ommercial occupation that will furnish me with a livelihood. The book
and stationery business, though an humble one, seems to me not inapt
nor altogether uncongenial. I am a graduate of the University of
Virginia; and Mrs. Blaylock's really wonderful acquaintance with
belles-lettres and poetic literature should go far toward insuring
success. Of course, Mrs. Blaylock would not personally serve behind
the counter. With the nearly three hundred dollars I have remaining I
can manage the building of a house, by giving a lien on the lot. I
have an old friend in Atlanta who is a partner in a large book store,
and he has agreed to furnish me with a stock of goods on credit, on
extremely easy terms. I am pleased to hope, sir, that Mrs. Blaylock's
health and happiness will be increased by the change of locality.
Already I fancy I can perceive the return of those roses that were once
the hope and despair of Georgia cavaliers."

Again followed that wonderful bow, as the Colonel lightly touched the
pale cheek of the poetess. Mrs. Blaylock, blushing like a girl, shook
her curl and gave the Colonel an arch, reproving tap. Secret of
eternal youth--where art thou? Every second the answer comes--"Here,
here, here." Listen to thine own heartbeats, O weary seeker after
external miracles.

"Those years," said Mrs. Blaylock, "in Holly Springs were long, long,
long. But now is the promised land in sight. Skyland!--a lovely name."

"Doubtless," said the Colonel, "we shall be able to secure comfortable
accommodations at some modest hotel at reasonable rates. Our trunks
are in Okochee, to be forwarded when we shall have made permanent
arrangements."

J. Pinkney Bloom excused himself, went forward, and stood by the
captain at the wheel.

"Mac," said he, "do you remember my telling you once that I sold one of
those five-hundred-dollar lots in Skyland?"

"Seems I do," grinned Captain MacFarland.

"I'm not a coward, as a general rule," went on the promoter, "but I
always said that if I ever met the sucker that bought that lot I'd run
like a turkey. Now, you see that old babe-in-the-wood over there?
Well, he's the boy that drew the prize. That was the only
five-hundred-dollar lot that went. The rest ranged from ten dollars to
two hundred. His wife writes poetry. She's invented one about the
high grounds of Georgia, that's way up in G. They're going to Skyland
to open a book store."

"Well," said MacFarland, with another