Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-08-19
ALICE IN
BUTTERFLY
HOLLOW
10 by d. J. walsh.)

BlSIS, SOME HCnleVe eulOIuOlOBy
X and some have that interesting
branch of science thrust upon
them. To this last class Alice be-
longed. Doctors orders and belat-
ed case of spring flu did the thrust
ing. The doctor prescribed pine for
est. Alice told him fatty she could
not afford such luxury; that she
taught drawing in the high school;
and that the salary was never de-
signed for extensive and expensive
vacations. To which he replied with
equal fairness that being the case she
could still less afford to be out of EN-
ployment for year. So medical
counsel prevailed and her ill-prepared
rainy day fund had to suffer the con-
sequences.
Physically and financially unable
to keep up with the gay, golfing, dane
ing, flirting, bridge-playing crowd at
the inn, weak and respondent and
lonely, Alice would creep out little
way into the woods and lie down I'M
der the softly laxative trees and
watch the birds and squirrels and the
insects clad in glltterlng cuirasses
darting hither and thither on gauze
wings. She was Alice in Wonder
land. Nursed by the vitalizing air,
diverted and shyly befriended by the
peeplng Inhabitants Of the forest, she
was begulled into convalescence.
Day by day she would penetrate
little deeper into the reckoning mys-
terry Of the woods But she felt like
Columbus discovering the American
continent when, one day at the foot
Of steep slope. she came suddenly
upon Butterfly Hollow, kept like Sc
ctet between two heavily wooded
hills.
Its surface, scaling and cracked by
the sun into patterns as intricate, II
not as regular, as those of cross
word puzzle, was fairly covered with
butterflies. With their rich and
varlegated coloring 1t was like look
ing down on Persian rug. The dis
coverer caught her breath for JOY,
and lying face downward on the
warm stone, watched them until noon.
Being an artist, Alice decided to
paint their portraits-as many vari-
etles as possible. Early next morn
ing she hurried there with color box
and brushes. They were still there
and every morning afterward in
fuctuating number and bewlldering
varieties. For some obscure reason
this was their favorite stamping
ground. If she only knew their
names that they might be properly
labeled
At last she wrote Off for a book on
butterflies. The very evening her
letter was posted a new man ap-
peared In the dining room. Being
young, with an unmarried look and
a pleasant appearance, naturally It
caused all the customary excitement
Incident to such apparltions at a sum-
mer resort.
Later out on the veranda Gladys
Waters, belle of that sylvan glade, re-
marked to Alice In passing:
"5ee that new manf I looked him
up In the register. His name is
Ralph Hammond. They say he is
professor Of zoology or ento-or
something OF the sort at the state uni
vcralty Ordinarily don't go in heav-
lily for professors Of biology, but this
one Is SO good looking I think I shall
make an exception in his favor. He
looks more like football player than
a school teacher.
Next morning Alice kept tryst as
usual at the rendezvous Of the paint
ed insects and her eye was at once
arrested by one that alighted on a
clOd near her feet. She knew she had
never seen him before. He was a
coppery brown, with black spots and
a broad orange band on the outer mar
gin Of the hind wings, and as he air.
lily closed and Enclosed them she saw
that the front pair were lined with
pale orange and the hind ones with
gray. both freckled with black.
A falling stone caused her to glance
up and there already halfway down
the slope was the young professor,
carrying butterfly net and other
paraphernalla of his trade.
81 beg your pardon" he called
down, removing his hat but not paus-
Ing In the rapid descent. II hope l
did not startle you. loosened
stone as I came down" Arrived at
the bottom, he exclaimed: upon my
word. what pretty sight. And you're
painting them, I see. May / have a
look at your pretty modest"
Very courteous and agreeable he
looked as he stood there smiling, bare
headed in the sun. Why should she
stand upon cOnventionalities? She
thought OF the cocksure Gladys Wa
tiers.
"Assuredly." she assented in a cor
dial tone.
IA very pretty sight ~ but as he
made this affirmation his eyes were
still occupied with the artist and not
the models.
"DO you know. when first caught
sight Of you in that white dress among
all that green. mistOok you for some
splendid new species OF Wild flower
say spring beauty, American grandI-
fora" he suggested his smile deep
ming.
"Say nettle, or NJ best common gar
len variety" corrected Alice, smiling
back lat you haven't looked at my
butterflies yet 10 you want any OF
he'i for sped'a, ns?"
j., aI.DJcd - Tie brink OF the
M. - L.. Ill. I.Dnnlnh rnuIdI,r