The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-25

/ 10 study the violin when nho was
about IL. and her peculiar old rater
decided that first she must learn 60
cook. Her mother quite agreed with
me, and tho young lady was accord
ingiy taken out 20 tho kitchen and
introduced 20 some pots and pans. I
also got her some book. I've forgot
ten its namc--her mother would re-
member: Complete Manual OF Cook.
something OF that sort. A day
or two later ! asked her mother how
the cooking went Oh SHE said.
Rose has been reading that book. and
she knows more than all the rest OF
+, usr"
Rachael laughed generously. They
had reached the house again now,
and Florence. CHANGING eagerly toward
them. was charmed 20 seo both rsnii.
ing. She felt that the bishop must
have influenced Rachael. and indeed
the clergyman himself WAS sure that
her mood was softer. and found op-
portunity before he departed 10 say
TO his hostess In low tone that he
fancied that they would hear no more
Of the whole miserable business.
"oh. bishop. how wonderful OF
you said Florence. thankfully.
Two weeks later the news Of the
breckenridge divorce burst like a
bomb In the social sky. Immediately
pictures Of the lovely wife. OF Ciar.
ence. OF the town house and tho coun.
try house began 10 food tho eve
ming papers. and even the morning
journals found room for a column or
two Of tho affair on inside pages.
Clarence was tracked to his noun.
tain retreat. and as much AS possible
was made of his refusal TO be inter
viewed. Mrs. breckenridge was no
where 20 be found.
Tho cold wind Of publicity could
not indeed reach her In IN. quie,
lanes and along the sandy shore OF
Quaker Bridge. Rachael. known to
every ono but her kind old iandiady
as Mrs. Prescott" could even
glance intercs,cdiy at the papers now
and then. Her Identity. In three long
and peaceful months. was not even
80 much as suspected. shc DID not
mind the plain country table. the I'm
convenient old farmhouse. she loved
her new solitude Unquestioned. she
dreamed thru tho Idle days. reading.
thinking. sleeping like n child. She
spent long hours on the scashore
watching the lazy. punctuai-fiow and
tumble OF the waves that wcr. never
hurried. never delayed: her eyes fol.
lowed the flashing wings OF tn.
rulis. the even. steady upward beat
OF strong pinions. the downward
drifting thru blue air that was Of all
motion the most perfect.
And sometimes In those hours II
seemed to Rachael that she was no
more In IN. great scheme OF things
than one Of these myriad srulis. than
one Of the grains OF sand thru which
she ran her white. unringed fingers.
Clarence was a dream. Belvederc bay
was a dream. II was all hazy. dim
memory now: the cards and the cock.
tails, the dancing and tennis. the
powder and ilp-rcd In hot rooms and
about giittering dinner tables. What
a hurry and hustle and rush IL all
was---for nothing. The only actual
tiles were tho white sand and the
cool green water. and the summer
sun beating down warmly upon her
bare head.
She awakened every morning In n
large. bright. bare room whose three
big windows looked into rustiing ma
pie boughs. The steady rushing OF
..,~s ,..x.,fl - hnor4 t..st l.a,o,.d ~.
naples. Sometimes soft fog
wrapped the trees and the lawn I'm It's
pale folds. and the bell down at the
lighthouse ding dongcd thru the
whole warm. silent morning. but
more often there was sunshine. and
Rachael took her book to the beach.
got into her stiff. dry bathing suit. In
small. hot bathhouse furnished
only by plank bench and few
rusty nails, and plunged into the de-
licious breakers she loved 30 well.
Busy babies. digging on the beach.
befriended her, and she grew 10 love
their sudden tears and more sudden
laughter. their stainmered conf
dences, and the touch OF their warm.
sandy little hands. She became an
adept at pinning up their tiny bag
ging undergarments, and at olsen
tangling hat eiastics from the soft
balr at the back OF moist little necks.
II a mother occasionally showed
signs Of friendiiness. Rachael accept
ed the overture pleasantly. but man,
aged TO wander next day TO some
other part OF the beach, and so cvade
tho definite beginning OF a friend.
ship.
The warm sunshine, favored by
the salty sea. soaked into her very
bones. Everything about Quaker
Bridge was bare, and worn, and
clean; nothing was crowded. or hur.
ried, or false. Barren dunes. and
white. bleaching sand. colorless little
houses facing the eim-lined main
street. colorless planks outlining tho
road 10 the water; the monotonous
aisterity. the pure severity OF the
little ocean village was full OF salts
flying charm for her. n she climbed
a sandy rise beyond Mrs. Dimmick's
cottage, and faced the north. she
could see the white roadway. winding
down to Clark's Bar. where the ocean
fretted year after year TO free the
waters Of the bay only IL feet away.
Beyond. on the slope. was the village
known an Clark's Hills. a smother
Of great trees with n weather.
whipped spire and an occasional bit
of roof or fence In evidence. to show
the habitation Of man.
In other directions. facing east or
west or south, there was nothing but |
the sand. and the coarse struggling |
bushes that rooted in the sand, and
the clear blue dome Of the sky. I,a-