Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-07-28
CHILD OF EVIL
~ 0CEAyUs nov COHEN
eoczAvm nor cosus-vNu szauc.

with q riot Of color, thousands more
had been planted. The work had
been done artistically, so that there
were breath-taking vistas Of bios
SONS. There were gardens which
were formal and some which were
informal. All were astonishingly, un-
believably. beautiful.
And years ago the first tourists,
returning from winter vacations in
Florida, had discovered these places
which southerners had taken for
granted. The fame of the various
Gardens spread and became ma
tional, then International Good
roads were built so that the Gardens
could be visited comfortably, rail-
roads inaugurated excursions dur
ing the season of greatest floral per-
lection. Old families responded to
the sudden popularity of their
places by cultivating them with
greater care and EXPERIENCES, and
by charging admission fees to stran-
gers.
And il was this custom which had
given one woman a vision beyond
any other vision which the South
had known. To Ruth Hamilton had
come the idea of snatching from
the gray waste of the swamp a few
hundred acres, and of creating
beauty where there had been only
grim ugliness. The work had been
long and arduous, but this spring
Cathedral Gardens had become a
new shrine.
Today, as on every other day, Kay
Forrest could not believe that this
had recently been like the rest Of
Little Moccasin Swamp: dreary and
menacing. The underbrush had
been cleared away; the water was
unblemished by drift. And here and
there through the vaulted arches
she could see islands, ablaze with
Indian azalea. Each tiny island was
living flame of color; rich red and
pink and magenta. There were no
leaves to be seen; merely weller
of color splotching the gray-and-
black of cypress and moss and wa
ter. In this hushed hour the place
was unearthly, and to have con-
versed would have seemed sacri-
lege. So Miss Maynard did not
speak until they approached an is
land near the edge of the Gardens,
an island larger than the rest, an
island rising from the water and
rioting with color. Then Miss May
nard said, well stop here"
The bateau nosed into the bank,
and Miss Maynard stepped out, car
rying her Photographic equipment.
The older woman was quietly eff
cient. She critically surveyed the
spot she had chosen, scrutinized the
light sitting through the gray moss;
expertly appraising camera angles
and backgrounds; observing the rich
magnificence of azalea bushes, and
noting with approval a great live
oak rising majestically from the
middle of the island. She said, "This
will do, Kay. Come along"
Kay Forrest helped. She offered
no comment, but watched Miss May
nard as the camera was set up at a
proper vantage spot. And while
Miss Maynard was experimenting
with camera and tripod and lens,
Kay Forrest walked to the waters
edge and stared into the infinite
beauty.
She didn't hear Miss Maynard ap-
proach, and she was startled by the
touch of Miss Maynard's hand on
her shoulder.
Miss Maynard said, 1T gets you,
doesn't it, Kay?"
The girl smiled. always"
you're peculiar little thing :"
Because ] love this?"
perhaps. You were raised in
Beauregard County. You've known
these swamps all your life"
"But not as they are now. Oh!
l reckon it seems crazy, but I've al
ways wondered why somebody else
didn't understand how lovely the
swamp could be-"
"And now someone has," Miss
Maynard's eyes twinkled. 81 don't
suppose Barney Hamilton has any,
thing to do with this joy of yours,
has he?"
Kay's eyes crinkled at the cor
ners. "Barney's pretty swell. like
being teased about him."
"You should. He's rather gone
off the deep end about you"
Really"
"What do you Think"
"I'm scared to say" Kay touched
the hand Of the older woman. what
ever it is, Miss Maynard. ! can't