Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-13
A TOAST TO CHARLES YATES.

After a few moments conversation
Fletcher continued the dance. When IL
was over he walked up to Eleanor. who
was surrounded by a little court OF admir-
ers and drawing her 70 one side he said:
am sorry. but news has just reach
ed me OF some important work at the
bank that must be attended to at once.
Would you mind very much going home
now. or viii you prefer going later with
some friendsT
I'VE did not know at the time what he
said 70 her, but we saw the sweet light
IN her eyes as she answered him and pres
emily hooded and cloaked she left the
dance with Fletcher.
The tall. dark stranger sat on the box
with the cabby. and as Il was a long way
out TO the Metcalf home from the coun-
try club. II must have taken them a full
hour TO reach IL. What they said, what
they talked about on the way no one Of
us VIII ever know. But when they reach
ed the door Fletcher handed her a great
bunch Of roses and babe her goodnight.
The next day the papers were filled
with the story OF the defalcation of Theo-
dore Fletcher, the receiver Of the Mercan-
tile bank. He had been the peoples IDOL
the papers said. and he had fallen from
the postal on which he had stood and
which had been erected by the people
Edward Metcalf was brought on the
stand at the trial and testified against
Fletcher. At the club he said, I told you
So and his most scathing remarks were
directed toward F1etcher's action at the
dance. Just to think he said bitterly,
of thief having the nerve to take my
sister home as II nothing had happened,
and daring to ride home with her with an
officer on the cab"
We were all too excited to say much,
and yet we all admired. secretly, the. tact
and delicacy which Fletcher had shown
In the manner in which he had taken his
arrest.
Fletcher was sentenced to two years
hard labor; Edward Metcalf remained in
town. staggering and threatening what
he would do to Fletcher on his release, and
Eleanor went abroad with her parents.
The world soon forget these things and
after a few months 1t was talked of no
lone day last spring I had occasion
70 visit the penitentiary at Kewanee
While there I thought of Theodore
Flechter and asking to see him. I was
shown into his cell. 1 found him read
ing Les Miserables'' in the original
French; his hands were white and his
nails were polished to a nicely that any
society belle might envy.
He greeted me with the same old
Chesterfleldian manner with just a touch
OF frigidity. fancied. and it stung me
70 notice. that he did not once speak Of
Eleanor-although / should have felt 1t
sacrilege for him to have mentioned her
name; Eleanor whom he had soiled with
the gossip OF having been her sweetheart.
Finally disgusted with his evident sang
froid I left him. and as I went down the
narrow corridor that led to the entrance
] met a woman coming swiftly down the
hall towards me. She turned her face
from me as 1 passed her. but saw that
II was Eleanor Metcalf; Eleanor Metcalf,
whom every one believed to be in Europe;
Eleanor Metcalf. the cold. the proud, the
pure.
II was stunned for a moment, and
even when 1 reached the fresh outer air
and sunshine, was still bewildered and
thought that I must have been dream
ing. Yet / could not mistake that regal
figure. that proud poise Of the head, those
beautiful eyes.
After a stiff drink or two I tried to
forget. and from that day to this have
never mentioned the subject before.
1T seems strange that this topic should