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

to see me. thought 1t SIG
nifcant 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 at the first
glance OF his cheerful face under his
iron-grey head | knew what Alma
had said ia the letter which had sum-
moned him.
In his soft voive he asked me 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 ate
We shall be better than ever by-and-
by
Then in his sweet and delicate way
(as if he were saving something tina :
would be very grateful he told me
what | knew already. and l listened
with my head down and my face to-
ward the fire
He must have been disappointed at
the sad way | received his news, for
he proceeded to talk of my general
health, saying the great thing in such
a 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-felloWs
familiar and happy faces
! said Yes and Yes knowing
only too well how impossible it all
was, and then his talk turned on gen
eral topics-my father, whose condi :
ton made his face very grave, ano
then his wife, Christian Ann who's
name caused his gentle old eyes T.
CLEAN with sunshine
She had charged him with mes
sage TO me
"Tel 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 | 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-
blcS same as ourselves, poor things,
and If she ever wants TO rest her
sweet head in poor Woman's bed.
Mary O'Neilrs little room is always
waiting for her
God bless her!" | said-it was al
| 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 I'm such dread that he might do
SO. but sure l am that n he had men
toned Martin at that moment should
have screamed.
When he rose to go he repeated his
warnings
You'll remember what I said about
being bright and cheerful
And keep happy and agreeable
faces about youe"
Yes"
Hardly had ne left the room when
Alma came sweeping into it, full OF
her warmest and insincerest congrat-
ulations.
THERE" she cried, with all the bit
ter honey I'm her tongue Wasn't I
right in sending for the doctor? Such
news, too, Oh happy, happy you
But / must not keep YOU now, dear
est. You'll be just crazy to write to
your husband and tell him all about
IT,"
Almas mother was the next to Wis
N 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 I said to
Alma as was sure YOU were that
way Impossible, said Alma, but it's
us married women TO know isn't it?'
After that and some homely coun-
sci out of her own eXperienCe-to take
my breakfast In bed in future, avoid
ing tea. etc.-she told me how fortu-
nate I was to have Alma in the house
at such moment
The doctor says you're TO keen
bright and cheerful and she's such a
happy heart. is Alma. So crazy about
YOU. too! You wouldn't believe 1t. but
she's actually talking of staying with
YOU until the December sailing, at
an events
The prospect Of having Alma two
months longer to probe my secret
soul as with a 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 eyes behind her gold-rim-
med spectacles told me at a glance
that her visit was not an unselhsh
one
To Be Continued TOAnorrow.