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FRAN j<5hn MECKINMDGS Q2ut.tr? Horts by O. Irwin Myer* "What a remarkable* child!" mur? mured Grace Nolr, ai they prepared to separate. "Quite a. philosopher in short dreeses." "They used to call me a prodigy," murmured Fran, as she obeyed Mrs. Gregory's gesture inrltlng her to fol? low up-etalrs. "Now It's stopped raining," Simon Jefferson complained, as he wheeled bis mother toward the back halt "That's a good omen," aald Fran, pressing Mrs. Gregory's hand. "The moonlight was beautiful when 1 was on the bridge?when I first came here." "But we need rain." said Grace Nolr reprovingly. Her voice waa that of one famili lr with the designs of Prov? idence. As usual, she and Hamilton Gregory were about to be left alone. "Who needs it?" called the un? abashed Frsn. looklni; over the banis? ters. 'The frogs T" "Life," responded the secretary som? berly. chapter VIII. War Declared. The April morning was brimming with golden sunahiro when Fran looked from the window of her second story room. Eager for the first morn? ing's view of her new home, she stared at the hi if-dosen cottages across the street, standing back In picket-fenced yards with screens of trees before their window-eyes. They showed only as bits of weather-boarding, or gloam? ing fragments of glass, peeping through the boughs 8he thougt.t ev? erything homelike, neighborly. These houses seemed to her closer to the earth than those of New York, or, at any rate, closer In the sense of broth? erhood. She drew a deep breath of pungent April essence and murmured: "What a world to live in!" Fran bad spoken in all sincerity In declaring that she wanted nothing bet a borne; gad 1 ti she went down . to breakfast it. * us with the expects*, tlon that ?rery rr, mbor of the family would pur see his accustomed r anlne.' ondeffoctt (i by bei presence flhc was willing that they should .remain wnat they were. Just 11s she expected to continue without change; however, not many days passed before she found herself seeking tc modify her sur-, rounding*. If a stiange mouse be Im? prisoned in a ca|;e of mice, those al? ready Inured to captivity will seek to destroy the new-comer. Fran, sudden? ly thrust into tho bosom of a family already fixed in their modes of thought and action, found adjustment exceed? ingly difficult. She did Lot care to mingle with the people of the village-?which was for? tunate, since her laughing In the tent had scandalised the neighborhood sho would have been content never to cross the boundaries of the homestead, bed it not been for Abbott Ashton. It was because of him that she acqui? esced in the general plan to send her to school. It was on the fifth day of - stay, following her startling admia hat she had WHffjf been to school Sf lifo, that unanimous opin? ed Into expressed com? mand? I jchool !H Fran : the young superln tendci. she was willing. When n.. flory and the secretary bad retired fc th^ library for the day s work. Mrs. Gregory told Fran, "I real? ly think, dear, that your dresses are much too short. You are email, but your face and manners and even your voice, somotlmcii, seem old?quite old Fran showed the gentle lady a soft docility. "Well," the said, "my legs are there, all the time, you km. .v. and I'll show Just si much of them, or Just as little, as you please." Simon Jeffersoi spoke up?"I like to see children wear short dresses?? and ho looked at thW particular child with approval Ttstt day, she WU reully pretty. Tlv trtsogle, had been broadened to an oval brow, Uih chin was held sllght'y lowered, and thero wss sonethtng In her general aspect, ? posslbl' du? to the arrangement of folds or colors?heaven knows what, for Simon Jefferson *ns but a poor male observer?that made a merit of her very thinness. The weak heart of the burly bachelor tingled with pleas? ure in nlco proportions, while his mind sttslned the esthetic outlook of a clas? sic sge. To oo sure, tho skirts did show a good d?al of Fran; very good? they could not show too much. "I like," Simon persisted, "to see young girls ot fourteen or fifte. n, dressed, so to say, In low nocks and high stockings In?er?In the airy way such ss they ar? by nature . , .'? It wss hard to el press* "Yes." Frsn raid Impartially, "It pleases others, and It doesu't hurl me." Kran!" Mr*. Gregory exclaimed, gating ball I1 hi the girl with something of a cr lid's awe Inspired by venerable yenrs. If was u pathetic ap? peal to a spirit altogether beyond her comprehension. Fran's quick eye caught tho exp res 8lon of baffled reachlng-fortb, of un? certain striving after sympathetic un? derstanding. "You darling lady!" she cried, clasping her hands to keop her arms from flying about the other's neck, ' don't you bo troubled about me. Bless your heart, I can take care of myself?and you, too! Do you think I'd add a Btraw to your ... Now you hear me: if you want to do it, just put me in long trains with Pullman sleepers, for I'll do whatever you say. If you want to show people how tame I am, Just hold up your band, ai d I'll crawl into my cage." The laughter of Mrs. Gregory sound? ed wholesome and deep-throated?the child was so deliciously ridiculous. "Come, then," she cried, with a light? ness she had not felt for months, "come, crawl into your cage!" And she opened her arms. With a flash of her lithe body, Fran was in her cage, and, for a time, rest? ed th^ro, whilo the fire in her dark eyes burned tears to all sorts of raio bow colors. It seemed to ber that of! all the people In the world, Mrs. Greg ory waB the last to bold her in affec? tionate embrace. She cried out with a sob, as if in answer to her dark mis? givings?"Oh, but I want to beloug to somebody!" "Yon shall belong to me!" ex? claimed Mrs. Gregory, folding ber closer. 'To you?' Fran sobbed, overcome by tbo wonder of it. "To you, dear heart?" With a desperate effort she crowded back intruding thoughts, and grew calm. Looking over her shoul? der at Simon Jefferson?"No moro short dresses, Mr. Simon," she called, "you know your heart mustn't bo ex? ited." "Fran!" gusped Mrs. Gregory in dis? may, "hush!" Put Simon Jefferson beamed with Measure at the girl's artless way3. He knew what was bad for bis heart, and Fran wasn't. Her smiles made him feel bimsjlf a monopolist In sunshine. "Love Him? This It Merely a Ques? tion of Doing the Most Good." Simon Jefferson might bo fifty, but he still had a nose, for roses. Old Mrs. Jefferson was present, and from her wheel-chair bright eye* read much that dull ears missed. "How gay Simon is!" smiled the mother?-he was always her spoiled boy. Mrs. Gregory called through the trumpet, "I believe Fran has given brother a fresh int'-rest in life." Old Mrs. Jefferson beamed upon Fran and added her commendation: "She pushes me when I want to bo pushed, and pulls mo when I want to be pulled." Fran clapped her Dandfl like a child, indeed. "Ob, what n gay old world!" shj cried. "There are so many people In it that like me." She danced before tue old lady, then wheel'd about with auch energy that her skirts threat? ened to level to the breeze. "Don't, dou't!" cried Mrs. Gregory precipitately. "Fran!" "Hravo!" shouted Simon Jefferson. "Kncoro!" Fran widened her Angers to push down the rebellious dress. "If I don't put leads on mo." she paid with con frilion, "I'll be floating away. When I feel good, I fttWtyi want to do some? thing wrong?it's awfully dangerous for a person to feel good, I guess. Mrs. Jregory, you say I can belong to you ?when I think about that, I want to lanco. ... 1 guess you 'hardly know what it means for Fran to be? long to a person. You're going to lind jut. Come on." she shouted to Mrs. Jefferson, without using the trumpet? ilways u subtle compliment to those tmarly stone-deaf, "I mustn't, wheel Raysoif about, so I'm going to wheel you." As she passed with her charge Into he garden, her mind WSJ busy with thought! of Grace Noir. Belonging to Mrs. Gregory naturally suggested get ting rid or ino secretary. Tt would be exceedingly difficult "But two months ought to settle her," Fran mused. In the meantime, Grace Nolr and Gregory sat in tile library, silently turning out an Immense amount of work, feeding the hungry and consol? ing the weak with stroke of pen and click of typewriter. "About this case, number one hun? dred forty-three," Grace said, looking up from her work as copyist, "the girl whose father wouldn't acknowl? edge her . . ." "Write to the matron to give her s?ood clothing and good schooling." He 3poke softly. There prevailed an at? mosphere of subtle tenderness; on this Island?the library?blossomed love of mankind and devotion to lofty ideals. These two mariners found themselves ever surrounded by a sea of indifference; there was not a sail in sight. "It is a sad case," he mur? mured. "You think number one hundred forty-three a sad case?" she repeated, always, when possible, building her next step out of the material furnished by her companion. "But suppose she is an impostor. He says she's not his daughter, this number one hundred forty-three. Maybe she isn't Would you call her conduct sad!" Gregory took exquisite pleasure in arguing with Grace, because her se? rene assumption of being in the right gave to her beautiful face a touch of the angelic. "I should call it impos? sible." "Impossible? Do yon think it's Im? possible that Fran's deceiving yon? How can you know that she Is the daughter of your friend?" He grew pale. Oh, If he could have denied Fran?if he could have joined Grace in doclarlng her an impostor! Dut she possessed proofs so irrefutable that safety lay In admitting her claim, lest aho prove more than he had al? ready admitted. "1 know it, absolute? ly. Sbo is tbe daughter of one who was my most?my most intimate frioaaV (TO 13E CONTINUED.) 1X V MST IG ATIOX OH I) ER IS1 >. Mexican Governor to Inquire into' Death of Americans. Washington, Sept. 11.?The State, department4Was advised today that j the Mexican Federal Government had directed the, military Governor of Chihuahua to investigate immediately the recent Willing of Edmond Hayes and John Henry Thomas, Americans, at Madera, by forces under Francisco Cordova and'.'punish the guilty per? sons. .This action was taken in re ponae to urgent representations by Charge < ?'Shuughnessy at the dlrec-j tlon of the, department. If You Own Your 1 arm, Use Printed Stationery. Every fanner who owns a hundred acres of land or more ought to have printed stationery, with his name and I the name of his farm and his post* OfQce?address properly given. The I I printed heading should also give the names of whatever erops he special- j lies on, and of Whatever varieties of I seed or whatever breeds of hogs, cat? tle, or poultry he keeps. Printed stationery gives you 'standing with whatever person or Arm you are writ? ing to and gives you a new dignity i besides insuring that your name and I address will always be given properly] and in lull. .Moreover, such printed stationery Increase! your credit. A prominent advertiser wrote one of our readersI tin- other day saying: "We usually require cash with order for all ourj goods, but WS have found that it pays* to trust u man who uses printed sta tlonery as you do; SO we are shipping your order at once." If you want to write to your con? gressman or member of the legisla? ture; of If you have a request to make of your county superintendent o; schools; or if you wish to get in? formation from any business house, In] any ease your letter will have in * le ased weight and s*et prompter at? tention If you use printed stationery. Even if you use postal cards, buy 200! to 500 at the time and have your num< and address printed in the corner. Get the habit of using printed sta? tionery. Tin- next time you go to town, why not drop Into one of the Job printing offices and give an order for 1,000 sheets of printed note paper1 and 1,000 envelope! to match? it v 111 he one of the best Investments you have ever made in your life.? I T( ?-? ressh e Fa rmer. The bicycle thieves are still com-' milling their depredations, two more \ heel.i having been stolen this week. Despite tii ? fact that quite a number of them /ere sentenced ;?t the hist term of court and several more are being held foi tri;ii at the approach i !^ term Of COUrt, there seem to be some left. The v. M. C, A. Is a popular place for them t?> make raids, where a numbei of wheels are g<"n~ orally left standing In the racks in front <d the building. Several wheels have been stolen from here, some of which have been recovered, in Home < ases the thief has replaced the wheel after riding It, or has left it td '??one part of town, where it wa* ( !ut< 1 pl< kt d Up bj tho police. NEWS PROM DAL/JILL. To Kstuhlish Demonstration Farm in Connection with School?Farmers Have Tobacco Fever?Other Mut? ters. Dalzell, Sept. 15.?Everything is now moving on normally. The sun has not ceased to shine, the moon to give her light, nor have the stars re? fused to peep out from their hiding places. The weather is line, cotton is high and we hope still going up and the people are happy. The cotton crop ,as well as corn, is a little short, but we are getting used to shortages, either in the crop or the price, and have learned to take conditions as we lind them and try to be contented. It all goes In a life time, and the fel? low who looks upon this old world as his geratest enemy, forever pulling and nagging at him, docs not get the great amount of sunshine and pleas? ure while here below. It is futile for us to battle against conditions that we cannot help, and the idea is to turn our attention to those we can. On feeling the pulse of many of our farmers, we find that there is a tobacco fever generating among them and the probability is there will be a good deal of the weed planted anoth? er year in this section. They say,! with only one money crop, which is cotton, with its corresponding fluc? tuations with large or small crop, that there is not much chance for the av? erage farmer to embark into the banking business. While it is not their purpose to engage in that stupenduous enterprise, it is their desire to battle with such conditions as they hope they will be able to modify, circum? stances that our citizens can meet i and offset are just such as they pro? pose to face. ! There is a scheme on now, to es- ] tablish an agricultural demonstration in connection with the Dalzell school, which will be quite an Inno? vation for this community, and we hope for great developments to come out of it. As we understand it, the farm will have the personal supervis? ion of our demonstration agent, Mr. J. Frank Williams, who will direct in detail all of the work, preparation, planting, cultivation and harvesting. One'of the purposes is to give the boys some idea of the value of legume and winter cover crops, as well as a system of rotation on the farm, that they may be able to apply such ideas in later life should they choose farm? ing as their vocation. We hope for the boys, much good. Some of the people think, th it, viewing the situation from Oov. Blease's standpoint, those fellows on the supreme bench are a hard head? ed and unruly set, not disposed to consider the opinions or wishes of'the governor, hut just go right ahead and decided constitutional questions in conformity with their own judgment. He should have gotten an amend ment to the constitution through the i last year, authorizing and empower Ing the chief executive-to appoint the judges, both to the circuit and supreme court, their tenure of office expiring at his pleasure and then, you see, he could turn that arrogant set out to grass and appoint another crowd, that would give his wishes and (?pinions a more respectful consider? ation. Mr. J. M. Woodley, formerly of this community and county, was in our midst Sunday afternoon to see some of his old friends. Tim.? has not wrought much of a change in his appearance, as he looks very mature. The college boys and girls are planning to go back to their labors, which means another winter of hard work. Several will leave within the next few days. The protracted meeting at the Baptist church closed on Sunday I night. Only a lew hundred dollars of the Stock of the tobacco warehouse re? mains unsubscribed. If all the mer? chants had done their part the pro? posed capital would have been over? subscribed A number of the mer? chants subscribed liberally, taking even more than their pro rata share, but others have done nothing, stand? ing aside waiting to reap the benefits to be derived from an enterprise for tiie establishment of which they con-. tribute nothing. Greelyville BUSINESS SCHOOL Individual Training tor Boys and Glfls. TUR course of all Rngllsli branches, shorthand, typvrlting and lxM>k kee pin it off en unsurpassed opportu? nities to the youths of your county ?1 A very reasonnhlc price. Ito.ird can tieobtdined in town. I'or parti? culars tddresM, J. M. JERVEY, GREELYVILLE, - 3. C. V-, THE WEEK IN CONGRESS. TARIFF CONSIDERATION PROB AULY WI LL BE COMPLETED. House Will Take up the Currency Hill In Detail?A l ull Debate. Washington, Sept. 14.?With the tariff bill being completed and the administration currency bill under way in the house the coming week in congress p romises marked progress towards the inscribing on the statute books the legislation pressed by President Wilson. The sena e and house conferees, settling poii ts in the tariff bill in dis? agreement between the two houses, have made much progress. Senator Simmons and Representative Under? wood are confident that the coming week will Bee all differences settled and little d tfAculty is expected in se? curing the adoption of the conference report. The house this week will take up the currency bill in detail. Republi? cans and Progressives set forth at great length last week their objec? tions to the measure, and the Demo-' crats entered their answers. With much of argument out of the way, the measure new will be taken up for amendment and although the approv? al of the democratic caucus is ex? pected to i revent any changes, va? rious attempts will be made to alter provisions most bitterly attacked. The section providing that national hanks shall subscribe 20 per cent, of their capital and 5 per cent of their deposits to the proposed federal re? serve banks, and the provisions mak? ing reserve bank notes government obligations, will be principal points of attack. Attempt! Will be made to limit the broad powers now conferred by the bill ?>n the federal reserve board. Ma? jority Leader Underwood hopes to get to a linal vote on the bill this week, however, and send it to the senate* . Ifemhera of both houses1 Make net [I concealment of their fatigue from the prolonged session. Those upon the finance and ways and means commit? tees have suffered most. Senators on the conference committee met their fellows from the house on the last legislative step of the tantt bill's march, after a grind of debate that has seldom been equalled. Many were so tired last night that Chairman Sim? mons and Majority Leader Underwood found it necessary to take an early adjournment and abandon any thought of a Sunday session. The house, while the senate is dis? cussing its idea of currency reform, may make an arrangement for a re? cess and a vacation, but for senators, life in congress now has nothing in sight; but work, and a holiday at Christmas may be the first long breathing spell. The senate banking committee will resume hearing bankers, financial ex? perts and merchants Tuesday when the iirsi: of 17 witnesses will appear. Sentiment on the committee is far from unanimous and with the hear? ings out of the way it may take much consideration and committee room argument to bring a bill to the sen? ate. The house lobby committee after tomorrow will temporarily suspend hearings and prepare a report. For? mer Representative Ralph D. Cole of Ohio, and C. E. Littlefleld of Maine are expected to testify before the in? quiry is concluded. Mr. W. B. Boyle narrowly escaped serious injury about 1.45 o'clock this afternoon when a horse he was riding slipped on the wet pavement at the corner of Main and Liberty streets and fell, Mr. Bo vies' leg being caught under its body. For a few minutes Mr. Boyle suffered severe pain from the injured member, but was taken in an automobile and carried home by Dr. Stuckey. Quick Service The Bank of Sumter Has Just Opened a DEPOSIT WINDOW To expediate the business of its patrons. Paying Teller and Receiv tag Teller Quickl Service Sumter Railway & Mill Supply Co., SUMTER, S. C. 1 he season is here when you are obliged to have repairs, generally, as quickly as they can be gotten. We are in your midst, can give you quicker service than our competitors, ard we bespeak a part of your business, guaranteeing satisfaction. Our Stock is Complete in the Following Lines: Rnnfina* Oelvanhted. Oer nUOIing. ruaated and V Crimped Kleetrold rubber roottlng. . i and :i ply. Dattimr* Babher, dandy Dcillllg. an(| Leather. Injectors:A"u,,,,s Packing: Big*shcot As" HOSe' 1,111,11 all(' "*tar. Axes* '^'""''ys percent. Blocks: SJIS. Kop* a"" Phairr Pteel loading and uliailb proof tested. nt , (iiMiuino to Pulleys: JEWS '?? W FMUL ?% sny size shaft. I all styles. Lace Leather: 5ST *n4 Bw Iroi.,toundlndiui pjna Cut and Threaded ?'r151 from hits, to flltl. In eluslve, to sketch. Win Rope. Saws in 1*cu*and clrcu* C?r.i Koeks. Pimps, Blacksmith Toils. Babbitt Metal: Shafting: Hangers: wmv*. Shaft Couplings, ^J?; p;ate and ribbed. Valves \ti?ek, ard 1 *ln. P fa. n In fact everything carried in ;?n up-to-date supply house. When needing anything write, phone, wire, or call. Your wants will have immediate attention. Respectfully, Sumter Railway & Mill Supply Co.