Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-14

to leave our home. with winter coming on7"
she asked at length pensivoly, the nrelight
casting It's glow across her cheek and CLINT
ing In her eyes
wise? Yes We can't stay here, that's
certain. And what Is there TO fear out In
tho world? with our firearms and our
knowledge OF hro Itself, our science and
our human intelligence. we're far more than
match for all enemies, whether OF the
beast world or OF that race OF the Horde
! hate In way. TO revisit the ruins OF
New York for more ammunition and canned
htufIs The place Is too CHASTITY, too hldcous
now, after the big fight
Boston viii DO clean ground for us
with infinite resources. And, as I said
before there's the Cambridge observatory
It's only two or threo miles back In the
foreHt, from the coast; maybe not more
than half a mile from Home part of the
Charles River We can sail up, camp on
Soldiers Field and visit It easily. why
note"
IEo sat down on the tiger rug before the
fire. near the girl She drew his head down
into her lap then, when he was lying
comfortably, began playing with his thick
hair, as he loved so well TO have her do
III you think it's all right, Allan" said
she. "we'll go. want what you want"
That's my good girl" exclaimed the
engineer. Wen he ready to start in n
few days now. The boats next thing to
finished with the brsadfrult. smoked
steer and buffalo meat, hams and canned
goods now on our shelves. we've certainly
got enough supplies to stock her for two
months trip
Even with less we'd be safe in starting
You see the worlds lain untouched my
mankind for 50 many centuries that all the
bllghting effect Of mans folly and greed
and general piracy has vanished.
The soils got back to It's natural state,
animal life ahounds and so long as stlll
have a good supply OF cartridges We can
live almost anywhere Anthropolds?
don't think there's much danger oh yes,
I remember the line of blue smoke we
say yesterday over the hills To westward
but what does that prove? Lightning may
have started q hre-there'a no tollng. And
We can't always stay here, BETA, Just be-
cause there may be dangers out yonder!"
lie flung one arm toward the vast night,
beyond the panes where the mist and storm
we're beating cheerlessly
"No. we can't camp down here indeh-
nltely Now's the time TO start As |
say we've got all OF sixty days OF down
right civilized food on hand for good
cruise In tho Adventure, The chance or
finding other people somewhere Is too pre-
cious not 10 make any risk worth while.
More than the girl. he realized the prime
Importance OF this possibility Though he
and she loved each other very dearly,
though they we're all In all to each other,
yet he comprehended the loneliness she felt
man for man. OF woman for woman--tha
old social, group-lnstlnet OF the race be-
ginning to reassert itself even In their Eden.
During the last week or 50 Stern had
more than once caught himself listening for
some other sound OF human life and actly-
ity. once he had found the girl standing
on a wooded point RmoDE the pines. shad-
ing her eyes with her hand and watching
downstream with an attitude OF hope which
spoke more finently than words, He had
stolen quietly away, saying nothing, careful
not to break her mood For he had under
stood It II had been his very own.
The mood expressed itself. at times. In |
long talks together OF the seeming dream |
age when there had been so many miliona |
of men and women In the world, Beatrice |
and Stern found themselves dwelling with a |
peculiar pleasure on memories and deAcrip- |
tiOns OF thFongs.
They would read the population statistics |
In Vans cyclopedia, ana wonder greatly at |
them for now these figures seemed the |
unreal ehimera OF wild imaglnings.
They would talk Of the crowded streets, |
the II" crushes and the Jams at the |
Bridge entrance OF packed cars and trains |
and oYernowing theatresi Of great con-
courses they had seen; OF every kind and |
condition OF affairs where thousands OF /
their kind had once rubbed elbows all |
strangers to each other yet all one vast /
kin and family ready in case OF need TO sue |
cor one another. 70 use the collective intelll- |
genee for the benefit OF each
Sometimes they INDUCED In fanciful COM /
parsons. trying 70 make their present /
state seem wholly blest
This Is e pretty fine way 70 live after
all" Stern said one day even II Il Is a
bit lonesome at times. There's no getting /
up In the moFning and rushing to an ONCE, /
It's a perpetual vacation. There are no /
appointments 20 keep. no angry clients kick
ing because I can't make water run up hill /
or make cast iron do the work OF tool steel /
No saloons OF free lunches, no subways to /
atihe the breath out Of Us. no bills 70 pay /
and no bill collectors u oodge; no laws /
except the laws Of nature. and such as We 1
make ourselves; no bores and no bad shows:
no politics no yellow journals. no
aOh. aear haw I'd like 70 see q mifllner's I
window asain@ eFisd Baatrlce, rudsly shat