The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-29
The Light in the Kitchen

The glass was az he had left 1t the
night before.
Again he was disappointed. In an
hour OF palnssaking peerinx he pickeo
m n score OF kitchen windows, put
in each something was lacking rms
one had no vines about IT; that one nid
not have a table within the limo on VS.
ion: the third was lighted by electrici-
~ Instead Of gas and 30 on. No sight
of the dancing GIRL as he had begun
TO call her. glaadened his heart.
When the clocks in the city oeio"
began booming the hour OF IL, Wiles
admitted to himself that II was too
late for small boys To be eating sup
ffpcr. and for pretty girls to be noat-
ing across a Kitchen floor like thistle
down So he turned his attention 10
the stars II was a very wandering
attention. though. tho stars couId nave
skipped from their courses and gam
boiled together like lambs ere comment
or censure would have been ELECTED
from Wiies.
For a week This continued. FROM
shortly after : until II he would sit
nj the telescope. searching patiently
for that Vlneeiaa kitchen window which
So emed 10 have emerged from the land
o. dreams for a night Ia torture him
with longing only To slip back again
before his fingers could close on the
vision and prove II real.
And then, IA caprtciousiy as IL had
appeared before, the window and the
dear sight behind IL came back to him.
II was revealed even as the fhcater
curtain rolls up on an enchanted frsf
play.
There was the window, bordered with
it's tender greencry, the homely room,
oh nd rtieGs. a nj under the glow
the shaded gasiight: the table and tho
small boy seated at It eating his sup
per- the girl in low chair in front or
him. elbows on knees
Presently the boy finished his meal
and began a spirited tale. He meas
ured with His hands. made n motion
as II throwing with them then jerked
on an invisible rod. The gestures were
eloquent. the ynungster was telling
about fishing.
When he had finished, the girl and
ne washed the dishes She made oil
tidy with a charming little air OF
housewifers. and turned out the light.
Wiies sighed He spent the night at
the observatory, determined 10 locate
that kitchen window
When the nststs rolled away early
next morning and the sun began 10
gid the plain 20 the east, Wiles looked
into his telescope again. He was over
joyed to find that he could pick out
the window easily. lie studied II until
there could be no possibility Of mis-
! take There was a wide, we'll shaded
street In front of the house to which it
belonged He followed the street until
gap In the trees hetokened an inter-
section.
IL was an achievement to read the
! name on the lamppost at that cor
| ner. but he did II. spelling it ont slowly
while his eyes blurred with tho strain
Locust. But the name Of the cross
street WAS effectuaIly hidden.
After breakfast AZ his boarding
house. Wiles plunged into series OF
abstruse calculations. In which the
height of Tower Hill. the magnifying
| power Of his telescope. and the dig :
| lance of Oak harbor above the sea level
all had a part.
/ Just before dusk that day Wffes. all
| dressed up like a broken arm, as he
admitted humorously to himself. stroll
ed down Locust street at the spot
where his calculations indicated his
search should begin. Within half an
| an OLD fashioned front gate. and he
/ stopped with a,nazement and pleas
nre
| why. Coralie Fleet" he cried: II
haven't seen you fc;' FEARS"
I. The girl. who had dark hair aud gray
eyes. in which the Joy OF living was
| aiight. shook hands warmly. Nor
YOU" she smiled. and l wouldn't have
seen you now. only I'm waiting for my
| little brother. He's late for supper. as
usual That boy is crazy about fishing
/ Won't YOU come up on the porch and
sit down.
Il will" said Hoover Wiles. with sol
emn Joy.
| That was four years ago, Now, NJ
bedtime every night Hoover WiIes. Jr.
q chunky boy with his mothers gray
eyes and his fathers sturdy shoulders
waves ''By-by" from lighted kitchen
window toward Tower Hill. Mrs. Wiles
throws kiss, for she knows her hus-
bond is seated at his telescope, wait
ing for their messages
But the pretty little custom will soor
be discontinued Wiies has advanced
he has just been appointed chief of tn.
| forces at Tower Hill, and is going te
move his family To the residence ad-
| joining tho observatory.