Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-10

with well-filled herbaceous borders. a
basin for water lilies and goldfish. sun
dial. bowling greenland the river. with a
a leaking punt: in which. II you were
mad. you might adventure upon the
muddy. sluggish stream. 1t was said that
the Misses Drake did so adventure, by
moonlight. with banjo and escort.
The Hill Rise young men, supported by
| Mr.. Vincent Of Hill House, on summer
afternoons would condescend to drink
whisky and soda In the garden with rep
! resentatives of the town. and sometimes
with them play game of bowls. Mr..
Crunden. the retired builder. bowled
above the average. Mr.. Bowling. the
architect, was a fashy but inaccurate
player. Alderman Hopkins was passion
ately fond OF this sedate sport and might
be relied on to deliver a useful If not bril-
liant bowl. Charles, the head waiter.
bringing out the drinks, now and then
was called on to make up the party. while
the billiard marker, playing some young
ass in a stuffy billiard room. would peer
out of the window and envy the bowlers.
| Charles looked all right in the dark
| coffee room. but most lamentable in the
sunlight the lawn. His white shirt
trousers were patched and threadbare: his
black coat was shiny and greasy from
long wear. When chaffed about his
| clothes. Charles ever had a ready, good
| humored retort.
Disgrace. are they?" said Charles to
Mr.. Tommy Page. We'll. that's a dis
grace you young gentlemen might rectify.
| I'm not too proud to accept of an old
dress suit from any of you-or I'll buy
| one from you. I'll give you a better price
than old Gregory--down Water lane. Verb
sap. I amt Joking" said Charles good
| humOredly
After this friendly manner. Mr.. Jack
| Vincent one drowsy summer afternoon
/ ,Sf,
Jack was. as 1t were, the prince and
chieftain of all the loafers, and yet was
not truly of their organized band. When
ne appeared. all tacitly admitted his over
| lordship. He was above them really, not
| of them. Hill Rise could not claim him,
and Medford could not always retain him.
| He had been much away-amateur SOL
| diering, sojourn in London, continental
| travel even-but now 1T seemed that he
was home for good settling down, putting
| on flesh, growing more and more languid.
| He took no exercise beyond riding his
| horses-ol Sir Johns horses-and all fe
male Medford peeped forth and admired
him as he rode by. He was greatly ad
mired by the ladies.
| He was as fine a big, indolent young
man as you could wish to Dark and
| sleek of hair. with small mustache and
| laZily kind blue eyes. he had a peasant,
easy manner with all the world In this
respect he markedly different from
his companions They could condescend
| and be pleasant enough when it suited
their convenience, but he constantly gave
one the idea that Hill and town were all
the same to him, that social distinctions
were rubbish. that one man was as good
as another until he proved worse-and so
| on. That was the impression Of his secret
thought that he often conveyed by his
affabilty.
With his straw hat tilted over his nose.
hands in the pockets of his blue flannel
jacket he strolled by the hotel sundial.
while the bees drowsily buzzed among the
flowers and the occasional pop of cork
or the click Of billiard balls. or the rattle
Of wheels on the river bridge. were the
only harsh sounds to disturb the lazy
peace of the White Hart garden.
Presently Mr.. Bowling. the architect
and surveyor. came down the path and
made bold to challenge him.
Good afternoon, Mr.. Vincent. Will
you give me game at the bowls?'
Have drink" said Mr.. Vincent;
that's less trouble
We'll. 1 don't as a rule drink between
monty warm today. I'll go and fetch
Charles"
"Oh. don't do that" said Mr.. Vincent,
as though unwilling to see any one exert
himself needlessy. Give a Shout for
him. D'you mind? d. Just shout
again. = " Well done. He'll hear
that"
And Charles came out, received the
order, and soon returned with mis- little
tray and glasses.
Il wouldn't mind playing four" said
Mr.. Vincent do you mind playing,
Charles? That's a sportsman,
Charles-as you always are. = But
who'll n axe us up? No, we shant be able
to play, because We haven't got fourth.
Don't say that, SIR said Charles Il
see Mr.. Crunden on the stairs just now,
carrying up some of the Mas 1nic furniture
to the lodgeroom-its lodge night. l be-
ieve Mr.. Crunden would play, SIR
Then go and ask him.
Il don't scarcely like to- said Charles
He might think it liberty, coming from
me-and he takes one up SO short, Mr.
Crunden does
'Then. would you mind?' said Mr.
Jack, languidly appealing to Mr. Bowling.
You ask him
You ask him. said Mr.. bowling Hell
be pleased with the compliment of you
asking him. and he'll come. Ii L ask him,
he II very likely say no..
Thus urged into action Mr.. Jack lam
guidly stroled back to the house, and
standing on the gravel terrace outside the
coffee ROOM shouted upward to one of
the big windows on the first floor.
Brother Crunden, You up there?
Brother Crun-den.'
well, what Is it?' and Hedgehog .Crun-
den showed his gray head beneath the
raised sash.
'D'you mind coming down and making
US up want 10 play {OurSOme-at
bowls"
Mr.. Crunden gave a grunt, scratched
his short gray beard. and hesitated
You and l against Charles and Brother
Bowling. That ought to be pretty good
match"
We'll" and Mr.. Crunden grunted again,
I'm agreea BILE"
There was nothing very agreeable in his
tone or aspect; he merely meant OF
course, that he would comply with the re-
quest for his company.
The sides We're constituted as Mr. Jack
Vincent had suggested, and a coin was at
once spun into the air.
ART moment" said Charles Be
fore We begin-a bob a corner l suppos" -
Il do not care to bet" said old Crunden.
sternly.
IAN right said Jack Vincent, III
carry you.
Il prefer not to bet either" said Mr..
Bowling.
Very good" said Charles; IN carry
you And he turned to Jack: That's
half a dollar for you or me now hanging
on this contest
Then the little friendly game began.
When the pastime of bowls was ex-
hausted, Mr.. Vincent, summoning all his
energy, prepared to go slowly homaWard.
But ere he shook himself free from the
White Tart he looked in at the modern
saloon bar
This was a lavishly decorated and up
holstered apartment, upon which mine
most as the local newspaper never failed
to call Mr.. Drake-had spared no cost.