Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26
CHAPTER XXI.
Which, Being the
Last, Is Very Prop
erly the Longest I'M
the Book

bessed-even in that unlallowed day. when the solemn
tread of the polcemans foot all unknown they had
evolved for themselves code of rules whereby govern
their life and conduct. Among these it tacitly
agreed upon and understood that spoken promise
pledge and held to be very sacred thing and he who
broke faith committed all the cardinal SINS Indeed
their laws were very few and simple, easily understood
and well calculated to govern mans conduct to his fe
low.
In this day of ours ablaze with learning and culture
veneered with fine civilization, laws complex
beyond all knowing and expression; regulates his
conduct to them, and is vrtuous and honest the
law compels him to be- This is the Age of Money,
of Responsibility with very large Rand
the po1ceman's budgeon.
But in Arcadia, because it is Old /UlLl
World place where life follows even, KAzE6
simple course, where money is as scarce as azx4x@d
roguery, the old law still hods,-a prom laalk&&
Use once given is a sacred obligation, and ~ %aV -
not to be set aside. H&2
Even the blackbird who lived in the S .MM
inquisitive apple tree understood and HNA
was of this, it had been born EAf
in him, and had grown with his N@gIM NJ
feathers Therefore, though, to be T AM|
sure he had spoken no promise, TX ~
signed no bond, affixed his mark g NAV
to any agreement, still he had, ~ /IsIM
theless, borne in mind certain ~ N
quest preferred to him when the day IN ~ u
very young. Thus, with con- Il
stancy of purpose worthy of all mita Il
ton, he had given all his mind and - ~ -
thought to the composition of song l5>c s@I<L
with new theme. He had applied <IxgHs
himself to it most industriousy all day. v#.A7I/I
long, and now, the began to set, NIfTIZkYK
he had at last worked it all out every &t.hYfMpS
note, every quaver and trill, and now, IaIIIgYs
perched upon lookout branch, he kept his wv ~
bold, bright eye turned toward a certain @WII
rustic seat hard by utterng melodious note
two every now and then, from pure Impotence.
And presently, sure enough, he spied her for
whom he waited,th tall, long lmbed, supple
WASTED creature whose skin pink and gold like the
peaches and apcots the garden, and with soft little
rings of hair that would have made such excellent
lining nest. From this strictly utiarian point of
he had often admired her hair had this blacbird
fellow, she passed to and fro among her flowers,
paused to look up him and listen to his song
sometimes to speak to him in her sweet, low voice. il
But today she seemed to have forgotten him alto h
gether she did not glance his way. Indeed she
walked with bent head, and her eyes the ground.
Therefore, the backbrd hoped little farther along
the branch and peered to look down at her with
first round eye and then the other she sank upon
the seat nearby and leaned her head YEARLY against
the great tree behind. And thus he saw upon the pink
and gold her cheek something that shone and twnked
like drop of dew y
If the blackbird wondered at this, and was inclined
to be curious he Sturdy repressed the weakness for
here the audience seated and waiting, all expecta-
ton for him to begin.
&c. without ado, he settled himself upon the t
Dough, lifted his head stretched his throat and from
his yellow bill poured forth flood of golden melody
he burst forth into his @Song of Memory
And what song it was!-so full of passionate
treaty, of tender pleading, of haunting sweetness, that
she listened the bright drop quivering upon her
lashes fell and succeeded by another and another
Nor did she attempt check them, wipe them away
only she sat and listened with her heavy head powed
against the great tree while the blackbird, glancing
mark the effect of particularly difficult passage
pped surely he had never done before until the listen
ers proud face sank lower and lower, and at last
hidden in her hands, Seeing which, the blackbrd like
the true artist he fearing antclmax, presently
ended his song with long drawn plaintive note a
RUT Anthea sat there with her proud head bowed low
long after he had retired for the night. And the