Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-08-10
CONQUERER OR CONQUERED :
BY KATE c. NELSON.

BY KATE c. NELSON.
My hero was not man to think
himself a hero, or to he thought one
by a careless observer; neither was
he a man about whom men and wom
I'll raved Even 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 a look Of appreciation
from him was more to me than the
loudest burst of applause from n
large audience.
Having used tho word audience l
must explain my position. At the
time of which l write 1 was public
reader Night after night l stood
before audiences who showered me
with tlattery. Night after night l
stood before thousands of people.
and saw but one face.
But l shall never tell my story if |
linger like this. When l read, l was
always so taken up with the render
ing Of the authors thoughts that l
never saw person before me. One
night / was to read a piece which l
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 a horrible murder
Her pleading was unsuccessful. and
in an agony of grief she turns to her
husband. 1 forgot, in my passion,
that I 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, 1 say, and in my
excitement 1 dropped down upon my
knees, and. stretching out my arms,
1 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. was greeted, not with
thunderous applause, as usual; but
with perfect silence. For full a min
ute not sound was heard, then the
house resounded with sobs. Flowers
we're 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 aud 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 l lived
with no hope but to see his face.
read only for him. l dressed myself
only to please him. l lived only fol
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 so. Onf
evening the president of an associa
ton before which / was to read, came
to me and asked to introduce par
ticular friend. He did not mention
his name; but I knew instinctively
whom l was to meet. But why dwell
upon such small particulars, whel
there is so much Of Importance t.
1telli
| We grew to be warm friends. H
always accompanied me home; bu
one night I missed him. l missed m.
flowers. I went home feeling tha
the sweetest part of my life had il
some unaccountable way gone out
and left nothing but utter darkness
The next night it was the same, an
the next and the next; but on tn
fifth night he was in his usual place
As 1 stood ready to go he came t
me, and drawing my hand within hi
arm, oh, so tenderly! led me out int
the street.
We walked some distance in silence
and then asked if he had been il
, He said that he had been very il
and that he was but little bette
, That night he left me early. and fe
J six long, dreary weeks l did not sc
, him again.
, My reading became spiritless an
3 dull. 1 was fast losing ground i
public favor; but what could do?
:. One evening 1 stood before a larg
l and select audience in st. Louis.
7 was filed with nervous dread whic
+ l had never before experienced.
v was sure of failure. / tried to spea
|, but my lips refused to move. l hear
y faint, derisive laugh, and again
:, tried to speak, and failed. The lang
0 changed into a hiss, almost inaudib
at first, but growing louder. l VI
S in despair, when l felt slight bio
on my bare arm, and looking down
l. saw at my feet bunch of smilax al
II single white rosebud. picked
II up, smiled, and began to read.
q read as l never read before. W
d called back. and falling ON my knet
e repeated without book or note Il
le piece which 1 had read on that ever
e. full night when I first saw him.
n My audience sa. spell-bound, as
| read piece after piece. l could ha
read on forever Every nerve OF 4
IL body was alive with a new life.
b. was so excited that when he met
and put me into my carriage ! cou
Ve only sob and cry for joy.
Or TIE next morning he called. a
IS. in his straightforward, manly W
I'd asked me to be his wife. Oh, W
" had he not asked the same questi
is last night? Why did he waltz Th