The Red Cloud chief., 1883-05-18
ny LOVE STORY,

Are there no underwriters for human
h"Ir-s Tor the most precious of interests l.
there no i~asIIranccF'
had been tempted all day. tempted
by fate and the devil. All summer long
] had been TRYING To- clasp hands for u
life journey with 4 maj ] did not love;
Il man noble If soul and born TO the
purple. who set mp high lineage against
my poor gifts Of beauty and song. He
threw some love into the scales. too, but 1.
God help me, had zone To give in return.
] had bariercd erewhile my whole pos
sessions for a few chances of n dark,
dark eye, and my note had gone TO pro-
test.
Could /. could /? IL kept following
me about with fateful persistency, for
tonight was 10 give my answer To my
high-born lover.
tried Ia look things in the face. to
count the cost.
Money was n good thing: il insured
one warmth in winter and delicious cool
ness in summer, and prettiness and
daiutineSs. and the entrance into good
society. Yes, money was a good thing.
and position and power. and houses
and lands. SO far. good: hut my soul
hungercd and thirsted for a love com
mensurate with my own which this
man. who offered me purple and gold.
had II not in his power 10 give, cor. let
me qualify that, had il not in his nature
To give.
The stars came out golden and soft.
and the fragrant summer dusk crrpt
around me where | sat inhaling the scent
,f rha r,.-a- A.lffn, .al L.. -.
nv heart by turn. and WEAKNESS. too.
put in n poor pitiful plea. for l was so
tired. - tired.
Ii was q brilliant future that Reginald
Dacre offered me. wherein toll and
WEAKNESS could never come. Thought
of the purple and fine linen; the lux
urious rest; the emolumcnts, Then INV
daily life passed in review before ME
that of companion TO n naughty. fire
lady, and a singer i'm a fashionable
church. among fashionable saints and
sinners. | began 10 Groom over the old
satire:
In a church which is garnished with mullion
and gable.
With altar and reredos. with g~aryoyle and
groin,
The penitcnts' dresses are sealskin and sable.
The odor Of sanctity's eau de cologne.
But surely if iuciier flying from Hadcs.
Could gaze at this crowd, with its paniers
He would say. looking round at the lords and
the ladies,
% where il All Sinners, II this Is All
Saiutsy"
] had entered upon this life from an
unloved and unloving home. a home
dolcd out Ia me by the iardy justice Of
a grand-uncle who had robbed me Of nv
s,ln-, , -, s., IL.
find the sanCreal somewhere in this
new country, which seemed so fair. but
alas. had not even heard the swish
OF wings.
thought of il all-thc fever and the
fret; the petty jars; the misunderstand-
ing; the pain Of incomprehension; the
unguerioned toll; the tagging hours:
the awful pauSes.
This or marriage: this or marriage.
1t seemed written like a placard on
earth and sky. IL seemed bound like
phylactery upon the brows of the peo-
pie a. they passed 10 and fro; and soon
the word marriage lost all its signifi-
for me. Is words do after oft re-
peating. Did il mean misery or happi-
ness. bliss or woe? This marriage
that rung it, changes through nv brain
was il God-appointed? Did il mean
God blessing or His curse?
You know l did not love this man
who offered me rest from nv labors.
H had not power to evoke one thrill nj
his call. But then love is only one
reason why one should marry a man.
There might be love ard plenty of
money. and We, one go hungry all ones
life. | have known such things.
had tried to make nv life straight
and fair. | had tried TO keep clean
hands and a pure heart; tried-God
who knows the secrets of all hearts.
knows this-to fight despair.
Long. green days.
Worn bare of grass and sunshine: long calm
nights
From which the siiken sleeps were frctted
BE witness for me-
We see through shadows all our life
long. We come into this world with
out u being given a choice as TO our
advent. and go out of il in the same man.
ner.
We have not been consulted as 10
birth Or death. More and more the PRAYER
of Epictetus haunts me Lead me. Zeus
and DESTINY. whithersoever / am ap-
pointed to 60; / viii follow without
wavering; even though / tprn coward
and shrink. l shall have TO follow all
the same.
Should / marry Mr.. Dacres Was he
good parti?: a the world said. Too
good for me, as my lady elegantly
phrased it.
/ had been born into the world amid
fierce throes of mental anguish. Nv
mother heart was rent with the great
pain of my fathers sudden death
drowned off the Cornish coast. forI was
born At sea- She lived until I was ten
years old. a life of SORROW. and poverty,
and renunciation. Then she died, leav-
ing me 10 the care Of q compassionate
world and my uncle. OF him I have
already spoken
My life dragged on with clogged
wheels. 1 was always II wal with
my surroundings Though too proud to
express il, : had never realized nv
ideal of womanhood, or in any way
grown up to my aspirations and dreams.
If j had grown al all it had been |
through pain and repressiaa-a fatal