Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03
II

II ~ l.
dirtyisl cabin between decks and hence were
trrevereut Of the beings OF the roomy. enaineieu
quarters above 30 We dubbed her BanJo Men Amos.
as s. placed little buekled shoe upon the posheu
,,,,ks ,f the white army transport The naming, 1t
,t he said called violent effort of the mag
,,tin,. she pldcd toward the cabin along the daz-
ling deck accompanied by no baggage We could DIS
Germ except shaped like dolls comm whlch sac
hed aifectionatey against her heart ana "ich sa'e
-, when accidentally against brass railing
a ,nuiied and yet resonant note that shuouered n
ment like a plant
she was young slender and very light; her
dress was pasteile blue her hat pasteiie PINK ana
RON dress and hat somehow gave an impression OF
being extraordinarily beribboned, though wnen you
anaIyzed Impression you found II oaseo Oh Wy
1itt fact In the her entire personality
through no cause you could Immediately discern eN
haIed ! vhirrng interchangeable and gentle turbulence
She moved sound of wings; little goiueh "isps
of hair snapped mutnously beneath the wide halo Oh
her millinery seemed all a-iutter "A nuny young
miss" said one observing her with uptilted nose.
"A nrtv little devil Hart. But strang the
severe man OF our trio nothing at all His fore
head puckered in disapprobaton; nut IN ms eyes,
as they followed her, there puzzlng light.
The interest thus awakened in us. she was TO hoid
for the thirty days seaway TO the fhiip-
rnes We were tbeing civilians and below decks,
CYNICAL trio COR tried be-, and observed CRITICALLY
and with some maevolence. the doings or the upper
deck. We watched officers too palpaniy from ives.
Point and officers palpably trying to be from west
point nice army ladies' and army ladies very much
nainted but it Nell who from the hrst hed
our steadfast attention. From the first It must %
added she justified and fattered our perspi
cacity For after days wallowing in cold yellow
curriers' no sooner had ship poisoning out In sail
tents white uniforms and diaphanous gowns sio out
upon the lacquered calm of the tropc sea- tnan II De-
gan to end to end with the lnoeiatsaoe
tinkle of her banjo and the ripple Of her mrtn
She sat up there long white chair set upon the
white deck her gown touch Of color in the circle OF
white uniforms; and drawn In the attitude
of child eating something good her head inclined IKE
a birds with slender fingers she plncneo the
strings little fusades of puerile SOUND Inc os
ship slid gravely. with deaf and aosoroe'
air and necessarily the tinkling notes. released IN
flew
of mpalpable butterflies the impassive sea- some
times she sang she strummedlght songs that nut
tered like ribbons; and then again she led from DOW
spirit to tafrail along decks. passages down COM
panion-ways. bands youths that passed like .f'
hurricanes. always she unked. sang or nutereo'
never was silent, she still; and always
empty Joy-which had the faculty Of making US sad
OF making Strang sad He would watch her. his
face scowling with dsapprobation. his nerves vsiby
on edge. Damn fool" he would growl finally,
turning and lighting his pipe. But his pipe
refused stay lit and his back to stay turned; again
he would be watching her. above there on the Whle
deck always observation ended with the same
verdict: Damn little fooi!"
The ship slid on; day after day. after week
IL seemed, passed along lacquered bluer than
the sky bluer than sky. The ship Missed gently
from thin emerald lines spread curling
transparency and tipped with foam: two dvergns
lines a flight of swallows upon sky. flight OF
white swallows upon sky bluer than the sky. Upon
the immensely O there other movement.
ripple. not shiver and upon the immensely OF
ay mot ftoud oo aGs groe not srang watching
Look at her: Jock at those men Oh h look at that
US AND that the
s,asss
shut p in n the the
at s and md ten sro week Wit,
ss5sssh ;tS s'
me ship rolled scandalously And in the afternoon
crashing Of glass. scream and laughter overhead