Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-17
By NINA WILCOX T n

Il I J = ! 81 ! q Na
BY NINA w
CHAPTER KIM Continued,
Babylon had Its hanging gardens. he
thought, leaning on the stone parapet,
and Rome; and Athens her Dlympian
heights. But New York has her
Riverside, falling in winding terraces
to the great river that seems as
though it might indeed lead to China.
as Hudson supposed, or to any other
far place. The mystery Of its distance
was yelled today by a light haze and
the u shone warm but palely
through a whitish' sky. Below him.
on the slope. the tree tops scarcely
stirred. The grey river q in smooth
ripples which broke softly against the
white sides Of a swan-like yacht at
anchor amid-stream. The Palisades
softened vagualy, even directly OPP
posite. so dimly sunny was the day,
SO intimate and -shut-in. Beside him
on the-u upper terrace, a flock Of
pigeons, fearless and friendly. strutted
and pranced in opalescent glory. At
his back the swift procession Of motor
vehicles passed ceaselessly, almost
silently between the double row Of
trees. 1t was the quietest hour Of the
were dining; but none the less the
~ever-evident poor n were about in
goodly numbers, some ~picnicking on
the grass, ON wandering about aim
lessly dragging reluctant children by
the hand; little family groups in their
terrible best clothes, vacantly staring
about in a pathetic search for enjoy
ment. Older children screamed and
shouted in play, rushing by On the
maddenins rumble Of roller skates.
yelling blasphemies with healthy In
nocence. oblivious Of the heat, For
the noncc the park belonged to tho
people for whom it was built, and
Adam, marvelling at their number and
the absence Of all the w~ell-dressed
throng which he had thought Of as
promenading here of a Sunday, sud
denly realized fully that summer was
upon the city. and the time had come
when the great beehives Of the tene-
merits unseal their doors, closed so
long against the bitter cold. and the
people creep forth to pant in the sun
instead of freezing in their cubby-
holes. The tenement fire escapes
must be swarming: the down town
parks alive with released humanity.
In the sections which he knew best
the fine quarters Of stately dwellings
they would be putting up boards in
the windows now, and the lonely care
takers would come out from the base
ments to sit on the steps and gaze
along the emptiness Of the street, too
humble even in their masters alb
sence to sit upon the stoop. but squat
ting at the area-gate..... While the
rest were of to mountains and shore;
careless, lazy. White fannels and
tennis. long swims. motoring. swift,
cool journeys through all the lovely
green ways Why. it was summer!
Summer, and he, Adam Van Week,
soaring the pigeons. Yes, in town,
and likely to stay there, unless, like
old Jerry, he took up a trade that
could be taken afield! Not that he
would or could do that. though. The
garden meant too much 10Y He
marvelled anew as he realized how
the garden had rendered him inn
pervious to. even unconscious Of. the
change which had come upon Man
haitian. When always before, the
first hot breath of the burning pave
ments had sent him flying, valet, car,
sleek baggage and all. to one OF the
hundred country houses which would
consider itself favored by his advent
Newport! With its monstrous houses
on their absurd Observation-Disclosures
of lawns, their firmly curtailed and
guided shrubs and flowers; the cease
less, uncomfortable, unnatural pa
geant! Yet, it had never appeared
in this aspect before And Dickey
yacht getting drunk on someone's
fnot Dickey's) champagne. How
strange that such a trip had m ap-
peared so inviting! Suddenly Adam
tried to feel the old set Of emotions
and desires; trying them on as DELHI
earthly as though they had been a
suit Of old clothes. But the suit did
not At. The sleeves were too short
and the chest too narrow. A different
man had worn it. and Adam shook
himself back into the frame of mind
which had come with his khaki, with
a sigh of relief, and much astouish-
ment.
He left the parapet, and stroIled
down the path, seeking some shelter
ed spot where he might sit and think
things over quietly. It seemed that
no such spot existed: every bench was
OCCUPIED. Here children swarmed
upon it, making of it a fortress to be
charged with willow bayonets; there
a tramp slept peace1uuy. Again. one
of those stoid little family groups.
who stared and threw banana skins
upon the walk. Adam strobe by them
all, proud that he had broken through
the bonds that held them: the bonds
of tradition. whose strength grew
yearly through lack Of initiative He
almost scorned these people h while
he pitied them.
This deadly, dulling routine gets
hold on them because they think IL
will help them 70 own things. and that
owning things will give them greater
liberty" he thought, whereas there
is nothing a man can ownhexcept his
soul. And if he owns that he needs
little else. Suffering CATS Why. !
never realized It until 1 tried to frnas-
inc myself back In The old life again"
With which. tust 70 show his 81
periority to. and freedom from. ali
established law. he stepped ~ a
Keep of the Grass" eign. ard cut
down over the lawn toward the river,
finding an idyllic couch upon the turf
beneath a late-blo0mfns Eyrfnea bush
which spread sweet, wavy petals over
head, and scattered them upon him
like scented snow. He picked a spray
and stuck it in his buttonhole. There
he lay, his cap discarded. his blond
head pillowed upon his claSped hands,
his great, strongly slender BODY
stretched in careless >E7zsng up
through the white blossoms ut the
pale sky. and looking, utterly np-
consciously. very Ike q Greek deity
lyupon the spring trimmed slopes on
P~arnasRla. II Wag n HAciudEd EIf2ky