Chapter 8

           AsthetraincarriedScarlettnorthwardthatMaymorningin1862,shethoughtthatAtlantacouldn’tpossiblybesoboringasCharlestonandSavannahhadbeenand,inspiteofherdistasteforMissPittypatandMelanie,shelookedforwardwithsomecuriositytowardseeinghowthetownhadfaredsinceherlastvisit,inthewinterbeforethewarbegan.

           AtlantahadalwaysinterestedhermorethananyothertownbecausewhenshewasachildGeraldhadtoldherthatsheandAtlantawereexactlythesameage.ShediscoveredwhenshegrewolderthatGeraldhadstretchedthetruthsomewhat,aswashishabitwhenalittlestretchingwouldimproveastory;butAtlantawasonlynineyearsolderthanshewas,andthatstilllefttheplaceamazinglyyoungbycomparisonwithanyothertownshehadeverheardof.SavannahandCharlestonhadthedignityoftheiryears,onebeingwellalonginitssecondcenturyandtheotherenteringitsthird,andinheryoungeyestheyhadalwaysseemedlikeagedgrandmothersfanningthemselvesplacidlyinthesun.ButAtlantawasofherowngeneration,crudewiththecruditiesofyouthandasheadstrongandimpetuousasherself.

           ThestoryGeraldhadtoldherwasbasedonthefactthatsheandAtlantawerechristenedinthesameyear.InthenineyearsbeforeScarlettwasborn,thetownhadbeencalled,first,TerminusandthenMarthasville,andnotuntiltheyearofScarlett’sbirthhaditbecomeAtlanta.

           WhenGeraldfirstmovedtonorthGeorgia,therehadbeennoAtlantaatall,noteventhesemblanceofavillage,andwildernessrolledoverthesite.Butthenextyear,in1836,theStatehadauthorizedthebuildingofarailroadnorthwestwardthroughtheterritorywhichtheCherokeeshadrecentlyceded.