The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-02-01

minaton to win her While she. pleased
by his wonderful attractive appearance.
his suavity and grace distinguishing him
as the cultivated man of the world at
once accorded him favor. Their engage
ment followed. and very soon the marriage.
To Europe Colonel Smith took his bride,
and after a long tour i'm the continent re-
turned to New York. They were residing
at the old Greeley homestead. "Chautau-
qua. when Mrs. Smith was suddenly strick-
en- with malignant dphtheria and died when
her baby daughter. called Ida was only
four weeks old. and the two Older children,
Horace and Nixola. were but toddling ba-
bios.
For time after their mothers death
they We're under the loving care Of their
aunt Gabrielle Greeley. then a beautiful ana
brilliant society woman. now residing near
the old home at Chautauqua. the domestic
wife of an Epscopalian clergyman.
Later Colonel Smith came south. and de-
string the health and Vigor of his children
made home for them in old country
homestead in Kentucky. where. with
faithful nurse and the love and care of the
lady owning the home, they passed the
first days of their childhood.
Subsequently Colonel Smith made his res
idence in New York. and approaching that
his older children had arrived at the age
when they should enter school he brought
from htntNchE his only SIN. Horace tree
ley. "a hoy of twelve years. and Mike"
the elder OF the little girls. She was taken
at once to the convent. where her mothers
friends received her with open arms and
she chung as if by inherited devotion to
Madame" her mothers old friend.
She was as quaint an old picture the
day she came. and wore such a long blue
brocade cloak and odd red bonnet Little
dark curls fell over her temples; she had
her mothers deep. serious eyes. and was
possessed of remarkable intelligence. \
little black uniform was soon made for her.
She entered the convent routine, but scorn-
ed the little girls of her own age. and
lccted her friends from among the big
girls. as she called them. of the higher
classes. She eVinCcd an unusual taste for
reading and often startled her hearers with
her wen expressed appreciation of books
apparently beyond her comprehension, but
read To her by her father.
Had Greeley's Traits.
There were i'm the little girl. said those
who knew, many of the traits of her IL
lustrious grandfather. and her character
was one complex and unusually developed
in child life.
She worshiped her father and seemed to
appreciate the reverses. coming in his lack
of business success. and the loss OF her
mothers inheritance she bore toward him
a sympathetic and protecting air
Whether Colonel Smith in his varied
rccr deserves any sympathy is a question
that has agitatcd those who knew him for
yapys Jut in. this world the faults of
be 50 well known
t1t along with
,spayed he had
h.s..civemlhg qualities ana that his great
est fault in life was his failure to sue
coed.
lie is one Of those men that may he
classed among the results of the influence
of the leisure class" belonging To the old
southern regime.
He is possessed Of unusual mental capac-
itv and as valcdictorian of his year In
Harvard had apparently brilliant career
before him. He was a finished student in
the law "A journalist of unusual ability and
Yet like SO many men apparently created
for something great. he seemed TO succeed
at nothing He lacked business capacity,
and mismanaged the money that came into
his hands.
OF his handsome face and figure. his al
ways faultless attire. many people know.
and the name of "Adonis" Smith as well
Identifies him IN the minds Of many as any
other.
II was by that name / first heard him
called ] hung far out the library window
M the convent that ! might admire the
handsome persouage-"the man. as
a schoolmate told me, who
Queen Victoria said was the
the handsomest American she had ever
seen "
This day ne had with him another little
girl. the baby one. we h9d teen expecting
from Kentucky
But she did not appear I'm the recreation
room that night with her sister Mike. who
entertained the girls with her little sisters
fright of everything and everybody she
saw.
Never having known anything hut the
noises that belong 70 the life of a country
home. she was awed by the massive walls
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