Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-13
PRELLpE-sr. BATS.

top of st. Bats church ne olu nut SPPS
sullen. He sat on the hagstones as II
dazed and stupefied. facing a blacksmith
forge, which for many generations hao oc-
cupied the north transept. A smith anu
some apprentices hammered measures
that echoed with multiplied volume from
the Norman roof: and the crimson hIe
made a spot vivid as blood. A low stone
arch. half walled up, and blackened py
smoke. framed the top of the smithy, ana
through this frame could be seen Dit
of St. Bats close outside. upon Whlch the
. doors stood open. Now an apprentices
would seize the bellows-handle and blow
I'D fame which briefly sprang ana olsap-
peared. The aproned figures. saxon ana
brawny, made a fascinating show IN the
dark shop.
Though the boy was dressed like plain
French citizen Of that year, 1873, and MS
knee brooches betrayed shrunken caves
and his sleeves. wrists that were sWolleh
as with tumors, Eagle accepted him as heI
equal His fine wavy hair was OF chest-
nut color, and his hands and rect Were
small. His features were perfect as her
own. But while life played increasingly
In vivid expression across her race, MS
muscles never moved. The hazel eyes,
bluish around their iris rims, took cognlz-
ance of nothing. His left eyebrow hao
been parted by a cut now healed anu
forming its permanent scar
understand me- Jun SO0s @~e~5N~
talked TO him. But you could not un-
derstand Sally Bake. She is an Engnsh
girl. We live at her house until our snip
sails. and I hope it will sail soon. Poor
boy! Did the Ned mob in Paris hurt
your arms?"
She soothed and patted his wrists, and
he neither shrank in pain nor resented the
endearment with male shyness.
Eagle edged closer to him on the stone
pavement. She was amused by the black
smiths arch and interested In ali the un-
usual life around her, and she leaned Lor-
ward to find some response in his eyes.
The ancient church of st. Bartholomew
the Great. or St. Bats as IT was calleu'
in the heart of London, had long oeen
hived village. Not only were houses Gus
tered thiclkly around its outside walls ana
the space of ground named its close out
the inside degraded from it's first use, was
parceled out to owners and householders'
The nave only had been retained as
church bounded by massive pillars, Which
did not prevent Londoners from using II as
\ thoroughfare Children Of resident dis
septers could and did boot when it pleased
them. during service, from an overhanging
window in the choir. The Lady Chapei
was a fringe makers snop. The smltny
in the north transept had descended from
father to son. The south transept, waleq
I'D to make a respectable dwelling, showed
through its open door the CHASTITY marDle
tomb OF a crusader which the thrifty Lon
don housewife had turned into a parlor
table. His crossed feet and hands ana up
ward staring countenance protruded from
the midst of knick-hnacks.
Light fell through the venerable clere-
story on upper arcades. Some or these
were walled shut, but others retained their
arched openings into the church ana
formed balconies from which upstairs
jewellers could look down at what was
passing below.
Two women leaned out of the Norman
a n AIDES, separated only by pillar, Watch-
ing across the nave those little hgures
seated in front of the blacksmith's Win
dow. An atmosphere of comfort and
riff filled st. Bats. 1t was the abode
Of labor and humble prosperity, not an
ASYLUM Of poverty. Great WORTHLESS, in
deed. such as John Milton, and nearer our
own day, Washington Irving, did not dis
dain to live in St. Bartholomew close
The two British matrons, therefore, spoke
the prejudice Of the better rather than
the baser class.
aThe little devilsr' said one woman.
"They look innocent" remarked the
other But these French do make my
back crawli'
How long are they going to stay in st.
Bats?"
THE two men with the little girl and
the servant AIAtAu " sail AbA ~AAA4NAA~NN
next week Ihe lad. and the man that
brought him mas dangerous looking a
foreigner as ever / saw!-are like TO
Or wi out any time. 1 saw them go into
the smithy, and 1 went over TO ask the
smiths wife about them She let two up
per chambers to the creatures this morn
ing"
Of an idiot"
'eweI. then, God knows what ails any
of the crazy French! If they all broke out
with oils like the heather of scripture,
it would Lot surprise a Christian. AS II
is. they keep on beheading one another,
day after day and month after month;
and the time must come when none OF
them will be left-and a satisfaction that
will be to respectable follNs!'
First the king, and then the queen.
unused on speaker. 'And now news comes
that the little prince has died of bad treat
ment in his prison. England will not
go into mourning lor him as ii did for
his father. King Louis. What a pretty
sight Il was, to see every decent body IL
bit of black and the houses draped,
they say, in every towll A comfort 1t
must have been to the queen Of France
when she heard Of such Christian re-
spect!'
The wonen's faces. hard in texture and
rubicund as beef and good ale could make
them. leaned SlleIA a 4lOlhGAAl iA2GA dbONC
the dim pavement. st. Bats little bell
struck the three quarters before ten;
lightly, delicately, with always promise
OF the great booming which should follow
on the stroke OF the hour. Its perfection
OF sound contrasted with the smithy
clangor OF metal IN process of welding.
A butchers boy made his way through
the front entrance toward a staircase, his
feet echoing on the flags, carrying exposed
a joint of beef on the board upon his
head.
And how do your foreigners behaee
themselves, Mrs. Baker" inquired the
neighbor.
Like French emmy-gr3ys, to be sure.
/ told Blake when he would have thcm TO
lodge in the house, that we are a re-
spectacle family. But he is master, and
their lordships has money in their
purses"
French lordships!' exclaimed the
I neighbor. Whether they calls them
/ selves counts or markises, what's their
nobility worth? Nothing
"The Marks de Ferier." retorted Mrs.
Blake. nettled by a liberty taken with her
/ dodgers which she reserved for herself,
/ is a gentleman IL he is an ernmy-gray.
/ and French. Flake may be master in his
/ own house but he knows landed gentry
| from tinkers-whether they ever comes
/ TO their land again or not"
We'll, then" soothed her gossip, Il