The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-04
you are good, and generous, and high

you have given me your confidence you
have right to mine. believe in retalia-
ton and in maintaining your rights by vio-
ence, If fair means will not do. If l had
been in your place, would not have acted
as you did"
If there was any magnanimity in my
acts, they were what yours would have
been"
No" she said. with an emphasis that her
lnterlocutor was hardly prepared for. NO;
L am not magnaninDusl Let those who are
secure and prosperous be sol would have
detied that man and challen ell him to do
ms worst. But would have made myself
more terrible TO him than he was to me. |
would have hunted him through the world,
and made his life worse than death to HIM.
| would have found out what he the most
cared for-every human being cares for
somethlng--and / would have struck hun
through that, as he struck at you. | would
never have releqted or spared him one Suf-
fering that | could inflict. What is your
name, your social standing, any thing, COM
pared with the pleasure of making those
who have wronged you curse the day when
they first crossed your path! And as for
that woman who deceived you, she was
more unpar iOaable than he! Only a
woman can realize he wickedness that that
woman perpetrated. You should have cast
her off publicly and uncondtionally You
should have driven her out OF society and
out of the world! Why, see what results
your weakness caus9d-vour mercifuiness
and magnanimity, if such it be. The man
Your enemy, with the money he had extorted
from you, bounded you out of your public
career, AID prevented all the good that your
principles, put in practice, would have ac-
comphshed. Was that worth while, for the
sake OF sparlng worthless creature who
never had thought or all emotion that was
net base and selfish! And this man Gold
ing, whom you fad so nearly rresiStibe-I
would be no friend of him either. He is
strong, but depend upon it there are weak
points in his armor, too! You should have
fought him to death, with every weapon
that ingenuity or desperation could devise
There should be no half measures in this
life; lis rewards such as they are, belong
only to those who realize that it is all a bat
tie, and who throw themselves into it, body,
heart and soul Th:se gentle, forgivng
ways are good to write of in books, but
they never bring about anything that is real
and can last Who is Mr. Golding. that
you should submit to be defeated by him?
How should he dare to treat man like you
with gOOd-natured contempt, as he did this
morning! You allow him to do it; and you
are to blamel"
The General was silenced and amazed bv
this passionate and destructive criticism.
He had been aware that Kitty Give had
pregnant depths in her character but he lit
tie imagined what strange things were to
be found beneath the surface. He felt the
force and poignacy of many of her declara-
lions, but he also felt that they were the
outcome of qIite another mind and temper
aInent than his, and that he could never
hope to adopt them himself. Be that as it
might, he was conscious that the mental
stature of the woman had immensely ex-
pande to his apprehension within the last
few minutes; and his love for her under
went corresponding development. He
had heretofore regarded her as a girl pos
sessed of a nature rich in quality and of
great possibilities; now he saw her a woman
of original Thought and experience, who
had worked out her own convictions of
what life meant aud needed and had the
courage and ability to act upon them To
stand in the most intimate relation TO such
being as this would be something more
than mere happiness; it would be exhilara-
ton He looked at her with kindling eyes.
why do you say you will never marryp
he demanded.
81 will tel you" she answered; but l
tell it to you alone, and 1t must never be
told again, | will marry no one, because
cannot marry the man | love. "
You love some one, thenT the General
bent his head to hide the twinge of the heart
that was more visible in his face. Presently
he looked up ana added: "Why can't you
marry him!"
Because he doesn't know that love
him; and, even if he did; he would never
love me.n
sc n it be possible, returned the General.
"You love him--and he doesn't love you !!
Can it be possiblem
And so you have your revenge" she ad-
ded with quaint smile.
MY dear Miss Give, my happiness does
not lie in revenges. If l could bring about
your marriage with this gentleman-he
must be worthy since you care for him-I
anything more than some accidental blind
neSs-some preoccupation that the least hint
would remoye-that delays him from fall
ing at your feet"
''If his blindness were only physical and
permanent" returned Kitty, with laugh,
81 shOult have better hopes. But it is not
every man, Gen. Weymouth, who can for
get the outside in looking at what is with
in. Besides, this gentleman is a distant
cousin of mine, and the familiarity of cous-
inship-well, it is like a child eating too
much bread before dinner; he becomes in
different. But after all, it doesn't matter
it is better as it is. | would rather imagine
what marriage might be than risk proving
what 1t is. II he were to love and marry
me, and then become tired of me-ah
then!'
The last words were spoken below her
breath, out with an emphasis that left moth
ing unexpressed.
THAT could never be. He might never
awaken to what you are; but, having done
so, he could never fall back again" said the
General, with conviction.
'Oh, yes; you don't realize how ugly |
am; and you don't. know how jealous and
despotic | should be-as a wife. 1t is bet
ter as it is; | have no rights and can there
fore claim none. My love can be wholly
unseltish. 1t is sweet to know that it will
always be Il secret from him. He will feel
the effects, and yet never know whence
they come. In many ways I can give him
happiness; and TO see him happy will be bet
ter than any gratitude he can render to me.
am content with my state. Beautiful
women have their power, their triumph,
but it is shallow one 1t is house built
upon sand. The winds and waters Of time
and chance will destroy it There can be
no such calamity in store for me. What
there is of me is founded upon rock, and
can never be o, erthrown.n
81 can do nothing, them" said the Gene
raj, sadly.
"You have done a great deal. II a
woman's heart were in her brain-and some
women's are--life would be much more
comfortable. l can recognize, with my
b ain, that you are more worthy of love
than this man, who does not love me. He
might speak with more passion than you;
hut he could nor EXPRESS such dnnths Of mo-