The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-08


You know rose figured in our first
meeting. And in our last"
She shrank momentarily. "The cape
jessamines! shall always think OF
that when l see them!"
"Ah. forgive me-" he begged. "But
when | remember what you did-for
me! oh, know! But for you, must
have died."
But for me you wouldn't have
been bitten. But don't let's talk of it,"
She shivered suddenly.
"Yon are cold" he said. isn't that
gown 100 thin fox this night air?"
mo, | often walk here till quite
late. Listen!"
The bird song had broken forth
again. to be answered this time by o
rivals in a distant thlcket. "My
nightingale is in good voice"
II never heard a nightingale before
came to Virginia. l wonder why it
sings only at night"
What an odd idea! Why. it sings
in the daytime. too"
Really? But | suppose it escapes
notice in the general chorus. Is it a
large bird?'
No; smaller than thrush. Only q
little bigger than a robin. It's nest is
over there in that hedge-a tiny loose
cup Of dried oak'leaves, lined with
hair, and the eggs are olive color.
How pretty the hedge looks now, all
tangled with fireay sparks!"
Doesn't it! Uncle Jefferson calls
them lightning-bugs.'
The name is much more pic
turesque. But all the darky sayings
are. Do you find him and Aunt
Daphne useful?"
He has been godsend," he said
fervently; "and her cooking has
taught me to treat her with passion
ate respect. He's teaching me now
about fiowers-it's surprising how
many kinds he knows. He's walking
herbarium."
Come and see mine," she said.
Roses are our specialty--we have to
live up to the Rosewood name. But
beyond the arbors, are beds and beds
OF other flowers. See--by this big
tree are speed-well and delphinium.
The tree is q black-walnut. It's
dreadful thing to have one as big as
that. When you want something that
costs lot Of money you 60 and look
at IL and wonder which you want
most, that particular luxury or the
tree. | know girl who had two in
her yard only little bigger than this,
and she went to Europe on them. But
so far I've always voted for the tree.
How does your garden come on?"
"Famously. Uncle Jefferson has
shanghaied a half-dozen negro gar
deners-from where | can't imagine
and he's having the time of his life
hectoring over them. He refers to the
upper and lower terraces as 'up-and-
downstairs I've got seeds, but It
will be O long time before they
flower"
"Oh. would you like some slips?"
she cried. "Or. better still. can
give you the roses Already rooted
Mad Charles and Marechal Neil and
Cloth of Gold and cabbage and ram
blers. We have geraniums and
fuchsias, too, and the coral honey
suckle. That's different from the wild
one. you know"
You are too good! II you would
only advise me where to set them!
But dare say you think me presum-
Ing
She turned her full face to him.
Presuming!' You're furnishing me
now for the dreadful way talked to
you about Damory Court-before |
knew who YOU were. Oh, it was un.
pardonable! And after the splendid
thing YOU had DONE read about IL
that same evening-with your money,
| meant"
NO. MOI" he protested. "There
was nothing splendid about Ii. Ii was
only pride. You see the corporation
was my fathers great idea-the thing
no created and put his soul into-and
il was foundering. | know that would
have hurt him. One thing I've wanted
10 say to you. ever since the day we
talked togcther-about the duel.
W tAb W NtlI Nudl NudNCHtI lay DtuiIlu
it. my fathers whole life was darkened
by that event. Now that | can put
two and two together, 1 know that it
was the cause cf his sadness"
"Ah. | can believe that" she re-
piled.
II think he had only two interests
myself and the corporation. SO you
see why I'd rather save that and be a
bcSgar the rest of my natural life.
Eut I'm not bcggar DamOry Court
alone is worth know il nova hun.
drcd times what / left"
you are so utterly different from
what | imagined YOU"
Il could never have imagined you,"
he said, never"
Il must be terribly outre."
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