A MISTY NIGHTMARE

 For their honeymoon, Rhett took Scarlett to New Orleans. In thier cabin on the riverboat that was to take them there, Rhett asked her, "What are you thinking about, Scarlett?"

"I'm thinking about how rich we are. Rhett-I can keep the lumber business, too, can't I," she asked.

Rhett laughed. "Yes, of course you can...if it amuses you. And now that you're so rich, you can tell everybody to go to the devil as you always said you wanted to."

"But you were the main one I want to go to the devil," replied Scarlett

When they got to New Orleans, Scarlett had a ball. One night Rhett took her to a cafe with the most elaborate food imaginable and Scarlett stuffed herself to the point where Rhett said, "Don't scrape the plate, Scarlett. I'm sure there's more in the kitchen."

When Scarlett saw a waiter pass by  with a tray of pastries,she said, "Ooh, Rhett! Can I have one of those chocolate one's stuffed with meringue?"

"If you don't stop being such a glutton you'll get as fat as Mammy. Then I'll divorce you," he said.

The next day at the hotel, Scarlett was trying on all the new garments that she had bought herself when Rhett suggested buying something for Mammy. "Not when she called us both mules," protested Scarlett. "She said we could give ourselves airs and get ourselves all slicked up like race horses, but wee were just mules in horse harness, and we didn't fool anyone."

"Mammy's a smart old soul and one of the few people I know whose respect I'd like to have. I'll take her a petticoat," claimed Rhett.

"She won't take it from you!She'd rather die than wear it," protested Scarlett.

"That may be, but I'm making the gesture just the same," said Rhett.

Scarlett had one of her repetitive dreams in the riverboat and woke from it crying. When Rhett was comforting her, she said, "Oh, Rhett, I was so cold and hungry...and so tired! I couldn't find it! I ran through the mist but I couldn't find it! I always dream the same dream and I never know! It seems to be hidden in the mist!"

Scarlett begged Rhett to take her back to Tara. "Oh, I love New Orleans, but I want to go home and visit Tara. Will you take me to Tara?"

Scarlett's nightmare

"Yes, Scarlett. Of course I will. We'll go tomorrow," he reassured her.

At Tara, Scarlett and Rhett wandered the grounds and he remarked, "You get your strength from this red earth of Tara, Scarlett. You're a part of it, and it's a part of you.

"Oh Rhett, I'd give anything to have Tara the way it was before the war!" exclaimed Scarlett

"Would you?..." he asked kindly. "Then go ahead and make it that way. Spend whatever you want to make it as fine a plantation as it ever was."

"Oh, Rhett, Rhett, you are good to me. And can we still have our big new house in Atlanta?" she asked.

"Yes. And it can be as ornate as you want it...Marble terraces, stained-glass windows and all," he responded.

"Oh, Rhett, won't everyone be jealous! I want everyone whose been mean to me to be pea-gree with envy!" she said, and he laughed.

Scarlett talking with Rhett

Scarlett wasted no time in taking Mammy, Prissy, and Pork away from Suellen and Careen at Tara and to her home in Atlanta. "Scarlett's hateful-building that new house just to show off! And even taking our servants," sobbed Suellen in vain.

"Darling, you mustn't think unkindly of her. She's made it possible for us to keep Tara-always-", said Careen.

   "Yes, and what good is Tara? She has three husbands-and I'll be and old maid!" cried Suellen.

Back in Atlanta when the servants spotted the house, Pork said, "Great Jehosophat! Great Jehosophat!"

"Lawzee! We sho' is rich now," said Prissy.

Onward..