maximum of nutriment with the least tax upon the digestive organs. Food follies in Summer lower vitality, decrease efficiency and cause damages that are not easily repaired. The ideal diet for the sultry days is Shredded Wheat with fresh fruit and green vegetables — a combination that is wholesome, cooling and satisfying and that supplies all the strength needed for work or play and keeps the alimentary tract in healthy condition. THE CENTURY MAGAZINE VOL. 88 AUGUST, 1914 No. 4 UNDER SILKEN SKINS BY MARIA THOMPSON DAVIESS PICTURE BY MARTIN JUSTICE ES, under the surface of every wo power which is apt to give off radiant electric currents that may make or unmake history, generate a poet, or flame a path direct to the highest heaven. I partly understand now; but I am still in awe of what I found in myself when the first spark was struck out of me less than a week ago. I was aware of the first volt tingling along my nerves down at the cow-sheds at the fair on Monday when I raised my eyes and saw Helm Robards watching our aristocratic Bluefields brilliantly produce one quart less milk for the three days' record than his Mrs. Butter. It was one of a succession of such electrifying humiliations that failed to make me rage as they should have done; and that night the harvest moonlight, the cool autumn wind across the Bluegrass meadows, the croon of the doves in the vines up under the eaves, and I all seemed for the first time to vibrate in a queer new kind of harmony, which I felt was making me do my sleeping wide awake. Tuesday I had to ride sadly and faithfully home to Uplands behind huge old Mrs. Rooter, our sow, who waddled calmly along, a red ribbon facetiously tied to the curly tail of the last of the six sleek little squealers who followed her; and still I danced with the greatest graciousness at the governor's ball that night with the Pennerile owner of her successful competitor. "You can have those two blue ribbons for your long and useless trip up into the Bluegrass," I said as he swung me out on the floor, after Judge Cavendish had introduced us. "Just wait," he answered, laughing down into my eyes. Helm Robards's eyes are not like any other man's eyes other man's eyes I ever looked into. They are calm and young, but so deep that you feel that they could tell you eternal secrets, if you have the strength to look long enough, which I had n't-then. Wednesday saw his Southdown's blue above the Uplands' red, and I spent two hours of twilight showing him the sunset beyond our giant elms. Thursday he scored everywhere, and he and I arrived half an hour late at Mrs. Cavendish's dinner because the moon rose over the ridge so early. By Friday the feud, that since history began has existed between the arrogant Bluegrass region and the poorer lands to the south of the Dark and Bloody Ground, said to nourish only pennyroyal Copyright, 1914, by THE CENTURY CO. All rights reserved. |