Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-03-01
CHAPTER XII.
A NEW GALATE A.


Bertha rose from her chair slowly, like one
in dream, and looked long and earnestly at
Philip as he came toward her. There was
red spot on either cheek, and her eyes seemed
preternaturally large and bright. At first
he fancied it was out of joy at seeing him.
Then she smiled as if she had not thought of
it before, but with strange gentleness that
was intensely pathetic.
"You don't come as often as you used, but
you have always been very good and kind tc
me, Philip" she said vaguely, as if rGhears-
ing the virtues Of the departed
His heart came into his throat, and he
could not speak. Was this her coming back
to him? 1t was more like funeral She
motioned him to sit near her, and then start
cd and seemed to listen.
"Have been very cold and hard with you
Philip, when you wanted me to love youg
She laid her bot fingers on his hand, but her
eyes wandered lingeringly around the parlor
walls.
sit is nothing, my own sweetheart" he an
swered her anxiously; 'only say you love me
now"
She did not seem to hear him. II must
have made you suffer. did not understand,
you know, what it all meant"
She had taken his hand, and bent over
toward him with q troubled look on her face
She rested one hand on his shoulder, and her
lips almost touched his forehead
''Do you forgive me!" she said softly, and
yet ner voice was as dispassionate as ar
angels whisper.
"Why, there is nothing to forgive" Philip
answered, his words of love frozen on his
lips, there was something so terrible in the
mysterious mood that was upon her. "But
do you remember" he added with q forced
smile, "what you promised for tomorrow
"To-morrows" she drew back from him
fearfully; Tomorrow" she repeated as il
the word had some mystery in it. "Have
promised you anything for tomorrow
1t was not Bertha Ellingsworth at all, al
be had known her-it was rather as ht
had dreamed she might be. In the common
est of women are elements Of character
germs of emotions, that In their height and
fused together can glorify her to creature
of resistless power and dignity, with holy fire
shining in her face. It is tho sleeping god
dess men worship in women, for worship j.
the truest form of love, and when that wor
ship is lost the part of love for which mar
would make hero of himself and rise above
every groveling taint in his nature is lost
too. A woman may sin and not repent; she
may seem as shallow as the surf on the shin
ing sand just before its ebb, but so long as
man believes in the goddess in her no waits
on her folly, he strives to gild over her sin
in ennobling reverence for her possibilities.
"Why, tomorrow was the day you prom
ised to let me talk Of
II remember" She drew hack from him
and clasped her white hands for a moment
over her forehead land have you beer
thinking great deal Of it," 4a
why not tonight, Bertha!" he begged In
sudden fervor
But she started to her feet like one in NOR
tai terror. "Oh ilo, not tonight"
Then she came near him again, and looked
down with new sad smile rs he held her
hand to his lips. "You don't mind very
much, do you' ann not very, much of {.
woman really" she said wistfully, "if il
wasn't for the habit you have fallen into"
Then she glanced OF the clock on the
Inantel
She followed him to the door.
"How sad the moonlight is am afrai'
of it,n she said as shc held out her hand :
him
Then he heard broken voice coming Il
seemed a long way to his cars.
"Oh, Philip, aren't you going to kits me
| good-good night? @
His passion he had thought crushed came
over him in storm. He gathered her yield
ing form in his arms as if he never would
lose her again, md kissed her trembling, aii.
| swcring lips a dozen times and her wet, aIlx-