The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-08-15

while She WAS speaking and
stood looking out upon the surrounding
country with contented smile
whenever | gifts to feelin rebelllous
like. ur ongratefu" she continued, all
| has to do is jes' git out o doors an
look round a bit; then my heart gifts light
ugn.'
You are a loyal daughter of the noun
tans." he said smilingly, and your
thoughts are the voice of nature i'll your
heart" She turned away quickly at THIS
remark. with a pleased blush, and he got
up and sauntered towards the spring feel
ing that it would have been best had his
pretty speech remained unsaid. From that
time forth his manner toward her was char
acterized by IL patronized chlValry that
puzzled while it attracted her.
That afternoon he smiled QuizZlcally as
h. found himself carrying the milk buckets
for Matt, rs theytrudged along side by
side but her eyes We're fixed on the
golden sunset beyond. Presently she said
softly: Il reckon the wrong side NV the
cloud is jes as pretty as this un, cause
that's the one the angels looks at.
Il suppose so" he answered vaguely,
and she went on confd@ntialy;
1T don't look like folks thinks 'nough
NV the lovely cover the Lord put over the
earth: mebbe its the floor OF heaven an
we jps' se,, the glory II shlnln through.
She gave him quick, appealing glance as
She continued: Il ain never got Religion
but they do say as how ever things poW'r-
ful pretty in heaven. Yves all Baptists by
nature up hcer, but one Sunday | heerd
'Piscapalian preacher WIZ goln' to eXhort
down ut Hicks cross road-that bout
five miles from here-an' somcthln told
me TO 90 TO beer him, us we q never had
any o his persuasion III these parts
Folks didn't like i'm: lie 1idh noil '
but mchbc he couldn't help that, fur he
looked like his lungs WIZ weak, and &c
didn't talk noLhin bout the fiery PIT an
secb like. rs we WIZ custom 10: SO ms
preachin' warn't gnrally ed'iym put
somehow | felt like he Wuz talklh 10
me, an it done me more good II any Sellno"
| ever heerd.
"Yos +" her listener said, with a sym
nothntic smile. as she hcsitated, and thus
encouraged she went on; .,.4 ,ho
"Ur WIZ a tellin that day bout the
lows O. hcaven--thcm clouds maIa me
think nv tan he talked mos IKE ne
sard if right afore i'm. | guess he WIZ
s sor nv gittin' thare. That night after
/ rot home ! SET long time tninkih r
'hout what he'd said an wonderih Ell
ever cot rhare eff | wouldn't feel mighty lone,
some 'mong all them fine folks lie Salq
'twuz beautiful city, an you klo"
ain MS to city ways, an ! wv that pos
Tered bout it all that when pap ana Ike
come home roarin' drunk dion say nothh
TO EN-. an ef it hadn't been fur what ne
said bein' in my heart I'd tarnauonaiIy
went fur EN-. .;.,o
They had reached the lot gate some time
before. but Matt hal leaned against II,
nlshinc back her sunbounet in her ea-
gcrness to tell some one the thoughts OF her
mind. She now pulled il back on her
head until her face was lost IN IT'S spa
cious depths and said humbIy: 'Mebbe you
cant understan' my fecln :. fur We never
had nobody to talk to since | crowd up.
,, an L., nd bppr looks
50 kind and knows so much | felt like 1t ud
do me good 10 talk bit; faint often | do.
She did not wait for him to reply, but
opened the gate and went in quickly with
out looking at him.
As Castor Williams lay awake that
night thinking over the events Of the day
he decided to leave on the morrow if pos
sible and he also muttered to himself that
for the sake of the girl he would never
return Then he closed his eyes and tried
to sleep. but his dreams were haunt ed
by woman with appealing eyes, who held
ont her hands entreatiugly to him and from
whom he could not escape no matter where
he turned. Then she led him along a
narrow. dangerous path until they came
10 a high cliff where the waters foamed
beneath and in his anger he pushed her
down into the angry waves beneath and
she looked at him and smiled and smiling
sank. AS daylight at last dspelled these
unpleasant visions he cursed himself for Il
superstitiouS fool and felt an unWarranta-
Bile sense of irritation towards his unWcl-
come dream visitor.
Matt. all unconscious of her offcnSe, told
him while she fixed breakfast that Pap
says yorc boss is wusser' with a satisfied
smile lurking around the corners of her
mouth--a smile that changed to Il sem
sitive culver when he betrayed his impa-
tieuce at the Information. The work that
he had entered into with such zeal week
ago was now distasteful to him and he
had but one thought-to get away from
this place as soon as possible. The mo-
notony wearied him; he shuddered at the
thought of another day spent i'll this
dreary solitude and he vented his Ill humor
on the girl, whom he felt was in some
way responsible for his detention. When
she quietly withdrew and left him alone
with his breakfast and his wrath he became
more incenSed than ever and vowed to
get away from there if he had to walk.
After he had tried in vain to read, the
knowledge of his own injustice made him
on the kitchen doorstep watching Matt
rs she sat by the door knitting industr-
ouSly OH coarse yarn sock.
Isn't there something | can help you
do:' he inquire mecllly, bul she declined
,hiS aid and apparently did not notice his
prnitence. lie had in his hand Il pocket
edition of TcnnySon that he had found
on his desk the morning be left, and. motto
ln@ her surreptitious chances 1t it, he de-
termined 10 try and experiment, so i"
said carelessly:
Il have been looking over Il book of
poetry, would you Ike for me to read some
thing to YOU
Il don't kcer cf you do" she replied,
rather embarrassed by the novelty of the
situation. He turned the leaves over
ldly Tor moment, wondering what would
best appeal to her UNDERSTANDING and
then he decided to try the sweet story Of
Elaine" She listened intently. finally
letting her knitting drop unnoticcd in her
lap as she became more Interested. bur
when he had finished she only said simply:
1T wuz the best thing she could adonrE
jes die, and she got up hastily and busted
herself with the pans on the table lie
closed the book with feeling of dis.n-
pontment and then he laughed at himself
for expecting appreciation from this igno-
rant girl.
He did not see her again until dinner
and then she seemed preoccupied ana
only replied 10 his remarks in monosvl
tables Later. however. she brought her
knitting and sat down on the front porch
where he was moodily gazing at the dis
tant hills and planning some means of re-
turning to civilization.
You're gittin' kinder tired bein' up heer,
way from evr'body, amt you?'' she in
Quired.
Yes" he replied, Il must find some