Oxford Democrat., 1916-08-29

tomobile standing at the gate, the por.
ter holding a card in one hand and a
list Of Mrs. Ludlow's forbidden visitors
In the other. The officer sailed about
till he saw the occupant Of the car
drive away, then turned and swooped
down like bird toward the point
from which he had started.
The wooer regretted that he had not
provided himself with means of COM
municating with the object of his love.
He might fly over Idlewild a dozen
times without again meeting with so
favorable an opportunity. The season
when young girl would likely be
strolling about In the open air was
passing, and winter was not far away.
Before he made his next trip over Idle
wild he wrote note to Sadie an
nouncing his entrance into the army
aviation corps and inviting her to an
aerial ride with him. This note he
attached to a contrivance designed to
carry 1t to earth not too swiftly and
In the direction he wished 1t to fall
He also provided himself with a small
bomb with time fuse that would ex-
plode before reaching the earth. This
was intended to attract the young
lady's attention.
He chose for his next fight over
Idlewild day after a cold storm,
when the sun came out bright and
warm. thinking it likely that the pris-
oner might go out for an airing. New
ertheless he spent whole morning
fitting over the place high in the air
before seeing her. Then she came out
on the porch and, reclining in a couch
hammock, began to read a book. This
was unfortunate, for Whitehead had
hoped to find her at distance from
the house, where he might more safely
communicate with her. He dared not
drop her note to her where she was;
but making virtue Of necessity, he
dropped 1t at distance from her, but
where he expected 1t would fall within
the grounds.
Suddenly Sadie heard an explosion
In the air and, looking up, saw a tiny
parachute descending from the sky;
but, not dreaming that 1t supported a
letter for her. on seeing 1t drop at
some distance from her she turned
again to her book.
Whiteheads failure only spurred him
on to new devices. Fearing that win.
ter would come on before he could at
tract Sadie's attention from the air,
he considered how he could communh
cate with her by mail. He was by
this time familiar with the rocket
camera used in war to photograph an
enemy's position, and, taking one of
these ingenious devices to a point near
Idlewild, he sent it up. He had the
satisfaction to see the camera it con-
tanned detached from it by an explo-
sion and sail down under a parachute
to q point near his feet. After devel-
oping the plate he obtained a photo
graph Of Idlewild taken from a point
several hundred yards above 1t. On
the print he wrote In minute charac-
ters a day and hour and mailed it to
Miss Sarah Ludlow, with an adver-
tisement Of q camera manufacturing
firm in the same envelope.
Mrs. Ludlow received the letter and,
supposing 1t to be merely an ad., per
mitted her daughter to have 1t. Sadie
recognized in the address on the envel.
ope the handwriting Of Lieutenant
Whitehead. Naturally she suspected
the contents to contain hidden mean;
Ing. Bringing a hand glass to bear on
the date written on the Photographic
print, she knew that something would
happen at that time. The print she
recognized as photograph Of Idle
wild from above. and this eventually
gave her the key to the puzzle.
The day named proved propihous,
and Sadie kept watch above and be-
low. Seeing an aeroplane soaring, she
went out In the grounds to a point
where she was screened by clump Of
trees. An object dropped from the
machine and unfolded into a para
chute which fell at the lady's feet. She
took a note from 1t, containing an In
vitation to ON aerial ride and a re-
quest that she would take position In
IN open space suitable for landing and
rising.
BY this time the aeronaut was with
In call, and she accepted the invitation.
Miss Ludlow stationed herself In a
field containing half a-dozen acres,
and Lieutenant Whitehead descended
to her. He pleaded his cause 30 ably
that the lady took seat beside him.
and the pair were soon sailing among
the clouds.
Mrs Ludlow the next morning re-
ceived telegram announcing the mar
riage of the fugitves.
Poor Mans Paradise.
Described as Every near being an