Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-05-18

IN INNER that evening in the fad
ed dining room Of the Hotel
Splendid was in the way of
- being a doleful affair for the
folk from Kewanee, aside from Cap
tain Woodhouse, the only persons at
table there. Woodhouse, true to the
continental tradition of eXclusiveness,
had isolated himself against possible
approach by sitting at the table far
thest from the Shermans. His back
presented N uncompromising denial of
fraternity. AS for Mrs. Sherman, the
afternoons visit to the baZaars had
been anything but a solace, emphasiz-
ing, as it did, their %grievous poverty
in the midst of a plenty contemptuous
of a mere letter of credit. Henry J.
was wallowing in the lowest depths
of nostalgia. He tortured himself with
the reflection that this was lodge night
in Kewanee and he would not be sit
ting in his chair. Miss Kitty contem-
plated with melancholy the distress of
her parents.
A tall, slender youth with tired eyes
and affecting the blase SLOUGH of the
sboulevards appeared in the door and
cast about for a choice of tables. Him
Mr.. Sherman impaled with a glance
of disapproval which suddenly chang
ed to wondering recognition. He drop
ped his fork and jumped to his feet.
"Bless me, mother, II 1t isn't Willy
Kimball from old Kewanee!" Sher-
man waved his napkin at the young
man, %summoning him in the name of
Kewanee to come and meet the home
folks. The tired eyes lighted percepti-
bly, and a lukewarm smile played about
Mr.. Kimball's effeminate mouth as he
stepped up to the table. >
"Nhy, Mrs. S~herman-and Kitty!
And you, Mr.. Sherman-charmed!" He
accepted the proffered seat by the side
of Kitty, receiving their hearty halls
with languid politeness. With the
sureness of English restraint Mr.. Willy
Kimball refused to become excited.
He was of the type of exotic Ameri-
cans who try to forget grandpa's corn
fed hogs and grandma's hand churned
butter. His speech was of Rotten row
and his clothes Piccadilly.
Terrible business this!' The youth
luttered his hands feebly. "All this
marrying about and peeping at pass
ports by every silly officer one meets.
I'm afraid I'll have to go over to
America until it's all over-on my way
now, in fact"
"Afraid!' Sherman shifted loudly
and appraised Mr.. Kimball's tailoring
with a disappearing eye. well Willy,
it would be too bad if you had to go
back to Kewanee after your many
years in Paris. Now, wouldn't it?'
Kimball turned to the ONE for
sympathy. .'Reseryed a compartment
to come down from Paris. Beastly
treatment. Held up at every city;
other people crowded in my apart
ment, though I'd paid to have it alone,
of course; soldier chap N along
and seizes my valet and makes him
join the colors and all that sort
Huh! Your father managed to wor-
ry along without a val-lay. and he was
respected in Kewanee." This in dis
gust from Henry j.
kitty flashed a %reproving glance at
her father and deity turned the ex-
patriate into a %recounting of his adj
ventures. Under her unaffected lead
the youth, who sim ldered inwardly at
the appreciation of willy" thawed
considerably. and soon there was an
animate g~,.sa9.ug oe "reminiscences
Of the great .a.Iog-hours ON end be
fore the banks anil express Offices.
lodging of police impGsitions, scram-
bling for steamer aecommodationsuall
that vent to compose the refugee
Americans great epic of August, 1914.
Sherman took pride in his superior
adventures: Five times arrested be-
tween Berlin and Gibraltar, and what
l said to that Dutchman on the Swiss
frontier was enough to make his hair
curl.
Tell you what, Willy; you come on
back to Kewanee with Is and mother
and you'll lee3nre before the Thursday
Afternoon Ladies Literary club" Sher-
man doomed, with a hearty blow of
the hand between WHY'S shoulder
blades, I'm have Ed Porter announce
it in advance in the Day Enterprise,
and Wen have the whole town there to