Show AT EVENING t madeline A chaffee TIME J jl jiji alj C mcclure mcclur e newspaper syndicate j V nu service the briny toyshop was closed for the day its tiny show window still displayed an enticing array of delightful playthings but the latch was hard down on the door and its little lady pro proprietress r had retired to her favorite low rocker by a rear window facing the sea the most persistent youth in the small seafaring sea faring village rattled the door but in vain miss matilda bell did not even hear there seemed more than ordinary magic in the glowing spell cast by the sun at this close of day the old fashioned garden sloping to the rocky shore seemed a fairy place the sea was many hued dusky wondrous and its melody came pleasantly comiss to miss matilda there were dreams in miss matildaa Mat ildas eyes as she watched not the happy hopeful dreams of youth but the deeper sadder dreams of one who has lived long miss matilda was so much a part of her surroundings that she had ceased to notice them in detail her mind had flown back nearly neaily 50 years to the time when she had not the faintest thought of ever being a little elderly sweet faced lady sitting by herself in the twilight to the time when she was a young adventurous girl pledging her troth to a dashing young paval naval officer even now her eyes grew dim as the memories memories came drifting in on the breeze dream pic tures blotted out the garden the rocks the sea itself and miss matilda felt herself in the arms of her young lover so tender so dear and he had sailed away full of hope and happy anticipations of the day when he should return to make her his wife miss matildaa Mat ildas eyes blurred that day had never come there had been a fire aboard the ship and the young officer who belonged heart and soul to matilda bell had given his life for another years had taken away that first tragic grief but miss matilda had loved too deeply to forget how she wished she had been with himl him sometimes he seemed to speak to her in the voice of the sea and she would say that she was coming some day soon very soon coming to be with him on the rocks below miss ma gildas cottage two figures were silhouetted against the dull red sky but dear girl the mans voice voice was tender serious s you dont know what the life is I 1 do and I 1 condemn any woman to it least of all you it will be a torture without you but it be fair to take you the girls straight sweet gaze held his steadily but tom dont you see I 1 want to go it may be years before you come back our mar ariage that is to be is going to be true partnership tommy boy and it must begin by my going to south america with you now I 1 can face anything with youl the two silhouettes suddenly converged into one as tom said huskily bless you sweetheart youri youre coming with me well play the game of life squarely together and up in the little dusky window above the garden with the sea still crooning a low love song miss matilda had come into her own |