The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-07-05

sion OF tUSu OF FdHIdEc SOLuiHhuu-
ing the front gate The heavy Sunday
| dinner WIS finished in silence ION the
| part of Judge Pike deafening) about
/ o'clock, and soon after Mamie tossed
number of cushions out upon the
stoop between the cast iron dogs, Sam
Warden having previously covered the
steps with rug and placed several
| garden. chairs near by on the grass.
! These simple preparations concluded,
Eugent sprawled comfortably upon the
rug and Mamie seated herself near
him, while Ariel wandered with appar-
emit aimlessness about the lawn, fol-
lowed by the gaze of Mr.. Bantry until
Miss Pike begged her a little petulant-
! ~ to join them.
She came, looking about her dream
| lily and touching to her lips now and
then, with an absent air, clover bios
som she had found In the longer grass
against the fence. She stopped to pat
| the neck of one of the cast iron deer
and, with grave eyes, proffered the
clover top first for inspection, then az
food. There were those In the world
who, seeing her. might have wondered
that the deer did not play Galatea and
come to life.
She had put on her hat after dinner,
and Mamie now inquired II she would
not prefer to remove 1t, offering to car
ry Il indoors FOR her, TO Ariels room,
to insure its safety. you look 80
sort of temporary. wearing it," she
urged; las II you were only here for
little while. It's the loveliest hat l
ever saw, and so fragile, too. but I'll
take care
81 am wearing my hat" answered
Ariel, because at any moment may
decide to go for a long walk"
"Oh. hope not" said Mamie.
There are sure to be people. A few,
still come even though I'm an en-
gagged girl. l expect that's just to con-
sole me, though" she added. smiling
over this worn quip Of the betrothed
and shaking her head at Eugene, who
grew red and coughed "There'll be
plenty today. but they won't be here
to see me. It's you. Ariel, and they'll
be terribly disappointed IL you weren't
here. l shouldn't wonder If the whole
town came. It's CURIOUS enough about
your
And now the young men of the town.
Iaboriously arranged as to apparel,
began to appear on the street in small
squads. making their Sunday unds.
the youngest working in phalanxes of
threes and fours. those somewhat old
err inclining to move in pairs, the
eldest. such as were now beginning to
be considered middle aged beaus or
(by the extremely Youthful 'old bach
elors," evidently considered 1t advan-
tageous to travel alone. OF all these
there were few who did not before
evening fell turn in at the gate Of the
Pike mansion. Consciously. shyly or
confidently, according to the condition
Of their souls. they made their way
between the cast iron deer to be pre-
scented to the visitor.
Ariel sat at the top of the steps and.
looking amiably over their heads, talk
ed with such as could get near her.
There were many who could not. and
Mamie, occupying the bench below.
was surrounded by the overflow. The
difflculty OF reaching and maintaining
position near Miss Tabor was in
creased by the attitude and behavior
of Mr. Flitcroft who that day cooled
the feeling Of friendship which several
of his fellow townsmen had hitherto
entertained for him. He had been the
first to arrive, coming alone, though
that was not his custom. and he es-
tablished himself at AriePs RE, 1T. upon
the step Just below her. 9" fisposing
the great body and the ponderous
arms and legs the gods had given him
that no one could mount above him
to sit beside her or approach her from |
that direction within conversational
distance.
Norbert, not ordinarily laxative, had !
nothing to say. He seemed TO find suf
ficent occupation In keeping the place
he had gained. and from this close
vantage he fastened his small eyes
upon ArRfs profile. Eu-
gene, also apparently determined not
TO move, sat throughout the afternoon
at her left, but as be was thin others
who came and went were able to APP
proach upon that side ana hold speech
with her.
The conversation of the gallants con-
sistel for the greater part of witt
,!sms Mt one anothcr's expense, which
though evoked FOR Arers benefit tall
yes furtlvcly reverting to her as each
,haft was olscd) she found more or
ess enigmutical. The young men. how
aver, laughed at ench other loudly and
seemed content If now and then she
smiled you must be frightfully Ell
iuled with all this" Eugene said to
Ter. You see how provincial we still
ire"
She did not answer. She had not
leard him. The shadows were stretch
ng themselves over the grass long and
.ttenuated. The sunlight upon the trees
kx..~~. ..,am lite A thin eOau nin.