Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-07

r. to see me ! thought it sig
nificant that he came in my
fathers big motor cara car of great
speed and power
was in my dressing gown before
the fire in the boudoir and al the first
glance OF his cheerful face under his
iron-g grey head | knew what Alma
had said in the letter which had sum
moned him.
In his soft voive he asked me a few
questions, and though | could have
wished to conceal the truth ! dared
not | noticed that his face bright
ened at each of my replies and at the
end of them he said:
There is nothing to be alarmed ats
We shall be better than ever by-and-
by"
Then in his sweet and delicate way
las If he We're saying something tha'
would be very GRATEFUL he told me
what | knew already, and | listened
with my head down and my face to-
ward the fire.
He must have been disappointed at
the sad way l received his news. for
he proceeded TO talk of my general
health, saying the great thing in such
case as mine was to be cheerful. to
keep a good heart, and to look hope
fully to the future.
You must have pleasant surround
ings and the society of agreeable peo-
ple-old friends. old school fello We
familiar and happy faces"
said Yes and Yes" knowing
only too we'll how impossible it all
was: and then his talk turned on gen
eral topics -my father, whose condi-
tion made his face very grave, ano
then his wife, Christian Ann, whos'
name caused his gentle old eyes T.
CLEAN with sunshine.
She had charged him with a mes
sage to me
Tell her" she said, Il shall never
forget what she did for me in the au-
tumn. and whites and whites I'm
thanking God for her
That cut me TO the quick, but I was
nearly torn to pieces by what came
next.
Christian Ann told me to say, too,
that Sunny Lodge is longing for you.
She's a great lady now said she. but
maybe great ladies have their trOu-
bles same as ourselves, poor things.
and il she ever wants to rest ner
sweet head in a poor womans bed,
Mary O'Neilrs little room is Away
waiting for her
God bless herr | said-it was al
I could say-aud then, TO my great
relief he talked on other subjects.
The one thing I was afraid Of was
that he might speak OF Martin.
Heaven alone. which looks into the
deep places OF a woman's heart in her
hour Of sorest trial knows why !
was In such dread that he might do
50, but sure I am that II he had men
at aaE1t I ehf.7rfd
have screamed.
When he rose to go he repeated his
warnings.
You'll remember what I said about
being bright and cheerful
TIL try"
And keep happy and agreeable
faces about you?"
Yes"
Hardly had he left the room when
Alma came sweeping into it, full OF
her warmest and insincerest congrat-
ulatons.
THERE" che cried, with all the bit
ter honey IN her tongue. Wasn't I
right in sending for the doctor2 Such
news. too, Oh happy. happy YOU
But ] must not keep you now, dear
est. You'u be just crazy to write to
ycur husband and tell him all about
it,"
Alma's mother was the next to Wis
it me. The comfortable old soul,
redolent Of perfume and glttering
with diamonds, began by congratu-
lating herself on her perspicacity.
81 knew It," she said when saw
as how you were so and so, | said TO
Alma as ! was sure you were that
way Impossible said Alma. but It's
us married women to know, isn't IL -
After that and some homey couD 70
sci out Of her own eXperience-to take
my breakfast in bed in future, avoid
ing tea etc-she told me how fortu-
nate was to have Alma in the house
AT such a moment,
"The doctor SAYS you're 10 keep
bright and cheerful, and she's such "a
happy heart. is Alma. So crazy about
YOU, too, You wouldn't believe H. but
she's actually talking Of STAYING with
you until the December sailing at
an events"
Tho prospect Of having Alma two
months longer, 20 probe ny secret
soul as with u red hot IRON seemed
enough to destroy me. but my mar
tyrdom had only begun
Next day. Aunt Bridget came, and !
the bright glitter Of the unusually !
cold gray ewes behind her god-rim
med spectacies told me at glarce 9
Rat her visit was. not an unseldsh !
lne..