The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-10-08

| bue-gray willows mingling with a few
! towering pines. In the far distance. melt
ing into the tender opal-tinted sky, a
range of blue mountains gave the last
exquisite touch to the beauty of the scene.
She wandered blssfully among the
flower beds. stopping every now and then
to investigate the treasures contained in
the quantity shaped stone vases that
were scattered here and there, to make
friends with the peacock. or 70 watch the
circ.ing flight of the white fan-tail pig
cons. and was quite surprised when Mr..
Burke came to announce that his bus
mess was concluded. and that she was
free to return to tho house.
Miss ONeill IS waiting for you for
tea" he said land l have come to say
goodby, my dear child. for l have only
just time to catch my train.
He escorted Molly back to the house.
beguilng the way with sundry pieces of
advice. which she was forced to receive
in silence for the reason that he did not
give her time to reply.
After bidding him farewell she betook
herself to the morning room. where Miss
O'Neill was presiding over very dainty
tea service.
Never in all her life did Molly endure
such agonles of shyness as during the
half hour that ensued. The old lady set
herself to discover what the girls previ-
GUS life had been. and with Il curiosity
too dignihed to be deemed impertinent.
but mono tho less persistent heaped
question upon question until tho whole OF
Mollys history was made known to her.
well, you seem. to have had nice time
of It." she remarked at last. Never been
out of Dublin except to school, never
been into society. never put on low
dress in your life. How old are you
7 I
been presented at half the courts of Eu-
rope"
II was brought up TO be n governess.
you know" put in Molly dfIidently.
"A governess? Yes. of course. l forgot
the name of the people you were with?'
1.-THE name was Murphy" said Molly:
adding somewhat maliciously. they
were tradespeople-"
THAT will do. my DEAR" interrupted
the old lady hastily. Il have not the
least wish to know more about them
Now. shall | show you your room? You
will have to unpack you know. before
dinner"
She led the way out of the room, paus-
ing at the doorway. however. and signing
TO Molly with a little gesture full of
courtly grace TO pass before her. The
same pantomime was gone through when,
after mounting a wide oak staircase and
traversing a long passage, they reached
their destination, a large room with n
bow window, a huge four-post bed. and
dark wardrobe so highly polished that
Molly could see her own somewhat for
lorn-loolZug reelection advancing TO meet
her as she entered
Il dine at seven" said Miss O'Neill.
with her hand on the door handle: you
will probably come down n little before.
/ hope YOU viii not be late. my dear"
This was spoken with the utmost suav-
ity, but with a little underlying note of
warning which seemed TO intimate you
had better not
half an hour before the appointed time
Molly came downstairs. and was directed
by the solemn footman to the drawing
room where Miss O'Neill was waiting to
receive her. room SO vast that the
multiplicity OF waNlghts barely sufliced
to chase the gloom from Its reccsscs. with
a great deal Of white and gold furniture,
and a ceiling representing blue sky
wherein noatcd fleecy white clouds en-
livencd with cherubs' heads and wreaths
of roses; the general effect being pleasing.
ii a trifle unnatural.
Come here, IA dear" said the old
lady. smiling approvingly as Molly APP
pcarcd. gay in her now fincry. You are
like n breath OF fresh air this evening.
Come close; / want to have a good look
at you. Yes, YOU are like our family
decidedly-in fact rather like what / was
in my youth. only not go good looking.
oh, you may smile, you little SAT
thing. but the Jau,t a. -,e.lL Of lifty-tive
years ago is altogether such a different
person TO the Janet O'Neill of today that
/ may mention her charms without blush
ing. You are pretty girl, my dear,
very pretty girl. but not to be compared
to me In my young days. l have been
mobbcd more than once, and have had
people standing on chairs to see me pass
and at ballS-dear. how they would come
pressing round To watch me dance, Dane
ing was something TO see in those days!
We didn't SLOUGH through our quadrilles
and lanccrs as they do now. We knew
our steps"
Here this amazing old lady actually
sprang from her high-bacled chair.
pointed shapely foot, and "chassc-ed"
across the room. curtscylng in the end
to an imaginary partner with all the
grace and dignity conceivable.
1t is "A comfort To see you SO much like
an O'Niel" he remarked returning To
her place. and drawing the girls young
face down to q level with her own. Eyes,
hair. complexion, perfect. am glad To
see that your features are so neatly fin
ished, my dear. and nothing could be
Wctticr than that little round throat OF
yours. collier de Venus ana all
"What may shat be- asked Molly. who
found this enumeration of her points"
somewhat embarrassing.
Don't you kuoW?-that delicate triple
circle which Is so finely marked with
YOU" tracing the three lines with her I'm
ger. Il used to have it once-no. you
needn't look for II now. you would only
find a necklace II many rows. the collier
de-, whoever the goddess of old age may
Toe Yes, my child, I am very much pleas
ed with you on the whole"-surveying
Molly critically with her head on one side
there is only one serious defect in your
face. Where did you get that dreadfully
pleheian little nose?"
Probably from the Mackenzies." said
Molly cooking the offending feature high
! in the air, for the last remark appeared
to her To BE- uncallel for.
~ hat Is extremely likely" returned the
old lady drily. though indeed there have
been 50 many mesalliances in your branch
Of the family IL would he hard To tell.
Now we have no bourgeois faint in US.
We have invariably ma ri ID In our own
class. and into the real old irish families.
We should have scorned to surrender our
name for one less noble. Let me tell you
no one was ever allied to our house who
had not an O. or a Mac TO his name
well / have "A Mac to my name, toe"
cried Molly, who liked the others tone
less and less and thought it was time TO
assert herself.
Have your" said the hostess, somewhat
taken aback: so you have-l forgot that
All. but wait a bit; let me see you write
it,"
in some amusement scrubbed her name
or the ivory tablets hastily pushed toward