The Red Cloud chief., 1886-01-15
BOTH MISTAKEN.
Light Words Which Wrecked the
Happiness Of Two Lives.

A cool breeze blew up from the river.
II played among the rcssis and tall
grasses on the bank and faU lightly up
the slope toward the white mansion on
the hillside, tiustcring the vines that
fringcd the wide piazza where \ group
Of young girls sat chatting. resting, or
bUsying themselves with dainty needle
work.
What 4 delicious breeze" cx-
claimed Florence Freeman, rising as
she spoke. The slender. thoughtful
looking young man reclining unseen
in the depths Of a large easy chair just
within one Of the long windows glanced
up from the pages of a book in which
he had been absorbed, and his dark
eyes followed her graceful figure adj
miringly.
lit sets me wild to be doin. some
thing" she continued, pacing up and
down the long porch. 'Do you know.
girls" pausing abruptly. "we're a set
of slaves?s"
~. Florryr' exclaimed a laughing
voice. NOW don't give IS a lecture on
woman's rights!"
Never fear; that isn't what / was
thinking of. We are hindercd by Cir
cumstances from being and doing
what we feel is within us to he and
do"
Listen, girls" interrupted another
voice. .'Florry is on her high horse.
Now we shall see some prancing."
x.Laugh away" returned Florence.
''I'rtJin earnest. Why must we. because
we happen to have drifted into a certain
channel, or because a particular course
is marked out for us by friends. drift
ON down the stream or keep on in the
same course to the bitter end, even
though we must smother the best there
is in our natures i'm doing 500"
Intense feeling emphasized her
words. and her unseen listener found
himself wondering what personal ex-
pcrience had prompted them. Amy
Gray Fitted her eyes.
Duty is often unpleasant" she
said. but it is best, after all. to have a
settled plan and purpose and cling TO
them through everything. Think what
q chaos would result if we all followed
our own inclinaiions, and. worse than
that. whatever might for the moment
be our ruling passion"
Florence did not answer for n mo-
ment; her eyes Were rowing across the
wide sweep 81 the river, where a white
sail glimmcred in the afternoon sun
shine.
80. YES; there must be plans, of
course, and they must be carried out. or
nothing would be accomplished. But
take special eases. There Is cousin
Dora. for instance. Why must she give
up her painting to marry Fred Long.
merely because she promised 10 when a
mere child and didn't know what she
wanted? or course / don't say any
thing against Fred. He is good as gold,
but he can't appreciate her talents.
WHY. he has begun TO interfere with
her plans already. Says she works too
steadily. and wants her to give up some
work She had undertaken in order 20 be
married sooner. She only laughed owe
it. Of course she wouldn't say any
thing. but we can all see she doesn't
love him. How can she. when he has
no sympathy with her on that subject?
Now. why can't she say so, and be
free?"
She feels her responsibility" said
Amy's soft voice. ''She knows how
devoted Mr.. Long is to her."
..Sh-h, here she comes" whispered
Edith Stanley as a bright-faced girl
fluttered up from the garden. like a
dainty white butterfly. and perched
herself on the steps. A dead silence
fell on the group for a moment, and
then Dora turned her laughing
face toward her cousin: go on.
Florry. You were giving 4 lecture.
weren't you? could hear you 'orat-
ing but couldn't catch q word of the
discourse"
Its ended now" said Florence.
coolly. mentally resolving never 20 be
so careless again in mentioning, '.spe-
cial cases." land unless some one has
taken notes You a never hope to
know anything about it, for il was
quite impromptu." And. taking her
cousins arm, she marched her up and
down the piazza humming a gay air.
Meanwhile, within the windows the
Young man sat motionless, his finger
still between the pages that only a few
moments ago held him spellbound. al
though his world had fallen in ruin
around him since Florence began her
s~.lecture." Outside the breeze rang
among the tree-tops and ruffied the
shining bosom Of the river. The
August sunshine lay mellow on the
grass but he heard nothing. saw moth
ing.
The tea bell rang suddenly and