The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-11
4 LADY OF THEORIES
BY ANNE o'HooAN.

BY ANNE o'HooAN.
(Copyright)
In Allentown the towers of the
State university buildings and the
chimneys Of the great leather fac
tories are equally prominent in the
landscape. In like manner. the wealthy
manufacturers and the dignified pro-
fessors are equally prominent in the
social life Of the city. Wealth and
learning vie with each other In At
tracing people to Athenetown.
Mrs.. Wilson-whose husband il the
professor Of political economy and 10
GEOLOGY ut the colleges q lady Of
theories. One Of her theories touches
upon the brotherhood Of man and the
Just division Of property. Had she not
been actuated by this theory. she
would never have installed Jenny
Marks in the second-story-back bed
room Of her house. In the other
houses on College Hill this particular
room served either as guest-room or
. room for one of the family. Mrs.
Wilson had no children and few
guests.
Besides" she argued, should not
strive to make those who labor for me
comfortable, rather than stray visitors
who are not half SO tired at the end
of the day as my Jenny Is? Especially
as the third-story bedrooms will do
perfectly for visitors-and Jenny is
treasure"
Both Of these statements were true.
Before very long, Jenny, neat, deft
and always amiable, made a reputa-
ton in the housekeeping circles of
Athenetown, where everybody knows
everybody else's affairs, and where
good servants are scarcer than hens
teeth.
When housekeepers, far-sighted and
fortunate, were hard put for the serv-
ices of waitress, Mrs. Wilson very
amiably lent her treasure.
Soon Jenny was playing maid in the
dressing room of Mrs. Leading Manu-
facturer Hardy-when that lady gave
d reception; she had waited on the
table at Mrs. German Professor Won
Schmitt's first big dinner; and had
gained familiar knowledge of vari-
Gus other leading houses.
It was in the early part Of Novem.
Der that Athenetown began to enjoy
its annual riot of limitations and haz-
ing.
But, strange to say, the annual orgy
of Stiffness provoked comparatively
little comment in faculty circles.
There were few pcrfunctory warn
ings against rowdyism, few rla-
tine reminders Of rhe Eu"case OF col
lege life, but nothing more.
The truth was that Athene.cwn, ct
this time, was too much excited over
Q series of skillful robberies to bother
much about the inevitable autumn out
break Of rufflanism.
Mrs. Letheridge had lost a pearl col.
lar; Mrs. Hardy sst of diamond or
naments; Mrs. Won Schmitt. some rare
sapphires collected by her mother-in.
law. Silver safes had been rifled of
their contents in half dozen houses
before Thanksgiving day. Detectives
came and ransacked houses, servants
trunks and pawnships. Fathers Of
families slept with revolvers beneath
their pillows.
The police in all the surrounding
cities were notified to be on the look
out for the stolen property.
you've escaped entirely, haven't
your" said Mrs. Webster (the faculty
bride" Of the year, to Mrs. Wilson, as
the two ladies sat at their luncheon
in the latter's sunny dining room.
II haven't anything worth taking"
laughed Mrs. Wilson. ITS one of
the advantages of poverty. But Meth
er have you lost anything, have your"
The faculty bride nodded. Eyes,
have. Our house was entered last
night-please don't say anything about
1t, for 1 have more hope Of an arrest
II the news is not bruited abroad.
They-or he-took q lot of trinkets.
We hope to trace them. however, by
means of a set of old.fashioned to-
PAGES which were stolen. They are
unmistakable. 1t happens. and their
description was telegraphed all over
the country this morning."
'But the thief will not try to dis
pose of them In their settings. will
he? And when they are removed
TITS the stones themselves that are
! unmistakable," answered the bride,
as Jenny came in to remove the salad
plates. They are very remarkable.
In the heart Of each there Is a defect
that makes, if you examine it under
the microscope, tiny, starry radia.
ton. Every leading ieweler and pawn.
shop keeper in the neighborhood has
been informed. They were stolen
once before from my mother-they
were hers-and We recovered them
just because Of these defects. In fact,
a gentleman is now serving a sen.
tence in Joliet for failing to know this
little secret"
Mrs. Wilson looked half-reproachful
ly at her guest "Ah," she said, dis
honesty is, of course, dreadful, but do
YOU ever stop to think of the injustice
that are the parents of 1t; the Unequal
tiles of property, Of hap"
2 Mrs. Webster interrupted her host
ess with a good-natured laugh as
Jenny brought in the coffee.
II have heard about your theories "a
she said, 'but I confess I'm a bit old.