The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-03-09
THE Wind TRAVELLER
BY IZOLA FORESTER.
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~ OppOSlte lue iDldiy Wlhuo"s hau
been most interesting. Evidently it
was occupied by a sculptor. She
caught glimpses Of clay models and
plaster casts on long bare shelves. 1t
| looked cool and restful in the room.
There were long, dark, green-mesh
curtains at the windows and a north
skylight overhead Regarding it all
| once more, Peggie turned and resumed
| writing to her best chum at college,
Nan Carruthers.
He works necessarily. | think the
| new one is Diana because she seems
| to carry culver, but maybe it's a
Greek girl with Jug | mean jar. Oh,
| Nan, how wonderful it must be to
| really live right in an art atmos-
| phere. You don't know how interest
| ing he looks, though, Nan, and don't
| even know his name. | don't even
| want to know it. Distance lends so
much enchantment to this special
| view"
"Peggie! You're wanted at the
| phone" called Frances from below
Mothers at Peabody & Weston's, and
she can't remember whether you said
to get raisin color or more on the
hyacinth."
Peggie went down quickly, without
irritation at the interruption. In
fact, Peggie hardly knew what irrita-
ton meant. She had been blest at
birth, the family said, with unfailing
good temper The world was rose
color to her and infinitely good to
live in. She patted Jacks head low
ingly as he wedged by her on the
stairs, and tried to think just what
would be best to tell her mother so
she would really get the right tone.
Her voice foated clearly upstairs,
while Jack strolled into the library
with a captive ant in a capsule box
and several peanuts in his pocket.
"Why, dear, it's a sort of betwixt
and between. No, no, not a true raj
sin tint. Remember, amethystine in
dull glow. All right dear. Thanks
so much"
Jack squeezed by her again on her
way upstairs and smiled seraphically,
with his hands behind him. He was
seven and utterly full of guile. In the
room below he worked leisurely, hap
PLY, constructing his balloon from a
nice, oblong cream sheet of paper COW
cred with Peggie's rather large hand
writing. And finally he launched it,
his wind traveller, from the broad bay
window and eyed it rapturously as
the breeze caught 1t and bore it
straight up and over the way 1t
rocked and dallied it, it coquetted
with 1t like leaf, and finally it bore
1t lazily into the open window OF the
studio opposite, where Winthrop Alb
bolt worked on the new design for the
municipal fountain a Nereid holding
up a dolphin.
1t lay on the floor near his foot,
and as he stepped back he glanced
down and read:
He works necessarily. think the
new one-maybe 1t is a Greek girl
with a Jug"
Right here the labor for the foun-
tain stopped Winthrop took the little
paper balloon and slowly opened It,
He read it over carefully, looked
around at the open skylight, and went
to his window to test the way of the
wind. And he saw the launcher Of
aircraft at the bay window opposite
round-faced, curly haired laddie who
waved at him excitedly and called
did you get it?'
And then at the window above ap-
peared face that might have posed
for his own fair Nereid maiden, a
startled, wide-eyed, anxious face that
vanished almost instantly, and Win
throp prepared to return the wind
traveller.
Peggie did not appear at that first
visit, but when he dned there, two
weeks later, shy-eyed and rather cool
in manner, Peggie sat next to her
mother, and she wore the gown the
tint Of California grape bloom Win
throp thought she looked clad in a
cloud OF dawn, with her slender white
throat above and gray eyes and chest
nut hair.
He listened mechanically to his
hosts congratulations The Nereid
was accepted. Mr.. Chalmers was the
chairman OF the municipal committee
on art. But Jack, sitting beside Fran
ces on the opposite side of the table
knew far more than his father of the
workings Of their distinguished guests
mind. After dinner, Just for a mo-
ment, Winthrop found her standing
with Jack at the bay window, and
joined them. Jack smiled up at him
Il sailed 1t out of this window" he
said.
God bless you, Jack" murmured
Winthrop fervently, and Peggie
flushed. He bent over her longingly.
Does distance really lend so much
enchantment, lady fair? Are you
angry with me or the wind, Pier
rette?"
Il don't think you should have read
it, said Peggie, trying to look TWEEN.
ty-nine instead of nineteen.
Don't you, really? Perhaps living
as ! do among the gods has made me
superstit.ous. | should have been
afraid not to take their gift
Il sent 1t over" Jack explained
gravely. you ought to thank me-
Peggie did not reply, but a little
smile curved the corners of her
mouth
Copyright. 1916. by Mcclure Nemanaper