Evening star., 1912-09-01


it IN his pocket without looking at It, Now what
Playmate?''
II don't think that we shall have any exciting
adventure than pitched combat with the cows .
medtated Priscilla. Il fervently pray not at any
rate! So suppose sit down here for little while
and get cool, and commune with Nature. "
SUPPOSE do" agreed Mark. Except that
- vote that commune with each other instead
of Nature-I have lots to talk about. "
''Then talk" admonished Priscilla. Il haven't. ,"
That's always perfect way to start easy flow
of conversation" laughed Mark. 1t makes the
other person just long to open his soul What a
treasure you must be for dinner partner PRISCILLA
Il don't put it quite SO candidly, then, she ad-
mitted. 1T does slightly diminish the first fine
careless rapture Let's play new game, Mark
let's pretend that we're very grown up and ser1ous
let's pretend to talk about real things.
What foolish game, Playmate" said Mark
seh! 9ea when all the incest Things TO 'k ABOUT a'en
Aren't life and death, and JOY and sorrow, and
love and hate real'' asked Priscilla
Il don't know" answered Mark simply. But
sometimes l wonder"
That's because you have never felt them, returned
Priscilla, and her eyes were bitter.
There are things that are so much more real,
said Mark. There are the stars, and the winds.
and dawn the hills, and laughter and music, and
dreams! There's nothing in the world so real as
Dreams"
But they end" cried Priscilla "They end
Some day you'll wake up and find yourself all alone
in little gray room, with the doors of your heart
and the windows of your soul locked fast-and YOU
can't get out-you can't get out! You can scream
yourself deaf, and beat at the closed windows, and
batter at the bolted doors; but you'll be locked in
fast-theres way OUT!
"Oh, yes, said Mark. There's always the key
to the fields. >.
''The kew to the fields?" asked Priscilla
"Its to little door behind curtain, explained
Mark. Just turn in the lock, step in the dark
ness-and you're free.
NO" replied Priscilla, there's no way out-no
way at ALL It's because you don't know that YOU
think there is, Mark No more dreams: nothing
dreaming better than living! If you had stayed awake
they could not have locked you in, and you could
have swept and garnished the little room, and made
it fine and bright. And air would have in through
the open windows and comrades through the open
doors, if you had not dreamed"
Il take my Dreams defed Mark gaily "And
sometimes dreams come true, Playmate"
Do they?" asked Priscilla.
Il think that they always come true, " said Mark
oh, you blind blind, happy little boy!' cried
Priscilla, with catch in her breath. "You mustn't
think that: it would be terrible when you woke up
Look around you! Can't you see the sin and misery
and hypocrisy and vileness every hand9 Look
down! Can't YOU that at your feet is dirt instead
of flowers"
But the flowers from the Dirt" said Mark.
And don't the sin and the misery and the vile
just strange folk who speak alien tongue.
And sometimes am lonely, because can't understand
them, and they can't understand me-" In his dark
eyes Priscilla again the curious remoteness that
she had wondered at on that first day. - am 50
lonely sometimes he said for countries have never
known for comrades / have never greeted for loves
that have had! Or did know and love them
once? l think that shall love and know them again,
and speak their tongue and clasp their hands"
DO you mean in Heaven?" asked Priscilla
Marks eyes widened suddenly, and then he smiled.
"Do I?' he wondered, Over the edge of the world,
anyway"
Il want to be happy l don't want to wait
till Heaven!' protested Priscilla passionately. This
is my world and l love it. In the golden streets
would long for the green lanes and by the rivers of
milk and honey would miss the little brown brooks.
In all that binding white light l would miss starlight
and sunlight and freight At the pearly gates l
always sing-have they forgotten how to laugh and
cry? Ah l would remember l would lean out
the edge of Heaven and watch the little dear, foolish
to- JaIc, 7 lo;,l,