The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-09-13

we Susy? And now she and me will Just
take look aroun' the shanty-it is real old
Spanish anteek, amt it? And sorter take
stock of it, and you young folks VIII have
to tear yourselves apart for awhile and play
propricty before me. You've got to be on
your good behavior while I'm here, L can
tell you! I'm a heavy old 'doo-anna AN
Susy! Schoolma' MS and mother superlors
amt in the game with me-for discipline.
She threw her arm around the young
girls waist and drew her towards her al
tectionatcly, an action that signify pre-
cipitated some powder upon the black dress
at Clarence, but Withdrew her eyes pres
entity to let them rest with unmlstakapie
appreciation and admiration on her rell-
tive. pans shot through Clarence
breast. He had never seen her look IN
that way Mt Mrs. Peyton. Yet here was
this stranger-provincial ovcrdressed and
extravagant, whose vulgarity was only
made tolerabe through her good temper
who had awakened that interest which tho
refined Mrs. Peyton, whose inherent deli
fuences of maturity, climate and surround
ings, had never yet been able to touch. AS
Mrs. McClOSky swept out of the room with
Susy, he turned away with sinking heart.
Yet it was necessary that the spanish
house servants should not suspect this
treason to their mistress, and Clarence
stopped their childish curiosity about the
stranger with n careless and easy accept
ance OF Susys sudden visit in the light of
an ordinary occurrence and with famil-
iarity towards Mrs. McClosky which be-
came the more distasteful to him in pro-
portion as he saw that it was evidently
agreeable to her But, easily responsive,
she became speedily confidential. Without
single question from himself or a con-
tributing remark from Susy, in half an
hour she had told him her whole history.
How, as Jane Silsbee, an elder sister of
Susy mother, she had early eloped from
the paternal home in Kansas with Nc
Closky, 4 strolllng actor; how she had
married him and gone on the stage under
his stage name, effectively preventing any
recognition by her family; how, coming to
California, where her husband had become
manager of the theater at Sacramento,
She was indignant to find that her only
surviving relation, a sster-in-law. living i'm
the same place, had for money considera-
ton given UP all claim to the orphaned
Susy, and how she had resolved to find out
III the poor child was happy how she
succeeded i'll finding out that she was not
happy; now she wrote to her and even met
her secretly at San Francisco and Oak
land, and how she had undertaken this
journey partly for "a lark and partly TO
see Clarence and the property. There was
no doubt OF the speakers sincerity; with
tnls outrageous candor there was an equal
obliviousness of any indeIicacy in her con
duct towards Mrs. Peyton that seemed
hopeless. Yet he must talk plainly to her;
he must say to her what he could not saw
10 ousy; upon her Mrs. Peytons happi-
too-dcpended. He must take the first Oh,
portullly OF speaking to her alone
1nat opportunity came sooner than he had
expected. After dinner Mrs. McClosky
t ,t,nt 10 nnsy and playfully telling her
t,i2C sne had TO talk business with Mr.
.srant, bade her go TIC the saloon a..I await
her. When the young girl mad LETT the room
she looked ut Clarence, and. with that as
SUMPTION OF curtness with which yulgar
but kindly natures believe they overcome
the difficulty of delicate subjects. said
abruptly:
We'll, young man, now what's all this
between you and Susy? / am looking af-
ter her lnterests-same as if she was my
own girl # you've got anything to say.
now,s your time. And don't you shlly-
shally too long over it either, for you might
rs well know that Il girl ike
that can have her pick and
choice and be beholden to no one;
and when she don't care 20 choose there's
me and my husband ready to do for her all
the same. We mightn't be able to do the
anteek Spanish squire, but we've got our
line OF business and it's a comfortable
one"
To have this said to him under the roof
Of Mrs Peyton from whom in his snnsi-
tiveness, he had thus far jealousy guarded
his secret-was even more than Clarence's
gentleness could stand, and fixed his wayer-
ing resolution
Il don't think we quite understand each
other, Mrs. McClosky,' he said coI,lly, but
aith Slittering eyes. 81 have certainly
something to say TO You; if it is got on
subject as pleasant as the one you propose.
it is nevertheless one that think you and
| are more competent TO dicusS together"
Then with a quiet but unrelenting direct
ness he pointed out to her that Susy was n
legally adopted daughter OF Mrs. Peyton,
and as Il minor utterly under her control:
that Mrs. Peyton had no knowledge Of any
opposing relatives, and that SuSy had not
concealed the fact from her, but that he
was satisfied that Mrs. Peyton did not even
know Of Susy's discomfort and alienation;
that she had tenderly and carefully brought
up the helpless orphan as her own child
and even if she had not gained her afTec-
tons was at least entitled to her obedience
and respect; that while Susy's girlish
caprice and inexperence excused her CON
duct, Mrs. Peyton and her friends would
have right TO exDect more consideration
from person of Mrs. McCloskys maturer
JUDGMENT That for these reasons, and
as the friend of Mrs. Peyton-whom alone
he could recognize as s;usy's guardian. and
the arbtcr Of her affections-he must de-
cline to discuss the young girl, with any