Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25

their vows. after a tragic parting.
There was nothing to hint what had
occa stoned their rupture. Wooliy
sheep dotted hillside. II they were
his sheep. as the crook seemed to
indicate. the separation could not
have been for long. But they had
feared 1t wax forever.
The eyes of the girl-doll were
streaming. She wore the imbecile
ecstay of one who was willing to
forgive anything. Perhaps she had
hoped he would relent. All day she
must have watched him from behind
her cottage window. Even in her
despair Of his coming. she had
tresSed for him. Her skirt was scar
let and bulged like n balloon. She
had little white cap pinned to
her hlowsy locks. Her bodice was
IT black velvet. Her adorer was her
match for Guaintness. attired In sky
blue knee breecheS. a canary -col0red
jacket. aud Tyr0lese hat.
so .long az you both think you're
splendid. ! should worry" Posy apos-
trophiZed them.
She almost expected them to ac-
knowledge her Eraciousness--the
Eirl-doil by dropping curtsy. the
boy puppet by dOffing his hat. Be-
y
trihe offended. They seemed az real
T." her as painted things had been
In childhood. They were actual peo-
pie: she was the shadow. If they
would only stop ogling and 20 for
ward. Perhaps they were waiting
for the music Of "To Love IL to
Laugh" With the first tinkle. they
would leap into each others arms.
And then what?
Dared she start the music? Why
not? II she saw they were going
from her she could halt. She gave
the handle half-turn. She grew
bolder II was for all the world like
crystal-gazing.
Actual surroundings faded. Can
nes ceased TO exist for her. She
was little girl. with frilly skirts
and plump legs. sitting elfin and alb.
sorhed on the nursery floor. She
could not see herself. She only
guessed that she had gone hack Is
years. She guessed. because her
heart felt 50 believing She had at
tention for nothing save the pic
ture.
At the first merry tinkle. every
thing began To stir-~hut quite feebly.
Lumpily that was the word. The
huge sheep lifted up their heads and
glanced back across their shoulders
but so ponderously. like sheep in
n slow motion cinema. 4 hreeZe
famed her cheeks, swaying trees and
grass: the waking landscape seemed
to yawn.
She turned the handle harder.
sheep. began To wander. bur still, like
snails. scarcely perceptibly. She
thouSht-~-was II fancy?~-that behind
The music she heard their plaintire
aing. Birds launched themselves
from bouShs and drifted oilly. She
must grind faster to make them nit
naturally. Everything had sprung 10
life--the lovers. last Of all.
They had lost their artificial smil'
ing. They were throhbing. breat hing
persons. The lovers were on the point
Of meeting. She couldn't make IL
turn at all. Everything In the pic
ture jumped back To exactly whore
II had been before she had started.
The In ndscape became risid--a crude.
sentimental daub.
I'll rest and try again" while
she rested. she attempted 10 hum. the
air. but her recollection was Of sec
ret laughter.
III ] could only hum It. that might
have the same effect
Having gathered her strength. she
commenced turning again. with the
same result The Bo.pecp girl and
Roy. Rlue shepherd were on the point
" greeting when she was compelled
to stop. When she tried to recover
the tune. she had forgotten 1t. And
here was another curious happening:
The moment there was no music.
from being s years old. she shot up
TIL she was Angel Face. and 90.
ar The times she tried the expert
" ment. she kept no record. surely
an odd occupation for the night he
fore Christmas. this persistent play
ing II a music box. What would any
one con mcclure who opened the door
and saw me-.
NO one will. It's locked"
Downstairs. In the hotel. festivities
were In progress. From the palm
ness and the snOrting Of ears. For
xome time an orchestra had been
humping. The hour must he grow
Ing late. Approaching midnight.
suppose she changed the
tactics of her necromnncy by conduct.
ing her experiment In the dark
off The lights. she took the
music box with her 10 bed.
Ttnkle. tinkie. That was better.
In the gloom walls fell hack EVERY
thing expanded. The picture flled
the attic, demolished II. usurped H.
But attn. when her hand grew tired.
actually asserted itself.
She tried closing her eyes AMI ly'
Ing Nat against the pillow. T" her
delight that was better. She could
hold the picture now at the point al
Its latest development, TN she
mustered energy tn go on. with the
discovery. she became lazy. she had
solved the mystery and could expi"re
at leisure. The entire night lay be,
fore her, She could unrecl the lovers
story by INSTRUMENTS.
Of course, they were lovers. the
giri had lived alone In the cottage M
long as she could remember. Heoause
OF ha Wing had no one tn love. she had
never laughed, Over the hill driving
his flock before him. had come the
shepherd. From her window she had
watched him. In her warm he'd n,
night she had been unable To sleep for
thinking 1T him out there In the cold
and dark. Then one morning she
could zee him M longer.
And now In strange. dream'like
fashion, Posie and the girl became
one, Flinging her cloak across her
shoulders. she wen, ont through the
drifting veil Of Wilderness In search of
him. she wandered bewildered, ut
teriy directioniess, I'LL he rose from
beneath her feet and stood before her.
lie was Rob no longer the shepherd
IN the picture,
lte drew her dawn beside him Into
IA soft. white nes,, The nest WAS made
~ wooiiy sheep. huddled warm and
pan,inp. His arm stole about her
she grew drnwsy. SNOW fell with n
linkilug music scarcely with tune,
for IL had no air ~ It's singing that
uas re,neiui"rable, II buried her he
meath, stistenina ttakes Ut laughter
she anu Hob together, There waa ~
enidnsss now, noihina hut romf"ri.
The story ieaprd forward, II was
summer when sha wakened, With
th1 ahnence NJ snow. had come mis-