Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-02

into silence. 'e'''p9eO
McDougaTs was n companlonable ST.
renee. Alan could feel him sitting there
IN the dark, raw-boned and dour, but
ready at the word of command.
IL was after when Alan called for
a light and drew from n worn letter case
the correspondence that a runner from
tne coast had brought in that day. He
glanced over official communications. blue
prints and business letters and stuffed
Ihem back into the leather case. One
rat letter, note-paper size, remained,
McDougal," said Alan, "hush UP the
eamp-tell 'em It's O'clock"
MeDougal arose and picking UP big
SUCK strobe over toward the men. The
stick was so big that he had never had
to use It. At the mere sight of It the men
ueslsted from clamor, dance and horse
play.
Alan drew the fat letter from its en-
velope and for the second time read, "Dear
Alan: AS you see, this Is from New York.
We came down yesterday. All summer
l nave been watching for my second self
because I'm just about grown up now
outside, l mean-insde is different some
how-and three DAYS before we left I
really caught her looking at me while 1
was sitting on the old stone bench down
by the pond.
II jumped up and ran after her all the
way down Long Lane and up the Low
Road to where the red COW broke her leg
that time and there l lost her l didn't
find her again and had to come away
without her and now / feel so queer
sort of half-y, just like you.
Somehow I can't blame her. She didn't
want to leave the Hill in the Gorgeous
Month so she just stayed behind. DO you
remnrnbnr-
This is the gorgeous month when leafy hrcs
Mount to the gods, in myriad summer
"a few hours ago when I was doing my
mile on the Avenue l almost got run down
and Mam'selle gave me an awful scolding
for being so absent-minded
ut was a true word l was just that
ent-minded-because my mind was
off chasing that other half. I could see
her so plainly! She had on the CHINA
mon linen with the white collar and tabs
but I forget-you don't know it. She
was bare-headed and her feet and skirt
were wet because it had been drizzing
before the sun came out in an evening
salute to the flaming trees. 1 saw her
tumble down jumping the stone wall in
the bushes at the foot of old Bald Head
and then some one picked her up, helped
her over and together they climbed to
the top. 1t was your other half. Have
you missed him? 1 liked the way he
treated him. Just like boy. Somehow
he's younger than you and sometimes he
laughs right out.
"Then 1 saw her get home, change her
things and-shall I tell you?-fsh out the
old doll-yes, Bessy. 1 left her telling
Bessy one of those stories you used to
call Tales of the Very Real Things That
Are Not. Remember? And then 1 came
back and there 1 was on the Avenue with
people staring at me more than they ever
have before. l suppose 1t was because 1
was out of breath with chasing in my
mind. Good-by, Alan. Glenn"
Alan sat in the circle of light from the
hanging lamp and stared into the dark
ness. From the river came the sound of
sucking mud. then heavy tread. A
monster hippo blundered through the
bushes in search of food. On the other
side of the tree trunk the Zanzibari was
snoring. The fires were burning out at
the mems camp. Once more the odor Of
their bodies hung in the air.
Alan arose and dragged his chair to
the outer edge of the mango tree. He
sat down and with hands locked and ell
bows on knees gave himself up to MEM
ory. He forgot the sounds and smells
of Africa, the black-green of overhang-