The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-01
fssors
ystcry
m WELLS HASTINGS
AND
BRIAN HOOKER
with sllustratsoAs by Hanson
" Booth. copyrtkht 1911
THE BoBBs-MERRrLL CO.
4 CHATTER i.
In which Things Arc Turned Upside
Down
III which Things Arc Turned Up.ads
Is Down.

M CHATTER /.
4 III which Things Arc Turned upsadc
Down
III Has the two-forty-five for Boston
gone vet ~ The train announcer look
"a IL me long time; then he shift
cheek and drAwled:
Il ..Naouw. Reported forty minutes
Iate... -.
1T this point / believe I swore. AZ
1east have no recollection Of mot
doing ~. and should hardly have
& forgotten 80 ernInent an act of vir.
rue under such circumstances. 1t was
MOI orly that had worked myself
Into heat for nothing. But tho
tram could hardly fail Of losing yet
Z more time on Its way TO Boston. and
! were abont ono In three. Ny trunk
would 60 10 Liverpool without me. .
I Prey 10 the inquisitive alien: and m
Tor me I was at the mercy Of the
steamship company. For . moment
wondered how could ponihiy have
doubted my desire 10 70 abroad that
EumHner. and to 70 on that boat
though the heavens fall. thought
1rsaneiy Of automobiles and special
etHdtASs AnCu NsASstG &ssN ACss~stuh Ssass
settled back comfortably hopeless
4 into the hands OF fate. After all
n AId not care An Improper frActfcn
n whether stayed or went: let the gods
4 decide. Only ] wished something
would happen. The shining rails
! reached away 70 lose themselves In
II haze 81 heat Somewhere switch
lng engine was puflng iiko tired
4 ~. Knots OF iistiess humanity stood
- =
4 s58atfdrm. and the wind across ths
harhor brought 4 refreshing aroma
sSUf tidal mud and dead CLAIMS. II
secured to me that my collar WaS
fAfhcr stick on the inside.
81 walked the platform flaming my
neIf with my hat. bought cigArettea.
s3nnkMxfnev and shine. I explored
" VI IND station. scrufinixing faces and
q searching vanity for matters OF In
I frrext Il exhausted my resources IN
Killing up fifteen minutes, and tho
Aand or the electric clock seemed a.
ss xrennulous with indeciEion an It han
" before been terlry with haste. Moth
4 I'M happened Nothing wuuid hap
M zen Or could happen anywhere. Ro-
annce was dead
4 & reet ecraped: = hell chartered; then
hreMfhing flame and smoke, and with
II y shrek that would have put saint
N44QE8N nv uitEE TVnhs AA0 0VWA v
press r1mhied between me and the
ny, and ground heavily to stand
& atfI1. And there. framed In the wide
~ 9uiman window. was q face that
y altered MI the coiora Of the day, and
cent me back among sleigh bells and
III holly. Not that hAd known her
weIl: but tho week Of intimate 9aiety
Il ~ Christmas housc party had shown
d har 20 sweefly merry. 70 wen fash
- - SeGE SvsA YHv.n4 IN ard hfAV
Al 4hA4 the sight OF her renewed pleasant
aa4sncrieH IKE this rsopening Of >
n Familiar book. She wAs smiling now;
II not Ill ma, hut with the same humor-
0siafy pensive little smile that rc-
ysa~anbered. that seemed to come
4hoaiy from within and TO summarize
& her outlook upon the world. Her
dark brows were lifted In ccoi and
n friendly interest a. she glanced over
\ the cosnfortIess crowd: and although
|ssf Nna now somewhat moro ut paaco
| Nth the world. and no Iongr hot nor
/ Aurried. she seemed TO me % ut there
II me window Of her uWaiter1ng car
= t1aing alo0f ana apart. the embodi-
naent " an unrufiad dalntinees.
n Her eyes found me ana nhe nodded.
aasfIinx. + went forward eagerly.
y Hare, at lcaal In = nsuny And UNI
1naefnGtfng world Nas somebody cool.
n nlcakAd up my bAg and rAn up the
n &faps az her chr. An casne down the
aa6Ao nhe half rose and otretch1dy out
r Wclcomtr9 Tim n4nd. dropped
/ frtp the chair beside her.
.syYeN, this il luck" sid. hut
INT arc Synn s3nfne here IN the twerad
~ JnHy. You belong to Christmas IN
h s4tfing OF frosty white and srssH.
Eunsrn out; ~ season now
Slse laughed Surely hays ~
mach right In July as YOU have, Mr..
Crosby. You are only = sort OF yuto-
eide phantom yourself"
: - .sSEt assfA II n 55elll. week 2" asked.
Miss Taborss smile answered me.
Then turning half away with face
GROWN suddenly and strangely bleak:
r think II was the best Christmas OF
my Iife." she said mechanically. And
f1Aen with sudden return to sum
iea1fnSs- suppose ] see the profess
N aor starting on his learned pilgrimage.
s II I'M IL Europe this Summer. or the great
" libraries Of America"
she had twffted me before upon my
lex OF scholarly bearing which. ~
had always explained. was but =
TASK to unsupported profundity.
.sWeli,"---I began. deliberately CROP
IN for deciston among tho tangled
Anxes OF the afternoon.~ny doubtful
nteamef and my grudging plans. ITO
n fetI you the truth. Miss Tabor"
She touched my arm and pointed
Vi out Of the window. Look" she said
4. ssyou hassat neafiy time enough for
N Chat now. DO hurry--you mustn''
take chances"
md faster, and with 1t sobf1ety and
Il eoenmon sense and the wisdom Of
81 80 beaten path. On the other hand
3 3Sw 4IhA coxnedy Of the present and