Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-04


is man born in South Brooklyn or some
where; and spent year or two III
Europe So much for his environment.
He used to write charming stories. Trey
we're fairly vibrant with satire, humor.
color and ceaseless rush OF action. His
nature descriptions were revelations in
word painting. I always read every line
he wrote So did some other people.
But only some. Then he moved TO a
little village away from the center of
things, and forthwith began 10 write
novels of New York society.
TT was very easy. The Sunday papers
cost him no more than they cost any
one else He fell to describing the
innermost life OF New York's inner
most smart set He scorned to depict a
single character that wasn't worth at
least a million. Silver, cut glass and
diamonds strewed his pages. till one
longed for brown bread and pie. He
Mashed the fierce white light Of unbiased
ignorance into the darkest corners OF
society that never was by sea or lana.
And what was the result? In a Gay he
leaped to immortality. The shopgirl read
him so eagerly that she rode past her
station The youth behind the counter
learned to rattle off the list OF his BOOKS
ball clubs In tho walks of life that he
SO vividly portrayed. such people as read
at all made amused comments that could
never by any possibility reach his ears
We others who had reveled In MS Garner
books felt as we might il an adored
brother has left the diplomatic service to
become a bartender But We were in the
minority. So We re-read Browning LOST
Leader dropped the subject and sought
in vain for new idol.
49,
calling his wandered attention as Game
paused IL wish / hadn't got that tel
gram"
1t was after midnight when Caleb Con-
over returned to his room. Three more
kilograms awaited him, as we'll as PEN
ciled request that he call up Magdeburg
Hotel ON the long-distance telephone.
While he was profanely waiting for the
operator to establish the connection
the other. All were from Jack. Each
bore the same burden as the message
that had come early in the evening. Ihe
last OF the trio added:
Long distance phone wires here tenn
porarily out OF order. viii call You as
soon as they are repaired; on chance
your train may not yet have gone
Here's your party. sir. reported the
operator.
CAUTIOUSLY sick and dazed. even willie
his colder reason assured him the whole
affair was probably fraud, Conover
caught up the receiver.
THAT Magdeburgo' he shouted, Mag
deburg Hotel? This is Conover. Caleb
Conover %! Lady named s. evlin there? Is
YES" came the answer, droned with
maddening indistinctness through a babel
Of buzzing sounds. "I.ady's hurt pretty
bad. If she amt dead already. / just
come on duty five minutes ago. So
Woif c
TO speak to YOU
Then. through the buzz and whirr, spoke
another voice. Enthusiastically Jack Hawar-
denis.
MIR. Conover?" ii called
"Yes!' yelled Caleb driving the words
by sheer force through the horror that
sanded the throat Go ahead!
You haven't even started?" cried the
boy. break in his voice. For God S
sake, come. Come now.
AS no reply could be heard. Jacks tones
droned on: their despair twisted by dis
lance into a grotesque, semi-audible
squeak:
''she may not live through the night,
along, incoherently talkative in his panic,
I'VE were called away from the Antlers.
suddenly. by letter telling my mother
her sister in Hampden was i'll. So we al
left two weeks earlier than We had
meant. When we got to Brandon my
mother stayed there and started back to
Granite with Miss Shevlin. We took the
branch road; and just outside OF Magde-
burg
"Partys rung of long ago." put in the
Caleb, at Jacks second sentence, had
dropped the receiver, boted from the
hotel and hailed a nighthawk hanson.
Already he was galloping through the
empty streets toward the station: scrib-
bling with unsteady hand on envelope
orders nd tC IA
that should assure him a clear track and
record breaking journey from the CAPT
tai to Madgeburg. This detail arranged
his brain ceased to act. Sense of time
ization Of pain. In the cab Of the road s
fastest engine he crouched through the
long hours of darkness; while the wheels
jolted out an irritating, meaningless sing
song refrain that ran:
Haven't you = started For-God' s
sake-come"'
To still the hateful iteration and to
rouse himself to some semblance of calm
Caleb pulled from his side pocket a bunch
OF letters brought on from his Office al
Granite that same afternoon by his Sec
rotary. He had been busy when the pack
age. arrived and had thrust 1t into his
coat. Now he drew it forth and mechan-
!caily began to glance over the envelopes
II was personal mail and had been ac-
iOi udyS. DeSiTee 1u-
dressed her letters TO his hotel at the CAPT
TAI. and his secretary attended to official
mail. So Caleb had not ordered the for
Warding OF such personal letters as might
come to the office. In fact lie had been
mildly annoyed at the secretary's well
meant act in bringing them TO him.
Through the small sheaf of enyelopes
ms thick fingers wandered. Suddenly, the
man lack-luSter look frightened to one
or astonishment. Midway in the package
was an envelope in Desiree Shelvin' S
hand Letting the rest of the letters slide
caught this UP. Why had she written
10 the ONCE instead of TO his hotel? Prob
aoiy, he thought. by mere mistake A
mistake that meant few moments of
surcease now from his nightmare journey.
with lce-damp fingers Conover held the
ie.tsr, tore 1t open as though the ripping
VI tne paper caused him physical pain
Smoothed wide the pages with awkward.
aWed gentleness. and read:
neaTt Dearest-Just as soon as you've
read TINS, you can come straight To see
me- Honestly! For I'll be at home Mrs.
Hawarden's sister is ILL., We only heard
OF IL by this moons mail and we are ieav-
ing by the night train. At first I wanted
10 Telegraph you at the capital. But if l
20 IN SO afraid you will drop everything
You must stay at the capital till you win
your night there for all the men who
nave put money in Steeloid. We are so
happy we can't afford to do anything
now to make other people blue Can We?
30 stay and win for them: That's why
m sending this to your Office.
you have just come back to Granite
al tired from your work. Then you saw
my letter and opened 1t and-l'm afraid
YOU re on your way TO my house before
you've gotten this far.
On, dear, This lis the last of my Hl.Ie
Adirondack, fo,, LETT