The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-02-14

1t was disappointing that the conver-
sntiOn 1T dinner thar night should have
,aken II strictly technical turn. 1t ran
nay. 1t fairly tlcw-on naval equip
ment. tactics and maneuvers till the
sleepy hostess withdrew unnoticed
Left all to themselves, 1t burned out
with big guns toward morning when
the stranger suddenly opened attack
on the old subject OF the ndmrars iso.
lation. urging the necessity OF renewed
contact with men. the familiar charm
Of old scenes. while the admiral listen.
ed rs IL to farolf music unmoyed: 81
am like that dear fellowt Stevenson,
Roger. my boy. |. too. have lived and
loved and closed the door,"
"But surely the Welt-gcist is not dead
in you. admiral. Gray hairs do not
make moss grown wits. There's not
man in the service to match YOU"
Thanks" interrupted the older man
briefly. ''Wclt-lust ist vorbci II can
avoid Welt-schmertz here IN the over
grown corner OF my pasture fastness.
don't let envy of my pence poison your
happiness. l am too old. and Screta"-
"Ah. yes. Screta." broke in the
younger. ''Slle is ut the other end Of
the path. You and she are like the two
last petals OF the daisy rhyme we used
to say our fate y-'passionement-p
de tout" You live in your library and
your thoughts. She lives IN your shad-
ow and the companionship Of that by
percrltical cid gardener"
'Your voice betrays irritation, Ros-
err" said the admiral blandly Sam
f1fil Ill Il Ii,
"No-tllat is. tried to talk with him
bit about slips this morning 1 was
admiring his yellow lilies. but lie took
no interest in my botanical researches.
That is neither here nor there. how
ever. Your ward has eyes that no rose
bugs can appreciate and nature that
would whiten up some Of the dark
places Of earth considerably if proper
ly applied. She ought to see less Of
herself and more off, He began to
say people Of her own age. but ended
worse by adding. "Tne things her
mother would have given her. fun and
dancing, and"-
"Stop!" cried the admiral "God for
bid such a fate rs her mothers was
for her! Thus far her feet have trod
In angel innocence. She is happy as q
boy, high minded as saint. She has
never tnmpered with her emotions nor
felt the wasting reaction from pleas
ure. She doesn't know her heart cx-
ccpt rs she knows her Iungs-by name.
She Is youth. graceful and unspoiled,
classic as n Greek. You cannot make
folly OF her. The marble is already
cut on straightcr lines"
For time things went on In the old
routine. Except that the admiral
smoked more and talked less no one
would have guessed anything had hap
pencd. No one saw the battle fought
or took account Of self indulgence slnin
or carried drink to the dying convic-
tions or softened the going Of well low
ed preferences, but after many days
and nights the campaign ended as sud-
denly as it began. and the admiral was
every inch q commander still as he
went to find Sereta with surrender on
his brow. 1t was bedtime. and he
found her on the terrace bidding the
stars good night, one Of her many
quaint observanccs Of childhood.
There was touch Of pagan wonder
on her upturned face as she stood
there. He stood beside her and breath
ed last long breath Of complete con-
tent. 'Thcy look down on many q
heart and country tonight" he began.
'Think Of the Alps-they must love
such tall peaks best because they are
ncarest-and then the sea that tosses
their image back TO them in million
shifting alterations, and the forest full
Of sleeping and waking beasts. and the
Ysin <>f la ~,
desert and the hearts Of men. You,
too. little friend, would you like to be a
star and have MI the beauty and mis-
cry of the whole world spread before
yOuY
Was he in earnest? There was some
thing new in his manner. Oh, was he
in earnest? She did not speak, only
dropped her eyes to his face, and her
upper lip quivered slightly. Did he
mean it? Strange desires pressed upon
her; the world beyond the garden
seemed calling US the norman called
his wife in n poem Of Arnold that was
still ringing in her ears. She was
outside the behavior Of custom now
troubled. get glad.
ut Is time." he continued simply;
''yes. it ia time. did not realize that
you had outgrown the lilies"
She could not keep the delight from
her face, but she did not speak, and
the admiral waited as If for a signal,
then spoke on In the summer night.
"Y0ur mother was julia Ravignon.
loved her, but she married diplomat,
and I took up my career in the navy.
Everything came to me-everything
except forgetfulness. When met her
again years after in Paris. she was
a widow, thanks to rather irregular
political intrigue involving the lives Of
more than one European envoy. She
was the same brilliant compelling
creature. Only eyes that had grown
keen with love long unfed could read
deeply enough to find the change In
her. the loss of those gentler qualities
that soften thrilling girl into a ra-