Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-20
By John Esteven.

the haze Of rain, the car with It's
streaming headlights, the sense OF tne
great carved doorway at which Stooo.
It was as II an obscure prophetic sense
marked a conclusion here and the De-
ginning of another phase.
Although it was after 10, expected
to find Eleanor and Carl about; but.
when Hasta opened the door for me, I
saw that the lights were partially on
and the hall empty.
"Mr. Balloon went back early tonight"
said the butler, land Miss Graham has
retired. She left bite of supper for
you and this note, sir"
He handed me a note and pointed to
small table in front of the hearth,
where some logs were smoldering.
VERY thoughtful Of her." answered,
and glanced at the note which read:
I'VE were both sorry you missed din
ner-at least, with us. Carl suggested
you might be hungry, and I'm leaving
sandwiches for you, made with my own
fair hands" Reading, I pictured her
hands, shapely apd strong: their image
recalled the evening we had sat together
before the. fire. carl contributed a
glass of his Barbera. I'm tired and
am going to bed early. Good night"
I was not hungry. but politeness de-
manded that I take something. Be-
i
ray on the little table, the thought re-
CURED of her hands and the night,
when, for once, I had pressed them to
my lips. Their touch, I fancied, still
chung to this bread. just as for me her
presence fingered in the hall. 1t would
be good for a time to sit before the
fire dreaming of her, building the future
around her, warmed more by the
thought of her than by the glowing
he W nIe ek0 oil nf
crimSon-black wine. He had left 1T
for me, had he-he who smiled and
patronized, holding me up before her
in his serene ridicule! The days temp
tations required with a new force. I
would dream Of him as well, and sip
his wine. Which was more potent
cordial, the thought of her or of him?
And meanwhile over me would lean
the dynamic, brooding spirit of the
house.
Have you need Of anything, Doc
tor?", inquired Hasta.
"Oh, nc-of nothing" said already
installing myself IN the great chair.
I heard his good night and ,murmured
a reply The glass of wine fascinated
me. If he sat here now, how easy IN
the half light to let a certain atom
fall in his glass beside mine =.
I fancied myself with her when May
had come, perhaps In the gardens out
side. which would be in blossom. Even
in their Winter desolation it was not
difficult to imagine their Springtime
beauty-the shaded walks, the spice
of early roses We would speak of
Carl Ballion, his brilliance and promise,
his ease and Zest in living. I could well
afford to praise him, because I lived.
And it was the month of roses, the
month when earth stretches her arms
out to the sun. ExhalationS Of the
ground, sweeter, more languid here
than elsewhere, I OWNED, would cling
to the garden. And, remembering him,
she would remember chiefly her self
desire unsatiSfied, the call Of earth
and air, the compelling spirit Of this
place. How appropriate, smiled to
myself, looking at the embers through
the wine, if in May she and I, together
at GreyhouSe
It had, indeed, an. imperial color,
this vintage, color in itself symbolic
of life at its guintesSential. drank, and
even the sweet bitterness of taste seemed
eloquent of experience. My thought
sardonically pledged Eleanor in Balloons
wine. That drank it appeared to me
also symbolic and of good omen.
Not being thirsty, set the glass aside
half finished, and. having tasted a
cigarette, remained luxuriouSly re-
laXed, my eyes on the fire.
What a glorious thing life was, after
all, if one only chose to live; and that
meant insisting on yourself, getting rid
of what had been drummed into your
ears and was repeated by every one UNI
til it became a code of ethics. 1t
meant disregarding this modern bug
bear called society, except as the latter
could be made useful to you. This
actually; though, of course, in ap-
pearance one flattered the tyrant with
lip service and kept it affable. Our
obligations to society! The individual
merged in society! Idea of beehive, an
ant-heap. What balderdaShi
One of the charms of Greyhouse was
that here these formulas were reversed;
one thirsted and drank, if not from
ones own cup, then-and smiled
from that of another. One desired and
took, for there were neither fair means
nor foul-there were only means.
Responsibility ended with the gratifica-
ton of each faculty, the fulfillment Of
each desire at any cost save to ones
self. It was the law of nature; it was