Newspaper Page Text
(f
UONEV-
P'HAEOLD 1 i
CHAPTER I.
At the Btage Door.
Courtlandt sat perfectly straight;
his ample shoulders did not touch the
hack of his chair; and his arme were
folded tightly across his chest The
characteristic of his attitude was
tenseness. The nostrils were well de
fined, as in one who sets the upper
jaw hard upon the nether. Hie brown
eyes—their gaze directed toward the
stage whence came the voice of the
prlma donna —epitomized the tension,
the whole as in a word.
■ Just now the voice was pathetically
subdued, yet reached every part of the
auditorium, kindling the ear with its
singularly mellowing sweetness. To
Courtlandt it resembled, as no other
sound, the note of a muffled Burmese
gong, struck in the dim incensed cav
ern of a temple. A Burmese gong:
briefly and ifaagically the stage, the
audience, the amazing gleam and 6cin
.tillation of the Opera, faded. He
'heard only the voice and saw only
the purple shadows in the temple at
Rangoon, the oriental sunset splash
ing the golden dome, the wavering
lights of the dripping candles, the dead
flowers, the kneeling devotees, the
yellow-robed priests, the tatters of
gold-leaf, fresh and old, upon the rows
of placid grinning Euddhas. The
French horns blared and the timpani
crashed. The curtain sank slowly.
The audience rustled, stood up, sought
its wraps, and passed toward the ex
its and the grand staircase. It was
■ll over.
” Courtlandt took his leave in leisure.
Here and there he saw familiar faces,
but these, after the finding glance, he
avoided. He wanted to be
alone. Outside he lighted a cigar, not
because at that moment he possessed
a craving for nicotine, but because like
Til inveterate smokers he believed thot
tobacco conduced to clarity of thought.
And mayhap it did. At lease, there
presently followed a mental calm that
expelled all this confusion. The goal
■waxed and waned as he gazed down
the great avenue with its precise rows
of lamps. Far away he could discern
the outline of the brooding Louvre.
There was not the least hope in the
world for him to proceed toward his
goal this night. He realized this clear
ly, now' that he was face to face with
actualities. A wild desire seized him
to make a night of it —Maxim's, the
cabarets; riot and wine. Who cared?
But the desire burnt itself out between
two puffs of his cigar. Ten years
fago, perhaps, this brand of amuse
ent might have urged him success
lly. But not now; he was done with
tomfool nights. Indeed, his dissipa
tions had been whimsical rather than
brutal; and retrospection never
aroused a furtive sense of 6bame.
fcHe was young, but not so young as
an idle glance might conjecture in
passing. To such casual reckoning
he appeared to be in the early twen
ties; but scrutiny, more or less infal
lible, noting a line here or an angle
there, was disposed to add ten years
to the score. There was in the nose
and chin a certain decisiveness which
in true youth is rarely developed. This
characteristic arrives only with man
hood, manhood that has been tried
and perhaps buffeted and perchance
a little disillusioned.
What was one to do who had both
money and leisure linked to an irre
sistible desire to leave behind one
| Place or thing in pursuit of another,
indeterminately? The inherent ambi
tion was to make money; but recog
nizing the absurdity of adding to his
income, which even in his extrava
gance he could not spend, he gave
himself over into the hands of grasp
ing railroad and steamship companies,
or their agencies, and became for a
time the slave of guide and dragoman
and carrier. And then the wanderlust,
descended to him from the blood of
roving Dutch ancestors, which had
dormant in the several genera
tions following, sprang into active life
again. He became known in every
port of call. He became known also
in the wildernesses.
WTiatever had for the moment ap
pealed to his fancy, that he had done.
He was alone, absolute master of his
millions. Mammas with marriageable
daughters declared that he was impos
sible; the marriageable daughters
never had a chance to decide one way
the other; and men called him a
■ fool He had promoted elephant fights
■which had stirred the Indian princes
l°ut of their melancholy indifference,
■ and tiger hunts, which had, by their
■ duration and magnificence, threatened
| to disrupt the efficiency of the British
■military service—whimsical excesses,
■*»ot understandable by bis intimate ac
quaintances who cynically arraigned
him as the fool and his money.
But, like the villain in the play, hi 6
income still pursued him. Certain
scandals inevitably followed, scandals
he was the last to hear about and the
last to deny when he heard them.
Many persons, not being able to take
into the mind and analyze a character
like Courtlandt’s, sought the line of
least resistance for their understand
ing, and built some precious exploits
which included dusky island prin
cesses, diaphanous dancers, and comic
opera stars.
Simply, he was without a direction:
a thousand goals surrounded him and
none burned with that brightness
w'hich draws a man toward his des
tiny; until one day. Personally, he
possessed graces of form and feature,
and was keener mentally than most
young men who inherit great fortunes
and distinguished names.
• •*••••
Automobiles of all kinds panted
hither and thither. An occasional
smart coupe went by as if to prove
that prancing horses were still neces
sary to the dignity of the old aristoc
racy. Courtlandt made up his mind
suddenly. He laughed with bitterness.
He knew now that to loiter near the
stage entrance had been his real pur
pose all along, and persistent lying to
himself had not prevailed. In due
time he took his stand among the
gilded youth who were not privileged
(like their more prosperous elders) to
wait outside the dressing rooms for
their particular ballerina. By and by
there was a little respectful commo
tion. Courtlandt’s hand went instinct
ively to his collar, not to ascertain if
it were properly adjusted, but rather
to relieve the sudden pressure. He
was enraged at his weakness. He
wanted to turn away, but he could not.
A woman issued forth, muffled in
silks and light furs. She was followed
by another, quite possibly her maid.
One may observe very well at times
from the corner of the eye; that is,
objects at which one is not looking
come within the range of vision. The
woman paused, her foot upon the step
of the modest limousine. She whis
pered something hurriedly into her
companion's ear, something evidently
to the puzzlement of the latter, who
looked around irresolutely. She
obeyed, however, and retreated to the
stage entrance. A man, quite as tall
as Courtlandt, his face shaded care
fully, intentionally perhaps, by one of
those soft Bavarian hats that are
worn successfully only by Germans,
stepped out of the gathering to prof
fer his assistance. Courtlandt pushed
him aside calmly, lifted his hat, and
smiling ironically, closed the door be
hind the singer. The step which the
other man made toward Courtlandt
was unequivocal in its meaning. But
even as Courtlandt squared himself to
meet the coming outburst, the
stranger paused, shrugged his shoul
ders, turned and made off.
The lady in the limousine —very
pale could any have looked closely in
to her face —was whirled away into the
night. Courtlandt did not stir from
the curb. The limousine dwindled,
once It flashed under a light, and then
vanished.
“It is the American,’’ said one of
the waiting dandies.
“The icicle!”
“The volcano, rather, which fools
believe extinct.”
“Probably sent back her maid for
her Bible. Ah, these Americans; they
are very amusing.”
“She was in magnificent voice to
night. I wonder why she never sings
Carmen?”
“Have I not 6aid that she is too
cold? What! Would you see frost
A Woman Issued Forth.
grow upon the toreador’s mustache?
And what a name, what a name!
Eleanora da Toscana!”
Courtlandt was not in the most
amiable condition of mind, and a hint
of the ribald would have instantly
transformed a passive anger into a
blind fury. Thus, a scene hung pre
cariously; but its potentialities be
came as nothing on the appearance of
another woman.
This woman was richly dressed, too
richly. She was followed by a Rus
sian, huge of body, Jovian of counte
nance. An expensive car rolled up to
the curb. A liveried footman Jumped
down from beside the chauffeur and
opened the door. The diva turned
her head this way and that, a thin
smile of satisfaction stirring her lips.
For Flora Desimone loved the human
eye whenever it stared admiration into
her own; and she spent half her days
COFFEE COUNTY PROGRESS. DOUGLAS. GEORGIA
setting traps and lures, rather suc
cessfully. She and her formidable @6-
cort got into the car which immedi
ately went away with a soft purring
sound. There was breeding in the en
gine, anyhow, thought Courtlandt, who
longed to put his strong fingers around
that luxurious throat which had, but a
second gone, passed him so closely.
He turned down the Rue Royale, on
the opposite side, and west into the
Taverne Royale, where the patrons
were not over particular in regard to
the laws of fashion, and where certain
ladies with light histories sought
further adventures to add to their
heptamerons. Now, Courtlandt thought
neither of the one nor of the other. He
desired isolation, safety from intru
sion; and here, did he so signfy, he
could find it. He sat down at a vacant
table and ordered a pint of champagne,
drinking hastily rather than thirstily.
Would monsieur like anything to
eat?
No, the wine was sufficient.
Courtlandt poured out a second glass
slowly. The wine bubbled up to the
brim and overflowed. He had been
looking at the glass with unseeing
eyes. He set the bottle down impa
tiently. Foolf To have gone to Bur
ma, simply to stand in the golden
temple once more, in vain, te recall
that other time; the starving kitten
held tenderly in a woman's arms, his
own scurry among the booths to find
the milk so peremptorily ordered, and
the smile of thanks that had been his
reward! He had run away when he
should have hung on. He should have
fought every inch of the way. . . .
“Monsieur is lonely?”
A pretty young woman sat down be
fore him in the vacant chair.
CHAPTER 11.
There Is a Woman?
Anger, curiosity, interest; these sen
sations blanketed one another quickly,
leaving only interest, which was
Courtlandt’s state of mind when he
saw a pretty woman. It did not re
quire very keen scrutiny ,on his part
to arrive swiftly at the conclusion that
this one was not quite in the picture
Her cheeks were not red with that
redness which has a permanency ol
tone, neither waxing nor waning
abashed in daylight. Nor had her lips
found their scarlet moisture from out
the depths of certain little porcelain
boxes. Decidedly she was out of plact
here, yet she evinced no embarrass
ment; she was cool, at ease. Court
landt’s interest strengthened.
“Why do you think I am lonely,
mademoiselle?” he asked, without
smiling.
“Oh, when one ta'ks to one’s self
strikes the table, wastes good wine
the inference is but natural. So, mou
sieur is lonely.”
Her lips and. eyes, as grave and
smileless as his own, puzzled him. Ai.
adventure? He looked at some of the
other women. Those he could under
stand, but this one, no. At all times
he was willing to smile, yet to draw
her out he realized that he must pre
serve his gravity unbroken. The situ
ation was not usual. Hie gaze canit
back to her.
"Is the comparison favorable to
me?” she asked.
“It is. What is loneliness?” he de
manded cynically.
"Ah, I could tell you,” she answered.
“It is the longing to be with the one
we love; it is the hate of the wicked
things we have done; it is remoiwe.”
“That echoes of the Ambigu-Com
ique.”
“Would you spare me a glass of
wine? I am thirsty.”
He struck his hands together, a bit
of orientalism he had brought back
with him. The observant waiter in
stantly came forward with a glass.
The young woman sipped the wine,
gazing into the glass as she did so.
"Perhaps a whim brought me here
But I repeat, monsieur is lonely.”
“So lonely that I am almost tempted
to put you into a taxicab and run
away with you.”
She set down the glass.
"But 1 sha’n’t,” he added.
The spark of eagerness in her eyes
was instantly curtained. “There is a
woman?” tentatively.
“Is there not always a woman?”
“And she has disappointed mon
sieur?” There was no marked sym
pat.hy in the tone.
“Since Eve, has that not been worn
an’s part in the human comedy?” He
was almost certain that her lips be
came firmer. “Smile, if you wish. It
is not prohibitory here.”
She lifted the wine-glass again, and
then he noticed her hand. It was
large, white and strong; it was not
the hand of a woman who dallied, who
idled in primrose paths.
“Tell me, what is it you wish? You
interest me, at a moment, too, when 1
do not want to be interested. Are you
really in trouble? Is there anything 1
can do . . . barring the taxicab?”
She twirled the glass, uneasily. “1
am not in actual need of assistance.”
"But you spoke peculiarly regarding
loneliness.”
"Perhaps I like the melodrama. You
spoke of the Ambigu-Comique.”
"You are on the stage?”
"Perhaps.”
"The opera?”
“Again perhaps.”
He laughed once more, and drew bis
chair closer to the table.
“You followed me here. From
where?”
“Followed you?” The effort to give
a mocking accent to her voice was a
failure.
"Yes. The idea just occurred to me.
There were other vacant chairs, and
there was nothing inviting in my facial
expression. Come, let me have the
truth.”
“I have a friend who knows Flora
Desimone.”
"Ah!” As if this information was a
direct visitation of kindness from the
gods. "Then you know where the
Calabrian lives? Give me her ad
dress.”
There was a minute wrinkle above
the unknown’s nose; the shadow of a
frown. “She is very beautiful.”
“Bah! Did she send you after me?
Give me her address. I have come all
the way from Burma to see Flora
Desimone.”
“To see her?” She unguardedly
clothed the question with contempt,
but she instantly forced a smile to
neutralize the effect. Concerned with
her own defined conclusions, she lost
the fine ironic bitterness that was in
the man’s voice.
“Aye, indeed, to see her! Beautiful
as Venus, as alluring as Phryne, I
want nothing so much as to see her,
to look into her eyes, to hear her
voice!”
“Is it jealousy? I hear the tragic
note.” The certainty of her ground
became as morass again. In his turn
he was puzzling her.
“Tragedy? I am an American. We
do not kill opera singers. We turn
them over to the critics. I wish to see
the beautiful Flora, to ask her a few
questions. If she has sent you after
me, her address, my dear young lady,
her address.” His eyes burned.
“I am afraid.” And 6he was so.
This wasn’t the tone of a man madly
in love. It was wild anger.
“Afraid of what?”
“You.”
"I will give you a hundred francs. -
He produced a crisp note. “Do you
want it?”
She did not answer at once. Pres
ently she opened her purse, found a
“Why Do You Think I Am Lonely,
Mademoiselle?”
stubby pencil and a 6lip of paper, and
wrote. “There it is, monsieur.” She
held out her hand for the banknote
which, with a sense of bafflement, he
gave her. She folded the note and
stowed it away with the pencil.
“Thank you,” said Courtlandt. “Odd
paper, though.” He turned it over.
“Ah, I understand. You copy music.”
“Yes, monsieur.”
This time the nervous flicker of her
eyes did not escape him. “You are
studying for the opera, perhaps?”
“Yes, that is it."
“Good night.” He rose.
"Monsieur is not gallant.”
“I was in my youth,” he replied, put
ting on his hat.
The bald rudeness of his departure
did not disturb her. She laughed soft
ly and relievedly. Indoed, there was
in the laughter an essence of mischief.
However, if he carried away a mys
tery, he left one behind.
The young woman waited five or ten
minutes, and, making sure that Court
landt had been driven off, left the
restaurant. Round the corner she en
gaged a carriage. So that was Ed
ward Courtlandt? She liked his face;
there was not a weak line in it. unless
stubbornness could be called such. But
to stay away for tw'o years! To hide
himself in jungles, to be heard of only
by his harebrained exploits! "Follow
him; see where he goes,” had been the
command. For a moment she had re
belled, but her curiosity was not to
be denied. Besides, of what use was
friendship if not to be tried? She
knew nothing of the riddle, she had
aever asked a question openly. She
had accidentally seen a photograph
one day, in a trunk tray, with this
man’s name scrawled across it, and
When You Visit Douglas and Want Something Good to Eat, Visit
Mrs. Edenfield, at Royal Cafe
OPPOSITE DOUGLAS HOSPITAL
Chicora College, SOUTH CAROLINA
Carrful and discriminating parents seeking ideal, moral and rocial surreundinhs and in
fluences. together with high literary standards, and intellectual training, in a boarding cchool
for their daughters, are cordially invited to write for catalogue and 1914-1915 announcements
it Chicora College. . . ,
Chicora combines excellent equipment with a dist nctive Cen.tian purpose, giving the
comprehensive training necessary to perfectly develop womanhood. Religious study and in
fluence emphasized; narrow sectarianism avoided. ,
Exhilarating altitude 100 feet above sea-level, on the slope of the Blue Ridge: exceptio
nally fine climate. Beautiful grounds, handsome buildinhs especially arranged for comfort,
health and convenience. ...... , ,
Curriculum affords a broad liberal and true education, especially adapted to the needs of
-.ultured womanhood Collegiate standard: entrance upon 14-unit basis. College of Lib
eral Arts )and Sciences, dehrees of M. A., B. A.: B. S., B. Ped. College of Fine
Arts enbraces Art, Expression, Physical Culture. Basinesses Courses, and one of the bes
Conservatories of Music in this section. .
Twenty-two instructors, men and women of exemplary Christian character, special
ists in their respective schools.
For Free copy of Catslolar and Anuooneementa, address
REV. S. C. BYRD, D. D., President, GREENVILLE, S. C.
(Advertisement)
SEVENTEEN REASONS FOR THE
ELECTION OF T. W. HARDWICK
T HE Democratic voters of Georgia
will do well to select Congressman
Thomas W. Hardwick to fill the unex-
pired term of the late Senator Bacon—
Y, * 1. —Because he is pre-eminently quali
gj£?y. fled by twelve years training and expe
\?yfL * *'“'M rionce in Congress, is in close touch with
the Democratic leaders in the Senate,
mr with President Wilson and his Cabinet,
/ v a,ul can wielcl an influence for Georgia
/ Kr(,ater tlian any one of llis opponents
k 2 —Because, being at least the equal in
9L lIH mentality of any of his competitors, he is
■BmBI twelve years ahead of them in experience
THOMAS W. HARDWICK. " t 0 the dutiM ° f 3 Senator ’
3. —Because of long and loyal service to the Democratic party in
State and Nation,
4. Because he is the father of negro disfranchisement in Georgia,
and one of the pioneers of that movement in the South. It was he
who begun the fight in 1899, prosecuting it vigorously, until it was
won in 1908.
6. —Because he voted for and helped to pass in Congress such
great constructive measures as the legislation for the construction of
the Panama Canal, the Pure Food Act, the Hepburn bill regulating
railroads, the McCall bill for publicity in campaign expenses, the Till
man bill prohibiting corporations from making political contributions,
the act of 1907 limiting the number of hours of continuous service for
railroad telegraphers, the employers’ liability act, the Constitutional
Amendment providing for an Income Tax, and for th» election of
United States Senators by the people and others.
6. —Because South Georgia is entitled to one of the Senators. Mr.
Hardwick was born in Thomas county, and lives in Washington
county.
7. Because he led a successful fight In Congress to repeal the tax
of two cents a pound on sugar, thus saving this amount to every
housekeeper in the country.
8. —Because he helped organize and lead the fight on Cannon and
Cannonism, thereby splitting the Republican party and paving the
way for complete Democratic success in 1912.
9. —Because when disruption threatened the party over the Panama
tolls question, lie. with Congressman Adamson of Georgia, under of
ficial appointment, rallied the shattered forces and saved the day for
tlie party and the administration.
10. —Because he has always stood for sharp restriction of undesir
able foreign immigration and wms instrumental in increasing the head
tax and imposing an educational test on foreign immigrants.
11. -Because he was largely instrumental in securing the passage
of the Shackelford good roads bill through the House.
12. Because he has always opposed and always will oppose most
strenuously the appointment of negroes to office.
13. —Because although progressive in views as his record proves,
he supports the great basic principles of Democracy—individualism,
rights of the states, co-ordination and division of federal powers—and
believes in upholding the ancient Democratic faith.
14. —Because he is vigorous, alert, active and always ready to fight
hard and to the end for the interests of Georgia and her people.
15. Because he never dodges an issue or trims his sails to catch a
passing breeze.
16. Because he wears no man’s collar and acknowledges no master
save the sovereign people of Georgia, whose commission lie will hold.
17. —Because he is the peer of any of his competitors in ability,
experience, judgment and party service.
HARDWICK CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE.
upon this flimsy base sue fcs-J bnl’ded
a dozen romances, each of which she
had ruthlessly torn down to make
room for another; but still the riddle
lay unsolved. She had thrown the
name into the conversation many a
time, as one might throw a bomb into
a crowd which had no chance to es
cape. Fizzles! The man had been
calmly discussed and calmly dis
missed. At odd times an article in
the newspapers gave her an oppor
tunity; still the frank discussion, still
the calm dismissal. She had learned
that the man was rich, irresponsible,
vacillating, a picturesque sort of fool.
But two years? What had kept him
away that long? A weak man, in love,
would not have made so tame a sur
render. Perhaps he had not sur
rendered; perhaps neither of them
had.
And yet, he sought the Calabrian.
Here was another blind alley out of
which she had to retrace her steps.
Bother! That Puck of Shakespeare
was right: What fools these mortals
bo! She was very glad that she pos
sessed a true sense of humor, spiced
with harmless audacity. What a dreary
world it must be to those who did not
know how and when to laugh! They
talked of the daring of the American
woman; who but a Frenchwoman
would have dared what she had this
night? The taxicab! She laughed.
And this man was wax in the hands of
any pretty woman who came along!
So rumor had it. But she knew that
rumor was only the attenuated ghost
of Ananias, doomed forever to remain
on earth for the propagation of inac
curate whispers. Wax! Why, she
(Continued on page 7)
SOME DONT’S
For Stomach and Liver
Sufferers
Don’t take medicine for your St©n*a?fl\ «ril
meats morning, noon and night, at übuall /
such medicines only give temporary relief
and simply digest the food that happens la*
be in the Stomach.
Don’t permit a surgical operation. There
is always serious danger in operations .-r.n l
in many cases of Stomach, Liver and In
testinal Ailments the knife can be avoid :d. L£.‘
the right remedy is taken in time.
Don’t go around with a foul smelling £re~t*t
caused by a disoidered Stomach and Liver, to
the discomfort of those you come in con
tact with.
If you are a Stomach Sufferer don’t thir.R
you cannot be helped, probably worse case**
than yours have been restored by Mayr's
Wonderful Stomach Remedy.
Most stomach ailments are mainly caused by
a catarrhal condition. Mayr’s Wond- rfel
Stomach Remedy not only removes the ca
tarrhal mucous but allays the chronic in
flammation and assists in rendering the entire
alimentary and intestinal tract antiseptic, ari l
this is the secret of its marvelous success.
Don’t suffer constant pain and agony and
allow your stomach ailments to physically un
dermine your health. No matter how severe
your case may be or how long you have suf
fered—one dose of Mayr’s Wonderful Stom
ach Remedy should convince you that vou
can be restored to health again. Mayr’s Won
derful Stomach Remedy has been taken and
is highly recommended by Members of Con
gress, Justice of the Supreme Court, Educa
tors, Lawyers, Merchants, Bankers, Doctors,
Druggists, Nurses, Manufacturers, Priests,
Ministers, Farmers and people in all walks
of life.
Send for FREE valuable booklet on Stom
ach Ailments to Geo. If. Mayr, 154-lbo
Whiting St., Chicago, 111.
SWT’S PHARMACY
Douglas, Doorgia
Seashore
AND
Florida
Excursion
VIA
A. B. & A. Railroad
August 6th
VERY LOW FARES
ROUND TRIP RATE FROM
Douglas
TO
BRUNSWICK *2.25
ST. SIMONS $2.25
JACKSONVILLE $2.25
TAMPA $4.25
SCHEDULE
Ar Brunswick 8:10pm. ,10:30am
Ar Jacksonville ... .8:30pm..10:30am
Ar Tampa(next day) 6:45am. .10:15am
Rates in Same Proportion From all
Intermediate Stations
Get particulars from nearest A. B. &
A. Ticket Agent, or apply to
L. M. BREEN, Agent.
. Douglas, Ga