Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-01
THE LUCK OF THE

dances and musicals. They also
passed the hat for the sailors fund,
the stokers' fund. some orphans In
the steerage, the band. the heather.
and back to the sailors fund again.
A good deal of tobacco was inciner-
ated in the smokeroom on nights
given over to. these festivities. In
the eye of the committee this young
musician was a veritable find.
'Oh. Miss Jones, won't you play at
our concert Monday night? Please"
"I'll be glad to-" said Ruth. with
out the slightest hesitance. The mi
tial embarrassment was gone: nor did
she accept the invitation as one con-
ferring favor. She rose from the
stool and left the aicove, smiling.
William pressed after her, self-con-
scious but exhilarated. He was very
proud Of her. and what vanity he had
was expanding. She had played just
to please him. Suddenly the slump
came. What had he to offer wom-
an like this? Nothing, absolutely
nothing-that is If you discounted
his willingness to give: his hearts
blood. ".r. ,z ""t
Camden, from the rear of the crowd
nodded his head approvingly.
THAT young woman has manner"
he declared. She isn't Mustered and
doesn't pretend to be. which is bet
ter still. And. by George, she can
play"
You seem very much interested all
of sudden" said the flirt at his ell
bow. She is probably some musician
returning to her studies"
Shouldn't wonder" replied Camden:
and then. with a smile palpably sea-
soned with malice: She has grace
and beauty, too"
His neighbor frowned. She had no
liking for the trend of conversation.
On his part he was quite Indifferent;
she had. served his turn.
But what in the world does she
see in that Irishman?"
"He probably amuses her, as he does
US She is an unusual person. Just
as everything threatened to sink into
the doldrums, she startles us all by
proving herself to be a fine musician.
Next thing We'll hear she's the daugh-
ter of some multi-millionaire. IF
were going all the way around I'd
cultivate her. A woman, to play like
that, must in her gentler moods be
charming"
Later Camden went in search of Will
liam and found him among the giant
cables in the bow.
"Hello!" he hailed. What are you
doing up here among the paint pots
and old iron?"
Trying to hurry the boat along"
said William without appreciable cor
diality.
He did not care to talk to any one.
He had chosen this isolated spot be-
cause he was superlatirely unhappy.
His desire had been to crawl away
somewhere dixie dumb animal that's
been hurt) where he could sigh with
out half the ship turning around to
see what the trouble was. So Cam
den was not welcome.
II suppose you'll be leaving US Tues
day."
THAT depends upon what news
awaits me in Naples" was Camden's
reply. II may wind up in Hongkong.
My work is full Of big jumps. never
know from one day to another where
I'm due to land next" Camden laugh
ed. This statement was so frankly
true that it's appeal to his risibles was
too strong to overcome. "As for in
clinations, I'd like to start back to
New York at once"
"Uh-huh. What's this noise about
the old burg, anyhow? We're always
wanting to get back to 1T. was kind
of homesick not more than five min
utes gone"
= IT'S because any town we grow up
in becomes a part of us: and so when
we go away from it we're being am
putated after a fashion. Why didn't
you tell me Miss Jones played the
piano like that?" r"''
Did we" ever talk music?' coun-
tered William; evasively. ..-.
MOT that recollect. But she has
genius; and such gift doesn't be-
long to her alone. A school teacher?
She ought to be performing on the
concert stage, making ten or fifteen
thousand the year."
"As much as all that?" William was
astonished. That's tough luck. She
can't face real audience. Something
the matter with her nerves. She told
me she had tried and tried, and fail
ed. She didn't know crowd had
collected until she was through.
uI3vt oh nrnrf,ad IN oxr thu