The Washington times., 1937-02-09

privileged Talbot, followed by
brief outburSt of merriment. Elise,
it seemed. had unwittingly given
herself away.
Il wonder what she's up to-
the little rascal" muttered Mrs.
/ Sinclair out of the corner of her
mouth.
Furnishing Mr.. Corley, I should
say" reflected Mrs. Crandall.
"Well-she mustn't" decided
Mrs. Sinclair. Raising her voice,
she said sweetly, "Oh-do tell
them, Elise, how Mr.. Parker helped
your grandfather the time he fell
i'll while putting on cast. Such
a droll story, Dean Harcourt."
Elise, who had recovered now
from her embarrassment, told it
all and told it well-the interest
ing case of the Potts fracture
Really. the very worst kind of
break there is, Grandpa says
and how. by sheer accident and
not knowing a blessed thing about
it, Nat had successfully applied
the cast. During this recital,
Sonia's eyes never left Phyllis's
face, and Phyllis's eyes did not
rise from her plate.
"I say!-but that was odd!"
squeaked Mr.. Talbot. Incredible.
Maybe the chap was a doctor!"
Elise shook her head, smiling
tolerantly.
MY grandfather would have
known" she said. wouldn't he,
Dean Harcourt?"
"One would think So" agreed
the Dean, politely, but rather non
committally. Sonia still intently
studied PhylliS's face, and Phyllis,
actively interested again, had
turned her eyes questionly toward
Dean Harcourt, who, briefly en-
countering them, gave his atten-
ton to Miss Arlen, his attitude
seeming to say that we could now
do nicely with another topic of
conversation.
And how is Our little CeleSte?"
inquired the Dean jovially, rouS.
ing Norwood to attention.
quite contented, sir, in Miss
Warren's school"
Patricia leaned forward, smil-
ing intereStedly.
DIR. Norwood's little girl" ex
planned the Dean, contributed a
valuable thought to a Weighty dis
cusSion here, some weeks ago."
Unfortunately" observed Nor
wood, "Celeste's comment sudden
ly terminated a stimulating dis
course at a point of absorbing
interest. Dean HarCourt was de-
claring, at least strongly implying
- if I miSquote you, sir, please |
correct me-that whole genera
ton may be involved in violent
clash of opinion, apparently of
local and transient significance,
ana never live to realize that their
fanatical struggle was of signal
Importance to the progress of
civilization. I remember. sir, that
I was eager for this question to
be pursued"
why not?" called Mr.. Sincl"'
Il think we should all like to be-
something of the sort from the
Dean"
Attention promptly centered on
Dean Harcourt. who sat for a
moment with narrowed eyes ap-
pa2ently debating a suitable point /
of departure toward the suggested /
talk.
1T all gets back at last" he be- |
gan thoughtfully, Ito the engag-
ing story of the Long Parade. |
We must break our bad habit of
talking about human progress as
If 1t were gradual upward
journey from the jungle to Utopia.
Il isn't quite that simple. Well
have to think Of that upward
course in terms of planes, as if
mankind proceeded on series of
steps up"
Like climbing terrace?"
asked Mr.. Sinclair.
Exactly! The half.dozen gen.
eratlonS comprising a certain era
will move along rather unevent-
fully, at times almost apatheti-
cally on an approximately level
plane. The upheavals, revolutions,
and eXcitementS of climbing up
out Of the era Immediately pre-
ceeding will already have become
legendary. In this particular eco
nomlc and political set-up that we
are considering, customs crystal.
lize rapidly into laws, the laws
take on dignity and resolve them
selves into codes, constitutions.
charters. Manners beget morals.
traditions become established.
Then-when everything has be-
come neatly integrated and the
parade has had its relatively serene
period of recuperation from the
now almost forgotten struggle of
the climb to the level on which
it is travelling it wants to look out!
for the time has come for the
taking of another steep grade!
TO Be COntInued)
Copyright, 1887. by Lloyd c. Douglass
let hin a. IN