The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-03-07

~ SohNiAG u t.-oG WGilu Ctt. tiic pal :
tlcuiarone on which We're fixed the dull,
savage eyes of John Bent, and his discon-
tented gaze wandered to the low tete-a-
tete, where she of the guitar sat. The
mstrument-case, looking very like a
coffin, lay on the seat beside her. She
leaned her head against the high back
OF the sofa. showing him the profile that
John Bent loved. He wondered as he
looked at it, if he could not now love
that profile in an impersonal way. He
laughed then, laughed as he always did
when unpleasantly excited. never when
pleased: rose and displaced the guitar
case, and without invitation sat and
looked at the fair lady.
You owe me some good advice, at
least" he said.
Il W you much more. I owe you
my husband and my happiness"
''Indeedw he cried, THAT is a neat
way to put it. By Apollo! perhaps you
thought J. was proposing for another
man! In that case you might have
done as Priscilla did for another John"
Mr.. Bent. l protest. You pro-
posed to me-"
Miss Emma" ("Mrs. Jones'" said
she, but was not needed, "you knew
that J. loved you, and you never let me
see. You shouldha told me Won We're
going to marry another man"
you should have seer it"
ooh, yes, of course | should have
seen what no man can ever see-a wom-
ans mind"
Not needing this thrust, she gently
replied, Il tried often to show you the
truth. but you We're so ~preoccupied you
would not see me-"
Madam / never saw anything or
ANYBODY else"
Sir, You say absolutely nothing.
You We're absorbed in the contempla-
ton Of your own fancied love. You
dreamed, rs II asleep dreams. till my
marriage-bells wakened you. Let me
interpret that dream for YOU"
"The Interpretation is ] suppose, that
[ am Il fool"
Not so. dear friend said the lady.
The "dear friend" WINGED under the
cool endearment. "Not vet such a fool.
Now is the time for you to be one; but
you shall not be-"
sit strikes me that the hunter who
tracks the red deer and then let's m
other man carry off the antlers is some
sort OF a fool: though I confess l don't
see just what | have to do with your
marrying another man."
1.-The power of tenderness she re-
piled in u very low tone, "is hard tode-
velop in a proud woman who has had
few griefs: but without it first love is
little more than vanity, and consequent
ly cannot be bestowed as q great gift.
But the saving grace of tenderness is
best aroused by some II whom we cam
not love, but whom we respect; some
one, ] mean. who loves us. and makes
us feel guilty that we cannot give love
of the same sort in return. Do not re-
sent my direct reference to a fact so
seldom to be spoken Of she continued
softly but earnestly. II say it boldly
and truly. Your love for me has made
me q nobler, better woman: / cannot
think it has not also done YOU some
good"
"Men, / find, are very slow to believe
in the grief of women who refuse them"
he said bitterly.
Yes, but they should not be So she
said. with tears in her eyes. Gas for
You, John Bent, your power of loving
has been developed as well rs mine.
Vow glory j: it, develop it, lse it, gain
a wife with IT,"
She said this with fearless emphasis
and clear intensity, rising as she spoke
and giving him Il hand-grasp and q
steady look.
The door opened for the return of the
artist of the drama. whose voice reused
the sleeping host, and the happy bride
and groom went away down the long
stairs together.
John Bent waited till the footsteps
ceased sounding on the stairs then he
said abruptly, Herr Heimlicher, were
you ever refused by a Lady,"
"ies, sir" responded the old gentle
man, turning picture to the wall and
putting out the candle.
Did 1t do you any good may 1 ask?"
eyes. sir, it did," promptly respond
ed the Old man,
Then if l AM q better man, you will
infer'-
"Show me the Improvement first
young man," said Herr Heimlicher,
pushing his friend through the open
door in advance of him, and going down
stairs with his hand on the others
shoulder, which was understood by
both as an expression of sympathy.
The days went by. Miss. Polimus'
allegorical drawing Of Revenge was not
a success. Mr.Bent's "Lady-love and
Song was; and he bitterly took its
selling price and went South.
st. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to be painted
in cool gray aad strong green, as every
artist knows. John Bent went there
and cursed the photograph shops, and
thought pictures but did not paint.
He wandered about and complained to
the moon and stars instead. He Mi
grated from one cough-infested board
ing-house TO another, hating not pity
ing, the victims. The artistic tcmpera-
ment is the very antipodes of the
humanitarian. Discovered by all to be
out of tune. by a few discerning maiden
ladies was he seen to be lovelorn.
But there came at last a day Of fate,
or, better, of opportunity.
A more fearful cough, followed by
CHASTITY gurgles, settled in aroom across
the narrow hall from his. He felt no
pity, reused by it from his noon nap.
but lay there growing and vowing to
go north tomorrow: when. after silence,
blessed to the poor invalid and the
wicked listener, there came a song,
clearly sung in a sweet voice; his song:
ALAS, how easily things go wrong!'
81 am Il brute" said the unhappy
John. Things go wrong for some 9th
ers also. A sweet young girl is Gagged
up there with the dying"
He spoke the truth more exactly than
he knew. But when he met the girl,
who was indeed sweet and Young, there
was nothing touching about her. She
sat opposite him at the boarding
house table, and he passed