The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-03-04
THE LEOP SPOTSS
Continued from Page Six

OF a boy told her l wrote that note an
hour ago? I'll wiring his neck If he did.
Come here boy,''
The negro came up grinning in the
hopes OF another quarter.
md you tell that young lady any
thing about when l wrote that note?"
Nassau Nebber tole her muffin. She
ces laugh and laugh fit ter kill Herself
des quick as she reads de note"
CASTOR smiled and threw him another
tip.
"Iassah, she's a KNOWN lady. sho's
you bawn, l been dar lots er times TO-
dis"
CASTOR was tempted to ask him for
"hom he carried those former messages.
lie walked with bounding steps. his being
tlngllng to his finger tips with the JOY
o. living The avenue leading the full
length of the city toward the generals
mouse was two miles long before it
feached the woods at the gate. 1t seem
ed only a step this morning.
Sallie greeted him with the kindliest
grace.
J II so glad you stayed today. Mr..
castor. | should have been really chag-
rlned to think | made so slight an i'm
preston on you that you could walk de-
l'oerately away on a pre-arranged sched-
ule. | am not used to be treated SO
lightly"
he tried to make some answer to this
haH serious banter, but was so absorbed
IN Just looking at her he said nothing.
one was dressed in a morning gown Of
a soft red material trimmed with old
cream lace. This combination of
red and creamy white, with the
| hOdjcl ont low -~-
of her beautiful white shoulders
and the great mass of dark hair rising in
graceful curves from her full round
neck heightened her beauty to an extra
ordinary degree. AS she walked the
ciinging folds of her dress outlining her
queenly figure, seemed part of her very
being and to be imbued with her soul.
He was dazZled with the new revelations
OF her power over him.
"Have you no apology, sir, for pretend
ing that you were going home this morn
iEg?' she said, seating herself by his
side.
You didn't ask me to stay with fer
vcr..'
1T ought not to have been necessary
"Didn't you really know was not
going?'
Yes"
I'm glad"
He smiled, looked down at the pattern
of the carpet and did not speak for some
minutes. His soul was thrilled and sat
isfed in her presence. AS he lifted his
eyes from the floor they rested on the
piano.
"Will you play for me, Miss Sale?
Auntie says you play delightfully."-
"Auntie? Who is auntie? ?"
"MrS Durham NV fOCtor u,Othor of
course. Excuse my unconscious as
sumption of your familiarity with all my
antecedents. l can't get over the i'm
preston that l have known you all my
life
III play for you with pleasure. Sit
there in that big arm chair. I'm sorry
l tired you so early in the day with my
chatter"
And before he could protest her fingers
were touching the piano wit. the ease of
the born musician.
He sat enraptured as he watched the
sinuous grace with which her fingers
Caressed the ivory keeps and heard their
answering cry which seemed the breath
of her own soul in echo.
Suddenly the music ceased and she
turned her face full on his before he could
brush away a big tear that rolled down.
sue HuSloI, chosen the piano, ana quiet
ly resumed her place by his side.
And, now, you haven't told me how
we'll 1 played. You're the first young
man SO careless"
Then I'll tell you now. You gave
those strings a sou for the first time
Ter me, beautiful, living, throbbing, that
spoke a message of its own. Such music
seems to me the grasping Of the infinite
by hands that touch the impalpable and
bringing it for a moment within the
sphere of matter that a kindred soul may
hear and see and feel"
She started to make some reply but her
FPS quivered and she looked away across
the valley at the river and made no an
swer.
After dinner they went for a drive. She
vas dressed in ~spOtless white as he had
seen her first. She lifted the lines over
the slick horse, and he dashed swiftly
down the drive.
On! the peace and bliss along the lone
" river road by cool and green banks.
How he poured out to her his inmost
thoughts-things he had not dared to
whisper alone with himself and God.
And then he wondered why he had thus
laid bare his secret dreams to this girl
he had known but twenty-four hours
Nonsense, down in his soul he knew he
had known her forever Before the
world was made, ages and ages ago in
eternity he had known her. He turned |
to her now drawn by a resistless force as
g plant turns toward the sunlight for its
life. How he could talk that day. All
had ever known of art and beauty, all
he knew of the deep truths Of life, were on
his lips leaping forth in simple but impas-
stoned words. For hours he lay at her
feet where she sat on a rock high up on
the cliffs overlooking the river and
poured out his heart like a child And
she listened with a dreamy look as
though to the music of a master.
At last she sprang to her feet and looked
at her watch.
"Oh mama will be furious. 1t will be
after shutdown before we can get home.
We must hurry
I'll make it all right with your
mama" he replied, as though he were
ckillad in ppootipo such emergencies, |