{ title: 'The Rockland news. (Nyack, N.Y.) 1???-192?, November 26, 1920, Page 6, Image 6', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn91067014/1920-11-26/ed-1/seq-6/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn91067014/1920-11-26/ed-1/seq-6.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn91067014/1920-11-26/ed-1/seq-6/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn91067014/1920-11-26/ed-1/seq-6/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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t he w gptfa ind tr^Tellnit to a cJrolV. |je_ Inrftrla'bjy cam* ba^k to the ,ataetln|\ potnt — the question: - Whj did he,h ide knew thJ craft — Loiiti. Sninm^n'. -X.. 1 t. • ‘ i • ■ •» \a\*- • -V-g Wj- ‘ y 3K ■' • -ji- ‘ ---- lifar t4«c.^ajiuw • ** uj .ua\«. «««:. uauqr.. the nia*k In' the cahln? On«'tTfiYnip #a«, certain* 1 |te ditto ’ t hltte It! without a /V/*'.. •:!,'• •-I >.;•: '* /'.'V,.., .•'•:/ ,'i- ^ j /V' ■'•■r. ; :- — ________ . ' ■ ■ ■ v : ■ ' ■ • -. - v :: ; '. v ; X ■ ■,.■■ ■»■ . r TZ: 4a :r--- r V^r V “: - ~y* ’ ^a aaii Bfip wwp^^ the ttert Mame, Ufaa wett kno'en. • And a horse rah nht he caatlr ^isgnised. Bnt , ahraysc --W. maooc ■ where t tnah Iwrt'ir *!e«S«f ft*' - ' - htit ■ : #»y . fol»f t'^.t|. J -~juaftElg;ji/'uijt,atei. ■v tree* the: t gilnt of the ifcn^j i iftt tiiai distance *QUll werw stt-offreo' he -snttfr\ i **C«t t 5 tm*n«ir •ti y ■• 'J.'- hwi TTy pAVID AND 5ON \t; «4 \FIVE THOUSANOl* . Synopsis: — ?C«v^r' having ; knoserT hia . father*., *-\>1 ' living with hla mffther on * Soua^boat oh th*(,.W'-*- - baaii . river.) pRarih.unt?r — the 'Jqniy ■anfe*Tte^tW«W«*W*. tronf -Bfer. a; f rt of the smy of her sad life. i reoital la \ itrfemjpteU Mr:'** tearful fit of coog-tnif^and he hur ries ashore to seek ,a root that af- - fords relief. He meets a young girl' whom he mentally chijSitena, the WJiq Hose. She-elude* him be fore he c»n matte her 'aphuaint- ance. A vacant cabin on the ahore _ has attracted the attention .of the, •illng woman, aaS~they move Jnto It. '.Jheir flrat meal is interrupted hf the Man-ln-the-Fanoy — IT eat. P ee jlhunte r a triH e * hint, ' Guopia.y - threatens. The. mother drama tl- -caily. . ; &tv»a — th* — iairaiieii _ aa^g^- . HWe eev a'« to the *X)tl> er Man,\ - . _ wJiohi she.' has rjot- . seen Iter ’ 80 years. They Snd a < red nja^k ''dropped . by -the.:Other- Mail- .That; night Pearth'unfer : finds the -Blue Sfoon,-. a ' grwit ' freshwater _ pearl. H!s mother die* without revealing ' fils ' faihef's name. ’ Pearlhunter and the Other Man meet in the viHage; a plstoi' fight Is' harrowiy averted. Pearlhunter believes him to.be the Red Mask crminal. Peturl- ” uea'^ ‘ flvT ranter rescues tvtld Hose from-Uw Other Mas .gnd meata, wild,Man, . her father, fie la a man of cul- , ture. crazed, from cOr.cusaion of the_ brain, the result - of. an attacg~By :e ecraeone wearing a red masii.' Not &<>ay ... XHOWS his identity; h« is king Juggle^ empires .Why didn ’ t he firaw there In the sftioon; why didn ’ t fanceZ _ liter* was •be- 4m.«s- at . 4 ha 4 eath\' In'-hisre^es. ; V ■; ; ’ , 4 -■. ' „ - Th a s oen o in the ' w b ia «a t first erenfng -crossed JU* nvind. when by chapetr4iq' ha ’ d learned j the secret of the > 5 * 0 ’ * Identfty; a se cret shared by-no one efae in the Flatwoods ; a secret he tiared. not reveal for want • 0 if proot lie liad o'ft^h. ihoaghT of tt T<}night-fr4shcncd ir ltt ihls mind ciJm- pellingly; the'strange actions at his mother ; her flaring scorn; how she nad sprang ffoia her chair and beat the Intruder off with the imperioos dig nity of her eyes. Her story, the ohe all too brief word that had reached hlni oat of-the sealed past, came to_ | him again. Long and long he sat with |\hisTs.ead bowed over^the table. ; : : f , P'atvij' at~ ihe east window I roi i rt sgd 4 tRsa. _He str-pped .to the tabio i flaqr mg i Id*r wehs 1 gcbosa -the . -. , , .tefhi^ednayt.eit fl^ffeat - A kind of dread *cr«pt oat, of the\ sfl^ncfr and \. the soMtpde and gripped- hi*! spWL danger • death-:- , _ T __ _ ______ _ _____ _ ___ _ the Red Mask Juggled wlth theas-eg ir tbje stepped ohtside. Mg knew Lquie BSirs aptf boxes when the bhjfhr, qhort, and jradgy from ttls.sprewd y»e$ te hia fat stepped heforeltheliowiil ” \:^ | “ Hcase cleaning, hainidt ftTf* ■'•\Oil Just digging myself ou-t4 - j * Standing his broom ngginSt the whh. •SoKimbn weli — what ’ pearl fisber did nott — and iLoal| Solomon knew 'him. UketWo^ ajraaMer* on tfte- BMtt the two stcxMi fqokihg each other over-^a man thai : u r atmitf -t h ' s^ tt ...... . ■ known ar the post office simply a*. Bog' Si Fwaslliunte.r proposed' that -he sail ..the Blue Moon and send- for a surgeon-\S? Qpera'ta. Wild •Bos* ‘ asrees, - was pale and sickly^ 7 ” Great shafts of oronze -thrust up out Of -the east an.d diniihtHi the stars. A mist lay along the-Tiyer like a ; cloud-th|M: had faifiBn from the sky ami loved the waym earth so well that- it refused to return. that wanted to. buy it — with the odd* oo^ the bow that could put; tip 'tha hlg gest bluff. The world could be halved Just there. ‘ •' - . ’ \ “ Cup by iFe shprihgrf \ **A jg.|(iM. “ ..... r'l\- 4 4 •. r 7- The ! two went ’ kround the wkst end of the cabin and back ter where* the spring boiled oflt from beneath the foot of the cliffs. The Jew dipped up a gourdful and drank so deep thqt 'the n Pearlhunter knew It was no honest thirst he quenche<d.\ The bar of the Mud IJen was famous along the Wa bash. . •• • < “ HImmel t Dot shpHng ! .Not- once I pass Fallen Rdck. I don ’ t shfop- undt drink ’ !m. - 'I ’ m campin ’ here tonight. The shuare.of'gioonligh t iirion the floor Pm last night campin ’ here, bur we He stood in the. dpor and watched' sh track town late, undt got in mid d ’ e Boss .undt a lot of pearl Ashers. Hndt -dfs ’ fiiotffifnjg f!'. ’ iHe ihtew up his pudgy hands;.: the, Jew ’ s, .exehimatlon point when words fail, “ Ach Hfintnei. d'e headt! Undt poker ’ ! All poker \piay- the' wofld wake lip — his world: the oato. w . m i. i — k e j t n e w; — A fagtf steepy era vot I see, he's d'e schHck one! ’ ' ’ ^hg Boss? ” — ‘ ‘ Bo.is * -mruoirmnr-ggsTsiFnlgBr d ’ e enndie. pot'timber tmyer. .1 don ’ t j twitter: here -and there among - the trees; a croak down, by - the water ’ s j mot \him before. Poker I From 523 he : .e dge: a. sfnriiwk o ver in the bajoujJirid^Ltrimjne2 ’ ___ _ i __ .. on the higher ground a trill nqw and j dfhe eyes- of IBe .Pearthunter- d^w - then of dlstiffed. . wiichery-l — he knew [.•to gether. * 'them aii. every voice. A crow- waK j. “ TimberJ What-was he likeT ’ ■ lowed aiorrg In the pufpie light and !• ® fl high like - your shoulder, ” he rasped the silence ’ with his raucous j said.' ''Light hair, hive eyes — undt CHAPTER VI — Continued. A form blotted the moonlight upon the floor w*th a living splotch of shad- ’ •w. ^ 'An arm came in at the door; a. yet. The- light outside was far I. i ji g htfeo . -ri sk ^caganag-farth It | d ■ dive . Betrayed ■him inatant-iy. f -gasemeat- That uas AIL. No face appeared. A . jnomtnt of twC ” and,the arm disap- j owning star, beared ; the -splotch, of shadow slid off ■ thk .'..square Ofmodnllght;. tSe- sofUfootj- tails sifpped away around the east end •f th* cabin and muffled Into siiehco. Very softly the.I ’ earimmter rose! to bjs feet. yCh© light outside was far .-.Xaa. hr i would Ha glanced around tho .cabin,. “ .Tlie.f *ioon had' passe<l by the east window, SO'.that it wsjT in . the shadowT IHe stole acrose the floor and peeped out through a broken, pane. , - .■■ ■ A nma way picking l>I» way up the bluff. H.e seepied in no, great hurry. | nor Jtt the least disturbed. At the top j of the bluff he_ stopped and looked f back, in his brief Instant of pause be- j fore Striding e-way into the woods the ; ino<Vn picked him out clear us day. It '■W hs the Man-ln-the-Fancy-Vess. 'was no more sleep for the Pearfhtijiter. He left the w indo w . went to the cabin door and felt behind jhft ’ casement where the hand had groped. If is fingers- came - in - cohtqet | ' with a tiny bundle wedged between J the logs find the door frame. He drew It forth and unrolled it .'in- the moon- | light, deeming it imprudent to light -1 \the ' candle. ’ . Even before the moon ) beams feil upon .the .thing he knew by [ a fertaiu disiiuieting prvmoriluon ’ what '! it would prove to be- — a rod mask. eail. He was answered by another 1 ' - f! , 0 in \ somewhere • across iri~\'the : ’ bdi- [ toms. The^ woods lifted its; thousand I voices; q.multitude shouting., as at the . Coming of a hero. And the hero was at hand. The gates of dawn opened j and he drove In. Bronze turned to ! gold ; the hills away in the south bared [ theig heaiis; a soft • breeUe crooned j •nidhg over -the trees and blew out the hell on cussin ’ . ” . • “ ^Tjrr - n^w^r--a-nmiT:,v - eHrr — “ You know -h ini? ” - ’ ■ “ I've seen hiln. ” * The pearl buyer toolroff his hat and wiped his sleeve across his brow,- “ I teii him I ’ m tohight-campin ’ here. He shy mebbe he come down, timit.giff me chance to get it back, mv $23. ” ’ TET 'J**,.' trntte <1 along beside Hith. : Tba Crowd followed. V > i The old banket lnytt*t fliJm into his private Offlca. an d shat vmw\7rm»:t i* tesrm* a* hunter had etet 1 beep fartheij fin a bank Iff * 1 that fa>, , pigvqqth! tffd ijabstanf \|ai fuvury pif ‘ th* pigee ' was iLjreve- M iatton tq^im. ev^ii a huMtatc of intense mi cwrinsft.j>rTftrt the cumWatlvn effpet of it ms t6 give him courage, to - mak»- Him fwt he was - somebody - . 4 It seemed to the Pearibttntey. that the blanker was. gone a long time wbe,n he jvent to bring the* - .pearl from -tf|s v i safe.-. - Wien he i finally -reHmte^d thei tr private- ofllee the owner of {the 'pearl- f* eaw why. \He h ad hunted tip some- \wMre-about the bank a small box - , a tiny jewel cgse, covered with i green I d; plush, qnd- was Carrying the pearl In It — a llttie thing, but very - graceful and gracious, * The get went .to the t heart of the Pearlhnnter.and tmraense- fcr Increase d his; confidence and seif* ■obubly respect, 'which was probiibiy the very thing-the wise old banker hoped it would do. Louie Solomo n knew pearls. Probably.,there was no \great er expert living.' His first glance at the Blhe Moon.-when the lid of the : tiny plush ease was raised, betrayed f him. Forgetful of . the level eyes Wa tehing hi*- slightest move, studying 1 | W-s every expression, he pounced upon L * arid etegAJU with twd new pfitf* au# the bid bnes clennbd up for*common T, < Yet-ghiV boyi saw that, her, fieqnate tq? the] ehyiran — *nt . she - :,foi^i^j.hetsfii£. Whereupon the rich, ftlenihr .^ent* her *anie. of their . bwn finery ; arid, afta'r laughingly ippiylng point and powdet, they laded her into a/ sky-blue silfc dr ess , g» T o w that m odest-Me g b h rsh ed i Hn*>arv) #* -I m '* 1 . 1 ,a B ' Wi at herself * ( in ‘ the-ijiirror. and wh>. - vta» fit the- party, openly »ed hifi snirpclsM ’ disaiprpva-I.* qnd mnprae iib«ijuyj}.' itnd*lt ivaa THJt until after fpil confession to Manbee, t that- Meg realized the trumpffy vhlue / - ' Of fashionable rivalry apd . thp -real - wqtth of stnrpHclty and contentment AH four of the giris had leanings to^. ward > life of luxury and ease.- and ’ \when ifra, March swMlingiy propdsed that they, try a whole week of ‘ tan piny • and pb 'work,\ they agreed eagerly. ' failure; and afte? tdortifying '^cenea - v ntp a company lunched*, a canary ‘ blnl 1 . dfikd ifrom neglect.advent^ stight ni- . hesseb and lost tejmpers, the girls de* ctded- that lounging and.-larking didn\t — - pay. ' Now John Brooke, the tutqr of I au - rle. was o' secret adihirair nf praxty - th e gl orious. Jewel and caressed it with his. hands, devoured it with iris pro- Oata, ” «h« • erthea In an amunlnk way . the experience of a year at Frnltlanda, where «a attempt tu. >« — ... tabllah an Ideal commnalty. , M laa; Alcott -wua - obliged t«» be a wa*e earner to BSBWwSfflB cr.r«, for_the. moment in. the_ expert; the nnd at' ttmea worked aa • aekmatresa. Jew in the man. . t ■ V ‘ Wearyin* of ahe. wrote for the But ifvs-as oniy for tho moment. ThW: ' h*?*** . \*•** * ,** •eaantionni nattike. .hthti.iast «y*wh m hi, „ la o, hard-faCfed -trader. He Straightened; porvalt, and *he abandoned thlo style set the box, with the lid still up. bh - - °* writing, . the .table'that occupied the center ‘ of ,n “ \\\hins-ton honpltal ahe aerved Tingnr-nkUnSVr'nf \ 1 * -nnssc. fu r- u tt ai r,., li . ut . . .ihe-oa.!axfe ’ ' looked around at h , lT<l that she failed In heattU. the others. , , . and When'ahe jreedvered ahe had to And Wo-O — ! ” he said. With a slither ,of new fielda/of work! then ahe traveled his hand toward the peart —a gesture attendant to an Invalid, and with could. - .'iriafefh >ur!y 1 { scorched f|ije ..ground about; the '.tlfjdr- - ] j step - for'gay tracks \that might 'have ' | been left by the night prowler: In ..the ' hard and. moldy open ground he ^ He feit along the wall to the. chink aKove the table and pokSl hls fingers Z her ween It and tile logy, where he . had i - wotteeu-led -1 he packet the , even i h g . they moved Into ; the cabin. It was still j there. He drew it forth and compared it 'wish the other. They were, almost Identical, god' of a pattern with the one he had seen that afternoon at the three-gabled cabin. . He . sat down ' qy fhq tgble. and _ 4 rupp 4 td_-his- . chin Bi .hia palm. What .gid it tnettn? What must It mean — this last one? He knew the meaning of the- first — dropped by chance. He had a i very plausible surmise as to the gtotfy <>f the other, the one With the . knife thrust through It. at'the three- gubled cabin. But this one — this last '«ne? *, The man wanted to hide that bit of doth right there. But why? The Pearl* hunter raked his brain for the answer. Why? He must have been Ignorant that the other was hidden behind the chink,'or why should;he have taken such pains to bide phis one? He was .probably ignorant of the fact ’ that he . had dropped the other one in the cab in that night ; possibly did not know where he.fiad Los? It. It was even eon* - cdvgble that the loss of It may have occasioned him no small anxiety. If be did. not know that he had dropped the other musk in the cabin, he prob- •^biy was unaware that the'Pearlhunt er knew him: The young man sat still * tong time over that thought, Appeared, ■ Th uj he . gui l d .wn . h ^amfli ap n a ren . t readiness supply himself with pother - mask after the! fiysr wait lost suggested At _ near-by rendexyoqs, undoubtedly dezvous. a confederate. , But that, w^s Mniike •: him — te have a.-confed- tru te. , He was kno^vu to wprfc alone. Ami. hLs hoirsu-^be would not likely al-' tow . himself to \get far from ft. Hq found the macks of a bdoL The heel had only touched, the ground once- or twice. He Was- struck by its smai! size. It was satd by some that the Red Mask had been a gentleman and un artist before he took to the roatL The- Pearfhaater coql4 wcil -beHerp it, for certainly no other boot la the Fiat- woods could leave a print so small. The heel ha<4 beep someprhat worn, so that the nanls .protruded slightly. They, had left a very'distinct row of prints around the edge of the mark. The tra.ck was made by the right boot, He hunted one of the left. No nails showed. From the- circumstances he concluded that the outer heel-cap of tfie right boot had. come off, allowing the nails to protrude. It would he hard tp say what train of thought the finding of the heel print plunged the man back into as he straightened and stood crumpling the two patches of stiff cloth Ih his hand. His gray eyes and passive file* were, hard to - read. An oM broken crock lay against the cabin - near the step. down over . the heel print and went back into the cabin. .flOlRdteC careim the eopg Aterri and , ..haii. . &.gslng^guoaL dropped both masks In and watched them^Mm to cbuIersT-rand afterward raked the ashes. ■ 11 - v somewhere In* the ’ Flatwodd^a ren- ■ Thar P e ar lh un ter , - wttlt, • tlwr horse sense ISfi yaara of , Bard, knock* had' beaten Into him, knew that this was his day — his. one . flryt day — hia to setae;-to have; to hold. Five thousand doiikrs; a gray ghost three gables; a gi ri that 'T ruated** him ( wi*^ m FearihunleP'S ! .eyes were \stITT drawn and thoughtful thohgh he made no ’ comment, but led. the way back to the.- trppt of .the cabin, . as^hojigh he believe'! his dompiinion . jmd merely come up the hifi for a drink at the spring and-would nhw go-back to firts sktfL.It-completely, deceived Louie Sol omon, for all his craftiness. But of eqtxrae, he had no means Of knowing the message the Boss Wd' shouted up -feo ai - th e hdat -t h a h'i g ht - hgfor a .'i-:— __ The- Pearlhunter Stepped inside the door and picked up hia broom. Out of the little end'of ' his. eye he saw the Jew watching -him. He made a swipe • with the broom as If to ’ ( ao on with his . sweeping. . It was a dose •grapple of wits. But the, lure ;of . the pearl was too mn- ’ h for Louie Solomon. He had to con^e td It at lust; and he had to come. sduare. Taking .off hia' hat he ■ - tr w ke d — hack — oven«-his shoulder and again drew his sleeve across his brow. ‘ T ’ m bearin ’ you picked up a blue one, ” ■ ■ - The Pearlhunter. leaned hfs broom against the table and- came out upon fhe door step. - •' l T : “ 'Who was telling you?* ’ . . “ Oh, dey talk. You'sell him? ” - V' “ If I get my.price. ” • “ How much you want It? ” “ Five thousand. ” The little Jew almost fell over. His fat bands punched the air fuil-of ex clamation points. “ Five t ’ ousan ’ ! Hlmmd ! You pehri ffsheW Tss' all -alike — «II\craxy. “ r .* “ That ’ s my price. ” He stepped back inside the door'and reached' fhr., his broom. The . 1 other hopped across the door sill and, caught bis arm. • . ' : _ ' .. ' “ Hlmmei ! Let It £0 dot broom ! I look at your peart. You should Jump in .d'e boat, undt we'ldok hlm over at d'e bank. But I know he turn oat like d ’ e rest — wort ’ niebbe five hundred ; mebbe no. ’ You pearl fishers' iss all crazy. Himmel! ” '.j; ^Jfhe Peariiiunter followcl in silence. He did. net ask how tpe other knew the Blue Moon was in the bank, know ing what river men' were, when drink had loosed their tongues, After days and weeks at -the clam rakes and the mucky vats, with little more jkan an occasional grant between them, three, fingers of “ sqalrrel” whisky would set their tongues bobbing like u cork In a suck hole. Louie Solomon carried three rowera - in his long skiff, all'hardy river ni 4 fi that had. been witi- him for years; Eiach man wore-a heavy six-shooter In -plain sight at his belt Spine said thuj. he paid these men fancy wages, and tha't he employed them as much, for their ability with the revolv er «* f,.r their aklli at thtf pare . _ ^ It was far past ndon when the white ‘ Undt dot iss it for which d ’ e pearl ii>!u-rs should go crazy. ” ' - . But even ' Louie S.olopon couldn't quite put over his accustomed bluff in: the face of such a gem.. It drew his ....fe«yc_vliill ed Earotto-. ..Arte* ni-vcml ntu-mptn at literature MU* Alcott wrote' • ‘ Little' Women.' ’ which waa an Immeillnltt aucce**, reach — In* a Mile of 87,000 copies In Three -year*. She wrote from the heart, and wove Into the story-lacltienta from the live* of herhclf and her three alatera e yes - ■ bfigk -4B~ s pit e -of- hl . m- .-v -TairiagHt — »tX«atmi^U^.lihae-a 3 tt«aafi>r.d..vT.rafe \Am lens from his poBke^-^gteoy d otW gK it again. . j Cou*ln* ” and “ Kose ln tllooin,” beside* “ You no see dot flaw?\ he said, aft- -other stories nnd sketches. . - ’ er a- shogt inspection. ' j . • MU* Alcott had ambition and ability . The Pearlhunter took the lens and for “ \f™' 1 * Uitnry work, .he , , , - , - , made her snccess as a writer of chll- Ipoked With quick, studied care. Some- dren ’ s stories. While her reetdpts from times the most ' pej-fect peari wilt ^de- some later work were large .for those re m p 1 rr fl a w In - T l pm riTTg:\-; ----- — — ----- tta n- s. . site ds *; Meg. Discovering this, the mischiev-. ous boy Wrote Meg a passionate love ' letter, purporting to be-from Brooke. This prank caused a terrf&le. upset In both houses, but later on Brooke put the momentous question* and Meg meekly whispered, “ Yes, John,**- and;, h lpt her fac e- ob ~hl 8 ~ w xIstcoaL — blundering In,\was transfixed with as^ tonishment-and dismay, and exciaini- Od, “ Oh, do somebody come -quickI John Brooke is acting dreadfully, ancl ' Meg likes It! ” - At Christmas, father March came ’ ■home fr-onT the war,'and great celfii- - ' bratidh was. njade.. '.The neighbors from the Laurence house were invited. a CliHfttpfrna/ dinner as they had that, day ! Later came, the first break in their restored 110100 circle. The! Hovecote ihe--BafBe--t ’ >f--the-4Rtle- brwn- T! that i*V/> »* v. , •• P r °uil of the Unit $ 3 ^ she received' than -No, he answered,, handing .back; ot the laracc-nmnant* inter.- the leng. “Neither do you. ” ' j . One seqeratloa after another of It was a straight thjai^t. ’ .The bqyer I too ®* readers-flnds pleasure In MiMf Al- flushed and studieiLi.h.is^.nian... Who was this Pearlhunter. anyhow? “ Veil, how.much you .want.it?\ : • \1 told you,” : The Jew ridiculed the idea with'his hands. - . - - ' '• •• • •• ’ -.; ; “ I fought you make me some fool ish ness. .. You dond ’ t can mea nt, it? \.* _ “ You ’ ve got a good chance to find out.\ . . The Jew stooped again over the pearl, roiletl It about'upon the plush cushion inside the tiny jewel ease, took a sifi'ail pair of caliper* from his vest colt ’ s . chect-y. healthful stories, .'and tbe-lr vitality Is ’ Indicated by their up- pearance on the movie screen. A tiieir old-fashioned New England home the. little women lived with Mrs. March, their brisk and cheery mother, who always had a \ean-I-help you ” look about -her r -suul- whbta- hep four, girls lovingly called' “ Marmee^ ” • , Pretty Meg, the bldest, was. sixteen* and already showed domestic tastes and talents, though she detested the drudgery Of household 'work; and. . a little vain of her white hands,- longed Jo', fifteen, was .tall,\ thin and, cOltish, and gloried pocket and. measured It. not only to { a f heart to be a fine Indy, determine Its sfze but Ua roundness as ! weU. - The old banker-looked across | ifi ^4^«nceal^d s^m ” of “ po\lite' ’ cott the table and. v winked- at . the Pearl*' hunter — a very distinct and unmistak- He picked It dps turned It ap-a i d** skiff W up to the wharf. A crowd. mostly riveij men;, wa* there to meet It— and more coming. It seemed ev- g ryWff la nRa ek sie kn ew what wns ga i ns on — la. fron t of th a. Ma d Hua the little JeV paused, rolled his furry . tongue, ’ and -Jerked, his hand .tovvard! the door. The Pearlhunter shook his h^ad. ■ ■ • - \v -\•••' - -, “ Walt till we get back ' frond the tauik.\ v- ' The Jew stabbed the air with h|a ex- pressive handq, • ’ Himmel! Its on mel\ able wink. A dry grin puckered the young man ’ s eyes, It ’ s not every pefiri fisher that gets winked at by a bunker. Solomon looked up after a while dmi growled : . “ I giff you freq~fousan'.\ • The banker started. But the Pearl hunter said : \If It ain ’ t worth, more than that: I might-as well go down to Mud Haul and fish for bullheads. ” , ‘ 'Louie Solomon swore; — a stiff little run of what the FI at woods calls “ keen cussin'. ” Tils,, eyes' *tnck out; he stormed back . and forth across . the fiooF a ttme or nvo. imrttering. to him self, in Yiddish, a-language'in which he doubtless swore more comfortably, it was the “ squirrel\ whisky. Louie knew-better, tori. . •' ^ But the tempest was\ soon oyer. He stopped at the corner of the table..his face smoothed serene as a garden- — iind like a garden, the better for the storm. — - ‘ ventlons.' Beth, thirteen, ‘ was a _ lov able little thing, shy, fond, of her'doils and devoted to music, which she tried hopefully to produce'from the old, jingling /tinpan of. a. piano. Amy. twelve, considered herself the flower of the family. An hdorable blonde, she admitted that the trial of her life was her, nose.'- For, ’ when she was- a baby, Jo,had accidentally dropped - her into the coal-iiod and permrtnently flattened that feature,, arid though poor Amy slept with a patent clothespin pinching It,\' she couldn ’ t attain the Grecian effect she so much desired. Father March was an army chap- lalu In the Civil war, and ln his ab sence Jo declared herself to he the man *f the family. T 9 add to .their slender income, she went every day to read_to Aunt March, a. peppery, old lady ; ’ and Meg, too, earned a small ■Adary as daily nursery governess to a neighbor ’ s children. ■ Ih the Big house .next door to the ’ Marches lived- a rich old gentleman, Mr, Laurence, \and his grandson, a lolly ;:.cinmirny _ hiayt-: ‘ called __ Laurie. house that John Brooko. had prepatsd for- hla/bride, and it was a tiny affair with a iawn in front about as big as a handkerchief ! The -wedding, be neath .the ,Jun& roses was a simple hm uey one, a nd t he b r i d al journ ey ^ was,only the walk from the Mareh home to the dear little pew house. 1 II “ I ’ m too happy to care,! what anyone says — I ’ m going to have my wedding just as I want. It P* Meg had declared; ; and so, leaning on her husband ’ s arm. tier hands fuli of flowers, she went aivav. sayhur. “ Thank yon-nil for my happy -wedding day. Good-by, good- by! ” . - , * ' ’ , : — .. ~ Jo -developed into a writer of sen- 'satdonal Stories. This; however, was because .she'found a profitable market for such work and she wanted the money for herself and the others.. For / ■little Beth was ailing, arid.a summer Atay at the seashore might, they all . hoped, bring baek the ’ roses ; to her cheeks. • But It didn ’ t, anil after a Hrife The - tTafkt\dayS'cftme' W ’ liehrgffBtl®' Beth, like a tired but trustful child, clung to the handa that had led her all' through life,' as her father 1 and . mother guided her tenderly through. ,the valley of the shadow and gave her . up. to God.. , ... Then came a day when Laurie, was Invited to the Dovecote to see Meg ’ s' new. baby. Jo appeared, a proud aunt, bearing a bundle on a pillow. “ Shut . your eyes and hold, out your arms,\ L • #aar she ordered, and Laurie; obeying, open ed his eyes again, to see — 'two babies 5 “ Twin's, by JupiterF^ he cried; “ take ’ em, quick, somebody t I ’ m going -tor laugh,- and I -shall drop ’ em ! ” . - v *lLoqle. Troany times ’ laiy to mine- self, LouTe,' ybU ‘ got It Kb , 'WucTr~bTg [ , . ...... . . hearted to be a pearl buyer yet. Too T 1100 ? 11 awe-inspiring at flrat. Mr. much soft-hearted you got it\ Bird- Lliurenc e proved both kindly and gen- henrted ft -peurl buyet should he. You gift too high, undt yod.. sell, top low. Misses Solomon, she die In d ’ e poor- house yet, hain ’ dt it? I giff . you tour t ’ ousan ’ . ” -. * The Pearlhunter glanced across the table at the banker . “ I reckon you might as well put it back Ip the safe. ” he said. “ He kn^ws my price, and he don ’ t seem to want to do .business. ” . - The banker picked up the . little plush case, ■snapped the' lid down, and started for the door. Taking the pearl from the room was like putting tha light, out,' The Jew ’ s face, was a study. He drew\ his sleeve across his brow, v “Bring It back, ” he cried. “ Himmel I You pearl dshera IsS all crazy. • I ’ giff it de five! foueari ’ . ” “ Hs vhoic* ma — 1 tssr off de — La shtiek me- Himipalt TBluel (TO Stf CpNTLNU&XXj Ecqnofv-y and Empire. As muebt Wisdom mtiy he expended: op a private economy-ap on an empire, and as much wisdom may be drswp from It-r-Epierson. ' to 1 raad er qp g / 'wq«d ro a|c tep r. erous, and even timid Beth mustered up courage to go over to the “ Palace Mqnutifui ” at twilight and play softly on the grand piano there. But, as she confessed to her mother, when site be gan ^he was so (frightened her feet chattered on the floor! 1 ..The night Laurie took the twp Older girfls to the theater, Amy. though not invited. Insisted on going, too* Jo crossly declared she -wouldn ’ t go if Amy did, and furiously ^scolding, her little sister, she slammed ’ the door and went off, as Amy called put: “ You ’ ll be sorry for .this. Jo March! See ff you ain ’ t I ” The child made good her threat by burning up the manuscript of a previous book which Jo had writ ten aad on whlefi she had spqat three years cat hafd work. There was a ter rible fracas, and, though at her moth er ’ s biddlng Amy mfide contrite apoi^ ogy, Jo refused to be pacified: It *mly when poor little Amy waa ne a rly tma-J OTorga rig-ber . sister and learned a much-needed les son: of self-control.' ’ Me{f, tod, iearneti a salutary l*sson, when ahe went to visit somd fash ionable friends' and had >qr first tast^ of “ Vanity Fair.'* viler sisters, gladly lent her uU*.their best things, and, as she) said to Jot ’ “ You ’ re- a dear to Lauriq had lovf,d Jo for years, bat. Jo, though truly sorry, couldn't re spond. As she said, “ It ’ s impossible for people to make • themselves hive other people if they don ’ t! ” And so, after a time, Laurie decided that Amy was. the only woman in the world who could filL Jo ’ s, place and make him happy. Ant} the two .were very happy' together, Amy taking great pride , in : her handsome husband. “ Don ’ t laugh,\ she said to him,, “ but- - your hose Is sat-h a- comfort to me! ” and she ca ressed the well-cut feature,with artis- , tic satisfactipn. - Jo found her fate in an elderly pro-, fessor, wise and kind, but' too poor to, , think of marriage. For a year .the pair worked and waited and hoped and. loved, and then Aunt March died and left Jo her fine old eotrutry place. Here Jo and her professor set up their home, and established a boys ’ schooL which became a great, success. Jo lived a very happy life, amj. as the years went on, two little lads of hep own dame to - inorease her happiness. Amy, too, had a dear 1 child named Beth, but she was a frill little crea-. ture and the dread of losing her wgs the 'shadow over Amy ’ s sunshine. ' But the little women and all their dear ones formed a happy, united fam ily, of whom Jo truly wrote: ' \ Lives whose brave music long* Shall . ring * Like a splrlt-stliTing strain- Copyright,. 131#, by Po»t publishing Co. (Tbs Boston Boat). , Copyright, 1319, J»y Boat Publishing Co* (The Boston Boat)-. All rights reserved. Printed -by permission ot and arrange ment with, Ulttle. Brown CoJ author ised publishers. ’ Sensitive Spot. . I A couple of boys vtrere casting about to d oriso - ffiu ri 0 tto^ 11 ' frira ” of am user d r o w ned ty- < « M i uffi^ a »uughnug Bu gH Bw t wfc ■tsrarprintcryoi ,tcr; yoTir •» oodahed. ” b ack yard an d- play , in ’ the wo ' “ We haven ’ t any woodshed, ” said the. other youngster. ' ‘ Have you ene la yoiir back yard?\ v “Yeai\ . ’ ‘ - — A ■ “ Keep Wood in itfi - “ No. ” “What ’ 9 It used forf! . N^ae- - nf y nnr . tmafnttSa.\ r^r~y- . v - 1 ... * ... , iu
