Show r the woman!" said Sister Felicite suddenly in deep tones She reached a long arm and swept In aside the curtain of the alcove there waa a shrine lit to a glow of soft color by the light pouring window a stained glass through Within a deep niche in the bare stone wall stood an Image of the Virgin Mary the color of pure gold Cathollo Dumars a conventional succumbed to the dramatlo In the act He knelt for an Instant upon the stone flags and made the sign of the The somewhat abashed cross l an indistinct murmuring backed awkwardly Sister away Felicite drew back the curtain and the reporters departed On the narrow stone sidewalk of Bonhomme street Robbins turned to Dumars with unworthy sarcasm "Well what next? Churchy law fern?” "Absinthe" said Dumars "Behold Cherchez La Femme By O HENRY (Copyright by Alnales Magazine Co) 0BBIN8 reporter for the Picayune and Dumars of L’Abellle — the old French has that newspaper bussed for nearly a century— were good friends well proven by years of ups and downs together They were seated where they had a habit of meeting— in the little cafe of Madame Dumalne Tlbault in street If you know the place you will experience a thrill of pleasure in It is small and recalling It to mind dark with six little polished tables at which you may sit and drink the best coffee in New Orleans and of absinthe equal to best Madame Tlbault fat and Indulgent presides at the desk and takes your money Nlcollette and Meme madame's nelces in charming bib aprons bring the desirable R Dumars with true Creole luxury was sipping his absinthe with eyes in a swirl of cigarette limoke Robbins was looking over the as young retaomlng Pic detecting will the gross blunder in Eorters and the envious blue- bis own stuff had received Kclllng in the columns advertising saught his eye and with an exclamation of sudden Interest he read it aloud to bis friend: "PUBLIC AUCTION— At 3 o’clock this afternoon there will be sold to the highest bidder all Jthe common property of the Little Sisters of Samaria at the home of the Sisterhood In Bonhomme street The sale will dispose of the building ground and the complete furnishings of the house and chapel without reserve4 This notice stirred the two friends to a reminiscent talk concerning an career episode in their Journalistic that had occurred about two years before They recalled the incidents went over the old theories and discussed it anew from the different time had brought perspective There were no pther customers in Madame’s fine ear had the cafe caught the line of their talk and she oame over to their table — for had it not been her lost money — her vanished twenty thousand dollars — that bad set (the whole matter going? The took up the mystery threshing over the old dry chaff of it It was in the chapel of this house of the Little Bisters of Samaria that Robbins and Dumars had stood during that eager fruitless news search of theirs and looked upon the gilded statue of the Virgin madame so boys” said "Tbass wicked ver’ "Tbass summing up man M’sleur Morin Everybody shall be cert’ he steal those money I plaze In his hand for keep safe Yes He’s boun’ spend that money somehow” Madame turned a broad and compre"I hensive smile upon Dumars you M’sleur Dumars those day you come ask me fo’ tell ev’ything I Ah! yes know ’bout M’sleur Morin i know most time when those men la lose money you say ‘Cherchez femme’— there is somewhere the woNo man But not for M’rfleur Morin boys Before be shall die he is like one saint You might’s well M'sleur Dumars go try find those money in those statue of Virgin Mary that M’sleur Morin present at those p’tlte soeurs as try find one femme" Tlbault’s last words At Madame Robbins started slightly and cast a keen sidelong glance at Dumars dreamily The Creole sat unmoved watching the spirals of his cigarette smoke 9 o’clock in the mornIt was then ing and a few minutes later the two friends separated going different And now ways to their day's duties follows the brief story of Madame Tibault’s vanished thousands New Orleans will readily recall to attendant mind the circumstances upon the death of Mr Gaspard Morin Mr Morin was an arin that city in the tistic goldsmith and jeweler old French quarter and a man held He belonged in the highest esteem to one of tbs oldest French families as an and was of some distinction He was a and historian antiquary bachelor about fifty years of age of one He lived in quiet comfort at in Royal those rare old hostelries street He was found in his rooms unknown from dead one morning causes When his affairs came to be looked into it was found that he was practically insolvent his stock of goods and personal property barely— but nearly enough to free him from cenFolsure — covering his liabilities lowing came the disclosure that he had been intrusted with the sum of twenty thousand dollars by a former servant in the Morin family one Madame Tlbault which she had received as a legacy from relatives in France The most searching scrutiny by friends and the legal authorities failed to reveal the disposition of the and left no vanished It had money trace Some weeks before his death the entire Mr Morin had drawn amount in gold coin from the bank where it had been placed while he looked about (he told Madame Therefor a safe investment seemed memory fore Mr Morin’s loomed to bear the cloud of dlshon tree esty while Madame was of course disconsolate Then it was that Robbins and Dumars repreesntlng their respective Journals began one of tnose pertinawhich of cious private Investigations late years the press has adopted as a and the satisfaction of means to public curiosity "Cherchez la femme” said Dumars "That’s the ticket!" agreed Robbins “All roads lead to tle eternal We wiy find the womtn” feminine They exhausted the knowledge of the staff of Mr Morin’s hotel from down to the proprietor the They gently but Inflexibly pumped the family of the deceased as far as his cousins twice removed They artfully sounded the employes of the late Jeweler and dogged his customers for Information bis concerning habits Like bloodhounds they traced every step of the supposed defaulter as nearly as might be for years along the limited and monotonous paths he had trodden vAt the end of their labors Mr Morin stood an Immaculate man Not one weakness that might be served up as a criminal tendency not one deviation from the path of rectitude not even a hint of a predilection for the opposite sex was found to be to bis debit His life had placed been as regular and austere as a monk’s his habits simple and unconGenerous cealed charitable and a was the verdict model In propriety of all who knew him “What now?” asked Robbins fingering his empty notebook "Cherchez la femme” said Dumars lighting a cigarette “Try Lady $ry I — With the history of the missing related some money thus partially of the conjecture may be formed sudden idea that Madame Tibault’s seemed words to hare suggested to Robbins’ brain Was It so wild a surmise — that the religious fanatic had offered up bis wealth —or rather Madame Tibault’s — in the shape of a material symbol of his consuming devotion? Stranger things have been done in the name of worship Was it not possible that the lost thousands were molded into that lustrous image? That the goldsmith bad formed it of the pure and metal and set it there precious through some hope of a perhaps dls- - can stand half What you come bidding against me for?" "I thought I was the only fool in the crowd" explained Robbins No one else bidding the statue was knocked down to the syndicate at their laBt offer Dumars remained with the prize while Robbins hurried forth to wring from the resources and credit of both the price He soon returned with the money and the two musketeers loaded their precious into a carriage and drove package with It to Dumars room in old street nearby They lugged it covered with a cloth up the stairs and deposited it on a table A bundled pounds it weighed if an ounce and at that estimate to according if their daring their calculation was correct theory it stood there worth twenty thousand golden dol- lars Robbins removed the covering and opened his pocketknlfe "Sacre!” muttered Dumars shuddering "It is the Mother of Christ What would you do?” “Shut up Judas!” Robbins said “It’s too late for you to be coldly saved now V’ith a firm hand he chipped a slice from the shoulder of the image The cut showed a dull grayish metal with a thing coating of gold leaf "Lead!” announced Robbins hurling his knife to the floor— “gilded!” "To the devil with it!” said Dumars ”1 must have forgetting his scruples a drink” Together they walked moodily to the cafe of Madame Tlbault two squares away It seemed1 that madame’s mind had been stirred that day to fresh recolleo- - TTnited States four per cent gold bond? Tell me — is this a Grimm’s fair talo or should I consult an ocu- list?” At his words Madame Tlbault and Dumars approached “H’what you say?" said madame cheerily "H’what you say M’sleur Bobbin?’ Bon? Ah! those nlze li’l One tarn I think those peezes papier! w’at you call calendalr wiz li’l day of mont’ below But no Those wall is broke in those plaze M’sleur and I plaze those ll’l peezes papier to conceal ze crack I did think the couleur harm’nlze so well with the wall papier Where I get them from? Ah yes I remem’ ver well One day M’Bieur Morin he come at my houz— one mont’ before he shall thass ’bout die — thass ’long ’bout tani he promise fo’ invest’ those money fo’ me Morin he leave thoze li’l peezes papier in those table and say ver’ much ’bout money thass hard for me to Mats I never see those money again Thass ver’ wicked man M'sleur Morin Il'what you call those peezes papier M'sleur Robbin’— bon?" Robbins explained "There's your twenty thousand dollars with coupons attached" he said running his thumb around the edge of the four bonds "Better get an expert to peel them off for you Mister Morin was all right I'm going out to get my ears trimmed He dragged Dumars by the arm into1 the outer room Madame was scream-4nfor Nicolette and Meme to come observe the fortune returned to her by M’sleur Morin that best of men that saint in glory Tm going “Marsy" said Robbins IN THE MATTER OF DREAMS Writer Rebels Against Universal Dio turn That They Must Never Be Related This piece of femininity was the Beracetrack favorite of the season she was erratic in her ing feminine gaits and there were a few heavy losers about town who had believed she could be true The reporters applied for information Mr Morin? Certainly not He was never been a spectator at the races Not that kind of a man Surprised the gentlemen should ask "Shall we throw it up?" suggested Robbins “and let the puzzle department have a try?” "Cherchez la femme” hummed Dumars reaching for a match "Try the Little Sisters of It had developed during the investigation that Mr Morin had held this benevolent order in particular favor He had contributed liberally toward its support and had chosen its chapel as his favorite place of private worIt was said that he went there ship at the daily to make his devotions altar Indeed toward the last of his life his whole mind seemed to have fixed ' Itself upon religious matters perhaps to the detriment of his world- ly affairs Thither went Robbins and Dumars and were admitted through the narrow doorway in the blank stone wall frowned upon Bonhomme street An old woman was the sweeping She told them that Sister chapel Felicita the head of the order was then at prayer at the altar in the alcove In a few moments she would black curtains emerge Heavy screened the alcove They waited Soon the curtains were disturbed and Sister Fellcite came forth She was tall tragic bony and dressed in the black gown and of severe bonnet the sisterhood Robbins a good the delicate reporter but lacking touch began to speak The They represented the press no doubt of the heard lady had Morin affair It was necessary in Justice to that gentleman’s memory to probe the mystery of the lost was he known It that had money come often to this chapel Any innow formation Mr concerning Morin’s habits tastes the friends he had and so on would be of value in doing him posthumous justice WhatSister Felicite had heard ever she knew would be willingly told but it was very little Monsieur Morin had been a good friend to the as order sometimes contributing The sismuch as a hundred dollars one deterhood was an independent pending entirely upon private contributions for the means to carry on Mr Morin had its charitable work presented the chapel with silver candlesticks and an altar cloth He came every day 'to worship in the chapel sometimes remaining for an hour He consecrated was a devout Catholic Yes and also In the alto holiness cove was a statue of the Virgin that modeled cast and he had himself ' Oh it was presented to the order cruel to cast a doubt upon so good a man! also was Robbins profoundly But until grieved at the imputation it was found what Mr Morin had done with Madame Tibault’s money he feared the tongue of slander would Sometimes — in fact not be stilled very often —in affairs of this kind there was— er— as the saying goes — er— a lady in the case In absolute now — if — perhaps confidence Sister Felicite’s large eyes regarded him solemnly "There was one woman” she said slowly “to whom he bowed —to whom he gave his heart” fumbled for Robbins rapturously his pencil small powei house where current will be generated and from which it will be carried into their homes Fifteen families 'will share in this modern system weighting Several farmers living ten miles west of Atchison have small dynamos on their farms providing electrio light for their homes barns and dairy buildings Recently the town of Troy forty miles north of Atchison contracted for A light from the Atchison plant trunk line wire was stretched between the two places and now twenty-fivfarmers along the route are connecting their homes with this trunk line Near Garden City which a few years ago was in the center of the desert there are great American farms where all the buildings are made of cement concrete and each is lighted with electricity generated by a gasoline engine on the place The early pioneer way of living and the modern system are blended on one farm A farmer is still living in a sod house built a quarter of a century ago He is constructing a new and home in which he has installed a gasoline engine with which to generate electricity for lighting He will not move out of the old sod house until March next because of its warmth and comfort in winter but he is enjoying electric lights In that primitive dwelling It is believed this is the only instance in which a sod house has been lighted by electricity In the natural gas regions of southeastern Kansas the electric light is cheaper than gas — New York Sun that “Is This a Grimm's ordered brain to propitiate the saints Wnd pave the way to his own selfish glory? at flvS’ minutes to That afternoon three Robbins entered the chapel door of the Little Sisters of Samaria He saw in the dim light a crowd of a hundred people gathered perhaps to attend the sale Most of them were members of various religious orders priests and churchmen come to the paraphernalia of the purchase chapel lest they fall into desecrating hands Others were business men and agents come tp bid upon the realbrother had ty A to wield the hammer volunteered to the office of auctioneer bringing the anomaly of choice diction and dignity of manner A few of the minor articles were sold and then two assistants brought forward the image of the Virgin Robbins started the bidding at ten A stout man in an ecclesiasdollars tical garb went to fifteen A voice from another part of the crowd raised The three bid alternately to twenty raising by bids of five until the offer Then the stout man was fifty dollars dropped out and Robbins as a sort of coup de main went to i- hundred "One hundred and fifty" said the other voice "Two hundred” bid Robbins boldly' called his competitor promptly The reporter hesitated ' for the space of a lightning flash estimating how much he could borrow from the boys in the office and screw from the business manager from his next month’s salary “Three hundred” he offered spoke up the other in a louder voice — a voice that sent Robbins diving suddenly through the to catch Dudirection in crowd its mars its owner ferociously by the collar unconverted idiot! hissed “You close to his ear— “pool!” Robbins “I said Dumars coolly "Agreed!” hundred couldn't raise three and fifty but I dollars with a search warrant Fairy Tala or Should Consult tions of the past services of the two young men in her behalf “You musn sit by those table” she as they were about to drop Interposed into their accustomed seats “Thass so boys But no I mek you come at this room like my tres bons amis Yes I goin’ mek for you myself one anisette and one cafe royale ver’ fine Ah! I lak treat my fen’ nlze Plis Yes come in this way” Madame led them into the little back room into which she sometimes invited the especially favored of her customers armtwo comfortable In chairs by a big window that opened she placed them upon the courtyard with a low table between Bustling about she began to prehospitably pare the promised refreshments It was the first time the reporters had been honored with admission to the sacred precincts The room was in dusky twilight flecked with gleams of the polished fine woods and burnished glass and metal that the Creoles love From the little courtyard a tiny fountain sent in an insinuating sound of trickling waters to which a banana plant by the window kept time with its tremulous leaves Robbins an Investigator by nature sent a curious glance roving about the room From some barbaric ancestor madame had inherited a penchant for the crude in decoration The walls were adorned with cheap lithographs — florid libels upon nature addressed to the taste of the — birjhday cards garnish newsof and specimens paper supplements to reduce calculated the optic nerve to stunned submission A patch of something in the midst of the more candid dfplay puzzled Robbins and he rose and took a step nearer to interrogate Then he leaned it at closer range weakly against the wall and called oyt: O "Madame Tlbault! madame! when — have 3Ince when — oh! since of papering you been in the habit dollar your walls with five thousand an Oculist?” on a Jamboree For three days the esteemed Pic will have to get along without my valuable services I advise you to join me Now that green stuff you drink is no good It stimulates thought What we want to do is to foiget to remember I’ll Introduce you to the only lady in this case that is guaranteed to produce the desired results Her name is Belle of KenBourbon In tucky How does the idea strike quarts you?” "Allons!” said Dumars “Cherchez la femme” ELECTRIC LIGHTS ON FARMS Morning Chores Are Done In Kansas by the Aid of Electricity —An Sod House Within ten years electricity will a fnajority of the farm homes country schools and churches of Kansis it is predicted Farm hemes lighted with electricity are now numbered by hundreds With the general use of the gasoline engine this has been made possible Electric light and power companies in several of the cities are also making plans by which they can supfarmers with current from their ply trunk lines A notable case of this sort is found at Manhattan where the power for electric generation is furnished by a dam on the Big Blue river four mile3 from the city The current generated is used for electric lighting and street car purposes in the city of Manhattan and farmers living near the trunk line are using it in their residences barns and In the early morning hours feed lots when the farmers feed and care for their stock and do the milking electric lights are found to be very useful In a rich farming community ten miles north of Atchison the farmers have decided to have an electric light own of their will build a They plant light and In the house in which I was brought up there was a rule that dreams should not be told at the breakfast table — a rule which to my mind robbed the meal of its only possible interest I still remember an impression of the lawn massed with yellow lions which I desired particularly to share The table was one large three generations seating and I gained the idea it was on account of the prophetic character of the dreams of a certain that the prohibition was so rigorously enforced But I know better now We were forbidden to tell our dreams because dreams — even more than the love of William Blake — “never may be told” They are among the incommunicable exJust as a young painter is periences taught not to portray a luminary on canvas so a 'child must be taught not to describe its dreams Better relate the dullest true story than the most Is it that our audithrilling dream ences are so in love with reality? Is it that the Isolation of a dream which may neither be shared nor leaves the listener’s I egotism cold? do not know but at the mere words "I dreamt” you may see your auditor’s attention dissolve — neither at his will nor your own — like mist before the sun Now is not this strange when you consider how deeply dreams color the days of even the sanest of us how In dreams we commune with the dead love strangers marry our enemies fight and die have in short all the adventures of life in its most poignant moods? Yet not even our nearest and dearest will lend us their ears Do we merely need more art? Must we seek only some method to hold that dissolving attention until the full radiance of the vision can be sketched out? Or must we all improve in a 6ort of psychological imagination? Or is it as I am Inclined to think that something inherent in the experience itself makes it remote and that as we must die alone so we must dream alone too?— From “Point of View” in Scribner’s Killed Limit of Deer on One Shot In the recent deer hunting season in Michigan at least three Upper Peninsula men were successful in filling their licenses as the result of a Sheriff Turnbull of Lure single shot Two deer county was one of these were standing together The sheriff fired at one the ball passing through its body and killing the other animal also Paul Laabs Sagola Dickinson county found two bucks engaged in A shot from Laab’s rifle a battle killed the spikehorn and the other was so weak from the loss of blood that it expired as soon as released Professor Hill superintendent of schools at Crystal Falls is the third man who bagged two deer with one shot One of his trophies was a dead The animals had been deer however which engaged in a battle during their antlers had become Interlocked and one of the combatants was dead Professor Hill shot the living animal — St Louis Rather Good to Have Around Any kind of a woman in the office would be a nuisance but a young woman who kept a powder box a cold cream jar and a bottle of violet water on her desk among the typewriter supplies and coyping ink was an utter imthat ought to be encourpossibility aged to look for a more congenial Job said the baker’s dozen of men who have had their own way in that office for five years but when with the first freezing of the steam pipes corks stuck like glue to ink and mucilaga bottles every time they happened to be corked up and the young woman oame to the rescue by simply smear cream cold over of some her every ing cork so it would stand in the bottl for a month without sticking the met said maybe a woman who knew practical little hints like that wasn’t such a bad person to have around after all i' : r |