Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-17

l.
Boom and roar and crash, and again and
again, throughout the day and throughout
the night. boom and roar and crash. The
surf charged upon the pebbled beach with
the huge wrath of a monstrous beast. The
screeching wind rushed in from the lost
caves beyond the sea. wailing and shrieking
against its relentless hunters. 1t sought
pity and shelter from the land. but the land
shivered and shook, and besought II TO be
gone. Then the maddened wind seized the
rain and tossed 1t in torrents on the roofs
and streets. 1t swooped upon the waves
and grasped the foam and scattered 1t far
inland. 1t scratched up the sand and peb-
bles and pelted them against the walls and
window panes. Boom and roar and crash!
A fiercer gale had seldom attacked the Mt
tie lonely inn on the beach
Out in the night, out on the sea- the fishing
boat from strange lands tossed and tunnbled
and pitched, groaning and creaklng, piuns-
ing and rolling. no better nor stouter IN
that storm than a shaving launched by
child. The three men in it chung helplessly
TO the spars and rails, shuddering with cold
and fear. and. with less and less hope as
the hours passed. seeking a light in the
darkness. seeking aid in their extremity.
No light shone; no lifeboat came. One lost
strength and bone. and. scarcely resisting.
was swept overheard with a howl or de-
spair- Another began to pray with for-
eign tongue, to many saints. but the third
held fiercely to the mast and laughed al ms
neighbours prayers. and. looking on the
storm, cursed it and detled 1t.
II.
Mrs Holloway could not rest in her snug
gerry in the inn. She rose from her own
special rocking chair and went to the win
dows. drawing aside the warm curtains to
peep out at the storm. She could not see
two inches beyond the glass, yet she re-
a,,-i1,3 r1x- md
her fingers twitched and clasped each other
In nervous dread One might have believed,
so fixed was her gaze upon the impenetra-
BILE night, that she really could see through
the storm could see across the roaring,
racing waves, and advance her spirit fur
Their than mans ken to meet half way that
thing which approaching
From the parlor music came, and the
conmingling of voices. A mans voice blend
ed with a woman's so tremendously as to
assure the hearer of something more than
frequent practice by the singers, of an en-
tire unison of soul and sentiment
Ich weiss nicht was soil est bedeuten,
Das ich traurig bin.
There was no note of undue sadness in
the voices of the singers. For them the
song was the fair expression of a dream--a
song of sweet melancholy. In the far
distance of the future they might repeat
the words with more personal import. To-
day they We're too young to deeply think
To Mrs. Holloway the song meant far more
than TO them. As her daughters music
Joined in. she suddenly left the window and
sat down again in her rocker. She hid her
face with her hands and wept.
Ich weiss nicht was soil est bedeuten,
Das ich traurfg bin.
The singing ceased abruptly. In a mo-
ment there came into the snuggery from
the adjoining parlor young woman, fair
faced, and with eyes that were wide with
love. She kneeled at her mothers feet and
drew the hiding hands from the thin face.
Mother, mother, mother, what does this
mean?'
young man followed. sailor by dress,
sailor by bearing, sailor by his freckled,
sunburned. salt-beaten face, sailor by his
big. rope-hardened hands, sailor by his keen,
open, far-seeing eyes.
Halo, mother! What's the NATTER"
He, too. bent over Mrs Holloway, and.
with q sons regard, placed one arm low
ingly around her shoulders. Yet the disen-
gagged hand sought his sweethearts, and
pressed it also in an embracing desire to
comfort both.
Crying. mother? Crying this week of
all weeks in the long. long year? Oh,
mother mother! I thought We agreed that
there were to be no tears at my wedding?"
Mrs Holloway tried to smile, but sobbed
again. She caught her daughters hand
and drew the girl up 10 her breast and
patted the sailors hand reassuringly.
I'm not sick. dears." she said, land I
think 1 very foolish indeed, because
don't know why l am crying. It's the
storm. l suppose"
Not so much Of a gale, mother, and
Jacks not at sea at any rate
The mother laughed through her tears
"Oh. of course she said, IF Jacks here
and safe it does not matter how the wind
may blow. but still, my dear. there are
many boats at sea and many Jacks. l sup
pose l am nervous. but | seem to see the
boats tonight rocking and tumbling. and
the men IN them cold and hungry and wet
driving on the shore perhaps, and. oh,
perhaps not ready for death. Oh, Katie
dear. l shall be so glad when you're mar
red. and then / shall give up this inn and
get far. far away from the sound of the
sea-
Kate Holloway looked at Jack Beaumont
with worried raising of the eyebrows
and Jack began to whistle softly the Lore
lei
It's very true Mrs. Holloway said, and
rose with a smile. drying her eyes. Il don't
know what has happened to make me so
sad. ard You will both forgive me. won't
you? | shan't do it again.
Dear little mother cried Katie
Good old MOTHER cried Jack It's be-
cause all YOUR summer boarders have flown
and you feel the house lonely and empty
But. really. you must remember your prom
ise-no tears Tor the wedding next week
1--we and LAUGHING kisses thar