Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-12


mony, and I'm glad to see you appear
to share 1t. Tell the truth,
was afraid you wouldn't" he added
with something more about the nuns
| and the convent.
L wanted to say that l didn't, but
my nervousness was increasing every
moment. and before l could find words
in whichsto protest he was speaking
to me again.
Our friends in the library seem to
think that you and l could get along
together. and I'm disposed to think
they re rtght-aren't your"
In my ignorance and helplessness,
and with the consciousness of what
at him without speaking.
Then he fixed his monocle afresh,
and, looking back at me in a curious
| way, he said:
Il don't think I should bore you, my
/ dear; in fact, I should be rather
proud of having a good looking wom-
an for my wife, and l fancy I could
! give you good time. In any case'-
| this with a certain condescension-
| my name might be of some use to
| YOU
A sort of shame was creeping over
me. The dog was yawning In my
| face. My intended husband threw it
| off his knee
Shall we consider it a settled
| thing, then" he asked, and when in
my confusion 1 still made no reply
| (having nothing which I felt myself
entitled to say, he said something
about Aunt Bridget and what she had
| told him at luncheon about my silence
| and shyness, and then rising to his
| feet he put my arm through his own.
and turned our faces toward home.
| That was ALL AS l am a truthful
| woman, that was everything. Not a
| word from me, no, not half a word,
merely a passive act of silent acqui-
| escenee, and in my youthful and al
most criminal innocence | was COM
mitted to the most momentous Incl
dent of my life.
| But if there was no love making, no
| fondling, no kissing, no courtship of
| any kind, and none of the delirious
rapture which used to be described in
Alma's novels, l was really grateful
to find that, and immensely relieved
| to find that matters could be COM
| pleted without them
What we reached the house, the bell
was ringing for tea, and my father
was coming out of the library, fol-
| lowed by the lawyers.
80 that's all right, gentlemen he
was saying.
Eyes, that's all right, sir" they were
answering; and then, seeing us as we
entered, my father said to Lord Raa:
"And what about you two"
Were all right also" said his lord
ship in his drawing voice.
Good" said my father, and he
slapped his lordship sharply on the
back. to his surprise, and l think, dis
| comfiture.
Then with a cackle of light laugh
! ter among the men, we all trooped
into the drawing room.
Aunt Bridget in her gold-rimmed
| spectacles and new white cap, poured
! out the tea from our best silver tea
| pot. while Messy Macleod, with a
| geranium in her red hair, and Betsy
| Beauty, with large red roses in her
| bosom, handed round the cups. After
| a moment, my father, with radiant
| face, standing back to the fire, said
| in a loud voice:
Friends all, I have something to
| tell YOU
Everybody except myself looked up
and listened, though everybody knew
what was coming.
| "We've had a stiff tussle in the
| library this afternoon, but everything
| SeIIleu
riage is as good as made
The Date Fixed.
! There was a chorus Of congratula-
| tons for me, and a few for his lord
ship. and then my father said again:
| "Of course therell be deeds to draw
up, and I want things done correct,
/ even if it costs me a bit of money.
| But we've only" one thing more to
/ fix up to-day, and then we're through
the wedding. When is it to come
| off,"
! An appeal was made to me, but
/ I felt it was only formal so | glanced
across to Lord Raa without speaking
Come now" said my father, look
| ing from one to the other. THE clean
cut is the short cut, you know, and
| what do you say to this day next
month";"
bowed and my intended husband,
in his languid way, said:
| Agreed"
| A few minutes afterward the
motor was ordered round, and the
| gentlemen prepared to go. Then the
silver-haired terrier was missed, and
for the first time that day his lord
| shin BETRAYED a vivid interest, telling
/ us llS price anu PNuiSlS co o,iiN "
much he would give rather than lose
! it. But at the last moment Tommy
| appeared with the dog in his arms
and dropped it into the car, whereup-
on my intended husband thanked him
effusively.
| set store by that, sir"
At the next moment the car was
| gone. 80,
'Well. you are lucky girl" said
Betsy Beauty; and Aunt Bridget be-
gan to take credit to herself for al
| that had come to pass, and to indi-
| cate the methods by which she meant
to manage Castle Raa as soon as ever
| became mistress of it.
Thus in my youth, my helplessness,
nv ignorance, and my inexperience
became engaged to the man who had
been found and courted for me. If
| acduiesced, l had certainly not been
consulted. My father had not con-
! suited me. Ny intended husband had
| not consulted me. Nobody consulted
me | am not even sure that | thought
ANYBODY was under obligation to con-
| suit me. Love had not spoken to me,
sex was still asleep in me, and my
| :. ,--i n ga WAS arranged before my