Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-26

\ Il ZION. NOT, or course, tnd'
they called him the String
Bean. He was generally known as
Bill at home.
Uncle Henry maintained that ar
imagination like that ought to be ar
asset, and after his nose had healed
and he was able to get some perspec
tive on that strange scene in the
woodlands Of New Jersey, he felt
somewhat the vicarious triumph OF
those people who foster grand opera
singers.
He was damaged, but indicated.
On the other hand, the String
Beans mother regarded his imagina
ton as a liability.
1t was while he was away at prer
school that he acquired the name oil
the String Bean. His mother never
knew the reason, but Uncle Henry
did.
Uncle Henry, in Bills senior year
received a letter from a gentleman
known to some 400 boys as "Pansy.
and invented a letter to his New York
brokers. When he got to the school
he rather liked Pansy, who had a
sense of humor, too. Bills mother
hadn't very much. They hit it of
rather well.
II wouldn't so much mind the one
instance, 1dnSN Sdiu. II was q
bet of some sort. But boys are slavish
imitators, and Bill is popular" He
picked up his glass of ginger ale, to
which Uncle Henry had added a dash
of flavor from his hip pocket. Blythe
way" he said, they're calling him the
String Bean now" He grinned. Il
must say, when the lights of my car
fell on him, he looked like one. Long
and thin. you know, and yellow.
What are you going to do?" In
quired Uncle Henry.
Skin him alive when he gets over
his cold,' said Pansy. cheerfully. And
make it too uncomfortable to be fash
ionable for the rest"
Bill, it appeared, had accepted
wager to run a mile at night along a
public highway. IN puris naturalibus.
A phrase, by the way, which he had to
write 500 times the following day.
Uncle Henry made a visit to the
String Beams quarters before proceed
ing to the infirmary. He leaped over
various objects and sat down upon
the bed to look about him, when, with
a startling unanimity, all the windows
closed and the steam radiator began
to hiss. Investigation. revealed that
Uncle Henry had Inadvertently pulled
q string attached to the bed by which
was
hearing the rising gong. to turn on
tho heat and lower his windows with
out rising.
When Uncle Henry and Pansy were
walking to the infirmary later on, he
explained the String Bean in one
word.
"Imagination." he said. The boy S
got imagination"
TOO much imagination said
Pansy.
They found the String Bean sitting
IN in bed, croaking like a raven. and
writing lin puris naturalibus' oou
times.
IMAGINATION brought the String
Bean home from college at the emo
Of 1s months. said imagination hav.
ing to do with placing a stuHeo
gorilla from the museum In the pull
nit of the chapel, and the faculty lack
ing Pansys sense of humor.
He seemed quite unrepentant. In
2 minutes he had kissed his mother
and Maggie the cook. thumped the
butler on the back. placed a. cnaste
salute on the top of Uncle Henry
bald head rolled on the floor OF the
hall with the dog. and demanded food
see Mary Dunn, taking Uncle Henry
new car.
Mary was being very popular
There were three cars at the curb. a
sure indication Of popularity. Inc
String Bean knew each one instantly,
Including the year of its birth. ana
swung in with his own like griZZlN
hear among the small fry OF the forest
When he drove Uncle Henry's car
of q
ing it was his own, so he followed
his usual tactics, turning in the drive
at reckless speed and then tanning
on the brakes. which squalled loudly
This had the usual double effect OF
forcing Uncle Henry to refine his
brakes frequently and of bringing
Mary Dunn to the window.
Why. Bill she cried. When did
You get back
About an hour ago" said Bill. and
made a magnificent entry into the
house.
Instantly the ether young gentlemen
present suffered a considerable shrink
age Before long only Uncle Henry S
car remained in front of the Dunn
house. and Mary Dunn was gazing ur
a the String Bean With her soul in
her eyes.
During most of that Spring Mr.. viii
nam w nit lnOTS. hIOWn 10 the lIll ldt
as the String Eean. otherwise as Bill
lived a dual existence. To his family
and to Mary Dunn he was much the
same as usual. lie played tennis took
a shower. leaving the bathroom in a
state of inundation and chaos. and
was liable afterN ards. clad only in a
bath towel to make forayS on the re
frigerator downstairs. IN other words
he lived the normal life of a young
man Unexpectedly freed from study
and not Yet quite ready to go to work
But he was living the life of his
imagination also. Frequently. after
dinner, he shut himself in his room
and might have been seen by am
passerhy. head bent on hand under
the lamp of his desk. engaged in some
mysterious mental labor.
To Mary Dunn. a frequent passer.
by, he conf1ded that he was writing.
When | see what they publish. =
he said, iii makes me sick If ]
couldn't do better than that"
But of course you can. Bill"
-
nEE morning Bills mother brought
a piece of paper to the brea kfast
table. Uncle Henry was already there
oil pink and shaved for his bank.
Bills mother laid the piece of paper
before him.
He's writing. Henry
well, he'd better have some outlet
for that ina gination of his. What's
ne writing"
Poetry"
My word said Uncle Henry. And
read the scrap aloud.
This is the sea. which the poets describe
Soundless ana deep and full of the love
and hate of a woman.
Uncle Henry stared at it in stupefac
tion.
1T sounds very pretty" said Bills
mother.
Sounds. Sounds" snorted Uncle
Henry. What does it mean" He