The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-09-03

sumptuous decorator. In rne Mode
Of the lawn. q little rocky fountain
threw up Jet Of silver. falling with
tinkling murmur into broad cir
cular basin from which emerged the
broad leaves and splendid pink bios
SONS Of an Egyptian lotus. Certainly
Ii was no far-fetched alluslon of my
classical friend to speak Of the gar
den of Alcinous; particularly connect
ed as II was In my mind with the white
beach Of a desert isle. and that marble
statue In the moonlight.
AS / sat dreaming, bathed In the
golden-green light Of the orange trees,
and lulled by the tinkling of the foun-
tain, my host returned with our drinks,
his learned disquisition on which /
will spare the reader. highly interest
ing and characteristic though 1t was.
Suffice 1t that 1t was drink, what
ever Its ingredients-and there was
certainly somewhere powerful
'stick" In it-that seemed to have
been drawn from some cool grotto of
the virgin earth, so thrillingly cold
and invigorating 1t was.
While we were slowly slipping 1t. and
smoking our cigarettes, In an unwont-
ed pause of my friends fanciful ver-
bosity, almost jumped In my chair at
the sound of voice indoors. 1t was
instantly followed by light and rapid
tread, and the sound of a womans
dress. Then a tall, beautiful young
woman emerged on the loggia.
"Ah there you arew cried my bost
as we both rose; and then turning to
me. "this Is my daughter-Calypso
Her real name / assure you-none of
my nonsense-doesn't she look itf AL.
low me. my dear, to introduce-Mr
Ulysses for we had not yet ex.
changed each others names.
I am a wretched actor, and am
bound to say that she proved herself
no better. For she gave a decided
start as she turned those glowing eyes
on me, and the lovely olive of her
cheeks glowed as with submerged rose
color. Our embarrassment did not es.
cape the father.
'Why. you know each other al
readyw he exclaimed, with natural
surprise.
mot exactly"-I was grateful for
the sudden nerve with which / was
able to hasten to the relief of her love
ly distress-"but possibly Miss-Ca
lypso recalls as naturally as do, our
momentary meeting I'm Sweeney's
store, one evening. / had no expecta-
ton Of course, that we should meet
again under such pleasant circum-
stances as this"
She gave me a grateful look as she
took my hand, and with it-or was II
only my eager imagination?-a shy lit.
tie pressure, again as Of gratitude.
had tried to get into my voice my
assurance that, Of course, I remem.
bered no other more recent meeting
though, naturally, as she had given
that little start In the doorway, there
had flashed on me again the picture
of her standing, moonlit, In another
resounding doorway, and of the wild
start she had given then, as the golden
pieces streamed from her lovely sur.
prised mouth, and her lifted hands.
And her eyes-I could have sworn
were the living eyes of Jack Harka.
way! Had she brother, 1 wondered.
Yet my mind was too dazzled and con.
fused with her nearness to pursue the
speculation.
AS we sat down to luncheon. waited
upon by the little barlegged black chill.
dren-waited on, too, surprisingly
well, despite the contortions of their
| primitive embarrassment-my host
once more resumed his character of
the classic king welcoming the storm.
tossed stranger to his board.
"Far wanderer," he said, raising his
glass to me, "eat of what our board
affords, welcome without question of
nome and nation. But If. when the
CTo BE CoNTINUED)