The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1912-03-26


to Mr.. Fleming, I'm going back
come chasing to you for luna
moths, don't deal with them. Re-
fer them to me, please. Here is
my card"
Your orders shall be obeyed,"
said the older man, his betdy eyes
twinkling. But why, in the
name of all that's unheard of.
should collectors come bothing me
about luna moths?"
Because of an announcement
to this effect which will appear In
the next number of the National
Science Weekly, and in coming is
sues of the New York Evening
Register"
He handed out rough draft OF
this advertisement:
FOR SALE-Two largest known
specimens of Tropaca luna, un-
mounted; respectively 10 and
IL X inches spread. Also various
others specimens from collections
of late Gerald Moseley, of Bridge
port, Conn. Write for particulars.
Jones, Room 1922, Aston Court
Temple, New York"
What about further danger
here?" inquired MIR. Fleming, as
Average Jones babe him good-by.
Would we better run that warn
ing of poor Moseley's, after all?"
For reply Jones pointed out the
window. A late-season whirl OF
snow enveloped the streets.
II see," said the old man. 1.-THE
frost. Well, Mr.. Mysterious Jones,
don't know what you're up to,
but you've given me an interesting
day. Let me know what comes of
lit"
On the train back to New York
Average Jones wrote two letters.
One was to the Denny Research
Laboratories in st. Louis. the 9TH
er to the Department of Agricul-
ture at Washington. On the fol-
lowing morning he went to DORIS
office. That young chemist was
in a recalcitrant frame of mind.
| "I'v done about ten dollars
worth OF fumigating and a hun
dred dollars worth of damage,
he said: land now, I'd like to have
a Missouri sign. In other words
/ want to be shown. What did
some skunk want to kill my dogs
for?"
He didn't"
but they're dead, aren't they?"
Accident"
What kind OF an accident?"
| 1.-THE kind in which the innoeen,
lbystander gets the worst Of it
You're the one it was meant for. y
"Me?"
Certainly. You'd probably
have got 1t IL the dogs hadn't"
| The speaker examined the key
hole, then walked over to the ra-
diator and looked over, under and
Through it infinitely. Nothing
there" he observed; and, after
extending his examination to the
windows, bookshelf and desk,
added:
Il guess we might have spared
the fumigation. However, the
safest side is the best"
What is 1t Some new game
in protective germs demanded
the chemist.
"Oh, disinfectants will kill 9TH
err things besides germs" return
ed Average Jones. Luna moths,
flor instance. Wait a few days
and I'll have some mail to show
lyou on that subject. In the mean
time, have a plumber solder up
that keyhole so tight that moth
ling short of dynamite can get
Through it,"
Collectors of lepidOptera rose In
shoals to the printed offer of luna
moths measuring ten and eleven
Inches across the wings. Letters
came in by every mail, responding
variously with fervor, suspicion
lyearning eagerness, and bitter
skepticism to Average Jones, ad-
vertisement. All of these he put
aside, except such as bore a New
York postmark. And each day he
compared the new names signed
to the New York letters with the
directory of occupants of the STEM
gel Building. Less than a week
after the luna moth advertisement
appeared, Average Jones walked
into Malcolm DORIS office with a
twinkling eye.
''Do you know man named
Marcus l.. Ross?" he asked the