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Exponent of the Real Religion: It Is Not Saving for Himself That Makes a Man, But Service for Others
TIT — —
Cupid may be a tiny little imp, but he knows no fear, and nothing ‘'feazes” him.
Their Married Life
HIS MOTHER’S HEAVY, MIDDAY CHRISTMAS
DINNER UPSETS WARREN’S DIGESTION
A1
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f A Thrilling Story of
Society Blackmailers
with a glow of sympathy. Sh« could
hava hugged her for that remark.
“Well, she’ll not make him very
haj y If she's the headstrong, willful
rr.lss that I take her to be," grunted
Mr. Curtis.
“Why. I thought she was very
sweet," ventured Helen, "and she
seems to be a girl of exceptional In
telligence.’’
"Eh? What’s that?" demanded Mr.
Curtis sharply.
"I thought she seemed very «weet
and unusually Intelligent for so
young a girl," repeated Helen.
A STRONG WILL.
"Humph! Well, headstrongness
Isn’t intelligence! And Bob’s not the
one to put up with any foolishness—\
that boy's got a will of his own."
”1 think all of the Curtises have."
said Helen quietly.
"Eh? What’s that?"
; elen knew perfectly well that Mr.
Curtis had heard what she said, but
he always greeted her remarks with
a rasping, “Eh? What’s that?"
said I thought all the Curtises
were strong-willed,'’ with deliberate
defiance, "though I’ve noticed they
resent that trait in any one else."
"Eh? What’s that—what’s that?”
fairly spluttered Mr. Curtis. "Well,
maybe we think one headstrong, self-
willed daughter-in-law in the family
la enough.”
"No doubt you’re right," retorted
Helen outwardly calm, but inwardly
quaking at her temerity. "And 1
hop* Bob s wife will be more suc
res. .’ill than I—In winning the ap
proval of her husband's family.”
There was an ominous silence.
Helen kept her eyes on the dominoes.
"They re overbuilding all around I but she knew that Warren was Rlar-
here Half of these apartments are in(f Rt ber. and that Mr. Curtis was
empty People won't pay the rent, ’ . speerhleas with ratte.
yrowled Warren’s father, who owned | who would have broken the sBonre
the old-fashioned three story house
they lived In. and who hated the In
By MABEL HERBERT URNER.
H]V 1 OTHER, you take this chair.”
I Warren drew forward a
large armchair for his
mother, and then eettled himself on
the window seat w r lth a cigar.
With a quick, self-conscious glance
• bout the roofn, Helen went over to
the couch w'here Carrie's ’two chil
dren were playing with one of the
many games Santa Claus had
brought them.
They had Just come in from dinner,
the family Christmas dinner that
Warren’s mothe/ always had at
o'clock. And now they would sit
• round and talk for the rent of the
afternoon.
Helen always dreaded these holi
day dinners, and she dreaded more
the "sitting around” afterward.
Every one felt heavy and uncom
fortable from having eaten an over
rich dinner at this unaccustomed
hour Warren’s father, leaning back
in his big leather chair, nodded
•’eeplly, and the others felt too lan
guid to make much attempt at con-
rersatlon.
Helen began fitting a set of dom
inoes into their box from the sheer
need of doing something ivith her
hands. She had anticipated this try
ing period after dinner ami had
longed to bring some fancy work But
she knew Warren's mother would be
■backed at her "sewing on Christ
mas."
"IBooks like It’s getting ready to
vasion of the large apartments. "All
cheaply built, too. Speculative build
ings -every one of ’em '*
We were talking about Bob tak
ing one of those corner apartments,”
murmured Mrs. Curtis, "lie promised
ir.e he'd go over and look at them ."
"Nonsense, mother." protested Car-
ria, "you know' she won’t be willing
to live that near the family. 1 ven
ture she’ll make Boh take an apart
ment over there on Park avenue. ’
"Well, Bob can’t nfTord any forty-
five- hu nd red-dollar rent." announced
his father, decisively.
••Here’s the
and what they would have said Helen
never knew, for Hoy. Cnrries little
boy. now demanded shrilly.
"Aunt Helen, you said you d play
parchesl with me.
"So I did.” cheerfully
board, now where’s the tnetC"
"I’ll get ’em," gleefully scrambling
flown off the couch, for Roy adored
his Aunt Helen, and to play games
with her was a rare treat.
"Perhaps wed better play In the
other room.” suggested Helen. "Then
we won't disturb »ny one. and with
out glancing at Warren or his father,
Helen took up the parches! board and
retreated to the next room.
t was always the same, she
thought bitterly Warren's father al
ways aroused the worst that was In
eagerlv. "But they've ten her' Oh. why did she dislike him so.'
),. v * Ju.t her father Why could she never come to this
hey. just he. father | hQu ' R without some such controversy?
Helen." protested
escapement, she was walking down
the street with Warren.
“If you want to take the subway,
all rlgnt,” curtly. "I want some ex
erclse.’’
"Oh, I .think I can walk—I’m sure
I ran." protested Helen. "And the
streets ar*j so wonderful now," for
the lights were beginning to gleam
out through the half dusk.
They walked on in silence. Helen
had expected him to storm out at her
about her words with his father
And now, fts always, his silence was
more disconcerting than his out
spoken wrath.
She felt too that this time he had
tight to be angry. She was full of
remorse and self-reproach that she
had allowed his father to Irritate her
to the point of clashing.
It was quite dark now. and Helen
slipped an appealing hand through
Warren's arm. but his arm hung
stiffly straight and unresponsive.
"Dear, I know I shouldn’t have
spoken like that to your father—I’m
sorry!"
"Huh, you’re always sorry! You
say and do whatever you blame
please-—then try to wriggle out of It
by saying ‘you’re sorry.’ ”
"But I do want you to know, dear
that to-day—after you gave me that
beautiful"
"Well, there’s other ways of show
ing appreciation besides everlastingly
spouting about It. Here's a drug
store. I’ve g9t to get something for
this indigestion These midday din
ners are Inventions of the devil!”
Helen followed him into the drug
store, where he bought a bottle of
pepsin lozenges
"See here. " as they came out on the
street. "Arc wft supposed to go to
Carrie s for New Year's dinner?”
"Why, yes. dear; she invited ns sev
eral weeks ago. You said we'd go!"
“Well, now, I say we WON’T! You
have a headache or any other kind
of an ache that’ll get ns out of that,
one of these turkey-mince-pie-holi
day orgies a year Is ENOUGH! Any
way, it's all my digestion will stand.”
(Novelized by>
(From the nlay by George Scar
borough, now being presented at the
Thirty-ninth Street Theater, New York.
Serial rights held and copyrighted by
International News Service.)
BY NELL BRINKLEY
he braces his
small less and
rounds out h i s
tummy and draws
the singing string
to his pink ear
(and still it looks
like play, for his
mouth beyond the
bow is smiling
just the same),
and he shuts one
bright eye; and
you smile on also
—■•nd — one tiny,
Ticious twang —
time enough to see
behind Lore'i
smile an Icy cruel
ty— and over you
topple—clean gone
— in love — the
deadly bittersweet
struck deep 1 n
your heart! Did
you ever dare
Love to wing you
and find he never
takes a dare?
Don’t do It, even
if you’re the last-
ingest old bache
lor ever was!
—Nell Brinkley.
K BIG RK\T.
"Is that what they pay?" Carrie
asked.
looms, haven't t
and her It's ridiculous! It wouldn't
surprise me If she'd make Bob etay
right there with them."
' Unless Bob's lost ALL his senses—
he'll not do that " declared Warren,
grimly, getting up to look for an ash
tray.
He’ll probably do lust about what
the wants him to do—that’s my opln-
retorted Carrie "I've seen her
only twice, but she Impressed me as
being a very self-willed young wom-
Helen was still fitting and refit
ting the dominoes in the box. But
now she wes listening with Intense
interest to to.s family discussion of
the girl to w mini Bob was engaged.
How had they talked about her
when «he was engaged to Warren?
She often wondered if they had re
ferred to her as "Helen" or "Miss
Allen.” And now she felt quick re
sentment that they had not even
mentioned Louise's name, speaking
of her merel> os "she" and "her."
As Helen both liked and admired
Louise, ehe longed to say something
in her defense.
-Well, the old man's pretty solid.
Isn't he?' demanded Mr Curtis of
Warren. “Bob doesn't seem Inclined
to tell me much, but I looked him up’
count."
No—no. Aunt
Roy, “you’ve got to throw a five to
come out! Don't you want to play?"
disappointedly, sensing that Helen’s
thoughts were not on the game.
••Of course I do!" absentedly shak
ing the dice.
Roy beat her badly, but he took no
pleasure in bis victory? for he kept
saving she had not "tried.'
• Well. now. I ll try HARD. I'll beat
you this time." for Helen, rather than
go back with the others, wanted to
keep on playing.
And this Christmas should have
been such a happy one! It was thr
first tint* since their marriage that
Warren had given her a real Christ
mas gtft. Surely to-day. Helen
thought with a pane of remorse, she
should have controlled her antago
nism to his father.
"Roy." called Carrie. "get your
things on now. We’re going home.'
Then came a general breaking up
Although Mrs. Curtis Invited them .,11
to stay for "tea." the heavy dinner
and the long afternoon in the over
heated house had left every one dull
and headachy, and they were all glud
to get out in the fresh air.
X KOBMAI.ITI
Helen told M
on my own account." i "it. Curtla how much she
• On. I guess he's solid all right,’* | had "enjoyed the dinner," a prim for-
admitted Warren, rnality that she never omitted with
" lf ,, she mr koy happy, it ! h) family With Mr. Curtis she ex-
deesn t matter so much about the: , . . . . .
money," said Mrs. Curtis, gently. I changed a frigid good-bye, and th«
\rnt<l to Warrea i mother next aaoui^at* with a sense of Joyous
The President of the United St&tei
lias a new mascot—& large black cal
which wandered into the breakfasl
room of the White House and jumped
on Dr. Woodrow Wilson’s knee. The
President was so pleased with tht
.ucky cat that, after feeding It, ly*
gave orders that it was to be fed,
housed and looked after as long as
it cared to stay.
A bride s dressing room is to be pro
vided at a church in New York. The
organ loft over the church entrance
will be removed, and in Its place a
beautifully equipped room will be
built. Here the bride will bo able to
put the finishing touches to her attire.
Mr. Philip Raschka, a German
tailor, floated upright in the Thamei
from Lambeth Bridge to Vauxhall
Bridge recently In a special pneu
matic costume he has Invented. He
smoked a cheroot, ate and drank aa
be moved along In the water.
Electric rat traps are In use In Am-
iterdam. They are connected by a
wire with a supply of electricity. The
place where the bait rests Is the only
part of the trap which is a conductor,
and the moment the rat touches this 4
•hock closes his career.
Guest (departing from Christmas
party) We've had a simply delight
ful time!
Hostess I’m so glad At the same
time. I regret that the storm kept
all of our best people away.
TO-DAY’S INSTALLMENT.
And only Chief Dempster paused
to wonder why, when Captain Hol
brook gave “his wife” tenderly over
to her father, lie did not kiss her
good-bye. To Father Shannon that
marked the finest moment in all Law
rence Holbrook's career of strength
and power.
“Sleep well, Aline,” he said, “for Joy
coineth in the morning.”
And all through the long sleepless
hours of (lie night—all through the
moments that clung and pursued and
tortured and would not go—all
through the crawling seconds of hor
ror, Aline wondered if Joy would come
again with any morning’s light.
Her Father.
Would the dawn ever come? Would
Holbrook find a way? Could she
weakly accept the sacrifice and care
of a splendid soldier like her captain?
How could she let him double and run
and evade the law for her—WHEN
SHE WAS ANOTHER MAN’S WlEE
—OR WORSE—AND SHE LOVED
HEIR CAPTAIN EVEN AS HE
LOVED HER?
The first message of day was one
of loyalty—for Hattie, her maid,
knocked at the door of Aline’s cham
ber of horrors and told her that Fa
ther Shannon “waited below to talk
“with his daughter.”
“Father Shannon?” said the girl—
and then her weary mind took up its
burden again. Would her father give
her the same love and understand
ing—when he knew?
Rut Nature makes her claims and
answers her questions quickly—and
past all the maunderings of mere rea
son !
"Dear lady!” said the priest, com
ing to her and taking her hand in
his with a world of understanding
sympathy in his firm clasp.
And then, in one moment, Nature
and the ties of life and of a lifetime
settled all doubts with the call of in
stinct. Aline moaned in anguish—
and turned to her father.
Graham met her before her first
faltering step had been taken—and
as if she were a tired child he cir
cled her with his arms.
"Aline!” he said—and no more; but
in his breaking voice there was the
promise of understanding—of love—
of help that should endure through
all.
"Don’t desert me. I need you so,
daddy. I need you so.”
It was the sob of a little child who
has strayed far—and come home at
last. It was the cry of a girl who
has waked to womanhood too soon.
It was the moan of a breaking heart.
The man answered his daughter
quietly, leashing his strength for hei’
protection as a man must when the
thing he loves proves fragile and he
trembles lest he break it.
"Desert you? That your idea of
your daddy? But why don’t you trust
me, dear?”
"I trust you more than anybody
alive. I just want to put my head on
your breast this minute and tell you
everything in my life—everything.”
The girl’s slender body was shaken
by the force of sobs pent from ex
pression—and deep, slow weeping that
must be tears unshed. Her voice held
alt the slow, dull agony of her night
of torture. She clung in terror to her
father’s strength.
"I seem to have been so far away
from you. daddy—so far away. Oh.
daddy, put your arms around me. both
of them—hold me close and safe—
there ’’
And, like the tired child she had
become. Aline crept into her shelter
"Then tell me, dearie—tell your dad
everything. What do you know of
this business of Flagg’s death?"
Aline marshaled her forces—and re
membered her vow of .jsilence.
mustn’t talk—I’ve told you that—
I can't talk.”
“Hasn’t the night made you see it
any clearer?”
“No; a vow is a vow. I can’t talk
unless I have Captain Holbrook’s per
mission. 1 must have his permis
sion.” »She mused on and then gath
ered herself again to meet the de
mands of the day.
“I can’t talk, father. That was the
promise—Father Shannon heard it.”
“Why did Captain Holbrook exact
such a vow before Chief Dempster
and I found you together? What was
there to conceal?”
It was the District Attorney talking
"I can't speak about any of it,”
said Aline.
She rose from the cold comfort of
the velvet cushions, and held out her
arms to her father. “Don’t—don’t be
angry. Just hold me—hold me, Dad
dy. I haven’t slept any—all night—
and—and I’m so—so—tired.”
“What kept you from sleeping?”
said Graham, comforting the stricken
girl for a moment of silence—and
then remembering that there was
much for him to learn.
“Did YOU sleep?” She stirred in his
arms—and then turned to Father
Shannon.
“You saw that man in the hall, Fa
ther Shannon?”
“Yes, my dear.”
“You told him—how I am a pris
oner—guarded?” asked the girl of her
father.*
“Yes.”
“Two of them in the house all night
* * * one outside—my window—
outside my window, Father—on guard.
* * * I could see him whenever I
looked through my curtains—hunting
for the first signs of dawn—I.could
hear the other—walking—to keep
awake—and I could not sleep—so
* * * no one could—no one could
* * •” Her voice ended in a cry
of horror.
A Message.
“You don’t know, my child. Did
you ever read the life of poor Marie
Stuart? Twenty years—not a com
fortable house like this—but stone
walls and bars. We don’t know what
strength Heaven sends us till we ask
for it in His Name.”
As he finished speaking there was
a knock at the door. The two men
turned with differing sorts of ex
pectancy—for each thought it would
be Holbrook—Holbrook sent to the
house on parole—but under guard,
who must enter. Aline feared only
new horrors of revelation—and tied
again to her father.
“Come, in,’’ said Graham—and Chief
Dempster and Inspector McIntyre of
the police entered.
The girl shrank in premonition at
the Chiefs Introduction: “This is In
spector McIntyre, Miss Graham.”
“How do you do?” quavered the
girl.
"Miss Graham—your father and I
are old friends,” said the Inspector se
riously.
New terror for Aline, the while her
father replied. “Twenty years, isn’t it,
Inspector?”
“Yes. sir—twenty. Ah, Father
Shannon, good-morning—against that
light window all things look black
to me, so I missed you at first."
Aline wondered dully how these
men—who had come to trap her—
could stop for parley. She was alone,
helpless—Holbrook could not^help her
now—they would trap her.
“Graham, the Inspector wants to
talk to some of your servants—and as
a matter of form we’ll have to look
over " began the Chief—and then
mercifully finished the sentence—
“look about a bit.”
"I understand/’ said Graham, un-
derstaning too well. "Hattie,” he
called.
"Excuse me—we’ll take our own
way if you don’t mind.” said the In
spector.
As you please, gentlemen.”
“We promise not to take anything
that’s nailed down.” laughed the In
spector. jovially—this was all in the
day’s work to him.
"See you later.” said the Ghief with
equal jauntiness. And Aline won
dered if her father, too, w»s ever so
pitilessly merry when—human life
was at stake.”
To Be Continued Monday,
A9
From Lucille’s Diar\)
QSk
Y ESTERDAY morning Betty tele
phoned me that Uncle Bob had
gone to Milwaukee for two days
and she asked me to pass the night
with her, for her maid was away and
she was timid about staying In the
house alone.
I knew aq evening at Betty’s would
not be enlivening, so I was Just about
to call up Walter Cox that afternoon
to ask him to come out there to see
me, when Mrs. Sturtevant telephoned
me that she was giving a little din
ner, her husband having brought
home a fine bag of ducks from a hunt
ing trip. I am exceedingly fond of
game, so of course I notified Betty
that I should not be able to reach
her house until after dinner.
“You won’t mind, will you, dear?”
I asked her.
“Why, I suppose not,” she answered
doubtfully. “But I’m disappointed,
Lucille, for I had planned a little
feast of the things that I know you
especially like Alligator pears, for
one thing.”
"Oh, Betty, do save them for break
fast,” I said. “I don’t see why they
wouldn’t be Just as delicious in the
morning as at night.”
It was a pleasure to find at the
Sturtevants such good friends as Ly
man Hurlburd, George Requier and
Louise Erwin. We had a gay little
party and after dinner George sug- '
nested that we all go to ope of the
vaudeville theatres where there was
an especially attractive bill.
I1IS PERSUASION Wr\S.
“I really shouldn’t go,” I said. “I
ought riot to stay out late to-night.”
“Really, Lucille,” teased Larry Stur
tevant, “this desire for early hours is
a sudden departure of yours.”
“But ’’ I began.
“Oh, come now. Lucfle,” interrupted
George. “Don’t throw cold water on
roy project. The fact is, I conspired
with LWrs. Sturtevant earlier in the
day and the tickets are already in my
pocket.”
“Lucille.” said Lyman with mock
solemnity, “lf you’ve formed some
early to bed resolutlohs let me assure
you that you are laboring under a
delusion, for you don’t show the
slightest need of beauty sleep.”
Then I was laughingly swept into
one of the waiting taxis and carried
to the theatre without having a
chance In the general merriment to
explain. However, I consoled myself
with the thought that the perform
ance would be over early. Knowing |
what a voracious reader Betty is. I |
felt reasonably sure that she would
become absorbed in a book and would
not observe my delay In arriving.
"Now it’s my turn to take a hand
in this evening’s festivities,” an
nounce^ Lyman Hurlburd after the
theatre, as our taxis stopped In front
of a brilliantly lighted restaurant.
“You're all to have supper with me ”
"Oh, how nice!” exclaimed Mrs.
Sturtevant.
When I began to object Lyman said,
“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to
present to you our once genial Lucille
in her new role of killjoy, a part she
has never taken before.”
“Nonsense, Lyman, don’t say any- i
thing more,” I cried, Jumping out of j
the taxi and going with the party into
the restaurant.
It was about 1 o’clock when George j
rang Uncle Bob’s doorbell for me. j
Betty came, and without unchaining
the door, opened it very slightly, and j
peering out. demanded In a trembling
tone to know who was there
“Lucille,” I replied. Then, giving
my hand to George, I dismissed him
with a word of thanks.
BETTY IS WORRIED.
“Oh, Lucille, what happened to you?”
sobbed Betty the instant I stepped
into the house. “I was terribly
worried and I’ve been frightened
nearly to death In this house all alone.
I couldn’t do anything but walk the
floor.”
“Really, dear,” I said, “you ought to
consult some doctor about your
nerves.”
“But, Lucille, what detained you?
Your mother was dreadfully agitated
when I called her up about 10 o'clock
to ask why you didn’t come. She
phoned the Sturtevants, where she
said you had gone, but could get no
answer. She has called up several
times since then to ask lf you had
come. You must let her know at
once that you are here.”
Mother, after all her ridiculous
^nxiety, appeared *to be more angry
than relieved when she learned that
I had been safe at the theatre all the
evening. Sometimes I think mother
is the most inconsistent creature in
the world..
Betty, too, is extremely peculiar in
some ways. I could scarcely suppress
a smile this morning at breakfast
when she flushed with vexation be
cause I declined the alligator pears.
“I ate so much of them after the
theatre last night that I’m a little
surfeited, dear," I explained. And
surely that was a pretty good reason.
“Well, that’s the last straw'," she
exclaimed. Really, I was amazed at
such rudeness.
I often feel sorry for poor Uncle
Bob because he has such an uncom
fortable wife.
Up-to-the-Minute Jokes
“Ah, yes,” murmured Miss
Schreeeher, after the first selection
at the concert. “I have had some
very exciting experiences. Coming
over here from Paris, a terrible storm
arose, and I had to sing to quiet the
passengers. You should have seen
the heavy seas running.”'
And the big, rude man in the pink
necktie gazed out of the window.
“I don’t blame the sea,” he mut
tered.
* * *
Sir Robert Ball, the famous astron
omer, who has just died, was rather
fond of telling the story of a corre
spondent who wrote to him saying
that, although he was a grocer’s as
sistant, his great ambition was to be
come an astronomer. But he got his
ideas somewhat mixed, for this was
one of his sentences: “My mind finds
no rest for the sole of her foot save
on one of the heavenly bodies.”
“Oh. Mr. Flipperly,” she exclaimed,
soulfully, “have you ever felt a dim,
uneasy sense of oppression as if the
mere weight of life were a burden too
heavy to be borne by the chained
spirit panting with psychic longing to
be free?”
"i invariably have such a feeling at
Christmas time,” was the callous re
sponse, “but hitherto I have attribut
ed it to pudding!”
* + *
“I’m going to have a fine time on
Christmas,” said one sprightly young
lady to another. “Mr. Huggins is
coming to our party, and he is color
blind, you know.”
“J>oes his color blindness add to
your enjoyment?” asked her ' friend.
“Rather!” was the reply. “He
thinks all the holly berries are mistle
toe!”
When a car has its full complement
of passengers it is never an easy Job
to make one’s way down the center
gangway.
No one, of course, knew that better
than the conductor; but, seeing that
while collecting fares he had stumbled
twice in two minutes over the feet of
Willie Smith, and seeing that the
aforesaid Master Willie was quite
the smallest passenger on board, he
had a nasty suspicion that on each
occasion a foot had been put out de
liberately to trip him.
“Some people seems to have mighty
awkward sons,” remarked the con
ductor, casting a malicious glance to
ward the mother.
“Yes.” replied the lady thus ad
dressed; “that’s exactly what I was
thinking about your poor mother!”
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