Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1920-01-17
Love and Breakfast
b. SHIRLEY MONROE

over the eastern hills, there came
down the steep, narrow path which
led, between thickets Of sweet fern
and bayberry, to the pebbly shore be-
low, q maiden fair as any queen Of
fairy tale fame. Her slim little frock
seemed to have borrowed its color
from the rosy dawn.
A wandering ray Of sunshine found
her hair and transformed it into a
crown Of fine-spun, virgin gold. Her
daintily shod feet appeared to barely
Touch the ground, yet they brought
her quickly down to the beach. There
she threw wide her sun-browned arms
and took long breaths Of the sea-
washed air.
Everything is perfect this morning
yes, everything!" She spoke aloud.
A kingfsher successfully camouflaged
against the rain-bleached limb Of a
dead tree near by turned startled
eye in her direction for the thOusandth
part of an instant, perhaps, then con-
centrated again on the sparkling water
beneath him.
The girl looked at the tiny jeweled
disk bound to her wrist. She seated
herself, carefully smoothing out her
frock that it might not be wrinkled.
and, picking up handfulls of the shin
ing pebbles, let them trickle slowly
back to the ground, talking to them
meanwhile.
Her happiness was Of the sort that
demanded expression, and at nrst
glance there was no animate thing
nearer than a lonely osprey which cir
cled high over the bay.
So. the pebbles and sedge grass
heard her wonderful news-a tale as
old as the spectacle Of the dawn, yet
ever as new and marvellous to one who
experiences it for the first time.
Only the evening before had it hap
pened-the miracle-when he had
taken her into his arms and Of a sud-
den it had come and she knew that she
loved him! It would end in marriage,
of course but she didn't want to think
Of that now, only Of the utter perfec-
ton of her prince and of the beautl-
full. beautiful world. which was such
happy place to live in.
On parting they had agreed to meet
on the secluded beach, out Of sight OF
the hotel, before breakfast. She had
Anticipated the time set, for the night
had been sleepless and the glorious
morning called. But at any moment,
now, there might come the sound OF
footsteps down the narrow path.
Instead Of a sudden step there was
a splash in the water few feet from
shore. The girl turned In time to see
a fountain Of rainbow-hued drops ana
emerging from it gray bird with
white collar around his throat, carry
ing in his beak small silver fish. The
bird flew straight back to his perch on
the rain-blanched limb Of the old dead
tree, swallowed his booty and resumed
the watchful waiting.
"Why-you horrid thingl" exclaimed
the girl, startled from the tale she
was relating to the shining pebbles,
ito eat up that beautiful little fish who
wasn't doing you one bit of harm
and on a glorious morning like this,
when every living creature must be
filled with joy at being alive!"
In the sedge grass, few feet away,
a lump which she had taken for
brown stone moved cautiously for
ward, step by step: There was amin
ao.o..;,,o,,,,, Mi ~, ,...,y;c., ~ SinuOuS
neck, a glitter Of silver, then lump
moving down the long throat as some
thing was hastily swallowed. It took
but an instant for the tragedy; the
murderer resolved again into brown
stone, ceaselesly watching it's chance.
In disgust the girl turned her back
on the kingfsher and on the marsh
hen and, after fleeing glance up the
steep path, turned to the sparkling
wdves breaking almost at her feet.
At least there was one creature on
that beach who could enjoy the fair
beauty Of the morning without think
ing eternally and only Of eating, she
soliloquized. Something grotesque and
horrid of form was moving sideways
and with difficulty out Of the water.
With one ugly claw it was pushing be-
fore it an object almost as big as it.
self, which feebly struggled.
AS the girl gazed, fascinated, the
thing took a great mOuthful Of its liv-
ing prey in its free claw and crammed
it into its mouth. It was only that
common occurrence, one crab eating,
with relish, q disabled brother; but to
the girl looking on there came a
nauseating revulsion Of feeling and
she stoned the cannibal till he dropped
his victim and scurried away.
"How perfectly awful! Why, I'll
never eat another crab as long as l
uve-they're too disgusting. Nor an
other fish, either! Poor things; they
have enemies enough! Oh, why need
such cruel things happen in such
beautiful world?"
A loose pebble rolled down the path.
announcing the swift approach Of an
other human to the secluded beach.
The girl leaped to her feet; strong
arms held her tight. It was her prince
Of course, and there followed an hour
Of that ecstasy only new lovers expert
ence when they tell, to each other,
lust how unutterable that love is. For
gotten were the greedy birds and the
cannibal or crab. Once more life was
ecstatic-a gift of the gods!
Then the prince announced that he
must return to the city on the morrow.
sWhy, dearie," he answered to her
strong protest, II haven't the nerve to
face your father with my present bank
account. Just give me a couple Of
months, though, and oh boy but I'll