The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-10-26


who had been actually engaged to,
marry this supreme girl, Eustace Hig-
nett had an attraction for Sam akin
to that of some great public nonue
ment He mad become Il sort of shrine.
He had taken on a glamor. Sam en-
tered the stateroom almost reveren-
TALLY with something OF the emotions
of a boy going into his first dime mu-
scum. rssa
The exhibit was lying on his back
staring at the roof OF the berth. BY
lying absolutely still and forcing him
self to think of purely inland scenes
and objects he had contrived to reduce
the green in his complexion to mere
tinge. But 1t would be paltering with
the truth to say that he felt debonaiE-
He received Sam with wan austerity.
"Sit DOWN. he said. Don't stand
there swaying like that. l can't bear
It."
"Why, we aren't out of the .harbor
yet. Surely you aren't going to be
seasick already"
II can issue no positive guarantee.
Perhaps If can keep my mind of it.
l have had good results for
the last ten minutes by thinking stead
lily of the Sahara. There" said Eus-
tace Hignett with enthusiasm, lis a
place for you! That is something like
a spot! Miles and miles of sand and
not drop of water anywherew
Sam sat down on the lounge.
You're quite right. The great
thing is to concentrate your mind on
other topics. Why not, for instance,
tell me some more about your unfor-
tunate affair with that girl-Billie
Bennett think you said her name
was"
"Wilhelmina Bennett. Where on
earth did you get the idea that her
name was Billie?'
II had a notion that girls called
Wilhelmlna were sometimes Billie to
their friends"
Il never call her anything but Will
helmina. But / really cannot talk
about 1t. The recollection tortures
me-"
That's just what you want. It's the
counter-irritation principle. Persevere
and you'll soon forget that you're on
board ship at ALL"
There's something in that" admit
ted Eustace. reflectively. Its very
good of you to be so sympathetic and
interested"
MY dear fellow - anything
that I can do :. where did you
meet her first, for instance?'
cat dinner" . :" Eustace Hig-
Kett broke off abruptly. He had
good memory and he had just recol-
lected the fish they had SERVED at that
dinner-a flabby and exhausted-look-
ing fish, half sunk beneath the sur
face of thick white sauce.
And what struck you most forcibly
about her at first? Her lovely hair, /
suppose?p
"How did you know she had lovely
hair?"
''My dear chap. naturally assumed
that any girl with whom you felt in
love would have nice hair"
"WelI. you are penfeetly right. as it
happens. Her hair was remarkably
beautiful. 1t was BED y
Like autumn leaves with the sun
on them" said Marlowe ecstatically.
"What an extraordinary thing!
That is an absolutely exacN deserip-
ton. Her eyes were deep blue :"
"Or, rather. green"
BLUE"
Screen. There is Shade of green
that looks blue
"What the devil do you know about
the color of her eyes?" demanded EIs.
tace heatedly. "Am / telling you
about her. or are You telling Me?''
"My dear old man, don't get excited.
Don't You see am trying to construct
that girl In my imagination, to visual
ize her? don't pretend to doubt
your special knowledge, but after all
green eyes generally do go with red
hair and there are all shades of green.
There is the bright green Of meadow
grass. the dull green of the uncut
emerald, the faint yellowlsh green Of
your face at the present, moment. ;"
Don't talk about the color of my
face! Now you've gone and reminded
me just when was beginning to for
get"
lawfully sorry! Stupid of me! Get
your mind off it again-quick What
were you saying? Oh, yes. this girl.
always think it helps one to form a
mental picture Of people If one knows
something about their tastes-what
sort of thing they are interested In,
their favorite topics of conversation,
and SO on. This Miss Bennett now,
what did she like talking about?"
"Oh, all sorts of things"
"Yes. but what?"
"Well. for one thing she was very
fond of poetry. 1t was that which
first drew US together"
poetry" Sans heart sank a
iittla He had road a cerfain amount