Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-27
'sNow, little girl, it is perfectly natural

snow, little girl, it is perfectly natural
that you should mistrust a stranger,
meeting him by chance as you have done
me, and at this hour; but / must do what
l. can TO reassure you. trust am gen.
tleman for one item; for another, am go
ing TO walk by your side until you reach
your home, for it grows darker, and fear
you may be harmed. Try to trust me.
will not speak one word more. You can
consider me much as you would your
cOlOred nurse at home, or a great faithful
dog sent to watch dumbly over your safe
ty."
There were two things which grew into
Charles mind as he ceased speaking,
suddenly. but with conviction: One was
that he described himself truly when he
used the comprehensive word gentleman,
and the other, that he was going to attend
her home, and she could not help it. But
Charlie liked to die hard. and she said:
"fm not afraid; not in the least
There's nothing in the world to hurt me
between here and my fathers house.
You had far better look after your own af-
fairs"
No answer. Tramp-tramp-the went
down the quiet street. Everybody, Charlie
concluded, was taking tea; not a soul to
be seen. For while she looked quite on
the other side of the street, ignoring very
pOintedly her silent guide; but a little
feminine curiosity was fast prevailing
with her. She turned slvly, and peeped a
little at this strange man.
YES" she thinks. she looks like gen.
tleman." His straight handsome profile,
his easy, graceful walk, and ali. she made
a discovery. He has just arrived on the
train. Across his broad shoulders was
strapped a satchel such as gentlemen
wear on long journeys. He has come
home, perhaps, from a long absence,
longing to see his own family who are no
doubt waiting tea for him, and he goes a
long way off to accommodate a willful
and bad-tempered girl. There was some
thing curiOusly selfpOssessed and self
contained in his voice and manner. He had
not been irritated in the least at her vio-
lence. He was perfectly calm and cool.
determined to help her-determined to
attend her, he put aside her vehement pro-
test without notice, and managed her
easily; and she could not help it. Then
his vOice 1t is curious what an index to
character it is. This mans was firm,
even clear-tOned and low. Then he spoke
with authority, as a person accustomed
to being Obeyed; yet, with all this, how
gentle! how sympathetic! She tried to
think him a bold and cruel rufiian. She
was convinced that he was an educated
gentleman. His silence oppressed her.
If he would only speak, talk of the
weather, do anything but walk on, tall
and dark silent and grim, as if he had for
gotten her entirely. Peeping always at
him, and wondering always at herself, she
stumbled again, much to her chagrin,
over Il narrow curbstone. Silently he
caught her arm and helped her on for a
few steps. She bit her lips in anger and
veXatiOn. On, step by step she truaged,
conscious of being troublesome and mad
dened by the thought. AT last they reach
her fathers gate and see Marin Marg'et's
portly figure leaning against the post.
She was ready for her runaway.
''Ohl Miss Charliel Miss Charlie! Your
grandma too mad for anything. What in
the blessed world you do SO agravatin
for? l tell you feels for you, my blessed
chile; you is goin' inter one hornet nest,
sure's Pm a Christian. My eyes Weeps
over you now, dat dey do"