Catoctin clarion., 1918-02-07
A Lucky
Mistake
By VICTOR REDcLIFFE

fessional antiquarian, the nephew had
been imbucd with antique ideas. Al
most from the cradle up to manhood
His baby rattle was a relic from an old
London watchman, his toys We're ivory
idols five centuries old. The house was
a 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 I'M
penetrable to the average mind.
His training and education had won
him post as curator of famous pub
lie museum. The perqulsites 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, profes.
sor," suggested a close friend.
Once Professor Tyndall collected all
that was humorous along the line OF
ancient humor He assumed light
style in this especial work, sent the
article to a journal devoted to anti.
quarlan features, and was frowned
down. To the mind Of the erudit edi-
tor the solemn dignity Of age must not
be invaded with trifling wit.
For all that, Professor Tyndall made
the discovery that while old dyed-in-
the-wool college heads nodded approx
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
as previously. He revised his old lec-
lures, took the tattered, criss-crOssed
manuscripts to city eppyist, 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 lee
lures attracted him towards her. 1t
got to be a pleasure to Tyndall to call
upon and chat with the bright eyed,
pleasant faced young lady.
II have learned so much from your
lecture on Ancient Pompeii,' Mr. Tyn-
DALI" said Lettie Rose quite enthusi-
astically one day, "How very interest
ing your profession must be-alwnys
surrounded by mementoes of ages long
since past. author, lecturer and ex.
pert. have finished copying the lee.
ture you are to deliver next week, and
I copied also Humor Of the Ancicnts,
Mr.. Tyndall, / thought most of that"
"You did?" questioned the professor
dubious as to the literary taste of his
amanuensis.
"Yes, professor" declared Lettie
doughtily. II mean as to its entertain
ing qualities. You will pardon me for
expressing my poor, inexperienced
opinion, but If | 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
It to quite-er-well, sat down on It,"
"Then he had no true senes of hui
NOR" asserted Lettie. ut brings out a
new vein in your literary ability. pro-
fessor. Really, would try 1t out some
time, just to see the effect"
II 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-
dali as he left Miss Rose and she was,
indeed, not only as to the current value
of his production, but as well to new
conception of the lighter moods of life,
without which existence becomes q
dreary routine.
A few days later Tyndall came in a
desperate hurry into the Office over
which Miss Rose presided.
II have just time to catch 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 many:
scripts lay, neatly folded. She secured
the one labeled "Ancient Pompeii'
+ taking out several others to select II
from. Then she became interested IN
the explanation of her patron that he
was to deliver a lecture at certain
town that evening.
The charm of her company made
Tyndall temporarily forget the urgency
of the occasion, and Lettie was so In
terested that she unconsciously mixed
up the manuscripts.
II declared" spoke the professor alb
ruptly, glancing at his watch, and he
sprang to his feet.
81 have only five minutes in which
to catch my train"
He seized the manuscript Lettit
handed him, thrust 1t into an inside
pocket, caught up his grip apa bbolteec
from the door,
"Good ~ Lettie cried out cheer
lily after him.
Professor Tyndall arrived at Cleve
land that afternoon, to find two emf
nent professors and two gentlemen
whom he did not know at the depot.