davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1927-10-23

fusion to the grimy steerer Of the
barge, and the steerer of the barge
bawled back.
"Hi! Look outr' the captain almost
screamed.
But Mrs. Drawer had leaped from
the yachts rail into the vile depths
of the barge; and a hatless old man
had caught her by the waist and was
holding her, and also kissing her.
We'll" muttered the captain. THAT
was a fine set-out, that wasv'
The barge sheered off, and in half
a minute. was making for Polpooe.
Mrs. Proctor felt lonely, for Mrs.
Drawer seemed to have quite forgot
ten her.
Alb" said the captain to the mate.
Have a look there-see how much
he's done to our paint. And swab
down again here. He's left half his
coal dust behind him.
Lastly. at a distance of a quarter
of a mile, Mrs. Drawer turned and
waved from the barge. And Mrs.
Proctor waved in reply. She was
smiling, and she was crying. too
beloved friend. but from another
emotion. Might it be envy, or some.
thing nobler?
TT rained softly in the afternoon.
= Arthur Proctor took the opportu-
nifty to have more repose in his cabin.
Mrs. Proctor sat in the saloon with
Jackie, listening to the gentle patter
of the rain on the deck above. The
two men had not heard the whole
truth about Eiizabeth's adventure of
the morning; they had heard only part
of 1.-THE mere physical events of
it. Tikky had not even begun to re-
late the rest, because she felt the
hopelessness of trying to convey it's
significance to those comfortable, lazy,
teasing, sardonic males. They laugh
ed good-naturedly and quizzically at
what they did hear. How could they
possibly understandable one nice
heavy husband, sunk in ease and
satisfaction. the other the lowest of
created beings. a bachelor, profound.
ly decent and Indifferent to women.
Jackie and Tikky were discussing
housekeeping, upon which Jackie
justfiably regarded himself as an au-
thority. They sat close together; she
was holding his hand---in a friendly,
affectionate way, for she liked Jackie
while despising him. Arthur. having
wakened. and feeling the need of tea,
strolled into the saloon.
"Hullo"' he murmured. Here you
are" Tikky did not move-even her
hand. Presently she went into their
cabin. Arthur followed her and care.
fully shut the door. She looked at
him and waited.
II say, Tikky," said he, "I think I
shall have to speak to Jackie"
"Oh, what about?" cried Tikky, as
it were, hopefully.
His confounded Ceylon tea. He
really ought to give us China
She stamped her foot impatiently,
quite capricious, unpredictable young
woman. .s9s
Pub she exploded. "Is that all?"
A little later she said Arthur.
were you ever jealous?"
About you?"
Yes"
Certainly not. Why should I be?"
he asked. with perfect tranquility.
why do you ask?"
Il won't tell you-you wouldn't even
know what 1 meant
"Oh. all right
1T isn't all right" Tikky asserted,
contradictory. And she thought Of
Elizabeth. eternally watched and long.
ed for, and she sighed.
tCopyright. 1877
Evening star., 1927-10-23

give up the idea. Consider what I get
II L stay away from them At my
club every day in the Summertime I
lunch in a half-deserted luncheon
room. cool and spacious, with a quiet
waiter, my own waiter of years and
years. to murmur to me of cold Gaspe
salmon with sliced cucumbers and of
iced heads of lettuce cool as an Arctic
voyage.
In the Summer hotels there are no
own walters Of years and wears or
none like this; a few fiying thugs
throwing round trayfuls of crockery,
appearing, disappearing, coming and
vanishing. throwing down a menu
card and sweeping up money-no, if a
man wants service, peace and quiet
let him stay at home.
L nave thought, too, of travel. But
it's quite impossible. 1t takes so long
to see anything, such fuss, such heat
and such disturbances; standing in
line, buying tickets. passing the GUS
toms. making inquiries-whereas here
in the city, in the cool of the evening
after dinner on a roof garden, l can
SIT and watch motion pictures Of for
eign lands as l smoke a cigar among
the ruDher trees. ! can travel 5000
mics between my ice cream and the
coffee. Then why not?
One thinks Of the big racetracK re-
sorts. the speedvays. the contests.
But you get 1t all so mucn better
when it's broadcast. If you are at
the track itself, you are all the time
wondering what is going on; il you
stay at home. you get it all so easily.
The people who broadcast these things
do the wondering. Let them do it..
Golf? One of the great golfing
places. such as St. Alfred's in the Sea
Weed. or Caddy Wood, or Top Hole
in the Hills? But. after all, with a
better club right here at home, with
no russ about membership and Joining
and green fees-a few minutes from
your own door In a motor car-why
should man leave all this for that?
After ali-taking the city as 1t is
with specially chilled air. distilled
water. hothouse flowers. sea baths.
electric fans. famed electricity, noise
less sports. open-air indoors, gardens
on the roofs and roofs on the garden
is there any reason to quit it?
The more j think of it, the more
inclined ] feel I shall be 10 stay right
here. tCopyright. 1927.l
Evening star., 1927-10-23

this style to another soul! You know
that. don't you?"
Naturally I know it, you silly
fool.' Tikky retorted blandly. But,
say"
"What?'
Seeing as we're talking like this,
isn't 1t rather trying for you, all this
-er-jealousy?'
Trying" exclaimed Elizabeth.
you bet it's trying. But it's lovely,
my child I'm that mans passion.
I'm his atmosphere. I'm his climate.
I'm his life. I'm all his life. I'm the
last thing he thinks about before he
goes to sleep and the first thing he
thinks about when he wakes up. He's
in a perfect fever this very moment
because insisted on coming off to
you alone. dress for him. l wear
jewels for him--jewels that he pays
for. And it's been so for "a years.
And I'm in my. fiftieth year. Can you
beat 1t, my infant. Isn't it enough?
What does 1t matter to me In what
sort Of place / live? I've succeeded"
TIKKY dangled her leg against the
side Of the bunk. Her face had
has been vouchSafed and the dark
meaning of existence rendered clear.
Suddenly she slipped off the bunk
and seemed to be listening-or, at any
rate, to be fixing one or other Of
her five senses on some mysterious
phenomenon. She sWayed slightly
The teaspoon in the cup and saucer
she had placed on the table by the
bunk shifted its position with click.
She dashed out of the cabin. The sec
ond steward was rugging the walls of
the corridor.
What are we DOING" she de.
manded.
Were at sea madam"
But never heard the anchor
chains"
''No. madam. While you were
ashore last. night, as there was a
mooring buoy not being used. the cap
tain thought it would save time this
morning If we got the anchor then
and just moored to the buoy. So we
only had to cast off this morning"
Mrs. Proctor did not entirely un-
derstand these technical statements,
but she thought she did, and was
more than ever convinced that sea.
manship was an odd business.
But the engine isn't going"
mo. madam"
"And didn't hear the sails go up"
mo, madam. You see, there's a
very nice fair breeze, and so the cap
tain only hoisted the staysail. so as
not to disturb anybody below"
But
Mrs. Proctor did not proceed farther
with the steward. She perceived in a
flash how an awful thing had come
about. Neither the captain nor the
crew had seen Elizabeth arrive on
board. They were all at breakfast.
Elizabeth embarked silently. used no
gangway. and her own boat had van
ished-for the time being. Breakfast
finished. the captain had given his or
ders, beautifully ignorant Of the pres
ence of a stranger on board, and the
yacht had stolen away and stolen Mrs.
Drawer from her spouse.
Mrs. Drawer appeared at the door of
the cabin.
"My dear. something frightful has
happened. The captain didn't know
you were on board and we're at sea.
"Well, the captain will have to put
back. then" said Mrs. Drawer calmly.
"Put back?" Mrs. Proctor repeated
the phrase. A hundred-and-twenty
five-ton yacht did not put back. You
didn't ask train to put back because
somebody had boarded 1t by mistake.
Evening star., 1927-10-23

night. Do you think I don't know
what my reputation was?"
well. what in the name of heaven
do you do with yourself, then? Your
Jimmy is engineering in Durham.
Your Anna is learning frock making in
Kensington. You were never one for
reforming the poor against their will.
You've nobody"
Except my husband" Elizabeth in
| terrupted.
THAT was what I was going to
| say" Tikky agreed almost guiltily,
| fearing lest the perspicacious Eliza
beth was already reading her secret
thoughts about Mr.. Drawer, whom
Tikky certainly regarded AS the dull
est. fiattest, stupidest, untidiest, most
commonplace of males. Here. indeed,
was the disconcerting problem for
Tikky; how could Elizabeth stand her
| husband?
Now. I'll tell you what do. II it's
| fine, / sit in the garden and admire
the view. And. If it's wet, sit inside
| at the window and admire the view.
| You won't deny it's marvellous view.
Also, If I feel particularly energetic,
| l watch my husband gardening. AS
for going out of a night, never in the
world! Last night at the pictures was
an astounding eXception-one Of those
things you simply can't explain. 1t
was so unusual that it was an event
| in my. life."
"Your husbands a great gardener,
| isn't hep
| Not at all, my dear He's a gar
dener. He doesn't garden all the time.
He reads"
| well, you are slothful pair"
II shouldn't call Leonard slothful,"
said Elizabeth. Hes IL years older
than l. He worked a lot too hard un-
| til he retired from engineering. And
his health isn't too good. If he's idle,
he's earned it. but he isn't"
I'm sure he's earned it," said Tikky
eagerly and kindly. for she had no.
ticed a touch of genuine seriousness
in Elizabeth's humorous voice.
WTIKKY," Elizabeth began in a new
tone, leaning forward in the
chair, II am about to confide to you
the secret OF my life. I've never writ
ten 1t to you, because 1t isn't the sort
of thing that sensible people write
about. My husband Is jealous. NY
Leonard Is a jeaious husband, fiercely
and untiringly jealous"
"Ohr'
IL have to put up with any old stick
of servant, since my Leonard hates
me to be human with servants. We
might have kept Jimmy at home, or
near home. only Leonard preferred
him to go, because Jimmy and / were
always so thick together. Same with
Anna. I really only went to the pic
lures last night to defy Leonard
you see, I have to keep him within
bounds. He's always been jealous of
you--yes, though we only write to
each other about once a year! He's
always finding excuses to move your
photograph off the bedroom mantel.
piece. And bet anything he was
pretty rudish to you last night when
you called. You see, he can't help It,"
II wouldn't say he was rude, my
child" said Tikky, without conviction.
II didn't say rude. I said rudish,"
Elizabeth laughed. II had to take him
firmly in hand last night. Yes. I was
angry that he hadn't made you stay
till ! came home, or come and hiked
me out of the cinema. l frightened
him." Elizabeth looked grave. 1--WE
had a great scene of reconciliation.
after he'd apologized. But / made
him get up $40 this morning and go
out on his bicycle and find me boat.
/ say, OF course, I wouldn't talk In
Evening star., 1927-10-23
By Arnold Bennett

mine here" And she took her cup
and two pieces of bread.
But, instead of drinking and eating
she gazed and dreamed. Twenty-Five
years married? Not bit. She was
young girl--and Elizabeth was a
young girl.
Halfway between the shore and the
yacht a rowboat was approaching
with a rough-clad fisherman in 1t and
woman.
Am I going to faint thought
Tikky, and it seemed to her that life
was leaving her as she suspected,
guessed, OWNED that the woman was
Elizabeth. She sprang up, ran onto
the deck and stood over. the bulwarks.
The boat was thousand years in
reaching the yacht.
"Elizabeth"'
"Tikky"
The names were whispered as
though the women had secret to
share. The deck was deserted, the
crew being now at breakfast. No
gangway had been let down because
the yacht was a self-contained unit
that morning and nobody had to go
ashore But Elizabeth hauled herself
over the rail with the agility Of n
child. lit was wonderfully The fisher.
man murmured that he had to pay a
call at a neighboring schooner and
would come back for. the lady in half
an hour.
Come, come" whispered Tikky, in
agitation, and, having cruelty hugged
her, led Elizabeth down the staircase.
There was an unoccupied cabin, and
into this Tikky pushed her friend. 1t
was the sole place where the cronies
1oo fa fynv fy,fr
Darling, you haven't changed a
bit!'
Nor you"
They spoke quite sincerely. Each of
these fond middle-aged creatures saw
in the other a mere girl.
Wait" said Tikky, and skipped
out of the cabin and fetched first her
tea and bread and then Arthur's tea
and bread The still slept and shut the
door of the cabin. Tikky sat on the
bunk and Elizabeth sat on a chair,
and they drank and ate and looked at
one another and gradually perceived
the mature women in the girls.
You silly" said Elizabeth, in just
her old tone. You're crying into your
tea.
II know I am. and I don't care"
Tikky replied gruff1y, with just her
tone of sturdy defiance.
II suppose you wonder what on
earth l do with myself all the year
round in this little pudding basin of
place." said Elizabeth, breaking the
first little silence that had occurred
in their talk. This was after they had
been "at 1t" for some time.
mo, don't" said Tikky, admiring
Elizabeth's graphic phrase. pudding
basin of a place'-so- characteristic of
her, as Tikky now recalled. I'm johy
sure you find plenty of interesting
things to do"
THAT, infant, Is a whopper! You
know / don't" said Elizabeth calmly.
and looked Tikky full in the eyes.
Elizabeth had a shrewd, tolerant.
somehow negligent face. She was
large woman, not stout, bus spa
ciously built. Her hair was still as
black as coal. Although the hour was
early, she wore several fine rings anc
she was dressed with care.
''Is 1t a whopper?"
eft is a whopper. Ever since you
called last night to see me. you've
been adding up the situation, and
you've been asking yourself what in
the name of heaven I do with myself
here. Me, the high-spirited young
thing that used to go to two parties
Evening star., 1927-10-23

| him. Nobody in. No use waiting any
longer" when the door opened, and as
| she saw 1t opening Mrs. Proctor had
sense of disappointment. She would
have preferred that nobody should
be in.
A middle-aged, rather unkempt.
lanky man stood in the doorway. He
had mustache, a beard. neither of
which would Mrs. Proctor have toler.
ated in a husband. A bony and appre-
hensive face! Disheveled gray hair!
A brown suit that had lost both shape
and pattern! One pocket bulged with
a trowel; the other bulged with ar
tcles unseen-no doubt. pipes and
pouches and matches and things. The
man must have long since ceased to
care what he looked like.
"Oh. Good evening"" Mrs. Proctor
began.
Good evening"" said the man cold.
ly, and added: I'VE don't let rooms"
"Oh. it's not that" protested Mrs.
Proctor. ''I-we-just called to see
Mrs Drawer. /"
Mrs. Drawer is not in said the
man. still coldly; but he did suggest:
Can / DO anything?"
Are you MIR Draver?" Mrs. Proctor
asked, with a distressing attempt at 4
smile, and death in her heart. Impos.
sible that this man was the husband CT
the beloved Elizabeth!
YES" said he.
Mrs. Proctor glanced at Mr.. Proctor
for help, because Mr.. Proctor always
charmed everybody.
Our name is Proctor" said Mr..
Proctor, with the whole of his charm.
We're yachting down the coast. and,
as we've put in here for the night,
my wife thought"
Proctor? Proctor?" murmured Mr..
Drawer. blankly.
"Yes," exploded Mrs. Proctor impa-
tiently. I'm Marcella-Tikky."
"Ah, yesr' Mr.. Drawer seemed to be
drawing up something from the depths
of memory. "Ah, yes"' And then:
Yes, yesr' An original idea visited
him. do come in" he said, as if say.
ing: We're in a great difficulty. Some
body must act, and l suppose I'd bet
ter act"
He went even further and shook
hands.
Come through into the garden, will
you? I was just pottering about. You
fond of gardening? Elizabeth's gone
to the pictures with the mayor" "a
sort of naive satisfaction in the word
"mayorno "She hasn't been out at
nlRnL lOE HlUHlIlS. i ucNCI 80 ouI dt
night myself. Doesn't suit me. Love
ly view here, isn't it?"
1t was q lovely view, and Mr.. and
Proctor said so, with perhaps exag-
gerated enthusiasm.
Elizabeth will be sorry to miss
you," said Mr.. Drawer. But I'll tell
her you've called"
How kind you are" thought Mrs.
Proctor in fury.
No suggestion that they should wait
until Elizabeth returned from the pic
lures! No suggestion that they should
call on the morrow!
"I expect you'll be leaving again
early tomorrow" said Mr.. Drawer.
"I'm afraid we SHALL" said Mr.. Proc.
tor. I'VE mustn't miss the west-going
tide. The skipper says we ought to
weigh anchor not later than s o'clock.
Elizabeth never gets up early"
said Mr.. Drawer.
Great Scottr' calculated Mr.. Proc
tor as they descended the slope to-
ward the quay. Great Scott!'
Mrs. Proctor calculated nothing at
ALL She was thinking, $50 that's
Elizabeth's life"' And the thought
filled her mind and devastated it.
X
tTsIIE whole thing is plain to me-"
l. said the owner when he had
heard the story, or rather had heard
Evening star., 1927-10-23

and you could not ask the Aphra to
put back. II you did, Jackie would
think that the end of civilization had
come.
Mrs. Proctor ran into her own cabin.
Arthur was still sleeping heavily.
Arthur! Arthur No response.
Men were astounding.
She then knocked at the door of the
owners cabin. Equally no response.
Mrs. Proctor few up on deck, followed
by Mrs. Drawer. Yes, the Aphra was
at sea. The staysail was well filled.
The captain, unaware of calamity, was
at the wheel. Various members of
the crew were quietly cleaning brass.
The ship pitched very, very gently in
the smooth. glittering sea. There was
something inexorable about her move
ment. Cry Stop" You could not
cry STOP Mrs. Proctor. nonplussed.
looked behind. The little pudding
basin of Polpooe was getting smaller
every moment. 1t was fading. 1t
was like historical event. receding
irrevocably into the past, and never
to be recalled. To see Polpooe from
the moving ship was like reading
about Polpooe.
THEN was heard the distant sound
- of siren, several times sharply
repeated. The captain gazed aft. All
the sailors on deck ceased work and
gazed aft.
whats the fellow making a noise
about?" asked the captain.
Hadn't you better stop. skipper"
Mrs. Proctor weakly suggested, utterly
unlike herself.
"Stop'm? We can't stop. She's got
the tide under her. Besides
At this point the captain caught
sight of an unknown woman. Mrs.
Drawer. and was transf1xed with as
tonishment The look on his face was
so comical that Mrs. Proctor laughed
the laugh of incipient hysteria. Both
stewards came on deck. The cook s
white-capped head appeared at the
forecastle hatch.
|'That's that old coal-barge a-com-
ing" said the captain. eff she wants
US, she II soon overhaul us. She's got
motor in her enough to shake her
to bits. l seed her last year"
The pursuing vessel showed a foam.
ing prov. and was visibly growing
larger and larger.
Leonard Is in that barge" ex'
claimed Mrs. Drawer solemn,y.
Lower yer staysail.' shouted the
captain.
Lower yer staysail." repeated two
deck hands, according to ritual. and
the staysail came down with rattle.
Hoist yer staysail"' the captain
cried a few minutes later. He looks
as If he was coming alongside. and l
must have steering way on her.
Hoist yer staysail,' repeated the
deck hands.
The staysail rose again. The coal
barge bore down with the ruthlessness
AND the .inevitability of pursuing jus.
tice. Soon could be heard the murmur
OF the divided white water at her prov.
'Leonard's always watching in the
garden with his glasses" said Mrs.
Drawer. clasping Mrs. Proctor's hand.
He saw me come on board and the
boat go away, and then he saw the
yacht move off and he got excited.
Hence the coal barge. He'd have char
tered a steamer IL he couldn't have got
anything less"
But surely" Mrs. Proctor be-
gan.
Yes. of course, infant" Mrs Dra-
yer cut her short. But, you see,
Leonard doesn't think. He feels"
The barge. slackening speed, drew
alongside. There was a shock and a
great pother. The captain of the
yacht bawled something i'm the con-
Evening star., 1927-10-23
We Prepare for Next Vacation

the city the big saltwater swimming
tank, make a point Of stroning down
before lunch and taking a plunge and
again perhaps before dinner. At the
seaside should miss this; there one
can sometimes swim and sometimes
not; it is rough, or it is raining, or
there is a touch of chill in the air that
forbids it.
If one wants a saltwater swim regu.
larly and with real enjoyment, there
is no place except the city where one
can get it..
My friends have recommended to me
(and have seriously considered. some
of the great fashionable Summer
hotels. But l have been obliged to
Evening star., 1927-10-23

fountains playing on the cucumbers.
There is nothing of this on the
farm. At the farmhouse one has to
wait till the fruit arrives from the
city, generally in poor condition. And
the milk, sent by express from the
city; Is seldom up to the real stand
ard. One might, ! suppose. try to
get board on a cow-farm, but on that
there are no eggs; and on an egg
farm, no cows. Only the city has
both.
The next choice is the seaside.
love to swim, or at least to take dip
and revel in the invigorating feeling
of the salt water. Ever since we have
installed In the Summer Club here in
New Britain herald., 1927-08-31
TO BETTER BORDER
DRY ENFORCEMENT
LoWman Plans to Double Patrol
Near Buffalo

Washington, Aug. 81 R-Tighten-
ing Of the federal prohibition guard
against the flow of liquor into this
country along the international
boundary between Buffalo and Lake
Huron and in the Pacific northwest
is being planned.
Under plans announced by Assist
ant Secretary Lowman of the treas
ury in charge of prohibition enforce
ment, the patrol force along the
Great Lakes from Buffalo to Lake
Huron which includes Detroit is to
be doubled from 200 to 400 men.
In a scheme to better enforcement
conditions in the northwest. Low
man called Roy C. Lyle. administra-
tor for Washington, Oregon and
Alaska. into a conference here to-
day to explain the flow of liquor
into the northwest. If Lyle was not
able to explain the conditions salts
factorily 1t was indicated positive
steps" would be taken and the dis
trict partially recognized.
Mr.. Lowman said that the admin
istrative machinery in Lyle's district
was not functioning ''as efficiently as
might be desirab le." 1t has been re-
ported in the capital that Lyle might
leave the service.
Conditions have improved materi-
ally in the past three weeks in the
Buffalo Huron area, Mr.. Lowman
believed.