Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-28
: S6o :
: WIFE, :
Telling the News
CHAPTER VII
DS HAIL DEyO 2ATCHEZCS,
/92/ @ 7I4sL/c LEo6EP co.

SIlAI v Ii
n quite satisfied with his moth
IL er's surrender, once she had
given her promise he felt sure
that everything would be all right
Once more he was the impetuous
lover. He could hardly wait to be or,
and what had in reality been only
few days of separation now seemed
an eternity.
He arrived at Westonville shortly
after noon on a warm September day
The Graves farm lay about five miles
outside the village and Tony drove
over there poSt-haste in a hired bug
gy. Mrs. Graves stared at him as he
burst into the kitchen. She was
standing before a small wooden table
on which were piled soiled dishes.
These she was scraping and getting
ready to wash. The noon meal was
just over.
How do you do, Mrs. Graves?
said Tony, recovering himself some
what. Can l see Charlotte?"
1t was then that Charlotte herself
appeared in the door leading to the
low-ceilinged living room. She wore
a plain little gingham dress, and her
pale blonde hair was pulled back
from her face unbecomingly. She
was extraordinarily white. and stared
uncertainty at Tony as though he
were a ghost. The next minute ne
mad nGlu OUT HIS al Ills anu NAie'A
you've come back for me-" she
said, over and over. Somehow IN
the days he had left her alone, Char
lotte had begun to feel that heT
wedding and everything that had led
up to it was a dream; There were
times when she had felt that Tony
never would come back at all, and
her ring had brought very little
comfort to her. Now he was here IN
the blessed flesh. He was ho1dlng
her close, his own dear voice was
whispering her name over and over
again. o,,
when she turned to her mother al
last. A wild rose color had flooded
her face. Tony's rough embrace had
pulled little tendrils Of her hair loose.
Mother she said falteringiy;
Its all right, Mrs; Graves, Ion ~
said coming forward, "Charlotte Is
my wife. We were married the
night before I left"
Charlotte was fumbling at the rib
bon around her neck. She held the
little platinum band proudly: II
meant something now, It meant tn iad
ribbon with his penknife and sllpped
the little band on her finger. 1t was
then that she ran to her mother, ana
over her ash blonde head the dim,
kind ewes Of Mrs. Graves met anu
searched Tony's brown ones. "A
question was mutely asked and an
sWered. Mrs. Graves could not doupt
the fact that the boy was Thoroughly
in love, and in her heart she held no
resentment against the pair for Keep
ing the marriage secret; III,
you'll let me take her back with
me?" Tony asked. 1t was after the
first excitement was over and Tony
and Charlotte were sitting side py-
side and hand-in-hand on the DIG
lounge N the kitchen.
you must give us time to get USED
TO it," Mrs. Graves replied.
But we've been separated ALREADY
for days." Tony protested: II wan
t. take her back with me today; MY
mother is waiting for her. there
no need of waiting" n.
for a few days? There's the spare;
room. we could put you up there.
There was a little ring OF fear IN
the mothers voice. She was GLAD
for Charlotte-it was what she had
always wished for the girl-but TO
Give her up today seemed almost
more than she could bear.
But Charlotte, too, was eager TO
he off. I'll come back for a WISH
yery soon, dear" she said pleadlngly'
Intuitiyely she was reading and IN
Outstanding Tony's own thougnLs.
she did not want to begin their lie
tmoether here on the farm, where she
had lived all her life. She DID not
want to eat her meals with the eyes
of the hired men turned on her curl
o1,eIv She wanted to be off adVen-
tUri9g with Tony in that strange
land which she had never seen.