Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-09-11
ROCKVILLE. MARYLAND FRIDAY MORNING SEPTEMBER
Snookie Brought
Them Together
By GENEVRA COOK


t@ by Mcclure Newspaper syndicatel
(WNU Service.l
con, WATT Please wait for mel"
" AS the guard, the heavy
chain in his hand, waited, Fay Elton
ran lthely down the ramp to the
ferry. "Thank you," she said, smll-
ing, and walked swiftly on the deck,
not pausing to see the wistful face Of
the young blue-eyed guard who stood,
still holding the chain, looking after
her.
From her favorite corner of the up
per deck, Fay could look far up the
river and pick out her own particular
bit of skyline, the setback office build
ing where from eight-thirty to five she
took the dictation and wrote the let
tiers of MI. Harvester Winthrop l. A
faint glow suffused her cheeks. Per-
haps 1t was only brought there by the
whirling March wind, or perhaps 1t
came because, as she thought Of that
name, she thought also of the tall
well-groomed figure Of Harvester
Winthrop H. Almost every night now
he came out on the six o'clock ferry,
his shoulder close to hers as they
watched the panorama of moving
lights from the quiet dlmness Of the
upper deck.
AS the ferry swung around to face
north, a sudden gust of wind swept
down the river. It caught the new
little horsehair hat from Fay's head,
and sent 1t swirling down the deck.
With gasp of dismay, she watched
1t spin straight toward the rail. Sud
denly tall figure dashed after 1t
down the deck, an arm stretched out
just as the hat reached the rail, and
in an instant the blue-eyed guard
stood before her, his cheeks becom.
ing crimson, his eyes dancing, holding
out the absurd and fragile bit of horse
hair.
"Here, Mademoiselle the Queen of
the Fairies, is your crown"
Of course it was only natural after
that, that Fay should stop and speak
to him when she boarded the ferry
in the morning. His name, she learned,
was Chickering Chick-and
he was studying to be an electrical en-
gineer. He worked on the ferry morn
ings and went to Pratt afternoons and
evenings. In his spare time he played
baseball. In proof of which he ap-
peared one day after a game in the
April mud with bandaged ankle and
very engaging limp.
All through the warm, sweet-scented
mornings Of spring, Fay rode over the
river with Chick who, shining-eyed,
sna,ched eager moments from mis-
work to talk to he; and through the
breathless hush Of dusk she rode back
with Harvester Winthrop II looking
into her eyes. Somehow 1t seemed
difficult to decide whether the eve
nings of the mornings were more
sweet.
Then one day in May Harvester
Winthrop I asked Fay to come to
work late the next morning, in order
to stop H. Elizabeth to do an errand.
His sister, who was leaving for Paris,
wished to send in to him Snookie, her
favorite dog With the trepidation
born of long and detailed lecture on
the immense value Of the poodle, Fay
boarded the ten o'clock ferry with the
tousle-haired SnoOkie in her arms.
She must stay on the lower deck, lest
Snookie, unaccustomed to ferry boats.
should be dizZied by the heights.
When, halfway across, she dared for
the first time to raise her eyes from
her charge, her heart gave a great
leap and turned over exactly twice.
Chick Burton and Harvester Winthrop
II were both on the boat. Harvester
was with a girl; Fay could just see
she was Far Heights Country club"
from the brim of her imported hat to
the tip OF her Partisan heel. with a
deep breath, unmindful of the wig
CLING SnOOkie. she moved nearer to
the rail.
There was n sudden cOmmotiOn In
her arms. sliding of curly hair
through her fingers, a splash Snookie
had jumped over the edge of the boat.
Fay screamed. She pointed, white to
the lips, to the struggling dog. "Oh."
she cried. "Tve got to get him p
There was an answering Splash.
Chick Burton had gone over the rail.
Thrilled spectators crowded at the
edge II the boat to watch him swim
toward the gasping dog, grasp him IN
one arm, and turn again toward the
boat. Then something went wrong.
Chick WASN'T swimming any more.
"His ankle" cried Fay. She rushed
up to Harvester winthrop H. Hurry,
hurry upw she cried. Quick Chick
his ankle-he can't swiml"
She saw the plucked eyebrows Of
the girl go up. She saw Harvester
Winthrop II look straight at her for II
moment, then turn to the girl at his
side. With gasp, she rushed back
to the rail Her heart in her voice.
she cried "Chlck. oh, Chicki"
Then all at once Chick was being
dragged up to the deck by a rope
some one had flung him. with SnOOkle,
bedraggleo and sputtering. In his arms.
and Fay was knocling at his side.
And that night on the home-going
ferry. in the quiet hush Of dusk. Fay
and Chick stood together hands and
shoulders touching. al the upper rail.
Here" whispered Chick. "Mademoi.
sclle the Queen a, the Fairies is
wishing-rlng." And he slipped II,
sparkling. on the third finger OF her
lef hand
"I'll wish on IT, answered Fay soft.
ly u wis' that may always ride
on my Fairy bnnl with you. Chick,
Both going over and coming
back. :"
4.