The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-05-11
CHAPTER xxx.
6odaWater Fountain Girl,

stream flowed about his heart.
MY life's BLOOD" he could dimly
think, my hearts blood" Redder
than coral, more precious, more costly
than any gift his millions could have
bought her. I've spent 1t for the
girl love-" The stream pervaded him.
! caressed him. folded his limbs about.
became an enchanted sea on which he
foated, and It's color changed from
crimson to coral pale, and then to
white, and became cold, cold polar
sea-and he lay on 1t like frozen
man, whose exploration had been in
vain, and above him Greenlands lev
mountains rose like emerald, on every
side.
That Is it-"Greenland's Icy noun.
tains." How she sang it-down-
down. Her voice fell on him like
magic balm He was a little boy in
church, sitting small and shy in the
pew. The tune was deep and low
and heavenly sweet. What a pretty
mouth the sodafountain girl had-like
coral; and her eyes like gray seas.
The flies buzzed, they droned so loud
ly that he couldn't hear her. All, that
was terrible-he couldn't hear her.
No-no, 1t wouldn't do. He must
hear the hymn out before he died
Buzz-buzz-drOne--drone Way down
he almost heard the soft note It was
ecstasy. Sky-high up-too faint. All,
Sodawater Fountain Girl-sing-sing
with oil
reach his ears and charm him to those
strands toward which he floats.
The expression of anguish on the
young fellows face was so heart
breaking that the doctor, his ear at
Dams lips, tried to learn what thing
his poor, fading mind longed for.
From the beds foot, where he stood.
Dams chauffeur came to the gentle
mans side, and nodded:
Right, sir, right. sir-Ill fetch Miss
Lane-IIl ave 'er ere, sir-keep up.
Mr.. Blair"
He was going barefoot, a boy still
following the plow through the noun
tain fields. Miles and miles stretched
away before him Of dark, loamy land.
He saw the plow tear up the waving
burrows. tossing the earth in sprink-
ling lines. He heard the shrill note
OF the phoebe bird and looking heav-
onward saw it darting into the pale
sky.
What dandy shot" he thought,
What bully shot"
Prince Poniotowsky had made
good shot.
All, there was the smell Of the hay
helds-no-violcts that sweetly laid
their petals on his lips and face. He
was back again in church, lying prone
before an altar. II she would only
sing, he would rise again-that he
knew-and her coral shoes would not
dance over his grave.
He opened his eyes wide and looked
into Lefty Lanes. She bent over him,
crying.
Sing" he whispered
She didn't understand.
"Sodawater Fountain Girl-if you
only knew how the flies
buzzed. and how the droning was a
living pain. :"
She said to Ruggles: He wants
something SO heartbreakingly-w
can We do?' She saw his hands stir
rhythmically on the counterpane-he
didn't look to her more than ten years
Old. What a cruel thing-he
was a boy just OF age-a boy
Ruggles remembered the nights he
had spent before the foOtlights of the
Gaiety, and that the pale woman trem-
bling there weeping was a great sing
ar
Il guess he wants to hear you sing"
She kneeled down by him; she
trembled so she couldn't stand.
The others, the doctor and Ruggles,
the walters and porters gathered in
the hall, heard. No one of them un-
derstood the Gaiety girls English
words.
From Greenland's icy mountains,
From lndia's coral strands :. :"
They We're merciful and let him
listen in peace. Through the blur in
his brain, over the beat of his young
ardent heart, above the short breaths
The notes reached his failing senses,
and lifted him-lifted him. There
wasn't very long distance between
his boyhood and his twenty-five years
70 go, and he was not so weak but
hat he could travel so far.
He sat there by his father again
and heard. The flies buzzed, and
ne didn't mind them The smell OF the
helds came In through the windows
and tho Sodawater Fountain Girl sang
and sang; and as she sang her face
grew holy to his eyes-radiant with
a beauty he had not dreamed q wom-
ans face could wear Above the choir
rail she stood and sang peerlessly,
and the church began to fade and