Alma record., 1914-03-05


fancy stirred in him: in that wood
witch-like, the wilful spirit of the pas
sionate spring herself, mixed of her
aerial essences and jungle wilder
nesses; in this scented dim-lit close she
was grave-eyed, subdued, paler pen
sive woman Of under Lalf-guessed sad
nesses and haunting moods. With her
answer. however this gravity seemed
to slip from her like garment, She
laughed lightly.
Il love to prowl myself. I think
sometimes like the night better than
the day. | believe In one of my in
carnations | must have been a pan
ther."
They both laughed. I'm growing
superstitious about fiowers." he said.
You know rose figured in our first
meeting. And in our last"
She shrank momentarily. THE cape
jessamines! / shall always think OF
that when | see them!"
"Ah. forgive mel" he begged. But
when l 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.
You are cold" he said. Isn't that
gown too thin for this night air?"
mo, often walk here till quite
late. Listen!"
hA hfrd hoI hrnl fovfh
again, to be answered this time by
rivals in a distant thicket My
nightingale is in good voice"
II never heard nightingale before
l came to Virginia. | wonder why il
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
large bird"
mo; smaller than a thrush. Only
little bigger than a robin. It's nest is
over there in that hedge--a tiny loose
cup of dried oakleaves, lined with
hair. and the eggs are olive color.
How pretty the hedge looks now, all
tangled with FREELY 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 a godsend," he said
fervently; "and her cooking has
taught me to treat her with passion.
ate respect. He's teaching me now
about flowers-it's surprising how
many kinds he knows. He's walking
herbarium."
"Roses are our specialty-we have tc
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 a black-walnut. It's
dreadful thing to have one as big as
that When you want something that
costs a lot Of money you go and look
at 1t and wonder which you want
most, that particular luxury or the
tree. l know a 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?"
IA ously. Uncle Jefferson has
snanghaied 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 II
will be 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 l
knew who you were. Oh. 1t was un-
pardonable! And after the splendid
thing you had done-I read about 1t
that same evening-with your money.
mean!"
mo, mol" he protested. There
was nothing splendid about it. It was
only pride. You see the corporation
was my fathers great idea-the thing
hc created and put his soul into-aRd
1t was laundering. | know that would
have hurt him. One thing I've wanted
to say to you, ever since the day we
talked together-about the duel. I
want to say that whatever lay behind
1t, my fathers whole life was darkened
by that event. Now that l can put
two and two together, know that 1t
was the cause of his sadness"
"Ah, I can believe that" she re-