The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-08
A BACKSLIDER.
ny MARTHA mouLLoCH-wnL1AMs

Copyright, 1899, by S. S. Mcclure Coz
Parson Gentry was, after a sort, king
of the grass country. In all the length
and breadth of it. only one man dared
90 make head against his benevolent des-
potism. He, however, stood out so
stoutly. his contumacy was the fly in
the ointment. He was the parsons next
neighbor. and. like himself, owner Of a
big grass farm and breeder of race
horses.
Parson Gentry loved his horses next
TO his God and his daughter Peggy. In
spite Of his cloth, he trained the best of
them, and entered them impartially for
NIL the big events. He made you see a
nice distinction with regard to the sport
of kings a horse. he held. might run
for money as innocently as plow for it.
Sin came in with the betting. That was
distinctly among diversions which could
be used in the name of the Lord"
Lawson Cooke, the contumacious one
was painfully given to 1t. He would bet
Sndeed, upon anything. from the speed
of his best four-mier, TO whether the
corner in given string of fence would
count out odd or even. He was hand
some fellow-slin, broad, well set up; a
dead shot, a fine dancer, possessed with
al of singularly winning tongue. Half
the caps in the county had been set for
him ever since he left off rundabouts,
but he went scot free until he saw Peg
gy Gentry, who was as dark as Gypsy
and as dimpled as a Cupid.
The main line of social cleavage in
grass country society was religious
The larger part of the Virginians and
Carolinians who had come across the
Blue Rirdge to occupy and possess IL
had been either devout churchmen or
shouting Methodists or Baptists or
Presbyterians. A smaller moiety held
that there was no God and Tom Paine
a prophet 1t fddled and danced and
played cards as energetically as the
larger half prayed and sang. The race
course was a sort Of neutral ground
where chose who paved and those who
played could meet without loss Of caste.
Peggy and Lawson. however did not
meet there. but at one Of the pious
Christian parties, where old-fashioned
kissing games were the only diversion.
When II came Peggy's turn, she chose
out Lawson. It astounded her little
that he would not kiss her lips, but only
her hand After that, neither of them
played again. When they parted at her
fathers door-he had insisted upon rid
ing home beside the Gentry carriage
he took her hand and said. impulsvely:
Promise me that you will never play
again"
Peggy smiled Mt him saucily and muir
INJURED, ct can't promise. Sitting out
Is so stupid sometimes" Lawson
smiled, too. "At least, you'll promise not
20 play until you see me again." he
said. Peggy nodded and dimpled, she
was sure in her own mind that would
not be half a week.
II turned out to be half year. Law
son started next day for Virginia His
Rrandfather's estate was to be distrib-
1Ited and he made up his mind to stay
until everything was settled. Apart
from that he wanted to be very sure
of himself before he adventured further
in what he felt to be vital matter.
He pondered IL all through his long
rides-600 miles and back-for this was
in the good old days when there was
not even a stage coach acros sthe APP
palachian chain. Yet when he got home
toward the end of June, he was no
nearer a decision than when he had be-
gun. He was perfectly sure he loved