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

some form or another drink to us all
Tom and Bob stood on their feet with tank
ards high and gravely inclined their heads.
In behalf of the other twelve, Tom answered
the toast in kindly vein which told them that
the years had but softened his temper and en-
dowed him with philosophy of sweetness;
and when he seated himself Bobby rose. He
started to say something, and then half choked.
II c ink, he said scarcely above whisper,
to the memory of those we have loved and still
love-of both sexes!" And the other two
derstood.
The were quite still for awhile. The SER
want, wed and mystified, dared not move lest
the rustic of his garments disturb the three
silent, absorbed figures who seemed communlng
with dead friends. His shlverlng senses lent
whispering voices to the sounds OF the night
His master aroused himself to gesture an order,
and more deity than had been Ephraiham's
won't he cleared the table. With extreme care
to avoid noise he piled the dishes IN the sink
beside the big fireplace, from which the spit had
been removed but from whose crane the old
iron kettle steamed. Billy beckoned to him,
whispered something, and he laid new pack
of cards on the table. In measure it broke
the spell for a moment. AS if they too had
come prepared, the others produced the old
time hazard, hatful of coppers, and drew
closer together.
THE other gentlemen can't play tonight
the president announced. We hope they VIII
pardon and watch us. Cut for deal, you fell
lows"
They cut perfunctorily and played until half
a dozen hands had been turned, and then, as
if the game was distaSteful, abandoned the
sport that once had held them for hours They
pulled their chairs to the fireplace, and now
there was plenty of room. The old halt-c1rcle
was incomplete, and the dancing flames ac-
centuated the emptiness OF the blackened
worn chairs and the whiteness of their heads
and faces as they sat alone.
ROYS, Billy said after a time, I'VE wont
- need this property much longer. Eph
married before he went away, and his widow is
still alive. l don't want the place. I-lf sur
vive to be the last"
Nor I,"-"Nor l." came the two other
voices.
Il propose we deed it to her. Billy said,
peering at the others, and they nodded assent
There another spell of silence IN which
thew stared at the fire and heard the swaylng
of the great old trees out beyond their walls,
the leahess branches rubbing together softly
as if dreading the winter and the night.
We've forgotten Just one thing Billy,
Tom said at last I'VE haven't sung"
That is so. Let's try.
In their stiff old voices they tried to recall
unused harmonies; tried to make the ratters
ring as thew had with those lusty bellows OF
youth when there were thirteen instead of
three; tried to make their efforts tunetul as
they had been almost fifty years before. But
the echoes came rumbling back hollowly, and
thew could not drown the murmur OF the night
without,-the song of the forest that would go
on and on after they were gone. An owl, dis
turbed hooted at them derisively with long
drawn note log cracked spiteful contempt,
and they subsidized. Furthermore, they had
forgotten most of the words. But they had
made a valiant attempt to recover the spirit of
youth which, nmble footed, had slipped away
from them in the Marathon of life. They real
lied it just they realized the hopelessness OF
trying to stay the sun from setting.
They brooded again, until Billy, as of old,
said it was his bed time and gave the goodnight
toast. 1t was hours earlier than when they
last started loftward. 1t took the combined
efforts of the other two clubmen and the SER
want to hoist him up the stairs, and once he
threatened to stick in the opening. They
boosted and pulled and rested until they
showed him through, when his man followed
to unlace his shoes and assist him to bed
Jenkins, he asked plaintively, am / we'll
tucked in"
Yes, sir
as the extra coverlet on my feet?"
Yes, sir
Are you sure the others are well cared fors"
Quite sure, sir.
And before the last automatic answer had
fairly been given, the president of The Thirteen
was fast asleep. Bobby alone lay awake and
listened to the soughing of the wind, and
through his mental review felt his throat fill.
The owl had gone to the other side of the lake
and was calling to his mate, while he mateless,