Evening star., 1924-09-07


Il lighted windows. the class
party swung and swayed to
Alabama Blues" Before them lay
the garden. mysterious and silver
with moonlight and studded with
golden stars that were firef1ies. But
to tho two on the steps the wind
blown hedge line was an ocean tossed
to meet a dipping sky, and the tiny
lanterns that the firef1ies carried were
beckoning lights of distant ports
all the world over.
shes making 80 knots" said the
mate, casting a proud eye. upward at
the flying mainsail
What light to leeward:" whisper
ed tho little skipper, her short curls
blowing against his face.
He leaned forward, watching the
queer bobbing thing that had ap
pcared abruptly out of the night, and
shook his head ominously.
Might he an ocean tramp. rowing
the seas with no port in view. man
ned by desperate men without a
country. Afraid to touch shore-al-
ways wandering. Get their supplies
from passing ships"
Poor things. If We meet them
you'll he kind, won't you?"
Wen see. Look. She draws
closer. 1t may he a derelict with
~
a spirit keeps the lights burning and
guides the wheels Of those lost
ships"
She shivercd and moved nearer the
protection Of his shoulder.
"Afraid?"
She would not admit it. The
spray is cold"
There was a shout of laughter be-
hind them as half a dozen young peo-
IL 1,
body snapped on the porch lights.
"Oh, look. Jill and Andy spoon
ing on the steps,
The two rose, grinning SheepiShly.
Music had started. Jilis partner, a
husky sophomore, slid across the
porch to claim her. Andy, consulting &
the scrawled back of an envelope.
darted away, whistling the tune.
But later. when the young dancers
paused to clap for an encore, and
Andy found himself standing by Jill,
he whispered darkly:
Meet me on deck at eight bells
And she had to go. although she
was dancing With Val Westbrook
when the fateful hour struck. Other
boys might claim her momentarily.
but when the first mate called she
dropped everything and went. She
had done this since she was =.
She found him standing by the rail.
his arms folded, his arms pulled low
over his eyes-a solitary figure. lonely
and brooding.
He flung about dramatically. To
morrow we leave the ship. When the
Polly docks at Salamis- be ready.
There's work to be done ashore. Are
you afraid of anything?"
Nothing.
In the dark she felt his approval.
He said: You have never failed me
yet. Tonight may be the last time
we stand together and watch the
heaving waters. If anything happens
to me, look in my upper vest pocket.
And remember, woman, that if it had
been given to this young heart to
live. he would have laid the riches
Of the earth at your feet
AYE, aye, sir.
I'LL blew out her lamp and sat
= in the summer darkness. brush
ing her hair. \ light burned in
Andy's gable bedroom, just across the
apple tree. She shivered happily.
And then, because she was woman,
she knelt and prayed for him.
"Give him a safe voyage. Lord. all
through life. He'll never be anything
but a little boy"
If you see life through the heart of
a child, 23 is not SO different from Il.
and the years that climb up to 1T are
winged and flying. Also, for those
fortunate few who believe in fairies,
the miraculous often lies in wait,
And SO when Andy Barrett was gay,
housekeeping %, his ship came for
him.
Three years at college and a year
spent bending over a drafting table had
not changed the old tar, nor had the
barnacles been allowed to gather on
the sides of the good ship Polly. But
at the exact moment when Morgan,
head of the engineering department,
brought the great news to him Andy
was sitting with his feet hooked
around the rungs of a high stool, his
sleeves above his elbows, his collar
off.
Andy heard Morgan out. and sat
with his face a perfect blank.
Well Morgan's terse voice nudged
him. will YOU go?''
With a whoop Andy leaped into the
air, threw his pencil at the ceiling,
and dashed from the room. Morgan
gaZed after the cyclone.
1.-The young fool. l don't know yet
if he'll GO
But Faulkner, who was older and
Hell go, chief"
Andy found Jill digging among the
pansies in the back yard.
"Whoooo- Jill, The COM