The bee., 1909-03-18
An Earthly
Paradise
By ksthorIn Jarvoe.

1t was a case Of love at first sight
She was slender and delicate, with an
exquisite, appealing beauty. He was
big and strong and lusty
They met at the seashore, and. in
Hhe privacy created by a crowd, their
intimacy grew apace. She knew be-
fore she had spoken to him at all
that she loved him. AS soon as he
touched her hand he knew that she
was the only girl he ever could love.
The gossips smiled and nodded,
whispering behind open fans as gos.
sips will The FIRST interview lasted
only an hour, but II ended down be-
hind the overturned boat that lies at
the foot OF the cliff and the boat
J screened his first kiss.
All through the evening far into the
might that kiss hung as a veil between
him and the rest OF the world.
As for her. she remembered him In
her prayers that night. Please, dear
God, bless Jacki For he was Jack to
her, Jack and only Jack, and It seemed
TO her that In asking God to bless him,
she was asking for a blessing for her
entire world.
The next morning they met as old
acQuaintances meet-no, as lovers
meet-and straightway they entered
into Paradise. They were the FIRST
two. They were the only two The
day heightened, the shadows grew and
with the shadows came the Angel
with the flaming sword.
To the two there appeared a stran.
ger, a stranger who attracted his at
tention from that first love Of his. She
stood aloOf from them for q moment,
then begged some trihing aid from
him, then led him far away, down the
beach, a long. long distance from the
overturned boat.
When he returned there was no radi.
ant Eve awaiting him in the garden.
Had he dallied too long7 Had she
Grown tired of waiting7 Had she
thought him fAithlessH The sands |
about the boat were empty, desolate!
The gates Of Paradise were closed. A
gray sea-fOg held all the world.
He waited while the night closed In
about him, but he saw no glimpse OF
her he heard no sound Of her. In the
early morning. he sought her, FIRST by
the overturned boat where the Garden
OF Eden had 30 lately hourished, then
up and down all the long length OF the
beach. But his search was vain.
At last he found her, though, sitting
on the sand sheltered by circle of
those silly, whispering gossips. There
could be no speech with her UNDER
their watching eeys. near their listen
ing ears. She would not raise her
eyes to his, although he felt In every
quivering nerve that she knew that he
was near.
One by one the gossips driftsd away.
We're they being kind to him or only
kind to love?
With dOwncast eyes and fingers alb.
sorbed In her work, she sat alone, too
prOSd to ny from MIN.
His heart at his finger-tips, ready to
ay at her feet, he approached her
Ioftly.
"Dosia," he whispered, but she did !
lot even raise her eyes.
OOeia, DOblh, please! ne lmplOred, | .
md still her eyelids did not CULVER
"DOsia, Dosia, won't you speak to
net Don't you know ms7"
He was PROSTATE at her feet, and )
iow she raised her eyes, her eyes that /.
lad been blue and soft az the sky at /.
oon, but now were cold as steel, from
hem shot the CLEANS that the de-
non OF jealousy had stolen from the
ngels flaming sword.
~ know you? Yes, know Just
rho and what you are" Her voice :,
las ironical +.
They were the only words she
poke. Again with downcast eyes she "
ent on with her work. But ne knew =
hat the end Of all things had come a
nd he StrOde away to face future as =,
ing and as empty aud as cold As -
Iernity q
AFTER q long time, though, he, too, y
lund consolation IN work, IN kind OF -
ork that enabled him 10 forget even y
Ne lie built high sand fort with q - =
lwer that nisht reach even 10 the -
$780, '~-rs-'-