Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-14

was dead
1t was sweet. but 1t was also pain
/ full to stay long in that house Of
| love and as soon as | had eaten my
| oat-cake and honey / got up to go.
| The two good souls saw me to the
| door, saying | was not to expect
either OF them at the Big House
| on my wedding day. because she was
| no woman for smart clothes, and the
! doctor, who was growing rheumatic.
| had given up his night-ca and
| therefore his gig, so as to keep down
! expenses.
Wen be at the church, though"
| said Martins mother And II we
| don't see you to speak to. you'll
| know we're there and wishing you
| happiness in our hearts"
/ could not utter a word when
| left them; but after | had walked
little way l looked back, intending
/ to wave my farewell, and there they
were together at the gate still, and
| one of her hands was on the doctors
| shoulder-the sweet woman who had
chosen love against the world, and
! did not regret II. even now when the
night was falling on her.
had to pass the Presbytery on
my way home. and as | did so.
saw Father Dan in his study. He
threw up the window sash and
| called in a soft voice, asking me
| TO wait until he came down to me.
He came down hurriedly just as
he was, in his worn and discolored
| cassock, and biretta, and walked up
the road by my side, breathing rap
idly and obviously much agitated.
The Bishop is staying with me
over the wedding, and he is in such
a fury that Don't worry. 1t will
be all right. But ="
"Yes?"
Did you see young Martin Conrad
while you were in Rome?"
! answered that ! did.
And did anything pass between
you about your marriage,
mean"
| told him all that | had said to
Martin, and all that Martin had said
! to me.
Because he has written a long
letter to the bishop denouncing it,
and calling on him TO stop it," =
ITO stop it?"
That's SO He says 1t is nothing
| but trade and barter. and If the
I Church Is willing to give its blessing
| to such rank commercialism, let 1t
| bless the stock exchange, let II sane
| tify the slave market"
"Well?"
THE Bishop threatens to tell your
| father Who is this young man. he
| says, who dares to = But IL
! thought there was nothing more to
! your marriage than If |
| imagined that what occurred in the
cases Of your dear mother. But
that's not all"
Not all?"
No. Martin has written to me, too.
saying worse-far worse"
What does he say. Father DAM"
Il don't really know IL | ought to
| tell you, | really don't. Yet IL it's
true II there's anything IN
| was trembling. but / begged him
to tell me what Martin had said He
| told me. 1t was about my intended
husband-that he was a man of ir-
regular life, notorious loose liver,
who Kept up a connection with some
/ body in London, kind OF actress who
was practically his wife already. and
therefore his marriage with me would
| be-so Martin had said-nothing but
"legalized and sanctified concu-
blnage"
With many breaks and pauses my
dear old priest told me this story, as
If 1t were something so infamous that
his simple and innocent heart could
scarcely credit IT,
III | really thought II was true -
he said. that man living such a
life could come here to marry my
little But no, God could not
suffer thing like that. must ask
though. l must make sure We live
so far away in this little island that
But must go back now. The
Bishop Will be calling for me"
Still deeply agitated. Father Dan
left me by the bridge, and at the gate
of our drive found Tommy the Mate
on a ladder covering. with flowers
from the conservatory, a triumpha
arch which the Joiner had hammered
up the day before.
The old man hardly noticed me as
passed through. and this prompted me
TO look UP and speak to him.
Tommy" l said do you know You
are the only one who hasn't said 4
good word to me about my marriage
Am !, missy?" he answered. with
out looking down. Then maybe
that's because I've had so many bad
ones to say TO other people
| asked which other people.
"Old Johnny Christopher. for one
met him last night at the Horse
and Saddle Grand doings al the
Big House they're telling me- says
Johnny. u won't say no l SAYS
It'll be a proud day for the grand
daughter of Nell the Lord when
she's mistress of Castle Raa, says
Johnny Maybe So | says. but It'll
be a prouder day for Castle Raa wher
she sets her clane little foot in IT.