Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-03

FNEIE last time ! called Oh PeriCarp he
l. was engaged in the study of detective
stories an interesting but somewhat mo-
notonous occupation Detective stories are
all alike; that is almost all. They present
a mystery and then unravel it. You know
from the moment you begin to read that
the author has the key TO the mystery and
| intends to tantalize you for from three TO
| Ave hundred pages before he discloses it.
But just there are many persons who
are delighted with conundrLms, there are
| also thousands who are fascinated with
the more complex conundrum Of the mys-
tery tale. Pericarp. however, was not
reading detective stories because he liked
| them. lie was merely trying to find where
the modern tale of this kind originated,
and he had discovered that Beaumarchais
antedatpd Poe. Gaboriau and Conan Doyle
by many years.
When 7 entered his apartments last
night I found him bending over the Phoe-
n.xvilie and Norristown sections of the
excellent maps made by the Government
Survey, tracing roads with his finger and
now and then making a cross with pencil
beside the little black dots witch represent
houses There was a pile or Agricultural
Department reports on the table and lot
Of architectural books.
"nO YoC know any phllanthropist out
- Of a job" he asked without look
ing up.
lie is a most unmannerly chap and never
welcomes me when | cutter or bids me
good.by when leave, but accepts my calls
as visitation Of Providence, as he accepts
the weather or the maid who periodically
cleans out the litter he allows to accumr.
late about him.
There is the Kaiser | began
81 have been looking for one for se} eral
years" he went on, without noticing my
fippant answer. Men with money are
using It for al sorts of foolish phau.
throp.es, ignoring one Of the most fertile
fields for doing good. The only man ever
heard Of WHO sensed tho need was - o.
Mills who built hotels IN New York for
men who did not like TO sleep in the
cheap and filthy lodging houses lie was
real benefactor.
But there is large class Of men ~
every city TOO honest TO steal and too
proud to beg who are starving for the
opportunity 10 live on little farm IN the
country. 1 belong to that neglected class.
I would not like to confess how many years
I have been looking for a little place that
will suit me. I want ten or fifteen acres
OF land. Five would do If | could not get
| more. And I want it within convenient
distance OF a railroad station. with good
train service TO town, and l should Ike It
to he in tho edge Of little village with a
postoffice a grocery store and meat
market.
81 found such place once, out il was
not for sale. L asked a real estate agent
TO let me know when the owner was will.
| ing to sell, but the man who cwned the
place next door bought II without letting
any outsiders know what he was DOING.
Il was an ideal place OF twenty acres, with
beautiful Old Colonial house on II =
stable and an orchard, and it was right in
the heart OF farming hamlet Of three or
| four hundred people"
| He paused and looked off into space
His face was sad and ! did not have the
heart to break into his regretful reflec-
t!ons over his unrealized dream.
VXLTIIATs the use OF regretting?r he
w said at last, shaking himself and
making a sweeping gesture with his right
| arm IN u,ina an