Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-08-30

so slmplei"
Simplei Dash simple people-never
could stand theml Thing l admired
was brainsl Aloud | said gently-aL
most humbly:
so glad you like him. don't you
know-did like, meant"
did likeH I do stilli"-her tone
lifted in earnest protest. love to
think Of brave, dear Arthur and his
knights-so few, and yet * full OF
love, Of gallantry and daring!"
SO his nights we're like thati BY
Jove. I was devilish glad then that
they had been 80 few-that was some
comfort. dash It! | wondered II the
beggar was dead. But what difference
did 1t make now, after allf She was
mine o and she knew l knew 1t;
that was why this sweet, ingenious
child was laying bare to me her past
the darling!
Really, l ought not to let her go on.
Never mind them now" urged
soothingly. And needless OF the win
dows, | hitched a wee bit closer.
That's all past and gone and you and
/ will yet see as good nights as they
aver were" I spoke with assurance.
Don't you think so?" l added. softly.
She sighed. Il don't know-I hope
so!"-she fingered obviously over 1t,
looking away again, the while her
hand put back the ieecy, golden
what-you.call-it that was smuggling to
her eyes. l looked at the goddess
like forearm, barred to above the el-
bow, where 1t slipped from sight un-
der the roll OF sleeve, and thought OF
that night in my apartment when she
had made me feel of her biceps. don't
you know.
You don't knowT" l repeated with
gentle reproach. "Oh. l say, you
know! You know you know you
know!" BY Jove, that sounded rather
rum. but | knew she knew | knew she
knew-see?
She looked at me sidewise, her
slender foref1nger pressing the half
| parted lips slowly shaping in a curve.
Then her little teeth flashed, Jewell
iko-regular jolly pearl setting In the
| frankest, sweetest smile!-and thon
her glorious arm and wrist arched
suddenly toward me.
"Yes!" she said contritely. and with
the most delightful, kindest infection
and l%augh-such a laugh!-a laugh
gurgling m~elodious-oh, dash 1t,
yes; l mean just that!-like tha.fpte
notes in the overture to what's-his-
name-that sort!
That's the way l love to hear a
man talk" she said warmly. Il think
it takes an American to stand up for
his own place, his own times-please!"
And gently, but with a lovely smile,
she withdrew her hand that had
folded close in mine. let 1t go, fol-
| saw her look toward the house, and
of course, l understood--jolly careless
of me not to have remembered--bu,
she would know from my nod and
shrug that | c~omprehended.
sighed, and my deep breath
brought her gaze back to me and hel
flashing smile as well.
And So" she said, lifting her little
chin, you think there are just al
many knights now as there used II
be?"
almost laughed at the child-lik'
q~uestion-but | didn't! Dash 1t, no,
wouldn't have done SO for the world
Just looked at her seriously and an
swered her In kind:
Perfectly SURF of 1t, don't yo'
knowl"
And. by Jove, l was! Knew II Their
had been any change, some newsps
per-reading chap at the club woul
have mentioned it-that was safe; es
pecially one silly ass who was Away
reading Of some jolly comet that wa
coming. He would know about tn
nights.
"Yes-Oh, yes, there are Just a
, many!" l affirmed positively, and adj
ed quickly: More, you know!" FC
suddenly l remembered 1t was leal
year, and | knew there was some joll
rhyme about leap-year gives us on
day more-so, of course. there'd b
another night!
You don't know how glad | am I
hear you say that" she said musingl
There are just as many knights, yo
mean, but the conditions hay
changed-the mar Is c~hanged-is tn,
it?"
should say the man was changed
"Oh, dash it, yes!' blurted. I
Jove, | hoped there wouldn't be a
other change.
You mean"-with a little, chs
Longing, puzzled smile, she leaned fo
ward, her elbow resting p her KIN,
like a sculptured, Grecian pillar: h
fower-like curying fingers supportir
her chin like a Corinthian what SIT
name, you know, the sort of thing Il
ancient what-you-call'ems alwa,
added to top of their stunning ms
BILE columns-you know!-well, III
that-"you mean We may find knight
ly, not only In the field, but in the shor
'er upon the streets-even in the slum
1t or In the hospitals, in the church
upon the bench-that Is your idea?
- II wasn't nv idea NJ oil 49,,