capmumrr lair
rmuaa' r MasbcmbfYtflania
SYNOPSIS,
V
1 Harding- Kent ealla on Loulee Farrlah to
propoae marriage and flnda tha houaa In
great axoltament over tha attempted sul-
clde of her alatar Katharine. Kent etarte
an Inveatlcatlon and flnda that Hugh
Crandall, aultor for Katharine, who had
beea forbidden the houaa by General Far
rlah, had talked with Katharine over the
telephone juat before aha ahot hereelf.
A torn piece of yellow paper la found,
at ale-lit of which General Farrlah la
etrloken with paralyala. Kent dlacovera
that Crandall haa left town hurriedly.
Andrew Elaer, an axed banker, commlta
ulclde about the aame time aa Katharine
attempted her life. A yellow envelope la
found In Biter's room. Poet Office In
spector Davie. Kent'a friend, take up
the caae. Kent la convinced that Cran
dall la at the bottom of tha myatery.
Katharine's etrange outcry puaalee the
detectlvea. Kent and Davla aearch Cran
dall'e room and And an addreaa, Lock
Box 17, Ardway. N. J. Kent goee to Ard
way to Investigate and becomea euept
cloua of a "Henry Cook." A woman
rommita aulclde at the Ardway Hotel. A
yellow letter also figures In thla caae.
Kent ealla Louise on the Ions distance
telephone and finds that she had Juat been
called by Crandall from the aame booth.
"Cook" disappears. The Ardway post
m aster la missing. Inspector Davla ar
rives at Ardway and takea up the Inves
tigation. He dlacovera that the dead
woman la Sarah Sacket of Bridgeport.
Loulae telephones Kent Imploring him to
4rop tha investigation.
CHAPTER IX.
A New Mystery.
I was up with the dawn the next
morning and down-stairs to And a
train schedule. The only thought In
my mind was that I must go to Lou
ise at once. I could not understand
her sudden amazing change of front.
Why. after pledging me to solve the
mystery, should she all at once be as
Insistent that I should immediately
stop all Inquiry? I had lain awake
tthe whole night, pondering the situa
tion and seeking a solution. What rea
son could she have? Who could have
Influenced her to such action? .
The first train, I found, left two
. minutes before six. I ordered break
fast, though in no mood for eating,
and went to Davis' room. I felt that
I needed his advice. I found him
awake, smoking a cigarette in bed.
Briefly I related to him the amazing
telephone conversation I had had with
Louise the night before.
"What possible reason could have
Influenced ber to make such a strange
request?" I concluded.
"A woman doesn't have to have a
reason," be answered flippantly. It
seemed to me.
"You don't understand!" I cried,
"Louise Is not the ordinary flighty
girl. She has the finest, best-balanced
mind of any woman I ever knew. She
never acts on impulse."
Davis looked at me with that exas
perating smile of his.
"Kent," he replied, "when you have
been married as long as I have, when
you know women as well as I do, you
will realize the folly of trying to find
reasons for the things women do.
Their minds are not governed by rev
son, but by impulse. Every sane worn'
an knew that the hobble skirt was an
absurdity, yet when Fashion decided
In favor of the hobble skirt it was
worn. I doubt very much if Miss Far
rish herself could tell you why she
asked you to discontinue your Inves
tigation. Probably she acted on im
pulse. By this time she undoubtedly
Is Just as eager as she ever was for
you to go on."
i "What would you advise?"
"I'd go on," said Davis laconically,
as he lighted another cigarette.
For a moment I was almost shaken
in my determination to do nothing un
til I had seen Louise. It seemed as if
Davis might be . right Perhaps she
bad acted only on impulse. Perhaps
her love for me had made her feel
that the Investigation might lead me
Into danger. But I reconsidered. She
had given me her love and trust and
confidence. She surely was entitled
to full confidence from me. I could
not honorably continue the Investiga
tion without first seeing ber.
"I am going to town on the first
train," I said decisively. "J shall do
nothing until I have seen her."
' "And I shall go on with the Inves
tigation," said Davis with that exas
perating smile of bis. ;
Impatiently I turned and left him'
I choked down a cup of coffee and hur
ried to the station. The journey
.seemed miles and miles long, though
the train made few stops. As soon as
. the ferry landed me In New Tork I
sprang into a taxi and ordered the
driver to take nie at once to the Far
rlsh bouse. Net until we had turned
Into their street did I realize that It
was still too early for me to try to see
. Louise, even on such an urgent mis
sion aa mine. A few doors away from
the house I stopped the chauffeur and
bade him drive up the avenue to the
entrance of Central park.
I dismissed him there and strolled
aimlessly Into the park. 1 would wait
until ten o'clock before I, tried to see
Louise. Still pondering the situation,
I strolled along one of the park walls
and flung myself on a bench by the
little lake where the swan boats are.
Tbere was no one about at that early
tour and I was glad of it I wanted
to be alone and think. '
How long I sat there I do not know.
I was so. deep in thought that there
was neither sight In my eyes nor bear
ing in mr cars. Tet the eyes will not
be denied their rights. A feeling came
over me that' some part of my brain
was trying to tell me something. It
came more and more forcefully. My
eves were seetng something which
nhey were trying to compel me to no
nce. 1
H'bat was-it?
I tuUA myself together with a start
ec 1 looked about me.
V.". 't exclamation of horror I
r f i t' e bench and gazed into
. ; In front of me. Floating
; t cot fL"ly feet from
JViEiam
Johnston
where I bad been sitting, was the
body of a woman.
"Other suicides, other suicides"
Davis' remark of two days before kept
jigging through my brain. Other sul'
eldest Katharine, Elser, the woman
at Ardway his prophecy had been
right end was this another in the
terrible chain?
I ran like a madman toward the
park entrance, where I remembered
I. had passed a policeman. It was
with relief that I found Dim still
there.
"There's a woman drowned In the
lakel" I gasped, pointing over my
shoulder.
He ran back to the lake with me
and together we waded out in the shal
low water where the body lay. In my
horror at the unexpected sight I had
not stopped to note her appearance,
nor could I have told whether she
was young or old, dark or fair.
I looked .at her now with more than
interest with a feeling of sorrow, of
understanding. The deed of Katha
rine Farrish had brought me to a
closer sympathy with unfortunate per
sons influenced to seek death. As I
saw that this poor girl was young and
fair I sadly wondered what tragedy
had driven her to drowning.
Never shall I forget the impression
the picture of this suicide made on
met She lay on her back, with long
blonde tresses of well-kept hair float
ing out on either side of ber shapely
head. Her eyes were closed, but her
shapely brows and lcyig dark lashes
made her face comely even In death,
Her clothing, I observed, was well-
made, and though wet and soiled as it
was by the water it still gave the Im
pression of neatness.
We grasped the body gently by the
arms and drew It in to the bank, where
we lifted It to the park bench on
which I had been sitting,
"I wonder if there Is anything about
her to identify her by? said the po
liceman, and together we looked.
Apparently there was nothing. There
were no rings on her hands, though
the fingers were those of a woman of
refinement. The officer turned back
the collar of her coat, but the name
of the maker had been cut away.
"She didn't want nobody to know
who she was, I guess," he said after a
hasty examination. "They generally
try to hide their names.1
"Yes, I suppose they do," I said
apathetically.
"I've got to go over to the arsenal
and report this and send for the wag
on. Will you wait till I come back?
I won't be long."
"I'll wait," I said.
He disappeared up the path and I
was left alone with the body. As I
sat there, meditating on the myatery
that had caused so many other trag
edies, I became conscious of the fact
that one of this girl's hands was
closed, as If, even In death, she was
striving to conceal something.
Stooping over, I gently pressed back
the stiffening fingers.
An exclamation of horror came to
my lips as I saw what had been con
cealed there.
It was a little scrap of yellow paper.
I could hardly believe my eyes. It
must be that this poor girl here was
another of the victims In the baffling
chain of crime I was seeking to un
ravel. I held the water-soaked frag
ment up to the light, but there was
nothing on it not a word. Yet there
was no mistaking the color and tex
ture of the paper. It was undoubtedly
the same that Louise and I had found
in Katharine's room after she had
tried to kill herself. It was the same
that the police had discovered in An
drew Elsler's room. There was no
question in my mind but that It was
the same that the woman in Ardway
had torn up before she hanged herself
in the little hotel. But what was the
tie between them? What could be the
mysterious import of this yellow let
ter that drove its recipients to death?
Here was one fragment. Perhaps I
could find other scraps perhaps the
whole letter. I ran down to the bank
of the lake and began a systematic
search of the water along shore. Foot
by foot I studied it carefully. For ten
minutes I searched unavallingly and
then I caught a glimpse of something
yellow half hidden by an overhanging
tree. Carefully I parted the branches.
Sure enough, submerged In six Inches
of water, were more of the yellow
scraps. I waded in and, scooping
them up carefully In my hands, laid
them on the grass to dry, for they
were all but falling apart and I hardly
dared handle them. Meanwhile I con
tinued my search for other yellow
scraps this time without avail. If she
had carried a torn-up letter with ber
as she sprang to death, the . other
pieces had floated away.
At last, convinced that there was
no possibility of recovering more of
them, I gave up my search and re
turned to where I had spread the re
covered scraps on the grass. One by
one I studied, them. They were evi
dently a part of a type-written letter,
but the Ink had run so that it was
Impossible to read a single word on
them. From their shape, too. It ap
peared that they were not consecutive,
so there was little hope of learning
anything from them.
Just two of the inky smears seemed
to have possible meaning.
On one of . them I was almost posi
tive that I could trace the word
"youth." On another scrap was a
word that a little stretch of the Imagi
nation might decipher as "ber."
"Youth" and "her."
They might mean much or nothing.
They might have some bearing on
the great mystery I was trying to
solve. They might have none. Per
haps they were, after alL merely
phrases from letter that had brought
disappointment to loving woman.
In all likelihood this suicide bad no
connection with the others. But why,
then, the yellow paper?
- So Intent was I on my thoughts that
I did not observe the. return ot the
policeman until I heard! his voice.
"What have you got there?"
There was suspicion in his tone
the natural suspicion of the represen
tative of the law. It was on the tip
of my tongue to say: "Another yellow
letter."
For once prudence restrained me.
t recalled how my too hasty speech
at the coroner's Inquest bad led me
Into trouble. I coued hardly expect
a twelve-hundred-dollar policeman to
assist in solving the mystery that was
still perplexing Davis.
"Just some scraps of paper," I said
carelessly. "After you had gone I no-
tltced that she was clutching a bit of
paper In one hand. I searched around
the lake to see If I could find more.
I found these. It is evidently part of
a letter, but the Ink has run so you
can make nothing out of them."
"Let's see them." "
I handed him all of them.
"This," I explained. "I found In her
hand and the others were over there
under those bushes."
One by one the policeman examined
them, turning them carefully over and
over.
"There's nothing to them," he final
ly announced.. "The wagon will be
here In a minute. I don't suppose
youll want to be claiming any credit
tor finding the body?"
I had feared that he would Insist
on my accompanying him to testify
to its finding. It was quite a relief
to bear him take this view of It
"Of course not" I answered hastily.
"Then," said he with utmost can
dor, "you might as well beat It It
don't do a cop no good to have other
people finding things on his post If
you ain't here when the wagon comes,
there ain't nobody to say It wasn't me
that found the body. I want to thank
you, though, for coming and telling
me about it There's a lot of fools
would have gone and telephoned the
arsenal and then I'd been on the car
pet for not covering my post properly."
I was glad Indeed of the opportunity
to get away. It was nearing ten
o'clock. My trousers and shoes were
In such condition that I wanted to get
to my apartments for a change before
seeing Louise. I hastened to the
park entrance and hailed a taxi. By
the time I left my rooms and reached
the Farrish home It was ten minutes
after ten.
As my taxi turned into the street I
saw another one stop before the Far
rish door. At first I thought it must
be the doctor or one of his assistants,
but as s the front door .closed behind
the tall figure of a man who had been
admitted to the house I realized that
V 1
I Gently Pressed Buck
It was some one I bad seen before.
There was something reminiscent in
the broad shoulders, in the walk. It
was some one I knew, or ought to
have recognized, yet who It was or
Ever See a Stout Postman?
In London, for Instance, Carriers
Walk Over 81xteen Miles Carry
; ' ing Forty Pounds. J
Has It ever struck you why a stout
postman Is such s rarity? The ques
tion Is worth attention.
A postman who In a busy London
residential district walks from four
teen to sixteen miles a day, starts out
in the morning with mails weighing
something like eighty pounds. As
his letters and packages are distrib
uted, the weight ot his bag, of course,
grows less, so that the average weight
be carries during bis trip is forty
pounds. A pint of water weighs a
pound. A 10-quart pail weighs about
where 1 had seen him I could not at
the moment recall.
I was not three minutes behind him
In reaching the door. Though the other
visitor bad been admitted at once,
there was no immedlalte response to
my ring. I watted a while and rang
again. It seemed minutes before any
one answered, then one ot the maids
opened the door a trifle and peered
out '
"Mr Kent to see Miss Louise. I
said.... ; : .
To my great amazement she did not
open the door to me, but still holding
It Just barely enough to enable her to
talk to me, said: "I'm sorry, but I
have orders to admit no one to the
house."
"Ot course, 1 understand that you
have your orders, but please tell Miss
Louise that Mr. Kent is here."
"I'll tell her. If you wish." she said
doubtfully, carefully closing the door
before she went on the mission.
The shutting of the door In my face
gave me an odd sense of desolation.
It seemed as If I were being shut out
of the life of the woman I loved. Yet
on second thought I smiled at my per
turbatlon. The maid was only carry
ing out a necessary order. As soon
as Louise knew I was there she would
come running to the door herself. In
a minute she would be folded in my
arms and all misunderstanding would
be cleared away. Undoubtedly she
would have a good explanation for
her telephone message of the night
before. I told myself that It was only
lack of sleep and the incident In the
park that had upset my nerves. My
misgivings were utterly foolish.
At length the door opened slowly. I
had expected to see Louise herself be
hind it, but It was the same maid. Tbls
time she held the door hardly as wide
as before.
"I'm sorry, sir, she said, "but Miss
Louise says she can not see you now."
"What?" I gasped.
She repeated her message while I
stood there dazed. There must be
some mistake. Louise must have mis
understood the name.
"Did you tell her it was Mr. Kent?"
"Yes, sir. I told her."
"What did she say?"
"She said she could not see you or
any one else now."
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
What a Pltyl
A member of the committee ' of i
certain swimming club is very unpop
ular with his colleagues. Until re
cently the fact did not appear to trou
ble him greatly. On the eve of some
aquatic sports, however, he made a
startling discovery, and at once
brought the matter before bis fellow
members. '
"I have discovered a dastardly plot"
he began. "Certain of the competi
tors have conspired to throw me In
the river."
the Stiffening Fingers.
"Can you swim?" eagerly Interrupt
ed a Scotsman on the committee.
"Of course, I can swim; but "
"Man," muttered the Interrupter,
"but that's a pltyl"
twenty . pounds, and the . average
weight the postman carries Is equal
to two ot these. If you want to know
why postmen are thin, try a 15-mile
walk with a 10-quart pall of water In
each hand. :
The driver ot a brewery wagon, on
the other hand. Is usually tat The
reason is that he sits on the seat of
his dray most of the day, and often
consumes large quantities of liquid.
Policemen, too, often grow tat
through standing about on their beats.
Answers, London.
There are over thirty periodicals de
voted to ghosts, visions and the super
natural generally.
THE CONFERENCE AT
POINT CLOSES
THE APPOINTMENTS TO VARIOUS
CHARGES FOR COMING YEAR
ANNOUNCED.
MANY CHANGES ARE MADE
Methodist Session Adjourned After
Much Important Work Had Been
Done Church Paper Takes Up Good
Part of Time of Closing Day.
High Point The Western North
Carolina Conference ot the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, which has
been In session here several days ad
journed Monday. The reading of the
appointments answers the lorty-nintu
and last of the minute questions,
"Whore are the preachers stationed
. 1. 1
and Immediately alter
Bishop Collins Denny concluded tne
reading of the appointments, be pro-
The appointments for this year axe
i follows:
Charlotte District J. R. Scroggs,
nrnUdinz elder: Ansonvllle; L.
L.
Smith; Charlotte, Belmont J. H. Brad
lev: Charlotte. Brevard Street L. A
Falls; Charlotte, Calvary, R. S. Howie;
Charlotte, Chadwick and Seversvllle
UUWiUiU), " '
N. R. Richardson; Charlotte, Dil worth
and Big Spring, J. O. Irwin; Charlotte
Duncan Memorial, to be supplied;
North Charlotte, W. B. Davis; Trinity,
T. F. Marr; Try on Street E. K. Mc
Larty, W. L. Nicholson, supernumer
ary; Lllesvllle, T. C. Jordan; Marsh
vllle, A. L. Aycock; Matthews, S. T.
Barber; Monroe, Central, J. H. Weav
er; North Monroe, R. H. Kennington;
Morven Circuit J. E. Woosley; Mount
Zion, Z. Paris; Plnevllle, W. L. Sher
rill; Polkton, G. C. Brlnckman; Pros
pect, S. E. Richardson; .Unlonville, M.
T. Steele; Wadeeboro, G. D. Herman;
Waxhaw, W. F. Sandford; Wedding
ton, Seymour Taylor; Principal South
ern Industrial Institute, J. A. Baldwin;
Missionary to Japan, 8. A. Stewart;
Missionary to Japan, N. S. Ogburn;
Derita, P. L. Terrell.
Ashevllle District C. A. Wood,
presiding elder; Ashevllle, Bethel, J.
W. Ingle; Ashevllle, Central, J. C.
Rowe; Ashevllle, Haywood Street W.
A. Newell; Ashevllle, North, W. E.
Poovey; Biltmore and Mt Pleasant J.
W. Campbell; Black Mountain, R. E.
Hunt; Brevard, L. D. Thompson; Bre
vard Circuit, C. M. Carpenter, supply;
Fairview, T. A. Grace; Elk Mountain,
to be supplied; Flat Rock and Tuxedo,
W. R. Shelton; Henderson ville, A. L.
Stanford; Hendersonvllle Circuit, A.
L. Latham; Hot 8prlngs, R. N. Hasty;
Leicester, J. H. Green; Marshall, E. B.
Stabler; Mars Hill. L. H. Griffith; Mills
River, J. C. Postell; Spring Creek, R.
E. Wellons, supply; Sulphur Springs,
J. P. Brass; Swannanoa, R. F. Huney
cutt; Tryon and Saluda, R. L. Fergu
son; Walnut Circuit A. C. Gibbs;
Weaverville, F. A. Hawley; Weaver
ville Circuit, J. R. Warren; West Ashev
ville. Z. E. Barnhardt; vice president
Weaverville College, W. B. West; Mis
sionary to Cuba, R. J. Parker.
Greensboro District. G. T. Rowe,
nresldlna: elder: ABheboro Station, J.
E. Thompson; Ashebofo Circuit, L. T.
Hendren, supply; Coleridge Circuit R.
L. Melton; Deep River, J. D. Gibson;
rvntnn. J. A. Holmes, supply; Greens-1
boro Circuit F. L. Townsend; Greens
boro, Centenary, R. D. SherriU;
Greensboro, Spring Garden, W. E
Ahnrnethv: Greensboro. Walnut Street
and Caraway Memorial, G. H. 'Chris-
tenberry; Greensboro, .West . Market
Street C. W. Byrd; West Greensboro
Circuit W. L. Dawson; High Point,
South Main Street H. C. Byrum; High.
Point, Washington Street J. H. Barn
hardt; Gibson ville, W. 8. Hales; Pleas
ant Garden, J. A. Sharp; Ramseur and
Franklinville, O. P. Ader; Randleman
and Naomi, R. A. Taylor; Randolph,
A. S. Raper; Reldsvllle, W. F. Worble;
Ruffln, L. P. Bogle; Uwharrie, A. T.
Bell; Wentworth, A. J. Burrus; Editor
North Carolina Christian Advocate, H.
M. Blair; secretary and treasurer :
Greensboro Female College, W. M.
Curtis; Missionary to Korea, J. R.
Moose; State Sunday school secretary,
J. W. Long.
Mount Airy District R. M. Taylor,
presiding elder; Danbury, T. J. Fol
ger; Dobson, J. M. Price; Elkin Sta-
tinn T n TntHa- Jnnoavilln. 7. V.
Johnston; Leaksville, J. H. West;
u.ji.n an CHnnmHiio A R SniTatt- I
mauiovu nuu avwww M
Mount Airy Station, W. H. Willis;
ai rironit. C. R. Allison:
t m.w- t w nnmfia aunolv: Pilot
Mountain, J. H. Vestal, supply; Rural
Hall, J. M. Folger; Spray and Draper,
J. P. Hlpps; Stokeadale, G. W. WI1-
liams; Summerfield, T. B. Johnson;
Walnut Cove, J. H. Brendell; Yadkin-
ville, J. T. Stover. -
TMat.w i n! n. nr-
siding elder; Bald Creek, W. L. Ed-
Rfil wivor. J. K. Womack:
n Im. tit r cini, miffaMo a I
nnniir nnrinn v. .1 I
Poe; Forest City, J. F. Moser; Green
River. J. C. Richardson; Henrietta, J
F. Armstrong; Huntaaie, it. mock;
Routb; Mlcavllle. H. H. Mitchell, sup-
ply Morganton Station, D. AtKins;
Morganton Circuit H. L. Powell;
North Catawba, J. L. Smith, supply;
Old Fort, R. L. Doggett; Kutherrora-
Forest Fire Doing Much Damage.
Ashevllle. Fire is devastating the
Pink Beds, one of the timber tracts
of the George W. Vanderbllt estate at
Biltmore, and an extra force of "over
a hundred men haa been employed to
fight the flames, which are sweeping
through this choice piece of Umber
land. , The fire had been In progress
for three daya, bnt had not been made
public, the managers ef the state pre
ferring to fight it out alone without
any publicity. The Are started on the
Ashevllle side ot the tract and has
eaten steadily Into the forcest
Hi
ton, Albert Sherrlll; Spruce Pine and
Bakersville, J. P. Morris, euply; Table
Rock, Elmer Simpson; Thermal City,
F. W. Dibble; Porfessor Rutherford
College, E. K. Creel.
North Wllkesboro District M. H.
Vestal, presiding elder; Avery, J. W.
Hall, supply; Boone, J. F. Starnea, J.
M. Downum, Junior preacher; Creston,
D. C. Ballard; Elk Park, to' be sup
piled, W. M. Bagby, supernumerary;
Helton, E. E. Yates; Jefferson, H. V.
Clark; Laurel Springs, 8. W. Brown;
North Wllkesboro Station. Parker
Holmes; North Wllkesboro Circuit 3.
E. McSwaln; Sparta, T. J. Mouck;
Watauga, I. Hickman; Wllkesboro
Station, A. P. Ratledge; Wilkes Cir
cuit J. 0. W. Holloway; Missionary
to Japan, W. A. Wilson.
Salisbury District W. R. Ware,
presiding elder; Albemarle J. P. Rog
ers, C. M. Gentry, supernumerary; Al
bemarle Circuit P. W. Tucker; Beth
el and Big Lick, R. K. Brady; China
Grove, H. H. Robblns; Concord, Cen
tral, Harold Turner; Concord, Forest
Hill, W. M. Robblns; Concord, Ep
worth, 0. 0. Harley; Concord, West
Ford. J. M. Rldenhour. supply: West
Concord, G. A. B. Holderby; Concord
Circuit W. T. Albright; Cottonville, S.
S. Hlggins; Gold Hill, R. L. Forbls,
suddIv: Kannaoolis. W. B. Shlnn; Mr.
Pleasant C. F. Sherrlll; New. London,
g. l. Owen, supply; Norwood, J. w.
Clegg; Salem, T S. Ellington; Salts-
oury, f irst . unurcn, j. v. nuure,
finllnhiirv VTnlmAa Nm Memorial. J.
p. Lannlng; Salisbury. South Main, G.
A. Stamper and A. H. Whlsner, super
numerary; Salisbury Circuit E. M.
Avett; Spencer Station, H. C. Sprink
le; East Spencer and North Main, C.
E. Steadman; Woodleaf, James Wil
son. Shelby District S. B. Tnrrentlne,
1 " " J
presiding elder; Belwood, W. V. Hun
eycutt: H. G. Stamey. supernumerary;
Bessemer City, R. H. Rhinehart; Cher
ry ville, T. W. Ussery; J. F. Harrelson,
junior preacher; Crouse, W. M. Bor
Inn: Gastonla. Matn Street J. E. Ab-
ernethy; Gastonla, Ozark and West
Gastonla, N. C. Williams, supply;
King's Mountain and El Bethel, M. B.
Cleee: Lincolnton Station, T. J. Rodg
er ; Lincoln Circuit, J. H. Robertson;
Lowell and Dallas, N. M. Modlln;
Lowesville, J. W. 8trlder; McAden
ville, B. F. Flncher; Mountain Island,
D. W. Brown; Mount Holly and Bel
mont. J. A. Bowles; FaHston, J. P.
Davis; Shelby, Central, E. E. William
son, R. M. Hoyle, supernumerary;
Shelby Circuit U E. Stacy; South
Shelby and Sharon, L. F. Brothers;
South Fork. W. S. Cherry; Stanley
Creek. E. N. Crowder.
Statesvllle District L. T. Mann,
presiding elder; Alexander, M. T.
Smathera; Catawba, Beverly Wilson;
r.ool SDrlnsr. J. J. Edwards: Davidson,
C. M. Campbell; Granite Falls and
Hudson, D, F. Carr; Hickory Station,
D. M. LItaker; Hickory Circuit J- P,
Hornbuckle: Iredell. P. H. Brittian;
Lenoir Station, C. M. Pickens; Lenoir
Circuit C. H. Curtis; Maiden, J. W.
Kennedy: Mooresvllle Station, C. S.
Klrkpatrick; Mooresvllle Circuit, E.J
Mvers. J. W. Jones; Newton Station,
W. M. Bilea; North Lenoir, J. C. Keev
er: Rhodhlss. G. W.vFlnk. supply;
Rock Springs, T. E. Wagg; South Le
noir and Valmead, C. E. Dupont;
RtAtesville. Broad Street J- F. Kirk;
RtateavUIe. Race Street. J. J. Eads;
Statesvllle Circuit, J. C. Mock; Stony
Point D. S. Richardson: Troutman, C.
L. McCain; President Davenport Col-
leee. J. B. Craven; Missionary secre
tary, H. K. Boyer; Conference mis
sionary evangelist D. H. Coman.
Waynesville District L. T. cordeii,
presiding elder; Andrews, J. J. Bark
er; Bryson City and Whittier, J. W.
Williams; James Occumma, supply;
Bethel Circuit, T. S. Coble; Canton, B.
p Hareett: Clyde. W. C. Jones; Dills-
boro and Sylva, W. O. Davis; C. S.
Neal, supply; Fines Creek, J. A. Marr;
Franklin Station, M. H. Tuttle; Frank
lin Circuit D. P. Walters; Glenville,
F. O. Dryman; Hayesville, B. M. Jack-
eon: Havwood. R. C. Kirk; Judson, J.
F. Usry; Jonatban, 3. A. Fry; Macon
Circuit J. L. Teague; Murphy Station,
H. H. Jordan; Murphy Circuit W. I.
Hughes; Waynesville Station, M. F.
M corse; Wester, D. R. Profit L. B.
Abernethy. Junior preacher; Mission
ary to Cuba, M. B. Stokes.
Winston District P. T. Durham,
nrHidins- elder: Advance. J. A. J. Far
rington; Cooleemee, C. M. Short; Dav
idson Circuit J. T. Ratledge; Davie
Circuit B. A. York: Farmlngton, J. B.
Taber; Forsyth, T. W. VIck; Jackson
Hill, P. L. Shore; Kernersvllle, C. P.
Goode: Lewisville. A. G. Loftlni Lex
ington, A. W. Plyler; Linwood, W. F.
Elliott; Mocksville, E. W. Fox; Thoni
aaville, Main Street R- M. Courtney;
Tnomasvilie Circuit, r. n. rumor;
Walkertown, O. J. Jones ; Winston,
Burkhead, W. L. Hutchins; Winston,
Centenary, E L. Bain; Winston, Sal-
em Grace and LilDerty. it. Atam
-.
son; Winston, SouthBlde and Salem, J.
8. Hyatt: Winston, West End, W. A.
Lambeth: Field agent Children's
Home, w. v. uooae; jmoaiuunrjr w
Cuba. H. W. Baker; Student Vander
Dllt university, j. narraou,
Transferred. L. W. Collins to North
Georgia Conference; L. A. Palmer and
O. I. Hlnson to Southwest Missouri
Conference: T. E. Weaver to Florida
Conference; B. Margeson to Arkansas
Conference is. u.. uienn to norin
Carolina Conference,
E. A. Cole of Charlotte was elect
ed Conference lay reader for the com-
ing year,
The trains leaving High Point Mon
day evening were crowded with mem'
bers of the Conference and visitors
wno were remruius w uii uuU
The preachers who have received new
appointments will begin their work
wunm mo u u
To Serve Murder Sentences.
Greensboro. Sheriff Hanes of Sur
ry county was In Greensboro recent
ly en route to Raleigh with two pris
oners to serve 15 and three-years
terms for murder. One of the pris
oners was, a 19-year-old girl who was
sentenced to serve three years for the
murder of Jerry Wlllard of Mount
Airy; the other a middle-aged man
who IS to serve 15 years for the mur
der of Strauder Cooke, a land owner
of Surry county. The girl was Min
nie Humphries and In the station here
she talked freely to people.
smsstm.
Lesson
(By B. O. 8KLLER8, Director of Eva.
nine Department The Moody Blfcle In
stitute ot Chlcaio.)
VWkVaWBt(fka(aaaaBk(JatJsa)
LESSON FOR DECEMBER x 8
THE CHILD IN THE MIDST. '
lESBOW TEXT-Matthew ls:l-H '
GOLDEN TEXT "In heaven their an
fela do always behold tha face of my
Father which Is In heaven. "Matthew
10:10 R. V.
Like two mighty mountain peaks
there stand before us In this lesson
two tremendously vital lessons. The
first and the foremost is that of dls
cipleshlp as suggested by the ques
tion In verse one, "Who Is the great
est in the kingdom?" And the second
lesson Is that ot Christ's attitude to
wards children. Jesus again reveala
himself aa the world s greatest teach
er. He teaches by example setting
a child before them, and by exhorta
tion, "Except ye become as children,"
by contrast, etc.
The very form of the disciples'
question revealed their coarse ambi
tion for power and clearly Indicated
that they were as yet far from com
prehending the principles of bis
kingdom. One ot the most insidious
temptations that comes to the Chris
tian worker Is the ambitious desire
for place and power. It Is hard to
reconcile church politics with the
principles ot the kingdom ot God.
Jesus answers their question by
the use of objective teaching that
always has such an advantage over
the purely metaphysical method of an
swering such a question. Placing a
child In their midst he answered In
the words found In verse two of the
lesson.
What He Meant.
Tne wora eniy i iromouuuu.
with emphasis. "I say." again re
veals his authority to answer. "Ex
cept ye turn," what does he mean?
To become childish T No, but to be
come childlike; there is a vast deal
of difference. There the child stands,
trustful, obedient submissive, unself
ish, pure, potential. Imperfect, ready
to receive Impressions as wax and as
tenacious to retain those Impressions
as granite. Pride, self-confidence, -disobedience,
selfishness, Impurity,
assumed perfectness, and an unwill
ingness to learn will effectually keep
us out of the kingdom ot heaven.
What a rebuke his answer implied,
viz., not who Is greatest but rather,
"are you sure you are really In the
kingdom r The true disciple who
really comprehends the essence ot
Christ's teaching Is far less con
cerned with his rank in the kingdom
than he is to "know him" and thus
make sure of a place in the kingdom.
Ever after this, when wrong ambi
tions arose, these disciples must have
recalled that sweet child and Jesus'
saying, "be like that"
. Does this lesson then teach us that
all children are by nature children of
the kingdom? Hardly, though we cer
tainly do not believe that a child dy
ing In Infancy is lost Rather we in
cline to the belief that they have
that spirit of teachableness and trust
that fits them to "enter" (v. 8) the
kingdom (see John 8:6). Therefore,
the added significance of verse six.
The responsibility of parents and
teachers to lead them Into the king
dom at this early age when their
trustfulness has not been destroyed.
Let us look at some ot the condi
tions whereby we enter the kingdom.
John 10:9, "I am the. door, by me
shall ye enter." John 8:3, "Except
ye be born again." Heb. 8:19, ",They
could not enter because of unbelief."
Read also t Peter 1:5-11 and other
passages.
How to Become Great ,
Having thus struck at the primary
question involved, Jesus then tells
them how, once being in the kingdom,
to become great, "whoso humbleth
himself, etc.". To humble yourself la
voluntarily to choose the humblo, the
lowly, place for yourself; that place
removed from the admiration and the
adulation ot men. Paul learned this
lesson and constantly refers to him
self as the "bond slave" and wishes
that be might be accursed for the
sake of his brethren Israel. Moses
found this place when he pleaded with
God to blot hrm out of the book of
his remembrance but to save, the chil
dren of Israel. Jesus is himself the
greatest Illustration of this principle.
(See Phil. 8:6-11.) '
Jesus goes on to teach" by con
trast what Is to be our attitude to
ward those who are In the kingdom.
There is an Incidental, Illumination
of the attitude ot little children , to
Jesus. They were never afraid of
him. It is true that he might have
meant here humble men who have
childlike hearts, but we are Inclined
to feel that It was real children of
which he is speaking. Our treatment
of them is our treatment of him, for
he completely Identifies himself with .
them. To cause such an one to stum
ble It were better for the offender to
have a millstone hanged about hla
neck and he be drowned In the depth
of the sea.'
- How often as we look at a child do
we see Jesus ? . How often do we re
member that as we reecive such we
are receiving him? To despise one of
them is to despise him, for "In
heaven their angeU do always behold
the face of my Father which Is in
heaven." Notice, also, how he brings
into this connection the matter, of
shepherding. , Men are lost, born so.
and it is to seek these that the son
of man came into the world. Is it
possible that this very child that
stood In their midst was lost? If so, '
remember It was for such that God
is seeking. : The conversion of a child
is of far greater Importance poten
tially to the kingdom of God than, the
conversion of the greatest tf earth.
The loss of a child is terrible In lta '
consequences. Murder, drunkenness,
robbery and licentiousness are ram
pant upon the streets of all of our
great cities, and the chief offenders
are the boys and girls in the "teen"
ages. Economically the conversion of
one boy is of Incalculable value.