Middletown transcript., 1905-12-02


brown blistering and quivering nirages BY
day and shimmering, sfadowy mysteries
at night and so up into the orange
groves Of the Pacific Coast.
The sun had set on ahead for the lat
time; and the passengers in the rear car
had disposed themselves for the last rest
less hours OF the journey across the conti-
nent. One young fellow with nnmlstak-
able markings Of college athlete, WAS
meditatively munching cheese sand
wiches and drinking beer-when the front
and rear doors opened, with sharp !:
Hands up, all II from both ends at
once.
There we're two men, with handker-
chiefs over their faces, and revosers.
The porter had not yet collected his tips,
go they simply locked him in the buffet
and went about pro6tably. They were
experts. Precious little escaped them.
The express slowed at the mountain
freight switch. When it dashed on, the
men we're gone, and another Western
incident was history. Even the porter
had met with his little loss, for the fellow
who ordered the beer and cheese sand
wiches had disappeared without pay ing
his check.
Beyond the broad boulevard, engulfed
in perennial green, the way into the foot
hills from Los Angeles was decidedly
dusty. Dust is the trademark OF the
! Land OF Flowers" in the dry season.
. The horseman took the hill lei>urely.
The sun was only beginning to draw his
pink gauzes about him. lie was by no
means ready for a piunge-bath in the
distant ocean. The rider drew long
breaths as his eyes swept the widening
horizon, with the peculiar exultstIon
which thrills only one to the manner
born, on his return from exile 10 eartli's
Eden.
As they skirted the cliff, he looked
down into San Gabriel Valley, with its
sweetly solemn thought Of two centuries
ago-the old, gray mission, tile silver
plated river and protecting mountains
graduating from green to musty blue.
With the next turn it was the flower-set
city, stretching toward the sea, till there
too the view grew indistinct in tinted
haze. The sea-breeze was bringing from
the ocean the canvas upon which the sun
would soon be painting glorious setting.
The next turn was through an arched
gate and up concrete drive, toward. an
ideal California villa.
In wicker armchair on the inset veE-
anda sat the beauty of the Pacific, COM
posted and vitalized. Nature has q way
Of bringing the girls Of California mp to
her own standards when she has the op-
portunity; and California girls used to
have the cennaon-sense to leave it to
Nature.
When the horse appeared, the girl
dropped her book, balanced herself half
.over:the top step and stood waving her
handkerchief.
The rider almost dropped his hat in
wild swing, and bungled in dismountil z
a frightful faur pas for Californian
but the grand calm had forsaken him.
He had been loving that girl for only she
knew how long. For years he had been
living for the moment which at last had
come. His loyetalk heretofore elected
only peremptory instructions to wait till
his education in the East was completed.
Until he reached the gate, he had
thought of it as a foregone conclusion, re-
quiring at most only touch Of common
place sentiment, by way Of ratification.
But the girl seemed changed. older, more
grown-up. She was infinitely pretter
even than he had ever dared think her
and before he was safely on his feet and
the horse at the hitching post, he was
wishing himself mile back on the road,
where he could think it all out again and
brace up.
II say, Tige, but it's good to get backr'
he began, tossing his gloves on the We
randa. But the touch OF her hand set
him trembling, and he turned to the in
eyitable brush, the brush that, till the
pavements stretched into the suburbs,
hung at every door-post, high or humble,
as much to the incoming as the door-mat.
II suppose you've scold on ice for me,
Tige, for not coming this morning, as |
wrote" he added. '.And I wish you'd
serve it quick, so that we can get down
to common-sense.
''We might begin with common sense
at once, by reminding you that my name
is Lillian, or better, Miss Baxter" she
said, standing with handkerchief in hand,
smiling at the bent, busy figure.
"Glad to hear you haven't changed il"
Jack looked over his shoulder. Il lad
it right, hadn't I, on the letter sent YOU
week ago p
"That was week ago. BY the way
you spoke, thought you might have
forgotten"
Jack had resumed the brushing, and
said irregularly Miss Lillian Baxter has
helpful qualities for benigIted postman
who goes by idiotic baptislnal records !;
but Lily doesn't fit those cheeks and
eyes of yours, or those pretty white
grinders. 1t never did, and it's worse
than ever now, with that stunning bang
BY Joye, Tige, but it is stunning! When
did you think it out ?" Jack paused to
admire, with the brush in position sug-
gesting that it was flag about to he
waved. 'The only lily you resemble is
tiger-lily, and Tige fits you better than
ever. say, are You opening up this way
just because am late ?''
Indeed am not, Jack. | knew yery
well that you would not be here this
morning, when | read OF the hold up last
evening on the train. 1t is only an effort
to remind you that we are out OF baby
frocks, and that If Harvard and Boston
have failed to imbue you with sense of
propriety, why"
ssDear me, / learned lots OF things at