Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-06-27
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assertion found answer In her own soul,
more than once he gave voice to thoughts
long slumbering within her own breast
lie put into words the ideas that had SO
long haunted her. the doubts that she knew
would seem profanity to those who took
without question and offered to her. But
not even 10 Waring could she express her
self freely yet.
AT last the time came to part. Both felt
il and sat, each waiting for the other TO
speak. At length Warning broke the long
silence
Margaret, have told you what think
and what | am. | shall leave you without
saying what came to say, for your man
ner convinces me il would do no good. II
YOU can be no more than friend TO me in
the days to come, you can at least be that.
And what did she do? She kept silent.
When man assumes n negative on this
point, there's nothing else left for the
woman TO do without TO some degree for
feiting her own self-respect. and that she
cannot afford.
'You will not quite forget me, Marga-
ret ?''
81 cannot do that. BY your own pro-
cess of reasoning You have proved that to
me. No, Mr.. Waring, whatever comes in
the future, always think of me rs your
friend
.'DO YOU know how much there is in Il
true friendship? TO me il means this: A
union OF hearts in all matters and things
of ordinary life; a mutual reciprocity Of
thought and feeling If one suffers. the 9th
er To acert.iin degree consoles if one is de-
pressed and sad, the other comforts; if one
has an idea that gives pleasure, he cannot
fully enjoy it without the other-it must be
communcated-in fact a real heart-life, to
know each other by heart experiences.
Does it mean all that to YOU, Margaret"
ut does not and never will, Mr.. War
ing. You carry friendship farther than
most OF the world carry marriage"
How much do you care for me, after
all. Margaret
Oh the selfishness OF man non-commit-
tai until the certainty stares him in the
fare, and then Just as likely to retreat as
to advance What question to ask
woman,
Very quietly and very calmly came the
reply:
Never having measured my regard,
really cannot tell"
He looked searchingly at her and was
baffled. What was she made to give no
sign? Flesh and blood. Burke Waring-
but you will never find out what She
thinks by throwing ont feelers, if you dare
nor meet the issue like a man. BE very
sure she'll never help YOU.
lie rose to GO and as she gave him her |
hand, he drew her closely to him, looked |
down into her eyes, kissed her and left the |
house. Half unconsciously, with the kiss
still on her lips, she watched him from the |
window until the shadow of the pines took |
him from her There is sadness in the |
thought that YOU have seen zone for the |
last time. His visit had been only few |
days in lenght, but it was impossible for |
her to go back into quite the old life |
The smallest pebble makes a ripple in |
smooth water-how could such an event
happen to her and leave no trace
Soon after Waring's departure, he wrote
TO Margaret, asking renewal of their
old friendly correspondence To this she
gave studied and courteously indifferent
consent. She heard no more, and some
weeks later made her preparation for a
short visit to an old school-friend
The night before leaving home, as she
was putting the last touches to the trunk
that must be ready Tor the early stage, she
came upon the package OF letters that had
r brought the change into her life, and with
a.half sheer threw them into the trunk
The little bleak town faded out in the
twilight and as the growing moon came
up from behind the river, the long lines of
silver sand kissed the shadow of hill and
tree. The little black school house was
no longer gloomy. and Margaret's house
was rare old mansion under the change.
She sat by one of the windows thinking
in careless way, as she looked at the
MT hot L. N a..
have moon following ones world about
and catching few Of the suns rays to
thrown back upon the earth long after he |
has gone to sleep. But she did not stop
here. This night brought up another,
and the careless face grew thoughtful as
she wondered how. far apart they were. |
The tenderness all came back to her.
words and voice meant more as she pom
dered, and for the first time the stern
honesty of the man gave Burke Waring
step toward his own place
The visit ended. Margaret, unwilling
10, go back again to the little village,
found new field of labor, and was pass |
ing the time in comparative enjoyment
when news came to her of her brother
Franks serious illness. Later a dispatch
came, little thing, but the words. "Come
home, told her the worst was reached. |
Never did time pass on such slow feet.
never were the miles so long or the trains
so slow. But she was not too late. The
sick one was living and waiting only for
her. When, at his request, they left him
alone with her, she learned for the first
time the real nature of the sickness which
had been the means of Producing War
ing to her acquaintance. He told briefly
of career of dissipation by means of
which he had lost position and friends,
then of that last wild night i'm which, mad
dened beyond all thought of honor or
shame, he would have disgraced himselfI
and his friends past recall had not War
ing, stanger in all but name, taken him
to his own rooms, nursed and cared most
tenderly for him and won him back TO
self-respect and "a life beyond reproach.
But his evil course had sown the seeds of
consumption and now the end had come. |
He could not say too much of Warinc, and
every word of admiration stmie her into
shame for having, in her ignorance, chal- |
lenged him to prove his claim 10 true
manhood. Can we wonder that as She |
Ifnt aI at yl..aI H.. Ii.