The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-04


| Tom left Mrs. Bareaud and began to
| work his way down the room. Groups
were forming and breaking up in the
| general movement of the crowd, and
the dissOlving of one brought him face
to face with Elizabeth CareWe. who
was moving slowly in the opposite di-
rection, a small flock of suitors in her
train.
The conformation came so suddenly
and so unexpectedly that, before either
was aware, they looked squarely into
| each others eyes, full and straight,
and both stopped instantly as though
transfixed, Miss Betty leaving a SEN
tence forever half-complete. There was
a fierce, short vocal sound from the
crowd behind Vanrevel; but no one no.
ticed Mr.. Carewe; and then Tom bow
ed graVely as in apology for blocking
the way, and passed on.
Miss Betty began to talk again, much
at random, with ViVacity too greatly
exaggerated to be genuine, while the
high color went from her cheeks and
left her pale. Nothing could have en-
ranged her more with herself than the
consciousness, now suddenly strong
within her, that the encounter had a
perceptible effect upon her. What pow
er had this man to make her manner
strained and mechanical? What right
had his eyes always to stir her as they
did? 1t was not he for whom she had
spent an hour over her hair; not he for
whom she had driven her poor hand
maiden away in tears; that was for
one who had not come, one great in
heart and goodness, one of a pure and
sacrifical life who deserved all she
could, give and for whose sake she had
honored herself in trying to look as
pretty as she could. He had not come;
and that hurt her little, but she felt
his generosity, believing that his mo-
tive was to spare her, since she could
not speak to him in Mr.. Carewe's pres
enCe without open and public rupture
with her father. Well she was almost
ready for that, seeing how little of a
father hers wasi All! that other should
| have come, if only to stand between her
and this tall hypocrit whose dark
/ glance had such strength to disturb
| her. What lies that gaze contained, all
| in the one flash!-the strange pretense
| of comprehending her gently but COM
| pletely; a sad compassion too, and with
it "A look of farewell, seeming to say:
| "Once more l have come for this-and
! just, 'Good-by!'"' For she knew that he
was going with the others, going per-
| haps forever, only the day after to-
| morrOw-that she would see him no
| more and be free of him. Let the day
| after tomorrow come soon! Miss Betty
| hated herself for understanding the
adieu, and hated herself because she
| could not be sure that, in the startled
| moment of meeting before she collected
| herself, she had let it go unanswered.
She had done more than that; with
| out knowing it she had bent her head
| to his bow and Mr.. Carewe had seen
| both the salutation and the look.
The young men were gathered near
| the orchestra, and, to the hilarious
| strains of Yankee Doodle the flag
! they were to receive for their regiment
was borne down the room by the sis
tiers and sweethearts who had made it,
| oil Of NVb there
| chon Bareaud. Crailey had persuad-
| ed her to surrender the flag for the
sake of spending this evening-next to
| his last in Rouen-at home alone with
| him.
The elder Chenoweth made the speech
of presentation-that is, he made part
| OF it before he broke down, for his son
| stood in the ranks of the devoted band.
| Until this incident occurred, all had
| gone trippingly, for every one had tried
| to put the day after tomorrow from his
| mind. Perhaps there might not have
been tears even now, if the young men
| had not stood together so smilingly to
! receive their gift; 1t was seeing them
| so gay and confident, so strong in their
| youth and so unselfish of purpose; it
| was this, and the feeling that all of
| them must suffer and some of them die
! before they came back. So that when
| Mr.. Chenoweth, choking in his Hottest
| flight, came to full stop, and without
disguise buried his face in his hand
kerchief, Mrs. Tanberry, the apostle of
| gayety openly sobbed. Chenoweth,
| without more ado. carried the flag over
| to Tappingham Marsh, whom Vanrevel
| directed to receive it, and Tappingham
| thanked the donors without many
| words, because there were not then
| many at his command.
Miss Carewe had been chosen to sing
The Star Spangled Banner" and she
| eta ont a IN
! face the young man, as the orchestra
| sounded the first chord. She sang in a
! full, clear voice, but when the Volun-
| teers saw that, as she sang, the tears
were streaming down her cheeks in
| spite of the brave voice, they began to
| choke with the others. If Miss Betty
| Carewe found them worth weeping for,
| they could afford to cry a little for
| themselves. Yet they joined the chorus
! nobly. and raised the roof with the
| ringing song, sending the famboyant,
| proud old words thunderously to
! heaven.
That was not the last song of the
night Gen. Trumble and Mr.. Cheno-
| weth had invited their young friends to
! attend after the ball, a collation. which
| they chose TO call at supper, but which,
| TO accord with the hour might more
aptly have been designated a break
| fast To afford a private retreat for
| the scene of this celebration they had
! borrowed the offices of Gray & VAN
revel, and Crailey Hospitality announc-
ed that any guest was welcome to stay
for year or two, since. probably,
neither of the firm would have need of
an office for at least that length of time.
Nine men gathered about the table
which replaced Toms work-a-day old
! desk; the two Chenomeths. Eugene
Madrillon Marsh. jefferson Bareaud, the
stout General, Tom Vanrevel, Craley
| and win Cummings. the editor coming
i'm a little late. but rubbing his hands
cheerfully over what he declared was
to be the last column from his pen to
rear il length on the Journals front
page for many a long day-a descrip-
/ ton of the presentation of the flag, a
| bit Of prose which he considered almost
1 equal to his report of the warehouse
! fire.
This convivial party made merry and
/ tried to forget that most of them had
been mighty teary," as Marsh said, an
/ hour earlier; while Mr. Chenoweth sat
with his hand on his sons shoulder, I'M
4 consciously most of the time, APOLOGIZE
| cally removing il when he observed il.
| Many rei's the witticisms concerning