Judsonia weekly advance., 1918-02-06
A Lucky Mistake
By VICTOR RADCLIFFE

emnity at times, and Amos Tyndall was beginning to realize the fact. His had been a peculiar experience. Brought up by an uncle who was pro- fessional antiquarian, the nephew had been imbued with antique ideas. Al most from the cradle up to manhood. His baby rattle was relic from an old London watchman, his toys were ivory idols five centuries old. The house was vast stOrehOuSe of antiques. The books he was given to read were musty old volumes, priceless in values, but the | contents dry, weighty and utterly im- penetrable to the average mind.
 His training and education had won him post as curator of famous pub lie museum. The perquisites and sal ary were quite liberal, but Amos had an ambition to diffuse the information he had gathered. He entered the lee ture field in addition to his museum duties. He yearly went the rounds of learning. During the past year, how ever, he fancied that he was following a beaten track.
 "There is not much new to say of the old," he remarked more than once. | "Brighten your discourse with some thing modern as to style, then, profess sor," suggested close friend.~
 Once Professor Tyndall collected all that was humorous along the line of ancient humor. He assumed a light style in this especial work, sent the article to a journal devoted to 6nti quarian features, and was drowned down. To the mind of the erudit edi- 1 tor the solemn dignity of age must not be invaded with tritling wit.
 For all that, Professor Tyndall made the discovery that while old dyed-n- the-wool college heads nodded approv- ingly at the delivery of time honored, hackneyed themes, the young students were distrait and bored. Again, his services were not called for so much i as previously. He revised his old lec- lures, took the tattered, criss-crOssed manuscripts to city copyist, and placed in the hands of Miss Lettie Rose the task of their transcription. The neat, pretty public stenographer and typist was about his own age, un- der thirty, and her interest in his lec- lures attracted him towards her. It got to be pleasure to Tyndall to call upon and chat with the bright eyed, pleasant faced young lady.
 "I have learned so much from your lecture on Ancient Pompeii,' Mir. Tyn- dall," said Lettie Rose quite enthusi- astically one day. "How very interest ing your profession must be-always surrounded by mementoes of ages long since past, author, lecturer and ex- pert. I have finished copying the lec- ture you are to deliver next week, and l copied also 'Humor of the Ancients,' Mir. Tyndall, thought most of that"
 You did?" questioned the professor dubious as to the literary taste of his amanuensis
 "Yes, professor" declared Lettie doughtily. q mean as to its entertain ing qualities. You will pardon me for expressing my poor, inexperienced 1 opinion, but if I were young man at college that article would give me a most pleasant hour"
 "H'm" commented the professor, rather dryly. "The editor I submitted 1t to quite-er-well, sat down on it."
 "Then he had no true senes of hu- mor," asserted Lettie. Tt brings out a new vein in your literary ability, pro- lessor. Really, would try it out some time, just to see the effect"
 'I have thought of doing just that" murmured Tyndall in his abstracted way. Do you know have often won- dered if my routine lectures are not too dry and musty."
 "Oh! never that, professor" dis claimed Lettie.
 That friendly young lady is open ing my eyes somewhat" reflected Tyn- dall as he left Miss Rose and she was, l indeed not only as to the current value of his production, but as we'll to new conception of the lighter moods of life, without which existence becomes a 1 dreary routine.
 A few days later Tyndall came in a desperate hurry into the office over which Miss Rose presided. :.
 Il have just time to catch a train, a quick date for lecture. The first copy you made, please, Miss Rose"
 Lettie reached in the drawer of an open desk where the copied manu- scripts lay, neatly folded. She secured the one labeled Ancient Pompeii" taking out several others to select 1t from. Then she. became interested in the explanation of her patron that he was to deliver lecture at certain town that evening.
 The charm of her company made Tyndall temporarily forget the urgency