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thursday march 0l31 the acton free press h ifrpp llrpaa 8burt 0tnru tfte prize phenomena by roy j snell t was nltfhl deep myutcrloub i darkncna tho somber blacknom that one experiences only in out- ofthoway corners of a mountain ooun- try when there la no moon it wont come whispered cora uiwu with a shudder it u tlmo replied bollard oktdmoro thoro wan a tense note of expectancy not to say dread in his voice as ho went on itll comq pretty soon if it a com- ing tonlsht as for his cousin elizabeth bister oho crowded more closely uuolnst ilal- larda broad shoulder and a poke not at all it was lonesome business thin alt- tln out un narrow lodgo ofrocjt at tlie tp of stone mountain waiting for the appearance of the phantom light three pairs of eyes strove in vain to fathom the darkness to catch the least outline of the perpendicular mass of rock thai was tho topmost peak of btone mountain strain their eyes as they mutht they caught not tho falotoit out line yet on many a night dark us this m strange light had appeared against the very centre of that perpendicular wall if only we could climb 1li whispered cora hut you couldn t a gray wiulrrcl couldnt theres not a craek nor a crevice where one could stick couldnt bo moonhlneru ahlners in spite of tho darkness and mystery that hung over all hall or d laughed i hoy couldnt rind room to hide a cliestnut up there say nothing of a still again the silent durknem brooded over tho mountain the phantom light as most people had come to call it though some called it the ghost light or that hunt of stone mountain had mode its nrst bppeafance three years before it was a strange filmy light sometimes motionless sometimes appart ntly drifting appeared on the side of stone mountain around nine oclock at night it was very irregular in its appearance in summer it did not appear at all leven in late autumn winter and curly spring hs appearance was very uncertain what was the cause of this mysterious light the people of the mountain had tuikrd one another this qumtlon at flnt they luul naked it out of curiosity only but as the months panned and no solu tion of the mystery had been forthcoming many a gray head was shakui in sad for- bodlng a stranger riding through the moun tains at night hod seen the light he had asked about it and having been told all these wild talcs had become curious as to tlie origin of the light he had spoken about tlie light to tho head of a great geological society tho geologist had come down to investigate after a week of prowling about among the rocks he had evolved a very learned explana tion of the phenomena tlie light or apparent light was caused ho said by phosphorescent gases rising from the sur face of cold springs that coming from some hidden cavern in tlie rocks douht- iru carried the gases outward to release them once released tho gases floated upward to cause an appearance of light having arrived at oils scholarly conclu sion of the matter ho had packed his bag and departed common sense had at onca attacked and demolished his theory vox lire was far more common in summer than in winter yet this light did not appear in summer on tho contrary it hud ap peared in tho dead of winter when springs at that high altitude munt be solidly frozen over no i no i said tho wise ones shaking gray head once mom it is a hunt u ghaut light a warning you shall ate there will be trouble feud fighting war dlmasc famine a second learned man hud appeared after days of investigating ho declared u at days i ftlfcm u ft to ud thtfmtttoledi feutr had advanced no theory of hln own in this ho had pt rhupn iihown himirlf to be a truly wlrn man if a railway or u muchfrtqut nteel automobile road facial that way i should i ay tho light was the distant reflection of a headlight ho had said but since thoro are no auto mobiles und the only train going up tlu valley travels directly away from the jtock it docs not seem possible that till should be its orluln i will nay lie had continued that i consider the phui- omoiir to bo of pi rfectly natural origin i cannot remain to jolvn tho mystery but ua an added inct ntlve to mountain hoopla who having livt d hi re nlnro child hood are most likely to tolvo the myntnrv 1 will oiler a prime of one hundred dol lars to tho per on who bring forward a proved solution i hat prize that ono hundred dollars was a stimulating far tor that had driven our three young people ove r tho tlvo mllei of rorky trail through the front- nipped air of january to tho chpmost surmoimtablo ledge of stone mountain and that held them there nhlverhur in tho dark and rold it will come it must i here i there look i fllznlxith gripped mallard h arm until it hurt no light that i con see ho grumbled djuelnftuoil say ho whispered after a moment do you suppose it is moonjihlnofit after all there might be a eave that has an opening on the other side cracks in tho rocks might lot tho light of their fire shine through on this sldo might elizabeth whispered bock it was quite evident thai sli was morothan half ronvinrod that tho light was of sup rnatiiral or ghn itly origin urter all coniii tin rile iihuddurod lets go home it wont contu while were hero sim was lh youngest of tho trio baroly eighteen blie was small and naturally timid ytt nlie it huu btcu vhu urimuscu tho trip in the beginning wo need tliut hiliiclred dollars she had mild ililnk what it will mean a whole term at mid- dloborouuh for us all llallord her coushl wui punt twenty tall broodnhouldurod redheaded a bit htubborn ho wan not likely to leave that rock until ah hope f seeing tho phantom light that night had passed ho said as mii h to tho uthxrs as for cora lowbt who was nineteen she jobit d with jjallifrd in his vote to stay right there huddling together in tho frosty darkness of tho mountain side now catching tho noto of homo mountain bird chirping in his sleep and now faint and from far away the gloom- inspired bay of a liound they waltt d and watched in silence until with a sudden shrill whisper kluabeth gasped minrcl l hero it is i lie the ghojt llghtl i lie phantom llghtl cora whispered bock at that instant liad sudden death throati ncd not one of the tliroe could have moved with eyes staring at the mountain sldo the watchers sromed glu ed to the spot whlla faint indistinct booming to mqvo yet ever remaining a filmy illumination played upon the rocky faro of stone mountain for five full mlnutts not speaking nor moving sin thing not to breathe they sat like stone statins until with a quiver and a start eluabtui took onn long full breath to murmur faintly its gone rising stiffly hal lard assisted the glrli to tholr feet then as if walking in a triune lrd the was down the rocky mountain sldo well ho broke tho silence as the little group reached a muchtravelled path oloio to the cabin what do you think of it its not moo milliners declared cora no nor tax fire either too cold for fox rim tonight ualiurd unjvcrcd it will snow tomorrow if elixjibfltli had any theories regard ing tho mynterloiu light she did not voire tin m lliey marched on in nilonco and as they stalked along thu moon coming out from behind dig lllnck moun tain hooded tho hi hi with a glorious light tho moonlight fell upon a broad square surface which cnt it flashing back tho very iioiih sent a cold chill shooting up tho youiutent girls splno for tho bright surface won tho face of tomlkitone old james mcorcgor who hniv carved all simple sandstone shafts that marked the graves of his fellow mountaineers for half a century had discovered a great boulder lying at the base of a limestone cliff close beside the river hits rock which was ton foot across and twice as high was harder than any granite a urlous deposit perhaps of meteoric origin it liad captured tho old tombstone makers fancy thu ho had said shall bo my tombstone you can t move it objected hu friends dont need to hero borilath tho cliff beside tho river jhall bo my grave ho had purchased tho bit of land upon which tho boulder rented had purchased new cutting instruments of llnent tempered steel and luul begun tho tuik of wjuar- ing and smoothing that dark adamantine ourfnee all ills spare time for four years went to thli ta ik at his death it wan found that he had fquarod and finished off a surface ten fi et acroin which slant ing slightly toward tho crests- of the mountain wan no perft etly poll died that it caught ami refit cttd tho flnt roiy tlnti of the morning io ulzabetli the stone tood only for a lont ly gruvo lo llahiird it i urtdi nly ttkww- f l u m true ho told him lelf and if it was if it only could be then there will b a c banco to rnturn to school once more i oirli he said suddenly turning to his companions you be at uncle zoba north window at a quart r of nine to morrow night llo watrhlnir for tho phantom light what good will that do anked cora dldnt we lie it tonight right claio up and what did wo llnd out jomorrow the hirht may be dif ferent on the remainder of the journey homi though the glrli qmstloned him tagerly ilallaid would say no more that night it suoued 1 he next day it thaw d butaaln at nix it rloqd l uirumtudamn sprlnklluir of white ifted down over tho bleak leaflmi mountain sldi 11 at eightthirty nxt night i ittlnir ai- trlde a hioun pony lil uncles only home ballard might have bei n mn clone beside tho railway trark auttlo way up from the station at ag i crtek here and there along tho trucks were roal mliiih at tarh mine theie wait a sta tion a mile further up loso to ilul lard n home wait the station oallod i3og wood lleud ihe twlceaday local train wail due to go up the valley in a few mlniitis coiidultor and engineer ol- lmairs nuujli-at-aiuit-lialjyisisui- cup of coffee and doughnuts ho mumbled to himself ihntll give hie time enough ills mind was working fust his spirits were light with hopes ho thought nratnf tho mysterious light then of old uncle jlmmlos glistening gravestone jiuliard was auddeniy aroused fatthe train was coming round the curve x moment later having watched the en gineer anal fireman leave their ermine for aunt sallys kitchrn lie leaped from his horse nprang for tho i nglne climbed tho cowcatcher and liavlng drawn a square of cloth from his pocket in a moment s time completed tho task of tying thli cloth- over tho face or tho engines headlight having accomplish thli ho hurriedly mounted hli horse and raced away up the river seat em ho muttered to tho pony he did beat the train to tho next sta tion having hitched tils pony to a sapling in a dark corner ho waited be side the track tuid before the nglne had come to a standstill itaped upon tho cowuutehi r tuid snatched the cloth away ho was not seen by the engineer and fireman who i amo lumlx ring for ward what you know about that hill the fireman exclaimed liuc n uhliiln will to uguiti id of swore it showed rod j tjo would i the men squinted at the lu odllght for a monunt then went bat k to their cob two very muc h pun- ied men aj tor ha lard ho was hurrying to his uncles t ah in wc 11 he nxelalinetl a he burjit into th rabln liow did tho light look tonight didnt look replied cora solemnly i hero wamt any wusn t hallards faco grow sud denly sober mot tho least sign coroboratod iciitji beth that that why thats awful queer uallard loft the cabin in a somber mood what had happen d hod ho been wrong was the prize lost he could not bear to think it was and yet what was in to think hit way homo led down tho river past uiinle james grave as he came op posite it he let out a low exclamation then vaulting a rail fence went over to the great boulder tombstone that ho said holumnly explains it covered with snow iho usually shining surface of tho stone was coven d with dull dead white clinging snow next day tho snow was gone for four days after that the people of agejl creek talked of but ono thing of thu plum torn light tliut light was behaving myntcri- outly indeed as for the smiling trio luiabeui cora and hallard they did not seem the leant bit dliturbed fioou a visitor came to tho region ho was tho sclcntlit who hud offered thu prize hallard hud sent for him at age creek station uftor fueling with the engine headlight bal lard hurried the iielentlst into a saddle and away they ruced up the river rood here the boy exclaimed as lio ludtod at a simt whi re two eager breathless young latllej were waiting you can seo it here ivofujior tho next moment tut tho train came thundering up tho creek hi r headlight sunt a splash of red over them what tho light exclaimed hallard watch itl tho phantom light on tho hill why exclaimed tlie profcwuir its turned red since i saw it last yen replied hallard kasy enough to understand in a fow words ho ex plained tho phantom light was but tho light of tho engine reflected to tho moun tain side by tho unusual tombstone tho fact ho concluded that when i tied a red handkerchief ovor tho headlight the phantom turned red proven that my theory la correct proves it conclusively i ngfcod tho nclentbit tlie prize is yours once tho cauno of the light had been discovered it was not difficult to solve tho mystery of its variations it did not appear in summer thli was becuuo a denuo clump of heavily leaved trees grow ing between tho strange tombs tone and tho railway track had shut off tho light ballard cora and elizabeth have long since returned to college but their moun tain frli nds will not soon ceaic marvel ing and boasting over tlie way their three young frii nda solvod thu myttory of thu phantom light dent tho be it sclenco folki of tho world thny often add beat em all holli r the other pkjloivh job what is it that makes tho othfr fellows job attractive is it because lie goes at it with such a display ot pleasure that it looks hko a noft snap anyonn who looki with ongng oyes at niimo otht r person happily comfortably ujitl profit ably empluyod will do wel to make a critical study of tho elements that on tor into the position and the worker before being envious for envy quit ky drivs out happiness and uvifulikttui a young man who looked with envy at a trim tipprr young bonk rlrrk und thought how wondi rful it would ho u have a job that took from nine in tin morning until threothlrty in the artor noon in a clean welllighted room mid di nly had the rhiuire to take up that kind of work why the bunk ivn has mi adding nuu hlne to prevent errom i all llllcrut hi couumtcd irurji a tabic ulruuly worked out lie boasted to a frund i never dreumoii tliut uncle juiin s would give mo a ploru in his bang my future luruisn la tuuiuwd why it is worth much my father says junt to assorlate with suooessful men jlio young man quickly found out that bin fathers ronark wan correct llo dueovnretl that his undo james was not only a successful man but he had tho faculty of helping others to got on tlie road to sueceut for ho not only worked hard himself but jiquln d ttiat all in his employ do tho sumo in blttomejui of soul the youth complained to a friend who worked near him that relationship did not nenm to count with a man who could make hli own nephew go to night school to improve hbt english and pen manship and other studies and who made him remain after banking hours to help with whatever work was on hand even when ho know that tho said nephew wili an ard nt hast ball play r in fact tho young man had been forced to re sign from tho tcum or lone hli plaoa in the bank whereupon the other worker informed tlui nephew that rela tion hip did rount for if any other pen on hud shown tho spirit that tho boy had and hud made an many errors ho would have been dlnmlinrd without mercy iho young follow who gave tho bound advice and information was tlie very youth ho hud mire thought of us having a joft and eiuty tusk dure is no job worth luivlng that has not its difficulties and retponslhl llties and many of tin m perhaps everyone ha i xi ad the old dory of thu chance burdt ned mortal i had to rant tbclr troublei on a large heap and choose hi nt ad the burden that somebody olne luxd laid down in a short tlmo each wan buck for the burdt n lie had become ur- eiittomcd to cnrrylntc and all went home bolter mill tiled if it helps you any to know that comobody hi probably envying yoh your shoulders will square them- jelve1 andyour ljead will go up you can ajbiumo on air ofcontentiiantas leilt and get in line for promotion tho bent recommendution for a blggor job lt the air of doing tho prcnont work as if it uborbed your whole mind and thought that is indeed the result which comes to tho worker who envies no one but does his best in tho hope of a bigger job and ono with more hard work and ro- sponnlbilltltxt along in the future over flowing one job brlngn it bigger ono not envying tho other fellow hilda rich mond like a lamb i tho girl so youve seen paddy dor ling did ho behave like a lamb siiitiw grimly absolutely i every time i spoke lie said ijali1 loyalty how our hearli nwi ii on armistice day or the lint of july but when it comes to tivt ryiluy putrlolbau and ovt ryday loyioty one junuetlmti i ignored hli obll- gutloiui a young man at lug a smooth ntreteh of road b fore him sttrppt d on tho gas lend broke the i pot d limit of rourso his i xruiu wan that it wiu un hour when no tine wiei on the loud that ho had a new mat hlne in gootl r pair mid that he wiui a nkllltd drlvt r all of whleh lxluui ountid for naught and the of ficer was rlglit i lit law was made for all and all iihotild obey it iyuty imaiib loving ones country enough no that ther li no wlih to dis obey the lawn it mi an i tliut whether w think the law is jui t or right we shall live up to it it lueanii standing by our otflrbuii wht u they are law en forcing beings ami supporting everything that muke fox tin bettemw nt of our na tion iho young man or the young woman who lays loftily tluit it is worao than uncle is to vote in a poor cltijn ijoyauy moaiui more than just stand ing for ones country it means imldlng to the ideali of the home tho school the rhurch uio community and tlie re fined social lift it u tho very t vu neo of putrlotlim that miani rendering an honeiit and a perfect man whereveor placthl so far cut it is posdhle it is not throwing up tho hat with loud hurrahs today and breaking tho law tomorrow it is u stiutly progressive sensible every day appreciation of the best country on which the sun idilnes today and deter mination u live and die for her ideals wicked men have fought bravely for their native land in tlmo of great stress and strain but it takes a good man to be a peace patriot miller a worm powders will purgo the stomach and lntiutine of wornu 10 ef fectively and lo cailly and palnlocuy that the mo t tlrllfiito ntoinach will nol ft el fill in from flwl ihcy recommend them elvn to mothi r on a preparuton tint will rtitoro itrenitth tuid vigor to thtlr ehlldn n und prnti ct thum from tho dtblllating elficli which n ujt from the di prrdatlont of wornu 1 quality some people would have you believe that hotuu o all nun are created f ret urn i quui that all people urn t rjihil ihut sound silly whin you stop to think about it if you go ulu ad and work inti educate yourself and make a blv mart j you iwro hi tit r than the f how who j too lazy to uork to educato him- nelf of to make a nut n n ho had a chance to ki ep on being your equal but wht n he refiiftrd he fulli d to ki op up 9 ihe liquor drlnkt r try to tell ui that everyone do t rven tqual righti and that they should bo allowed to sell and drink ititoxliutlng liquor when they want to unit it a poor doctrine or equality that mill make a man who is rt spec table whin he is nolle r drunk and then lot him go homo to bent hli wife who being sober is more than his equal in dinonny but is not his tqual in strength or is it not poor equality tliut will ilollhorutoly givehlmd rln kimthhwbooomrttntoxi rated and takes ujt his money while his family have to go without food i hojui are tho conditions that oxbu d ry where bofexru prohibition some people call them myu nowaeiaya they do not exist anymore because wo have prohibition we do not wjmt any more ot tluit sort ofcquallly tiik italanckd load in tho western mountains wo some times jeo uttlo burrtwi climbing stoop trails with such a load on tlielr backs that jitrangem feel tho utmatt nympatliy for them the probability is however that tlie burro docs not need any pity ilbi loud u so wellbalanced and packed en skilfully that ho does not mind the weight lot a novice try to load a pack animal and tho rcultii will bo vory different ihoro in much to be learned from the wuy tho burro carrlcii his loud it bt not work that kills no much aa that done at tho wrong tlmo or in tho wrong way worry mia tho pack to slipping and change n on easy tank to an impossible one anyone can carry a big load ir it ll properly balanred poultry hwkes hn lay guarantbed or your money back wrfcfounftitpwltly8qik52i timivm m dw kwar yttu ak bltn rrt wril illrart u xi prlo mail ir lmur twm on vlut ltt vantl co of caitl i td gufli1i oniahio gas on stomach is dangerous oiu pain bloating and sourness after eating almoiit always mnan too much acid in the stomach tho condition in dangerous acid irritates tho stomach lining and may lead to ulcers cos forms and prcuc i agillnnt tho heart tho stomach needs an alkaline uliuratod magnt ila jiowder or tablets in tho ideal method of getting uafe quick lasting relief it lit utrallen thu oiiccn i acid uwt eteno tho ntomuch breaks up tho gas utopn thu pain and ioiimens ynni digenti naturally it must give prompt relief or money back nay druggists everywhere who sell it on thli iron clatl guarantee take the wheel of the new oldsmobile until you actually flat behind th wheal of thenawodtmobileyou cannot appreciate the advanced performance which thl fin car now brng you at lower prlcei drive it in traffic over rough roadi on straightaway or hill and you will discover that each different motoring con dition serves but to reveal some new phase of oldsmoblles dependability some new puality of power flexibility or riding ease hone us and arrange to drive the new olds- mobile today priced from 1085 at factory taxes extra mkih til amimlilloh ptrmlts imooth tlunt thift from first to second to high and back to imcond automatic manifold huat control warni up nlpn qulcltly and ylvcf it tlpocr performance at all xpeedt hkw uty 1taktino toirter witri fngfigecl auto matically opini throttle lo proper starting position c e n k d a l oivvs incnastd power highmr paxrc faster acceleration and grantor smoothness insulated rllller iodikf arm warmer in winter cooler in summer and emcefuionally quiet new quiet second gear assures smooth swift accelera tion rivalling high gear per formance in quietness 04 30 tvo w oto k value j oneill son georgetown ontawo j cadesky oitohiktuikt will visit aoton oh monday april 6th aiiyono uuffarlntr from eyeatrohi defective vision or headache iihould not miiifl tho opportunity of consulting thin eyeiilght spoolallst appolntmentu may bo made with mr a t brown druiwut oonqultation inom office mount 0 a m till 4 p w free press ads will sell your goods let us convince you