The Washington herald., 1908-05-24

!
we had seen any more OF one another.
found it quite hard not 10 answer your
letters. and I must sing that sad song OF
yours just once more. II shall be the
swan song OF the episode"
She went over 20 the piano, prOpped up
the photograph on the music-rack. back
toward her, and sang the words written
there. II was called The Sea Of Silence"
and Lady Kitty had put it into music
herself:
There's an isle in the Sea Of Silence.
A river. the River o. Pain.
Streams through from the shores q the silent sea
To tho silent - again
That sea is Death. and that sea is Birth.
The river l. Life and the isle the Earth;
A night G storm on that river q pain,
Then the "a Of silence once again.
Dear YEA of silence once again-
/ have asked OF the storm LIES Vurpose.
The isle and the cruel stream;
But the echo Of the question mocks
Like laughter in a dream.
The Might-have-been as 4 wreck is shown
By the lightning fash Then the storms hoarse
mean.
TN the sun comes cut and the storm IS past.
And Gods true purpose is clear az last;
On the sea Of silence It's clear az last
Lady Kitty had been quite clever in ar
ranging the music so that Il changed from
sad 10 gay as the sun came out. She be
gan 10 sing the last verse again, but was
interrupted by the entrance Of the foot
man.
rs your ladyship al home to Mr.. Van
draken?" he asked
Show him into the boudoir. William" g"
she ordered. looking UP from the piano.
and as the footman left the room she
went on singing TO herself the last verse.
very softly-then closed the piano, put
away the photograph Of Fabian Dare
among some music. and went 10 the bou-
dOir TO receive the call OF Standish Van
draken.
Vandraken was IN high spirits He had
enjoyed an adventure the night before
which had more than ever confirmed his
belief in the efficacy OF Won Tarsenheim's
treatment. He had never felt more boy
ish and light-hearted than when he took
Lady Kittys hand. but il lay in his a
moment longer than politeness required,
and a moment is a long time at certain
crises OF our lives-not long enough for a
train 20 move an inch. but long enough
for a thought 10 fash round the world.
As their hands fell apart Vandraken had
a curious feeling that this girl might II
he came too much in contact with her.
under some Of Won Tarsenheim's work-by
some conscience-grafting process. some
TRANSMISSION OF personality. replace the
conscience he had got rid OF. And the girl
felt that there was some vacuum in the
mans soul which was trying 10 fill itself
from hers As a shutter OF a camera
opens and closes, making no change IN
the appearance Of the instrument. but
leaving an impression inside. 10 be devel-
oped later, so swift did the thought take
shape and vanish. as an undercu-rent in
the stream OF conventional thought The
outward processes OF their minds hardly
lost step. Indeed, Lady Kitty rushed all
the swifter into badinage. realizing that
bridge was needed.
You have a reputation 70 maintain,
Mr.. Vandraken." she said as she handed
him tea-cup. But perhaps you can
only sparkle al night
Like the stars. Lady Kitty? How nice
Of you TO suggest the simile. and how re-
assuring to know that I didn't bore you,
Are you easily bored?"
Not easily, but often, Frighttully often,
You see. mamma won't let me have much
70 do with inelgibles. and the others
think they have done enough for me by
sitting and looking rich. or forcing a reve-
lation Of ones ignorance Of politics, ma
chinery, or the latest betting. They never
talk about themselves suppose they
consider IL a sacred sub1ect-only about
what they have or what they do
But surely. Lady Kitty, being hard I'd
doesn't make a man amusing? How
could it?"
They have TO sing for their supper
and twitter for their tea. and that gets
them into good habits. But I forgot
you are a millionaire yourself. How did
you"
We'll, you see" answered the young
man, after a momentary pause, "Ame-i-
can girls won't stand for bores. We have
an expression, Money talks, but Il has
got TO talk amazingly to the American
woman. or flock by Itself. But. after all.
humor, gayety, responsiveness, are all
rather like safety matches-they must
have a box to strike on. Don't you think
so? But what a delightful little room!
Why!-yes, II is The Frlvolity" I didn't
recognize IL at first"
1T is mammals bOudoir."
II do like this effect Of tarnished gold.
It blends with your hair and your dress.
and that brings out your ewes. They look
like turquoises set in gold"
The turquoises referred TO opened wider
than usual The American was getting
over the ground faster than she had eX-
pected. Il did not know. Mr.. Vandraken.
that 1 was giving tea to a poet as well
as humorist."
oh. is that poetical? Yes. I suppose II
is" On reflection he was surprised at
having said 1t at all. Prose had always
been more in his line.
I think II IS a very pretty idea. on,
yes. you are quite poeticai this afternoon:
and yet do you know. would not have
thought you could be? I should have put
you down as frivolous, but matter-of-
fact"
Then Ancestors warning. You will
have to learn yourself all over again.
flashed into his memory. But are there
no frivolous poets on record?" he said.
rather aimlessly.
Lady Kitty clapped her hands joyously.
Yes. there is Edward Lear. Don't you
remember the 'Pelicans' Chorus
BY day we fish. ard By night we stand
On long bare islands Of yellow sand;
And when the sinks slowly down.
And the great rock cliffs
Grow dark ard brown.
Hand IN hand we danoe aruund--''
Why. IL Tennyson had written those lines