The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-05-04

lady and n gentleman were seated
On the seward fronting verandR OF a
nntddle-class hotel at a middle-class
resort on the eastern coast OF the Uni
ted States. The hour was early and
no other loungers shared the morning
rairn. The two were apparently In
perfect accord with perfect day.
In relaxed attitudes. not speaking
they absorbed the summer hour. mist
ed with day dreams that were COlOred.
AZ not created. by the sunlit seascape
before them.
A swish OF the swinging doors at
the main entrance, few PAGES 10
their right disturbed their rcVeries.
A youth in the uniform OF the Ameri-
can navy came briskly out SpranG
lightly down the steps and swung
rapidly away down the beach walk. his
head lifted and his face turned sea-
ward. where beyond the white-rimmed
rollers an olive-green man-Of-war lay
at anchor in the Ofiing. He was a nat
lilly groOmed. slender boy. but his
stride was masterful. as one who fcels
the earth beneath his feet and has
mo fear OF falling.
George" drawled the lady Ian
Eslidly. but I'm a tone Of trained hau-
tour. do YOU know that that sailor
was n guest at Halcyon House last
night? 1 saw him registering"
without replying. the gentleman
gRxed abstractedly at the disappear
Ing form of the impetuOus young mar
tner.
II believe YOU don't think II worth
while 60 notice what I say this morn
ing" cOmpiS ned the lady petulantly.
On the contrary. my dear. my at
tention is even now conferred wholly
on the subject of your last remark -
Gnirmed the gentleman. his eyes still
Following the boyish bluejacket. now
vanishing shoulders-down below the
horizon Of the high board fence. Did
you consider IL n social event worthy
OF COmmRnt Marcvaraf
from behind the gun-or from in front
OF the stokehOle-has slept under the
same roof with us for a nlght?"
Never mind, please" commanded
Margaret coldly.
But I do mind. dear. When | was
looking at that sailor boy. / was think
ing OF another one once saw, much
Ike him in build and age. but un-
Ger oInerent SURROUNDINGS from those
OF third-rate hotel where the purse
poor folk pretend to be somebody.
Would YOU like to hear about him,
Margaret"
u would like 20 hear about anything
interesting enough to cause YOU to
Salk. graCiously averred the lady
We'll. then! You remember Fran
els Weem Smith-the same whose
name one had always to pronounce
an full in his hearing If one didn't wish
10 onend htm-whO swan in the same
puddle Of diplomatic small fry with
me About three years ago he and I
were despatched on a mission Of no
Importance. by Government, to an is
land group Of the South Seas. where
several national DULLES were wrnnr-
tihE over very small insular pic
AS the route is infrecuently Travelled
ano no other immediate transporta-
ZION was 10 be had, 4 United States
ship. the Yawlban a third-rate crniser
tnen anchored at the Mare Island
Navy Yard, near San Francisco. was
placed at our disposal. Such a trim
unoer such conditions. to us under
paid pacificators seemed n I-erita hIo
holiday of major delights; and to add
10 the Illusion, our orders included
permission TO take our immediate
Iamities with us. II was the irony OF
me mat neither of us had a family.
had not Yet been made haDnv nv
n girl named Margaret and smith
Francis Weem-was a widower. en-