UCftfonides of
Fletcher Robinson .
MR COHAN'S ELECTION
(Continued.)
The local was Just steaming Into
the station -when a fat, red-faced man
came panting out of the booking-office.
Peace gave my arm a squeeze
as he passed.
"That is Horledge, the chief sup
porter of Coran's opponent In tomor
row's election," he whispered.
"So you have been making some
new friends since I saw you last?"
"One or two," he said, stepping In
to a carriage.
When we arrived at Brendon, the
Inspector led me off to an Inn In the
center of the town. It was a pleasant,
old-fashioned place with black raft
ers peering through the plaster of the
celling and oak panelling high on the
walls. The modern Brendon bad
wrapped it about, but It had not
changed for three centuries. Ton
may find many such ancient Inns
bout London, which watch the march
of the red brick suburbs with a dig
nified surprise, until one day the build
er steps In, and the old coach and
horses or white hart comes tumbling
down, and a cheap chop and tea house
reigns In Its stead. We dined early.
At half-past seven, by the grandfath
er's clock In the corner, Peace rose.
"Mr. Coran's meeting does- not be
gin until eight; but I want to be there
early come along."
The platform was empty when we
arrived, but a score of people were
already on the front benches. We did
not Join them, seating ourselves near
the door. Brendon, or the graver
part of it, moved by us in a tiny
stream. A few elders walked up to
the platform with the air of those who
realize that they are something in the
world. The clock above them was
pointing to the hour when, with a
thumping of feet and a clapping of
hands, Coran appeared, and shook
bands with the white-whiskered old
chairman,
I It was while the chairman was in
troducing "the popular and venerated
townsman who had come to address
them," that the red face of Mr. Hor
ledge came peering in at the door. He
stood there for a minute, and then
modestly sat down on the bench be
fore us. Peace touched my arm, and
we moved along until we were Just
Behind him.
The chairman ended at last, and,
amid fresh applause, Coran rose and
stood gazing down at the little crowd
with a benevolent satisfaction. Their
respect and admiration was the breath
of life to the man. Tou could see it
In his eyes, in his gesture as he beg
ged for silence.
. "My friends."
' He had got no farther when Hor
ledge sprang to his feet with a raised
band.
"Mr. Chairman," he shouted. "I
have a question to ask the candidate."
There was a slight outcry, a few
hisses and groans; but the tide of lo
cal politics did not run strongly In
Brendon. Besides, everyone knew
Horledge. He had the largest gro
cer's Bhop in the town.
"It would be better to question him
after hla speech, Mr. Horledge," pro
tested the old chairman.
"I shoult prefer to answer this gen
tleman at once," Coran interposed.
SAVING THE ITALIAN BABIES
Maternity Insurance In That Coun
try Has Greatly Reduced Infsnt
Mortality.
Italy Joined in 1902 the few Euro
pean states which have established
laws for the better protection of wo
men working in industrial occupations
after confinement This law prohib
ited women from working for a month
after confinement, but contained no
provisions 'about the collecting of
funds from which the expenses could
be defrayed. For this reason regu
lations were generally disregarded,
and women went back to work as soon
as they were able to do so.
At the end of April, 1912, a new law
ame into force. All women In indus
tries between fifteen and fifty years
He stood with his hands, clasping
and unclasping, before him, but nev
er moved his eyes from bis opponent
There was grit In the fellow, after all.
"It would be simpler If you with
drew," said the red-faced man, shuffl
ing his feet uneasily.
"That your party's candidate might
be returned unopposed?"
"Don't force me to explain," cried
Horledge. "Why not withdraw r
"You waste the time of the meet
ing." "Very well, gentlemen, I say that
Mr. Coran there Is no fit candidate,
because"
There is something unsettling In
the official tap on the shoulder which
the police of all countries cultivate,
something which it does not take pre
vious experience to recognize. Hor
ledge's face turned a shade paler as
he glanced over his shoulder at the
little man who has thus demanded his
attention.
"And what do you wantr he
growled.
"I am Inspector Addlngton Peace,
of the Criminal Investigation depart
ment I warn you, Mr. Horledge, that
you are lending yourself to an attempt
at blackmail."
The detective spoke in so soft a
voice that I, who was standing by his
side, could barely catch the words.
"Bless my soul, you say so?" cried
the other.
T should like a five minutes' talk
with Mr. Coran and yourself. After
that you may take your own course.
Will you suggest It?"
Mr. Horledge did not take long to
make up his mind. He told the meet
ing that he might have been misin
formed. If they would permit It, he
asked for a five minutes' private con
versation with the candidate.
The meeting received the sugges
tion with cheers. It was something
unusual in the monotony of such func
tions. We walked up the central aisle
between a couple of hundred pairs of
curious eyes, mounted the platform,
and followed Coran Into a small ante
room, the door of which Peace closed
behind him.
"On June 15 the Brendon Anti-VM-
eectlon society, of which yon, Mr.
Horledge, are president, received the
sum of tweniy pounds from an anony
mous source," said the little detec
tive.
"Certainly."
"That sum was extorted from Mr,
Coran by the threat of revealing the
secret which Miss Rebecca Coran told
you this morning, and which you veri
fied this afternoon by a reference to
the old newspaper files in the British
museum."
"I had no Idea this is most sur
prising. I is it illegal?" he stutter
ed.
"Blackmail for whatever purpose Is
illegal. Further attempts have been
made to extort money. It Is because
they failed that you were placed In
possession of the facts today."
"It seemed a mean trick, anyway,"
said Horledge, penitently. "I wish I
had never listened to the old cat
But, Squaretoes I beg your pardon,
Mr. Coran I mean our friend here
has always been such a model that
I thought it rather fun. He can win
the election, and welcome, after this."
"That is all, then. I want a word
In private with these two gentlemen.
Good night to you, and many thanks."
"Great Scot! Inspector, but you
of age belong now to an obligatory
maternity insurance fund. The em
ployer pays the dues of 20 to 40 cents
a year, and Is allowed to deduct half
the amount from the wages. These
dues,, together with fines of employes
for violation of the law and a govern
ment subsidy, makes it possible to
give In case of confinement $8. It
does not make any difference whether
the woman is married or not Mother
and child are thus taken of for at least
one month after the birth of the in
fant The Italian law requires, furth
er, that a factory with more than
fifty women workers must provide a
decent room in which mothers can at
tend to their babies and nurse them.
Frequently, large factories have a kind
of day nursery with a trained nurse in
charge. Infant mortality has been
greatly reduced among Industrial
workers. The Survey.
gave me a fright I hope, Mr. Coran,
you don't bear malice? That's all
right then. Good night alL" .
As be disappeared through the door
the elder man dropped Into a chair,
covering bis face with his hands.
"This is shocking!" he groaned.
"Oh, Mr. Peace, are you sure- it was
my sister?"
"There Is no doubt at all."
"But what can I do now?" he asked,
looking from one to the other of us,
with a pitiable expression. "Shall I
withdraw?" .
"Nonsense," said the little detec
tive, firmly. "Fight your election and
win it sir; and the best way to begin
is to go back and tell them all about
It"
"Go and tell them? Go and tell the
meeting?" he cried.
"Yes. They'll like you all the bet
ter for it Do you suppose there is
no human nature in Brendon? Are
you going to keep this miserable scan
dal hanging over your head all your
life? If you stick to politics some one
is sure to rake it up. Be a man, Mr.
Coran, and get it over now."
"I will."
He had got to his feet his eyes sot
with a sudden determination. He
stretched out his hand to each of us,
turned about and marched out of the
room like a soldier leading a forlorn
hope against a fortress. As the door
slammed behind him, Peace looked at
me with an expression in which sym
pathy and humor were oddly mingled.
"Take my word for it, Mr. Phillips,"
he said, "many a reputation for des
perate valor has been won by a less
sacrifice."
It was not until after two days that
I heard the arguments by which the
Inspector had worked his way to a
conclusion. They form a good ex
ample of his methods.
"It was evident" he said, "that the
blackmailer knew Coran's character,
his position as regards the election,
and the details of his house and
grounds. Those facts suggested a
relative or close personal friend. The
theory that it was a relative was
strengthened by the newspaper cut
ting. It was not a thing a casual ac
quaintance would be likely to keep by
him all these years.
' "From Coran I learnt that he had
had differences of opinion with Miss
Rebecca. In my conversation with
her she spoke bitterly of his refusal
to subscribe to her society for the pre
vention of vivisection. She returned
to the subject several times, mention
ing the financial difficulties in which
the local branch, of which she is the
secretary, was placed. Those facts
impressed me.
"Before Appleton arrived last night
I had carefully searched the summer
house. In a corner of the woodwork
I discovered a note from Miss Emily.
The place was the lover's letter box.
Indeed, I had been expecting that
young gentleman's appearance long
before he came. I did not however,
tell this to Mr. Coran when he pressed
for an arrest It would hardly have
been fair on the girl. I do not imag
ine that they will find the old gen
tleman so stony-hearted after to
night As for the young man, In the
Inquiries I made concerning him, I
found nothing that was not straight
and honest I put him out of the list
at an early date.
"Who the person may have been
that listened at the window I cannot
say; but I conclude it was Miss Re
becca. She certainly did not attempt
to carry off the parcel.
"This morning I discovered that an
anonymous donation of twenty pounds
was sent to Miss Rebecca's society the
day after the first successful attempt
at blackmail. I kept an eye on the
bouse, and shortly after midday she
walked down to Horledge's shop. He
Is the president of ber society. . They
remained for some time together, and
then Horledge took a train to London.
I followed him to the newspaper room
In the British museum. Things were
becoming plainer.
"I have now no doubt that Miss Re
becca guessed who we were from the
.
first She told the secret to Horledge,
who was, you remember, one of her
brother's chief opponents In the elec
tion, out of sheer feminine spite. I
suspected the man would attempt
something at the meeting on Friday
night My suspicion was correct as
you saw."
"And the election T"
"He won his seat on the council. I
think he deserved it. Mr. Phillips."
(CHRONICLES TO BE CONTINUED.)
MODESTY NOT STRONG POINT
Both Schopenhauer and Auerbach Had
Excellent Opinion of Their Place
In the World.
Schopenhauer, the great German
philosopher, afforded one of the most
remarkable examples of self-compla
cency that has ever been known. His
naive eulogiums on his own produc
tions are almost beyond belief. In
writing to his publishers of his work,
he says: "Its worth and Importance
are so great that I do not venture to
express it even toward you, because
you could not believe me," and he pro
ceeds to quote a review "which speaks
of me with the highest praise, as the
greatest philosopher of the age, which
Is really saying much less than the
good man thinks." "Sir," he said to
an unoffending stranger who watched
him across a table d'hote, where he
acted the part of the local "lion"
habitually "sir, you are evidently as
tonished at my appetite. True, I eat
three times as much as you, but then
I have three times as much mind I"
Auerbach, the German novelist, also
had a great appreciation of his own
powers and work, and many stories
are told of the obtrusive way In which
THIS 15 SHOCKING' HE GROANED. '
he displayed his vanity. A German
writer says. of him: "Every year
Auerbach visits three or tour fashion
able watering places, at each of which
the following episode occurs at least
thirty times. The novelist indulges in
small talk with the little children of
the natives, and invariably ends the
conversation thus: 'Knowest thou
who haB been talking with thee? Tie.
hold Auerbach! -Tell that at home!"
Good Conversation.
I heard someone planning a lunch
eon lately, and she said she'd selected
her topics what the people would
talk about She said she intended to
"keep the ball rolling." Not a dull
minute. Everything spicy and spar
kllng and bubbling. Talk about one
thing and then about another. Ring
the bell and change the course. Press
the button beneath the table and
bring on your spicy story, as the maid
brings on the salad. Lord! Lord!
what a luncheon that must have been!
Who, alas, can be spicy to order? Or
bubble or sparkle or be brilliant or
even bright? These gifts are of the
gods. Sometimes we are and some
times we are not, but it's a cinch that
none of us are brilliant when we try
to be. Good conversation consists in
talk spontaneous. It has its source in
a full mind and a full heart Do I
hear some one saying, "And in a full
glass?" Ah, but even the full glass
brings out in talk only the native
wealth or poverty of the talker. I'm
sure that must have been an awful
luncheon. New York Press.
Success.
At a luncheon In New York the
topic under discussion was the arrest
of Mayor Lunn and the Rev. Algernon
S. Crapsey of Schenectady for street
speaking during the Little Falls strike.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., without
praising or blaming either the two
men or the strike that they advocated,
gave utterance to an epigram that
every young business man would do
well to paste above his desk.
"Success," said Mr. Rockefeller,
"knows no eight-hour law."
Motor Measure.
First Motorist How far did vnn
drive last night?
Second Motorist I did avantwm
road nouses.
' ' '''
FOR THE WARM DAYS
NOW 18 A GOOD TIME TO FIX VP
PORCH FURNITURE.
Demands a Little Time and Trouble,
But Effect Is Well Worth While
Best Method of Staining
New Articles.
It Is time to get out the porch furni
ture. This sounds like a task easily
accomplished, but in reality it entails
a good deal of work. The furniture
cannot be Just lugged down from the
attlo or up from the cellar and de
posited as it is on the veranda. It
must be cleaned and freshened up.
Some of it needs a new coat of stain
or enamel, some of It needs new
cushions. Perhaps It must be replen
ished, and that means careful shop
ping. To begin with the cleaning, this
can best be done out -of doors, with a
garden hose and plenty of hot water.
For each chair have a pailful of hot
suds, softened with borax. Apply this
to the seat of the chair with a stiff
whisk broom, and scrub it about vig
orously. Then scrub the back, sides
and under part of the chair in the
same manner. Dash whatever suds
remain over the chair, and then rinse
it with plenty of fresh, clean water
from the hose. Clean tables and all
other pieces of furniture in the same
way, and let them dry out of doors
In the sunshine, or else near a fire.
The cleaning process described may
brighten the furniture sufficiently so
that no additional stain or paint la
needed. If the furniture does need a
fresh dressing apply the finish decid
ed on without scraping off the old
paint The result will not of course,
be perfect, but it will be sufficiently
good to make the time saved seem
worth while. Most, porch furniture
Is hardly valuable enough to spend
hours over with sandpaper and paint
removers.
New furniture should be carefully
stained or enameled. It can be bought,
of course, already colored, but as the
price of most articles Is a dollar less
when they are uncolored, and the
work Is easy to do and pleasant any
cheap, it can advantageously be done
at home. Enough varnish, enamel or
stain for a chair or moderately large
table costs from 15 to 25 cents.
Many decorators now give willow
furniture a dull instead of shiny
finish. To accomplish this apply a
flat finish oil stain. Put it on evenly,
and allow the first coat to dry before
putting on a second.
If the stain Is not dark enough when
it has dried a second coat can then
be put on without danger of cloudi
ness, stickiness or thickness.
Another way to get a dull finish is
to put on a varnish stain and rub it
in as you put it on with a cotton cloth.
This method makes the stain dry dull.
Salad Francois.
Chop fine a bunch of parsley, two
shallots and half a dozen anchovies.
Lay them in a bowl and mix with them
salt and mustard to taste, two table
spoonfuls of salad oil, and a gill of
vinegar. Stir all well together and
then add, two or three at a time, some
very thin slices of cold roasted or
broiled meat, not more than three or
four Inches long. Shake the slices
well as they are put In the dressing.'
Cover the bowl closoly and let it
stand for three hours before serving.
Served garnished with parsley and
Borne slices of the meat, with a little
fat on them.
Cheese Cake.
Take two quarts sour milk, pour into
a cheesecloth bag and let drip 24
hours, after which time turn it into a
dish and season with Bait, adding one
cup thick cream. Then add one cup
sugar, four eggs, one tablespoon melt
ed butter, one-half cup cream or milk
and currants. Mix Ingredients well and
bake in a deep pie plate lined with rich
puff paste.
Lemon Toast
Take the yolks of three eggs, beat
them well and add one and one-half
cup sweet milk; take bakers' bread
(not too stale), and cut into slices;
dip them into the milk and eggs and
lay the slices In a spider with suffi
cient melted butter, hot, to fry a nice,
delicate brown; take the whites of
the three eggs and beat them to a
froth, adding a half cup of white
sugar; add the Juice of one lemon,
beating well, and serve over the toast
as a sauce and you will find it a very
delicious dish.
Lyonnalse Potatoes.
Melt one tablesDoonful of buttr in
a spider, add one tablespoonful each
or nuncea onion, vinegar and water;
fry until the onion is tender; now add
one pint of diced cold boiled notatoa
and stir until somewhat browned; add
one level teaspoonful of parsley and
serve.
New Wsspon.
Binks had an idea. Taking the
phonograph horn he attached it to the
vacuum cleaner. "Now,", said he, let
your files come on!"