Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-12-22

not, surely? He would not have been
man now If he had spared her-if he
had stopped short of the fon dest, most
passionate protestations that such an
oath could hold
She would swear anything he wished,
and she kept her word; freely, joyjully
she yielded to his demands. She loved
him; why should she not?
So Dare Winter was betrothed; and.
with her hands locked close in her low
er's, she walked home proud, happy,
though their way led by the seattle
sad sea calling to her, calling to her
singing the same song-the wild song
AS loudly, as triumphantly, as through
the years before.
Shall the sea give up its dead
Loudly, more loudly it called to her,
closer creeping beating heavier the
shore each moment as though mad that
she heard it not For she heard it not:
above its roar sounded the low voice of
her lover, before which the past it nom
ored had sunk to nothingness.
Shall the sea give up its dead?
The wild song was not to pass I'M
needed in other days. But, though on
he morrow she listened to it, she list
ened with SMILE the hope to which
through all she had chung so fondly
grew suddenly an empty bit of past, for
which-mystery as she knew it-she
had but gratitude.
The song only ANNOYED her now.
ITO love so long and forget so sud
denly! | would not have Wilfred know
it for worlds. He would think it strange,
and | suppose it is strange, not to know
you love man until he asks you to
marry him, and then for the little love
of minute to outweigh the love of
know that love Wilfred Hale"
So she unused, despite herself, a bit
more puzzled as the days passed. bit
more bewildered to hear the sea calling,
calling, and to realize that what she had
yeaIned for the long years, with far
boundless passion, with hope that
would not be denied, was now--noth-
ing, nothing unto her.
If the sea were to give up its dead,
she would not even be glad.
The song only annoyed her now. For
yet; the wild sea would not be stilled.
Only above it rose the low voice Of her
lover, before which the past it honored
sunk into nothingness.
One night he came not the morrow
brought this little line, mailed from the
nearest town;
Business called me away so sud-
denly, dear, could not come. Are
you prepared for the surprise and-a
hurried wedding, too? l will explain
all when I come"
A confident little line, sent in the
sweet certainty that the surprise would
be as pleasant for her to know as had
been for him to write. She would I'M
derstand at what he limited, and
He could not help limiting at it in this
Joyful little question. How different i
might have been he thought, blssfully
how hard to break this thing, in som.
respect so hard in itself, to a woman
that loved him less
81 love you'll love you with all my
heart and soul, as never woman loved
man before"
Never before, never before So his
darling had spoken and-ah yes, she
would prove it now. She would un.
derstand, and
Again the joy of realization grew toe
deep for certain y ught. As never
man before, it seem, i to him. Wilfred
Hale went on his way.
And p
Three times over Dare Winter read
the little line A surprise and hur-
ried wedding what could Wilfred
mean by that? Surely, oh, surely
not.
Alas, for Wilfrea Hale With an
open shiver she threw the note aside
and turned to the other letter the mail
had hrought-a family letter full OF
dry details which in her usual fashion
she hurried over, and was folding wheu
a written corner caught her eye.
/, i postscript in Aunt Ruth's own:
"For all the time you made over it,
l don't suppose it'll interest you much
now to hear that John Graves III home.
Actually turned up. couldn't believe
my eyes when he walked in here yes
terday; l was so amazed / never asked
him where or how. He asked after
you right off, and said, for all the way
you'd treated him. he had come back
just to see you. What he meant. per
haps you know; l was too amazed to
ask. But l told him you were engaged
i was very thankful I'd just heard.
He didn't say anything, only laughed
Ii were you, if he comes, / wouldn't
see him; I'm afraid of man that laughs
ike that"
The sea had given up its dead!
Perhaps it was not strange. A less
woman than Dare Winter might have
thrilled to hear it; perhaps not strange
that she, hearing it so, should tread the
past to the exclusion of the present, for
this little moment should quite forget
Wilfred Hale.
Her past! Two lovers who had been
lovers from childhood go long, so early,
that loves sweet beginning was mvs-
terry to both; two lovers growing up each
day to meet with q love stronger, deep
era hope than which hope was never
more assured.
Her past Two partings on the sands
| ANNE