Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-19

"Why, l couldn't sleep, last night, you
know, cause | kept on thinking and think
ing bout the fortune. So | got up in the
middle of the night, an dressed myself an
sat in the big chair by the window, an
looked at the Money Moon. An | stared
at it, an stared at it till a wonderful thing
happened-an' what do you s'pose?'
al don't know"
"Well, all at once, while | stared up at it,
the moon changed itself into a great, big
face; but didn' mind a bit, cause it was
very nice sort of face, rather like a gnome's
face-only without the beard, you know An
while looked at it, it talked to me, an it
told me a lot of things, that's how [
know thai you are going away-cause you
are, you know, aren't you?"
"Why, my Porges,' said Bellew, fumbling
with his pipe, "why, Shipmate, I-since you
ask me, | am
Eyes, | was 'fraid the moon was right,
said Small Porges, and turned away. But
Beew had seen the stricken look in his eyes;
therefore, he took Small Porges in the circle
of his big arm, and, holding him thus, ex-
planned to him how in this great world
each of us must walk his appointed way, and
that there must and always will be part
shall be meetings:
goodby now, the sooner we shall meet again
some somewhere"
But Small Porges only sighed, and shook
hisheadin hopeless detection. "Does she know
you re going-I mean my Aunty Anthea?'
ooh, ves she knows, Porges.'
"Then s'pose that's why she was crying
so in the night.
"Crying?"
"Yes-she's cried an awful lot lately,
hasn't she? Last night, when | woke up,
you know an couldn't sleep, | went into her
room an she was crying, with her face hid
in the pillow, an her hair all about her"
"Crying!'
Eyes; an she said she wished she was
dead. So then, course, | tried to comfort
her, YOU know. An she said, I'm dread
full failure, Ceorgy dear, with the farm, an
everything else. I've tried to be a father
and mother to you, an I've failed in that
too 50 now I'm going to give you a real
father, an she told me she was going to
marry Mr. Cassilis. But | said no, cause
I'd ranged for her to marry you an live
happy ever after. But she got awful angry
again, an said she'd never marry you if you
were the last man in the world-'cause she
'spised you So
"And that would seem to settle it,
nodded Bcllew gloomily; so it's goodby,
my 1O1SeS! we may DIS wen SHAKE IstlluS
now, and get it over, and Bellew rose from
the portmanteau and, signing, held out his
hand.
"Oh-but wait minute!' cried Small
Porges eagerly. Il haven't told you what
the Moon said to me last night
"Ah! To be sure, we were forgetting that!'
said Bellew, with an absent look, and trif1e
YEARLY.
why, then please sit down again, SO can
speak into your ear, cause what the Moon
told me to tell you was secret, you know.
60, perforce, Bellew reseated himself upon
~ his portmanteau, and drawing Small
Porges close, bent his head down to the
anxious little face; and so Small Porges told
him exactly what the Moon had said. And
the Moons message-whatever it was
seemed to be very short and concise as all
really important messages should be; but
these few words had a wondrous and magical
effect upon George Bellew. For a moment
he stared wide eyed at Small Porges, like one
awaking from a dream; then the gloom
vanished from his brow and he sprang to his
feet. And, being upon his feet, he smote
his clenched fist down into the palm of his
hand with resounding smack.
"By Heaven!" he exclaimed, and took a