The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-08-22
GEORGIAN silver
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

Alex looked down at the little girl
beside him with a calm, quiet scrutiny
which might have conveyed a diversity
of impressions upon any who noticed.
But for the enlightenment Of the few
who knew not Alex, l shall explain
that he was quietest when most de-
lighted, and he was indeed thankful to
his hostess for putting him beside this
sweet little violet Of humanity.
He drew q long breath and waited
for her to speak. He didn't know the
girl and he hoped she didn't know MIN.
Otherwise she might be like the 9TH
ers; ove~rtalkative, unnatural, and apt
to overdo. He was too modest to ap-
preciate the fact that, as the best
catch in the matrimonial sea, ne was
apt to be offered bait in generous guam
titles and of infinite variety.
Dorothy looked around the dining
room with wide eyes, then up at him
with q smile. II can't believe I'm
awake" she said.
"No?" It was an Invitation to 60
on.
mo. They say that sometimes a
wish is father to a thought. Maybe
I've Just wished for something like this
so often that now I think it's true.
Maybe I'm not here at all-only think
Ing I am"
"What does it matter? Maybe I'm
thinking all this too"
II was just thinking" she remarked
in the interval before the soup, that
it's a shame Bob couldn't be here. He'd
love 1t so. But Aunt Jane said he
couldn't come, that's all there was to.
1t. Aunt Jane said 1t was kind OF Mrs.
Dexter to ask one Of the poor Vir-
ginia relations without ringing in the
three of US. . You see, there's Robert,
Stonewall and myself. The boys are
.dears; you ought to know them. Bob's
my twin"
"He must be q dear" ventured Alex.
She laughed, but colored neverthe-
less.
he changed the subject. "Are you
FOND Of old ~silver?" he asked. "Pve
been admiring those Georgian candle
sticks. The pattern is very rare"
"T've been collecting bits here and
there" he went on. mo doubt you can
tell me some wonderful things about
old silver. Most Southerners can. But
one thing l have discovered for myself,
that Southerners may part with their
homes, their clothes. and even their
souls, but their silver-never. l know
where there are some splendid collec-
tons in the South, but you can't get
them"
Dorothy's appetite for food suddenly
disappeared. She laid down her fork
and looked so distressed that Alex
wondered what dreadful thing he had
said.
II want TOTO tell you" said the
girl finally, where I happen to know
you may find a beautiful collection of
Georgian silver. It is at Berni's, on
Fifth avenue. It all came from n
family, and it seems to me the things
ought to stay together" Then sud-
denly and brightly, as If to put a dis
tasteful thought behind her, q" wish
you could know Wally and Bob. Poor
Bobw
"Wby poor?"
"Oh, he loves nice things SO. We
all do! But I really meant 1t literally,
you know. We are poor, very. You
see that's why Pm" She stopped.
Virginia pride was uppermost. Moth
Ing" she answered his eager inquiry.
" thought I could tell you, but I
can't"
A painful flush had spread over her
face, and Alex had an uncomfortable
feeling that tears were near. Some
thing was giving this little girl a great
deal Of unhappiness, he had discov-
cred, and suddenly he had a desire to
, chase the clouds away from the seri-
Gus dark eyes, and to see the dimple
come and 60 in her lovely, smooth
cheek.
The next day he stopped in Berni's.
And there was Dorothy herself, hat
less, coatless and in the plain black
garb of q clerk. She colored f%uriously
when she saw him.
Alex was puzzled. Was the story Of
Virginia, then, merely a happy fiction,
manufactured to entertain a dinner
partner? If so, it was good. Good
afternoon" he said; II understand
there was q fine collection of old
Georgian silver here. May I see it,"
"Certainlyw Dorothy led the way
to 6 table on which was an array that
made Alex fairly jump with astonish-
ment.
"It's splendid" he cried. whose
was it? Where did it come from? l
never saw anything like it."
"The silver is mine-all I have. But
the boys must 60 to school, and it
must 60. 7 won't let anyone else sell
it. That was n stipulation l made
to Berni, that I must approve the pur-