at
no Irc-o ivm-her of Me ccsre. tt*-re nee hts cot-— a grin in a day or two.
Army Orders.
Washington, Dec. 27 Captain Raymond
U. Stevens, Twenty-third Infantry, from
general hospital, Washington barracks, to
proper station.
Navy Ordsrs.
Lieutenant Commander C. M. Knepner to
Iraruau of ordnance; Ensign A. C. Kail to
duty connection fitting oat Montgomery and
duty on board when placed In commission.
Movements of Vessels.
ARRIVEIt—December 3, Connecticut. Ver-
moot, IcmlslQim, Kansas, Georgia, Virginia.
New Jersey, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Ohio,
Author rf “By Right of Sword,"
Synopsis of Previous Installment.
Purvis becomes convinced that Olive
knows more about the Merrldews thnn she
Is willing to tell. He threatens her nnd
she telln him about Selma Ibtmtnond. JPnr-
vIs declares the girl Is bis daughter. Olive
explains to him that she bns friends search
ing for Selmn.' Purvis declares ho will pro*
tect Olive ngnlnst the Merrldews.
Selma herself might be able to Influ
ence him. but even then the greatest
care and tact would have to be used In
handling him. At present his resent
ment against the Merrldews was main
ly caused by their treatment of his
child. Olive had carefully worked on
that, fostering the feeling and feeding
It with references to the shame of
treating Selma so abomlnally while
they themselves were In the enjoyment
of the luxuries of Sllverbeeeh.
She had harped on tills In the last
short conservation, ond he had taken
fire readily, declaring fiercely that Sel
ma had as much right as any of them
to be at the Manor.
It was clear that the girl must be
brought to the Manor, but that again
might Involve a risk that Olive would
gain less than nothing as the result. It
would certainly bring about the dis
covery of Olive's Identify. She had
told Purvis her actual experiences with
Selma, while at the same time leav
ing him to assume that they had met
as fellow servants. Selma would at
once reveal this misrepresentation, end
It was Impossible to foretell what ef
fect that would have on such a nature
as that of Purvis.
She thought this over and over, and
at length decided to send the man to
Mr. Casement to meet his child and
then have the - truth told to him by the
lawyer himself.
But a hundred obstacles suggested
themselves at once. As a convict Pur
vis would certainly shy nt saying a
word to a lawyer, especially os’ he
himself must In some way be concern
ed In the fraud. If there \Vere one.
Nor was It practicable to offer him a
reward for telling whut he knew, for
the reason that he would have more to
gain by holding his tongue. More
over. even it he agreed to any such
proposal, his story might not, and so
far as Olivo could see would not, up
set Mrs. Merrldcw’s claim; and then
there would be no money with which to
pay the promised reward.
He has said he could destroy the
whole scheme; but then a man In a
rage was apt to say anything and
threaten far more than he knew he
could ever hope to accomplish.
Of all the difficulties which Olive had
had to face, this problem of dealing
with Purvis offered the greatest per
plexities. She wished fo make the res
toration of Selma the price of getting
the truth from the father; and at the
samo time to conceal her hand so that
he should not know her object.
Hour after hour she wrestled with
the puzzle without finding any solu
tion that even promised success; and
she was dispirited and harassed when
she went up to her room.
Then another phase occurred to her.
Had Purvis himself been actually con
cerned In the fraud? Could he have
take any part In It? She recalled all
that the Sheffield solicitor. Mr. Ring-
rose, had told her of him. He had cer
tainly been on the spot at the time,
He had engineered her father's rain.
Ought she to have questioned him
about that old time? He clearly was
Mrs. Merrldew's husband. The latter
hail not attempted to deny It when ahe
believed she and Purvis were alone to
gether.
Then suddenly the probable solution
occurred to her. She had been blind ns
bat! The thing was plain. Mrs,
Merrldew was, of course, already mar
ried to Purvis when she hod married
her father!
Surely that would be the easiest thing
In the world to prove. Agents must
be at once set to work to trace that
out. For that she must have photo
graphs of both Purvis and Mrs. Merrl-
dew, and these she could easily get,
There were plenty of likenesses of Mrs,
Merrldew about the Manor, taken at
different ages, and there was that pho-
tograph df Purvis which she hnd seen
with the report of his trial.
She would get that at once and sand
It to Mr. Casement with her new Ideas,
and would at the same time send one
By ARTHUR W. MARCHMONT.
“When I Was Czar,” Etc., Etc,
cretly after the household had retired
for the night; and such a step on his
part bodeil mischief to some one. To
Pdrvis, of course, was her Instant
thought.
She could not hear what passed In
the bed room, but after a time Merrl-
dew passed through the room, switch
ed off tho light and went out Into tht
corridor.
Olive lay where she was for soms
time, fearing that ho would return-
and ttum crept stealthily to the door
and opened It.
"Is that you, Gilbert T' cried Mrs.
Merrldew, as the lock clicked slightly.
This meant that she was expecting
him back; but taking the risk, she
opened the door, slipped through, and
gained one ot her hiding places in
safety.
She stayed there resolved to watch.
She was certain that some black work
was Intended; and her heart was beat.
Ing at the gallop with excitement and
dread.
She soon had confirmation of her
worst fears.
The sound of blows, a groan, and the
noise of a short struggle came from
Purvis’ bed room.
Here, then, was the meaning ot the
secret return.
Murder!
, CHAPTER XLIX.
The Scared Household.
As Olive stood dazed and awestruck
by the gruesome sounds of the deed In
Purvis' bed room, she saw In a flash
the meaning of what had so puzzled
her a day or two before In Merrldew's
conduct—his apparently empty threat
to hand Purvis over to the police.
It was Intended as the cover to this
deed of blood. To account for his dis
appearance It would be a very plausible
story that Purvis, hearing of Merri-
dew’s Intended return, had fled rather
than face him. The cunning was wor
thy of the man.
Before Olive could decide what to do
the door of Purvis' room opened and
Merrldew came out carrying the man
across his shoulders.
Purvis was not dead. Olive heard
his breathing as he was carried past
her hiding place; but he hung limp,
helpless and unconscious, and she saw
that his hands were tied to his sides,
Merrldew carried hli victim along the
corridor Into a room In the unused
wing of the Manor.
Olive Jumped to the conclusion that
he had been afraid to complete ths
work In tho bed room and meant to
finish It In the deserted room.
This must be prevented at any risk:
and ai soon as she eaw where he was
going, she darted out to raise an alarm.
If possible she must do this without
letting It be known that It was her act;
and the means occurred to her as sho
ran.
There waa a big electric alarm bell In
tho house which could ba set clanging
from a push on every floor; and one
of the pushes was close to her room.
Once started, It could only be stopped
by an appliance below stairs.
She set It to clanging and then dart
ed Into her own room. She tore off
some of her clothes, and, os the fright,
ened servants came rushing Into the
passages, she Joined them and ran with
them downstairs, making more clatter
and show of alarm than anybody.
On the floor below Merrldew, white
as death and trembling with rage and
consternation, met them and angrily
demanded the cause of all the hubbnb,
who had rung the alarm bell and tor
what cause.
To start the belief among the scared
maidservants that there were burglars
In the house waa an easy matter;
nothing spreads faster than the con
tagion of fear; and Olive, with a hint
here, a etart there, and a cry or two
of fright, soon convinced some of them
that they had actually seen the thieves.
Some one must go round the house,
or they would all be murdered In their
beds, was her next suggestion, put for.
ward thru the frightened housekeep
er; and as soon as this was settled
upon and the commotion waa at Its
height, Olive succeeded In slipping
away.
She knew that Merrldew would he
afraid to go near his victim again un
til the commotion had died down, even
If he had ventured to do anything
more at all that night; and she had
thought ot a means of saving Purvis.
The room to which Merrldew had
taken him was one which led by n se
cret means to an Inner chamber which
had been one of the famous hiding
places of old. The Inner room was
reached by the' concealed staircase
from the ground floor of tho unused
wing—the same staircase which had
enabled her to escape when she had
followed Mrs. Merrldew when the lat
ter had hidden the papers.
It ran right from the top to the bot
tom of the manor. Rushing up to her
bed room, Olive snatched up a little
flask of brandy and a bottle of eau de
cologne, threw on her dark cloak, de
scended the staircase, gained the Inner
chamber and from that entered Ihe
room where Pyrvls lay.
She had been right. He was not
dead, and her little lamp soon en
abled her to see the extent of his In
juries. Ho had been struck a heavy
blow on the head, and was stunned.
But no blood hud been shed. Olive
knew the reason. She had read or
sandbagging, and Merrldew had had
recourse to that method with Purvis.
For a long time she endeavored to
restore him to consciousness, but witu-
out success, and at lost had to aban
don her attempts.
Precious time was passing, snd with
out waiting for him to regain bis senses
she dragged him Into the Inner cham
ber, and, returning, opened the win
dow of the room where he hod-been
carried. Intending to suggest the ImPD*:
slon that he hod recovered and had
strength to escape.
It was now necessary for her to go
and seo what was passing In the house,
and for this purpose she went back up
stairs, and, leaving her cloak In J"
room, ran down to Join the other
servants. . ...
Fear had now given way to curiosity
and superstition. Who had sounded
the alarm bell? No one knew.
ridew. furious at the Interruption jjjj
fool
been plenty of work of a minor nature.
Postmaster Blodgett nnd the army
elerks nud carriers under hts supervision
nre now getting tlm Mrst rest of over s
s *raw
James ft. Sledge, well known over the
state In newspaper circles, Is quite III st the
home of I'mnptreller and Mrs. William A.
Wright. Mr. Sledge began Ms newspaper
career on Atlanta newspapers, afterward
going to Savannah, where he worked on
The Morning News and Press.
About a year ago Mr. Sledge's health
fullest somewhat lu Savannah nud he r.-tme
to Atlanta, where he fins t-een employed by
the Southern Hell Telephone Company. As
s uewapaprr writer Mr. sledge waa foreefnl
and accurate, mat his frleuda In the pro
fession wish for him speedy recovery.
As the result of a toll down the steps
of hla residence, U> Capitol-sre., early Kri
day morning. Deputy Bhertff A. J. Shrop
shire sustained several painful bruises.
Which necessitated confinement to hie Inst
throughout the day.
Mr. Hhrnpthlre was going down the steps
when be slipped and foil, striking bl* head
upon the ground with considerable force.
His Injuries sre very painful. Ini: are not
r two photographs ot Mrs. Merrldew.
Elated at her fresh plan, she put on
her dark cloak and stole out of her
room on her quest. It was fate and
the great house was hushed and still.
But she acted with all her usual cau
tion. She crept down by the secret
staircase to the floor on which Mrs.
Merrldew had her suite of rooms and
noiselessly made her Way to that In
which the bureau stood that contained
the likeness she sought.
She felt her way acroos to the bu
reau, opened It stealthily and found
the packet she sought, doing every
thing noiselessly nnd quickly. Her
electric lamp cast a ring of light Just
sufficient for her purpose; and she was
taking out Purvis’ photograph from the
little packet when she started.
Her quick ear had caught a sound
somewhere In the house. She thrust
the whole packet Into her boaom, ex
tinguished her light and closed the
desk. As she was turning to fly, the
door which led through Into Mrs. Mer-
rldew's bed room wps opened. "AH
right, mother. I’ll get It. Where la the
switch 7”
It was Gilbert Merrldew, and In an
other moment he would turn the light
up and she must be discovered.
"Close to the opposite door, said
Mrs. Sterrldew from the bed room.
Olive saw him, and with her heart
in her mouth she stooped and crawled
under the eofa by which she was stand.
^Merrldew heard her, but mistook the
sound. "Don’t get out of bed, moth
er”,he called, as he found the switch
and turned on the brilliant light.
"What did you say?”
“Don't get out of bed. I say,” he an
swered Impatiently, raising bis voice.
'I'm not. Gilbert."
"Oh, I thought I heard you. All
right. Here It Is;” ond having found
what he sought, he returned to the bed
room, leaving the door open and the
light on.
Olive was thus a prisoner. 8he lay
‘ tUZ-VV. IUIDIUB SSI. MIC U.SS..S-K-— .
vriivc niu niu» u i:riJKiner. wne lay scheme, had off*rtd t*D' .1. fool
unde* the sofa almost afraid to breath*. I *crop oul
speculating fearnomely us to the r**u-1bundled neck and cr p
•on for Merrldew's return to Hilver* the house on the Instant.