Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-15


me to the rail of the ferryboat.
After all" she said why not smile with me- or
at least at me? We are both young-and see what
a beautiful night it is, and we are alone. Look!
there is not a soul on deck. The girl withdrew her
arm and leaning her elbows the rail rested her
chin between the palms of her hands.
leaving that wharf every fifteen minutes? That al
Fifteen mnutes!" she interrupted. Isn't if-
teen minutes enough to lose oneself in great city?
1t took only six days to make world With reso-
luton and little imagination, what could not one
do in fifteen minutes2 Why, nearly all of the good
and bad in the world has been done in less time than
that Why not ask if | forget that the name of
this boat is the Pittsburgh that the pier just
there is where the Hamburg liners land; that the
lights beyond come from the houses on the old
Stevens place? But why not for only fifteen min
utes forget all this Do you never try to see things
as they should be rather than as they are9 It
most amusing game. Are not these stars and that
moon, for instance, the same stars and moon that
hang over the Riviera? Why in this darkness
should that coal pier there not be the pier at
Monaco, and those lights just beyond the lights
from the Casino and the Hotel de Paris?" The girl
once more put her arm through mine, and drew her
self close to my side.
eyes upward so that the white moonlight fell full
on them and the bowed lips and the oval cheeks and
the wonderful golden hair; and there no guests
on board-no one but ourselves, except the Captain
forward there the bridge and the sailors asleep
below The boats called the Marguerite"
The Marguerte?" l asked.
"
to have it called hing else; but you would have
it that way We are steering straight for Monte
Carlo now, and when they put us OFF on the dinghy,
we shall walk up the hill, very slowly, in arm,
lust like two bourgeois lovers and when we get out
of breath shall stop and listen to the foolish doves
in the cages And in the shadows of the trees you
will put both your arms about me and whisper to
me how very much you love me-"
And them" | asked.
Them" she repeated. For moment al
most the green toque touched the shoulder OF
my StaTS-StarS
which | saw now might have shone the Mediter-
ranean as we'll as the North River.
Them Why then? l think We'll go to Ciro's
and get little table the terrace and We'll drink
to our future; that though the night will change to
day and the summer winter and from winter to
summer again,-that we shall never change-that is,
to each other that shall always be just beautiful
and that both of will be just of each others
love OF course being man, you will want to gam
BILE: but l don't think I'll let you gamble tonight.
Well Just sit and listen to the Clink of the gold and
the dronlng voices OF the crouplers coming through
the open windows of the Casino, and to the music
next door at the Richie; and look down at the
tiny running up the beach and the lights of
our own Marguerite anchor out in the harbor."
This way to 22rd-st.! All off! shouted deck
hand.
We passed over the bridge along the passageway,
and then down the steps that led to the street
glanced at the station clock-it lacked only few
minutes of midnight.
And now" l asked.
For moment the girl stood silent, apparently
confused the tumble of the traffic at the crowds
hurrving past US, and the noisy shouts of the cab
drivers and the expressmen. For the first time, l
imagine she was conscious of facing the crisis of her
escapade She glanced up at and drew few
short breaths through the always smiling lips; but
the misty eyes denied them. The crowd from the
ferry house had passed on and left us alone with
few bawling Cabmen.
We had better take a cab, | said, and talk it
way UP town.
While she was getting into the hanson l gave the
driver the address of hotel for women only.