Evening star., 1924-05-18

uilner table lit up the flowers and
the glass and the silver the jewels
OF the women, the white fronts of
the men, the animated faces, dark or
fair.
At one end of the hall was a carved
screen, and behind it a rough oak
ioored gallery. A panel of the screen
had been ever so little withdrawn,
and through the narrow space thus
disclosed little group of maid serv-
ants was watching the scene. In
front of them a small boy looked
down into the hall with fascinated
uninterrupted gaze. He was the only
cnild of the butler. Willie Page the
friendly maids called him.
1t was on such occasions as this
that, with powdered hair, silk stock
'nEs and fine liveries, in the CLEAN of
publicity, the footmen put the crown
20 their service. And far above them.
with brain to direct, unquestioned
authority, experienced concentrated
skill, was his father, whose plain
dress, not differing from that of those
whom he served, Signified the height
of dignity to which he had attained.
1t was the perfection of the service
that held the admiring attention of
the buffers son, the working of the
machine, not the company to whose
convenience it tended So a traveller
watching the engines of a ship. might
forget that they were carrying him
forward
The women withdrew from the hall
with a sweep of silk and velvet and
Glitter of jewels. The men gathered
together at one end OF the table. The
n,aids closed the panel in the screen.
Now, then. Willie Page said one of
them, you run along home to your
mother. It's nearly 10 o'clock
The boy, awakened from his dream
ran all the way home, and, painting
and a little frightened, opened the
door of the kitchen, in which his
mother was sitting sewing by the
table. She looked up from her work.
"Lor'. child" she said quietly, you
didn't ought to run fast. Sit down
and tell me about the company"
He shut the door behind him, sat
down on a wooden chair by the fire
place, and broke into voluble descrip--
ton. His fathers figure Ioomed up
through his tale like that of some epic
round whom all ordinary doings revolve.
Il should like to be like him,
mother" he said.
$50 you will be. some day" she
replied, IF You mind your book and
keep yourself respectable. Only you
never will if you take up with Rat
CatcherS Joe and such trash as that"
The boy sat silent and looked into
The fire
Now tell me about the company"
Lis mother said.
He began a halting, colorless cata-
ioEue, prompted by questions, sud
oenly interrupted by Mrs. Page burst
ing out at him.
"If I'd known you couldn't take no.
tice better than that you wouldn't
have gone. Be off to bed. quick, or
II take the stick to you. 1 never
seen such a boy. Be off,
He vanished quickly and silently
His mother replenished the fire and
sat down to her work again to await
her husbands return.
MRS. PAGE had been first house
maid at the castle. Like her
.ushand, she came of a race of serv-
ants-sober, responsible. discreet men
and women, well dressed. we'll fed,
well housed through generations-a
class apart.
She had on a black dress with |
lace collar and a large brooch. Her
hair was brushed smoothly back from |
her forehead. The wedding ring on
her thin hand caught the light from |
the lamp she sewed diligently.
So she sat, sometimes doing the
honors to the young ladies from the
castle - soft-voiced, respectfully at
her ease, with plenty to say, but
never overstepping the bounds of
caste.
Presently her husband came in-with |
his bald head and portly presence, like
family solicitor
We'll. wife, I hope you've got some
thing a little tasty for supper he
said.
Mrs. Page busted herself between
the oven and the table, already laid
for late meal. The savory viands
she presently produced would have
made her ladyship's menu cards blush
pink, but the stately butler devoured
them with avidity. He had made
himself comfortable, changing his
evening coat for a very old jacket,
taking off his collar and tie, and put
ting on pair of carpet slippers
which had been warming in front of
the fire. He finished his supper with
a Welsh rarebit and a deep draught
of ale from pewter tankard.
That's better than all your French
kickshaws," he said, wiping his
mouth. Did you let Willie go up to
the gallery" he asked when he had
satisfied his wife's curiosity as to the
company he had come from serving.
"Drat the chiId!" said Mrs. Page.
He couldn't tell me no more than if
he'd never been there at all"
The father laughed.
II know what Willie kept his eyes
for" he said. II tell you, wife,
there's nothing that boy won't rise to.
I've done pretty we'll myself, but
thought a deal more of marbles and
birds nesting at his age than of get
ting on in service"
Two boys were lying on the rabbit
eaten turf of a coombe under the
shadow of an outcropping rock. The
sky was blue above them, and far
below the blue sea murmured.
--ae of the boys was Willie Page,
7-e other was a ragged urchin whose
appearance contrasted strangely with
that of the proper, well kept child
beside him. He had a dark, hand
some and. it must be confessed, very
dirty face and his tangled hair was
dead black. AS he lay on the grass,
throwing about his lean, muscular