The Washington herald., 1920-10-28

the self-banished Geddie, IL was
nothing less than the artful smiles
OF lovely woman that had driven
Johnny Atwood to the desperate
expedient Of accepting office under
a despised Federal government SO
that he might go far, far away and
never see again the false, fair face
that had wrecked his young life.
The consulship of Coralio seemed
to offer a retreat sufficiently remop-
ed and romantic enough to inject
the necessary drama into the pas
toral scenes of Dalesburg life.
1t was while playing the part Of
Cupid's exile that Johnny added his
handiworkso the long list of casu-
alties along the Spanish Main by
his famous manipulation of the
shoe market, and his unparalleled
feat of elevating the most despised
and useless weed in his own coun-
try from obscurity to be valuable
product in international commerce.
The trouble began, as trouble
often begins instead Of ending. with
a romance. In Dalesburg there was
a man named Elijah Hemstetter,
who kept a general store. His FAM
lily consisted of one daughter called
Rosine, a name that atoned much
for "Hemstetter." That young
woman was possessed of plentiful
attractions, so that the young men
of the community were agitated in
their bosoms. Among the more agi-
tated was Johnny, the son of Judge
Atwood, who lived in the big CO.
lonial mansion on the edge OF Dsles-
burg.
It would seem that the desirable
Rosine should have been pleased to
return the affection OF an Atwood,
a name honored all over the State
long before and since the war. 1t
does seem that she should have
gladly consented to have been led
into that stately but rather empty
colonial msnsion. But not so. There
was a cloud on the horizon, a threat
ening, cumulus cloud, in the shape
/ OF lively and shrewd young farmer
in the neighborhood who dared to
enter the lists as a rival to the
| high-born Atwood.
One night Johnny propounded to
Rosine a question that is considered
of much Importance by the young
of the human species. The acces-
sories were all there-moonlight
oleanders, masnolias. the mock
birds song. Whether or no the
shadow of Pinkney Dawson, the
prosperous young farmer. came be-
tween them on that occasion is not
known: but Rosine's answer was
unfavorable. Mr.. John De Graffen-
reid Atwood bowed till his hat
touched the lawn grass, and went
away with his head high. but with
sore wound in his pedigree and
| heart. 4 Hemstetter refuse an At
wood, zounds!
Among other accidents Of that
year was a Democratic president
Judge Atwood was a warhaSse OF
| Democracy. Johnny persuaded him
to set the wheels moving for some
foreign appointment. He would &c
awsy-away. Perhaps in years tc
come Rosinc would think how true
how faithful his love had been, and
would drop a tear-maybe in the
, Pink Dawson's breakfast.
The wheels of politics rcvolved
/ and Johnny was appointed consul to
/ Coralio. Just before leaving he
! dropped it at Hemstetter's TO say
/ sOOoOgO ACIC W as d qOctTr plnh
/ ish look about Rosine's eyes: and
had the two been alone, the United
/ States might have had to cast about
/ for another consul. But Pink Daw.
| son was there. of course, talking
about his 400-acre orchard, and the
/ three-mils alfalfa tract. and the 200.
acre pasture. So Johnny shook
, hands with Rosine as cooily as if he
I w Nr1H tro t.
gomery for a couple of days. They
had the royal manner when they
chose, those Atwoods
IF you happen to strike anything
in the way of a good investme MT
Dawson. Just let me know, will
you? reckon could lay my hands
on few extra thousands most any
time for a profitable deal"
Certainly. Pink" said Johnny.
pleasantly. IF l strike anything OF
the sort I'll let you in with pleasure" ="
So Johnny went down to Mobile
and took a fruit steamer for the
coast of Anchuria.
When the new consul arrived in
Coralio the strangeness Of the
scenes diverted him much. He was
Z
| not worn like a garment as it is
by older men. 1t has Its seasons
when it reigEs: and then it is un-
seated for time by the assertion
of the keen senses.
Billy keogh and Johnny seemed
to conceive a mutual friendship a,
once. Keogh took the new consul
about town and presented him to
the handful of Americans and the
smaller number os French and Ger
mans who made up the foreign
contingent. And then, of course,
ne had to be more formally intro
duced to the native officials, and
have his credentials transmitted
through an interpreter.
There was something about the
young Southerner that the sophis-
ticated Keogh liked. His manner
was simple almost to boyishness:
but he possessed the cool careless.
ness of man of far greater age
and experience. Neither uniforms
nor titles. red tape nor foreign Ian
guages, mountains nor sea weigh
ed upon his spirits. He was heir
to all the ages, an Atwood of Dales-
burg; and you might know every
thought conceived in his bosom.
Geddie came down to the con:
sulate to explain the duties and
workings of the office He and
keogh tried to interest the new
consul in their description of the
work that his government expected
him to perform.
Its all right" said Johnny from
the hammock that he had set up as
the Official reclining place. IF any,
thing turns up that has to be done
I'll let you fellows do it. You can't