The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-02-23

story you are reading today carries
the news that the daughter is TO re-
ceive $4,000 in cash, like a diamond
falling from the sky.
There will be a thrill in these lines
for the girl, Miss Ida Damon of 1881
Minnesota avenue, st. Louis. The TO
year-old father, Albert, and the in
dustrious mother, Caroline. will have
to spread the paper on the table by
the window back in the snug, warm
kitchen and read these lines over and
over again TO be sure that they are
really true.
1t is a nan of true and humble
life that took its beginning in fiction
and grew into fact.
One day last August Miss Damon
went to Chicago on a visit. At a
Sixty-third street motion picture
house she saw a flaming herald an
nouncing The Million Dollar Mys-
terry" She passed by.
Weeks later. back at her type
writer in st. Louis. one of a long
battery of stenographers in the sky
scraper office of a big roofing CON
Germ, she was set at the task of
checking advertisements in the news
papers. She came upon the an
nouncement that a prize of $40. 200
was being offered for a solution of
The Million Dollar Mystery the
solution to carry the suggestion for
a plot with which to build the final
episode of the film serial drama.
Reporter Finds Her SkeptiCal.
The girl had an idea. She follow
ed the picture for weeks. Then one
day she wrote the idea into words
and sent it to the Chicago Tribune.
After the judges reached their de-
cision a reporter was sent to st. Louis
to hunt out this young woman and.
without taking her into confidence.
to make a report.
Inquiry at the prim little house in
Minnesota emu met polite frigid-
ity. The old folks were indeed care
full of what they might have to say
to a strange young man asking about
their daughter. Her business adj
dress was impaired reluctantly and
with an implied injunction.
she a v never to call her up un-
less it is something Of the greatest
Importance. She doesn't like TO be
interrupted. Better come back here
10 see her"
Miss Damon was found al work al
her office. Five feet tall. almost
plump. athletically poised. clear
skinned. home grown complexion.
brown hair and eyes to match.
She was interested, but skeptical
at the suggestion she was "amone
the remaining possible winners in the
award OF The Million Dollar Mys-
stery' prize"
What She'll DO with Prize.
1t took several credentials and one
chaperon to conyice her that IL was
fitting that she should take luncheon
with the insistent stranger.
What would you do with the
$4,000 if it should be given to
your"
IF | didn't die of heart disease on
the spot | think l would buy a home
for my folks with some of it and put
the rest in the bank" she answered.
Then after that I might go into
some kind of business for myself
maybe But what's the use of
spinning dreams about it? There
never could be that much luck in our
family. Things don't happen that
way.
II just wrote my solution of the
Mystery and sem 1t in because |
wanted to express my notion OF how
il should turn out. | wanted to get
il off my mind. like folks who write
letters to the newspapers. | would
be disappointed a little if the picture
didn't have "A happy ending for the
heroine. with the bad people punish
ed and the good people rewarded, but
| guess we can trust the producers
to take care of that. There's enough
trouble in real life, so we ought to
make our plays happy"
She's "a Years Old.
Miss Damon is "a years old, and
admits it. She left school when she
was 10 years old and went to work
three years later. She has been at
work ever since. The first job wa
behind the cash register in a clothing
shop. The next place gave her a
chance at night school, and before
long she was a well equipped book
keeper and stenographer. Positions
have come easier since then. and
along with her diligence has come
the modest prosperity of the home in
Minnesota avenue, st. Louis.
Miss Damon is a very feminine
young person given equally TO EN-
broidery. the moving pictures and
baseball.
1t is supposed to be a matter of
confidence, but her mother says "Ida
doesn't like to wash the dishes"
Anyway she is the girl with a &c.
900 idea.