Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-04
CHAPTER XVI.-Continued.

In the soothing air Of Nunsmere. how
ever. lie slept. in. long dead stretches, as
tired man sleeps, In spite OF trains
which screeched past the bottom OF his
lawn. Their furious unrest enhanced the
peace of village things He began TO love
the little backwater Of the earth, whose
stiffness Gained the fever Of life. As sooE
as he stepped out on TO the platform at
Ripstead a cool hand seemed to touch his
forehead. and charm away the cares tina
made his temples throb. At Nunsmere
he gave himself up to the simplicities OF
the place. He took to strolling. like Sep
timus, about the common and made
friends with the lame donkey. On Sun
day mornings he went to church He
had first found himself there out or
curiosity, for. though not an frreng1ous
man, he was not given to pious pracuces:
but afterward he had gone on account OF
the restfulness Of the rural service. HIS
mind essentially reverend took it very
seriously, Just as IT took seriously tn
works Of great poet which he could not
understand or any alien form OF huma
asp ration: even the parish notices and
the publication Of banns he received VIII.
earnest attention. His intensity OF in
terest as he listened to the sermon some
times fiattered the mild vicar. and at
other -times-when thinness Of argument
pricked his conscience-alarmed him con-
siderably But Sypher would not have
He took the sermon as he took the
hymns, in which he joined Justify. Cousin
Jane whom he invariably met WIN MIS-
Oldrieye after the service and escorted
home, had no SUCH scruples. She tore the
wears theology into fragments and scat
tered them behind her as she walked, like
a hare in paper chase.
Said the Literary Man from London.
who had strolled with them on one OF
these occasions:
IL Nf az
who speak as il they had a relation who
had married a high official in the king
dom of heaven, and now and then gave
them confidential information.
Sypher liked Rattenden because he
could often put into q phrase his own IN
formulated ideas. He also belonged to
world to which he himself was stranger.
the world of books and plays and per-
sonalities and theories OF art. Sypher
thought that its denizens lived on a LOFTY
plane.
1.-THE atmosphere" said Rattenden, ''is
SO rarefied that the kettle refuses to boi
properly That is why We always have
cold tea at literary gatherings. NY dear
fellow, it's q DAMNED world. 1t talks q
day and does nothing all night. The
ragged Italian in front Of the fresco IN
his village church, or at the back OF tht
gallery at the opera Of his town. knows
more essentials of painting and muse
than any Of u.s. It's a hollow sham OF q
werld filled with empty words. l love
it,
"Then why abuse it," laughed Sypher.
Because it's a wanton. and the wanton
Anglers you and fascinates you at the
same time. You never know how to take
her. You are aware she hasn't got
She holds views in defiance of common
sense. Which is the nobler thing to do
to dig potatoes or paint a man digging
potatoes? She swears to you that tf e
digger IS a ciod Of earth and the painter
q handful Of heaven. She is talking rot
You know it. Yet you believe her
Sypher was not convinced by the airy
paradoxician He had childish idea
that painters and novelists and actors
were superior beings. Rattenden FOUND
ciety. They took long walks together on
Sunday afternoons.
After ALL" said Rattenden. 81 can
speak freely. ! am a pariah among my
kind
Sypller asked why.
because 1 don't play golf. In London
1t is Impossible to be seriously regarded
as Z: literary man unless you play golf.
He found Sypher a good listener. He
loved to catch a theory OF life. hold It in
his hand like struggling bird While ne
discoursed about it, and let it go free into
the sunshine again. Sypler admired his
nimbleness OF mind.
You juggle with ideas as the fellows
ON the stage do with gilt balis.''
It's game learned" said Rattenden
the dull question Of earning bread and
butter for wife and five children"
II wish you'd teach it to me-" said Sy-
pher. I've many wives and many chill
dren dependent on me for bread and
butter!'
Rattenden was quick to note the tone Of
depression. He laughed kindly.
Looking on is just as good. When
you're worried in London why don't you
look me up? My wife and will play the
game for YOU. She's an amusing body.
Heaven knows how should have got
through without her. She also swears by
Sypher's Cure"
So they became friends. Sypher. since
the blistered-heel episode, had lost his
fearless way Of trumpeting the Cure IA
and wide, having q nervous dread OF see
ing the and q Of the haterul words form
themselves on the lips Of a companion
He became subdued and spoke only Of
travel and men and things. OF anything
but the Cure. He preferred to listen AND:
as Rattenden preferred to talk. he found
conversation a simple matter. Rattenden
was an amusing anecd0tist and had
amassed prodigious amount OF raw ma
terial for his craft. To the collector, by
some unknown law OF attraction come
where he goes he finds them to his hand.
as SeptiInus friend found the Toby jugs.
Wherever Rattenden turned O bit OF gos-
sip met his ear. Very few things. there
fore, happened in literary and theatrical
London which did not come inevitably to
his know ledge. He could have wrecked
many homes and pricked many reputa-
tons. AS man of the world, however,
he used his knowledge with discretion.
and as an artist in anecdote he selected
fastidiously. He seldom retafIed a bit OF
gossip for its own sake; when he did SO
he had purpose.
One evening they dined together at Sy-
piers club, 4 great senni-poljtical tnstftu-
ton with many thousand members. He
had secured, however, a quiet table In
corner Of the dining room. which was
adorned with fuil-length portraits OF self
conscious statesmen. Sypher unfolded
his napkin with an air OF satisfaction.
I've had good news today. Mrs. Mid
dlemist is OH her way home"
You have the privilege Of her friend
Ship sad Rattenden. you're to be en-
We'd. fortunate Minimum
He preserved some Of the Oxford tradi-
ton in tone and manner. He had brown
hair turning gray. dropping mustache
and wore pince.nex secured by a broad
black cord. Being very short-sighted, his
eyes seen through the thick lenses wei
almost expressionless.
Fora Middiemist,'' said he, squeezing
lemon over his oysters. us a grand and
splendid creature, whom admire vastly
AS I never lose an opportunity Of telling
grand and splendid qualities, ] suffer
under the ban of her displeasure."
What do you think she ought to do
with them?" asked Sypher.
Its a difficult and delicate matter to
discuss woman with another man; eSpe