Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-29
The Daily Story
Blessed Are Peacemakers


Stuart Henry Thorne was in trouble
deep, dark trouble-which made him twist
uneasily on the seat in the grape arbor
and nervously thumb the pages of the
soiled volume In his lap The volume was
a copy of THE Manly Art of Self-De-
fense," and having suffered the official
stamp of parental disapproval, 1t could
only be perIsed-safely-in such secluded
spots as the grape arbor or the stable
loft.
As a usual thing, "The Manly Art OF
| Self-Defense" was a very present help In
| time of trouble to Stuart Henry Thorne.
| But somehow now the thumb-marked
pages failed to inspire him with that con-
| fldence they had hitherto given him. Snip
per McGraw, the son Of the janitor next
door, had a widespread reputation as a
gamey scrapper, and It was with Shipper
McGraw that his trouble ley.
Earlier in the day Stuart Henry and
! Shipper had come to words over the pos
session of some marbles; the dispute had
waxed hot and ended in a strident decla-
ration by the redoubtable Shipper that he
would liam the stuffln's out'n" Stuart
| Henry. To this Stuart Henry, with out
ward calm but inward rage, had replied
| that he would meet Shipper where ana
when that pugnant gentleman desired.
| The mill had been arranged TO take place
Saturday afternoon in the yard behind
the Unitarian church.
Apparently his only hope to escape the
| humiliation of having his "stufin's
| damned outn him lay In the pages be-
fore him, and for his present needs Stuart
Henry recognized their woeful inade-
| quacy.
II his sister Nan had had sense enough
not to quarrel with Mr.. Lathrop, the fam
| lily honor. as upheld by the fists OF its
youngest member, might yet remain In
| tact. Stuart Henry had never before
given much thought to his sisters quar-
rel with Mr.. Lathrop, but in the light of
his present predicament his sisters course
seemed to him the height of folly.
Mr.. Lathrop was a bully chap. To be
sure. at the beginning of their acquaint-
ance he had made the ghastly mistake OF
trying to win Stuart Henry's allegiance
with chocolates. Lathrop, who bore quite
a reputation as a boxer at the athletic
club, had later discovered the young
mans interest In matters pugillstic. He
had held Stuart Henry spellbound for
hours at time with that subject; he
had even shown the red-headed young
ster a few simple blows and counters;
and with this coaching Stuart Henry had
easily won his fight with the Bresnahan
boy from the alley. After that Lathrop
found no more tacks lurking in the chairs
he occupied in the parlor, and at the hour
of his departure no more wet sponges
fell from his hat in the front hall.
Stuart Henry felt sure that in Lathrop
lay his salvation. but a few weeks pre-
vious there had been quarrel between
Nan and Lathrop-Stuart Henry behind
tho portieres had heard 1t all-and La
throp had departed into outer darkness,
even as several predecessors had done
before him.
Stuart Henry was lost in thought for
several minutes. Nan and Lathrop must
be reconclled or the night with Shipper
McGraw was hopelessly lost. He threw
1.-THE Manly Art of Self Defense" from
him. and began to plot deeply with all
the ardor Of his IL years. Al the end of
an hour he sought his room, and with
many agonized workings of his face and
tongue, he composed letter
Mr.. John Lathrop. reading through the
morning mail In his office downtown,
came across the following masterpiece:
Dear Mr.. Lathrop-Nan is all broke
up about her fte with you. So am l.
We want you to come back I and Nan
viii be at the platform where the cars
come into the park tomorrow at g. I
think / can square you with her then.
Be reddy for any thing that happens.
yours afrectionly,
"S. II. TEIoRNE."
"P. Sim UP against It. II I square
you with Nan Will you show me some
new jolts. something better than the
Dixon rip
Mr.. Lathrop smiled and blew smoke
rings at the ceiling.
"out OF the mouths OF babes and suck
lings," he unused. and at o'clock he
went TO the platform in the park
He had been there but a few minutes
when Nan and Stuart Henry alighted
from a car. Nan bowed coldly, and
Stuart Henry grinned and covertly wink
ed. The trolley cars were coming up the
hill in an apparently endless line. stop
ping at the platform 10 discharge their
Laughing. noisy carRoes.
Stuart Henry attempted TO cross in
front OF the first car. Lathrop saw him
deftly trip and sprawl nat In front OF
the on-cominB car with a Wild Whoop.
The motorman 1ammed the brake hard.
Nan screamed. and Lathrop sprang for
ward and hauled the boy from the track.
There had been no real danger but
Mans nerves were badly shaken, so badly
shaken, indeed. that she was hysterically
grateful to Lathrop, who accompanied
them home 10 the unutterabie JOY OF
Stuart Henry.
Lathrop and Nan In the parlor were
each claiming all the blame Of the quar-
rel. From the hall doorway, a red head
was thrust into the room, and I-athrop
saw Stuart Henry beckoning 10 him.
Early November, dear" Lathrop was
saying. "and vel spend the month in the
hills"
Mans reply was drowned in Stuart
Henrys "sss-s-s-st. ss-s-s-st," from the
doorway
L.athrop rose and smiled
NOW, IT'S settled, II you'll pardon me
for a moment IN pay a debt ] owe stuart
Henry" and turning 70 that young man,
''An right, str, I'm at your service for
half an hour"
Some tins later he returned 10 Nan in
the parlor stuart Henry az that moment
strods out of the front gate, and as he
walked down the street he made eundry
innres with hls small fists while be as
sured himself over and over again, Gee.
It's 4 corker" Ana In the heart Of stuart
Henry Thorne was q great all-suaielent
confidence. as the butchers boy whom he
encountered down the street and who
went 10 bed with one eye closed. can
testify.