Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-28


never anyone just like him, you 50 describing
wouldn't do much good. Only-have you ever read
about Arthur"
DO YOU King Arthur"
Yes, Arthur of Camelot. | think that my father
must have been like him. only more human you know.
We always called him Sire, because Felicity thought 50
too. Perhaps it Lancelot, only finer. That
the first book ever read and then the Had and the
odyssey. I'm afraid that like them better than
the Bible Priscilla. "
Priscilla stirred a little, with ripple Of sympathetic
laughter. " Breathe it low III England she admon-
ished
Il do breathe it low now, laughed this shameless
ruefuly, Cynthia and Uncle Hal nearly died
when l told them really they did. 1t was simply
awful. Uncle Halls Bishop, you know.
Il didn't know" explained Mark, about the
Bible, l mean | thought it just like any other
book except that liked it better because there
bully fights in it, and parts of it just sing And
David a corker. But don't think that the
such true gentlemen as Arthur's knights,
good fighters as Achilles. And some of them weren't
honorable and none of them chivalrous,-in the
Old Testament, mean: the New Testament different
I'm awfuly keen about Saint Paul. "
oh" gasped Priscilla trife historically. The
poor Bishop-my heart goes out to him."
Mark propped his head on his fists, cear-eyed and
a little stern I'm not very fond Of Uncle Hal,
he told her. You see, he says that my mother wasn't
a good woman.
"Wasn't-"
But | think that that's rather absurd, because
the Bible says that the wicked always unhappy,
and my mother was-why, she just was Happiness
Even her name was Felicity. l sunshine,
flowers, or hear birds sing children laugh, without
thinking Of her, Priscilla. She used to sing all day
long and she never walked: she ran The last thing
that used to hear when went to bed was Felicity
laughing, and when woke up in the morning she was
in England except the children And they say that
they're nosy-noisy, when they re laughing No,
l don't think that III ever understand England.
why did your uncle say she wasn't good" asked
Priscilla softly.
WELL, you Sec she was married when Sire her.
md ta,1,l and. old.
than she And OF course she loved Slre-anvone
would She stood il just as long she could and then
she went to Sire and asked him to take her away be
she couldn't bear 1t any longer So he took her
Australia where he had farm, and she lived the
overseers cottage with her old Sire said that
he could be his overseer and he 1t had
all it. that cottage and dear little garden just
like the in the stories. Priscilla Felicity said
she started in being happy then-and she never had
time stop! Every morning Sire used to ride over
big black horse early, early. and throw pebbles
at her window to wake her up. And she d come down
to him. and they'd 60 and get Strawberries for break
fast and fill all the bowls with flowers and play till
il was time for luncheon They always used to play,
Priscilla you d think it silly, if weren't 50 beau
tul. Then it would be time for luncheon and they'd
have outside, sitting the grass Just big bowls
Of milk and bread and cheese,-everything but
kisses, Felicity said. | don't see how he could help
kissing her. my little lovely mother! Only, when he
away, Felicity would pick him the very loveliest
that grew the cottage, and kiss II deep IN its
heart; and he would kiss it, too. Aterward-when
they'd gone, YOU know found little carved chest
in his room, and when opened it, 1t full of queer
little hard brown things-dead roses, Priscilla. They'd
been there for all those years the poor little ugly things
and they'd been sweet and beauttul,-lovely and
velvety, crimson and pink and golden, and now they
were dead. | hadn't cried when Felicity went away,
nor when Sire did, either; but cried thenits horrible
to cry
Priscillas hands flew out to him mpusvey only
to be withdrawn and firmly folded in her lap. Did
she always live in the little cottage?" she asked.
oh no. After awhile the devil in England died,
and Sire and Felicity were married, and | born
There three of play then, and the cottage
too little; went to live in the farmhouse
We lived there for nineteen till Felicity went
away"