飘

e　of　the　state。　There　was　pride　too；　mingled　with　the　elation　and　joy；　pride　that　Georgia　was　back　in　the　hands　of　her　own　people　again；　in　spite　of　all　the　administration　in　Washington　could　do；　in　spite　of　the　army；　the　Carpetbaggers；　the　Scalawags　and　the　native　Republicans。
　Seven　times　Congress　had　passed　crushing　acts　against　the　state　to　keep　it　a　conquered　province；　three　times　the　army　had　set　aside　civil　law。　The　negroes　had　frolicked　through　the　legislature；　grasping　aliens　had　mismanaged　the　government；　private　individuals　had　enriched　themselves　from　public　funds。　Georgia　had　been　helpless；　tormented；　abused；　hammered　down。　But　now；　in　spite　of　them　all；　Georgia　belonged　to　herself　again　and　through　the　efforts　of　her　own　people。
　The　sudden　overturn　of　the　Republicans　did　not　bring　joy　to　everyone。　There　was　consternation　in　the　ranks　of　the　Scalawags；　the　Carpetbaggers　and　the　Republicans。　The　Gelerts　and　Hundons；　evidently　apprised　of　Bullock’s　departure　before　his　resignation　became　public；　left　town　abruptly；　disappearing　into　that　oblivion　from　which　they　had　come。　The　other　Carpetbaggers　and　Scalawags　who　remained　were　uncertain；　frightened；　and　they　hovered　together　for　comfort；　wondering　what　the　legislative　investigation　would　bring　to　light　concerning　their　own　private　affairs。　They　were　not　insolent　now。　They　were　stunned；　bewildered；　afraid。　And　the　ladies　who　called　on　Scarlett　said　over　and　over：
　“But　who　would　have　thought　it　would　turn　out　this　way？　We　thought　the　governor　was　too　powerful。　We　thought　he　was　here　to　stay。　We　thought—”
　Scarlett　was　equally　bewildered　by　the　turn　of　events；　despite　Rhett’s　warning　as　to　the　direction　it　would　take。　It　was　not　that　she　was　sorry　Bullock　had　gone　and　the　Democrats　were　back　again。　Though　no　one　would　have　believed　it　she；　too；　felt　a　grim　happiness　that　the　Yankee　rule　was　at　last　thrown　off。　She　remembered　all　too　vividly　her　struggles　during　those　first　days　of　Reconstruction；　her　fears　that　the　soldiers　and　the　Carpetbaggers　would　confiscate　her　money　and　her　property。　She　remembered　her　helplessness　and　her　panic　at　her　helplessness　and　her　hatred　of　the　Yankees　who　had　imposed　this　galling　system　upon　the　South。　And　she　had　never　stopped　hating　them。　But；　in　trying　to　make　the　best　of　things；　in　trying　to　obtain　complete　security；　she　had　gone　with　the　conquerors。　No　matter　how　much　she　disliked　them；　she　had　surrounded　herself　with　them；　cut　herself　off　from　her　old　friends　and　her　old　ways　of　living。　And　now　the　power　of　the　conquerors　was　at　an　end。　She　had　gambled　on　the　continuance　of　the　Bullock　regime　and　she　had　lost
　As　she　looked　about　her；　that　Christmas　of　1871；　the　happiest　Christmas　the　state　had　known　in　over　ten　years；　she　was　disquieted。　She　could　not　help　seeing　that　Rhett；　once　the　most　execrated　man　in　Atlanta；　was　now　one　of　the　most　popular；　for　he　had　humbly　recanted　his　Republican　heresies　and　given　his　time　and　money　and　labor　and　thought　to　helping　Georgia　fight　her　way　back。　When　he　rode　down　the　streets；　smiling；　tipping　his　hat；　the　small　blue　bundle　that　was　Bonnie　perched　before　him　on　his　saddle；　everyone　smiled　back；　spoke　with　enthusiasm　and　looked　with　affection　on　the　little　girl。　Whereas；　she；　Scarlett—
　
　CHAPTER　LIX
　THERE　WAS　NO　DOUBT　in　anyone’s　mind　that　Bonnie　Butler　was　running　wild　and　needed　a　firm　hand　but　she　was　so　general　a　favorite　that　no　one　had　the　heart　to　attempt　the　necessary　firmness。　She　had　first　gotten　out　of　control　the　months　when　she　traveled　with　her　father。　When　she　had　been　with　Rhett　in　New　Orleans　and　Charleston　she　had　been　permitted　to　sit　up　as　late　as　she　pleased　and　had　gone　to　sleep　in　his　arms　in　theaters；　restaurants　and　at　card　tables。　Thereafter；　nothing　short　of　force　would　make　her　go　to　bed　at　the　same　time　as　the　obedient　Ella。　While　she　had　been　away　with　him；　Rhett　had　let　her　wear　any　dress　she　chose　and；　since　that　time；　she　had　gone　into　tantrums　when　Mammy　tried　to　dress　her　in　dimity　frocks　and　pinafores　instead　of　blue　taffeta　and　lace　collars。
　There　seemed　no　way　to　regain　the　ground　which　had　been　lost　when　the　child　was　away　from　home　and　later　when　Scarlett　had　been　ill　and　at　Tara。　As　Bonnie　grew　older　Scarlett　tried　to　discipline　her；　tried　to　keep　her　from　becoming　too　headstrong　and　spoiled；　but　with　little　success。　Rhett　always　sided　with　the　child；　no　matter　how　foolish　her　desires　or　how　outrageous　her　behavior。　He　encouraged　her　to　talk　and　treated　her　as　an　adult；　listening　to　her　opinions　with　apparent　seriousness　and　pretending　to　be　guided　by　them。　As　a　result；　Bonnie　interrupted　her　elders　whenever　she　pleased　and　contradicted　her　father　and　put　him　in　his　place。　He　only　laughed　and　would　not　permit　Scarlett　even　to　slap　the　little　girl’s　hand　by　way　of　reprimand。
　“If　she　wasn’t　such　a　sweet；　darling　thing；　she’d　be　impossible；”　thought　Scarlett　ruefully；　realizing　that　she　had　a　child　with　a　will　equal　to　her　own。　“She　adores　Rhett　and　he　could　make　her　behave　better　if　he　wanted　to。”
　But　Rhett　showed　no　inclination　to　make　Bonnie　behave。　Whatever　she　did　was　right　and　if　she　wanted　the　moon　she　could　have　it；　if　he　could　reach　it　for　her。　His　pride　in　her　beauty；　her　curls；　her　dimples；　her　graceful　little　gestures　was　boundless。　He　loved　her　pertness；　her　high　spirits　and　the　quaint　sweet　manner　she　had　of　showing　her　love　for　him。　For　all　her　spoiled　and　willful　ways　she　was　such　a　lovable　child　that　he　lacked　the　heart　to　try　to　curb　her。　He　was　her　god；　the　center　of　her　small　world；　and　that　was　too　precious　for　him　to　risk　losing　by　reprimands。
　She　clung　to　him　like　a　shadow。　She　woke　him　earlier　than　he　cared　to　wake；　sat　beside　him　at　the　table；　eating　alternately　from　his　plate　and　her　own；　rode　in　front　of　him　on　his　horse　and　permitted　no　one　but　Rhett　to　undress　her　and　put　her　to　sleep　in　the　small　bed　beside　his。
　It　amused　and　touched　Scarlett　to　see　the　iron　hand　with　which　her　small　child　ruled　her　father。　Who　would　have　thought　that　Rhett；　of　all　people；　would　take　fatherhood　so　seriously？　But　sometimes　a　dart　of　jealousy　went　through　Scarlett　because　Bonnie；　at　the　age　of　four；　understood　Rhett　better　than　she　had　ever　understood　him　and　could　manage　him　better　than　she　had　ever　managed　him。
　When　Bonnie　was　four　years　old；　Mammy　began　to　grumble　about　the　impropriety　of　a　girl　child　riding　“a…straddle　in　front　of　her　pa　wid　her　dress　flyin’　up。”　Rhett　lent　an　attentive　ear　to　this　remark；　as　he　did　to　all　Mammy’s　remarks　about　the　proper　raising　of　little　girls。　The　result　was　a　small　brown　and　white　Shetland　pony　with　a　long　silky　mane　and　tail　and　a　tiny　sidesaddle　with　silver　trimmings。　Ostensibly　the　pony　was　for　all　three　children　and　Rhett　bought　a　saddle　for　Wade　too。　But　Wade　infinitely　preferred　his　St。　Bernard　dog　and　Ella　was　afraid　of　all　animals。　So　the　pony　became　Bonnie’s　own　and　was　named　“Mr。　Butler。”　The　only　flaw　in　Bonnie’s　possessive　joy　was　that　she　could　not　still　ride　astride　like　her　father；　but　after　he　had　explained　how　much　more　difficult　it　was　to　ride　on　the　sidesaddle；　she　was　content　and　learned　rapidly。　Rhett’s　pride　in　her　good　seat　and　her　good　hands　was　enormous。
　“Wait　till　she’s　old　enough　to　hunt；”　he　boasted。　There’ll　be　no　one　like　her　on　any　field。　I’ll　take　her　to　Virginia　then。　That’s　where　the　real　hunting　is。　And　Kentucky　where　they　appreciate　good　riders。”
　When　it　came　to　making　her　riding　habit；　as　usual　she　had　her　choice　of　colors　and　as　usual　chose　blue。
　“But；　my　darling！　Not　that　blue　velvet！　The　blue　velvet　is　for　a　party　dress　for　me；”　laughed　Scarlett。　“A　nice　black　broadcloth　is　what　little　girls　wear。”　Seeing　the　small　black　brows　coming　together：　“For　Heaven’s　sake；　Rhett；　tell　her　how　unsuitable　it　would　be　and　how　dirty　it　will　get。”
　“Oh；　let　her　have　the　blue　velvet。　If　it　gets　dirty；　we’ll　make　her　another　one；”　said　Rhett　easily。
　So　Bonnie　had　her　blue　velvet　habit　with　a　skirt　that　trailed　down　the　pony’s　side　and　a　black　hat　with　a　red　plume　in　it；　because　Aunt　Melly’s　stories　of　Jeb　Stuart’s　plume　had　appealed　to　her　imagination。　On　days　that　were　bright　and　dear　the　two　could　be　seen　riding　down　Peachtree　Street；　Rhett　reining　in　his　big　black　horse　to　keep　pace　with　the　fat　pony’s　gait。　Sometimes　they　went　tearing　down　the　quiet　roads　about　the　town；　scattering　chickens　and　dogs　and　children；　Bonnie　beating　Mr。　Butler　with　her　crop；　her　tangled　curls　flying；　Rhett　holding　in　his　horse　with　a　firm　hand　that　she　might　think　Mr。　Butler　was　winning　the　race。
　When　he　had　assured　himself　of　her　seat；　her　hands；　her　utter　fearlessness；　Rhett　decided　that　the　time　had　come　for　her　to　learn　to　make　the　low　jumps　that　were　within　the　reach　of　Mr。　Butler’s　short　legs。　To　this　end；　he　built　a　hurdle　in　the　back　yard　and　paid　Wash；　one　of　Uncle　Peter’s　small　nephews；　twenty…five　cents　a　day　to　teach　Mr。　Butler　to　jump。　He　began　with　a　bar　two　inches　from　the　ground　and　gradually　worked　up　the　height　to　a　foot。
　This　arrangement　met　with　the　disapproval　of　the　three　parties　concerned；　Wash；　Mr。　Butler　and　Bonnie。　Wash　was　afraid　of　horses　and　only　the　princely　sum　offered　induced