Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-30

d
beauty. 1t seemed to swim in the moonlt mist, and
it chilled it breathed out fragrances souls
do when crushed by sorrow.
Roxanna sat where Prissy had left her She took no
count of time. A song on the stiffness. To Rox
anna it the musician boarding with her nearest
neighbour it the night itself that sang,the tapping
river, the moonlight and the mist vocing tangle of
melody that to her in She hoated on the
swelling tide-away and away from Prssys ugly words
which had torn her heart beast tears fesh-away
and away from the bitter time that had struck her,
still child, into sudden, tragic womanhood.
She seventeen again. Out of the mystery and
the beauty of the night her lover to meet her.
His EMBODIED her; his lips touched hers. Trem
bngy she lifted her hand to touch his face; but she
did that ghost of young love drifted from reach
beyond her yearning fingers Her hand dropped to her
side Like rudely awakened from happy dream
she got to her feet.
How Prssys words changed in her ears! She tried
to fling them from her into the nightthe night that
no longer beautiful, but sinister. terrifying:
@Yeve ben deserted afore an folks air sayin' it's
come to we agin!"
Would Prissy's ugly words ring and on forever?
Would they stop until Buddie Gamer She had
told him to wait. She had told him not to until
both could come. What if he never came?
PUDDLE"
= She stumbled into the hall. 1t was dark and
deserted but little scamperng feet-Buddes feet when
he two years old and in mischief-hed down the
hall before her. His baby voice cried, Il amt done
nussin-nussn'.' Farther down the hall on her way
to close the house for the night she met another little
Buddie ghost. This one was four years old He held
up dirty fingers, and he said, Il love to git EN- dirty
They taste good The place full of him. Across
the hail. the library table, his grave little face bent
above book. In his own room (Roxanna had hest
tated at that door, but she had gone i'm he looked up
laughing from the bowl of pinks the table as he
made pretense that they cecream and he was eat
ing them.
"Buddie" the passion of her voice startling the
silence of the room 3come back! Show the peopeSon
1t was then she remembered Under the lash of
Prissy's tongue she had said that she was going to
them. Then she must go. Dsrnay seized her. At
thought of the journey her throat choked in terror
Prissy would tell Hiram,-even that avenue of escape
closed and he would be at her door little past
daybreak
When whispered words that were sort of prayer
had soothed and strengthened her she began to work
There was more work to be done when one leaving
home for the first time in twenty-five years. Through
most of the hours of the night she worked with fierce
thoroughness. The birds making little tfu stir
rings chrpng little sleepy notes. and it along the
margin of morning when she lay down.
CHE at the gate, a bunch of flowers in her hand
- heavy valise beside her. when Hiram drove up
aid thought we young gal watin eft
hadn't knowed ye,' he told her. And he looked with
admring and somewhat curious eyes at the girlsh fig
ure the girlish face Roxanna under that look felt i'm
PEELED to tell him that she knew her clothes were old
fashioned and that she meant to get the first
thing when she reached Atlanta, and in the telling she
blushed deeply and looked still younger
The hackman helped her to the back seat handed in
the flowers and the valise He then fumbled in his
pocket and produced yellow bit of paper which he
gave her somewhat sheepishy.
Il knowed I'd git it to ye as eff it was tele-
phoned,' he sad so got the operator to give it to
me. l knowed holdin it in yore han an readn'
it over nd be sight O comfort We, Mis- Randall.
meant to bring it when TUX out my horses but
l forgot it. Then l ricollected Mamie Joyner had
spread the news an Prssy had toted it to We fast