The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-14

| tlnue their downward pain.
At last one day, when Catty was
leading as usual, he again struck his
pick through the radish wall. He ut.
tered a cry OF dismay. fearing a sec.
ond thrush of the sea. But instead
light and fresh air flowed In, grateful
indeed to those who had lived 90 long
In radish-steeped atmosphere.
I'VE have arrived" cried Catty.
grasping his companions hands.
This 10 the end!"
Eagerly they enlarged the aperture.
and crawled cautiously out. Behold.
on every hand was the sea! The rad
ish root had emerged somewhere to
the south Of India. and they were rest.
ing on little island Of radish in the
midst Of the Indian ocean. At first
they were terrified. but Catty encour.
aged them.
I'VE can remain here a little time."
he said. mo doubt ship will come
to take US of"
His words were brave, but the sus-
pense was great. The radish tip at.
forded but slippery resting place;
they were In considerable fear Of the
sharks. which they could see some
times through the clear waters; and
the radish here and there, enfeebled
by the borings. crumbled, and they
saw large bits OF 1t swept of by the
waves One day the piece on which
Emmanuel Catty was standing broke.
His comrades only seized him just In
time to prevent his being washed
away.
what shall we do!" they cried.
How can we support life here!"
Emmanuel leant forward suddenly.
nearly falling into the water again.
"A salt" he cried. "A sail! We are
saved!"
As a matter Of fact. It was trail Of
smoke; but It issued from the tunnels
Of British steamer. and the captain
took them of. He was q Scotsman.
and his name was Macallister. and I've
utterly declined to believe in Catty's
story.
"A radish!" cried Macalister. point.
Ing to the root contemptuously. I'm
possible! 1t IL an island. and shall
take possession Of It in the name Of
the British empire" and he hoisted'
the union jack accordingly.
Meantime. In America . close watch
had been kept 1t the mouth Of the
mine. Five thousand ssvsn hundred
and eighty.two reporters were contin'
ually on tho watch for news Of the
bold adventurer. Catty. When word
came Of tho action Of Captain Mao
alllster the excitement vas intense.
The radish had been planted In Amer
lean earth: Il had drawn IN nutriment
from America: It wss Americas By
al the sacred laws OF ownsrship. The
English said that might b - II
would: but they claimed The radish
tip By right Of discovery. II had been
found and seised upon By, Captain
Macallister. and was irrevsoahly Eng
lish.
Passion on both sides nn high.
Tho newspapers rang with denunclA
ton Of American greed and English
treachery. Tho American amhassadoe
was directed to withdraw from Lon
don. when the news spreaA that the
radish tip had disappeared. A Brit.
ish trading vessel. cruising near The
place marked on the chart could and
40 trace Of It.
The excitement grew teafold. Spo.
cial commissions sent out from Eng
land and America only confirmed the
fact Of the disappearance. For a mo
ment both excited parties were In
clined to turn to Germany, and de
clare that she must have been guilty
Of some diabolical plot for the destruc
ton Of the radish.
But meantime Emmanuel Catty had
directed the attention Of various sci
entists to the matter. and . little In
vestigation showed that the disap
pearance was perfectly natural Tn,
great heat through which the radisl
had passed. the tunneling through III
; heart. the action Of the sea. had beef
altogether too much for 1t; II was fad
ing and whitening away. In few
! months the only traces ieft Of the phe
: nomenOn were the enormous minin
y works-the largest In the worlds
complete was the decay of Emmanus
Catty's radish.
, There was considerable deman
for Catty's manure; but the cost {
!. its manufacture was 90 great that
:. could not be sold at profit. PerhaK
= II was Just as we'll.