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***** FRAN MECKBNIUDCB iixis Illustrations by O. irwtu Myers The tnoon had not been laughing at them long, before Fran looked berk over her shoulder end seid, es If he bed ipeken, "HUH, i d like for you to know i bout It." He eutckened his step to regain her etda, but was oppressed by an odd sense of the abnormal. "Although." she sdded Indistinctly, "it doe* n't matter.** They walked on In silence until, sit? ter prolonged hesitation, he told her quietly that he would like to hear all she feR disposed to tell. She looked at him steadily: -Can yoe dilute a few words with the weter of your loiaglaatton, to cover a life? Ill speak the words, if you hare the imagination." As he looked Into her eyes, all sense of the abnormal disappeared. "I hare the Imagination, Fran." he exclaimed Impurstrely. "If it ts your Hfe," ?Tn eptte of the lions?" she asked, almost sternly. "You. need a't tell me a word," Ab? bott said. "1 know all that one need know; It's written In your face, a story of sweet innocence and brave pa? tience." "But t want you to know/* "Ooodl" he rspited- with a Sudden statte? Tell the story, then; ft you srere an Odyssey, you couldn't be too iong." ; mas rasi % w?u "The ?rst thing I retaember la wak? ing up to feel the car Jerked, or stopped, or started and seeing lights flash past the windows?lanterns of the bra kernen, or lamps of some town, dancing along the track. The sleeping car wee home?the ocriy home I knew. All night long there was the groan lag of the wheete, the letting off of steam, the calls of the men. Bounder Broth ere had their private train, and moth? er sad I lived In our Pullman car. Aft? er a while 1 knew that folks stared at us because we were different from oth? ers. We were show-people. Then the thing wee to look like you didn't know, , nr *Mn't rare, low much p*<?plo stared. Alt*! ?hn?. r found out tiat I bad no father; hu'd deserted mother, and her uncle had turned bor out doors for marrying against bis wishes, aud shod have niarved If It hadn't | been for the show-people." "Dear Fran!" whispered Abbott ten- ' derly. "If other hsd gone to Chi -ago, hoping for a peer .ion fn some respectable of? fice, but they dlrtn*. went u typewriter who wasn't a stenographer. It was winter?and mother had me?I wee so | little) end had I . . . II. a cheap lodging house mother got to know La Gonlsetti, and she persualed mother to wslt with her for the season to open upk then go with Bounder Brothers; they were wintering in Chicago. It; wee such a kfnd of life is mother had never dreamed of. but tt was more ceavealent than starving, and she thought it would give her a chance to line father?that traveling, all over the oosotry. La Gonlsetti was a lion tan er, and that's what mother learned, and those two were the ones who could go Inside Samson s cage. The life wee awfully hard, but she got to like it. end everybody was kind to us, snd money came pouring la. and she wee alwsye hoping to run across a clue te my fether?ead sever did." 8he paused, but st the pressure of Abbott's sympathetic hand, she went on with renewed courage: I "When I was big enough, I wore a tiny black skirt, and a red coat with shiny buttons, and I beat the 'urn la the carnival band. You ougbt to have eeen me?eo tittle. . . . Ab? bott, you can't Imagine how little I weal We had about a dosen small shows In our company, fortune-tellers, minstrels, magic wonders, and all that ?and the band had to march from one tent to the noxt, and stand out 1n front and play, to get the crowd In a bunch, so the free exhibition could work on their nerves And I'd heat away. In n*y red eont . . . end there wore alweye the strange faces, staring, Ster? in??bat I wee so little! Sometimes they wov d smile st me, but mother had tsugnt me never to speak to any? one, but to wear a glased look llko this?" "How frtghtfully cold!- Abholt shivered. Then he laughed, and so did Fran They hid entered LH tie on rg. He added wtekedly: "And how dread fully near we are getting to your Fran gurgled. "Wouldn't Orsce Nolr Jest die If she could see us!" That sobered Abbott; considering his official position, It seemed high time for reflection Fran resumed abruptly. "Rut I nev? er really liked H becaeeo what I want? ed was a home?to belonic to some? body Then I got to hntlrg the bold stare of people's eyes, snd their fool lah gap tig mouths, I hated being al? ways on exhibition with every gesture Watched, ss If I'd been one of the trained dogs I bated the public 'i wanted to gat away from the world? cl**r SWgy from everybody . . . like I tin now . , . with you. Isn't it great!" _ ; g " ? ?; ?; "Mammothr Abbott declared, ca? tering her words with liberal Imagina? tion. "I must talk fast, or the Oregon house will be looming tip at ?b. Mother taught me all she knew, though ehe hated books; ehe made herself think she was on'v in the show life till she could make a little more?al? ways Just a little more?she really loved It, you see. But I loved the booko?study?anything that wasn't the show. It was kind of friendly when I began feeding Samson." "Poor little Nonpareil!" murmured Abbott wistfully. "And often when the show was be? ing unloaded, I'd be stretched out in "Poor Little Nonpareil I" Murmured Abbott Wistfully. oar sleeper, with a school book pressed eeoee to the cinder-specked window, catching the first light When the mauls were pounding away at the teat* pine, nay be I'd hunt a seat on some cage. If It had been drawn up Under a tree, 01 maybe it'd be the ticket wag? on, or e von the stake pile?there you'd sea ms studying aWay for dear 1 Me, dressed In a plain little dress, trying to took like ordinary folks. Birch a queer little chap, I was?and always trying to pretend that I wasn't! You'd have laughed to see me." . "Laughed at you!" cried Abbott In? dignantly. "Indeed I shouldn't." "Nor* exclaimed Fran, patting his arm impulsively. "Dear little wonderP* he returned' conclesrveiy. ? V j "1 must tell yon about one time," ahe continued gaily. 4,yVe were in New I Orleans at the Mardl Ores, and. I was j expected to come Into the ring riding Ham son?not the vi clous old lion, but cub-- that was long after my -days of i the drum and the red coat, bless you! as a lion-tamer, now. nearly tblr teal years old, if you'll believe me. ? Well? And what was I saying?you | keep looking so friendly, you make me . forget myself. Ooodness, Abbott, it's so much fun talking to you . . . I've never mentioned all this to one soul in this town . . . Well?oh, yes; I Was to have come into the ring, riding Samsdn. Everybody was watt? ing for me. The sand neatly blew it telf black In the face. And what do you think was the matter?" "Did Samsoh balk?" P . "No, It wasn't that I was lying.on the cage floor, with my head on Sam* eon?Samaon the Second made such a j gorgeous and animated pillow!?and'I WsS teaming geology. I'd Just found out that the world wasn't made in sev? en United States days, and It was; euch surprising news that I'd forgot-! ten all about cages and lions and tents ? if you could have eeen me lying there?If you Just could P* (TO BE CONTINUED.) PREACH Efts GET $."?00 A YE Alt. Many MethodM Minister* Do not Get More Than That Amount for Ser? vice. Washington, Oct. 15.?More than I M)4 Methodist ministers in the United states preach and work a ysai r.u- Isss than 16Of. This was the re? port of the bureau of eustsnanee When the board Of managers of .the Msthodksl Woman's Homo Missionary society began Iti Bind annual meeting here. The bureau lamented thut SSJStl a state ol affairs COUld exist. in her annual address, Mrs George O. Robinson of Detroit, president of the hoar 1 denounced the law recent? ly paased In Florida prohibiting Whites from teaching negroes and negroes from teaching whites. EM'OIH I MI NT BILLS I P. \o11 I it111? ? i- Measure* Laid Before Rot If Hi nn< lies of Tennessee Cien? end N.mhYille Tenn., Oct 14. -Three lull? designed to strengthen the en? rol ement of laws against the sale ni Hguor, tonight were Introduced in both houses ol the Tei nessse general as sembly which met yesterday In Its i.n<i session, 'rites,, bills would prohibit the shipment of liquor Into the Rtate or from bne county fco an? other and it will also author-' lie Hit removal ol county ->tui mu nlelpal officers for failure to enforce the prohibition lawt nnd make sa< loons "public nuisances." m Both bosses vrere quiet and order i>. a bitter titfhi la eapocted ovsr the attempt In lake from the speak? er of the house power to appoint com mlttses. DANCE TANGO FOU COURT. j. -h Dancing Teacher aiul Pupil Per? form as Witnesses in Trial of Suit. Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 15.?As part of Asa Anderson's injunction suit to restrain the city from barring the ] tango at bis dancing school, Ander , son and a young woman gave a tango j exhibition in a hall beneath common ' pleas Judge Vickery's court room late j today. Anderson's suit is directed ; against City Dance Hall Inspector Meyers. ' Anderson and young woman pupils j danced the onl" real tango, accord'ng to Anderson's description. Judge Vickery tomorrow will, in nounce his judicial opinion. This aft? ernoon he gave it a nod of approval, j I A Modem I>ay Fable. Kembert, Oct. 14.?I have been rummaging around in my noodle ami came across this "Once upon a time a gre U churchman, greatly annoyed I by the thieving.of "Culfie" struck up-1 on the plan of employing only preach- j ers. He soon had occasion to con-1 gratulate himself on the w isdom of j this cause, for every night he could I hear them hymning the praises or Jehovah and calling mightily on Him in pra.yer, it loud talking miy bo so esteemed. He took precautions agains. rogues, but now they were e 11 outside the camp. It was.hardly possible he wo ild have .this annoy? ance. What a blessed thing was god-j liness and bow glad was he that his I plantation was vocal with the wor-! ship of Godv Surely an era of better times, of brighter days, was upon him. But these roseate visions were brought to a sudden termination by the disappearance in one night of his big Dominecker rooster and a lino fat pet pig, whose , whereabouts, not eves to the , faintest trace, were not i revealed by the most diligent inquiry and search. Investigation discovered othQr thefts so that he became doubly watchful, but tx* no purpose. Never before.had hp been foiled., At last, he suspected the preachers, but they continued, to pruy tad sing as regu-1 larly as the nights came. He had j about despaired of overtaking thci rogues when, he happened to notice! that these devotions (?> never oc-f eurred at the time of his own lam-, ily devotions. The following night | when his family was praying he waa^ watching With the result that hey captured two as pious (?) old ras-1 cals as he ever saw. There used to walk about in this land of ours, an old rascal vho at j night, sang, sang, sang, till iHe bills; echoed his voice again. On Sunday nights it was heard in prayer for he' had a powerful net of lungs. Jn those* days there was some stealing done! that was shrewdly managed. He was, suspected, but no trace of his guilt j could be found. At least a blind man captured him. Some one has been stealing cotton III our community again, but v ho? Lots of cotton to open yet The rains retarded the opening and farm work. In commendation of Bathesda Church, it may be said that though weak numerically and financially it, has a woman's missionary society that counts for something and a Sun-, day school that supports an orphan. ; Let others take duo notice thereofi and govern themselves accordingly. ? "Hag >od." j _j The Youth's Companion in lull. Seven college presidents and a , number of college instructors, in-, eludLeg ex-President Taft, will con-1 tribute to The Youth's Compandor! during CU4. Then there is*Gene Stratton Porter, ( whose stories of Indian wools and j swamps have made her famous, and KatS Douglas Wiegln? who never wrote a dull line in her Iffe, and Mrs. ^ Burton Harrison, who remembers j when conversation was really an art ( as practised in Washington and in the manor houses of Virginia. And this, Is just a beginning of the list. If yotl know The Companion, yoUj nave a pretty dear Idea of what Is[ in store fOff next, year's readers. [f you do not know, ask us to send you sample copies?for instance, those containing the opening chapters of Arthut Stun wood Bier's line serial ? His ?Tether's son." Full announce? ment for will be sent with the sample copies. For the year's subscription of $-.00 there is included The Companion Practical Home Calendar for 1914, and all the issues of the paper for the remaining weeks of 1913 dating from the tune the subscription is received, . The Youth's Companion, 114 Berkeley St., BOStOn, MASS. New subscriptions received ill this office. Ran Francisco recently received Its lirst cargo of lumber fioni the Tongas?? national forest. Masks, The shipment consisted of 1,600,000 feet of Sltka - Js [ '^f^ THE WRECK STORE TIE WRECK j STORE j SPECIAL F?r Saturday and Monday. Ladies* Coats, worth 4t\^X AO to $15.00, to go at |J"0 Ladies' Coat Suits, ^5 98 Sport Coats for the Young Ladies, something new. These Coats sell for no less than $16 QO in^Sujntgr,.jOur price <JP O? s O ?ir Phone 601 Below Postoffice THE WRECK STORE m mum ST?E DANIELS MAY ATTEND COLLEGE. Secretary Intimates That lie May llear Technical Lectures at New? port. Newport, R. I., Oct. 14.?The possi? bility that Secretary of the Navy Daniels will take a course in instruc? tion at the naval war college here next summer has aroused much interest among ollicials stationed at Newport Secretary Daniels during a visit here last summer praised the work of the college. Recently unofficial word has come from Washington that he may nttend lectures here. By this work the den? tist is able to fix per? manently between the teeth left to you artific? ial ones that are perfect in appearance and use? fulness. See Dr. Court? ney. ? He makes this work his specialty. Have an inspection. Get his opinion. Sumter Dental Parlors, Dr. C. H. Courtney. Prop Over Shaw & McCollum. Greelyville BUSINESS SCHOOL Individual Training for Boys and Girls. THE course of nil English brp ?che?, short hand, typwrithtg and book" keepiiag oilers unsurpassed ouportu nl tlefl to the youths of your county at a very reasonable price, Hoard can tie obtained in town, por parti? culars address. J M. JERVEY, GREELYVILLE, - S. C. J ??????????????????????ffrf I For Accumulating IVfoitev j i No other method is so good, so business? like, so safe, so suie iitimate results as the * systematic use of our Bank Account Plan. You can make use of this plan. If you want to get ahead in the world come in and talk it over with us. Finft National t 44 H-44444444444444444444^t ?????????????????????????? 4 i; it A bank account is helpful in a hundred different <t ways. You've found this out, if you have a batik ?c- $ J count. If you haven't or e, we want to see you. The Peoples' Bank. f444444444444444444444444444< Be Honest arid Wise. 3 Eternal honesty and good judgment load to success. Be honest with yourself. Save your earnings and bank with an institution on which you can always depend. Our interest account never sleeps. I l he Farmers' Bank ?hd Tttst Ct?. *