Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-01

haven't been back since saw you there.
And yet-let me sec, isn't this your day
there
She seemed greatly amused, and her
|. laughter rose with a fountain-lke spon-
taneity, and fell splash Of musical
sound. on the mellow air Of the orchard.
She had changed her position as 1 Joined
her, sitting erect and kicking her heels
lazfly against the wall.
Mr. Chimney Man, something terrible
happened just after you left that after
noon. L was bounced, fired; I lost my
job
'Incredible. I'm sure it was not for
any good cause. 7 can testify that you
were model of attention: you were sur
passingly discreet. You repealed me In
the most delicate manner when ] init
mated that l should come often on the
days that you made the change"
The sad part of 1t was that that was
not only my last day. but my first.
had never been there before. except for
a nibble now and then when / was In
town. But l couldn't stand It, 1t was
would be preferable. But I'm glad I
spent that one day there. 1t proved
what l have long believed-that I am
barbarian. That poetry on the walls of
it isn't good poetry, but that the wallis
of teashop are no place for il. / al
ways suspect that people who like their
poetry framed, and who have uplift mot
study them while they brush their hair
i'm the morning, never really get any
poetry inside of them. You need a place
like this for poetry-an old orchard, with
blue sky and a crumbly wall to sit on.
[ tried the -Asolando as lark, really.
not because I'm deeply entertained by
that sort Of thing. They dispensed with
my company because 1 remarked to one
of the silly girls who are making the
ASolando their Hfework that I thought
the English Pre-Rap haelites had carried
the dish-face rather too far. The girl
to whom L uttered this heresy was so
shocked she dropped a teacup-you know
how brittle everything is in there-and
adventure 1 got out Of my day there.
And l didn't find you entirely satisfac-
tory
THANK you. Francesca. for these con-
fidences. And having lost your position
YOU are now free to roam the hills and
dream on orchard walls. Your scheme
of life is to my liking. / can see with
half an eye that you were born for the
house can ever hold you again.
She nodded dreamy acquiescence.
Then she. turned two very brown eyes
full upon me and demanded:
what is your name, please?"
l mentioned 1t.
And you doctor chimneys? That sounds
very amusing"
I'm glad you like it. Most people
What You doing here? There's
not chimney in sight
oh. have commission in the neigh
bodhOod-Hopeficid Manor; you may have
head of Miss HOLSTERS place"
of course: every one knows of her."
And now that 1 think of II. it was she
about whom you asked in the Asolando
that afternoon. You wanted to know
what she said about the tearoom.'
Il remember perfectly
She WAS OlIipf for a moment then she
threw back her head and laughed that
rare laugh of hers.
you might let ME into the joke"
1T wouldn't mean anything to YOU. I
have lot of private jokes that are for
my own consumption"
Your way of laughing is adorable. 1
hope to hear more of it. In the ASo-
iando you repulsed me i'm manner that
won my admiration. but 1 venture to
say now that. if you roam these pas
lures. l am the grass beneath your feet:
and if yonder tuneful water be sacred to
You / sit beside the brook to learn its
song
You talk well, sir. but from your tone
fear you can't forget that we met first
in the Asolando That day of my life
is past. and L am by no means what you
might call an Asolandad. I don't seem
to impress You with that fact. I'm
human being, not TO be picked like a red
apple. or trampled upon like grass. or
listened to as though I were a foolish
ItllC DlOOk III greatly given 10 the
highway, and 1 prefer macadam. I like
asphalt pavements. too. for the matter
of that. / should love a motor, but lack
ing the coin ] pedal a bicycle. NY wheel
lies down there in the bushes. You see.
Mr.. Chimney Man, l. am a plain-spoken
person and have no intention Of deceiv-
ing you. My name was Francesca for
one day only. 1t may interest you to
know that my real name is Hezekiah."
'Hezekiahr'
/ must have shouted Ii. she seerned
startled by my violence
You have pronounced 1T correctly" she
remarked.
Then you are Cecilia's sister and Miss
HOLSTERS niece"
"Guilty?'
And You live?'
Over there somewhere, beyond that
RIDGE" and she waved her hand vaguely
toward the village and laughed again.
Pray tell me what this particular joke
Is; 1t must be immensely funny" urged,
struggling with these new facts.
Go be continued tOmorroW)