The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-02-20
CHAPTER I.
THE DREAMER.

AL <AidDuulu III the month or DGcGm-
Der The young breeze, carrying with
1t the fragrance of lingering fall as it
swept across his face, filled him with
surprise, for the season had been I'M
usually pleasant and mild The air
was almost balmy despite it's touch of
early morning coolncss. untempered
py the now risen sun. yet there was q
freshness in it which reminded him of
springtime in New England.
The train on which he had been q |
passenger had been delayed yesterday,
and he had reached home after night |
fall-too late to see anything outside, !
MT any rate. Then. in the excitement |
of seeing his family once more after
long period of separation, he had
given no thought to climatic conditions
Oh 10 anything external to them. Stop!
The statement is hardly accurate, for
In not one single moment in all the
JoEousness of greeting, in all the eX-
uDerant affection given and received
In MS welcome home, had he lost men
tal sight of Mary AMMAN. This morn
Ing, rs he stared down at the garden
OF roses in winter, his heart was full
OF her. So conscious of her had he
Dcen, III fact, SO possessed of sense
OF her ncarncss to him at last, that he
had scarcely slept during the night
In his restless anxiety to see her he
had risen before any of the family
who slept later this morning than usu-
- nj. possibly because they had remained
UP longer the night before. AS soon
rs lie was dressed he came out on the
Sail;ry, where he stood gazing alter
lntcly upon the roses or staring down
through the long avenue of live oaks
toward the st. Francis road, which
ico into the town where she dwclt
Presently he turned from the railing
ana began to pace the gallery.
The young man was n sailor. an ot,i-
Ger in The United States navy. n passed
mlushlpman awaiting his commission
as ensign, Just returned from n three
years cruise in European and north
African waters, subsequent to his
graduation after four wears of study
In tho United States Naval academy NJ
Annapolis. Nd. He had been apponted
years Erfore and was now just turned
twenty-five. No one could look more
unlike tie typical bluff sailor than he
He was tall, slender and brown eyed
and the native darkness of his com
pleXion, which his scafaring had deep
Cncd. vi i his thick brown hair, wOrl
rather i"H.cc. as was the fashion of tht
time, ar.i lightly curling at the ends
would l!Hy2 betrayed Him rs south
rrn E.an anywhere. HIS appearance
was 2"n''r. his aspect DREAMY. On,
wCnld hrvv pronounced him y poet. Il.
artist IL rlusician-aaythiug ruthv
than i Ii3A of action. Without hcln.
gloomy there was Il touch Of gent,
melancholy l.: his Appearance
Thsr" -"-nrrTc timidity-WlIicl
did rot spring from tcar--in his I'D
dress, Get"rcntial modesty. cspccia II,
when III the presence CT women O
older mcn. th&t WAS charming if SulnC
what lacking in decision. Yet he car
ricd himself well. His movement
were easy and graceful. He held Iii
head high ana had about him that al
or inborn authority peculiar to th
southern slave owner and gentleman
which his naval rank and position ha,
served to cmpha size.
What he might become in times O
stress and danger was yet TO be de
termined; what he was at that momcn
was quite cvidcnt-a dreamer. Lk
most Of the dreams Of yCUth, the oil
Ject of his imagination was Il woman
Just year since, his ship, returnin
from the Mediterranean, had wintcre
at Boston. When lie had arrived thcr
he had rcjoiced to learn in letters frol
home that Mary AMMAN was ATTENDING
school in Cambridge. Miss Amman wa
young Alabama girl whom he ha,
known from childhood.
He had welcomed with an eagerncs
only possible to Il southcrncr and
young man the opportunity of renew
Ing his deepening acquaintance witt
his childhood friend and fa1r compa
triot, and lie had strven to make tin
most Of 1t. Every moment he coulc
take from his ship duties or which sh,
could steal from her not too engross
ing studies during the winter the tw,
Lad spent together in the quaint ole
Massachusetts town.
The school was described in the cata
logue as finishing school," a very
popular scrt CT institution in thost
days and net unknown to history ever
now. So far us Mary AMMAN was con
CerDed. Ia cIcrts were fruitless. She
did indeed graduate from 1t in Jun,
with MI the honors OF the school. bu
she was very far from being finished
and he would be very hardy prophet
who could predict what the bright
beautiful ard charming southern cir
would hc In the end There was latent
force In her plenty OF character. cncr
gy. self will and greater possibilities
but only tie larger school OF life could