Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-08
To-DAY'S INsTALLMENT.
Seventy fourth chapter-continued.

1O-DA4 . lNSIALuMENl.
Seventy fourth Chapter-continued.
There now" she said, you've got
TO thank me for this Didn't / give
YOU good advice when / told you to be
a little blind? It's the only way with
husbands When Conrad came home
with the news / said, Betsy, / must
set away to the poor girl straight To
be sure, I had enough on my hands
already, but l couldn't leave you to
strangers, could I?'
Hearing no response to this ques
ton. Aunt Bridget went on to say
that what was coming would be
bond between me and my husband.
1T always is. 1t was in my case,
anyway The old colonel didn't be-
have very well after our marriage,
and times and times l was telling my
self I had made a rue bargain; but
when Betsy came l thought, I might
have done better, but | might have
done worse We have bond in our
offspring, anyway"
Hearing no response to this either,
Aunt Bridget went to to talk of Alma
and her mother. Was not this the
woman / suspected with my husband
the young one with the big eyes
and 'the quality toss with herr" Then
why did ! have a person like that
about the house?
IF you need bright and cheerful
company, what's amiss with your
aunt and your first cousin? Some peo-
pie are selfish, but l thank the saints
don't know what selfishness is. I'm
willing to do for you what l did for
YOUR poor mother, and l can't say
more than that, can ?"
| must have made some kind of re-
Spouse, for Aunt Bridget went on to
say it might be a sacrifice but then
she wouldn't be sorry to leave the
Big House, either
I'm twenty years there, and now
I'm to be a servant to my own step
child. Dear heart knows if can bear
ii much longer The way that Messy
is carrying on with your father is
something shocking. I do believe
she'll marry the man some day."
To escape from a painful topic,
asked after my, fathers health.
Worse and worse, but Conrad's
news was like laughing gas to the
man. He would have come with me
to-day, but the doctor wouldn't hear
Of it. He'll come soon, though. and
meantime he's talking and talking
about a great entertainment"
Entertainment?
ITO celebrate the forthcoming
event, of course, though nobody is to
know that except ourselves, it seems.
Just a house warming in honor of
your coming home after your mar
riage-that's all it's to be on the out
side, anyway"
made some cry of pain, and Aunt
Bridget said:
Shocked at Change.
ooh. l know what you're going 20
say-why doesn't he wait? I'll tell
you why If you'll promise not to whis-
per word to anyone. Your father Is
a sick man. my dear. Let him say
what he likes when Conrad talks
about cancer, he knows Deaths hand
is over him. And thinking it NAV
fall before your time has come he
wants to take time by the forelock
and see a sort of fulfllment of the
hope of his life-and you know what
that is"
1t was terrible. The position in
which I stood toward my father was
now so tragic that (wicked as it Isl
prayed with all my heart that J
might never look upon his face again.
| was compelled to do so. Three
days after Aunt Bridget's visit my ia
Their came to. see me. The day was
fine and / was walking on the lawn
when his big car came rolling up the
drive.
I was shocked to see the change in
him His face was CHASTITY white, mis-
lips were blue his massive and pow
erful head seemed to have sunk into
his shoulders, and his limbs were so
thin that his clothes seemed TO hang
on them; but the stern mouth was
there still, and so was the masterful
lift of the eyebrows.
Coming over to meet me with an
uncertain STEP he said:
"Old Conrad was for keeping me n
bed, but / couldn't take rest without
putting sight on you
After that, and some plain speech
out of the primitive man he always
was and will be (about it's being good
for a woman to have children because
il saved her from losing her stom
ach" over imaginary grievances), ne
led me. with the same half-contempt-
uous tenderness which he used to
show TO my mother, back to the house
and into the drawing room.
Alma and her mother were there
the one writing at desk, the other
knitting on the sofa, and they rose as
my father entered, but he waved them
back to their places.
"Set down, ma'am. Take your seat,
mother. I'm only here for minute
10 talk to my gel about her great re-
ception."
Reception ?" said Alma.
Hasn't she told you about it?' he
said, and being answered that had
not, he gave a rough outline OF his
project, whereupon Alma, whose
former attitude toward my father
had changed to one of fiattery and
shbservience, lifted her hands and
cried:
How splendid! Such an inspira
toni only think, my love, you were
10 ne kept right and cheerful, and
what could be better for that pur-
pose?"
In the Torment Of my soul urged
one objection after another-it would
be expensive, we could not afford II.
who asks you to afford it? It's
my affair, isn't ito said my father.
was unwel and therefore un-
able to undertake the hard work Of
such an entertainment-bu that was
the worst of excuses, for Alma
jumped in with an offer of assistance.
my dearest child" she said, you
know how happy ! shall be to help
YOU. In fact. I'll do all the work
and you shall have all the glory
There you are, them cried my
father. slapping me on the shoulder.
and then, turning to Alma. he told