Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-28
ABNER'S PROPHECY
CHAPTER VIII

RI was the look in Charlotte's eyes,
the look that told only too plain
ly her eagerness to be on that
d. made Mrs. Graves realize Just
how light was the tie that bound her
daughter to her. A look from her
lovers ewes, the embrace of his arms
about her, and Charlotte had torgot-
fen the stretch of years behind her
when her mother had been her only
friend. Mrs. Graves knew 1t. she
her dropped. 1t was that hne name 0f
motherhood that Charlotte Would
never understand until she held her
own baby in her arms. A.
Your father must be told" Mrs.
Graves said quietly. :,
I'll go out and get him." Anthony
volunteered. And he went out to the
fields leaving the two women To-
II must go up and get my things
together" Charlotte said quickly.
"Pd wait till your father came IN
if I were you'" her mother s"s
you don't think he'll make fuss
Il think Anthony will manage"
Mrs. Graves returned with a little
smile. HE seems capable of taking
care of his own affairs.
Instantly Charlottes spirits were
CAV again. "Were you very much sur
prised, mother? I did want to tell you,
but Tony thought we oughtn't to tell
anv one until he had told his own
! people" ~.
| Not for the world would she have
| spoiled CharIotte's happiness by sug-
costing that Tony had been altogeth-
| err selfish in the matter she sus-
pected, too. real reason for the secret
marriage He was ashamed of Char,
| lotte's family, his attitude showed
| that plainly. and he had thought only
of himself through the entire affair.
He came in then with Abner
| Graves. He was flushed as though he
| had been having an argument OIL
some kind. and Abner looked sullen
and angry.
$50 this is the way you treat your
mother and me-" he snarled at Char
lotte. "Sneakin' off and gettin' mar
ried. Ashamed of US. eh?"
Charlotte shrank away from him,
and Tony went up and put protect
| ing arm about her. There's no need
of arguing about it now. sir" he said
civilly. charlotte and l are married,
and 1 have come to take her home
"All right. take her, she's yours :;
| I'm not putin up any objections
always told her mother she'd be soT,
~ some day for putin highfalutln'
notions in the girls head. Take her,
but don't you come sneakin' home
again when your husbands swell re-
| lations think they're too good for you.
You hear me?" he groWled at his
| daughter.
His wife went UP to him. "Abner
there's no need of making the child
:. unhappy. What's done is done. and
there can't anything be changed
Abner shrugged his shoulders
well. I must be gettin' back to my
work. [ amt got time to stand
around here talkin' all day"
Tony pushed Charlotte forward.
''Say good-by to him, dear.
Charlotte went up to her father
timidly "Good-by, father" she said
softly I'm sorry you feel that way
about u.s. Abner made no effort to
while. she reached up and touched his
grfzzled face with her hoft lips,
Then, without a word to Tony. he
STROBE out of the room. Charlotte s
eyes were full of tears as she stood
! looking after him. She had never
Il loved her father. but something
1 prophetic in the cruel words he had
flung at her had clouded the Joy of
her day. and filled her with a strange
| little dread. She was only a child
and the farm was the only home she
had ever known. Now she was going
out to live among strangers. and
| even though Tony would be there
| to take care of her she realized for
the first time that her ways would
be strange to them, and perhaps
they would not like her.
(To Be Cohinued)