Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1922-09-14
THE BUTTON
BY SADIE M. sruLL
20 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate

| the song In soft chuckle as he paused |
| on the threshold Of the Marden kit
| chen.
Roberta flashed him a smile of well
come over her shoulder.
| Cap'n Lem smacked his lips as he |
gllmpsed the fine, juicy apple pie she
was in the act of consignlng TO the ;
/ oven.
| That's what / allus missed tn |
most on long vy'ges. Cook sarved
! plum-duff more or less reg'iar an |
ev'ry onct in so often what he called |
apple pie" A reminiscent twinkle I
frightened the speakers faded blue
eyes. "By the great Mandarin's but
ton, Miss Roberta, I wish We could |
| jist see one o them dried apple libels /
anchored long side O. yourn fer sup
per-"
Roberta's merry laugh rang through |
the big kitchen. Then he turned to |
Roberta. "The towns plastered with |
handbills fer them artist folks fan |
dandango termorrer night. l never
run foul O. SIGH critters es they pictur
| In any port o tn seven seas. / aXed |
one o 'em, fine, able-bodied lad,
what pertic'lar grudge his crew he'd
agln Chinese Mandarins. why, none ct
| all, Capn, he answers, surprised like.
Tibet poster was designed by er ia
| nous futurst artist / told him l
knowed thar wus er twist some
wharf,
While speaking he had drawn a
| small, lacquered box from an inner
| pocket. "Now, we'll let jokin' so by
tn board. Lookee here"
| Roberta uttered little ecstatic cry.
| "Oh, Cap'n Lem-is it the real jade
button you have told me such wonder
| full stories about-the great Man
darln's buttonT
"The very same, little shipmate."
And then he met roguish challenge
in her winsome brown eyes.
"Oh, Cap'n Lem, do you mean can
really wear the Mandarins button to
the costume ball?"
Cap'n Lem nodded an indulgent as
sent.
Roberta clapped her hands In glee.
"Then I'll go as Chinese maiden.
Vslly cute-llkee Wing Tong-big
Mclean sailor man sabeew
II sabee," Cap'n LENS lips smiled,
but in his eyes cleaned faraway
light. The years fell from him like
slipping links from Times endless
chain. Fen, 20-30-memory's magic
wand touched the 10th link and it re-
manned fixed, glowing oval before
his age-blurred vision. AS on n mini
ature screen, he watched the budding
Of his life's one romance; to him the
rarest flower in loves garden-de-
stined, alas, to bloom for another!
| AS clearly as though 1t were but yes
terday, he sighted a familiar sky
line, as the Liddy Bell rounded the
4 Cape'--homewar bound from her
most 'paying" voyage. In his ears
rang the mates manly voice: tits
new home for me this trip, Lem-th'
little white cottage next ter Liddy's
folks"
Lemuel Dyer's capable hands tight.
ened their grip on the Liddy Bells
wheel-that was all. His glance new
er was steadier-his voice never rang
truer; II wish We both all the happt-
ness We kin sail under"
"Ahoy, Cap'n Lem"
Liddy Bell Marsden's granddaugh-
ter bowed low before him. The jade
button was affixed to white ribbon
bound most fetchingly around her
brown curls.
"Wnl the mniden Of the starry eyes
deign 70 honor the humble magistrate
whose color she wears"
To Roberta, the dance which fol-
lowed seemed dance In Fatryland.
much joss shall be burned in Yen
Sang's honor" whispered his excel
lency from Hong Kong at Its conclu-
sion.
The fourth dance they "sat out" on
the clubhouse piazza. The view OF
the moonlit harbor was superb, but
/ neither needed its distant appeal.
J His celestial Observation-Disclosures
, MFR. Malcolm Hewett, famous illustra.
tor and traveler--looked into a~nair
, Of frank, star-bright eyes and knew
that his hearts long quest was ended /;
t that while he had Jared far afeld, the
4 old home port Of his forbears harbored
| the world sought prize, his ideal OF
wOmanhood.
!. And when, an hour later, he reluc'
{ family surrendered her to Cap'n Lens
. escort home, Roberta realized it was
: not as she half feared-a dream born
of the glamour OF the dance, but q
+ 10y which would last as long as even
: life itself, ~
+ us the Nandarin's button q potent
Oriental charm, Cap'n LemF' she
asked very softly.
HIS answer was somewhat puzzting
: "AIebbe, little shipmate. Thet is--fOl
/ sSrtin people, ct sartin times-th way
|. o. all charms be thinkin'."'
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