The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-12-01

In as they pursued mldgcs In the
upper air. rlowEoing cowbolls
struck out homeiy accompaniment
and this was what each one said
You've found your way back NJ last
have your"
The old voices Of the soii spoke 10
him. Leaf and bud and bloEsom con
versed with him In the old vocftbu'
larry OF HIS careless youth-ihe mani.
mate things. the familiar stones and
rails. the gates and burrows and
roofs ana turns OF the road had an
eloqucnee. too. and power In the
transformation. The country had
smiled and he had felt the breath Of
H. and his heart was drawn as II In
a moment back 60 his old love. The
city was far away.
This rural atAvirn. then. seizrd
Robert Waimsley and posrcaaed him.
A queer thing he noticed In connec'
ton with II was that Alicia, sitting
AZ his side. suddenly seemed 10 him
ntranEer. sh. did not belong 10
this recurrrnt phase. Never before
had Hhe seemed 80 remote, no color
ieas and high-so intangible and uns
real And yet he had never admired
her more than when she nat there by
him In the riokety spring wagon.
Ginning no NOR. with his mood and
with her environment than the Mat
terhorn chimes with a peasant's cal,
base garden.
That night when the greetings and
the supper were over. the entire fam.
lily, including nuff. the yellow dor.
b-rtrrwcd itself upon the front
porch Alicia. not naughty but
silent. sat In the shadow dressed In
an exquisite paie-gray tra gown. Rob
~rt'u mother dlscoursed 20 her hap.
faly concerning mnrinaladr and ium-
hago. Tom ant on the top step; Sin.
teru Mile and Pam on the lowest
step to catch the lightning bugs
Mother had the willow rocker. Pa
Their rat IN the big armchair with
ono OF It's arms gone. Buff sprawied
IN the middle OF tho porch In every.
bodyis way. Ths twilight pixies and
pueks stole forth unseen and plunged
other poignant shafts Of memory into
tho heart OF Robert "a rural mad.
ness entered hia soul Tho city was
far away.
Father nat wi,hou, his pfp~. writh-
ing In HIS heavy boots. a sacrifice U
rigid courtesy. Robert shouted: mo.
you dontr' lie fetched the pipe and
~ a. he seixsd the old gcntlsman's
boots and tor. them off Tn. last
one Slipped suddenly. and Mr.. Robert
Waisnalsy. OF Washington Square.
tumblrd of the porch backward wrh
Buff on top Of him. bowling fearful.
I 81. Tom laughed sarcantically.
Rob.ri tore off his coat and vest
and hurried them into lilac bush.
Come out here. you landlubber."
he cried 10 Tom. and IN put grass
seed on your back. think you
called mr. a dude while ago. Come
along and cut your caprrr"
Tom Understood the invitation and
accepted Il with delight. THREE
times they wrrrtlcd on the erase.
side holds" even as the giants Of
the mat And twice was Tom forced
20 bite grass at the hands Of the
painting. zach Htili hoaxting Of his
distinguished lawyer. pishev~ied.
own prow~Es, they stumbled back
10 tho porch. Mill. rnKt a pert re
rection uron the qualities OF city
brother. In an instant Robert had
secured a horrsd katydid In his I'm
gers and bore down upon her.
Screaming wildly. shc fled no the
lane. pursued by tho svcnging glass
~ form A quarter Of a mil. and
they returned. she fun Of apology to
tho victorious dude The rustic
mania poAneascd him unabafediy.
Il can do Up a cowpcnfui OF you
slow hay~eedA" he proclaimed, vain
gioriousiy. Bring on your bulldogs.
your hlred men and your iorroilerr."
He turned handNrrinws on the
grass that prodded Tom 10 envious
sarcasm. And then. with a whoop.
n. esaticrcd 10 the rear and brought
hack Uncle Ike. battered colored
retainer of tho family. with his
banjo. and str~wcd sapd on the