Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-01-14
THE WOODEN MAN
By cLARIssA mAcKiE.

&c. 1920. BY Mcclure Newspaper syndieats)
The Cakes place was on the edge of
the town-a large mansion on the
crest of sloping lawns and surrounded
by noble trees. Harley Cakes lived
there alone, now that all of his people
had gone on before, and he was often
very lonely. Perhaps it was his rather
awkward gait and his stern, taciturn
ways that gained for him the nick
name of the wooden Man."
The town jokers grinned when they
explained to strangers that the wood
en- Nan" was in the lumber business
and that his name was Cakes. No
breath of this gossip eve reached
Harley. as he went soberly about his
business and spending long, dull eve
nings in the great house.
Down in the Office of his big lumber
mills he was very popular with all
of his employees. ven the new
stenographer. a shy little mouse Of
a girl. thought he was a wonderful
a
'The old mans a queer old bird"
said a smart young boOkkeeper n
day as he lighted a cigarette in the
office.
Marion C1ews looked distressed.
please don't smoke in here. Mr.. Fin
ney," she pleaded. you know it is
against the rule-Mr. Cakes"
Finney laughed. "What has the
Wooden Man preached about now?' he
scoffed.
mo lights about the place-no smok-
ing" said the girl soberly. and l
don't like to hear you speak of MI.
Cakes in that manner-when you have
been here longer"
"Hear-hearI he laughed fippant-
ly. "The mouse defends the lion
There, I'll be good. Miss Clews-see,
I've thrown my cigarette awayl"
He tossed it from the window and
turned t her.
"How about the movies tonight?
There's a good show at the Star"
"No, thank you've promised to
work tonight-Mr. Dreams is getting
out his balance and l shall stay"
"Foolish child-well, so long-don't
work yourself to DEATH"
He wandered out of the Office, paus-
ing in the yard to light another Of
his endless cigarettes. The door of
Mr.. Cakes private Office opened and
he emerged, tall, gravely pleasant.
"You are late tonight, Miss Clews,"
he said.
81 have brought some supper with
me-Mr. Dreams asked me to help in
the balance"
Don't stop too late" he advised
Harley Cakes returned to his lonely
house and his solitary meal. After
ward he read the evening paper and
wrote some personal letters. At
half past eight he finished and went
into the garden for a last smoke be-
fore going to bed.
The wind was blowing from the
south, and with it came an acrid smell
of smoke-his eyes hardened and he
raped out his pipe against the sun
dial. He looked keenly in the direc-
ton of his lumber mill, near the wa
ter, and though he could see no sign of
smoke, there suddenly burst upon the
fire bell and the fire whistle attached
TO his own mills.
The mills were on fire.
He dashed down the avenue bare
I@@l4l I'D a4rv lN-@ 4hn s1lan
street like a man pursued. Forgotten
muscles came into play and he felt a
thrill of youth as the blood coursed
more rapidly in his veins.
81 have been p~etrifying." he thought
as he ran. 81 don't wonder the boys
laugh at me-"
Now the office building was sending
up spirals of smoke while the fire en-
CINE was extinguishing the flames on
a pile of lumber near by. Hastily
formed bucket brigades were saving
the other building yet untouched by
the confiagration.
The office building was a small
structure and-his thoughts ~overleaped
HE 1CCt DOOhhCCPOA oho -
tie Miss Clews-he thought of her soft
Y her sweet smile, and his heart
contracted.
He thought of Finney and his end
less cigarettes, and then forgot every
thing else save the human lives in
the building as he plunged into the
burning structure.
"Breams!' he called.
"Here, sir" said the bookkeeper,
staggered out with his arms full of
the books he had been working N.
Miss Clews-where is she?" gasped
Cakes, for the smoke was choking
him.
"She went upstairs to get the plans
Of the new. MILL told her not to go
i thought she had come down
don't go, Mr.. Cakes, you haven't a