The San Francisco call., 1907-03-31
By Zona Gale


across thc vinegar Cruets. IL
was forlorn railway station
breakfast table which The cructs and
the peppers appeared porPetuallY to in-
habit IS if they had ihe right
Vinegar and pepper on the breakfast
table on Easter morning. said J. gariy
j would as ief-l would rather-see
= he ink"
Paul sirgled delis shtedlt. Paul is SeN'-
en ana am SEVENTY. and INC uninforred
would say that there is a certain dis
parity in our wears. But this is not 70.
for he and I arc friends. not 10 say
comrades. A man OF seven and man
of seventy should bc wholly compan-
ionabie. and. moreover. Paul and I
share an inordinate love FOR al ad-
venture. even the simplest We had
risen early. choosing valiantiy TO
breakfast at the railway station rather
than wake any one to gain real
breakfast and we were going down 20
New York for Easter day. The dag
was 10 be 10 me all delight for Paul.
who has gay listle lights in his eyes,
leughs at everything that ] would say
wittily. unless indeed he snubs me by
d disconcerting gravity. II is for ne
kind of game TO see whether Paul VIII
astter me by fhat delicate gigglo Of
his or stare at me. round-eyed, until
2 ann fain 30 go soberly.
That morning he grew solemn in the
midst of his mirth.
..aarf.,- --..-. q -.-r.- f.-e r-,..s...-p.r
hc Inquired pointblank.
"lpoe~ said .. taken unawarcs. when
irs Eestere~
Iic nodded.
' woke up-in fhe might and thought
abort thar said lac. AN I lecided~--
Paul always lceides things-''that Eas-
tor isnt very mucA sood- Because il
sounds like Christmas or birfday. you
know. only you never DO anything az
ali~
looked about somewhat hastily. At
the tabIe nest ours sat boardIess
hoy and Ills Young wife who had
driven in the bus with us 10 tee sta
tiou. he was the new village school
mas. .of-I knew because he had COM
d5ed this 10 mo in somo cssusi talk
and he and his Young wife. in her
pretty lowered nnery. were going into
town for Easter like ourselves. Yet
whoever they had chancod TO lac ! was
not minded 10 grow theological in
their presence. But the two were alb
sorbod in talk of their own. and there
was no one else near--unless one
counts q pot Of struggling danodiis
on a shelf across the window
Paul Paul SAID ] hurriediy. 'bUt
Indeed Easter is = very wonderful day.
Easter-"
But ] found myself in some hesita-
lion. After all there are times when
Paul is undenisbly seven and when
am appaliingly seventy.
"christmas." Paul continued inn
perturbably. "you get things, and so
does other folks. An Thanksgiving is
turkey an nuts ia the evening. An
tho Fourth YOU shoot or crackers. An
your birfday you have a party. But
then Easter" Paul looked sidewise
a. the Dashboard and shook his head
What do you DO when It's Easter
De pressed the matter
~On Easter. Paul" said 7. by then
recovering myself you try TO be as
good as you can. You"
IIo cut me short mrrciiessiy.
That's uothin," said he brutaily-
you have 10 try every day"
NOW. 50 Sou do, admitted,
abashed. and for a moment ! thought
briskly enough. For tho incident was
large in opportunities. and ali my life
] have lost opport unities. one after an
oti.or and 7 wa loath 10 Josh again
And then some kindly influence drew
my eyes TO the plant OF daffodils
Struggling ihto brave bloom in the
dihgy window.
Paul, said J. joyfully, didn't you
know? Easter H. spring-only not
everybody knows il. Easter is the day
uiion winter onds-wintcr outdoors
q