Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-01-03

cdIeu LVt IlauES.
Il know. mother; don't let us talk
about her any more.''
When he came down dressed for din
ner, he sent a keen glance round the
room, but only his mother was there,
seated by the fire With her knitting.
Curtains were drawn and lamps light
ed. and there was an air of comfort
and snugness which appealed to him;
he felt it was pleasant to be at home
again.
You seem to have altered things
here, mother. l don't know quite
what the change is; perhaps it is all
these flowers about. and surely the
curtains are new. and this is very
pretty" He touched the piece of
quaint embroidered velvet on the mar
bic mantel. where Venetian glass and
Dresden china gave tones of bright
color.
"Oh, that's all Francie's doing: she
likes arranging flowers for the rooms
and pulling the furniture about Mrs.
Varying answered. with tranquil salts
faction. AS she spoke. Francie herself
entered the room. All, he:e you are,
dear; you and Val have already made
each others acquaintance. l bear"
Val advanced with outstretched hand
and a twinkle of his eyes. She gave
him Il quick, defiant glance. but did not
relinquish he1 hold on the fluffy, white
Persian cat she held in her arms.
H\oe Nv, II, ~, ,,o+s ~ -lo
deigned to reply. and then turned her
attention to playing with the cat.
Val felt be was in disgrace, but. as
he stood looking down at the bright
hair and downcast eyelashes resting
on the flushed cheek. he was conscious
of no penitence for his transgression.
During dinner the conversation was
almost entirely a duologue between the
mother and son.: Frances Nane refused
to be drawn into it, only occasionally
vouchsating Il remark when directly
spoken to. Mrs. Varying was far too
anyone else's silence.
When he ven to join the ladies in
the parlor. after smoking his cigar,
he found his mother again alone.
"Francie has some letters to write.
so she has One to her own room: she
evening together,' Mrs. Varying told
him. cheerfully.
SO this proud maiden meant TO ig-
more him by way of punishment; but,
at all events. she had told no tales.
His mother, with her old-fashioned
ways. might possibly have taken UNI
bragg at his mistake. One of her
chief complaints against him in former
days had been what she called his
"frivolity of conduct" with the young
women Of the Observation-Disclosures
harmless hirtations he considered
them to have been, or looking back.
He began to understand that he
would have to make his peace by
going down on his knees to Miss Fran
Gle Nane. 1t was strange that the i'm
age of his erstWhile ladylove seemed
to have been completely blotted from
his memory and given place to the
picture Of q girl With bright brown hair
gazing at the setting sun. He became
so i%nattentive TO his mothers ques-
tionings that, at last, she declared he
appeared tired and babe him Good
night"-but it was the remembrance
Of "a stolen kiss that was d%istractinc
his attention.
The next morning, as he stood by his
dressing table, q rush of white wings
outside his window and the sound of
cooling replies to a sibilant call beneath.
attracted his attention. Looking down
OH the lawn. he saw his mothers ward
feeding the pigeons, who clustered
around her feet and settled on her
shoulders. and even dared impudently
to take the grain from the basket she
carried on her arm. At a little dis
lance the white cat sat apart, and eyed
ence. while a couple of fox terriers
rolled and rOllicked at the further end
of the lawn. It was for such a scene
as this that his eyes had ached in the
glazing solitudes of his exile-the girl
in her simple morning dress. the gar
N1lA LIS llCl1o" dullluH lllllS, ll1G
sense of rest and peace; this was
home. A feeling of great contentment
took possession of him: he FASTENED
to finish his dressing, and to join the
party in the garden. .
Francie was so absorbed in her bust
ness that She did not see him until
he was close to her, and he hard time
to appreciate the freshness of her
girlish beauty out there in the SUN
light; the expression of her eyes was so
innocent and gentle as she caressed
her birds that he commenced instantly
in humble language to beg for her par
don. She listened with head averted
until he said he had mistaken her for
some one else.
For some n elssH' she repeated. in
& startled tone.
Yes! For a young lady whom ]