The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-13

and shriveled up! You're AS bad as
Josh. You and he ought TO have mar
ried each other. You'd have been a
prize couple"
Josh laughed loudly at this sally,
leaning round the figure OF his wife 10
present his foolish, good-humored face,
creased with a grin, TO Berry.
Are you willing, Berny?" he cried
gaily 81 can get divorce whenever
you say. II will be dead easy; brutal
and inhuman treatment Just say the
world"
"ThereIl be brutal and inhuman
treatment if you don't move on and
stop blocking the way, Josh McCrae,'
said Hazel severely. Il want to go out
that side and there you are right in
the path, trying to be funny"
The cheerful Josh, still laughing,
turned and moved onward between the
seats, the others following him. The
mass OF the crowd was not yet leav-
ing, and as the little group moved for
ward in a struggling line toward the
drive, the exciting opening OF the Will
liam Tell Overture doomed out from
the sounding board. 1t was a favor
tie piece, and they left lingeringly, Ha-
eel and Josh particularly fascinated,
with heads turned and ears trained on
the band. Josh's hand, passed through
/ mis- wife's arm, affectionately pressed
1 her against his side, for despite the
/ sharpness of their determinations they
/ were the most loving Of couples.
! Berry was the last of the line. In
/ the furry Of departure her silence had
passed unnoticed, and that she should
/ thus lag at the tail Of the procession
was not in any way remarkable, as,
at the best of times, she was not much
Of a walker and in her high-heeled
Sunday shoes her progress was always
/ deliberate.
Looking ahead of her, she saw the
landscape still as picture under the
slanting, lurid sunlight. 1t seemed to
be painted with unnaturally glaring
tints, to be soaked in color. The grass,
crossed with long shadows, was Of the
greenness of an aniline dye. The
massed foliage of tree groups showed
a melting richness Of shades, no one
clearly defined, all fused in a thick
Opaque lusciousness of greens. The ali
was motionless and very clear. Where
a passing carriage stirred the dust
the powdery cloud rose, spreading a
furnishing blur on the crystalline clar
ity of the scene. The sun injected
these dust films with gold, and they
, settled slowly, as if it made them
heavy, like ground-up particles OF
metal
. Yet, to Berry, this hectic prospect
, looked gray; all color seemed sucked
from it. 1t appeared pale and alien
!; its comfortable intimacy gone. She
, was like a stranger walking in &
strange place, a forlorn, remote land
! where she felt miserable and home
: sick. The sense of being dazed was
: passing from her. Walking forward
/ with short, careful steps, she wa!
slowly coming to the meaning Of he
discovery-adjusting herself to it
realizing its significance. She had al
, uncomfortable sensation of not beins
r able TO control the muscles round he,
mouth, so that if spoken to she would
, have had difficulty in answering, anC
would have been quite unable t.
smile.
An open carriage passed her, an'
/ she drew aside, then mechanical!
: looked after it as it rolled forward
) There was a single figure in it;
woman. Berry could see her head owe
, the lowered hood, and the little para
> sol she held, white with a black lac,
cover and having a joint in the handle
Her eyes followed this receding head
q moving so evenly against the back
ground Of trees. 1t scared along with
I out sinking or rising, with the even
| forward flight of bird, passed Han
' nah and Josh and Hazel, turning t
: drop on them quick looks, whicl
seemed, from its elevated position an,
! the shortness of the inspection, t
. have something of disdain in them.
r AS the carriage drew near Dominicb
v who walked at the head of the lin
a with Pearl by the hand, Berry saw tn.
2 head move, lean forward, and then, a
r the vehicle overhauled and passet
the young man, turn at right angle
= and bow to him. The wheel almos
brushed his shoulder. He drew bacl
from it with a start and lifted his hat
o Hazel, who was walking just in from
q of Berry, turned and projecting he
y lips so that they stood out from he
face in a red circle, Kissed througl
. | them:
. "Old Lady Ryan," and then in
: slightly louder key:
:, You take a Ratchet and I'll take
saw,
, And We'll cut off the head Of m
mother-in-law."
e Continued Monday