The Washington times., 1917-03-16
Don Marquis
Column
Giving the Scenery a Chance.

a tendency a-long writer's OF fiction
Of late years to let the Weather and
the Scenery and the Moonlight and
all that sort OF thing appear as little
as possible. The stun is boiled down
to the more strictly human content,
and the Average Reader doesn't have
to skip SO much.
Indeed, the thing has gone SO far
that the scenery is getting rather
rough deal; IT has been crowded out
to an unjust extent.
By way of a modest attempt to-
ward restoring the balance we present
herewith a little story in which the
stage setting itself does all the act
ing:
THE DISCOURAGED HEADLAND.
The Headland stood in water up to
its knees and cougheu.
1t was cold. 1t was wet. 1t felt
rocky. 1t had no place to go.
There was rain in its face, frost on
its neck, mud on its flanks, and
flock of goats in its back hair.
"Gosh!" said the Headland. might
after night of this, and no sympathy!
And yet they wonder why profnonto-
ries go wrong! 1 wish 1 was a
whale"
A great bull-mouthed Breaker lift
ed his ugly head up out of the sea,
skinned a set of white teeth that
would have looked well in tooth
powder ad., andSrushed forward with
on its sciatica-
That's gratitude for you," moan
ed the Headland. ave stood between
those fellows and the marine paint
ers for years. I wish could go in
side somewhere"
A sandstorm arose in the Desert be-
hind the Headland, groaned doleful-
ly and bored into the Headland's ears
with a circular motion
81 WISH" said the Headland, 81
could lie down somewhere. Nobody
loves me. wish 1 could roll over
and smash a ship"
A large, discouraged cloud wrap
ped itself coldly around the small OF
the Headland's back. 81 WISH" said
the Headland, shivering from perios-
teum to perimeter. that I could
heave myself up and flop down on a
summer resort"
A blizzard came in from the ocean
and nestled in the back of its neck.
81 WISH" said the Headland, 81 was
an apartment house. 1 could make
trouble for somebody then"
An earthquake came up out OF the
trap down stage and heaved stones at
the Headland's unprotected elbows,
hitting them.
81 wish / had never been born"
said the Headland. Pm gonna end it
all~
And it prepared to fling itself into
the sea But,
''StopI" said a little voice.
"who speaker" asked the Headland.
81 am a Little Moonbeam," said the
voice. "Cheer up"
The rest OF the scenery, realizing
that the Heroine had appeared, made
sentimental noises like an orchestra.
Let me kiss you on your brown
cried Little Moonbeam. "And let US
both be gladly
Eolus harped sobbingIy. There was
not a dry eye in the Ocean. Little
Moopbeam spotted the honest Head
lands rugged countenance.
Il, too, have suffered" said Little
Moonbeam.
Boreas burbled like an oboe.
"You!" cried the Headland. "You
have suffered, child? So pure, so sweet.
so beautiful, SO innocent, and to have
known sufferingi Goshw
YES" said Little Moonbearn, ct. too.
have suffered. 1 used to die on church
steps with the Two Orphans. and later
1 became a slavey in a J. NJ. Barrie
play. /, too, have suffered. But I
have learned to smile through my
tears"
Just then a mist, through which
things appeared Strangely Unreal
but why drag II out? Little Moon
beam and the honest Headland marry
In the end. as all experienced fiction
readers have already seen. He still
takes his beer in his crusty, kindly
way and grouches in the ingle nook,
the sturdy fellow, and she-she is
grace itself about their happy little
house. The children are already earn
ing few dollars a week in the 10
cent magazines. and they bring 1t all
home and lay II in Little Moonbeam's
lap. A stouter, more matronly Little
Moonbeam now, but with the same