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

a FTER my mothers death there
~ was no place left for me in
my fathers house
Betsy Beauty (who was now called
Miss eetsy 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 Other
half in driving, dressed in beautiful
clothes TO the houses OF the gentry
| roundabout
Messy Macleod. called the young
mistress, had become my fathers
secretary. and spent most Of her tune
| in hts private room, privilege
which enlarged her pride without
improving her MANNERS,
Martin Conrad | did not see, for IN
| reward for some success at schoo
the doctor had allowed him to spena
his Easter holidays in London ~
| order to look at Nansen's ship, ~,
Fran. which had just then arrived
in the Thames.
Hence It happened that though
home made certain tug at me,
with It's familiar sights and sounds,
and more than once ! turned with
timid steps toward my fathers busy
room, intending to say, Please
#, father, don't send me back -
school," l made no demur when, SIX
or seven days after the funeral, Aunt
Bridget began to prepare for my de-
parture.
Tommy the Mate, when ! went into
the garden to say goodby to him
| ''They're like Sleeps broth, is wom-
men. II there's head and heart In
them they're good, and II there ism
you might as we'll be suppjng h"'
water. Our Big Woman is hot water
but she'll die for all"
Within a fortnight | was back .
the Convent. and there the Reverend
Mother atoned to ne for every neg
lect
~ knew you would cone back -
me-" she said. and from that horr
onward she seemed to be trying %
make up to me for the mother l nad
lost
became deeply devoted 20 her.
"A q consequence her spirit became
nv spirit. and, little by little. the
religious side OF the life OF tho Con-
vent took complete posse ssion or me
Years Go By.
At first l loved the church and it's
| services because VIC iNtNNiN"iNA 90 NN'-''
loved them. and perhaps also for the
sake of the music. the Incense, the
flowers and the lights on the a!te"''
but after ] had taken my communion,
| ,hc mysteries OF our religion TOOK
hold OF me--the Confessional with It's
sense OF cleansing and the unutter-
able sweetness OF the Mass.
For a long time there was nothing
| TO disturb this religious side OF my
| mind NV father never sent for me
and as often as the holidays came
| round the Reverend Mother took me
| with her to her country home al
| Nemi
That was a beautiful place--a sweet
| white cottage, some twenty kilome-
tars from Rome, at the foot of Monte
| Cavo. in the middle OF the remains
# a medieval village which contained
A castle and a monastery, and had q
| tttlc blue lake lying like an emerald
,mong the green and red Of the grass
and poppies In the valley below.
In the hot months of summer the
place was like Paradise to me, with
its roses growing wild by the way
side: it's green lizards running on the
rocks; its brown faced boys in vel
vet and its gleesome girls in smart
red petticoats and gorgeous outside
stays; It's shrines and its blazing sun
sets, which seemed to girdle the heaV.
ems with quivering 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. DC
casionally II 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 4,
was from Aunt Bridget, who usually
began by complaining OF the ever-in
creas!ng 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 himSeif-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-
| lhkt bA NANll AlllihNANlNAlS anu te'Ahi'NN
ed the decline Of plety which had tol-
lowed on the lust for wealth.
Next NJ Aunt Bridget-that she was
bringing up her daughter in the ways
OF worldly vanity and cherishing q
serpent M her bosom (meaning Messy
Macleod who would poison hel
heart some day.
Letter From Home.
Next OF Tommy the Mate--that he
sent his best respects" TO the '1r
missy" but thought she was well 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 &c
mako 20 rThprpas