The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-07-14
CHAPTER XIV.
An AWakenino,

Time was when Phil Strange boosted
that he and his wife had played every
Playground and seaside amusement
park from COney island to Galveston.
In his battered wardrobe trunks were
parts Of old costumes, scrapbooks of
clippings, and a goOdly collection of
Autographs, some advertising the su-
pernatural powers of Professor Magi,
Sovereign of the Unseen World" and
others the accomplishments of Mile.
LIE Garde, Renowned Serpent Enchan-
tress." In these gaudy portraits of
"Magi the Mystic" no one would have
recognized Phil Strange And even
more difficult would it have been to
trace a resemblance between Mrs,
Strange and the blond, bushy-headed
Mile. LIE Garde" of the posters. Nev-
ertheless, the ikenesses at one time
had been considered not too fiatterfng,
and Phil treasured them as evidences
of fmperiShable distinction.
But the Stranges had tired of public
life. For a long time the wife had
confessed to a lack of interest in her
vocation which amounted almost to a
repugnance. Snake-charming she had
feSsiOn for a woman of refinement. 1t
possessed unpleasant features, and
even such euphemistic titles as "Ser-
pent Enchantress" and 'Reptilian
Mesmerist" failed to rob the calling
Of a certain Odium, suggestion of
vulgarity in the minds of the more
discriminating. This had become so
distressing to Mrs. Strange's finer
sensibilitieS that she had voiced q
yearning to forsake the platform and
pit for something more congenial, and
finally she had prevailed upon Phil
to make a change.
The step had not been taken without
misgivings, but a benign Providence
had watched over the pair. Mrs.
Strange was a natural seamstress, and
luck had directed her and Phil to q
community which was not only in need
OF good dressmaker but peculiarly
ripe for the talents of a soothsayer.
Phil. too. had intended to embrace a
new profession; but ne had soon dis
covered that JOnesville offered better
financial returns to a man of his ac-
cepted gifts than did the choicest of
seaside concessions, and therefore he
had resumed his old calling under
slightly different guiSe. Before long
he acknowledged himself well pleased
with the new environment, for his wife
was far happier in draping dress goods
upon the figures of her customers than
hanging python folds about her own,
and he found his own fame growing
with every day. His mediumistic gifts
came into general demand. The coun-
try-people journeyed miles to consult
him,-and Blaze Jones statement that
they conf1ded In the fortune-teIler as
they would have confded In a priest
was scarcely an exaggeration. Phil
did indeed become the repository for
confessions of many sorts.
Contrary to Blaze's belief, however.
Strange was no Prince OF Darkness.
and took little joy in some OF the Sc
crets forced upon him. Phil was a
good man In his way-so conscientious
that certain information he acquired
weighed him down with a sense of IN
pleasant responsibility. CHANGING to
meet Dave Law one day, he determined
to relieve himself Of at least one
troublesome burden
But Dave was not easily approach
able. He met the mediums illusions
to the occult with contemptuous amuse-
ment. nor would he consent to q pri-
yate reading" Strange grew almost
desperate enough to speak the ungar-
nished truth.
YOU'D better pay a little attention
to me-" he grieved; 'Tve got q mes