Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-11

band would be one of them; but he
was not, and the first words spoken
to my father we're
His lordship's apologies, sir. He
has an engagement to-day, but hopes
to see you at your own house to-
morrow morning
/ recognized the speaker as the
guardian (grown grayer and even less
prepossessing) who had crossed with
the young Lord Raa when he was go
ing up to Oxford; and his companions
were smooth-faced man with
searching eyes who was introduced as
his lordship's solicitor from London. a
Mr.. Murphy, whom l knew to be my
fathers advocate, and my dear old
Father Dan
| was surprised to find Father Dan
smaller man than l had thought
him, very plain and provincial, little
country parish priest, but he had the
tender smile l always remembered,
and the sweet Irish roll of the vowels
that l could never forget
God bless you" he said. How
well you're looking! And how like
your mother, Lord rest her soul!
knew the Blessed Virgin would take
care of you, and she has. she has"
Three conveyances were waiting for
= -
a big motor car for the guardian and
the London lawyer, and a still big
ger one for ourselves
We'll s'long until tomorrow them"
| cried my father, getting up into the
front row of his own car, with the
advocate beside him and Father Dan
and myself behind.
A Priest s Affection.
On the way home Father Dan
talked of the business that had
brought me back, saying / was not to
think too much of anything he might
have said of Lord Raa in his letters,
seeing that he had spoken from hear
say. and the world was so censorious
and then there was no measuring
the miraculous influence that might
be exercised by a good woman.
He said this with a certain con-
straint and was more at ease when
he spoke of the joy that ought to
come into a girls life at her mar
riage-her first love, her first love
letter, her wedding day and her first
baby, all the sweet and wonderful
things of a new existence which a
man could never know.
Even an old priest may see that"
he said, with laugh and a pat of my
hand.
We dropped Mr.. Curphy at his
house in Holmtown and then my ia
Their sat with US at the back, and
talked with tremendous energy 'of
what he had done, of what he was
going to do, and of all the splendors
that were before me.
| You'll be the big woman of the is
land, and there won't be mothers
| son dare say boo to you.
l noticed that in his excitement his
| tongue, dropping the suggestion of his
adopted country, reverted to the ra,cy
speech of his native soil; and had a
sense of being with him before l was
born, when he returned home from
| America with millions of dollars at
| his back, and the people who had
| made game of his father went down
| before his face like food.
Such of them as had not done so
| then (being of the "aristocracy" of
the island and remembering the hum
BILE stock he came FROM were to do
so now, for in the second generation,
and by means of his daughters mar
riage, he was going to triumph over
them all.
Wen beat 'em. gel! My cough,
yes, We'll beat em!" he cried, with a
flash of his black eyes and a master
full lift of his eyebrows.
AS we ran by the mansions of the
great people of ELAN, he pointed
them out to me with a fling of the
arm and spoke of the families in
tone of contempt.
see that? That's Christian of
Balla Christian. The man snubbcd
me six months ago. He'll know BET
ter six months to come.
That's Eyteton. His missus was too
big to call on your mother-she1l call
on you, though, you go bail. See yon-
der big towers in the trees? That's
Folksdale, where the Farragans live.
The daughters have been walking
over the world like peacocks, but
they'll crawl on 1t like cockroaches:
- Hulloh, here's ould Balgean Of
Eagle Hill, in his grand carriage with
his English coachman. See
that, though? See him doff his nat to
you. the ould hypocrite? He knows
something. He's got an inkling.
| Things travel Well geat EN-, gel.
wen beat EN-! They'll be round US
like bees about honeypot.'
| 1t was impossible no. to catch the
contagion Of my fathers triumphant
spirits, and in my different way l
found myself tingling with delight as
| recognized the scenes associated
with my chfldhood-the village, the
bridge, the lane to Sunny Lodge and
Murphy's Mouth, and the trees that
| bordered our drive.
Nearly everything looked smaller
or narrower or lower than l had
thought. but I had forgotten how
lovely they all were, lying so snugly
| under the hill and with the sea In
| front of them.
Our house alone when we drove up
! to it seemed larger than had ex-
pected, but my father explained this
by saying: -,
| improvements. gel! I'll show you
| over tomorrow morning"
Aunt Bridget (white-headed now
and wearing spectacles and white
cap), Betsy Beauty (grown tall and
round. with a kind of country comen-
ness) and Messy Macleod Cooking
like a premature old maid who was
| doing her best to be a GRID were
waiting at the open porch when our
car drew up, and they received me
| with surprising cordially.
Here she is at last!" said Aunt
| Bridget.
| And such luck as she has come
home to-" said Betsy Beauty.
| There we're compliments on the i'm
| provement in my appearance (Aunt
Bridget declaring she could not have
1 i Il