Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-18

fled with negative peace. Rouse and liver,
Then fitting, Exquisite. purple flaws
struck across milk-opal water in the bay.
Fishing boats lifted themselves in mirage.
sailing lightly above the water, and ISL
ands sat high with cushion of air under
them.
The girls manifested increasing interest
in what they called the Pigeon Roost set
Element affair Madame Ursule had no
doubt told them what 1 said. They pitied
nv Cloud-Mother. and me with the conde-
scending pity of the very young, and I'M
g11ardedly talked where they could be
heard.
"Oh. she'll come to her senses some
time, and he'll marry her of course. was
the conclusion they invariably reached:
for the thing must turn out well to meet
their approval How could they fore
see what was to happen to people whose
, lives held such contrasts?
Father Pierre says he's nearly twenty
eight; / call him an old bachelor. de-
clared Katrina "and she was married
woman. They are really very old to be
in love-
you don't know what you'll do when
you are old" said Marie.
"Ah, dread it," groaned Katrina.
80 do t.
But there is grandmother. She doesn't
mind 1t. And beaux never trouble her
, now
mo-" sighed the other. "Beaux never
trouble her now
Those spring days / was wild with
restIessness. Life revived to dare things.
We heard afterwards that about that time
the meteor rushed once more across
France. Napoleon landed at Mediterra-
mean port, gathering force as he marched,
swept Louis XVIII away like cobweb
in his path, and moved on to Waterloo.
The greatest Frenchman that ever lived
fell ultimately as low as st. Helena, and
the Bourbons sat again upon the throne
But the changes of which knew nothing
affected me in the Illinois Territory.
Sometimes l walked at night and sat up
IN bed. hot with indignation at the in
justice done me, which could never
prove which 1 did not care to combat,
yet which unreasonably walked the fight
ing spirit in me. Our natures toss and
change, expand or contract, influenced by
invisible powers we know not why.
One April night sat up in the yelled
light made by a clouded moon. Rain
points multiplied themselves on the win
dow glass; / heard their sting. he i'm
pulse to go out and ride the wind, or
pick the river up and empty it all at once
into the bay, or tear Eagle out of the
cloud, or go to France and proclaim my
self with myself for follower; and other
IeaNB OF ike .DNAAAb paAeA~uAoAAJ
strong in me, I struck the pillow beside
me with my fist. Something bounced
from 1t on the floor with a claclS like
wood I stretched downward from one
of Madame Ursule's thick feather beds,
and picked up wnat brought me to my
feet Without letting 60 Of it lighted my
candle. It was the padlocked book which
Skenedonk said he had burned.
And there the scoundrel lay at the other
side OF the room, wrapped in his blanket
from head to foot, mummied by sleep.
wanted to take HIM by the scalp lock and
drag him around on the floor.
He had carried 1t with him, or secreted
It somewhere, month after month. could
imagine how the state of the writer
worked on his Indian mind. He repented.
and was not able to face me. but felt
obliged to restore what he had with
held So waiting until I slept. he brought
forth the padlocked book ana laid it on
the pillow beside my head; thus beseech-
ing pardon, and intimating that the suo-
ject was closed between us.
|, got my key. and then fit of shivering
seized me. l put the candle stand beside
the pillow and lay wrapped in bedding.
clenching the small chilly paddock and
sharp-cornered boards. Remembering the
change which had come upon the life re-
corded in it, l hesitated. Remembering
how II had eIuded me before l opened 1t.
The few entries were made without date.
The first pages were torn out, crumpled,
and smoothed and pasted to place again.
Rose petals and violets and some bright
poppy leaves, crushed inside its lids, slid
down upon the bedcover.