Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-03

small present IS coming to me. OF course.
l am going to take q short Journey-to
buy hat In London. perhaps-and you
mustn't forget that am to have . sur
prise"
BE quiet. Phoebe: how can you expect
the cards to tell anything when you APP
proach them In such a spirit? Now. lis
ten." and Margot would begin.
On this particular Friday Margot was
more than usually impressive. and though
she wouldn't have confessed II for the
world Phoebe was a little less scornfui.
Some one Is going to tell you . iie."
began Margot. impressively. pointing to
the three knaves.
Never mind that Tell me about the
fair woman and the dark man." said
Phoebe.
Did you remember to wish?" asked
Margot. disregarding her friends Flip
pancy. Yes! Phoebe had wished. she said
with smile. but Margot was so absorbed
in her friends future as hardly to heed
her answer. Presently she came out Of
her study.
Your cards are wonderfully bright to-
night. Phoebe" she said solemnly. You
hold your wish. whatever 1t is and
with a rapid gesture she indicated the
fortunate conjunction of the cards. Then
she went on reading the mystic scheme
Of hearts and diamonds and pictured
kings and queens.
Look" she said presently. pointing
again to the cards. DO you see those
three aces? That means hasty news. And
we'll. Did you ever see anything like
that! Phoebe, listen. A dark man is
coming across deep water-to your wish
ITO my wish,nonsense." said Phoebe.
bridling.
Look here. then" continued Margot.
what else can this mean? The king OF
clubs, as you can see. IL next to the
nine and ten and ace Of clubs. That
means that dark man Is coming across
deep water But more than that. the
ace OF hearts SO close means that he
is coming to the house. and the three Of
hearts means that he is coming to your
wish. There are you. the queen Of clubs
and he is a clubman. too-the king OF
clubs. Do you see?"
MY wish" protested Phoebe again.
'Nonsense.
well. there are the cards." said Mar
got.
Come into the garden" said Phoebe.
rising from the taole. Look how the
neon is shining through the trees.
Yes. Let US go and see II IL is shining
on your wedding ring" assented Margot.
wickedly. and they went into the garden.
The crocus ring was glittering with
dewdrops in the moonshine.
"Oh. the ring is covered with tears"
exclaimed Phoebe.
mo. only diamonds said Margot. re-
assuringly.
Next morning at breakfast Mr.. Somer-
set looked up from letter he was read
ing
I'VE are to have visitor girls he
said. Our landlord Mr.. Staniforth-why.
what's the matter?"
The sudden jump OF surprise OF the two
girls had not escaped him.
Why. nothing. father. only the man
has seemed SO mysterious that one hardly
thought of him as real person"
The righteousness of Mr.. Staniforth
did not seem to have struck Mr. Somer-
set before, nor did he seem quite to real
ize it now
Mr.. Somerset handed the letter over to
Phoebe, and Margot and she read it to-
gether. Yes, it was the same small
fascinating hand Naturally. the girls
looked at each other
Well. Mr.. Staniforth came and went,
but it proved that one visit did not suffice
for his researches among his old papers.
In fact, they necessitated several visits.
In the course OF which he and his tenants
soon discovered a natural liking for each
other. which relieved those occasions Of
their formal character. Indeed very soon
the Somerset household had almost for
gotten that Mr.. Staniforth was the land
lord and by the time that spring had
come again Phoebe knew all about the
two butterflies and, indeed was on such
terms of intimacy with her mysterious
landlord that one brilliant morning she
had even dared to tell him about her
crocus wedding ring.
On this occasion he had taken her into
his arms in most unlandlordly manner
and told her that so long as he lived that
ring should be kept pure gold. a perfect.
unbroken emblem of the perfect love to
which he thereon pledged the rest OF his
days.
IF we have to buy up all the crocus
bulbs in the world he had added laugh
ing.
''Oh yes! 1 think my heart would
break" said Phoebe. IF any year Il
should come up broken the tiniest bit or
worn the least bit thin"
Don't fear" her lover answered Our
wedding ring is not only made CT flowers.
but it is rooted in the warm, faithful
earth. The universe has it in its keep
ing, and all the laws Of time and space
watch over it like guardian angels and
tend with visible hands For sweetheart
was it not planted by the strongest OF all
the elements. that element to which all
the other elements bow down. and give
their willing service? Others may thun-
der and threaten and seem so much more
powerful. but as the sap is stronger than
the thunder. and the influence OF the
moon more irresistible than the storm,est
sea, so Is love. seemingly SO frail in
power. so soft Of voice. the mysterious
king of all the elements"