Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-01-20

Wneh we met at breakfast ncxt
morning. glad to see one another 4 gaip
as Few people are at breakfast, it was
evident that. as far as the 'king' was
concerned, our dream had lost nothing
70 the night watches. On the contrary.
It's wings had grown to an amazing
span and iridescence.
calypso. it transpired, had certain
household matters-of which the
king Of course was ever diyinely OBJ
nvious-that would take her on an
GRAND into the town. Those disposed
OF. we two eternal children were at
nDerty to be as foolish as we pleased.
The king" bowed his uncrowned
mead. as kings. from time immemorial
nave bowed their diadems before the
quiet command of the domesticities;
ana 1t was arranged that / should be
CaiJpso's escort ON her errand.
so we set forth In the freshness of
the morning, and the woods that had
been so black and bewildering at my
coming opened before us in easy
pains, and ali that tropical squalor
that mad been foul with sweat and in
sects seemed strangely vernal to me,
SO that ! could hardly believe that |
hao trodden that way before And for
our companion all the way along-or,
ut least for my other companion-was
the Wonder of the World, the beauti-
Iui strangeness of living, and that mar
vel OF a mans days upon the earth
which Hes in not knowing what day
snail bring forth. if only we have
little patience with Time-Time, with
those gold keys at his girdle, ready, at
any turn of the ways, to unlock the
hidden treasure that is to be the mean
ing of our lives.
How should try to express what 1t
was to walk by her side, knowing all
that we both ew?-knowing or gid
Oily believing that l knew, how her
heart, with every breath she took, vi
DRAFTED like living flower, with waves
OF color, changing from moment to
moment like happy, trembling dawn.
TO know-yet not to say! Yes we were
both ut that divine moment which
hangs like dewdrop In the morning
sun-ah! all too ready to fall. Oh!
Keep ii poised. in that miraculous bal
ance. 'twixt time and eternity-for
this crystal made of light and dew is
the meaning of the life of man and
woman upon the earth.
AS we came to the borders of the
wood near the edge of the little town
we called counsel of two. AS the out
come of it we concluded that. having
in mind the kings" ambitious plans
for our cloth-of-gold future, and for
other obvious reasons, it was better
that she went into the town alone
| to await her in the shadow of the
mahogany tree.
AS she turned to leave me she drew
up from her bosom a little bag that
hung by silver chain, and opening 1t
drew out. with u laugh-a golden
doubloon
l sprang toward her; but she was
too quick for me, and laughingly van
ished through an opening in the trees.
| was not to kiss her that day.
Calypso was so long coming back
that began to grow anxious-was, in
deed. on the point Of going down into
the town In search of her, when she
suddenly appeared, rather out of
breath and evidently little excited
as though. in fact. she had been run
ming away from something. She
caught me by the arm with a laugh.
do you want to see your friend
Tobias?" she said.
tobias? Impossible!"
"Come here" and she led me q yard
or two back the way she had come,
and then looked through the trees.
"Gone!" she said. but he was there
minute or two ago-or at least some
one that is his photograph-and of
course he's there yet, hidden in the
brush, and probably got his eyes on
US all the time. Did you see that
seven-year apple tree mover"
"His favorite tree" l laughed.
Hardly strong enough to hang him
on, though" And I realized that she
was King Alcinous' daughter.
We crouched lower for moment or
two but the seven-year apple tree
didn't move again, and we agreed
that there was no use in waiting for
Tohjas TO show his hand.
"But what made you think 1t was
Tobias?" 1 asked. "and how did it all
happen?"
81 could hardly fail to recognize him
from your flattering description" she
answered, land indeed it all happened
rather like another experience of
mine. l had gone into Sweeney's
store-you remember?-and was just
| paying my BILL"
"In the usual coinage" l ventured.
She gave me a Icing, whimsical
smile-once more her fathers daugh-
| ter.
THAT, I'm afraid, was the trouble"
she answered ''for as laid my money
down on the counter l suddenly no
tlced that there was person at the
| back of the store"
"a persona" l interrupted.
"Yesl Suppose we say a peck
| marked person was 1t your"
"What memory you have for de-
tails" parted; "and then?
"WeIl! / took my change and man.
aged to whisper a word to Sweeney
good friend, remember-and came
out. took short cut back. but the