Evening star., 1937-08-15
THIS WEEK


Its Justice" Wally said. AFTER
all the kidding we've taken"
"You mean you don't want
representative of the Navy to add
dignity to the occasion?" Edgar asked.
1--WE mean," Wally leaned across
Isabelle and grinned at his brother,
that we particularly do not desire the
presence of the Navy. If the Navy
does not remain away the Navy will
be forcibly propelled from the scene.
And that, Isabelle thought, was the
end of it. Shed 60 to the lake. she'd
christen the boat Shed wear her
organdie with the long full skirt and
her big hat with the blue ribbon. Shed
look and behave as much as she could
like those girls she'd seen christening
boats in newsreels She could do it if
Edgar Bowen wasn't there.
Two days later she drove alone out
to the lake. The sun was setting and
wind ruff1ed the water into waves that
slapped against the shore. Holding her
skirt close about her, she picked her
way through a wild tangle of growth
to the boys who waited for her beside
the boat. When they saw her she was
glad she'd put on her best dress. The
way they were looking at her made her
feel sort of different about the boat.
1t looked different, too, from what she
had expected; sort of big sitting up on
those trestles or whatever they were,
and her name painted on the side and
the bottle hanging from ribbon. She
was actually beginning to feel like
somebody in newsreel.
well, what do do?" she asked.
You stand up here" Clifford said,
and lifted her to the low dock that
struggled out into the lake. At this
height, she saw, the boats PROV or the
stern - whichever it was - came
level with her face.
"You take this" Wally handed her
the bottle. Her eyes widened. Why, it
was champagne!
'You crack it over hef and say, I
christen thee The Isabelle c."
She nodded and became very grave
and dignified as she grasped the bottle
firmly by the neck and lifted it high.
She let it swing down and proclaimed.
81 chris'n thee, Is'belle c."
The bottle crashed and champagne
spattered. She didn't see the boat
slide into the lake for she was straight
ening her hat and mopping the cham
payne from her face When she looked
up the boat was bobbing on the choppy
water.
BOY" Wally shouted.
''Boyr' Clifford and Chester echoed.
Come on, Isabelle" Wally pulled
The Isabelle c. alongside the dock.
you're to be the first aboard"
"Heyv' an amused voice called from
somewhere close by. His voice.
Isabelle drew herself up to haughti-
ness while inside she shrank and
shivered with embarrassment. So all
the time he'd been watching and
laughing at her! She turned and faced
the shore. The boys turned with her.
They found Edgar Bowen lean
ing against tree behind which he had
evidently been hiding during the en-
tire proceedings.
For gosh sake -" Wally began.
Il knew you guys'd slip up some
where" Edgar grinned. But nothing
Serious" he reassured them. lust a
matter of etiquette. You see. the owner
is always the first one on his boat and
the last to leave her."
~'It may interest you to know that
we are all utterly aware of the eti-
quette for the OCCASION" Isabelle
announced with an icy politeness.
"Wally's saying was to be the first
aboard was a mere figure of speech
meaning l was to be the first after the
owner got on.