The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-11-17
4 Lace
HANDKERCHIEF

After seven days at sea we plunge
into summer--the glorious blue. glow
\ ing summer of the subtropical Allan
liz. Tiny white waves Tapped tn
sides Of the big ship all day, and nov
that evening was come, and the avn
ings rolled back for the sake Of tn,
air, pink, purple. orange and golc
phosphorescence shimmered all abou
us.
The evening was too fair to spent
Y beneath the glare of. the electric lamps
In the smoking rooms, so ! remained
on deck.
The deck was empty and the light.
lowered everywhere, save in the smok
ing room, which glowered like a hugh
Jewel through the transparent night
The band had ceased playing
\ mused idly and started. with eyes that
say nothing. on the cleaning waves
Of opal fire that leaped in the wake
0fgthe ship.
Very gently I moved forward The
whole stern OF the ship WAS hathed IN
the Wilderness or the moon and looked
as though snow had fallen on the
dack and touched the taffrail with
long lines of silver. Behind the ship
\ the fiery seas heavcd and plunged, and
against all stood one figure.
caught my breath as first saw
her--tall, svelte, exquisitely nodded
into high. tight-fitting bodice OF a
black silk dress. Her face was to
ward the moon and the sea, but the
lovely lis1rs Of her shoulders, that
tapered to the waist and then spread
again to the rounded hips, told me
that was looking upon no woman of
the northern country.
I, The woman raised hand and
threw aside the wisp Of gauze that
had yelled her head, and in the white
light her hair CLEANED like the gold
0f The sun and knew that looked on
"a Creole girl | forced all my Will
into my ardent eyes. hoping I'd make
her turn, but only an elusive perfume
Noated about me and now aud then
the blue smoke OF cigarette hum
about her like d misty cloud must
find out who this gracious being was
this young thing that stood in the
moonlight, with every supple muscle
tbrobbing responsive to the movement
of the ship.
moved out Of the shadow into the
light; an absurdly small Handkerchief
lay On the deck Ny lips parted Il
speak, but she was keener of SENSE
than I, for she heard me and turned
sharply around. oh. MY handkaH-
CHIEF: thank you so much She pm
out hand as white and qink, as dim
pied and soft as roseleaf, and / ~
contrived that, as she took the hand
kerchief our fingers met through the
filmy lace. What a divine night"
murmured, foolishly. while my eyes
devoured the oval Of her face, the
tangle Of her golden hair the ripe rcd
ness Of her parted mouth
She drew a cigarette from gold
case that swung at her side.
Let me give you a light, cried.
and then had the esctasy for one mo.
ment Of seeing the smooth grain 81
her skin and the long curling lashcs
that yelled eyes which guessed must
be violet by daylight, but that now
looked velvet blackness she spoke
but little while we stood there, but
was content to catch the lily perfume
from her hair and note the slendes
lines Of the round throat. "To-mor
row. ! ventured TO say, as she tossed
the burnt-out cigarette into the waves.
Perhaps she answered, and with
bow she left me-
For four days and nights of burning
tropical splendor | watched for her
coming as the ship plowed on into the
heart Of the sun and the glow Of the
heat. We were nearing the equator,
the staterooms and cabins were I'M
bearable. Part of the deck was ar
ranged so that passengers could sleeE
in the open. but never passed tho
night there or in the forepart Of the
vessel. while others sat for hours b
catch the faint breeze made by the
ship. ! always waited on the anot
where we had first met, and one night
l found her there
After that night Of blue and silver.
our evenings on deck were many. and
the evenings grew to night, and found
us standing or sitting in the shadow
and looking at the round red moon
that shone in the blue enameled sky
like golden guinea We talked in
whispers, and we're too earnest ever
TO laugh. and told each other much OF
many things in the past and more of
one thing in the future.
Thus many sunsets passed to dawn.
when we kissed and parted many
times, and stole quietly away to our
cabins. Even thus was our last night
on board. except that she did not sing.
bnt wept bitterly as | kissed her for
the last time, and said the future
might be an awakening.
The next day stood at the head Of
the gsngway to see her land. The
English went off first. still too thin.
and still laughing; the massive south
ern women followed, rolling their vast
bodies and flashing their fine eyes un-