Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1921-01-20
THE Day NOON
BY ALICE ?. PHlNNEY.


e. lSaO. By Mcclure NowSpapsr Syndicate
Glad In cool white she sat on q green
hill among the daisies and dreamily
watched the pale day moon. An art
lists portable camp stool and an easel
stood beside her and In her. hands was
d. palette, much daubed with green
and yellow. The bees drOned and all
was sleepy and warm.
Then mans voice quietly chimed
in With her mood
There's a superstition about that
you know"
'Yes3" she questioned without NOV
ing, and then, startled, she turned to
see tanned. white flannel clad young
man standing behind her, HIS keen blue
eyes thoughtfully considering the day
moon.
"Funny so few ever write about that
or paint It," he was saying. "Now !
could place 1t over hazy hills, between
columns of marble" his long fingers
tightened on the brush they held. "but
that superstition" He turned to her
and she greeted him with smile. But
1t was quite different from that init
mate questioning yes" oh, it was
entirely polite, the smile wasS but very
cool. for the girl had come back from
the white day moon to this queer old
world where there are men who have
been introduced, and there are others
(nh. quite attractive Others) who have
not.
The artist laughed good humoredly.
II didn't come up to talk Of moons"
he said, "and | apologize for being so
informal. but I'm painting this land
scape-" his sweeping gesture took in
the sunny hills and the cleaning riv-
er-"and just as l was getting It my
light yeIIows gave Out--that's the
main tone--and then saw your easel
and wondered II you, being painter.
too"
"Of course" she ADMITTEDLY slight
yellows. One couldn't paint without
them today. But the oil tubes aren't
here yet. If you'll watt"
She motioned to him to be seated.
Tt's wonderful to paint" she said
as. he complied,
isn't it, thought And on day like
this"
She nodded and shifted the sun
scented air delightedly. Natures just
baking" she declared. and laughed
as she added, Cooking things always
smell good to me-"
The artist tapped the ground with
his brush, Mature" he said. sis the
one artist who is practical There are
so few like that"
In the valley. below was a white
church, seeming ridlculously tiny as
they looked down from the hill. The
wee door swung open and
"Why, that darling white speck,
cried the girl. "It's a bride! And
the black speck is the groom, and al
the rainbow specks are"
The artist watched them. "Fron
this distance" he unused, I'VE can sup
pose them the ideal couple. Mother
Nature is healthy, artistic and practi
CAL We people can all be the frs
md then we have our choice between
the other two"
He had often talked in this strait
at the club.
81 hope" he added that one o
those little specks can dream to SOM
purpose and that the other can-hoi
eggs They might use the day moon,
he suggested.
"Oh." she remembered, ''the da,
moon What was that superstition 2
"An old Hindu thing, think. You
watching 1t so intently made me re
call It. On the noon Of the full o
the sday moon one should pray to ]
for his hearts desire. But hes won
receive it unless 1t Is worthy and fair
" practicable It's best to sleep wit
white cat until the new crescen
appears, and there ought to be some
one else who wants the same thine
They could VOW for the practical"
Il "How keen you are for the ,practl
cal" She turned to look at him.
"WeI. being an artist I've had t
/ cook. for myself now and then. i
makes a man think. shall neve
marry an artist, while You, now, 1
you were to marry some intensel
practical fellow"
Suddenly he didn't want her to mai
~ any too Intensely practical fellow
"But maybe you're not an awful
good artist" he suggested hopefully.
ri don't wonder our GRANDMOTHER
laugh, at us she, declared, rissn
hrIskty. J~Thts way 81 discussing Su
most personal AFFAIRS in an impersOni
way with utter strangers rs funny."
He rhlckied ut her dainty decisiw
ness. and, rising, too "DO you kno'
wish you weren't an artistS"
The girl was shading her eyes an
looking on toward the hot. lazy rive
A canoe, padded by a strong. dra
clad woman. glided ashore. The ST
smiled.
rAh. theEe's sAnnstta- she mu
INJURED.
Annette. Fraser. the artist !
nodded.
The girls hazel eyes doubtfully a
praised the easel and stool. 4 hoT
these are right
che t,,vnoA MuiwwlNalnw fnsv0Pd N