The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-10-11

temper. The rain came with a swish,
then with q rattle and then with Q
roar. while people listened at their gar
ret doorways and marveled. window
panes turned to running water-it
poured
Then Il reiented. and out came the
children. Shouting. they ran to the
flooded cutters. Here were rivers.
lakes and oceans for navigation.
James timely boat was one Of the
nrst to reach the water.
Her mother had been kind. and Jane.
with shoes and stockings left behind
her on the porch, was q happy sailor
a. she waced knee deep along the
brimming curbstones At the corner
below the house OF the Baxters the
street was flooded clear across. and
James boat. following the current, pro
reeded calamity onward here. sailed
down the next block and was thought.
lessly entering Q sewer when she
snatched Il out Of the water. Looking
about her. she perceived Q gutter which
seemed even lovelier than the one she
had followed. II was deeper and broad
er and perhaps a little browner, where
fore she launched her ship upon Its
dimpled bosom aud explored It as far
as the next sewer hole or portage.
Thus the voyage continued for several
blocks with only one accident. which
might have happened to anybody. II
was an accident In the nature Of a fall,
caused by the sliding OF James left
foot on some slippery mud. This
treacherous substance. covered with
water. could not have been anticipat-
ed. Consequently James emotions were
those OF Indignation rather than OF cul-
pabllity
Jane resumed her navigating Thus
absorbed she failed at first to notice
the approach Of two young people
along the sidewalk. They were the
entranccd William and Miss Pratt. and
their appearance offered suggestive
contrast IN relative humidity. In
charming and tender colored fabrics.
funny and cool and summary. she was
specklessly dry. Not drop had touch
ed even the little pink parasol over
shoulder. not one had fallen upon the
tiny white doglet browsing upon her
arm
But William was wet lie was still
more than merely damp. though they
had evidently walked some distance
since the rain had ceased to fall His
new hat was a mucilagInous ruin, his
dank coat saggrd his shapeless trou-
sers Topped heavily. and his shoes gave
forth marshy sounds as he walked.
But he carried a walking stick proudly
III Jane had not recognized the mod
cling OF his features she might not
have known them to be Williams. for
they had altered their grouping to pro
duce an expression with which she was
totally unfamiliar. To be explicit, she
was unfamiliar with this expression in
that place-that is to say. upon VII
liam though she had seen something
like II upon other people once or twice
In church
Williams thoughts might have seem
ed 10 her as queer as his expression
'tulu sue nave hHhWH tneiu. Iuey
were not very definite. however. tax.
Ing the form Of sweet. vague pictures
OF the future. These pictures were OF
married life-that is. married life as
William conceived II for himself and
Miss Pratt something strikingly dir
ferent from that he had observed as
led by his mother and father or their
friends and relatives. In his rapt
mind he beheld Miss Pratt walking be-
side him Through life" with her para
sol and her little dog. her exquisite
face always lifted playfully toward his
own. with admiration underneath the
playfulness. and he heard her voice
OF silver always ripping baby talk
throughout all the years To come He
saw her applauding his triumphs-
"Wnl-eer
The aviator struck n hole in the air:
his heart misgave him. Then he came
to earth-s sickening drop. and instan'
taneous.
"WHl-eer
There was Jane, a fgurine in q pias-
tic state and altogether disgraceful
She came up out OF the waters and