New-York tribune., 1919-03-23

pink and white cloud of apple bIoss.
Searching for it had been great fur As sAs
finding it delightful experience uh,, ~
nave the pleasure once more now tbs. =
was May again and the apple orchard. =
blossom? No sooner had asked mvss,, :.
question than | was on my bicycle om.s'
those same deep lanes, with the rn,.'ss
hedges and the great green hedgerpu .,.s'
shutting out view of the country. s.s,.,
ing once more for the village Of c,...
Hyden. And as OH the former occ..;.s
years ago, / would not now inquire mn -
of any one. / had found it then for r,r..,,
and was determined to do SO again, althon,,
l had set out with the vaguest idea a, =.
the right direction.
But hours went by and could not find;
and now it was getting late Throuvh
gap in the high hedge saw the great -,
globe of the sun quite near the horizon al
Immediately after seeing it was in na,
row road with q green border. wh;o,
stretched away straight before ma furth..
than could see. Then the thatched "a,
tages of a village came into sight. all =.
one side of the road, and the setting ar,
flaming through the trees had kindiea rc.s
and trees and cottages to shining eo,a..
fame.
"This is It'll" cried. "This is INV ,,.t,.
lost village found again, and It il ws,,
found it so late in the day, for now il lools
less like even the lovelest old viIaes !,
Devon than one in fairyland, or in Beulabp
When came near it that sunset splenao,
did not pass off and it was, indeed Ik. \,
earthly village; then people came cut from
the houses to gaze at me, and thew too
were like people glorifed with the sunset
light, and their faces shone as thew al.
vanced hurriedly to meet me, pointing with
their hands and talking and laughing cx.
citedly, as if my arrival among them had
been an event of great Importance. In
moment they surrounded and crowded
round me, and sitting still among them,
looking from radiant face to face. / At
length found my speech and exclaimed;
"Oh, how beautiful"
Then a girl pressed forward from anon,
the others and putting Up her hand
she placed it on my temple, the fn
gers resting on my forehead; and gazing
with strange earnestness in my eyes. sh.
said: "Beautiful-o that, Do you Sc,
nothing more? 2"
/ answered, looking back into her eyes
"Yes, think there is something more hut
l don't know what it is Does it come from
you-your eyes-your voice-all this that il
passing in my mind?"
what is passing in your mind?n sh.
asked
Il don't know" ] said. "Thoughts- per.
haps memories; hundreds, thousands; they
come and go like lightning, so that can't
arrest them-not even one!r
She laughed and the laugh was like her
eyes and voice and the touch of her hand
on my temple. Was it sad or glad? I'm
not sure, but it was the most beautiful
sound | had ever heard, yet it seemed ia.
mllar and stirred me in the strangest way.
Let me think" I said.
Yes, think" they all together cried,
laughlngly; and then instantly, when cast
my eyes down, there was perfect still
ness, as if they were all holding their
breath and watching me.
That sudden strange stiffness startled
me; hfted my eyes and they were gone
the radiant beautiful people who had sur
rounded and interrogated me, and with
them their shining golden village had van
ished. There was no village, no deep green
lanes and pink and white clouds Of spols
blossoms, and it was not May, it vas lsp
October and was lying in bed in Exeter
seeing through the window the red and
gray roofs and chimpcys and pale, misty
white sky.