A Woman Named Smith

was on the lookout for us explained that the judge had a "misery in the laigs" wh

wet, gray glimpses of old houses in old gardens, and every now and then a pink crape-myrtle blushing in the pouring rain. Hyndsville was, it seemed, one of those sprawl

piked iron railing on top of it, the whole overrun with weeds and creepers. Of Hynds H

branches slapped viciously at our faces, and tough brambles, like snares and gins, tried to catch our feet. On eac

and fitting canopy for it, what looked like a pile reared in medieval Europe rather than a home in America. Its stained brick walls, partly covered with ivy

for woman, c

ace,-and yet

under some

ommuni

build their temples-to last forever, to defy time and decay. It was not only meant to be a place for Hyndses t

lower part of which had been used for stables and carriage house, and the upper portion as quarters for the house slaves, in the old days. Another smaller building, slate-roofed and ivy covered, was the spring-house, with a clear, cold little spring still bubbling away a

e hung a shad

ystery the s

plain as whis

ce is H

mp and moldy air met us. The house had not been opened since Sophronisba's funeral, and everything-stairs, settles, tables, cabinets, pictur

on the other. It was a nice place, that side passage, with a fireplace and settles; and beautiful windows opening upon the tangled garden. All the d

rned and stared at each other, another Alicia and Sophy staring back at us from a dim and dusty mirror opposite. If, at that moment, I could have heard the familiar buzzer

trees are quite the loveliest things left over from Paradise, and I'm glad we came here to see them with our own eyes! Brace up, Sophy! We'll feel heaps better when we've had something to e

and was bidding us welcome. For a few wonderful moments the exquisite music filled the dark old place and banished gloom and neglect and decay; then, with a pattering scamper, as of the bare, r

s! Somebody's playing a violin up-stairs.

th a real violin. But I'd rather believe it's Ariel's self, come o

ody's played a violin and

hern fashion under the roof of the pillared front porch. At the rear a more ordinary door opened upon the broad veranda that ran the full width of the house. Both door and window were closed, and bolted on the inside, and the

e sunk into the walls, and cased with solid black walnut as Impervious to

he best things in it aren't really real. This is one of its enchanted places. Sycorax used to live in this house: that's wha

st inside and the rain outside and the wee

ain to splatter on her bright hair and whip it into curls, and bring a deeper shade of pink to her cheeks, and a deeper blue to her eye

," I suggested ironically, "and call up

ng cup of coffee just as soon as that ancient Afric

the library, and behind that a room evidently used for an office. We didn't know it then, of course, but that library was treasure trove. Almost every book and p

ouldn't see yourself in the tarnished mirrors, the portraits were black with dirt, and most of the prints were badly stained. Alicia swooped upon a pair of chi

I wouldn't want sure-enough dogs that looked like these, but as china dogs they're perfect! And cast your eyes

maids with

for hal

ose,' the W

would mak

,' said the

nd

w that Queen Victoria, when she was a child, had the same virtu

t belie

was a black-mustached Confederate with a red sash around his waist. I adore Confederates! They're the most glamorous, romantic figures in American history. I wish a black mustache went along with the cup

s McGraw,' the

e a sojer av

us-tache, an' a

cGraw, wouldn't

hat-tooroo

cGraw, wouldn't

intended to walk, now was the accepted time! And as if that graceless ballad were the signa

shed down

alled, breathl

t his head, from which tufts of snowy wool protruded. From his ears hung crescent-shaped silver ear-rings studded with coral and turquoise; a necklace of the same barbaric magnificence was about his neck, and his arms were covered with bracelets. His deep-set eyes, his flat nose, his mouth set in a thousand fine wrinkles, the whole

" breath

ol sliced tomatoes with sprigs of green parsley, fresh butter, fresh cream, a great slab of heavenly cake, a wicker basket of Elbert

is not true: it can't be!-

omobile honked outside in the street shut off by our garden trees, and a dog barked. Our jinnee cocked a cautious

tically. Without further ado we dragged forward a small table, and fell to. Al

omfortable feeling that nothing can give so thoroughly as

phy, handle this prayerfully: it's an apostle spoon. Think of having a

e the print or the pottery in the shop window, feeling sure that when they are finally sold to somebody better able to buy them, something else I can admire just as much will take their place. Mine is a philosophy not altogether to be despised, though Alicia rejects i

Gay and kind spirit, when we broke your bread you broke her spell: the wishbone

fied with nothing short of perfection, let's go up-sta

fine portrait of a colonial gentleman above the mantel, a very handsome man in claret-colored satin, with a vest of flowered gold bro

hes is above all praise, though I fancy you were somewhat too vain of your

legs of a man." I quoted

ove how much we both admire you, you shall have Ariel's roses." She had brought them up

hing more remarkable than a package of cigarettes,

inds me: the silver you admired so much was marked 'G.' Then, in all probability,

arers in terra-cotta robes out on rainy days for the entertainment of strange ladies.

means to return." I did not fancy those big forlorn rooms, with their great beds that didn't seem

ow seemed a hole cut into it. The tray we had left on the window-ledge was gone. In its place was not

n and built us a fire in the hall. He was a pleasant old negro, garrulous and kind

rying himself before the blazing logs, "Un

oubtfully. The old fellow was slightly deaf,

inly rips an' ta'hs when he's riled! You ought ter seen 'im de day ol' Mis' Scarlett let fly wid 'er shot-gun an' blowed de tails spang off'n two of 'is hens an' de haid off'n 'is prize rooster! De fowls come thoo' de haidge, an' ol' Mis' grab 'er gun an' blaze away. De Doctor hear de squallation, an' come fl

You my witness ob dis ruffian trispassin' on my prop'ty an' cussin' an' seducin' a ol' woman widout 'er consent,' she says. 'Has I retched my a

oastin' on Beelzebub's own griddle, it's you, you gall

grim-like. 'I'll have a warrant out foh y

done sont de shariff atter me f

ed, curiously. I was getting a sid

. "I done tuck mah troubles to de Lawd, whichin He 'bleeged ter know

what happ

tt she tuck an' went an' up an' died. Yessum! She done daid. An' next thing we-all hea

relatives, then

s. Dat's how come dey could fight so powerful. Ain'

regretfully, t

evah gwine ter knew, whut real, sho-nough fi

a foreigner,"

ma, but she 'sisted on marryin' er furriner, an' de boy takes atter de furriners 'stead er we-all. 'Taint de po' boy's fault, but ol' Mis' Scarlett

folks say?" I

'taint natchel ter carry de fight inter de grave-yahd. Dat's whut she done, ma'ams. An' folks is ou

ee woman n

m, dat

oreigner any real claim or righ

ged ter lef it to de Hyndses, but folks thinks she oughter done it, an' dey's powerful riled 'cause she a

aid I, tho

hyuh to-night, is you?" He seemed really distressed at the notion. "Lem

s the matter wi

ed around him

hyuh de pianner in de pahlor, ting-a-ling-a-ling! ting-a-ling-a-ling! I say, 'Who de name er Gawd in ol' Mis' Scarlett's pahlor, when dey ain't nobody in it?' I look thoo de haidge, an' dey's

playing it,

in' Mis' Scarlett's pianner when

n't you

r er laigs from er yaller dawg, I'd a did it right den, so 's I could run twi

s head. He would come back early in the morning to do anything we might require. But he w

e old woman has played me, like an ace up her sleeve, against her neighbors and her family. She has left me a house that needs everything done to it except to burn i

ty, soft lips

room for us. Sophy, in all our lives we have never had a chance to make a real home. Well

g at her tone. I am slower than she, but

n my way I will blow his ships out o

g by the gate-legged table, snuggled into bed between the clean sheets we had brought with us, tucked a china dog

essly still. My heart pounded against my ribs, the blood beat in my ears. I was oppressed with a nameless terror, an angu

to undergo. You had to fight it, shut your mind against it, oppose your will to it like a stone wall, ref

tinct than reason. But I was exhaus