Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-15
BEYOND THE GREAT OBLIVION
Csequcl to "The Vacant world')
BY GEORGE ALLAN ENGLAND
Copyright. 1910. bv FrdHk 4. Mtrsry compuHv

hauled Il tight A pleasant ripple began to
murfuur at the stern as the yawl gathered
speed
Boston and way stations" cried he but
through his Jest certain sadness seemed
TO vibrate AZ the wooded point swallowed
up their bungalow and hlottcd out all slght
VI their garden In the wilderness. then as
the little wharf vanished, and nothing now
remained but memories, he. too, felt tho
sOlcmnity Of leRvc-taling which might
well bc eternal.
Beatrice pressed spray OF goldenrod
to her lips
From our garden" said she. I'm
going To keep II. wherever we go
Il understand" he answered but this
ls no time now Tor retrospcCtou. Every
things sunshine. life, hopc--we'Ne got
world to win,'
Then ~ the yRwl hcclcd to the breeze and
fuamcd away down stream wits speed and
ease that bore witness 80 the correctness
OF hor lines be struck w a song, and Boa-
trice Joined in and 20 their sadness Van-
ished and great, strong. confident JOY
thrilled both OF them NJ prospect or what
was yet TO be.
by mld-nfternopn they had safely navl-
gated Harlem River and the upper reaches
or East River and wcrr well up toward
willetts Point, with Long Island Sound
opening out bcfor, them broadly
or tho towns and villages. the estates
and magnificent palaces that once had
adorned the shores Of the Sound no trace
remained Nothing was visible but un-
broken lines of tall, blue forest In the dis
tauce the Sound appeared TO have grown
far wider and what seemed like a strong
current set eastward Ia a manner certainly
not produced by the tide, all OF which pug
zled stern ag he held the little yawl 20
her course sole alone In that vast blue
faH hnu pT
veNcd the brine.
Nlghttall found them abreast the ruins
Of stamford. stil holding a fair course
about five or six miles OF shore
Save for the Rulls and one or two quick
scurrying flights OF Mother Carey'H chick
Ems uow larger and swiftcr than In the old
days), and a single ''V' OF noisy geese no
life had appeared all that afternoon, Stern
wondered ut this a Kind OF desOiHtion
seemed to lie over the region
Ten times more living things In our
vicinity back home ON the Hudson" he re-
marked 10 Beatrice, who now lay 'midshpa
under the shelter Of the cabin, warmly
wrapped In fuTs against the keen cutting
OF the night wind. 1T seems as though
something had happened around here
doesn't IL? ! should have thought the
Sound would be alive with birds aud hsh.
what can the matter bc?'
She had no hypothesis. and though they
IL
by 3 O'Clock she fell asleep In her warm
nest and Stern stcered on alone by the
stars. under promise to put into where New
Haven once had stood. and there himself
get some much-needed sleep
swiftly the yawl split the waters Of the
Sound for though her sail was crude her
body was as fine and speedy as his long
experience with boats could make II Some
thing OF the vast mystery OF night and sea
penetrated his soul as he held the boat on
her way.
The night was moonless; only the great
untrouhled stars wondered down az this
daring venture into the unknown
Stern hummed IA tune 20 keep his spirits
up Running easily over the monotonous
dark swells with fair Following breeze,
he passed an hour or two. lo sat down,
braced the tiller. and resigned himself TO
contemplation OF the mysteries that had
been aud that stlll must b. And very
sweet TO him was the sense ~ protection. Of
guardianship wherein he held the sleeping
girl In the shelter OF the little cabin.
lie must have dozed, sitting there In
active and alone. How long? fe could not
tell An that he knew was, suddenly.
that he had wakened 20 rull consciousness