The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-05-07
sANTWOOD.

S1ANO ~ ~
two years. That will benone too long
IN which to forget this wretched affair
and accustom myself to some of the
stern realities OF life. find that fate
las not decided my pathway to be one
OF mrosD,
The Speaker was reclining carelessly
upon a luxurious sofa, amid such ele-
CANT surroundings that one might
naturally wonder what there could be
IN his experience to t%lncture his
thoughts OF the future with SO much
gloom. .
A tine-looking man OF middle age,
seated near him, vas the person with
whom he was ostensibly conversing,
though girl sitting at the piano a lit
PIE farther Off felt that the vein OF bit
Pterness underlying the words was
meant especially for her.
Her hands were wandering ha]f-idlv
over the keys, playing in softest,
sweetest fashion hat rythmical, half
mournful air, Upon the Danube
river" Deep, rich bass chords
dropped now and her into the low
dripping silvery melody, and the
player hummed, as If to her own
thoughts, in low, sympathetic tone,
the refrain:
III ne'er forget that night in June
Upon the Danube river"
She, at least, did not wonder why
the speaker looked upon thedark side
OF life just then, for she knew. She
knew what all the world did, that the
proud name OF Santwood had been
dragged in the dust by q brothers
crime. Forgery and suicide had again
furnished the greedy press with sensa-
tional columns and blazing headlines,
whose every %elarng, significant letter
cut INTO the sensitive heart OF PHILIP
like q two-edged sword.
But the listener at the piano knew
that sharper pain than eventhatdic-
tated thehopeless words. Sheremem-
pSiNN u SltllS II llic lI)ItIN DllI IL lev
hours past, when he had told her OF
his resolve to leave his native land,
and, in the weakness OF the moment
he had broken down and confessed the
love which he had meant, now since
disgrace had overtaken him, to keen
a secret to the end. For what right
had he, he bitterly asked himself, to
offer his stained namcforan any wo,nan's
acceptance?
But, il it is true that 'mrrder will
out" so will love when it is thrilling
IN every nerve, who" every hope and
interest in life is identified with It's
dear object.
yeti am not sorry that you know
it ALL" he had said. Little fitted
as l am to offer my love to one so
pure and proud as you, itwould have
been hard for me to have borne this
hopeless love in silence. A week ago |
could have told you this without one
thrill of shame or seli.reproach. But
then, not dreaming of any coming
trouble, l was content to wait
until you had seen the world
and learned your own heart
thoroughly. Whatyour answer might
have been then | do not know, but at
least l should have felt myself the
peer OF any other who might sue for
the honor ofyour hand; while now
Hebroke off abruptly, with a heavy,
sharp-drawn breath, and paced the
floor with the air OF some proud, Gag.
ed animal, chatting against the bars
that held him.
Suddenly he paused before her as
she stood, white and silent, leaning
against the mantel for support, and
taking her hand in both OF his, said
with passionate pleading:
But after all, it is not my sin,
Marguerite. You are proud, / know;
but will you turn from me for my
brothers fault? Ii you can love me,
ever SO little, will you not tell me 50,
and let me take that knowledge with
me to comfort me in my l]ongcxile?
/ will wait-wait until the troublchas
been forgotten: until l can do some.
thing 10 redeem
EDO not ask me-" she interrupted,
shudderingly.a and then she turned, and,
looking straight into his anguished,
d~cspairing eyes, in u voice that sound,
ed cold and harsh in her effort to re-
press all feeling, she said: ''Phillip
S~antwood, you spoke truly just now.
Lam proud-too proud, perhaps; but
a stainless name is everything to me
l am poor myself, but my name is
without blot or blemish, and while
am sorry for you, | cannot
But her voice died away in silence.
To save her life she could not have
put the sentence which she was to
speak into words, with those sternly
compressed lips and those dry, yearn-
ing eyes before her.
sat least tell me-" he pleaded husk-
lily, could you have loved me had it
not been for-this?"
~ cannot tell you what might have
been" she answered, turning YEARLY
away. Monly know what is. Thisi is a
painful subject, Mr.. Santwood. Lett it
end, please"
"She meant to be gentle in manner
and speech. But the great struggle it
cost her to speak calmly seemed to
crystallize both into the hardness of
marble, and when she turned away
Philip read only pride and GOODNESS in
her voice and in the pale, set features.
He saw nothing of the achingheart be-
hind that mask.
So, as they sat there with the low,
sweet music dropping from the keys,
not a word or sigh of Philip SAINT
woods escaped her; not in the least.
sigh OF sound OF that unhappy evening
but impressed itself upon her memory
and months afterward came back to
her mingled always with the sad, sweet
measure of that song.
The next day he was gone. Mar
guerite was conscious OF q terrible
loneliness, q bitter loss, when the fine,
manly figure had disappeared entirely
from her view, when the fair, proud