The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-07-11
Selett Stnrp.
THE YELLOW PLACARD.
Allan P Ames in the May Criterion.

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Bene Oliver den. Strangers reading the
gruesome inscription wonder at its presence
in room otherwise so devoted to the beau
tiful and comfortable things of life. Even
Oliver friends have not become recon-
ciled to it, although custom has stalled
their curiosity. All they know is that be-
fore Bene departed on his honeymoon it
WAS not there, and that when he returned
and readmitted them it occupied its pres
ent honorable position. Naturally, there
fore, they connected it with the new Mrs.
Bene; and in this they reasoned correctly.
But after this acknowledgement it is nee
essary to explain, without delay, how that
young and lovely lady became involved in
such an association.
1t is principle of physics that two or
more bodies cannot occupy the same place
at the same time In the realm of the
non material, however no such rule holds.
Edith La Dow proved this. In her es-
teen, so far as she, they, or the world
could distinguish, the positions of at least
three young men had been identical.
During her first season there had been
hours and even days when one aud then
another forged ahead. From one assem-
bly, dance she had returned to dream all
night of Maurice Vessel. Arlington had
been out of town on business, and Bene
Oliver had been handicapped by a trouble
some conscience that enforced the per
formanoe Of duty toward wall flowers. But
the next day Arlington came back, aud
filled the gulf with an armful of American
Beauties, upon which he crossed with the
proposal Of theatre party; and, behold
Edith buried her straight little nose in the
was the incest man she knew This deci-
sion lasted until the night of the party,
when Bene, no longer hampered by unset
fish seruple>, located his chair so skilfully
that no other man in the box got within
whispering distance of Miss La Dow the
rest of the evening. And the rest of his
ingenuity was that for nearly twenty -four
hours thereafter Bene reigned supreme.
These were typical instances Of that win
Ter and spring. With warm weather came
a change When three extremely eligible
youngsters who have paid a glrl marked
attention since the preceding November
follow her to her summer home she begins
10 take more serious view of life. Edith
was ayerse to falling in love with any man
yet awhile, but if it had to be some one
she determined to be sure about it herself
before he or anybody else 80 much as shifted
suspicion Therefore her conduct to-
wari Vessel, Arlington and Oliver deyel-
oped such eyenness that even her mother,
a lady long accustomed to such analysis,
could not detect shade of difference in
the negative encouragement each received
Such treatment, IL is needless to say,
only strengthened their resolution. Each
believed that all he needed was opportu-
nifty, the advantage he had expected to
gain by pursuing Miss La Dow from the
enyious town. In vain endeavors TO Sc
cure this, each learned her daily routine
and made it his own, only to find that two
rivals are rs bad as dozen, and that be-
Ing driven three-abreas, is far from salts
factory
One day toward the end Of July Bene
divers hopes were dashed by letter
summoning him back to the city the fol-
lowing morning His absence might last
a week, aud he might not get back before
the end Of the summer In either event
he realized that his cause was hopeless if
he did not find a chance to plead it that
day. The struggle had reached u critical
stage that would not suffer him to take
chances The problem was how he might
see her alone. Vessel and Arlington, be-
ing acquainted with his dire necessity,
would be on the alert for his most desper-
ate maueuvre.
Bene spent half the morning in anxious
thought, AVID then sailed forth to the ten
mis- courts at the hour when he knew Edith
would appear. Luck was with him; for
his rivals allowed themselves to be invei-
gled into a set of singles, and while they
played he managed to get word with
Edith aside
Yes; she expected to be home most of
the afternoon; it was too warm TO do any
thing until FIVE. Well, three o clock was
triAe early, but if he wished to come
then of course he could. Mr. Vessel and
Mr. Arlington were coming at the same
hour, and among them they might devise
some means to while away the dull hours.
Bene thought unutterable things, but,
after all, it was what he had expected and
prepared for. 1t was not three o clock,
however, but FIVE minutes sooner when
Young Oliver set foot on the La Dow
doorstep. In the afternoon the front of
the house caught the full glare of the sun
and both lawn and veranda were deserted
and every shutter drawn to exclude the
fierce rays. Noting these conditions,
Bene stopped before one of the pillars at
the entrance and drew from under his coat
a large yellow card, and from his pocket
four thumb tacks. To atfix the card to
the wooden pillar was the noiseless work
of ten seconds. He rang the bell and was
admitted to the cool dimness of the inte-
rior.
Left alone in the big library that occu-
pied the front of the lower floor, Rene Oh
iver did something that even his familiar
footing in the household could scarcely war