Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-20
ADAMC CLAY
THE GTORY OF A gOWLJECC C0QUETTB
AND THE HEARTH SHE BROKE
By COCMO HAMILTON

- II 81 @ 49, w. '-~~~
the age of thirteen. Nice looking boy, chr"
YES" said young Ashley.
Chubby and optimistic and happy, you'd
think wouldn't your"
Yes" said young Ashley.
so l was. The world went very well then.
Now look at the photograph by its side. Hand
some lad that eh?"
Yes said young Ashley
THE face Of a fine, frank honorable boy,
you'd think wouldn't your"
Yes" said young Ashley.
My best friend: the boy who was at the
same danes school with me, who went on to
Elton with me, who shared all my secrets, all
my petty triumphs and disappolntments, whom
loved and looked up to. Curse his SOUL tool"
He turned over the page and thumped it with
his fist Here we have the same two faces
five years later. They are still chubby and
optimistic and happy aren't they?"
Yes" said young Ashley
"A trihe smarter as to the set OF collar and
tie, you will notice My best friend and !. at
that age had shared many more petty tri-
umphs and disappointments At that age
still believed my best friend to be the most
honorable, the most fearless. the most frank
boy-man-I beg pardon!-the world had ever
contained"
Then Ashley kept his hand upon an open
page
Real men. now" he said. Undergraduates
OF Cambridge University. Very fine collars
and ties now, eh?"
Yes" said young Ashley.
And waistcoats-mark the wastcoats, and
don't fail to notice a suspicion of whlsker! All,
ha! Men indeed! No two men could have
been more together, more in sympathy than
we two. Look; here we are in hunting kit. and
here in evening clothes as members of a swag-
ger club; here In running shorts here in gym
Kit, here in the clothes we wore in a dramatic
entertanment-my best friend as the hero
lie always played the hero. Then we come to
E I'm IN lie HHEf uHFrr
the inner Temple | was no book man, and
the Temple was closed to me- but here | am
opposite as usual. as man about town. As it
was impossible for me to share rooms with
him in his inn, he shared my room in Maddox
street And here"-John Ashley's voice took
a deeper note-'we come to the photograph
of a girl"
Young Ashley bent over the page How
lovely" he said
How lovely" echoed his father do you
wonder that my best friend and began to
see little less of one another about this
timer"
No" said young Ashley
Look; here she is again on her horse and
here in the dress in which she was presented
and here in the dress she wore the night /
proposed to and was accepted by her Good
luck, old man. my best friend said that night.
She is the lucky one Let's go on. There are
not many more now. This was taken on our
honeymoon in Paris and this at a little chalet
on the Alps; this in Vienna, and this In Bond
street We had settled in London, a little
house in Park street, to which my best friend
had a latch-key. Look at this The proud
father, the beaming mother the bald-headed
son and heir"
Me-" cried young Ashley
Yes. you. And this is the last photograph
but one. Can you guess what the last one is?
No, you can't. You have seen the faces of my
best friend, and of the beautiful woman who
was my wife. You would refuse to believe
that in the next photograph my best friend
stands by her side, wouldn't you? You would
absolutely refuse to believe 1t, eh?"
Yes said young Ashley
John Ashley turned to the last photograph
and his face became suddenly inhamed, and
his voice thick
by God. then, you would be wrong! Not q
year after that woman with the face OF an
angel stood at the altar swearing to love, honor
and obey one man, she has her photograph
taken with his best friend, the most honorable
man the world had ever contained, on a second
honeymoon in Paris"
NO" cried young Ashley, no"
Eyes. yes, yes! All, ha that's a facer for
you Ell? That throws you back on your
launches, Ell? My friend and my wife, the
man OF honor-the woman Of integrity gentle
man and gentlewoman. Read this note pasted
below the photograph | found il on my
writing table when returned after three hours
absence spent at polo. How well she formed
her letters 1T all a mistake. Frank and
] fought against the inevitable as long as we
could. 1t has been too much for us. We have
gone away. have no grudge against you
You were very good, but love couquers all. BE
good TO baby Now do you understand why
came here? Now can you understand why
l say that Gods only Christians are the trees
Now can you sympathize with me when | shout
out at the top of my voice and ask someone
or other to curse their souls?" He sprang
to his feet and clutched young Ashley by the
shoulders. Jack. Jack don't you leave me;
Jack, don't you leave me, too"
The wind ratified the window and whlstled
down the chimney. Young Ashley put his arm
round his fathers shaking shoulder
Father. I'll never leave YOU" he said