Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-08-11
c0NQUERER OR CONQUERED 7
BY KATE C. NELSON.

BY KATE y. NELSON.
My hero was not man to think
himself hero, or to be thought one
by careless observer; neither was
he a man about whom men and WON
en- raved. Even l never sounded his
praises; but for all that he was my
hero. My eyes would grow misty
with happiness, and my heart would
beat with a strange delight at his ap'
proach: and look of appreciation
from him was more to me than the
loudest burst of applause from a
large audience.
Having used tho word audience j
must explain my position. AT the
time of which l write l was a public
reader. Night after night l stood
before audiences who showered me
with fattery. Night after night I
stood before thousands OF people,
and saw but one face.
But 1 shall never tell my story il !
linger like this. When l read, l was
always so taken up with the render
ing of the authors thoughts that
never saw a person before me. One
night l was to read a piece which !
never read in public. 1t was wom-
ans appeal to judge not to pro
nounce sentence of death upon her
husband, who was charged with hav-
ing committed horrible murder.
Her pleading was unsuccessful, and
in an agony of grief she turns to her
husband. I forgot, in my passion,
that 1 was reading-I forgot every
thing but the death sentence which
l had just repeated with lips as pale
as the poor wife's could possibly have
been. I forgot all, say, and in my
excitement l dropped down upon my
knees, and, stretching out my arms,
I repeated the wife's heart -rending
farewell to her fated but innocent
husband.
Looking before me through scald-
ing tears, my eyes met those as full
of misery as / knew my own to be.
When I rose, 1 was greeted, not with
thunderous applause, as usual; but
with perfect silence. For full min
ute not a sound was heard, then the
house resounded with sobs. Flowers
were scattered around me on every
side, but, not attempting to touch
one, looked full in that face. For
an instant he looked into my eyes
with an expression which sent the
blood rushing in torrents to neck,
cheeks and brow, then he lifted his
hand and threw his token. 1t was a
pure white rosebud with few sprays
of wax-like smilax: AS it fell at my
feet / picked it up and pressed it to
my lips From that instant I lived
with no hope but to see his face. I
read only for him. / dressed myself
only to please him. lived only for
his appreciation.
For two months / saw him every
night; but I never met him. For two
months his flowers were my only or
naments: but he never spoke to me.
But it was not always to be 80. One
evening the president Of an associa-
ton before which was to read, came
to me and asked to introduce a par
ticular friend. He did not mention
his name; but / knew instinctively
whom was to meet. But why dwell
upon such small particulars, when
there is so much of Importance to
telli
We grew to be warm friends. He
always accompanied me home; but
one night missed him. missed my
flowers. I went homo feeling that
the sweetest part OF my life had in
some unaccountable way gone out,
and left nothing but utter darkness.
The next night it was the same, and
the next and the next; but on the
fifth night he was in his usual place.
As I stood ready to go he came to
me, and drawing my hand within his
arm, oh, so tenderly! led me out into
the street.
We walked some distance in silence,
and then I asked If he had been i'll.
He said that he had been very i'll,
and that he was but little better.
That night he left me early, and for
six long. dreary weeks did not see
him again.
My reading became spiritless and
IulI. Wdb ldoU lOoluS 6IOuAO al
public favor; but what could l do?
One evening stood before large
and select audience in st. Louis. /
was filed with nervous dread which
had never before experienced. ]
was sure of failure. I tried to speak,
but my lips refused to move. I heard
faint, derisive laugh, and again !
tried to speak, and failed. The laugh
changed into hiss, almost inaudible
at first, but growing louder. I was was
in despair, when felt slight blow
saw at my feet a bunch Of smilax and
a single white rosebud. I picked it
up, smiled, and began to read. ]
read as never read before. ] was
called back, and falling on my knees,
repeated without book or note the
piece which I had read on that event
ful night when first saw h'm.