Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-03


talks to her in earnest about what fomi-
mates his thoughts"
| Mariol flashed an appreciative gynce at
Heaven defend your sex. my lear lady.
1 IL they had to sit still and listen to most
mems mems, governing, ~ t thoughts: And on the
son with ideas, that have never been ap-
| piled. Today we must think and act, and
accomplish or fall, before We talk. And as
far as talk goes, it's everybody's plain
duty to be amusing and not long"
ITO come down before the footlights and
do ones turn and then drop back again"
at the beauty. who was helping Bobby vane
to baked potato. You are quite right. Lord
Clandonald. It is perfect audacity for any
one person, whether clever or Insignificant,
| to attempt to monopolize attention. Every
| body else Is invariably bored by 1t, where
they are not laughing in their sleeves"
Have you seen many persons laughing
in their sleeves. Miss Bleecker?" asked
Posey Winstaniey innocently. Did they
do 1t when you were young? / always
wondered how. Mr.. vane, please stop eat
ing long enough to let's try laughing in our
tell us If it's the real thing"
| There are places. then. where they do
say reckon" pursued Miss Blocker.
impassively. You mentioned, Lord Clan
not to hear more provinciaiisms Of speech
| in America. should think Miss Win
stanley STABLE. could give you all you care to
did you ever hear. Miss winstanley."
put in Mariol. quickly. 'the pretty speech
| made by King William " about a
charming countrywoman of yours whom
that part Of America where they. guess
| and where they calculator Lord Welles-
ley comes from where they fascinate,' said
| the gallant monarch"
| Rnhhy c1o 10 han IL
That's rippin' amt it. Mr.. Mariol My
goodness me, wish I weren't such duff
fer at writing things down an spellin'
| or I'd make note of it. WHAT"
| Come to school at Alison's Cross Roads
Alabama, and we'll teach you how" said
! Posey
Helen, you will find me on the boat
deck by Mrs. vereker." said Miss Bleec-
| ker, majestically arising. Il have had
quite enough of this And I consider 1t
can give to peor Mrs. vereker. Frustrated
| by care and anxiety as she has been. and
her husband never allowed to come near
her on the voyage.
| eyes Of the ships charmer. and smile
lowered around her pretty mouth. She
was well aware that about the second day
| out the critical and finical Mr.. Vereker had
| Joined in the universal procession toward
! her shrine. She had avoided an introduce
| ton as long as possible. compelling her
| ancient admirer to perform wonders Of in
trigue and diplomacy before he was admit
| ted to the privilege Of her acquaintance.
| Since then he had prosecuted her for
walks on deck. secured for her white vio-
| let's, at vast expense, from some one who
| was taking them out in the ships ice-box
! for sale in London; had sent to her table
| daily tokens Of regard from pats of choice
| butter, punches of black Hamburg grapes
and broiled birds to southern pin-money'
| pickles. Not content with these tangible
| evidences Mr.. Vprpker had nrOmfaad her
a dog and invited her to motor with them
| through Touraine. The poor man, who
| had, in Miss Bleecker's parlance, mo stom-
| ach to speak off, was expecting the return
| Of one of his periodical attacks, when he
| would be forced to go upon milk and Edu-
| Gator biscuits too enfeebled to walk the
deck and fiirt. and wished to make the
| most Of his we'll moments; but, so far, Miss
| Winstanley had been constantly engaged
with others. and could not yield him the
| tete-a-tete desired.
Miss Blocker. enlisted under the stand
| ard Of a complaining wife, was gratifed
1 to leave the party, having hurled the final
| shaft. Mariol liked the self-control with
| which POSey turned Immediately to other
| topics, no less than he appreciated the eff
fort Helen Carstairs made to atone for her
| companions venom by remaining awhile
in conversation that included the girl at
tackled. The Frenchman, who noted most
| things passing near him, had been making
up his mind that some strong personal
reason existed to keep Miss Carstairs in a
| state Of mental self-defense against the
attractions of Miss Winstanley. A judg-
ment SO clear and cool and fair as Helen's
in ordinary matters he had rarely seen
and he believed her capable of more thar
the allotted amount Of feminine generosity
toward those of her own sex. AS far a.
he had been able to gather she had never
before seen or heard of this mysteriou,
young person who had made their voyag,
so gay. What could the reason be?
1t had not escaped him that the southern
girl, taking heed Of Helen's low pitched
4 voice, of her quiet garb and reserved man
ner among strangers. had profited by then
tone down some s Of her own
was brushed simply back in a glorious
golden sweep, allowing its natural waves
to reveal themselves untortured. Already
transparencies, the redundant jewelry, had
gone into retirement, the young girl appear.
ing at dinner in white blouses as simple
as Helen's own. Better than all,-she nc
longer challenged people within earshot
with her sentiments and opinions.
From time to time Mariol had detected
passing from her to Helen the glances of
homage very unsophisticated girl bestows
upon one she has elected to make her
| heroine. And, despite this artless worship,
Miss Carstairs did not relent in her cool
demeanor. She was civil always, consider
ate often, but never yielding in keeping
Miss Winstanley at distance. The men
| at their table were unanimously beginning
to feel that girl may win easily in the
| cnleI events OF Sucn q contest. and yet be
| badly worsted in the end.
The only one among them who seemed to
have preserved Indifference on the subject
| of Poseys wrongs, was the quiet little man
in the mustard-colored tweeds, with the
| cowboy hat Of sunburnt felt, who accom-
| panied the beauty to her meals, but was
rarely seen with her elsewhere.
One afternoon, however, she broke away
| from her Gordon of admirers, and finding
the old fellow walking alone. linked her
arm in his. adjusting her pace to his.
| why, little girl. what's come to YOU that
! the beaux have left you no better company
than mine?" he said, with the jocular hom-
age of his habitual manner to her
There isn't much better company than
| yours. dad, and I'm beginning to find 1t
| OUT she answered caressingly.
| well, well, a compliment from the belle
| O. the ship! Reckon when I get to London
I'll have to be buying myself new suit,
and a dozen O. boiled shirts, though come
| to think o. it. seems to me I'm no great
| way behind that Lord Channel Fleet o.
| yours in the matter Of clothes and foot
| wear-regular beetle-crushers, those shoes
| of his, and his hat an even match for
| mime
| Hes rather an old dear, anyhow" said
! Posey; but I've got another ancient on the
| string that's too foolish to talk about. That