Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-11
A Priest S Affection.

ON the way home Father Dan
talked OF the business that hal
brought me back, saying | was not to
think too much of anything he might
have said of Lord Raa in his letters,
seeing that he had spoken from hear
say and the world was so censorious
and then there was no measuring
the miraculous influence that might
be exercised by good woman.
He said this with a certain CON
straint, and was more at ease when
he spoke of the JOY that ought to
come into girls life at her mar
riage-her first love her first love
letter her wedding day and her first
baby, all the sweet and wonderful
things Of new existence which q
man could never know.
Even an old priest may see that"
he said, with a laugh and pat of my
hand
We dropped Mr. Curphy at his
house in Holmtown and then my "a
Their sat with us at the back. and
talked with tremendous energy or
what he had done. of what he was
going to do, and of all the splendors
that were before me.
You'll be the big woman OF the Is
land, and there won't be a mothers
son dare say boo to you"
! noticed that in his excitement his
tongue dropping the suggestion of mis-
adopted country, reverted to the IA "
, speech OF his native soil; and | had a
sense Of being with him before ! was
| born when he returned home from
America with millions of dollars at
his back, and the people who had
made game of his father went down
| before his face like a flood
Such of them as had not done 50
then (heing Of the "arstocracy" OF
| the island and remembering the hum
BILE stock he came from were to do
so now. for in the second generation,
and by means Of his daughters mar
riage, he was going to triumph over
| them all.
Wen beat ON. gel! My goush,
yes Wen beat 'em!" he cried with a
flash of his black eyes and a master
full lift of his eyebrows.
AS we ran by the mansions OF The
great people OF ELAN, he pointed
them out to me with a fling of the
arm and spoke of the families in a
tone Of contempt.
See that? That's Christian OF
Balla- Christian. The man snubbcd
me six months ago. He'll know BET
ter six months to come.
That's EVreton. His missus was too
big to call on your mother--she'll call
on you, though, you go bail See yon-
der big towers in the trees? That S
Folksdale, where the Farragans live.
The daughters have been walking
over the world like peacocks, but
they'll crawl on II like cockroa ches.
- Hulloh. here's ould Balgean "
Eagle Hill in his grand carriage with
his English coaChman. See
that, though? See him don his hat 10
YOU, the ould hypocrlte? He knows
| something He's got an inkling.
Things travel Wen geat 'em, gel,
wen beat EN-, They'll be round rs
| like bees about a honeypot,"
II was impossible no. to catch tho
contagion OF my fathers triumphant
| spirits, and In my different way !
found myself tingling with delight as
| | recognized the scenes associated
with my childhood the village, the
| bridge. the lane 70 Sunny Lodge and
Murphv's Mouth. and the trees that
bordered our drive.
Nearly everything looked smaller
or narrower or lower than | had
| thought. but had forgotten how
| lovely they all were lying so snugly
| under the hill and with the sea in
| front of them.
| Our house alone when We drove up
| to il seemed larger than | had eN-
! pected but my father explained this
! by saying:
| improvements, gel III show YOU
! over to -morrow morning
Aunt Bridget (white- headed now
and wearing spectacles and white
| cap), Betsy Beauty (grown tall and
round with a kind OF country comeli-
ness) and Messy Macleod Cooking
| like a premature old maid who was
/ doing her best to be girll were
waiting at the open porch when our
| car drew up. and they received me
with surprising cordially.
Here she IS at LAST" said Aunt
! Bridget.
And such luck as she has come
] home to-" said Betsy Beauty.
There were compliments on the i'm
provement in my appearance (Aunt
| Bridget declaring she could not have
| believed #. she reNly could noD, and