The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-12
An :
Eloper1lent
It Was Accomplished
by Modern Mill.
tary Methods
By F. A. mitchell

sex indiScrim1nately.
Sadie Ludlow at eighteen attracted
men as a candle attracts moth m1llers.
. Some said dncluding herself that she
did nothing whatever to draw them to
her. others that there was a certain
| witchery in her she could exercise ut
| will. Whichever of these propositions
was true, certain it Is that they all
| fell before her. And certain 1t Is that
she was an incorrigible f1irt.
Naturally enough, this proclivity
gave her mother great concern. She
no sooner noticed spooning going on
between her daughter and some desir-
| able party than the swain was re-
placed by one who would be especially
| undesirable. This was succeeded by
other similar transactions. In conse-
| quence the poor lady was kept In a
constant state Of worriment.
Finally, when Sadie became the OBJ
ject of attention on the part of young
lieutenant in the army with nothing
but his pay, Mrs. Ludlow decided to
give up her residence in town and
take place in the country. house
in the center of large grounds was Sc
cured in decidedly rural region, and
mother and daughter, with the neces-
sary servants, removed there.
One thing about the place that ren-
dered it especially desirable for Mrs.
Ludlow's purpose was a high wall
surrounding it. The gateway was I'M
posing and was protected by lodge.
Mrs. Ludlow took with her man
who had long been a servitor In the
family and placed him in the lodge
with instructions to admit no young
man without first calling for his card.
He was given a list Of names Of Sa-
dies admirers, SO far as known, and
directed to inform any one Of them
who might call that the family were
mot at home" this being convenient
! form adopted by we'll bred and truth
full persons Of avoiding deliberate lie.
Idlewild-the name Of the country
seat-was on good road and at con-
venient distance from the city for
autos. Many a car rolled up to the
pillared gateway to be stopped by the
sentinel guarding the fair damsel i'm
prisoned within. Among the callers
was Lieutenant Whitehead, who was
the immediate cause of the imprison-
ment.
Now. the lieutenant had but recently
been graduated from West Point and
had during the latter part of his course
there spent much of his time studying
the new military status demonstrated
by the panEurOpean war. He was
much impressed with the German
method of holding the offensive. which
is based on military maxim, old as
the hills, that there is an irresistible
power in the initial force. He assum
taken. By constant pressure by va
rious methods to be tried successfully
till way was found to effect an en-
trance the fortress must at last fall.
Nevertheless the reduction of Idle
wild was more difficult than in thu
usual elimination of objective points
To surround and starve the garrison
was not part Of the problem. Z,
batter down the wall would not result
in securing the prize. On the contrary
1t would render ultimate defeat Ger
tain. The conditions We're more Xix,
those attending the capture of ancien
cities. AS the Greeks obtained admis
sion to Troy within an immense wood
en- horse, SO must Whitehead obtain az
, cess to Idlewild by stratagem.
On the lodgekeeper's list of person
, to be refused admission to Idlewil
was the name of Lieutenant Beverl
Whitehead, and it was marked by
double star. James, the lodgekeepel
when callers came always referred t
his list. When Whitehead drove up 1
an automobile the keeper held the lis
in his right hand while he fumbled
4 his vest pocket with his left for hi
glasses. Since he was standing by til
] car. the upper part Of his body on
| level with the visitor, the latter caugf
a glimpse Of his name with the tw
| stars attached.
l 1T seems" said the young officer I
! himself, that in this army Of sutton
am a major general" this facetioy
idea being based on the fact that IL
L insignia of a major generals rank 4
the United States army Is two silv,
:. stars. However" Whitehead adde
II shall be an army unto myself, DO,
i. general and private"
: 1t was when turned away on tn
: visit that the lieutenant resolved upc
), effecting an entrance to Idlewild ar
: carrying off the fair Sadie. Turnir
from the gate. he drove around Il
y place. seeking some weak spot. No,
u appeared. The wall was continue,
and rose to the same height on eve
u side. 1t might be climbed or 1t mig
ie be burrowed. In either case IL
{ succeeded in persuading the lady
= fly with him she must be carried eth
p over or under it. AS a soldier Meth
of these methods seemed sufficient
at heroic. and he did not believe tn,
n would appeal to Miss Ludlow. 1t w
not case where a girl has been W,
lr and is kept locked up from the Low
It she would mate with; 1t was a ca
r. where she must be both won and CO
| cd ~ -.