Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-09-20


aequaintanceship with his daughter. He
might possibly understand her better and
regard with more leniency the presunp-
uon into which | was led by my ig-
Eorance of the pride inherent in great
families"
"Your wish can very easily be graft
ned returned the official, pressing an
electric button on his desk Mr.. Chal-
Toner IS in the adjoining room" Then,
as the door communicating with the room
ne mad mentioned swung ajar and stood
So Dr Heath added, without apparent
CONSCIOUSNESS Of the dramatic character OF
this episode You will not need to raise
! your voice beyond it's natural pitch. He
can hear perfectly from where he sits
Thank You, | am glad to speak in
! his presence came in undisturbed self
possession from this not easily surprised
| witness. Il shall relate the facts exactly
as they occurred, adding nothing and con-
ceallng nothing If | mistook my posi-
J ton, or Miss Challoner's position il is
not Tor me to apologize / never hid my
business from her nor the moderate ex-
| tent OF my fortune. If she knew me at
| an she knew me for what I am: a man
! of the people who glories in work and
who has risen by it 10 a position some
what unique in this city | feel no lack
! OF equality even with such a woman as
Miss Challoner."
| a most unnecessary preamble no doubt,
ana OF doubtful efficacy in smoothing his
! way TO a correct understanding with the
! deeply bereaved father. But he looked
/ 50 handsome as he thus asserted him
| self and made so much of his inches and
the noble poise of his head-though cold
! OF eye and always cold of manner-that
those who saw, as we'll as heard him, for
gave this display of egotism in consid-
! Grafton of its honesty and the dignity it
| impaired to his person.
! Il f1rst met Miss Challoner in the Berk-
| shlres,' he began, after a moment of
| quiet listening for any possible sound
from the other room 81 had been on the
tramp, and had stopped at cre of the
great hotels for a seven days rest. l
Will acknowledge that chose this spot
at the lnstigation of relative who knew
my tastes and how perfectly they might
be gratified there. That I should mingIe
| with the guests may not have been in his
thought, any more than it was in mine at
! the beginning of my stay. The panorama
OF beauty spread out before me on every
side was sufficient in itself for my enjoy
! ment, and might have continued so to the
end If my attention had not been very
! tofclbly drawn on one memorable morn
| ing TO young lady-Miss Challoner-by
| the very earnest look she gave me as
was crossing the office from one veranda
70 another must insist on this look,
even if it shock the deicacy of nv lis
teners, for without the interest It awak-
| ened in me, l might not have noticed
the blush with which she turned aside to
join her friends on the veranda It was
an overwhelming blush which could not
have sprung from any slight embarrass-
ment, and, though I hate the preten-
| sions of those cyclists who see in a
woman's smile more than it by right con-
wells, I could not help being moved by this
| display Of feeling in one so gifted with
eevry grace and attribute of the perfect
! woman. With less caution than l usually
| display, | approached the desk where she
| had been standing, and, meeting the eyes
| of the clerk, asked the young ladys
name He gave it, and waited for me
| to express the surprise he expected it to
evoke. But I felt none and showed none
| Other feelings seized me. | had heard
| of this gracious woman from many
sources, in my life among the suffering
! masses Of New York, and now that l had
1 seen her and found her to be not only my
| ideal of personal loneliness but seemingly
/ approachable and not unintereSted in my
/ self | allowed my fancy to soar and my
| heart to become touched. A fact which
| the clerk now cOntided to me naturally
| deepened the impression. Miss Challoner
! had seen my name in the guest book and
asked to have me pointed out to her.
! Perhaps she had heard my name spoken
| in the same quarter where l had heard
! hers. We have never exchanged conf
! dences on the subject, and I can not say.
| | can only give you my reason for the
| interest | felt in Miss Challoner and why
| | forgot, in the glamour of this episode,
| the aims and purposes of a not unambi-
! tious life md the distance which the
world and the So-Caled ariSt0cratic class
| put between d woman of her wealth and
standing and a simple worker like myself.
- must be pardOned. She had smiled
upon nte once, and she smiled again.
Days before we were formally presented.
! ] caught her softened look turned my
way, as we passed each other In hall or
corridor. We were friends, or so ii APP
peared to me, before ever a word passed
between us, and when fortune favored us
and we were duly introduced our minds
met in a strange sympathy which made
this one interview memorable one to
me. Unhappily as | then considered it,
this was my last day at the hotel. and
our conversation, interrupted frequently
by passing acquaintances, was never re-
! sumed. exchanged a few words with
her by way of good-by but nothing more
! came to New York. and she remained
in LenoX a month after and she too
came to New York.
To Be Continued in Next Issue