Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-02-10
A Lesson for
Lucy
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Bv AID ScHUSTER
(Copyright.b

TO JOHN FRAYNE, leaning against
the fence awaiting the opportunity
to open conversation, Mr.. Parfinkle
appeared as mild old gentleman hoe
Ing weeds, but In his heart the anna.
teur gardener was anything but peace
able. Indeed for the moment Par
finkle was leader Of Cossack host
plunging over the steppes and slash.
Ing right and left with saber. The
hoe was sword and the weeds an
offensive enemy. Slash went the hoe
and down fell weed and In the trial
of the Parfinkle cavalry was laid n
path of destruction.
"Well," Parhnkle looked up at last.
whats the matter with you and
Lucyf You wouldn't be hanging
around here, you know, waiting for a
chance to tell your troubles unless
there was girl at the bottom Of It.
SO long as you don't tell me you are
not good enough for her, go ahead"
The young man shifted uneasily.
Lucy" he began, "is q fine girl, bur
did you ever notice she sort Of ex-
poets her friends to be freaksf"
Par6nkle leaned against the hoe.
"She Is looking for a genius and
her mind Is filled with fine arts
stun. There comes a time with lot
of people when they discover their
friends are made Of common clay.
Lucy has suddenly seen US as we are
and she isn't satisfied. Do you know"
and DorNnLla x,hlanaraA a. seal,., al, "a
me to start in writing poetry. Said
she knew could do 1t because I had
the look of poet In my eye. What
does she want you to do and why do
you bother meT
~ think she would like me to let
my hair grow long, wear funny clothes
and learn high-brow speeches out Of
books" John was full Of his subject
and the answers to Parnnkle's ques-
tlons camo readily "And I come to
you because you are her uncle and
ought to do something about It. She
Is in danger Of falling In love with q
smooth faker."
'Instead of with you." Parfinkle In
terrupted. Dear me, how sad that
would be-" The hoe continued its de-
CAPTIVATING assaults upon the weeds
and Frayne, after patient wait,
moved Off.
''I'll take her away" Parfinkle called
out. "You won't have to bother. Come
around one week from Friday, eight
o'clock, and propose to her. That's
ALL"
The young man was right, Parfnkle
reflected, Lucy had started to worship
heroes and with faulty perspective.
Now that her own relatives and John
Frayne were no longer good enough
for her something must be done. The
weeds continued to fall but Parfnkle
was no longer the Cossack. He was
fond uncle and friend to John Frayne
SO he invited Lucy to take a trip
with him to Tipton-by-the-Bluff, cen.
ter of all the arts and headquarters of
some few hundreds of men and women
who admitted genius.
you are right" Parfinkle tele-
phoned the girl. "You have made me
see you are right. Come with me, be
ready at ten tomorrow, and we will
journey in Arcadia. I am busy writ.
Ing my first poem"
When Parfnkle met the girl at the
station she gasped her establishment.
He wore purple velvet coat and
around his neck yellow ribbon. In
place of the sturdy stick he usually
carried was a thin bamboo one and
the Parhnkle hat had been twisted
into rakish attempt at distinction.
Parfinkle talked poetry for the two
hours on the train. He reclted yards
of 1t and predicted for himself an I'm
mediate success.
At Tlpton-by-the-Bluff Parhnkle In
troduced Lucy to the celebrities. The
girl heard him reciting his poetry
again and smiled when they praised 1t.
moon flower qulescent.
Bold, laundering bee;
Thunder and lightning
Chaos and me-"
For while Lucy was In raptures.
Here were the men and women of her
Imagination. There was one middle.
aged woman who carried q half fin
ished canvas under her arm and
smoked cigars. There was a man who
wore orange trousers and, she noticed,
the hair Of all the women was shin
gled while that Of the men hung over
their collars. To each and every one
Parhnkle reclted his verse and always
he was acclaimed.
Some said 1t was vast; all held II
original. Lucy heard words like un.
trammeled, defiant Of convention, free
Of soul, and by the end of the week
realized she was confused and q little
doubtful.
~ am afraid" she confessed, II am
not smart enough for these people.
know you will think me foolish, but
Just what does your poem mean1"
Parfnkle sighed. 1T means Just
what these trick clothes and funny
manners mean" he nswered-"noth.
Ing"
On the way home Lucy was relieved
to see that he had discarded the pur.
pie coat and yellow tie. She was
happy when he talked Of the garden
and the things he knew.
And you might dress your pretti.
est" Parfnkle reminded her, for at
eight o'clock John Is coming to pro.
pose. n sou don't want him. put on
that artists smock and.
"rIl put on my best dress" saId