Evening star., 1926-10-17

station Il a. but: 'Gtestirs being 1kS'Ne%
Sunday, and early . Y. IN
at that. the doors s&MAVN IA
and windows were EEyHAN
sealed. - WM@R4
Three Washing e yx&Ss
ton women, who
had motored to -
High Rock to look
down on the pas
toral greennesS OF
the Cumberland Valley, made detour
that brought them-uneXpectedly
the primeval silence, with its SKY
high stairs. Two of them climbed up:
The third preferred comfort ana stayeo
put. Also, she had a more prontaple
time. seeing that a small squlrrel
skipped into prominence anu' altel
careful scrutiny, favored her WIN It's
trust so far as to sit on its hauhcnes
and watch her with round, nl!llN!hs !il
ewes. Then it skipped back into the
unknown to bring forward another
squirrel. 49,. ,,x.
Not being educated aiong the INES
of their kind that live in parks, they
knew nothing Of the Wheedllngs lor
neanuts in bags They just wanted TO
sit there and watch and play their ht-
tie tricks, as if, somehow, they unoe'
stood that the woman was guest VI
Mount Qulrauk and IL was up to them
to entertain her.
Then a beautiful dog trotted along.
II was the sort of dog you see sports.
men towing along by leash-one OF
4he many brought to the mountains
by owners who go away ana led'e
them to shuttle as they can. Ana from
the looks Of them they have a right
good time, seeing that the natives are
liberal with their scraps ana tiie
woods are free to hunt in. But the
souirrels had scampered Off, leaving
the dog to stand there and wag us
tail by way of friendly conversation.
The woman confided to the dog that
II only she had a home of her own
she would surely adopt him, ana the
dog understood. You could tell.
Then a boy came by-a nice, con
ventional boy, who carried SUNDAY
school book. He was walking tnree
miles to church up the road: Ana ne
knew about the foresters; they work
eight hours at a. Notwithstanding up
in the tower, where 1t is mighty cold
even in some Summer days ana
nights. with only a glaSsed-ln cage 10
keep out the weather. They can see
the tiniest wiSp of smoke through
their spyglasses Then they telephone
to HEADQUARTERS and the fire warden
sets his men to work
Most of the fires are put out Wltn
small damage, but you have to keep
an awful careful watcn. Maybe he
wouldn't have to walk all the distance,
because people riding to church would
give him a lift.
Then the adventures returheu'
short .hreathed from the climb and de-
scent. but thrilled with the spirit OF
adventure. True, the forester was
not there, but, think OF lt--all those
steps! And they must have felt sor-
rowful contempt for their lazy thlrd,
who would rather sir moped up In the
car. with nothing to co but wait. Ihe
third felt so abaShed at her shortcom-
ings that she lacked spunk to broad
cast her own small eXper1ences--un-
til now.
I'm in those same Blue Mountains
there Is a tiny house, With It's ROOF
tust clearing the forest and its garoen
reaching down to a bit of level that
edges a brown and exceedingly pumpy
road. The garden shows the owner
to be a florist, and the house, with Its
four beautifully neat rooms, shelters
a lonely man, who is growing old. 10
the natives he is all right, but to tour
lists. who see him along the mountain
Vays. CARRYING a buncn of his flowers,
he is going sparking-for fifth wife.
Last Sunday, for one time, the three
Washington women sat on a bench
fcoRing down at the valley and TO
more blue mountains far and far
awav. One of the women was pub
No official, another was teacher, and
khe third a mere $3.50 person who pegs
down things-like this:
Along comes the old florist, bearing
three pink roses in full bloom. An
acquaintance with the teacher justi-
ned him In poking the roses under her
hose for a sniff and extending the
same courtesy to her companions
The official, being Of a kindliness that
Is as reliable as-say-Gibraltar, eX-
pressed appreciation Of the fragrance
and beauty Of the roses. And this
tribute so pleased the old man that he
eat beside her on the bench and began
70 tell her Of his flowers at home. He
was on his way to take this bunch
TO a. sick friend, but if she would drive
by his place on her way back to
Nsshington-it wouldn't be five min
utes out of her road-he would be
glad to give her bouquet. And the
oficial said she would be glad to do
60
The three women and a nurse who
had spent four years in hospitals at
Mons. Chateau Thierry and like war
gones, and was wise enough to know
human nature when she came across
4, stopped by the roadside to find
their host waiting-in splint rocker
under a tree. There was the beautiful
kzrden, and trees weighted down with
red apples, and a vine-maSsed porch
and the four neat rooms. Also, there
was an organ, on which he played
most beautifully, and some written
VarseS which the man had written
about his lonely self, when the gar
Dan would be under snow-VerseS that
had been printed-and to see his face
all lit up ike a Christmas tree at so
novel a thing as real appreciation.
made the So-S2 woman know that ne
vas garnering bit of brightness that
would help him out IN the long, white
Winter to come. When 1t was all
over and the women were home the
af3cial said to the $3.50 one:
~I must write that nice old gentle
man q note OF thanks for the flowers.
Do you know he is quite an interest.
ing man born in England and a
worldwide traveller. spending quite a
time in Japan; says he was born into
the Church Of England; his first wife
was a Catholic, the second was Bap-
tast. the third was a Methodist and
Ehe fourth was a he didn't know
whatl But that has nothing to do
with us. He will be pleased to know
that we appreciated his flowers. Age
and loneliness need all the sunbeams
that life can give them; only life too
often forgets."
And the $3.50 woman, looking at the
radiantly vigorous woman. with hon
crs waiting for her on every hand,
Raid to herself:
"Of such is the kingdom Of heaven" !"
4 \ 4 =
"A WOMAN in trig riding togs. whip