Evening star., 1925-06-24


Continued from Yesterdays Staro
Outside he strobe down the platform
toward four or five sleepy taxi drivers
They were bitterly disappointed when
they saw that the tall arrival was only
Riley Tyler, and they all fixed hopeful
eyes upon the little stranger following
a long way behind, his body weighed
down by luggage, his heart by Riley's
harsh rebuff.
1t was past II o'clock when Riley
unlocked the door of his mouse.
Usually he had a bite to eat ana
played several records on his phono-
graph before going to bed. he lKeu i
marches and heroic songs, ana OF all
THE Two Grenadiers" was his FAVOR
ite. He had several records OF the
air, two solos by famous baritones,
and one hand record. He o1ten
played it twice, and sang the conciuo-
ing words, about which there was
something vaguely inspiring and re-
assuring:
Like a sentinel III be lying.
Until | hear the loud cannonade
The neigh of the chargers replying.
The swords will be flashing and falling {!
And hearing a voice. IL alise iiohi ~
NV Emperor, my Emperor is calling
But tonight he had no desire to
hear music He ate a lunch of bread
and butter and thick slices OF Lebanon
bologna and went to bed. he slept
heavily, but he tossed and threw the
covers off, and sometimes he groaned;
On Saturday Riley rose early and
went to the outdoor market, Which
had been continued into November
because of mild weather. 1t was held
in Center Square. where wagons ana
automobiles were parked close TO-
gether against the curb. 1t was only
a little after z and the sun had been
up less than an hour, but the square
was crowded with buyers
Riley stopped at the edge of the
1hrong and stood blinking. his market
basket in his hand. All that he needed
he could have bought later in the day,
but he did not wish to be on the street
at an hour when he might encounter
the stranger.
Aware that he had been standing a
long time, he was about to turn away
when he felt a hand on his arm.
Several seconds passed before he
looked down-could it be that the lit
tie man, like the wolf in the nursery
story, was up early too? The poor
pig was no more terrified than Rlley.
But he was unnecessarily alarmed;
his eyes fell not upon the face OF the
stranger, but upon the shoulder of tall
Miss Cant. Miss Cant smiled at him,
and it seemed that her nose quivered
like a rabbits following up the scent
of cabbage.
You, too, are overwhelmed by
thought of what has happened here,
she said, in her queer, sentimental
way. I've stood still long time
looking at the roof which sheltered
the knight of Sorrow" She squinted
across the square at the gray mouse
where Lincoln spent the night. You
can see it, I know, in recollection as
we'll as in imagination-the crowd, the
regiments of soldiers, the heroes. You
can hear the bands and the singing.
Then comes the great figure, Ill
mounted, almost ludtcrous, scorned
by many" Miss Cant shifted feel
ingly. Il have often wondered who
provided that poor Rocinante.
THAT poor what?' asked Riley
puzzled.
THAT poor Rocinante," explained
Miss Cant, pleased to exhibit her
knowledge II spoke fi9uratively.
The horse of Don Quixote. you know.
1t is said a better mount had been
provided, and that there was some
accident at the last and it was too
late to get another, but l consider that
q fable, Mr.. Tyler" Miss Cant came
a little closer, her long nose qulver,
ing the more. IT have wondered
whether that horse was not vicious as
we'll as small, whether there was not
back of it a devilish'-Miss Cant used
this word eXplosively and as one JUS
tifled-"a devilish plot, Mr.. Tyler"
Riley took a step away.
"Oh. 1 hope not"
Miss Cant took a step forward.
II think I'll make that incident the
only one left in mystery. Who pro-
vided the horse? Was he loyal citi-
zen? How did he explain. how did
the committee explain to the loyal sec
ton of our country the furnishing of
a pony for a man feet 4? How"
Il don't think it was a pony" in
terrupted Riley in agony. Now he
was lost. 1T was a smallish horse y
But Miss Cant was pursuing an
other train of thought.
I'm meditatihg upon him do
good deal of meditating, Mr.. Tyler
/ have often reflected upon his good for
tune in leaving us when the blush of
glory still mantled his cheek. We did
not see him pine and fade away
there is some poetry which expresses
this better than / can, but l cannot
remember It, He did not live through
the trying period of reconstruction.
l have often felt that l ought to fol
low this line Of thought, which is en-
tirely original"
Riley's cheeks quivered with a hys
terical spasm. He wanted to shout
to her, "Chestnuts! It's not original
you read 1t somewhere" But he was
afraid of Miss Cant. He bade her
good morning and moved away with
his basket. Her nose was too long,
her skirts were too short, and he
hated her.
He spent Saturday afternoon at the
College Church, where he was janitor.
There was a promise of cold weather
and he built a light fire. When he
was not tormented by his vision he
liked to work in the church because
it had a famous history.
In the evening he went to the bar
ber shop, where he was accustomed
to put in good many hours. He
needed no barbering. but he did need
sadly a little company after a lonely
day. 1t was not likely that the
stranger would penetrate thither. and
certainly Miss Cant would not come!
Opening the door, he heard loud
argument, of which he could distin-
gush at first only, 1T was! .
1t wasn't There were! {.
There WEREN'T The subject, he
gathered, as he found a chair along
the wall, was the relative American
losses in the Civil and World
Wars. Nobody had any figures, but
the old veterans were certain of their
statements and so were the young
veterans. Riley took a little clipping
from his pocket. Upon this subject,
which involved no question of North