Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1909-08-06
A Telling Shot

Bradford had three weaknesses At
Lennox that summer. each one excel
lent in It's way, but combined they
combined against him. 81
There's no harm in a camera, ex-
cept TO q pocketbook; there's no harm
IN a bicycle; there's no harm In girl.
But the girl had said, do you know,
Mr.. Bradford, you look uncommonly
well on wheel" That was why
Bradford had been busy for two days
with his best instantaneous shutter
and very long string.
He chose an old road, little fire.
quented by riders and drivers, where
he would not be liable to interruption,
and spent a great deal of time in
choosing the best point of view and
hxiug the tripod firmly.
The focusing was again a matter
for the incest Judgment. Then he set
the shutter lightly across the road and
fastened the strings end to a little
bush in such way that the pressure
Of the wheel across It would set the
shutter of without pairing the cam
era.
Then he gave a few touches to his
hair, mounted his wheel and took a
short run through the trees. coming
back and passing neatly across the
string. He had scowled at the cam
era!
'I1l try again." said Bradford set.
ting the shutter and putting in an
otfor oloko ttVuI kaor 49, .,t.a -.
her. and then won't worry about the
shutter so much"
He thought Of her as he wheeled
OF to take another start, and In think.
Ing he leaned forward and passed the
brown string at scorching gait. And
she hates scoring" he murmured, dis
couragedly.
He set the camera once more. TITS
the last time l can try to-day" he
unused. glancing at the long shadows
and the fading sky. "Ill take a good
long run and come back easily in q
graceful position with my face neither
turned to the lens nor quite away
from It, and won't do any thinking.
and in that way may get telling
Bhot" But as Bradford came along
ho saw a little basket phaeton in
front Of him pass slowly across the
brown string in the roadway and dis
appear among the shadows of the
woods. And Bradford spoke about It
feeiingly.
"I'll Just see what I've got" he re-
marked to the man as he went into
the dark room after. dinner, because
promised one to a friend, but car.
riage came along and spoiled my only
good chance. Say. you want to come
in with me? Well" And he and an
idler entered the stuffy little closet.
They're just as l expected" he con-
tinued, as the first two exposures
came up swiftly out of the mysterious
fog.
THE first has a beastly expression,
you'll see, and the second is John Gil
pins ride to Ware. The third Is O
little slower in coming because the
light got so thin. and don't care
about 1t anyway. It's wonder that
horse cleared the string He might
have tangled the string about his foot
and brought the camera down smash.
People. oughtn't to go driving careless
ly like that along an unfrequented
road.
"Ah. here It comes! Cad, but it's
to be a pretty negative? As soft as
velvet; focus was little too sharp on
those others; and here they've had
the brass to come along and take my
plate. It's man and girl, OF
course"
The diodain increased in Bradford's
tone. 81 might have known 1t was a
man and a girl. He's got his arm
around her, too. BAIL Gadi l be
lieve he's kissing her" Bradford
smote the table In delight, "If It's
only someone round here, won't 1t be
treasured Yes; I'll take II out OF
my hypo in a minute. Just pour the
developer back into the big bottle Oh
your left-that's It."
The sound Of the bath, poured from
the tray into the graduate, and from
the graduate into the bottle, was the
only sound in the dark room, except
the little drip of hypo into the tray as
Bradford finally lifted the plate full to
the red light. 1t was beautiful pic
ture-the best one he had ever taken.
He gazed at 1t an instant. and then,
as he recognized the girls features.
he let It fall shivering on the hard
stone floor That's the end of it,
he mumbled, as the idler gave an ex.
clamation of dismay, spilling develop
er over his fiannels as he turned.
What pity" said the idler, "and you
hadn't found out who they we're! Well,
you have your own pictures-the ones
you promised-anyhow."
That's so; have my pictures"
and as the idler led the way out OF the
dark room. Bradford's heel ground
into atoms all that was left OF the tell.
ing shot.
what ne Wanted.
Small Boy applying for situation)
What kind of boy does yer wantf
Merchant-A nice quiet boy that
doesn't use bad words. smoke cigar
cites. whistle around the ONCE, play
tricks, or get into mischief
Small Rov-Yar drusf uuant NJ hovr.