The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-12-20
An Involuntary
Crusoe
BY ALVAH J. GARTH
20. 1920. Western Newspaper Union }


headlOng fall, then half a somersault
and Ross Bradley, nearly stunned,
fGit painful twinge in one limb and
lay helpless.
"A change, some excitement, new
visions and motives in life and you'll
come back brisked up" was the proph-
ecy of his physician at home, and
this was the beginning of all that, as it
turned out.
He had decided to put in week at
BromptOD and had taken a boat, row.
ing through chain of little lakes and
finally seeking a shady spot upon an
island in the center of the last one
Of these, had met with the mishap
described.
Bradley started TO get to his feet
and then desisted for one limb had
sustained a severe sprain. The pain was
so intense, the injured member so
useless, that he dragged himself with
difficulty to fallen tree and calcu-
lated the chances of getting back to
his boat. AS he located the little
skiff he uttered a sharp cry of dis
may.
Worse and worse" he uttered
lugubrOusly. He had left the boat
at frail mornings, keen breeze had
come UP and it was afloat headed for
a continuous run until halted by the
mainland two miles away.
Twice Bradley rose up intent on
reaching the beach of the island and
sank to the ground with a groan. He
improvised crutch from tree
branch, but found locomotion still in
effective. His face became serious.
Bradley realized that he could not
count upon leaving the island except
through outside help. Then q CLEAN of
hope supervened. A little distance
away there presented evidences of q
picnic party having visited the spot
recently, too, for the papers scat
tered about were new and clean. Some
wooden plates and empty bottles made
a heap under tree. Bradley crawled
toward 1t, for he was hungry and
realized the necessity of food should
he be marooned for any length of time.
There were pie tins, tissue napkins,
empty cans, and he laughed quite
jubilantly as he drew from the mass
box marked Crackers" and still
sealed.
"Bless the kind soul that left this
behind" he soliloquized gratefully.
Marked two pounds, won't starve
for day or two, anyway"
Bradley opened the end of the box.
1t contained plain sodas, crisp and
clean. He sampled one and it tasted
delicious. He paused with the fifth
one-half demolished.
at Is probably as we'll to ration
myself" reflected Bradley, and began
mental appOrtiOnment of his only
possible food supply. A little distance
away was bubbling spring. Bradley
resigned himself to patience and rest.
1t was getting towards dusk. He
slumbered and did not awake until
morning.
His limb was more useless than
when first injured, for it had stiffened
and grown sore to the touch. Bradley
managed to reach the beach. He tied
two handkerchiefs to stick ready to
signal any possible passing craft. He
was an expert swimmer but crippled
to an extent that prohibited safe water
locom0tiOn.
1t was the second morning that he
made his breakfast on the last. of the
crackers. AS he emptied out the final
one, with it came a card. On one
side was printed the chronicle
Packed by No. Ill" On the other
side was pasted small medallion
photograph. 1t was one of those twen-
ty-five cents for dozen pictures pro-
duced at picnics, water places and
fairs by intinerant camera men, but
the subject was very lovely of face
and even quick work could not spoil
the perfect control.
Bradley allowed his mind to drift
into pleasing day dream. He some
what strained reality by declaring
that No. III had saved him from
starvation! He planned out whimsi-
cally how he would trace down the
original of the photograph. Then he
forgot all about it for over a week,
for just then two fishermen passing
in boat discovered his signal, and
until he was restored to normal Brad
ley recuperated in luxury at the hotel
at Brompton.
Ross Bradley did not have to work
for living. There was profitable
business which he had inherited, but
he had entrusted its operation to q
trustee. With time hanging heavily
on his hands, as the incident of the
cracker box recalled to his mind he
welcomed the excitement of the ad-
venture of ferreting out mo. III" He
enjoyed fancying he was following out
approved detective methods in locat.
ing the factory, In finally tracing down
No. III. But it was to find hoyden-
ish girl of eighteen, full of flirtatious
nonsense, not in any manner resem-
bling the little photograph. She had
packed the fateful box, but out of
mischief. had pasted on the picture
of Miss Mabel Whiting so Bradley
finally unearthed the fact, who was
the secretary of the president of the
company employing both.
One sight of the original of the pic
ture and Ross Bradley had, indeed,
found motive in life. Romance had
led him on to follow out an idle whim
Now genuine love impelled him. II
was not until they were on their
honeymoon that Ross revealed the
story of the treasured packing ticket