Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18


there is certain value in a mans going to
the bottom, being deprived Of everything but
the world itself. The world becomes personal
to him, not just weather. The sun is a
kindly but fiery old man, and q storm is
black menace, instead of an inconvenience.
On starry nights, perhaps, one can feel the
slow turning of the Planet Earth. 1t is all SO
real and wonderful"
And you long for it, don't you Graham?"
He looked at her steadily. when you call
me Graham, is it because your mind still con-
fuses my name. or-because you know 1t is
my first name?"
MY first name is Anne" she replied
you still generous, them" he said.
"Thauk you, I have thought Anne SO long
and dared not say it. No, Anne. I'm not going
back to it ever, unless must"
His grip took the fence rail until his knuckles
were white. With an impulse of compassion
Anne touched his fingers. What is it, Ora
ham? Tell me-
He drew away instantly and put his arms
behind him. Tell you? Anne. my dream
must vanish if tell you. All right then, you
who opened kitchen door and summoned me
back to life, love you. I love you, Anne.
Oh. don't shrink, for don't hope"
Anne put her hands on his shoulders. II
waited a good many years for you to come.
Graham" she said. 1T would seem hard if
you made me wait any more" She knew then,
in that moment. the answer to so many things,
the why of her hoping the why Of the valley
and the village and the tavern and their
beauty, the why of her own beauty.
It is traditional that Paradise in green val
leys does not endure Perhaps Anne and
Graham Thorne should have been grateful
that it existed for them at all, even for week
And yet what other name could have been
given to that week but Paradise? The valley
was aware of it and covered its white and
green with blue and gold. The village saw
it and tempered its cynicism with an indulgent
smile.
The tavern was full of it. Every evening
the dining room full of strangers seemed homo
geneOus and gay IL Joy" were pasted up
on placards all over the place.
And after. when all were departed and the
tavern was lost in the shadows and the moon
draped her veil over some hidden spot where
those two chung to each other the whole
soft night seemed aware and throbbing in
unison with the beat In their breasts. His
laughter gay-hearted and low, was just
audible. flor who could have suspected, Anne,
that the entrance to Paradise would turn out
to be a kitchen door?"
And L." she said 80 luckleSSly waiting for
you all that time to come in at the front"
Anne? Are you listening, Anne? Remem-
Der the time you asked me to promise abso-
lutely something, and I said couldn't? Well,
think can promise now. 1t is hard to i'm
agne that I should ever again need-that."
ham"
ONE is SO sure at times or, at least at one
time, without promises. and that may be
Just as well, for what are promises pathetic
little pleas against a fixed and adamantine
destiny? She was watching from her window
as the curtain on Paradise was rung down.
1t was the hour of evening when he returned
from work, when she waited, counting and
those SWINGING hr0
him up the road to the tavern gate.
But there were no swinging strides now.
She saw the lettering figure 200 yards away
the little. aimless steps going sideways as often
as ahead. She saw him straggle along the
fence toward the back of the house.
She went downstairs and out the kitchen
door and found him pale and hunched beside
the cistern Help me q little Anne will
you?" he said. eve had fall"
yes" she said. you've had fall, Thorne"
She called him Thorne. 'Tve had fall, too"
He did not seem to understand. Thought
was all right, but got giddy coming up the
road" His elbow slipped from the cistern
and he tottered toward her. Don't go away
What's the matter Anne? 1t will be all right
Just bad fall"
And of course you haven't had q drop to
drink? It's all over you'll"
YES" he said, "they poured II into nv
mouth while was-So it spilled, guess"
He made an effort to pull his wits together
Anne. why are you staring at me? You
don't think" His laughter was high-keyed
and unnatural. "It's just that hit my head
when fell"
BE still" she said II told you that you
DIDN'T even lie well any more You're a liar
and you're drunk. just as you were when you
came here. You can go the same way, at
once, tonight"
She turned and fled away from him inside
and upstairs to her own room.
She waited until dinner should be over. and
then habit took her downstairs to make change
for the checks A smiling young man with
blue eyes was there. He had been there good
deal lately.