Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-22

FRANKIE, Lucy's half-grown ire
pressible brother. a naval cadet.
THE ADMIRAL. rubicund, choleric old
officer. who dotes on Lucy. ,s
MRS. JOY, gay, charming, almost as
youthful as her daughter Lucy.
MR.. RICE-MATHEWS ancient inva-
lid, tired Of being Tossed by women.
MAUVE, his granddaughter. slim.
lovely, poised and cool. who rather
ignores the Rover.
Looks that are Nothing Yet Every
thing
Then she had said: There's no
point in keeping all these; its alb
surd." And she had put aside one
snapshot, the one taken in polo-kit
the very last time she had gone to
see him play at Ranelagh in June
before the war. That she had put
back. The rest she had burnt in her
bedroom crate, watching the light
flame, famed by the night breeze
through her window, die down into
soft rustling black ash. y man can
be enshrined in one photograph as
well as in fifty. She had gone TO
bed thinking. We'll, l kept the best
one =" That had been last night.
This afternoon she was taking more
Zest in the Encouragement of her
anything for long, long time.
He was as much puzzle to HIM
self in these days, as she Lucy
joys "auntie' had spoken truly
when she said that those" (of
whom Archie Laverock was 'oneD
were not always very happy.
Points there are in having the
temperament of that bee who can
rove from flower to flower (mur-
muring batteries into the heart of
that mignonette, this snapdragon,
sampling and comparing sweets) 4,
and can then be off with never a
tie to bind him. But there is an
other side to that picture. Archie
had moments of realizing only that
other side. Moments when he felt
rootless, detached lonely. =
He actually longed. at these mo-
ments. for something that would tie
him and would anchor him. Some
thing that would keep him. In his
hoyish language he would have put
it, why can't l settle down and
stick to something? Is it because
I'm too darned selfish? Or is some
thing radically wrong with me? Or
is it just because L haven't met the
right person? If / only could. Even
if she didn't care for me- Even
if she wouldn't have anything to say
to me. it would be better than this
kind of thing. Yes, if l could only
meet somebody who turned out to
be the one
At this moment he was truly be-
ginning to think, to hope, to believe
that the one might turn out to be
Mauve Rice Mathews. He turned to
her again, and the questions in his
eyes and heart were, Look here;
can't you help me, somehow? Can't
you do something for me? You do
seem different; are you? What are
you?'
Questions which one can't very
well put to a girl with whom, though
one may call by her Christian name,
there is net yet any question of
really intimate friendship.
So he changed these questions into
something else. hoping that her an
swers might at least tell him some
thing about her.
Il say, why do you live here?"
she looked at him with a smile of
surprise.
why shouldn't 1? My roots are
here. l can't imagine myself living
anywhere but at Rios, now"
Cant you?"
Not now" she repeated. and
glanced from the flower beds at her
rect toward the pergola of Dorothy
l>efklns roses that marked the path
toward the river at the foot of that
garden. Beyond, the misty noun
talns looked twice their height.
Eresaging continued fine weather,
L cant imagine lovelier place in
which to finish ones life"
no finish 1t? Thought the Rover
win little laugh to himself. Why.
the glrl hadn't begun her life.
II should set .Hiraeth' homesick
after fortnight away from this"
welsh people are like that-about
places She added briskly. BE
sides, L have got everything here
into the way L like having it. l like
managing. you know. Which is a
good thing, as it happens. Some
Dody had to look after grandfather
when Mary got married. As long
as ne doesn't go and try to commit
suicide. as he did on Thursday,
- But | believe you're a cocknev
at heart, Archie, the country bores
you, doesn't it,"
Not Bit he assured her. n
trifie sharply. He was stung. NOT
because she accused him of being a
Cockney, but because even her
keep him off.
She would not tell him anvthinp
that he really wanted to know She
Kept him at arms length. He won't
on Il could do with the country
forever"
Oh"
Yes, if it meant the veldt on
the prairie or the bush on the NJ.
cutdoors generally. l loathe it when
II $ he stamped some gravel
uoWh into place with his heel
When it's just a glorified allotment
garden peopled by-by parish cats
She laughed aloud, leased hin,
pretended to think he meant her
ser, an with that sistelly but az
tant friendliness that would never
pring her nearer. -
But. Mauve!" he exclaimed pres
entity, exasperated, Tell me-"
TEL you WHAT" She sat dov,
Tor breathing space on a bit -,
board set below her little sund;oI
Give me cigarette" she said
-tnank you-what was it you were
goin to say?"
:. BUT now, after all, could he saw
a. wnen there are really no words
Tor these signals from one heart to
another? Ae"is u
A., Ciumsiiy enough he paraphrased
.he signal into speech. II was 20
ing 70 ask you about yourself" he
saIo, purying head downward the
lhatch with which he had given her
light. Don't you sometimes lon.
10 get away from It all, really? Life
is SO snort. Anyhow. young life.
anu wnen one is young, that's the
15ine one Is really seeing things" the