Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-01-20
CHAPTER VIi.-Continued.

ETAF Elk
1t was not new to me, of course,
Ehis pageant, although it never lacked
of interest. There were in the throng
representatives Of all America as it
was then, a strange, crude blending of
refinement and vulgarity, of ease and
poverty. of luxury and thrift.
A certain air of gloom at this time
hung over official Washington, for the
minds of all were still oppressed by
the memory of that fatal accident
the explosion of the great cannon
"Peacemaker" on board the war yes
sci PrincetOn-which had killed Mr..
Upshur, our secretary of state, with
others, and had, at one blow, come so
near to depriving this government Of
its head and his official family; the
aumber of prominent lives thus ended
ar endangered being appalling to con-
template. 1t was this accident which
had called Mr.. Calhoun forward at a
aatiOnal juncture of the most extreme
delicacy and the utmost Importance.
I'm spite of the general mourning,
however, the informal receptions at
the White House were not wholly dis
continued, and the administration, I'M
settled as it was, and frOnted by the
gravest of diplomatic problems, made
such show of dignity and ever cheer
kulness as it might.
I considered it my duty to pass in
the iUag procession and to shake the
Aand of Mr.. Tyler. That done, | gazed
about the great room, carefully scan
ming the different little groups which
were accustomed to form after the
ceremonial part of the visit was over.
/ saw many whom l knew. l forgot
them; for in a far corner, where a
food of light came through the trail
ing vines that shielded the outer win
dow. my anxious e discovered the
object of my QueSt-EliZabeth.
1t seemed to me | lac never known
her so fair as she was that morning in
the great east room of the White
House. Elizabeth was rather taller
than the average woman, and of that
splendid southern figure, slender but
strong. which makes perhaps the best
representative of our American beau
ty. She was very braveIy arrayed to-
day in her best pink-fowered lawn,
made wide and full, as was the custom
Va NAN my OuI AOI OF \lullSILN 6dJA-
cred at the waist as some, and so
serving not wholly to conceal her
Natural cOmelinesS of figure. Her bon
net she lac removed. l could see the
sunlight on the ripples of her brown
hair. and the shadows which lay
above her eyes as she turned to face
me, and the slow pink which crept
into her cheeks.
Dignified always, and reserved, was
Eizabeth Churchill. But now l hope
It was not wholly cOnceit which led
ne to feel that perhaps the warmth,
She glow of the air, caught while ri
ding under the open sky. the sight of
the many budding roses of our city,
the scent of the blossoms which even
then came through the lattice-the
meeting even with myself, so lately
misunderstanding at least of this
had caused an awakening in her girls
heart. Something, | say, l do not
know what, gave her greeting to me
more warmth than was usual with
her. My own heart, eager enough to
break bounds, answered in kind. We
stood-blushing like children as our
hands touched-forgotten in that as
semblage of Washington's pomp and
circumstance.
How do you do?" was all | could
find to say. And How do you do?"
was all l could catch for answer, al
though l saw. in a feeting way, a
glimpse of a dimple hid in E"lizabeth's
cheek. She never showed it save
when pleased. | have never seer a
dimple like that of E~lizabeth's.
Absorbed. we almost forgot Aunt
Betty Jennings-stout, radiant, snub-
nOsed. arch-browed and curious, Eliz-
abeth's ~chaperon. On the whole. /
vas glad Aunt Betty Jennings was
there.
Aunt Betty" said l, as l took her
Rand; Aunt Betty. have we told you,
Elizabeth and II"
saw Elizabeth straighten in per-
plexity, doubt or horror, but l went on.
Yes, Elizabeth and L"
You dear children!" gurgled Aunt
Betty
Congratulate us both!"I demanded,
and l put Elizabeth's hand, covered
with my own. into the short n club
by fingers of that estimable lady.