Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-05
To-DAY'S INSTALLMENT.
Forty.Eighth chapter-continued.


Forty Eighth Chapter-continued.
This was for the enforcement of
the Queen of Beauty, and as it passed
round the arena, with the mock
judges in paper coronets walking
ahead to make their choice, some of
the women, lost to all sense of mod
esty, were shouting Take me! Take
mel"
felt sure they would take Alma,
so i reached forward to get a better
view of her, where she stood below
my box; but as they approached her,
with the chair still empty, l saw her
make a movement in my direction
and say something to the judges
about "the little num-" which made
my husband nod his head and then
laugh uproarously.
At the next moment, before | knew
what they were doing, six or seven
men jumped into my box, lifted me
On to the rostrum and placed me in
the chair, whereupon the whole noisy
company in the theater broke into
wild shouts of salutation and pelted
me with flowers and confetti.
If there was any pride there was
more modification in the position to
which Alma and my husband had eX-
posed me, for as l was being carried
round the arena, with the sea of
foaming faces below me, all scream
ing out of their hot and open mouths,
heard the men cry:
Smile, SignoFina!"
mot so serious, Mademoiselle!"
1t would do no good to say what
memories of other scenes flashed back
on my mind as l was being borne
along in the mad procession. | felt
as if it would last forever But il
came to an end at length, and as sooE
as I was released l begged my hus-
band again to take me home, and
when he said, Not yet; we'll all be
going by-and- by" 1 stole away by
myself, found a cab, and drove back
to the MOTEL.
What the Maid Saw.
The day was dawning as passed
through the stony streets, and when
1 reached my room, and, pulled down
my dark green blinds, the bell of the
Capuchin monastery in the Via Ven
etc was ringing and the monks were
saying the first of their offices.
/ must have been some time in bed,
hiding my hot face in the bedclothes,
when Price, my maid, came in to
apologize for not having seen me
come back alone. The pain of the
woman's scrutiny was more than
could bear at that moment. so I tried
to dismiss her but l could not get
her to go, and at last she said,
IF you please, my lady, l want to
say something"
have her no encouragement, yet
she continued.
Il dare say it's as much as my place
is worth, but I'm bound to say it,"
Still | said nothing, yet she went
on
His Lordship and Madame have
also arrived e. They came back
half an hour ago. They Just
now saw his lordship
coming out of madame's
room'"
GO away woman, go away" I
cried in the fierce agony of my shame,
and she went out at last, closing the
door noisily behind her.
We did not go next day to bene-
diction at the Reverend Mothers
Church. But late that same night,
when it was quite dark l crept out
of my room into the noisy streets,
hardly knowing where my footsteps
were leading me, until l found myself
in the piazza of the convent of the
Sacred Heart.
1t was quiet enough there. Only the
carabinieri were walking on the
paved way with measured steps, and
the bell of the Dominican monastery
was slowly ringing Under the silent
stars. l could see the light on the
Pope's loggia at the Vatican and hear
the clock of st. Peters striking .
o'clock.
There were lights in the windows
OF some of the dormitories also, and
by that | knew that the younger
children, the children of the Infant
Jesus, were going to bed. There was
a light too, in the large window Of
the church, and that told me that the
bigger girls were saying their night
prayers
Creeping close to the convent wall
/ heard the girls voices rising and
falling, and then through the closed
door Of the church came the muffled
sound Of their evening hymn
AVE maris stella
Die Mater Alma"
did not know why l was putting