Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-01-26
The Chase Of
An ~Aeroplane
-
And What Resulted
TherefrOm.
By AGNES G. BROGAN

NutH IHC uOuSC LndI ndo pCCh pUAHN
ing opposite where Madge Carlton
lived was finished, the refuse removed
and the grounds had been leveled and
sodded Madge looked upon the place
with envy. The house was as dainty
as a Swiss cottage. On the grounds
here and there were little clumps of
4evergreens, while the whole was sur
rounded by a hedge.
I'll bet hat house, said Madge to
herself, was built by an artistic archi-
tect and the grounds were laid out by
a landscape gardener"
Madge had a taste for pretty places,
and the burden of her desires was to
be mistress of one. The house oppo-
site suited her exactly.
The next passion to covetousness
that took possession of Madge Carlton
was curiosity. Who would occdpy 1t
when finished? Would it be an old
woman living alone, with no n to
comfort her? Would it be a middle
aged couple with many small childreni
Would { ere be an unmarried man in
the family, and would he be-nice!
That was the womanly way of ex-
pressing it. 1t was not: Woeld he be
heroic? Would he be manly? Would
he be honorable? No; it was not any
of these alone, but all in one, and that
one was expressed in the word nice.
She hoped there would be a single
man in the new house, that he would
be nice, and OF these hopes rested a
third. We shall see whether o. not
this third hope was gratifed.
One morning large posters decorated
the town where Madge lived announc-
ing that an exhibition would be given
by an aeronaut. Every member of
her family except Madge was on tiptoe
of excitement to see the performance.
On the morning of its occurrence she
was sitting on the porch. She was
looking at the new house opposite
which was now occupied. From 1t she
turned her gaze upon the throng who
passed continuously on their way to
the city pleasure grounds, where the
famous bird man was due to arrive in
his wonderful a%eroplane, and to give
there his exhibition. Her own family
had gone long ago., and Madge had
shaken her head in decided refusal at
her brothers invitation to join them.
mo, thank YOU" she answered. 81
wouldn't walk as far as tue corner on
q hot day like this to see all the aero
planes in the world. This COOL veranda
suits me much better"
y She rocked back and forth now, en-
joying the light breeze which softly
tapped the awnings. her little bare
arms clasped high above her head. The
last football died away, and the shady
avenue was unusually silent, when
presently there came from out the sky
a loud humming noise rs of Il gian;
bee. Nearer it drew-still nearer
echoing and resounding in the s, llnes.
until at length, pellnlell from vcran1a
and doorways, people ran flockins int,
the street:
at is coming" they called to eacl
other; "it is coming; it is here"
Madge leaned forward excitedly
High across the cloudless blue. witt
great outstretched wings like some
monstrous bird, there rushed a dark
object. Onward it went, straight as
an arrow, never swerying from its
course, never ceasing In it's mad flight
until screening trees hid 1t from view
of the watchers.
Wildly the crowd gave chase, hoping
to get another glimpse in the next
clearing of this wondrous, whirring
thing.
Without an i~nstant's hesitation
Madge, who had scorned her brothers
O. enthusiasm, now breathlessly followed
the crowd. Over the lawn and down
the street twinkled the heels of her
little white shoes. She fell at the curb
n when a kindly hand assisted her
to rise hurried on again without a civil
thank you" With fine disregard she
tripped lightly across the road before
the very lamps of a racing automobile.
.There 1t Isl" said a triumphant
voice.
"Where?' she cried.
"Above the tallest tree" the voice
: answered.
81 cannot see it," Madge said impa-
tiently.
A hand reached over her shoulder,
pointing upward.
IF you will look exactly where l tell
you" the owner of the hand suggested,
"you will see it."
II do now" she replied. sit is grow
ing smaller. 1t must be very high up
about 1900 feet" the voice answer
ed exultantly.
Madge gave a little cry of disap-
pofntment.
ooh, it is goner' she said. Cant
we see 1t farther on?"
The man looked around quickly.
'This way!' he called, and ran
swiftly up a wide, graveled path. She
zstarted bravely in pursuit, then stood
still.