The Washington herald., 1920-10-08

AheIe are many hlu0S Oh AOotS+
Now. will everybody please sit
still until they are called upon
specifically 20 rise?
1 had been every kind of fool
except one. 1 had expended my
patrimony. pretended my matFi-
mony, played poker, lawn tennis
and ket-shops-parted with my
money in many ways. But there
remained one roll of the weaver
of cap and balls that l had not
played. That was the seeker after
buried treasure. To few does the
delectable furor come. But Of all
the would-be followers in the
footprints of King Midas none
has found a pursuit so rich in
pleasurable promise.
But, going back from my theme
a while-as lame pens must do
l was a fool of the sentimental
sort. l saw May Martha Man
gum, and was hers. She was Is,
the color of the white ivory keys
Of a new piano, beautiful, and
possessed by the exquisite solem-
nifty and pathetic witChery OF an
unsophisticated angel doomed TO
live in 4 small, dull Texas prairie
town. She had a spirit and charm
that could have enabled her to
pluck rubics like raspberries from
the crown of Belgium or any
other other sporty kingdom; but
she did not know it, and l did
not paint the picture for her.
You see. wanted May Martha
q n hu IN.
I wanted her to abide with me.
and put my slippers and pipe
away every day in places where
they cannot be found of evenings.
May Marthas : father was a man
hidden behind whiskers and spec
taClCs. lie lived for bugs and
butterflies and all insects that fly
or crawl or buzz or get down
your back or in the butter. He
was an etymoloC st, or words to
that effect He spent his lite
scining the air for flying fish OF
the June bug order, and sticking
pins in 'em and calling 'em names.
He and May Martha were the
whole family. He priced her high
ly as fine specimen OF the raci-
bus humanus because she saw
that he had food at times, and
put his clothes on right side be-
fore, and kept his alcohol bottles
filled. Scientists. they say, are
apt 10 be absent minded.
There was another besides my
self who thought May Martha
ManGum one to be desired. That
was Goodloe Banks, a young man
Just home from college. He had
all the attainments TO be found
in books-Latin. Greek. philoso-
ply, and especially the higher
branches Of mathematics and
logic.
II II hadn't been for his habit
OF pouring out this information
and learning on everyone that he
addressed. I'd have liked him
pretty well. But. even as it was,
he and l were, YOU would have
thought, great pals.
We got together every time we
could because each of US wanted
10 pump the other for whatever
straws we could find which way
the wind blew from the heart OF
May Martha Mangum-rather a
mixed metaphor; Goodloe would
never have been guilty OF that.
That is the way OF rivals.
You might say that Goodloe rar
to books, manners, culture, row
ing, intellect, and clothes. T
would have put you in mind more
Of baseball and Friday nigr:
debating societies by wlv Uf
culturc-and maybe of d gocI
horseback rider.
But in our talks together. :rd
in our visits and Conversat:oI
with May Martha neither Goodlie
Banks nor l could find out whiCl
ono Of US she preferred. May
Martha was natu 'dI-b1rn uJL-
COmmittal, and Knew n ser sr..-
die how to keep poop. guessing.
As l said, old man MargLlu Wa
absent Af.cr a long L,re
he found out one d3v-a ,ittlr.
butterfly must have told him
that two young men were irving
TO throw a net Over IT," bead Il
the young person. a daughter, or
some such technical aDpcr dase,
who looked after his c"mtnrSs.
I never knew scientists could
rise to such occa sions. Old Man
. iii u aAAS 4dbt4t'A anu NldeSlutu
GoOdlOe and myself easily among
the lowest order of the verte-
brates; and in English, too, with
out going any farther into Latin
than the simple references to Or
getOriX, Rex Helvetii-which is
as far as ever went, myself.
And he told US that il he ever
caught US around his house again
he would add US to his collection.
GOodloe Banks and I remained
away five days. expecting the
storm to subSide. When We dared
to call at the house again. MAJ
Martha and her father were gone.
Gone. The house they had rented
was closed. TheiS little store OF
goods and Chattcls was gone also.
And not a word of farewell to
either of us from May Martha
not 4 white, flutterinG note pin
ned to the hawthorn bush; not
chalk mark on the gatepoSt nor
Il postcard in the postoffice to
give us a clew.
For two months Goodloe Banks
and L separately tried every
scheme We could think of to
track the runaways. We used our
friendship and influence with the
ticket agent. with livery stable
men, railroad conductors, and our