Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1917 — Page 2

PRUDENCE of the PARSONAGE

by ETHEL HUESTON

(Copyright, by the Bobbs-Merrill Company.)

ITS TRULY AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD AND THIS WIND BRINGS LUCK TO THE PARSONAGE.

Mr. Starr, widower Methodist minister, is assigned to the congregation at Mount Mark, la. He has five charming daughters. Prudence, the eldest, keeps house for him. Fairy Is a college freshmau. Carol and Lark, twins, are in high school. 'Constance Ts“tfiF The activities of the Starr girls—Prudence's work, Fairy's school affairs, the pranks of the youngsters —and the family perplexities make the story; it is simply a recital of glorified homely incidents. This installment describes the capture of a burglar in the parsonage.

CHAPTER Vll—Continued. Mr. Starr had gone to Burlington that morning to attend special revival «3rvires for three days, and Prudence had fifty whole dollars in the house, an unwonted sum in that parsonage! And the dungeon was not locked. Without a word, she slipped softly out of the room, ran down the stairs, making never a sound in her bare feet, and saw, somewhat to her surprise, that the dungeon door was open. Quickly she flung it shut, pushed the tiny key that moved the “catch,” and was rushing up the stairs again with never a pause for breath. * A strange sight met her eyes in the twins’ room. The twins themselves were in each other’s arms, sobbing bitterly. Fairy was still looking hurriedly through the dresser drawers. “They are gone,” wailed Carol, “our beautiful ruby rings that belonged to grandmother.” “Nonsense,” cried Prue with nervous anger, “you’ve left them in the bathroom, or on the kitchen shelves. You’re always leaving them somewhere over the place. Come on. and we’ll search the house just to convince you.” “No, no.” shrieked the twins. “Let’s lock the door and get under the bed.” The rings were really valuable. . q?jjeir grandmother., mother, had divided her “real jewelry” between herjjyo And the mother of 1 hese vided her portion to make it reach through her own family of girls! “Our rings! OUF-t4ugs4”-tlie twins were walling, and Connie, awakened by the noise, was crying beneath the covers of her bed. “Maybe we’d better phone fqr Mr. Allan,” suggested Fairy.' “The girls are so nervous they will be hysterical by the time we finish searching the house.” “Well, let’s do the upstairs then,” said Prudence. “Get your slippers and kimonos, and we'll go into daddy’s room.” —— - —- — _ , . '

But inside the door of daddy’s room., with the younger girls clinging to her. and Fairy looking odd and disturbed. Prudence stopped abruptly and stared about the room curiously. “Fairy, didn’t father leave his watch hanging on that nail by the table? Seems to me I saw it there this morning. I remember thinking I, would tease him for being forgetful.” And the watch was not there; “I think it was Sunday he left It;" answered Fairy in a low v..ice. “I remember seeing it on the nail, and thinking he would need It—but I believe it

was Sunday.” . Prudence looked under the bed, and in the closet, but their father’s room was empty. Should they go farther? For a moment, the girls stood looking at one another questioningly. Then — they heard a loud thud downstairs, as of someone pounding on a door. There was no longer any doubt. Someone •was In the house! Connie and the •twins screamed again and clung to Prudence frantically. And Fairy said, “I think we’d bettei lock the door and stay right here until morning, Prue.” But Prudence faced them stubbornly. **lf you think I’m going to let anyone steal that fifty dollars, you are mistaken. Fifty dollars does not come for thatri cun tell you.” “It's probably stolen already,” ob"Well, If it is, well-itali did It, and have them arrested. I’m going down to telephone to the polices You

girls must lock the door after mei and stay right here.” • . . The little ones screamed again, and Fairy said: “Don’t be silly, Prue, if you go I’m going with you, of course. We’ll leave the kiddles here and'they can lock the door. They'll be perfectly safe in here." ’ . ' * But the children loudly objected to this.. • If, True and Fairy went, they would go! Sri down the stairs they trooped, a timorous trembling crowd. Prudence went at once to the telephone. and called up the residence of the Allans, their neighbors across the street. After a seemingly never-ending wait, the kind-hearted neighbor /left his bed to answer the Jnsistent telephone' Falteringly Prudence explained their predicament; and asked him to come and search tin* house. He promised to be there in five minutes, with lIS son to help. —— “Now,” said Prudence more cheerfully, “we’ll just go out to. the kitchen and* wait. It’s quiet there, and away from the rest of the house, and we’ll

be perfectly safe.” To the kitchen, then, they hurried, and found foal comfort in its smallness and secure-, ness. Prudence raked up the- dying embers of the fire, and Fairy drew the blinds to their lowest limits. The twins and Connie trailed them fearfully at every step. Every breath of wind against the windows drew startled cries from the younger girls, and both Fairy and. Prudence were white with anxiety when they heard the loud voices of the Allans outside the kitchen door. Prurience began crying nervously the moment the two angels of mercy appeared before her,'and Fairy told their tale of woe. “Well, there now.” Mr. Allan said with rough sympathy, “you just got scared, that's all. Everything's suspicious when folks get scared. I told bot you girls would get a good fright sometime, left here alone. Come on, Jim, and we’ll go over the house in a jiffy.” He was standing near the diningroom door. He lifted his head suddenly, and seemed’ to sniff a little. There was undoubtedly a faint odor of tobacco in the house. “Been any men in here tonight?” he asked. “Or this afternoon? Think,

now'." . - - . . “No one,” answered Prudence. “I . w’as alone all afternoon, and there has been no one in this evening.” He passed slowly through the din-ing-room into the hall, closely followed much -reassured. -As he passed the dungeon door he paused for a moment, listening intently, his head bent. “Oh, Mr. Allan,” cried Prudence, “let’s look in the dungeon first. I want to see If the money is safe.” Her hand was already on the lock, but he shoved her away quickly. “Is there any way out of that closet besides this door?” he asked. “No. We call it the dungeon,” laughed Prudence, her self-possession quite recovered. “It is right under the stairs, and not even a mouse could gnaw its way out, with this door shut.” "Who shut the door?” he inquired, still holding Prudence’s hand from the lock. Then, without waiting for an answer, he went on. “Let’s go back in the other room a minute. Come on, all of you.” In the living room he hurried to the telephone, and spoke to the operator in a low voice. “Call the police headquarters, and have them send two or three men to the Methodist parsonage, right away. We’ve got a burglar locked in a closet, and they’ll have to get him out. Please hurry.” At this, the girls crowded around "hi nr agatn tn'"renewed’--^ears-’----' “Don’t be scared,” he said calmly, “we’re all right. He’s in there safe enough _and can’t get out for a while. 'Now, tell me about It. How did you

Quickly she Flung It Shut.

get him in the closet? Begin at the beginning, and tell me all about it." Carol began the story with keen relish. “I woke up, and thought I heard someone In the room. I supposed it was Prudence. I said, ‘Prudence,’ and nobody, answered, and everything was quiet. But I felt there was someone in there. I nudged Lark, and she woke up Jle moved then, and we both heard him. He was fumbling at the dresser, and are gone. We heard him step across the room and into a’ closet. Ileciosedth#-doxirafter him, didn’t he Lark?” < . ' “Yes, he did ” agreed Lark. “His hand was on the knob.” -

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

“So we sneaked out of bed. and went into Prudence’s room and woke her and Fairy." She looked at'Connie and blushed. “Connie was asleep, and we didn’t waken her because we didn’t want to frighten her. We woke the girls—and you tell, the rest, Prudence.” “We didn’t believe her, of course. We went back into their room and there was no one there. But the rings were gone. While they were looking at the dresser, I remembered that I forgot to lock the dungeon door, where we keep the money and the silverware, and I ran downstairs and slammed the door and locked It. and went back up. I didn’t hear a sound downstairs.” Mr. Allan laughed heartily. “Well, your burglar was in that closet ‘after the money, no doubt, and he didn’t hear you coming, and got locke<TTn”~~“ •Tn-a—few-minutes they heard foot--steps around the hotise and knew the officers had arrived. Mr. Allan let

“Aren’t You Limber-Limb Grant?”

them into the house, four of them, and Jed them out to the hall. There could lie no doubt whatever that the burglar was in the dungeon. He had been busy with his knife, and the lock was -nearly removed, —If ■ the officers had been two minutes later, the dungeon would ha ve been empty. The girls were sent upstairs at once, with the Allan boy as guard —as guard, foEthe fact that he was probably more frightened than any one of them. The chief officer rapped briskly on the dungeon door. Then he clicked his revolver.

“There* are enough of us to overpower three of you,” he said curtly. “And w’e have men outside the house, too. If you put your firearms on the floor, and hold both hands over your head, you’ll be well treated. If vour hands are not up, we fire on sight Get your revolvers ready, boys.” Then the officer opened the door. Evidently the burglar was wise enough to appreciate the futility of fighting against odds. His hands were above his head, and ip less than a second he was securely manacled. The chief officer had been eying him closely. “Say!” he exclaimed. “Aren’t you Limber-Limb Grant?” The burglar grinned, but did not answer. “By Jove!” shouted the officer. “It is! Call thp girls down here,” he and when, they appeared, gazing at the burglar with mingled admiration, pity and fear, he congratulated them with —“lt’s —Lluiber-Llmb GihuL" 110 ev plained. “There’s a reward of five •hundred dollars for, him. You’ll get the money, as sure 'as you’re born.” Then he turned again to the burglar. “Say, Grant, what’s a fellow like you doing on such a fifth-rate job as this? A Methodist parsonage is not just in your line, is it?” Limber-Limb laughed sheepishly. “Well,” he explained good-naturedly, ■“Chicago got too hot for me. I had to get out in a hurry, and I couldn’t get my hands on any mohey. I had a fine lot of jewels, but I was so pushed I couldn’t use them. I came here and loafed around town for a while, because folks said Mount Mark'was so fast asleep it did not , even wake up long enough to read the daily papers. I heard about this parsonage bunch, and knew the old man had gone off to get more religion. This afternoon at the station I saw a detective from Chicago get off the train, and I knew what that meant. But I needed some cash, and so 1 wasn’t above a little job of this kind. I never dreamed of getting done up by a bunch of preacher’s kids. I went upstairs to get those family jewels Fve heard about, and One of

the little ones gave ttfe alarm. I already had some of them, so I came down at once. I stopped in the dungeon to get that money, and first thing I knew the door banged shut. That’s all. welcome to the five hundred dollars, ladies. Someone was bound to get it sooner or later, and I’m partial to the ladies, every time.”

Now what do you suppose the girls will do with that five hundred dollars? How much will they devote to church purposes —foreign missions, for instance?

(To BE CONTINUED-) ' * -

Trees Affected by Lighthing.

. Npjwgflilar species of tree susceptible th lightning stroke than any other except in so far as the spe des determines the height of the tree.

GOLF GAINS IN FAVOR

Sport Growing in Popularity at Pacific Coast Colleges. Intercollegiate Championship Match on Links Is Likely—Facilities for In- ./ door Putting and Driving Exercises Installed. The rapidly growing favor which golf Is meeting in the Pacific coast colleges leads many to the belief that it will be only a matter of time before the sport will be officially recognized here as one of the minor varsity activities, as it is among eastern colleges. - -. — With-this recognition, accorded the game, it is not unlikely that it will be included in the conference schedules and an intercollegiate golf championship be the result. Unusual interest is being taken in the game at the University of California at Berkeley.. To meet the demands of students who want that form of recreation facilities for indoor putting and driving exercise and practice have been installed in Harmon gymnasium. I’utting nets, to help beginners ■at the game, have been installed. During the winter months they will be used for driving and putting practice. ArrangenSents have been made witii the Claremont Country club whereby the club links may be used by candidates for a varsity golf team. Putting greens and short-hole courses will be laid out on the campus and will be ready for use when spring weather makes outdoor wort practical. ” What rank the game will get at the university has not yet been determined. Recently the University .of Oregon elevated it to major rank. It-is ama jor sport in all the English and Scotch universities. About forty men are out for golf at the Berkeley institution. The department of physical education recently made it possible to substitute golf for regular gymnasium work. Plans are on foot among the golfers to organize a team to meet Stanford, Washington, Oregon and club teams.

SPORTING WORLD

Somebody is always taking the glee out of existence. All athletes are not real athletes. Some of them are just lucky. Fighters are the only ones who can pose as fighters without fighting. * * * F Mlfrhril Tg golng tO release about ten Cubs and get some players. Automobiling is supposed to be sport, mo tor car owner knows (life ferently. • • • The trouble with our amateur athletes seems to be that they are all professionals. * * ♦ There are 33 trapshooting organizations on the lines of the Pennsylvania Railroad company. * • • Golf matches are usually played in _two rounds. But this doesn’t, apply to the nineteenth hole. The cross-country runners have nothing on some of our well-known long-distance talkers. —‘ Judging by the demands of most fighters, they cannot afford to fight because of the high cost of living. * « •- *“’T— Our best little woman golfers and tennis players have It on the men. They are always able to keep in shape. There will be five big league clubs in the National league race this year. And then there will be the Cards, Cubs and Reds. * • • Instead of wasting time talking alxmt a third major league, the Xational league ought to try to be a second one. * » ♦ Some boxers seemto he afraid of overworking if they fight once a year, and others consider a couple of days between fights aJong vacation. • * * An amateur is a man who doesn’t capitalize his profession, says a re,.ent definition. Any interpretation that will suit your ends is permissible. • * ♦ (’h r isty. Ma thewspn. maynot-bew i idly enthusiastic about Cincinnati ballplayers, but he says that Cincy could win a pennant every year in a checker league. * * • In New Orleans they, are hailing Pete Herman as the bantamweight champion. In St. Paul they have crowned Johnny Ertle. 3ther cities are yet to be heard from. * - In some colleges the husky studesall try to make fhd eleven, and in others, jhdging from results, the poor victims are sentenced for their sins to serve time on the football team. Oscar Vitt is going to have some trouble holding down his job as third baseman for the Tigers the coming year if "aTElhe - , a<s«ut RoyJones, the San Francisco wonder, is true. FE__.E» •

BILLY EVANS SOLVES BASEBALL PROBLEMS

(Written Especially for This Paper by the Famous American League Umpire.) Very often a “bone” ofa the part of some player who believes that he is pulling something new causes trouble galore.

ing that the other runner was sure to be-retired? advanced to third, ' Upon reaching that bag, he had an inspiration, said inspiration creating all the trquble and argument that followed. He decided that w bile the other players were busy trying to retire the man who had been caught napping, he would slip by them arid score the winning run»„ Following out his plan, he got under full speed and dashed by theother players, crossing the pate a fraction of a second before tire other runner was touched out on the* lines. A goodly portion of the crowd surged on the field and began to celebrate the supposed victory. What was the proper decision, and what do you suppose the umpire was finally forced to do? Answer to Problem. The player who dashed past the other runner and believed he had pulled a bright play, perpetrated an awful “bone.” Just as soon as he passed the preceding base runner, who had not yet been legally retire , he was out for so doing, had automatically retired himself, so to speak. His actions made the second out of the inning; the other runner, when finaHy touched out, mado the third out and retired the side without a ■ run The score being still a tie, extya innings were necessary. Such a crowd had surged on the field, believing the game over, that the umpire was powerless to clear the diamond for action. He called upon the police, but they could not get the fans off the field. As a result, Hie umpire forfeited the game to the visitors and then took, it on the (Copyright by the Wheeler Syndicate, Inc.) .*>

LONG DRIVERS OF AMATEURS

Bob Gardner of Chicago and Jesse Guilford of Massachusetts Given Most Credit. ■ > Who’s the longest driver among the golfing amateurs of our perfectly good United States? The question has been hashed and rehashed by the golf critics, yet no one has settled it as yet. When the amateur championship toUrney was held at Philadelphia last summer, Jesse Guilford. Massaehusett s state champion, and Bob Gardner of Chicagowere touted as the best drivers among the amateurs. In the semi-final round, when these two players met,

Bob Gardner.

Gardner got greater distance out oi his drives, but it was pointed out that he was hitting a low ball with a long roll on a baked course, while Guilford was hitting a high ball with comparatively little roll. And then the unprejudiced railbirds bobbed up with the assertion that among all the players in the toufney D.. Clarke Crokran of Baltimore was driving yards beyond both players. So the amateur long-driving championship is up in the air.

UMPIRE DECLARED HIM SAFE

Peculiar Play Pulled Off in TacomaSeattle Game —Arbiter Makes - Novel Deci si on. Fred McMullin, the young infielder who has been making a spirited bid for a place on the White Sox team, was playing -for .Tacoma at Seattle a few years ago. He came in from third on (he dead run and slid for the plate. McMullin knew he didn’t touch it, but he was afraid to slide back as the catcher had the ball in his hand. The umpire also knew he didn’t score, but said nothing, as that was not his business. - _~ZZ ...ZL......."...., r . Fred dusted off his uniform and Htwiked nonchalantly dothe Tacoma bench. “He wasn’t safe, was he?” demanded Cadman, who was catching for Seattle. The umpire shook his head. At this, Cadman, holding the ball in his hand, dashed over to the Tacoma bench to tag McMullin. Fred waited until he all' but reached his end of the bench," and then slid over to the other end. Cadman followed him. and as he did so slipped on some mud and fell to his knees. McMullin leaped up from his -gmcftr ■tCT-the touched seat, spiiuicu iv i It. The umr .“e called him safe.

r ln a game played last summer between two prominent semiprofessional clubs, with the score a tie in the ninth, one down and runners on second and third, things began to happen. The catcher of the visiting team noticed that the runner on third was taking a big lead op each ball pitched. He decided that an accurate snap throw ought to catch him napping. The play worked as he had expected, a pretty throw getting the .runner on third flat footed. There being no chance for the runner to get back to third, he made a dash for home. A run-up then ensued, practically every player of the team in the field joining in the play to retire the man who had been caught off third base. In the meantime, the runner on second, believ-

Regulation Sized Ground to Be Constructed in Meadow Brook Colony on Long Island. * - G. Maurice Heckscher of the Meadow Brook colony, Westbury, L. 1., will build aregutattonslzedpolo field on a 55-acre tract of ground, which he recently purchased. There are at present within the borders of that county 14 polo fields and all except two probably will be in shape for play in the spring. There are four fields at the Meadow Brook club, two at the Rockaway Hunt club, two on the estate of John S. Phipps, one at Robert Bacon’s and one on the estate of Willard D. Jitraight.

GIBSON TO COACH PITCHERS

College 1916 Champions.

Football Pittsburgh Baseball Harvard Basketball Pennsylvania Track Cornell Rowing Syracuse Hockeyv Harvard Cross-country ......... Cornell Swimming Yale Fencingi".. .77.77..7Navy Gymnastics Princeton Shooting Princeton "Wrestling- ?. . ."C< »rnell Water polo Tennis Harvard Soccer Pennsylvania Chess .. Columbia Golf Princeton

BUILD ANOTHER POLO FIELD

Former Great Catcher of Pirates to Succeed Wilbert Robinson in ' SchoollngHurfers.— George Gibson, the one great catcher of the Pittsburgh team, will coach the young pitchers for the Giants the coming season. He will go to Marlin Springs, Texas, with the first squad of players to leave for the training camp. This Is the position that Wilbert Robinson held with much success for a

George Gibson.

number of years. McGraw will take many pitchers, both old and young, to Marlin Springs in March. Included in the USV’fitCTesTfrM.’Safiee, Benton, Schupp, Anderson, Middleton, Smith, = Pie Way and Ritter. -