A PRACTICAL
IIOAXSTER
83
By THAYER WALDO
© McClure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.
STANDING Just Inside the en
trance of Hotel Christie—Plaza's
Palace de Glace—Garrison care
fully scanned the scene.
It was, he saw, a gala occasion—
this opening of Hollywood's most novel
play spot.
There, enclosed by a ring of supper
tables, countless couples In sports cos
tume skimmed over a gleaming floor
)f Ice. while lilting music came from
an orchestra at one end.
Watching the skaters, Gnrrison at
last focused on a girl In scarlet sweater
»nd skirt.
Rather.lt was her partner he studied,
tor the girl was familiar enough. Myra
Drexel, indeed, ranked as one of
Zenith’s most promising young act
•esses, and Garrison for some time had
'elt a keen professional interest In
lelping her to reach stardom.
The man with her was tall and
fracefully slender, though somewhat
last youth.
There was about his bearing an al
uost Intangible touch of distinction.
Seeing the captain of waiters, Gar
•ison called him over and asked: "Al
)honse. Just who Is that chap skating
with Miss Drexel?”
“Oh, that,” Alphonse replied, “is the
Baron Siegfried von Fleumann. He
irrived from Munich today, I believe."
The publicity man’s eyes narrowed.
“I see; thanks. By the way, which
s Miss Drexel’s table?”
Tile man pointed It out.
Garrison glimpsed u tow-headed fig
ire in one of the two chairs, and
milled.
So Steve Crandall was second na
iling again!
That, he knew, wouldn't suit the
ad's jealous temper, nor would the
jinn Garrison now had. However,
;hat was just too bad.
He strolled over, clapped the blond
nan’s shoulder, and said amiably:
“Hi, fella—how goes It?”
The other's response was a mere
{runt.
Garrison grinned and sat down.
"Sure,” be conceded, "I can lrn
iglne you're burned, but this'll have to
je business before pleasure.”
The youngster stared at him coldly.
“Meaning exactly what?”
“Well, are you aware who that bird
looting Myra around happens to be?”
“No,” Steve growled, “and 1 don’t
{ive a ting-iiiddle-dee. The big gigolo!”
“Listen, you egg: snap out of It and
ook at this thing seriously. That man
s a genuine baron from Germany, no
iess. Now, everyone here must know
t, including the newspnper crowd
Think of the write-ups they’ll do If
Uyra and the Baron are togettier all
tvening and he takes her home!"
Steve’s scowl was a venomous thing.
"Look here, Louis," he began, keep
ng his teeth together; "I'm not going
to fall in with any of your cockeyed
schemes, so—"
“Wait a minute, son," Garrison cut
a easily; "loving Myra, you want her
to have a career, don’t you? Well,
10 one in this town ever reached the
top without plenty of build-up In print,
ind here's your chance to help the
girl get some. With her talent, that's
ill she needs now. How about it?”
For an instant the boy didn't reply.
Then he looked at Garrison and
isked: "What do you want me to do?”
“Duck out of here. Then when the
Baron brings her back, he’ll either
have to stay at this table or ask her
to his. I’ll take care of the rest."
Steve showed a bleak, one-sided
smile and stood up.
“All right,” he said tersely: “I’ll
play It your way. Hut that doesn’t
mean I have to like it”
As lie stalked away, the music came
to an end.
Hurriedly Garrison rose and went in
the opposite direction.
Twenty yards away he took a vacant
chair and waited.
Couples were gliding off the rink
low; in a moment lie discerned Myra
Drexel and the Haron approaching.
Reaching her table, they paused and
the girl glanced around perplexedly.
Then, with an apologetic little shrug,
she said something to the man.
He bowed smilingly and (lulled out
•ler chair. Myra accepted it, and Haron
Siegfried von Fleuraanu seuted himself
across from her.
The publicity man indulged a grin
of thorough satisfaction.
On the room’s other side sat a
group of men and women from several
of ttie city’s papers, and Garrison knew
they couldn’t miss seeing the couple.
That would make press notice a cer
tainty.
Hut one Item remained to be ar
ranged.
Unobstrusively lie stole away toward
a door which gave into the hotel
proper.
Five minutes' searching found Duke
Hong, ace photographer for City News
Service, at the cocktail bar.
Garrison greeted hint and queried:
"Where’s your Mash outfit?”
Long Indicated a black case and a
tripod at the counter's end.
“Well, grab 'em,” the publicity man
Instructed, "and come along with me.
We're going to get a pretty little pic
ture for page one on all the after
noon rags."
Together they left the bar and head
ed for the I’alals de Glace. At Its en
trance Garrison halted long.
They had a clear view of Myra and
the Baron.
“They're the ones I'm after," the
publicity man said, pointing; "and give
that lens of your a polish. I want
this to be good."
Long set to work deftly.
In fifteen seconds the camera was
ready on Its tripod.
He handed Garrison a loaded powder
trough, took a quick slight, and an
nounced: “All ready—let 'er go."
As Garrison prepared to touch the
Hash off, a violent Jolt from behind
sent It spinning from his hand.
Recovering balance, he saw a vol
uminous female figure in soiled ging
ham gown heading straight toward
Myra Drexel’s table.
Then, before he could move, she had
planted herself In front of the Baron
and launched a shrill tirade.
“You goot-for-noddings loafer!” she
cried, wagging a vehement forefinger
In Ills face; “vhy you shouidt be earn
ing here to cut up foolitchnesses, heln?
Maybe you tell your new lady friendt
vhat you vas a big shoot, Ja? Veil,
yoost run along home and putd on dot
Janitor's uniform before 1 gift you a
smack In der shnoot 1"
The man’s face had gone slowly ma
genta.
His Jaw worked spasmodically, but
only guttural Germanic sounds re
sulted.
Suddenly the woman seized both his
shoulders and began to shake them
violently.
People were quickly gathering
around.
With an anguished moan Myra Drexel
sprang up and started to push her way
through them. Then out of the melee
loomed Steve Crandall’s flaxen head.
Myra clutched him and burled her face
on his shoulder.
"Oh. Stevie!” she murmured tear
fully ; "it’s so awful! Why did you
run away and leave me with that
fake?”
The boy chuckled as he led her away.
“As I recall it, darling,” he an
swered gently, “it was you who did the
first leaving. But we won’t worry
about that now.”
They went out through the lobby and
waited a moment while the doorman
called a cab.
As It drew to the curb, a figure
emerged from a door near them and
started to waddle hastily away. Steve
called: "Good night,Kate—and thanks!"
Myra shrank closer to him, gasping:
“Why, it’s that horrible wife of the
man who pretended to be a baron!”
The taxi door was open. Piloting
her in, Steve followed and took his
seat before replying.
"Sly dear,” he said then, smiling into
the girl's upturned, wondering face,
“that particular phase of the lady’s
existence is at an eud. I was sure
that in the excitement you wouldn’t
recognize Candy Kate, the woman who
has that little stand on the corner.
But say—can you feature it?—she
staked that swell act for me for only
five dollars, and the same accent gets
Garbo five thousand!”
Norwegian Elkhound Is
Handsome, Trustworthy
The Norwegian Elkhound Is fre
quently referred to as the “unspoiled
dog,” meaning that the breed, which
originated In Norway in the Nineteenth
century, is free of the attempting to
develop a show dog. Today the Nor
wegian Elkhound is the same kind of
a dog in appearance, sir.e and disposi
tion ns were the first of its kind when
the Norwegians first used It for big
game 'hunting, says nn authority in the
Detroit News.
Representatives of the breed are
not at all numerous In this country.
Occasionally they are seen In shows
or around some of the larger estates
of the East. They are handsome dogs,
not unlike the Eskimo in form, stand
ing about 20 inches high at the shoul
der and weighing around 50 pounds.
The coat is heavy and weather-resist
ing, of various shades of gray with
black tips to the long outer coat. The
tail Is set high and carried curled over
the back.
This elkhound Is a trustworthy anl
mal but very reserved In making new
acquaintances. They are Intelligent
witli great character and an abundance
of energy as befits the ordinary hunt
ing breeds. They make excellent com
panions and watch dogs.
The King’s Barge
Lying at Virginia Water is a great
scarlet and white State barge which
has carried many of England's kings
and queens. It Is nearly 250 years old.
and has not been used since 1019, when
it headed a procession of boats In the
Thames representing the work of the
navy. Eight royal watermen wearing
long scarlet coats, black velvet peaked
caps, red breeches and buckled shoes
propel the 40-foot barge. It was bull!
by William III for bis queen.—I’ear
son's Weekly.
Let Our Motto Be
GOOD HEALTH
BY DR. LLOYD ARNOLD
Professor of Bacteriology and Preventive
Medicine,University of Illinois,
College Of Medicine.
t»ee»»e»w»e»»wsi»»»e»e»tr»»t
THE HEART, THE ARTERIES
AND BLOOD PRESSURE
Since the deaths due to heart dis
ease are on the Increase, perhaps It
_ would be advisable
to explain In some
detail the pumping
power of the heart,
and Just how the
blood circulates.
Undoubtedly ev
ery one knows that
the heart Is the
blood pump of the
body. The arteries
lead away from the
heart and the veins
return It to the '
heart. The heart Is
Itself part of the blood vascular sys
tem.
The heart consists of n left and a
right chamber. The muscle coat Is
very thick, and, In comparison, the out
side covering and the Inside lining arc
very thin.
Contracting normally 72 times per
minute the heart acts as a pump be
tween the veins and the arteries. It
maintains a constant pressure of blood
in the arteries.
The arteries, however, me not pas
slve in this matter of pressure. They
are made up of muscle tissue with a
dense outside coal to prevent over
distension and an Inside lining that Is
thin and slick This muscle coat gives
a little with each heart heat so ns to
absorb the shock nnd to keep the pres
sure of the blood constant.
The arteries are constructed upon
the principle of a tree. The big trunk
Is attached to the heart, anil the large
branches go to the stomach, the In
testifies, the kidneys nnd other body
organs, and one to each arm and leg.
The large branches In turn break up
Into smaller branches, which finally
result in microscopic capillaries. These
capillaries have gossamer thin walls,
through which food substances pass
nut of the blood stream Into the body
tissues. Put another way, one might
say thnt the large arteries are the
wholesale food houses, while the capil
lories are the small retail stores.
When the blood Is distributed prop
’riy, all the capillaries have an even
supply of blood. Hut after a meal, the
stomach requires a more than normal
amount to circulate through It, so less
blood circulates In the brnin.
Now hardening of the arteries means
that the walls of the arteries have lost
their power to expand with the heat
nf the heart nnd to contract with Its
rest period. So Instead of absorbing
the shock of the rush of blood with
each bent of the heart, ns Nature In
tended, they simply net as a rigid tube
that passes this strong force unabated
in to the smaller nrteries which In
turn pass It on to the tiny capillaries.
And the thin walls of these smaller
arteries nnd capillaries were never
meant to withstand such high blood
pressure. So there Is apt to he trouble.
One of the tiny blood vessels may
break. If this happens In the brain,
we call It apoplexy nnd say the person
lias had a stroke. The seriousness of
the stroke depends both upon the size
if the blood vessel and the pressure
within the circulating system.
Tin* valves of the heart are thin
walled. loaf-like structures that close
i lie chambers of tlie heart. Sometimes
bacterial Infections cause Inflammation
if these, and (he healing process leaves
scars. The effect of these scars Is to
shorten the valves and pull them out
if place, with the result that there Is
a leakage between two of the heart
chambers. Now the muscle wall of
the heart always has to thicken to
force blood through the heart. The
leaking valves cannot hold the blond
back as they should, so the heart be
comes thicker and larger than Is nor
mal for it to compensate for the de
feet. Then In later life, when the
arteries become hardened, the blood
pressure is Increased, and the heart
aas difficulty In thickening fast enough
to carry the pumping load due to back
flow through the leaking valves.
Sometimes, too, the heart muscle it
self may have been damaged from
Fome infection in early life, such as
diphtheria. Then when hardening of
the arteries causes changes in circula
tion and in blood pressure, the heart
cannot compensate fast enough and a
-ondition called myocarditis develops.
The whole circulatory system acts
s h well-organized unit. The heart
cannot he separated from the arteries
and capillaries, and the arteries eannol
be separated from the heart and cnptl
larles. When one pnrt becomes alt
normal, the whole system must rend
Inst itself to tlie new conditions. Ordl
nnrily the abnormality Is progressive,
and hence there is a persistent effort
iy the remaining parts to conipensnte
,nd function aa nearly ns possible un
ier the handicap.
© Western Newspaper Pnlon.
Swedish Castles
Vadatana Caatla an Laka Vattarn.
"repared by the National Oeoaraphlo Society.
Washington. D. 0.—WNU Service.
SWEDEN Is still a land of cas
tles, although the owners of
many large estates have felt the
effect of world depression and
lave been forced to curtail sharply
heir living expenses. Yet "modern
housing" has made few Inroads, ex
’ppt In the large cities; and the coun
try gentlefolk, ns a rule, adhere close
ly to quaint traditions of homeliness
Inherited from their ancestors.
It Is not so easy to know the Swedes
well, especially the dwellers In the
country, who for the most part stay
it home on their property. Foreigners
nre often led to think that they are
stiff nnd reserved, sometimes a little
sullen or even haughty. But this
should he Interpreted rather ns a sign
of their northern shyness.
They nre In renlltv full of fun and
of warm feelings: hut when it Is a
question of showing the latter, their
shrinking from Impulsive gestures nnd
emotional or grandiloquent language
Is both eomlc and touching.
This Is one aspect In which the rela
tionship with the English Is most clear
ly visible.
Certainly the fetters are loosened
somewhat when they nre In a festive
mood nnd linve drunk a little wine.
But It Is not then thnt one gets closest
to them. To know nnd value them
fully, one must observe them within
their own four walls. In their dally
life nnd activities. Only in^Intimacy,
free from alien, disturbing elements,
does their charming Individuality come
to full flowering. Swedish home life
Is n cult nnd a culture unlike anything
else, the product of centuries of ten
der polishing nnd refining. And no
where has It attained such perfection
ns In the old country houses.
Big Landowner* Suffer.
If the situation Is serious for nearly
everyone nowadays, It Is often catas
trophic for the great landowners and
territorial mngnntes. Not a month
passes but some of them have to leave
home and property.
And where they stick to their old es
tates despite all their difficulties, they
often do so less for their own sake,
hut more in order not to abandon their
retainers to unemployment In the
case of entailed estates there are of
course no bankruptcies and forced
sales, but It Is not much more pleas
ant to he placed under the manage
ment of hnnks and creditors.
For Swedish agriculture can no long
er pay its way. There Is the same con
flict between agriculture and indus
try ns In most other countries; and
It looks as If the former were getting
the worst of It.
A series of relief schemes has been
started to try to aid agriculture In
Sweden, ns elsewhere. Hut there has
been no visible result thus far. An
Intensive educational campaign .has
been set on foot; state advisers and
controllers have been provided for ev
ery branch of forestry and agriculture.
Most of the medieval castles In
Sweden are situated on heights sur
rounded by water or In otherwise In
accessible places. Such placement,
needless lo say, was not due to any
considerations for natural beauty, but
because it afforded the most advan
tageous defense.
For these strong stone houses had
developed direct from the prehistoric
fortifications whose foundations are
still found here and tlffre.
Fortresses Maas into Dwellings.
When Sweden, In the Sixteenth cen
tury, ceased to be disturbed by civil
war, the gloomy and Inhospitable for
tresses were gradually converted Into
dwelling houses. As time passed these
grew more and more comfortnble. and
esthetic considerations became more
decisive. Many of the most beautiful
castles in Sweden date from this In
teresting transition period. From the
beginning of the Seventeenth century
Sweden was a great power, and re
mained one till Charles XIFs unlucky
campaigns Impoverished the country
and put an end to Its domination In
the Baltic.
Among the medieval Swedish castles
touching the early ltennlssauce style,
Skarhult, Vittskovle, and Torup are
the most characteristic and best pre
served. They are In Skane, and wet*
rebult In the Sixteenth century.
Vlttakovle and Torup are laid out on
a similar plan, with four wings round
a courtyard, towers at diagonally op
posite corners, stepped gables and fir
ing passages; and both were surround
ed for defense purposes by moats, over
which drawbridges were lowered In
olden times.
At Torup these moats have been
filled' since the eighteenth century
along two of the facades, and replaced
by gardens laid out In the old style
with sculptures, rose pergolas, and box
hedges.
The courtyard at Torup, with Its
Gothic cloister and pointed arches, Is
one of the most remarkable In the
country from the standpoint of art and
history. A stone tablet Is set Into the
wall over Its gateway. Its Latin In
scription is dated 1632 and was com
posed by the owner of the property at
that time, Slgvard Orubbe, a scholar
and a friend of the king. He calls up
on his successors, “whoever they may
be,” to do all In their power, as he
did, to preserve and beautify the an
cient building they have inherited.
Barones* Coyet’s Estate.
Probably none of them has been bet
ter equipped to carry out this Injunc
tion than its present owner, Baroness
Henrlette Coyet. On terms of close
friendship with most of the members
of the royal family, she loves to sur
round herself with eminent personali
ties In various branches of art and sci
ence, and she Is a comprehending
friend to them.
Nobel prize winners and other for
eign celebrities are received at Torup
when they visit Sweden. The Swedes
In general, the people of Skane In par
ticular, have felt themselves secure In
the knowledge that no one could rep
resent them more worthily than this
lively, highly cultured lady.
Of course, so energetic a person does
not content herself merely with social
life and the management of her great
house. Her keenness for the promo
tion of local home Industry and the
preservation of local treasures has ben
efited the whole province. The same
may be said of her experience and
taste In all that concerns gardening
and the cultivation of flowers. The ex
tensive park of Torup, surrounded by
luxuriant beech woods, the different
beds, with old-fashioned roserles and
herb gardens, are favorite goals of
specialists and laymen for purpose*
of study.
In the ancient guardroom, where In
old times the gnrrison of the castle sat
by the loopholes and guarded the draw
bridge, there now hangs a remarkably
fine collection of modern paintings.
Fine Country Houses.
Big country houses lie all along the
seacoasts of southern Sweden, and still
thicker In Vastergotland, so rich In an
cient memorials, south of Lake Vanem.
On the northern aide of the lake 1*
Varmland. whose old family legends
and traditions have been made known
far outside the boundaries of Sweden
by Selma Logerlofs poetical descrip
tions.
But most of the great country houses
of central Sweden, and the finest, are
to be found In the provinces which
abut on long Lake Mnlnren, at whose
exit to the sea Stockholm lies.
It was there especially that the
primeval people of Svea lived; thence
sprang Iturik. who laid the foundations
of Itussla. and the Vikings who rav
aged the Mediterranean coasts; and It
was there that Christianity was first
Introduced Into Sweden.
Foundations and a few massive stone
houses still survive from this long
vanished time, and In certain cases
the same family has lived on the same
property for three or four centuries.
There are estates, which, for 500, or
even 000 years, have been handed down
from one generation to another with
out ever being sold, though these, of
course, are rare exceptions.
Many lie fur from the towns, so that
none of the modern thirst for super
ficial. exciting pleasures has yet found
its way to them; that is why the old
Swedish traditions In all classes of
society are more firmly rooted there
than anywhere else.