4
n
Cupid's
Kuklux
By
EWAN MACPHERSON
bv Evan Macphcrton
8
4
4
4
Once more Charlton enjoyed n jubi
lant laugh, ending in a kind of war
whoop. "Hut I thought you were go
ing to tell me about her."
or tne country road and set the neigh
borhood dogs a-barklng with one of
his salvos of laughter.
"Why, bless you. no! They say my
impudence Is mr worst f.mlt lint
"Oh. no. I take It back. Nobody in you won't tell anybody that, will you.
this world knows Mab as well as I do. Mella? I suppose 1 have as much
1 ought to have known it was all over, right to call you Mella as all these
I did know. If you had ever written little Kids Junior, haven't IV" He got
she would have told me, even If she no answer to this Inquirv. so went on
didn't tell any one else." without one. "If I could on'lv have
"Hid she seem to mind 5" Mt thoroughly ashamed of "myself
Mella sniffed scorn that was beyond once or twice in my life, there might
articulate utterance. be some hope for me. Never mind; I
"To be candid, sho never seemed to believe there Is hope for me anyway."
care a row of pins." She stopped a He stopped to laugh again and then,
moment and then went on: "Only Mab as she remained silent, ran on: "I'm
Isn't like some girls somehow. She superstitious, and I feel that my star
has her lovely. delicate tea rose no- don't know which it Is Is in the as
tions about sacredness and all that cendant tonight -wherever the ascend
hates all those silly love jokes more ant may be tin very night 1 wanted
like your ideas of delicacy." it to be there. The first sign was when
"Thank you. I didn't know I had I happened to see your posse just as
any ideas of delicacy. By the way. they were riding into the yard; the
It's time for you to make up your mind second was when I got the drop on you
who is to drive you back to Yellow- all; the third Is my being in this rig
bnuks. I must send Olmpultcpee to with you going lickity-elip to the Bar-
Itltcli up and go in and dress. It won't tons. Hold up there, beauties' Steady'"
take me more than ten minutes." "Mr. Garrnvd."
"And ride horseback in your dress "Yes. Miss Harrison "
clot,l,ef?" "l t" that I have shown mvself to
"Lnless you choose to change your : you in a bail iiuht."
mlud and let me drive you." "Bad night: H.'in! You surelv could
'" -.i.'u uer neau aside as sue nave stood it eoo.i .i...,t t.-......
Still, when you consented to pull off
that old pillow slip, and the moon
you remember what I said about the
chrysalis? I won't forget that effect in
a hurry. And in another hour I shall
see you at the party, you know."
"Don't Jot. When vou see me there
course you must
said timidly. "Of
drive me. please."
"How many quarts of buttermilk
have you two had:" the voice of die
Quinn asked from the ghostly group
under the osage orange hedge. "It's
close on to 11 o'clock, and we've all i
got to dress when we get back."
"Well. I've got to dress before wo
start." said Charlton. "You fellows
can wait ten minutes, can't you':"
"Hurry up. then." said another ex-
will you promise not to let any one
know you have, met me before. Mab
above all?"
'Must I promise that?"
"Do you very much want to see no.
White Cap. And as Charlton picked up j there?"
his rltle and ran off toward the house: "lo I? What a question!"
the same speaker added. "Mella. that ' "Then vou must promise "
be a wonderful man a great! "And you'll give me two dances no
matter who else Is on your list? All
must
man.
"Ought to have been a general in
the Fulled States army," said Balph
Desmond.
"If he'll quit painting pictures, we'll
make him governor of Kentuckv." an-
And they all
other voice chimed in
laughed.
"I'm afraid I don't quite know what '
you're all talking about." said Mella
haughtily. "How many juleps have
you had? Buttermilk would have
been much better for you."
"Oh. you needn't tell us you like but
termilk. Mella!" said Cale Quinn. "But
If you want to know what we're talk
lng about this is the first time we ever
saw anybody stand up to vou. that's
all."
"Except Queen Mab." Ralph Des
mond put in.
"Oh. I mean any man. Mella, honey.
you ve lost your grip. You can't boss
us any more now."
"i m sure l don t want to. san
Mella. with an alarmingly distant air
"I may as well say at once that I'm
very sorry about all this
"Whew!" from Balph. the extremely
Juvenile.
ijwi t be vulgar. little boy. i see
now that the whole thing was in horrli
bad taste. And and look what a posi
tkni I" She stopped there, somethiu
in her throat apparently interruptin
her speech.
"Ye?." Cale Quinn took her up, hu
raane-ly and adroitly. "look what a po
Eition we all would have been in if the
thing had cone through and Mabe
Trice had heard of it. She .-arely
would too. As It Is. we're at Charlton
Garrard's inen-v If vou've let it out to
him. Mella. that this business has any
thing to do with Mab. You'll have to
make him promise, or we'll all be
struck out of Queen Mab's visiting
list."
"lie won't have any chance to tell
her." said tin young man who had
wanted to make Charlton governor. "I
don't suppose she'll speak to him."
"Why not?" Mella snapped angrily
"In't you know Mab any better than
to think she's going to act like a school
girl? She'll talk to him just like Jamie
Sinclair or any of jou all. You don't
j-'npiMiee she cares, do you?"
"Lo'j4i here. Mella." said Quinn. "Now
that this comedy of yours Is about
right; I promise.'
"Not to ghe the least little sign?"
"Not the le.jst little sign. I can act a
bit u know."
She was silent for more than a mile
while Charlton
through I'm going to tell you some
thing. Johnny, here, can bear at wit
ness torn ij-.ru v-o.-k- before last. Don't
you think perhaps we've all got hold of
the wrons end of It? My own halizl is
It was Mab cave Charlton Garrard the
aiitten -years ago. Just like her to say
rolling to anybody about it. even you."
Mella looked at him quickly, as If
l.iit to speak. Then she seemed to
chance her mind. She turned and look
ed down the wagon road in silence for
moment and said, with much quiet
dignity. "I'd rather not gossip about
that if It's all the same to you."
Qiifnn. making a queer grimace under
cover of the darkness, sat suppressed,
after which the few minutes of waiting
Jiat yet remained were passed by all
the jk.sso In strained silence.
When they set out for Yellowbanks,
the prisoner alone was cheerful, and he
seemed In even higher spirits than be
fore. He swung Mella into the road
tvagon. sprang in after her and gave
Ids last orders to Chapultcpee with the
Joyous vigor of a big schoolboy starting
for a picnic. I
"What on earth has come over you ,
i
i of the way after that
r " ,
I X
of
lie sentiment' think of that lor one
of those allegorical charts!"
"I told you it was till a Joke, didn't
I?"
"Joke! Don't I know a joke when 1
meet one in the road? I tell you,
the Latin quarter couldn't equal it in
a century. You're not angry with me,
are you?"
She turned her head away. "No I
wish we were at the bend of the road.
i ne niooniigui s rignr. in my eyes.
What else?"
"Only one thing more funniest of
all. though-you all took It for grant
ed that 1 was to blame. You forgot
she was only sixteen at the time. "She's
a grownup young woman now. How
do you all" he checked himself and
began again "how did you all know
she hadn't changed her mind since she
grew up?"
"Isn't sixteen grown up?" Mella ask
ed very quietly, smiling, but Charlton
did not see the smile.
"Well, hardly. How did you all
know she hadn't turned me down
without getting out any handbills? Of
course I'm not telling anything; I'm
only asking. How did you know?"
"We didn't know. We were I waa
just a silly country girl. They all call
me a tomboy except Mab."
"And except me. Mella."
Mella gave a little sigh. "And so all
thats a note?" And she smiled to
herself, nestling back in the shadow.
And from then on Charlton had to car
ry the conversation until they entered
Yellowbanks and saw the bright gold
en glow from the windows of the Bar
tons, away down Augusta street, and
could hear the chorus of last winter's
Yellowbanks opera singing:
"Never, oh. nevrr our hearts shall range
From that old, old love again."
Then Mella said. "I'll have to bum
tin pillow slip or grandma will find
me out."
"Burn that? Never! I'm going to
take it and keep it among my most
precious souvenirs."
She answered him with a decisive
shake of the head, though smiling.
"We're Just in time. The electric light
goes out at 12, you know. Next turn
ing on the left. And Mr. Garrard, you
don't think me vulgar, do you?"
"ou vulgar! I couldn't If I tried
ever so hard."
As he was leaving her. standing In
the side entrance of her home, shrink
ing Into the shadow lest any one
might see her in that ugly white gown,
he aked her once more, "Do let me
take the pillow slip!"
She shook her head. "Au revoir!"
"An plalsir! Two dances, remem
ber!"
When she nodded and smiled and
vanished through the side door Mella
Harrison, leader of the Kuklux. van
ished from Charlton forever. Hei
promise of two dances was redeemed
by another Miss Harrison, to whom he
was introduced at the Barton party, a
splendid young woman In pink satin
and lace, with dark hair In immense
tiulit coils that glowed like old ma
hogany wherever the gaslight touched
them, a stately and self possessed
oung woman, too. who sang "Nobll
Sinor" with great applause, but yet
managed to murmur parenthetically to
Charlton. "You see. I can act a bit mv
self."
This Miss Harrison he saw many
times after that night.
How Nugent
Maeterlinck
'By KEITH GORDON
N
O PMiKht. UKJl. by T. C. McCluru.J
I GKNT was in despair. For
three weeks he had been try
ing to ask Virginia Dinsmore
that pointed and personal
question that should decide matters be
tween them, and for three weeks he
had been held back by an invisible but
impassable barrier.
Balph Morton, of course, was always
hanging about her. but that gentleman,
Nugent assured himself, was neither
invincible nor insuperable. The thing
that he was afraid of was less Merton
than the long, mystical discussions that
the two held concerning the meaning
of certain modern writers whoso very
names were strange to himself. So.
procuring a few volumes of Maeter
linck, lie determined to prepare himself
to "trot in the same class" with her,
as his horsy friend, Michaels, would
have termed It.
Clad in an old coat whose pockets
sagged delightfully, his feet thrust into
slippers whose original shape and color
could only be guessed at and fortitled
by his beloved pipe, he settled down
one evening and solemnly opened the
first volume of Maeterlinck that his
hand fell upon.
But. though he made an honest ef
fort, the atmosphere of his comfortable,
bachelor quarters, whose golf clul
r I m i
ly v.tien Merton's diabolical
f:r.c nun tne advantage ol irgun
i iii:-'iest and appreciation. It was
n : a t'..ng to be borne quietly.
ieiii.ps ue understand it more
clearly than yon do." she acknowledg
ed, al that "we" thai put her and
Merlon together on one side ol the
question as opposed to him on the oth
er shook .Nugent strangely.
Something of the dismay that he felt
showed in his face, and, seeing it. Miss
Dinsmore attempted once more to ex
plain the methods of the new school of
writers. And her efforts were reward
ed, for at last a light seemed to break
upon him.
"I see!" he ejaculated slowly. "I see
at last! The gentlemen write in cipher,
just as wc send secret messages in
business, and It doesn't mean a thing
unless you understand the cipher. 'Dog
pigment chair' doesn't sound very in
telligible to you, does it?"
He waited a moment; then as Miss
Dinsmore shook her head he went on:
-nti yet j sent that very message to
a tinn yesterday in a matter involving
the investment of thousands of dollars.
And they understood, Just as you and
Merton understand your Maeterlinck
ode!" he concluded airily, while .Miss
Musmorc studied him with a new in
terest. After all, she retlected. these
practical minds were keen enough once
they got the point of view.
Meanwhile Deter Nugent went his
way with a curious exhilaration. At
last, he felt, he was catching up with
Merton. Since he had the important
question to ask. why not heap coals of
lire on lrginia s head by asking it
symbolically? But how?
.
It was the Saturday before Easter.
All the afternoon the bell of the Dins
more mansion had been ringing with
monotonous regularity, which kept the
Buttons at the door at work like an
automaton.
"Gee whiz!" he soliloquized as he
took in an azalea almost as large as
himself. "Miss Virginia must be de
whole t'ing. judgin' by dese Easter
greetin's."
The very last offering to arrive came
about U o'clock in the evening, when
the Buttons, wearied out. was dozing
at his post and dreaming that he sent
Sadie Flaherty a bunch of American
Beauties with stems as long as tele
graph poles. It was therefore with a
somewhat bored and chastened air that
bolical keenness f fry) ci J 0V
ge of Vienna's OlJC
The Lilies, How
They Grow
EASTER IN JAPAN.
JNTIL the early eighths the fa
vorite Easter lily with Ameri
cans, who spend over $l,00U,
0 0 a year upon this feature of
Easter decoration, was the Madonna or
Annunciation lily ( IJliumcaudidumi. the
common white species of the old world,
a native of southern Europe. But in
ISSJ it was quite eclipsed by the Bit
mudan lily, which was introduced bv
William K. Harris, a I'hi!a.!elphia Ho
rist, under the name of IJiinm hanisij.
Tiie new variety had larger tlowcrs
than the Madonna lily and more of
them. It was earlier, requiring only
thirteen weeks for development under
tavoralile conditions, and. best of all.
it took kindly to the hothouse forcing
process.
Then came the bonanza period for
the Bermudan grower, but in his zeal
he came near to killing the goose which
laid liis golden egg. Competition car
ried the forcing process to such a
point that the bulbs were dug before
they were ripe In order to get them In
to the American market by Christmas
or earlier, and disease resulted. In the
most prosperous days of the Bermudan
lily one grower often harvested UO.iMHi
bulbs from a single acre, with lto
profits of $iimhj to $2.r.(j0. The United
States department of agriculture ex
haustively investigated the lily disease,
but the Bermudans were not bound to
follow its advice, and little good was
accomplished.
Here was Japan's opportunity, for
the Bermudan lily was originally a na
tive of Japan and China, ill 1ST!)
Japan sent the United States only
$'2,000 worth of bulbs. In lSflo the
exports amounted to ?40.0u0. By lSPJl
they had reached SKiO.OOO, and they
have been increasing ever since, while
the Bermudan product is supposed to
be a quarter less than it was a decade
But the Japanese made the same
error as the Bermudans, and the lily
disease is now ravaging the white
fields of the mikado's empire.
The agricultural department again
The Cherry l!loN.,om Festival, Ileatir-
rcclloii of Fruit and Flowers.
By reaching .Japan just at the begin
ning of spring yoii u.jn f,mi yourself in
the midst of the native Easter season,
which in reality Is the cherry blossom
festival. Because It comes at the time
that Easter is celebrated in the western
countries it is given that name.
The dawn of Easter in Japan is a
dazzling and fascinating sight even to
an American, used as he is to the great
display of ilowers and bright and dain
ty cosytmes that come out on that day
in all the cities in the United States to
welcome the season.
'!!:. Japanese :iri Mice ?i lot of ii.
school ehil.lren let out to play, happy in
their r. ligioiw dower festival. None of
the ch::,eli ceremonies has any part in
their celebration, and, although the
cherry festival commemorates the res
urrect! n. it is the resurrection of the
fruits and Mowers.
.MI Japan rejoices. The children have
a day et apart for their special delec
tation, and the grown pvo5d( d0 little
bi.l seei; to make the young people hap
py. Along the roadways, inch deep
witli fallen cherry petals, the children
draw immense movable temples. Some
time more than a hundred little girls
dieted in gorgeous hues are in line,
piil.ii.g on the ropes attached to these
chariots, on which the boys, dressed in
bine and white togas, ride and play on
their musical instruments, while the
cleverest of their number in masked
faces render religious dramas on the
elevated platform in front of the char
iot. The streets are choked with thou
sands of grown people, who give up the
day to witnessing these processions,
and as the chariot and the children
pass down a carpeted avenue of cher
ry trees, and the gentle spring breeze
blows, a constant shower of pink per
fumed snow falls from the cherry trees
and everything becomes hazy in the
MISS PINSMoKi: Al'I'IIOVi lIKp IIKK I.ATKS1
WISDOM OF CHILDREN.
Drlsrht
From
Willi
Mella seemed a lit
lie spoke
llieiiee.
"Oh, does he?
tie frightened.
"Eh? Oh. well. I mean of course
If he does." And his laugh seemed to
be in mockery of his own unguarded
outburst.
"And what is a sweetheart?" Mella
asked in a very subdued voice.
"A sweetheart? Don't you know?
Then I'm afraid I can't tell younot
yet." He flicked at the team and sang
.. i e ,i ... o !: t I...
all: he asked as the blue irrass team , . , ,
nclll into tneir stride on the dirt were happy about the ascendency of
liMve :t little moon, i his Star.
She uos silent or more than n niio
the way.
sang snatches of Wagner, talked to his
team and pointed out recondite beau
ties of moonlight and shadow. At last
she said. "Mr. Garrard." And the ti
midity of her tone would have aston
Ished the Kids Junior.
"Yes. Miss Harrison."
"Tell me what you thought- think
of all this affair."
Your expedition?" Thinking of lt
Diade him laugh again. "Well. I should
call It a 'note.' "
A what?"
What thev call a note In art. A
thing that marks a picture so that It h
itself makes it. de:.r old Shellbark all
over couldn't be found outside of old
Kentucky a ny w ay."
"Provincial."
"M'm'm'n'n'no. That isn't the word.
I'm a slouch at finding words. You see.
you took such a lor for granted first,
that I had fallen In love with a girl
that had been sitting to me for ber
portrait.
"Ami you're not?"
"Bless you. 1.0! Fan Garnett Is the
nicest kind of a girl, with a swell pic
lure of a face. But an artist doesn't
fall in love with his model. How could
ne paint ner If he did? What he wants
Is a sweetheart real, true sweetheart."
feeling, almost vehe
Comment That Drim
the l.liit of Juvenile.
What could be more simple or more
splendidly direct as a compliment to a
pretty girl than the small bov's ad
miring question, "Are your eyes new
ones: No "grownup' person could
have thought of that. "A ruminating
animal is one that chews her cubs"
there might surely be less thoughtful
definitions As for definitions, no dic
tionary has ever given anything better
than "a movable feast a Picnic."
There Is a delightful note of the night
nursery In the beginning of a girl's
essay on boys, "The boy is not an ani
mal, but they can be heard to a con
siderable distance." equaled perhaps
In Its splendid simpllcltv bv the bov's
written criticism to the effect that
'most girls are very shy and angry."
It Is the directness of the description
which compels attention In vivid com
ments such as. "Just before it killed
me the tooth came out," and nothing
surely could be more Johnsonian in its
ubsolute truth than the answer given
to the painstaking schoolmaster try
ing to n. .ike the class understand what
might be meant by the subversive
word "antipodes." "If I bored a hole
right thiough the earth till 1 came out
at the other side where should I be?"
'Off yer ead! You can't do it!"-Lon
don Spectator.
FRIENDSHIPS.
i
Isn't It? These beauties are new and I
don't know the road a little bit. Did j
you have a row with your deputies
while I was dressing?"
Mella seemed to be shrinking as far
back as possible Into her corner, twist
Imr tight In her hands the perforated
pillow slip. "I can only speak for my
self. Mr. Garrard," she said, and it
was a strangely meek voice for the
Mella Harrison that Yellowbanks
knew. "Have you ever felt ashamed
of yourself?"
Charlton awakened the night echoes
"You know you are the first roffnlar
artist I ever met," she said, as If apol
ogizing for something. "Go on about
your note."
"Well, then, second place, that idea
of a leading man, all tar aud feather,
to to the altar."
"Nobody dreamed of such a thing.
Mr. Garrard!"
"Of course I know that. Why do
you keep calling me Mr. Garrard? If
you get cross with me I'll shut up.
What I mean is well, public opinion In
love affairs 'Cupid awakened bv pub-
DIITiTcliccN Pet iveen TlnH' of .Men
and Those of Women.
One difference between men and
women in their relation to friendship
Is that a man's friends like him in
spile of himself; a woman's friends or
acquaintances care for her because of
herself, because of her powers of agree
ability, her tact or her charm.
A man may be as grouchy as he likes
on occasion. He may swear at his best
friend and treat him as cavalierly as
he pleases, yet that friend will wait in
patience for 'the old man to como
round." knowing well that beneath the
surface are a kLudly heart and a will
ingness to share a last crust with him.
Willi her friends a woman may take
no such liberty. The kind heart and
the good intentions count for nothing
beside a woman's bad manners and
lack of taste in the treatment of her
nearest and dearest, and condemnation
Is swift and sure. Nothing excuses tier.
and she Is rarely forgiven. Nor would
she expect to be forgiven. Not possess
ing that large patience undeniably nec
essary to friendship or the power of
forgiving and waiting for the "grouch"
to blow over, she does not look for for
glveness when she has sinned against
these laws of a woman's making.
Bather she gives up her friend and
contents herself quite placidly with an
other. But then, as we said before,
woman lias no genius for friendship.
Vindictive.
"All," sighed the young rhymester
"you care nothing for the trials of us
poets."
"Frobably not." replied the crusty
editor, "but I'd like to be on the Jury
In just one trial." Philadelphia I.edg
er.
pipes, swords, riding crops etc.. dis
played themselves with masculine vari
ety and confusion, did not seem con
ductive to the study of the modern
mystic. Horse and doir pictures look
ed down on him, and pictures that were
neither of these noble animals testified
MMtiewhat frivolously to the existence
of the eternal feminine. Bows of smart
ly bound volumes filled the low book
cases decorously, bearing witness to
their owner's aspirations, while his
actual achievement was evidenced by
the litter of magazines and several dog
eared Kipling books upon his library
table. Obviously it was not a Maeter
linck room.
"Good Lord!" he groaned at last.
"Good Lord! And to think that she
can read such slush as this when there
are iior-es to ride, good golf to play
and men to talk to!" For one passing
moment a doubt of Virginia's common
sense assailed him, but only for a mo
ment. Not even Maeterlinck could
make him disloyal to her.
Besides, it must mean somethinir-
all this endless dialogue in which fear
whitened men and women echoed each
other's words to the accompaniment
of shrieking winds and ghostly moans
in a greenish gray light that never ex
isted outside a melodrama. Surely no
man would write all this stuff without
meaning something. But that was
ju-d it what?
"Vou may search me!" growled Nu
gent, throwing aside the second vol
ume witli a disgusted air and refilling
his pipe, "if I've got to stand above
ninety in Maeterlinck before I can win
Virginia-well, I might just as well
give up right now!"
Then Virginia's face, her eyes alight
with interest, rose before him. That.
he remembered perfectly, was the way
she looked as she listened to Merton's
conversation, and for the first time he
felt a sharp pang of Jealousy of the
man.
The certainty that Merton under
stood and even found Interesting what
he could not read, much less compre
hend, goaded him. In a meeker spirit
than was usually his he tried tenta
tively to get some points on the und
denlng Maeterlinck from Virginia.
"It's symbolical, you know," she ex
plained a trllle vaguely, regarding
him with a lazy question in her eyes.
It was so unlike Peter Nugent to be
vrt-M-ninu- for book talk that she was
curious. "Everything stands ror some
thing." slu added, as if that made the
matter entirely clear.
"But tell me," retorted Peter, "what
Is the use of having everything stand
for something? Why doesn't the man
say what he means and be done with
it?"
Miss Dinsmore had no answer for
this pertinent question, and, seeing his
advantage, her stalwart admirer con
tinued: "What would you think of me If I
employed s. nibols instead of plain, cr
rydae English?"
nis listener laughed outright at this
simple way of disposing of a great
modern writer and his cult.
"I'm afraid I should think you were
:iff your head, Mr. Nugent." she re
plied with the frankness of long ac
fpiaintanco. "That's Just what I think of Maeter
linck." replied her companion dryly,
feeling that the writer must either be
conquered or crushed and leaning to
ward the last named alternative.
Still, he could not give up. It seem
ed to him preposterous that a fellow
l.ke Merton should understand things
which he. Nugent, could not. especial-
took up the lily question, and in 15)00
he carried the package that was hand-1 an attempt was made to transplant
ed m up to Miss irginia's room, where the whole lilv industry to the United
in a low chair she sat reading "Monna
Vanna."
"Open lt, Thomas," she commanded
languidly, laying her book face down
ward In her lap and watching him iilly
as lie removed the enwrapping tissue
paper. But at sight of the object he
lifted out of the box a moment later
all her languor disappeared, and she ut
tered an exclamation of amazement.
It was a huge nest, upon which a
bantam hen soft, white and with ma
tronly, alert yellow eyes sat with non
chalant grace. Tucked under the edge
of one wing was an envelope.
Buttons did ids best, but It was poor.
With a guffaw as involuntary as it
was hearty he deposited the nest and
its occupant upon a table and. holding
his hand over Ids mouth, Med from the
room. Miss Dinsmore approached her
latest possession and removed the note,
saying. "Who under the sun"
Having read it, she sank into a chair,
tears of merriment streaming from her
eyes, for this was what sho read:
P'-ar Virginia I call you that because
I kaow Instinctively that symbolists have
no use for formality. The F.ist.-r kMI
that 1 am sending may at the tlrst Hash
seem bizarre, but when I explain that lt
is a symbolic offering you will under
stand, lt Is as symbolic as anything
Maeterlinck ever dared to do. and I inter
pret It to you because In this particular
case I fancy that I can do better than
Merton himself.
The nest what la It but the home that
I would offer you? The egg therein
please notice that lt'3 been made beastly
ugly stands for me. and, ns with me. you
will have to get beneath the shell to find
Its real significance. The hen that Is sit
ting upon the egg in the nest I como
now to my liveliest bit of symbolism, a
touch that I pride myself upon typifies
my frightened expectation of being "sat
upon" when this .simple effort of my
Imagination reaches you! Be merciful,
then, to P. N.
Tin: tii.N r lily ok inpia.
entrancing mist of a pink snowstorm
of soft petals. All nature seems to take
part In this Easter festival of the Jap
anese children.
"Cherry blossom Sunday" at Uyeno
park, in Tokyo, is one of the prettiest
sights in all Japan. The avenue of cher
ry trees going up from the town forms
an exquisite arch of pink boughs, under
which the people throng purely on
pleasure bent.
The tea houses have spread their
best red blankets on the matted plat
forms, which serve for seat and table.
Carriages and jiurikishas roll by, their
occupants dressed in their best, the
women in exquisitely delicate crapes,
because It is the time of spring aud
Ilowers. and the light and dainty col
ors are most appropriate. I'lider the
trees are light hearted picnic parties
seated on their blankets and lunching
on rb-e sandwiches.
Bestraint is thrown aside during
"cherry time." ami at Mukojima, where
a double avenue of cherry trees, the
most magnificent display of these love
ly blossoms in Tokyo, stretches along
the far bank of the Sumida river be
side the road, the wildest carnival
reign. Mummers in ail sorts of fau
tastie costumes, in which red and white,
the colors of spring and happiness, pre
dominate, dance in aud out among the
tea houses that stand along the bank
under the trees. The river is gay with
rtnfed pleasure boats, and the sound
of the geiha's samiseu Is added to the
general clamor of rejoicing aud merry
making. Washington Star.
Weak- with laughter, the recipient of
this extraordinary missive appioaeueu
the table once more and gingerly re
moved the hen. half expecting an an
gry, clucking protest. There In the
lie-;!, sure enough, was an egg bearing
an ugly caricature of Nugent, which
crumbled In her lingers as she clutched
it, releasing a scrap of paper that flut
tered back into the nest.
It contained but a few words, but in
them all the poetry of Nugent's strong,
sane nature had been compressed, and
with a little oateh of the breath Miss
Dinsmore pressed the slip of paper to
her lips.
The book that she had been reading
had fallen to the floor. With the tip of
her toe she gave lt a disdainful little
kick as she fluttered across the room to
her writing desk.
A .Menu For the Knslcr Pinner.
Oysters on Half Shell.
Salted Almonds. Olives.
Crt am of Celery Soup.
Fricassee of Belgian Hare.
Rice Croquettes. Mashed Potatoes.
Fried Eggplant.
Bird's Nest Salad.
Cheeso Cake.
Ice Croam. Angel's Food.
Coffee.
Dlniell nn n Dundy.
A contemporary of Disraeli In his
memoirs records this impression of that
famous dandy's personal appearance:
Usually he wore a slate colored velvet
coat, lined with satin; purple trousers,
with a gold braid down the outside
seam; a scarlet waistcoat, long lace
rullles falling down to the tips of his
fingers: white gloves, with brilliant
rings outside them, and long black
ringlets rippling down over his shoul
ders. When he rose In the house he
wore a bottle green frock coat, with a
white waistcoat, coliarless, and a copi
ous supply of gold chains.
Cnutlon Scocasnry.
The young man moved n little closer.
She moved a little farther away.
"Why are you so cold and distant
this evening, Miss Pinko?" he asked.
"I am not at all cold, Mr. Spoona
more," she answered, "but I am com
pelled to be distant. My vaccination is
taking." Chicago Tribune.
States. The be-t stock obtainable was
imported and planted in chosen sec
tions of the southeastern states. Ev
ery scientific method of propagation
and growth was tried, but the experi
ment proved a failure. The climate
was unsuitable. Now the department
has conceived the bold Idea of grow
ing the bulbs from seed, and experi
ments along this line have been un
expectedly successful.
The main advantages of the new
method of propagation will be the
elimination of disease and the fixation
of three or four well marked varieties.
We need early, midseason and late va
rieties, the first of which will naturally
cost more and the last least.
One of the most beautiful of all white
lilies is the Lillum gigenteum. or giant
lily of India, but only those who are
especially favored may enjoy this
Easter emblem. It is seldom grown In
America except by scientific horti
culturists. It often attains a height
of ten to eleven feet, and its large,
odorous Ilowers remain in good con
dition for nearly three weeks.
The Lllium longillorum is a tall, late
northern variety that sometimes re
quires thirty weeks for the develop
ment of the flower. Its southern form
Is called by the botanist and the Japa
nese grower Lillum longitlorum var.
eximium and by the Bermudan Liiiuin
liarrisii. The Intermediate form, Llli
um longifiorum var. giganteum, though
requiring about eighteen weeks to
force, Is a most promising variety for
the plant breeder. It Is taller than
eximium. with larger flowers. The
bulb stores better than those of the
other types and commands the highest
price of all because it is said to bo a
difficult subject to propagate by vega-
tative methods. Country Life In
America.
THE EGG DANCE.
A Ciirlou Kii.stcr Custom of Ancient
I-r:inee A Hoyal Ilomnnee.
In very ancient times a most curious
Easter custom prevailed in France.
Wooing lads and las-os would come
forward as applicants for the "egg and
matrimonial dance." A hundred eggs
wen arranged on a level sward spread
with ;and. and all the young tenantry
selected their partners to dance on the
green among the eggs.
Tin story is told by an old chronicler
that Philibert. duke of Savoy, was out
hunting and. being in the neighborhood
of the beautiful palace of Margaret of
Flanders, called to pay his respects to
her. All tin tenantry were dancing on
the green, the eggs were laid, and the
lovers were treading a measure of the
national dance amid them. Few there
were who managed to dance through
without breaking some of the obstruc
tions. If the succeeded not even the
"nay" of the parents prevailed to break
up the match. It was an evidence of
the intentions of Providence to smile
on the union.
While many had tried and been un
successful, the duke besought the prin
cess to try the dance with him. Though
it was the first time they had met, she
agreed, and they executed the national
dance without breaking an egg. Tliey
were greeted with enthusiastic cheers,
and. as it wa a sure sign that they
were affianced by divine will and their
wedded life would be one of great
bliss, they bowed to the fate3 that or
dained it so. and In the sentiment of
the romance they were "married and
lived happily ever after." Philadelphia
Press.
ronxldcruf e.
"no pretends to love music, but he
never asks me to sing."
jt",rCrIinpS tnnt'B uIs wa3 of proving
I.tigiihrion Ileililii!
It seems, by the way. almost forgot
ten that lt was with a burlesque of lb
sen that Mr. Barrie made his first bow
as a dramatist. His travesty of "Hod
dn Gablcr" was one of the most de
licious pieces of fooling ever seen ut
Toole's theater, and in it Mr. Toole (as
Ibsen himself l. George Shelton as Tcs
man and Miss Irene Vanbrugh as a
blend of Then and Iledda were de
liglitful. In one scene Tesnian was
busy writing a review when iledda en
tered, and the following dialogue took
place:
Tesmau (looking up) Thea
Iledda (languidly) I nm not Thea.
I am Iledda.
Tesnian Then, Iledda, Is there a k
In "Christianity?"
Iledda (very slowly und intensely)
There Is nothing in Christianity.
Tesman Fancy that! London Pall
Mall Gazette.
K:iMter Doll I'ltrtien.
Parties where each little girl is In
vited to bring her favorite doll, or her
whole doll family, for that matter, are
popular and timely. At one affair of
this kind given under the direction of
a kindergarten teacher, says the Wash
ington Star, there were dolry songs and
a dolly drill, doily tableaux and dolly
recitations, a baby coach parade to mu
sic ami lastly a photograph taken on
the front porch, where the whole bevy
of little mothers posed with their ba
bies of bisque, china and wax gathered
about them. When refreshments were
served there was a special table for
the dollies, beautifully set with doi:
dishes, tiny candles and colored shades,
simple refreshments warranted not ta
disturb the most delicate digestion and
a little name card with appropriate sou
venirs at each plate.
God nnd Immortality.
After you have assumed God you
cannot without doing violence to your
reason fall to assume immortality.
Washington Gladden.
Didn't Dare. , ,
"Mr. Meekton says he never spoke a
harsh word to his wife."
"Yes," answered Miss Cayenne, "but
I'm not sure whether that Is due to
kindness or caution." Washington
Star. '
(