Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-01-13

AS sat dreaming, bathed in the
soiden-green light of the grange trees,
ana lulled by the tinkling of the foun-
.aih' my host returned with our drinks.
ms learned disquisition on which l
VIII spare the reader, highly interest
ing and characteristic though it was.
Suffice it that it was a drink. what
ever its ingredients-and there was
certainly somewhere a powerful
stick" in it-that seemed to have
been drawn from some cool grotto of
the virgin earth. so thrillingly cold
and invigorating it was.
While We were slowly slipping It, and
smoking our cigarettes, In an unwont-
ca pause OF my friends fanciful YER
posity, almost jumped in my chair at
the sound of voice indoors. II was
instantly followed by light and rapid
tread, and the sound of woman's
dress. Then a tall, beautiful young
woman emerged on the loggia.
All. there you are !" cried my host.
as we both rose; and then turning to
me. this is my daughter-Calypso.
Her real name I assure you-none of
my nonsense--doesn,t she look It? AL
low me, my dear, to introduce-Mr.
Ulysses for we had not yet ex-
changed each others names.
l am a wretched actor and l am
bound to say that she proved herself
no better. For she gave decided
start as she turned those glowing eyes
on me, and the lovely olive of her
cheeks glowed as with submerged rose
color. Our embarrassment did not es-
cape the father.
why, you know each other al
ready!" he exclaimed, with natural
surprise.
mot lexactly'-I was grateful for
the sudden nerve with which / was
able to hasten to the relief of her love
ly distress-'but possibly Miss-Ca-
lypso recalls as naturally as l do, our
momentary meeting in Sweeney's
store, one evening. / had no expecta-
ton of course, that we should meet
again under such pleasant circum-
stances as this"
She gave me grateful look as she
took my hand, and with it--or was it
only my eager Imagination pa Shy lit
tie pressure, again as of gratitude.
l had tried to get into my voice my
assurance that, of course, I remem-
bered no other more recent meeting
though, naturally, as she had given
that little start in the doorway, there
had flashed on me again the picture
of her standing, moonlit, in another
resounding doorway, and of the wild
start she had given then, as the golden
pieces streamed from her lovely sur
prised mouth, and her lifted hands.
And her eyes-I could have sworn
were the living eyes of Jack Harka-
way! Had she brother, wondered.
Yet my mind was too dazZled and con-
fused with her nearness to pursue the
speculation.
AS we sat down to luncheon. waited
upon by the little barlegged black chill
dren-waited on, too, surprisingly
well, despite the contortions of their
primitive mbarrassment-my host
once more resumed his character of
the classic king welcoming the storm
tossed stranger to his board.
Ear wanderer," he said, raising his
glass to me, "eat of what our board
affords, welcome without question of
name and nation. But if, when the
food and wine have done their genial
office, and the WEAKNESS of your jour
neying has fallen from you, you should
feel stirred to tell us somewhat of
yourself and your wanderings, what
manner of men call you kinsman, in
what fair land is your home and the
place of your loved ones, be sure that
we shall count the tale good hearing,
and, for our part, make exchange in
like fashion of ourselves and the pass
age of our days in this lonely ISLE
We all laughed as he ended-himself
with q whinny of laughter. For, odd
as such discourse may sound in the
reading. it was uttered so whimsically,
and in so spirited and humorous a
style that l assure you it was very
captivating.
"You should have been an actor, my
lord Alcinous,", l said, laughing. l
seemed already curiously at home,
seated there at that table with this
fantastic stranger and that being out
of fairyland toward whom dared only
turn my eyes now and again by
stealth. The strange fellow had such
a way with him, and his talk made you
feel that he had known you all your
life
"Ah! have had my dreams. l have
had my dreams!" he answered, ms
eyes gazing with momentary wistiui-
ness across the orange trees.