Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-14


CASTOR was tempted 10 ask him for
whom he carried thsfe former messages.
Il He walked with bounding steps, his being
! tingling TO his finger tips with the Joy
OF living. The avenue leading the fun
! length of the city toward the generals
house was two miles long before It reach
Il ed the woods at the gate. 1t seemed only
a step this morning.
| As he passed through the cool shade OF
Il the woods a squirrel was playing hide
i and seek with his mate on the old crook
ed fence beside the road. His little nimble
mistress few up a great tree to It's top
i most bough and chartered and laughed at
her lover as he scrambled swiftly after
her. She waited until he was just reach
/ ing out his arm to grasp her, ana then
J with another scream of laughter leaped
/ straight out into the air TO another tree
i top and then another and another until
Il lost IN the heart OF the forest.
II wonder IL that's going TO be my fate!"
/ he unused rs he turned into the gateway.
Again the majestic beauty of that
| cleaning mass of ivory on the hill with
/ its green background swept his soul with
/ its mower II seemed a different shade
OF color now that he saw II with the sun
| al another angle. Its surface seemed to
have the soft sheen of creamy velvet.
/ He paused and sighed, why should
be so poor! II 1 only had house like
that I'd turn that big banquet hall on the
1 left wing into a library anu i oSh ~
i higher heavenH'
/ And he fell to wondering If It would
i really be worth the having without the
Il face and voice Of the girl who was there
within waiting for him. No. he was sure
OF It this morning for the first time In
/ his life. The certainty OF this conviction
| brought TO his heart feeling OF lonen-
| ness and despair. When he thought OF his
/ AFFECT poverty and the long years OF
/ struggle before him. and OF that beautiful
/ accomplished young woman rich. petted,
the belle OF the city. the gulf that separat-
ed their lives seemed impossible.
I'm playing with -Ire!" he said TO him
self as he looked up at the graceful Rllars
with their carved and flutted capitals.
well, let II be so. Let me live life TO
/ fits deepest depths and its highest reach.
II is better TO love and lose than never
to love at ALL" And he walked into the
cool hall with the ease and ASSURANCE Of
/ it's master.
saIiie greeted him with the kindliest
| grace.
I'm so glad you stayed today. Mr..
| CASTOR. I should have been really cha
grined 70 think ! made so light an i'm
preston on you that you could walk de-
liberately away on a pre-arranged sched-
ule. 1 am not used TO being treated so
lightly"
He tried to make some answer to this
| half serious banter, but was so absorbed
in just looking at her he said nothing.
1 She was dressed I'm a morning gown OF
a soft red material, trimmed with old
| cream lace. The material Of a woman's
dress had never interested him before. He
| knew calico from silk. but beyond that he
| never ventured an opinion, To color alone
ne was responsive. This combination OF
! red and creamy white, with the bodice
i cut low showing the lines OF her beautiful
| white shoulders and the great mass Of
4 haf n
/ her full round neck heightened her beauty
/ 10 an extraordinary degree. AS she walk
/ ed. the clinging folds OF her dress, outlin-
| ing her queenly figure, seemed part Of
her very being and to be imbued with her
| soul. He was dazzled with the new reve-
lation of her power over him.
Have you no apology, sir, for pretend
i ing that you were going home this morn
ing2" she said seating herself by his side.
You didn't ask me to stay with fer
vor."
ut ought not TO have been necessary"
Didn't you really know ] was not go
ing?"
I'm glad"
Eyes, you see I'm twenty-one years old,
and I've seen such things happen be-
fore!" she purred this slowly and burst
into laughter.
NOW. Miss sallie. that's cruel to throw
me down in heap Of dead dogs I don't
| even know"
Don't you like dogs?S
Il -Four legged ones, yes. But like my
friends alive"
''Oh! II didn't kill any Of them. They
are all strong and hearty. But If you're
so domestic in your tastes why haven't
you settled in hfe?"
Been waiting to find the woman Of my
dreams"
"And you haven't found herr"
mot up to yesterday"
"Oh! forgot" she said archly. you're
so timid."
Honestly, I was
up 10 yesterday she murmured.
well, tell me what your dreams demand
ed? What kind OF creature must she
be?"
Il have forgotten"
WHAT Forgotten the dreams Of your
ideal woman7'
Yes"
"Since when?'
Yesterday"
Thanks. We are getting on beautifully,
arn't WEI You viii get over your timidity.
Pm sure"
He smiled, looked down at the pattern
Of the carpet and did not speak for some
minutes His soul was thrilled and salts
fed in her presence. AS he lifted his
eyes from the floor they rested on the pi-
ano.
"Wn you play for me, Miss sallie?
Auntie says you play delightfully."-"
"Auntie? Who is auntie2'
Mrs. Durham, my foster mother, Of
course. Excuse my unconscious assump-
ton Of your familiarity with all my ante
cedents. I can't get over the impression
that 1 have known you all my life"
And that reminds me that started to
say something to you yesterday that was
perfectly ridiculous. but caught myself In
1 time"
II wish you had said it,
Mrs. Durham is a great flatterer Of
those she loves. She thinks l can play.
But I'm the veriest amateur"
Let me be the Judge"
She was looking over her music, and he
had opened the piano.
I'll play for you with pleasure. SIT
there in that big arm chair. I'm sorry
tired you so early in the day with my
chatter"
And before he could protest her fingers
were touching the piano with the ease
OF the born musician.
| He sat enraptured as he watched the
sinuous grace with which her fingers
touched the ivory KEYS and heard their
answering cry which seemed the breath
OF her own soul I'm echo.
She had an easy apparently careless
touch. To old familiar music she gave
a charm that was new, adding something
indehnable 20 the musicians thought that
gave luminous power to its Interpretation.