Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-20

Billy with the loving cup they had surreptitiously
purchased in the city 1t was quite late when
they gave it, after the logs in the fireplace had
died down to smolder of GOALS and a few
bursts of 1ow-leaping flame. Tom made the
presentation speech standing in the midst of the
sencircle with his back to the light and speak
ing in very low voice He recalled the first day
when they had climbed to the lake, and made
address that far touching than any he
later made in the halls of government, that
pulsng up in quick hot beats from his generous
heart.
When he walked across the room and drew the
big silver piece from the place where it had been
concealed, they shouted themselves hoarse,-al save
Billy, who stood with it in his hands and couldn't
utter sound Their autographs were all more or
less cumsly engraved with their own hands and the
point of hunting knife, and his fingers felt each
letter of each signature in succession as if besow-
ing on each scratch caress OF tenderness. They
hadn't thought it Of Billy, whose ready wit had en-
livened them many times whose outward shell
was that of the man that never thinks seriously
nor has care, whose tongue was sometimes caustic,
1t quite unlike him; but they loved him a little
more because he only stood there and gulped and
couldn't say word
Ephraham, by an undue cranng of his neck and
body, broke the stool which he sat and the spell.
He came humping to the floor with grunt that
moved things up bit. Everybody was happy, and
Billy at his best. The reversion to good fellowship
intense that when they held their annual
an insert to the bylaws by which it agreed that
vacancies in their ranks should ever be filled and
that the property should go to the heirs OF the SUR
vivor. They drank bumper to the survivor, and
then to his heirs individually, reaching what they
fancied to be requisite number before retiring to
hoarse while lying in their blankets, and
knew who was the last to fall asleep.
When the sun popped above the ridges they car
ried their small belongings the canal in the valley
below and boarded the boat they had ordered for
their return They going to travel all night
without laying up at any inviting taverns or halt
for some of them had overstayed their time. At
the place where the first bend of waving trees cut
off the view of their own landing they all turned and
waved to the faithful Ephraiham, who awkwardly
shook them horny handed goodby.
And SO their anniversary came to an end.
The Third Cali
A PLATFORM had been built at the end of Lake
Hopatcong where railway trains could pass
in emergency and where steamer might deposit its
passengers from far up the long winding lake. 1t
called The Landing, and one could the hills
all sides, and the sweep of the abandoned weedy
canal used now only for retention of charter. Two
trains and steamer, all from different directions,
met at
A gentle appearing old fellow alighted from the
east bound train stared up at the far peaks with
reminiscent smile and then across at spry, white
haired man who looking around in bewilder-
ment. Two porters were helping very decrepit
fat down the steps from the Pullman of the
west bound train. He was using querulous though
vigorous language, and his attendants found him
hard to please. The spry man and the placid trav-
eer from the west rushed toward him at the
time and the three of them met.
Billy!'-' Bobby p" Toni!
The three exclamations in unison they
seized another. Billy anxously turned his head
toward the porter, who had dived back into the
and was now returning with worn old muzze
loading shotgun
Bring your guns boys?" the first president of
The Thirteen Club whst1ed through asthmatc
splutterings. did you bring your guns?"
Bobby, the spry man, answered, Yes but Tom
shook sorrowful head and answered slowly, No
| didn't gave it to my eldest boy nearly twenty
years ago. l can't hunt any more. I'm too old
for such things now