Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-01-12
An
Elopenlent
1t Was Accomplished
by Modern Mill
tary Methods
By F. A. mitchell

sex
Sadie Ludlow at eighteen attracted
men as a candle attracts moth millers.
Some said Including herself that she
did nothing whatever to draw them to
her, others that there was a certain
witehery in her she could exercise at
was true, certain it is that they all
fell before her. And certain it Is that
she was an incorrigible firt.
Naturally enough, this proclivity
gave her mother great concern. She
no ooner 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 a young
lieutenant In the army with nothing
but his pay, Mrs. Ludlow decided to
give up her residence in town and
take a place In the country. A house
in the center of large grounds was Sc
cured in a decidedly rural region, and
mother and daughter, with the neces-
sary servants, removed there.
One thing about the place that rem
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 a lodge.
Mrs. Ludlow took with her a 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 d list of James 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 a convenient
form adopted by well bred and truth
full persons of avoiding a deliberate lie.
Idlewild-the name of the country
seat-was on a good road and at a con-
venient distance from the city for
autos. Many a car .olled up to the
pillared gateway to be stopped by the
sentinel guarding the fair damsel Inn
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 pan-European war. He was
much impressed with the German
method Of holding the offensive, which
is based on a military maxim, old as
the hills, that there is an irresistible
power in the initial force. He assum-
ed Idlewild to be a fertilization to be
taken. By constant pressure by "a
rious methods to be tried successfully
till a way was found to effect an IN
trance the fortress must at last fall.
Nevertheless the reduction of Idle
wild was more difficult than in the
usual elimination of objective points.
To surround and starve the garrison
was not a part of the problem. To
batter down the wall would not result
in securing the prize. On the contrary,
it would render ultimate defeat GER
tain. The conditions were more like
those attending the capture of ancient
cities. AS the Greeks obtained admis-
sion to Troy within an immense wood
en- horse, so must Whitehead obtain &C.
cess to Idlewild by stratagem.
On fho 1OH uolyaanarsS lief of norconc
to be refused admission to Idlewild
was the name of Lieutenant Beverly
Whitehead, and it was marked by a
double star. James, the l~odgekeeper,
when callers came always referred to
his list. When Whitehead drove up In
an automobile the keeper held the list
in his right hand while he fumbled In
his vest pocket with his left for his
glasses. Since he was standing by the
car, the upper part of his body on a
level with the visitor, the latter caught
a glimpse of his name with the two
stars attached.
at seems" said the young officer to
himself, that in this army of suitors
1 am a major general" this %facetious
idea being based on the fact that the
insignia of a major generals rank in
the United States army is two silver
stars. However" Whitehead added,
II shall be an army unto myself, both
general and private"
1t was when turned away on this
visit that the lieutenant resolved upon
effecting an entrance to Idlewild and
carrying off the fair Sadie. Turning
from the gate. he drove around the
place, seeking some weak spot. None
appeared. The wall was continuous
and rose to the same height on every
side. 1t might be climbed or it might
be burrowed. In either case if he
succeeded in ~persuading the lady to
fly with him she must be carried either
over or under it. AS a soldier neither
Of these methods seemed sufficiently
heroic, and he did not believe they
would appeal to Miss Ludlow. 1t was
not a case where a girl has been won