The Washington times., 1911-06-18


girl in the black dress speaking to the
President now? How pale she is.
How ill-bred of her." exclaimed one
woman, ito interrupt the reception
Here and there in the crowd, however,
weer some permanent residents CT Rich
mond who recognized the mysterious
couple. --.s
THAT old man is Philip Vaughan, of
Clay street, answered DR.; Garnett,
when questioned. He's rather an &C.
centric character, and hardly ever ap-
pears in society"
by jove, but who's the young lady
with him?" an officer standing near de-
manded, twisting his mustache.
It's his niece"
Stunning little beauty. isn't she?
Just look at those eyelashes."
Sir, Miss Coombs was one OF the
leading bellies of Hanover county till
her father died-General Coomos, You
what! Is that Floyd Coombs' sis
ter?''
'Yes, SIR"
Why, doctor, don't you know Coombs
was sentenced to death at the court
Good heavens! Poor little thing!
she's here to intercede for her proIher:
Delia's name, and surmises or her des-
perate mission, flew from rom Up 10 hp
Their curiosity, however, was desuneu
TO disappointment, for without betray-
ing any emotion the President turned 70
the group of aides behind MIN. ana
singing out William Preston Johnston,
requested him, in an audible voice, 70
conduct Miss Coombs and her uncle 10
The SON of the ill-starred soldier OF
Shiloh complied at once, and led the two
away. The interrupted reception again
flowed smoothly on.
In an effort to get through the crowds,
Philip Vaughan became separated.
somehow, from his niece, and wnen
Colonel johnston had conducted Della
to a room on the west side of the man
sion, opening from the entrance hall, ne
departed to find the old gentleman for
her. But for some reason he did not
return.
in Jefferson Davis residence, one up
stairs and one down. 1t was In the
lower of these that Della had been
placed, and she dared not leave
the President. who had promised to
come as soon as possible and listen to
her, should find her gone. The door
had been partly closed by Colonel Jonb-
ston on departing, to anord hef some Sc
clusion from the curious throngs. only
one gas jet was lighted, and 1t had been
turned low.
In that darkened nook Della sank
languidly back upon leather-coVereu
chair. Her eyes throbbed with dull
ache. She struggled for breath. The
atmosphere Of the room seemed close
and oppressive, although this feeling
may have come more from her own
physical weakness and heaVyhearted-
ness than from an external cause.
BY degrees, a reaction from intense
excitement setting in, she fell into a
peculiar state of apathy that was al
most q trance. The commonest signts
and sounds assumed an unreal aspect
like a pageant. Lapsed into dreamlike
listleness, vaguely she began to Won
der II all the world were not illusory,
mere mind-brewage. And from some
where in the background OF her MEM
ory words that must unconsciously have
impressed themselves upon her imag-
ination in the reading of them welieo
up-a steady, recurrent rhythm:
LAS in the days that were before the
flood. AS in the days that
we're before the flood"
The lofty halls and rooms were filled
with the melodious blare of the military
band that was in attendance. Clarinet
and trombone, cornet and bassoon, they
meant to dispel sorrowful thoughts but
through all the merry music-at least so
II seemed 10 Dena-there 'crept wall
ing undertone of sadness. The rhythm
of the music. too, was the rhythm Of the
words:
''As in the days that were before the
food
Her heavy head rested against the
chair. her eyelids dropped. Beyond the
half-shut door she looked out into the
entrance hall and partly into the rooms
to which 1t led.
The stream of guests moved slowly
past into the light and music. AS she
reclined thus in shadow apart from
them and unobserved, and gazed out
idly on them through her long lashes.
she became subject to an ODD optical
illusion, such as comes sometimes TO
those whose eyes are Just opening from
-
women seemed to have been magnitied;
they had all grown in stature. 1t was
like a huge Romeric frieze across-which
there stalked heroic figures long ago
doomed to dust. A strange pity stole
"As in the days that were before the
flood
MANY famous faces she recognized.
She saw the reckless Hood go by, hob
bling on his wooden stump. mp one se,f ertpPied hd
in masses Of blond hair; and stout
Iongstreet, Lees war-horse," the in
domitable fighter, burly and black
beared, and Jubal Early. sneering out
one of his dry, caustic jests.
Behind them came a loquacious group
of congressman; the neat and ponsheo
South Carolinian, Porcher Miles, arm In
arm with a small, dark-featured man.
Barksdale, who spoke to him vehement
" and hammered fist on palm. and,
next, handsome Jim Lyons, Of Virginia
with two ladies clinging to him, to
whom he displayed his teeth in an ex-
nansiye smile Presently a man In uni
form crossed the hall whose white,
fluffy hair and dignified bearing were
patrtarchial, but his eyes and mouth
cruel: ii was Winder, head jailer for the
Confederacy. And then came Wlgfall
of Texas, with his fierce, Scared face,
the impetuous orator that led the oppo-
sition to the President, and with him.
smooth Hill of Georgia, and then queer
Judge Dargan. scratching his arm.
Thus they passed as in a vision, bound
for dusty oblivion; they passed, envel-
op by throngs of women and by OBJ
scurer men, who gazed on their brief
greatness with awe or envy. And over
all glowed the brilliant lamps, and over
all swept the wailing cadences Of the
music.
"As in the days that were before the