Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-06

| n FTER my mothers death there
! ~ wes no place left for me in
my fathers house.
Betsy Beauty (who was now called
Miss eBtsy and gave herself more
than ever the airs OF the daughter
Of the family occupied half her days
with the governess who had been en-
gagged TO teach her, and the othel
half in driving. dressed in beautiful
clothes TO the houses OF the gentry
roundab bout.
Messy Macleod. called the young
| mistress. had become my fathers
| secretary, and spent most of her time
| In his private room, privilege
which enlarged her pride withou;
| improving her manners.
Martin Conrad | did not see, for in
reward for some success at school
| the doctor had allowed him to spend
| his Easter holidays in London In
order to look at Nansens ship, n,
Fran, which had Just then arrived
in the Thames
Hence It happened that though
| home made a certain tug at me,
with its familiar sights and sounds,
and more than once | turned WITH
| ttmid steps toward my fathers busy
room, intending TO say, Please,
! father, don't send me back t.
school" ! made no demur when, six
or seven days after the funeral, Aunt
Bridget began to prepare for my de-
| parture.
There's odds Of women" said
| Tommy the Mate, when ] went into
the garden to say good-by to him
They're like Sleeps broth. is worn
men. II there's a head and heart in
them they're good, and II there Isn't
| YOU might as we'll be supplng hot
water. Our Big Woman is hot water
but she'll ole for all.
| Within a fort night ] was back at
| the Convent, and there the Reverend
Mother atoned to me for every neg
iect
II knew you would come back 10
no" che said. and from that ho"r
onward she seemed to be trying -
make up to me for the mother l had
| lost.
became deeply devoted to her.
As a consequence her spirit became
nv spirit. and, lttle by little, the
religious side Of the life OF the Con-
vent took complete possession OF me-
Years Go BY.
At nrst loved the church and its
services because the Reverend Mother
| loved them, and perhaps also for the
sake OF the Music. the incense the
| flowers and the lights on the altar;
| Sut after had taken my communion,
| Tho mysteries Of our religion took
hold Of me--,the Confessional with its
| sense OF cleansing and the unutter-
bic sweetness Of the Mass.
| For a long time there was nothing
| TO disturb this religious side of my
mind Ny father never sent for me
and as often as the holidays came
round the Reverend Mother took me
| with her TO her country home at
| Nemi.
That was a beautiful place-a sweet
| Nhite cottage. some twenty kilome-
| 'ers from Rome, at the foot of Monte
| 7avo. in the middle Of the remains
| If a medieval village which contained
1 castle and a monastery, and had a
| title blue lake lying like an emerald
| among the green and red of the grass
| ana peoples in the valley below.
! I'm the hot months of summer the
| place was like Paradise to me, with
| its roses growing wild by the way
side; its green lizards running on the
rocks; its brown faced boys in vel
vet, and its gleesome girls in smart
red pet.icoats and gorgeous outside
stays; its shrines and its blazing sun
sets, which seemed to girdle the heav-
ems with qulvering bands OF purple
and gold.
Years went by without me being
aware of their going, for after a while
| became entirely happy.
! heard frequently from home Oc-
casionallv 1t was from Betsy Beauty,
who had not much to say beyond sto-
ries OF balls at Government House.
where she had danced with the young
Lord Raa, and OF hunts at which she
had ridden with him, More rarely IL
| was from Aunt Bridget, who usually
began by complaining of the everin-
creasing cost OF my convent clothes.
| and ended with accounts of her
daughters last new costume and how
well she looked in II.
From Messy Macleod and my faith
er | never heard at all, but Father
| Dan was my constant correspondent,
and he told me everything,
First of my father himself-that he
had carried out many of his great en-
| terprises, his marine works, electric
railways, drinking and dancing pal
aces, which had brought tens of thou
sands Of visitors and hundreds OF
thousands Of pounds To ELAN, though
| The good Father doubted the advan-
Z -
ed the decline Of piety which had fol-
lowed on the lust for wealth
Next Of Aunt Bridget-that she was
bringing up her daughter in the ways
OF worldly vanity and cherishing a
serpent IN her bosom (meaning Messy
MacLeod) who would poison her
heart some day.
Letter From Home.
Next OF Tommy the Mate-that he
sent his best respec's" to the IN
missy" but thought she was we'll out
OF the way Of the Big Woman who
was getting that highly tightly that
YOU couldn't say Tom to a cat be-
fore her but she was agate of you to
make il Thomas"
Then or Martin Coursd-that he
was at college studying for a doe
tor but his heart was still at the