Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-11
CHAPTER V.
THE MoRNn,G oF LOVE.


grown and flashed I'm their green satin I'M
der the southern sun. and every flower
seemed in Iull bloom.
A great Joy filled hts heart with a sense
OF divine restfulness. He was unusually
silent. and then she said something that
made him open his eyes in new wonder.
Don't drive so fast Ben. and go around
the longest way. I'm enjoying. this" She
paused and a mischievous look came into
her eyes as she saw HIS expression. I've
got the lion here by my side. I want to
show all the girls in town that I'm the
only one here today. II isn't often I've
a great man tied down fast like this
why did you spell the first part Of
that pretty speech with the last?" he said
with a frown.
at was only your vanity that made me
pause"
could you read like THAR"
"Of course, all men are vain. much
vainer than women" Again there was
long silence.
They had reached the outskirts of the
city now anu were driving slowly through
the deep shadows OF treat forest.
What beautiful treesr' he exclaimed.
"They are fine. Do you love big treesT'
Yes. they always seem TO me TO have
a soul. IL used TO make me almost cry
10 watch them fall beneath Nelses AK.
I'd never have the heart TO clear piece
OF woods II owned It."
I'm glad TO hear you say that. Papa
laughed at me when l said something OF
the sort when he wanted to cut these
woods. He left them Just to please me.
1Ley belong TO our place. They hide the
house TIL you get right up TO the gate
but I love them"
Again he looked into her eyes and was
silent.
Now I come to think OF it, you're the
only girl I've met today who hasn't men
tione0 my speech. That's strange"
How do you know that I'm not saving
up something very pretty TO say TO you
later about it?'
Tell me now"
''No. you've spoiled It by your vanity in
asking" SIC said this looking away care
lesslv.
Then I'll interpret your silence as the
highest compliment you can pay me.
When words fail we are deeply moved"
Vanity o. vanity. all is vanity saith
the preacherl' she exclaimed lifting her
pretty hands.
They turned through high arehed iron
gateway. across which was written In gold
letters. "Oakwood.'
on a gently rising hill on the banks OF
the Catawba river rose splendid old
southern mansion. its big Greek columns
cleaning through the green trees like
polished ivory. A wide porch ran across
the full width OF the house behind the big
pillars, and smaller columns supported the
full sweep of a great balcony above. The
house was built OF brick with Portland
cement finish sand the whole painted in
two shades OF old ivory with moss-green
roof and dark rich Pompeian red brick
foundations. With its green background
OF magnolia trees IL seemed like huge
block of solid ivory flashing In splendor
from fits throne on the HILL The drive
wound down a little dale. around great
circle filled with shrubbery and flowers
and up 10 the piIiared porte-cochere.
"Oh! what a beautiful homer! CASTOR
exclaimed with feeling.
cit is beautiful. isn't TT" she said with
delight. II love every brick in its walls,
every tree and flower and blade Of grass :"
1--WE always dreamed of a home like
that! Those big columns seem to link
one TO the past and add dignity and mean
ing TO nfe."
Then YOU can understood how love It.
when I was born here and every nook
and corner has its love message for me
from the past that I have lived, as well
as fits wider meaning which you see.
''The old south built beautiful homes.
didn't they? And that was one Of the finest
things about the proud old days" he
said.
Eyes. and the new south Of which you
spoke today will not forget this heritage
OF the old, when IL comes to Itself and
shakes of its long suffering and pow
ertyi'
Strange 10 hear that sort of a speech
from a girl who loves society. dances d.
vinely and dresses 20 KILL He thought
OF the words Of his foster mother with
pang. He hoped she was joking about
those things. But he had strong suspi-
cion from the consciousness OF power with
which she had tried once or twice to tease
him that they were going to prove fatally
true.
"Mother tells me you were in Baltimore,
in that swell girls school on North
Charles street when 1 was student at
the university"
yes. and we gave reception after re-
ception to the Hopkins men and you new
er once honored US with your presence"
But / didn't know you were there,
Miss Sallie.''
''Of course not. If you had. wouldn't
sneak TO you now. They said you were
a recluse. That you never went into socte-
ty and didn't speak to a woman for four
years.
How did they hear that7'
bob st. Glare told me after I came
home by way of apology for your bad
manners 10 so shamefully negleeting a
young woman from your state"
I'll make amends now"
OH I'm not suffering from loneliness
as I did then. You know Bob put US up
TO inviting you to deliver the address. He
said you were the only orator in North
Carolina"
"Bob's the best friend I ever had. We
entered college together at fifteen, and
became inseparable friends."
He helped her from the carriage and she
ran lightly up the high stoop.
Now come here and look at the view
Of the river before papa comes and begins
TO talk about the tremendous power In the
falls" .
He followed her 70 the end of the long
porch overlooking the river. Behind the
house the hill abruptly plunged downward
TO the waters edge In a mountainous cliff.
The river wound around this cliff past the
house, emerging int a valley where II de-
scribed a graceful curve almost doubling
on itself and rolled softly away amid
green overhanging willows and towering
svcamores till lost in the distance to-
ward the blue spurs OF Kings mountain.
"a glorious view" said CASTOR. look
ing long and lovingly at the silver surface
OF the river.
aDo YOU love the water. Mr.. GastonY''
"Passionately. I was born among the
hills. but the first time I saw the ocean
sweeping over five miles of sand reefs
ana breaking In white laundering spray
at nv feet / stood there on a sand dune
on our wild coast and gazed entranced for
an hour without moving. OF all the things
Cod ever made on this earth / love the
waters of the sea, and all moving water
suggests II TO me. That river says, /
must hurry to the sea-"
at IS strange we should have such SIM
liar tastes she said seriously. But IL