The Washington herald., 1912-10-13

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pnbearable, and he rose in drunker
majesty to find some cooler place. The
sun would soon have thrown long shad.
ows on the beach, but the Watermelon
could not wait for that. He must get
cool at once, and in the waves splash
ing, gurgling. laughing, breaking at his
very'feet, he found suggestion. Where
could one get cool if not in the sea it.
self! A steam yacht far away like a
streak of white, was seen creeping slow
ly landward. but the Watermelon did
not trouble about such thing. He be-
gan to undress, solemnly. .stubbornly,
with the one thought to get cool.
The yacht. Mary Gloucester. was a
gay little bark. all ivory white and shin
ing brass work A brightly striped
awning covered the deck, there were
large, comfortable chairs. with many
colored pillows and ribbons and chintz,
and daintily arranged tables to assuage
ones thirst and offer cooling bodily
comfort on hot day.
The Mary Gloucester was named
after poem of Kpling's, and her own
er was explaining this fact, ensconced
gracefully, if solidIy, in a .many-cush-
ioncd chair. her feet a bit awkwardly
on the rest before her, fan in one
hand and small. fat. white, woolly dog
on her lap, his fore feet on the railing,
his mouth open and his tiny red tongue
tapping MOSTLY from between his teeth.
Whom do you love the more" ask
ed BERTHE Van Baalen. "Kipling or this
angel child??' and Berthe sought to pull
one fluffy white ear near his hand. But
the little dog snarled angrily- and
snapped sharply at the hastily with
drawn fingers.
"Ah. the duckems. naughty man
shan't tease him." crooned the lady,
slapping at BERTHE with the fan. while
the little dog turned again to the sea.
Yes, indeed, Mrs. Armitage," said
Henry Bliven solemnly. Tell us truth
fully, whom do you love the better,
kipling or the blessed duckems"
DO not hesitate or seek to spare
either of their feelings" urged Berthe.
Mrs. Armitage laughed. fat. content
ed, placid, "Oh. you silly boys, com,
pairing a poet and dog, blessed little
doggie."
Il know it's hard on the dog" agreed
Henry. gracefully launching smoke
wreath upward from his fat. red lips.
moist like baby's. mo dog would
care to be compared with thing so far
beneath him as poet. but all the same,
are you a sport or an intellect"
An intellect:' questioned the lady.
her brows and gazing puzzled
at the youth in the chair beside her
Are you, in other words. explained
Henry. "of intellectual or sporting ten
dencies?"
Think" warned BERTHE, before you
answer. Kipling. a great poet, author
of sentiments that will stir mankind
for all ages. sentiments that will en-
noble. strengthen"
DO you know" confessed the widow
with the gleeful naivete of a child, Il
like Kipling because he's so bad. He
says such wicked things" She nodded
md glanced audaciously from one youth
% the other.
Henry reached wearily for his glass
,n the table beside him and Berthe Van |
Baalen sighed heavily. You women
You make us bad Don't you know |
'ou do: You want us bad. so we are
anything to please you beauteous
FEATURES"
Il don't want you men bad, just |
,oets." explained the widow, tanning
herself slowly. cheerfully.
Henry waved the depression aside
Now. tell US frankly, black and blue,
ross your heart. do you prefer small.
lyspeptic. overfed. swapping bundle of
otton wool which is. for the sake of
uphemism. called dog. to one of the
,reatest minds of the day." |
Yes" said Berthe "SuppoSe we SAT
lere now, and you had the blessed an
.el. mothers pet, and one volume of
Ipling complete. the only book of his
n the world. and the only one there
ould ever be. the only book in which
We could hand on to our children and
'ur children's children such sublime
thoughts. the only book. mind you, and
I you had to throw one or the other
'verboard, a piece of sticking plaster