The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-16
A WOMAN'S REASON.

gold and made in a Grecan fashion, in per-
feet harmony with her face and figure.
Her features were classical, her wavy hair
of that pale, faxen color seldom seen save
on the heads Of German women. Her al
mond-shaped, sapphire eyes were shaded
by long, dark lashes, and the dark, straight
brows gave her face a decidedly oriental
caste. not in harmony with her hair and the
brilliant fairness Of her skin.
II was a face halI warm, half cold. just
now The ewes were resting with a slightly
puzzled expression upon Dow OF GAIL Oulls
in the window where the April wind was
making them human. The woman's face
told Of some trOubl0us Inward communion
as she twiIled abStractedly the glittering
ring, on her long, thin fingers. She started
up slightly from her great lOunglug chair as
man entered, then sank down again III
differently and handed him a white, cool
hand as he came up with lmpulSlve lmpa-
thence to greet her.
Sit down" she said. motioning him
to a chair beside her. Rather warm. isn't
it ?"
q don't know. I wasn't thinking of tenn
teratuTe; ] was thinking OF you"
"a poor subject"
ITS been the only one worth thinking of
for me for the last ten years
Poor fellow !"
"NLy pOuT?"
Because you have wasted your life Oh a
dream"
'What do You mean?" he asked quickly
his fine. deep voice full Of pain. lie was
Str0uS man, but he seemed weak as a child
in her presence.
81 mean Pm not worth thinking of. ten
minutes. and a man who has thought Of
NE ten years has wasted Ten years OF his
life"
Not when he is to have the reward you
have given NE every reason to hope for
The reward, as you call il, would in
reality be a punishment Now, viii you
listen 10 me calmly until / have said all l
Wish?'
~ cannot, If you are to wound and dis
appoint NE al the end"
Then viii you listen silently?"
He bowed lis head. 1t was a fine head,
magHlhceuty nodded and covered with
short crop Of dark cuTls. The face was
daTS, with tine dark ewes, and a splendid.
hrm mouth. His face, figure and dress be-
spoke the WeSterner, and 1t all looked out
of harmony with the graceful convention
aliIy of his surroundings. He leaned his
chin on his great brown hand as he listened
for her TO speak.
ct seems strange thatI should break up
all there was between US after my bringing
you here with every hope Of success a lover
could ASK she said.
" But YOU must be mad or testing; you
cannot mean"
q" Yes, 1 DO mean that I'm not going 10
marry you; that don't want TO marry YOU.
Don stop me; 1 know what you will say
tGat / gave yuu the first love Of a young
girls life. that l married another loving
you still; that did not conceal the fact that
cared ftr you during the eight years of my
married lie. That two years after my nus
band death 1 lave brought you back TO me
from the rough life you went to when we
parted. All This is true / acknowledge il,
and now that L have You l don't want yOu.
WANTED You desperately at Is, but ii w0-
man can give up her love Tor a man at that
age L don't believe she can love him as q
woman should afterward."
Tie mans lips drew into hnes Of intense
u wish to heaven that YOU had turned
suddenly mad" he SAID bitterly, "but l
see YOU are sune. For Gods sake explain
all this to me. Have you not written me all
during these years that your heart was
mine-that you had loved and always would
love me?"
Yes, but seeing you once more I've
found these declarations 10 be lot Of SEN
timeDt and Imagination. We women have
so much Imagination aud sentiment. While
] was writing You all that what sort OF lives
were we leading? l was living a life Of
luxury and elegaace-qUeen Of my fash
I,uGbie set, You were on a ranch iH the
West When We loved ten years ago we
were two SImple-hearted Young people in a
village leading the same kind OF lives. Now
You breakfast al in the morning l at
TO-"
IS this the way to sum up ones affec-
lions? Are they to be governed by
ha0i-s?'
Yes. almost altogether. If I was IS
If / hadn't been married-I'd marry you,
be happy a month and miserable the rest Of
my days"
Il suppose the misery you are now caus-
ing NE Is nothing. Oh can, don talk so.
L. H.
thought Of you ali these years. l was al
most mad with the Joy Of coming and claim
Iug y0u. Don't luru me entirely mad by
breaking my heart at the end Of the jour
uey"
there were tears in his strong voice and in
his dark eyes, as the woman looked into
them pIlyingly.
I'm sorry for you" she said; 81 am
sorry Tor myself It's been diSappOint-
men! - me to find myself out of love with
yoH / am afraid that it lsn't-pOssible for a
woman who has been married to love again.
II she loves her first husband that real love
can be but once; if she doesn't, she de-
StTOys by a loYeless marriage her higher
nature-her capacity for loving perfectly.
Now, the capacity find is gone from me,
and then our lives have made US so different
that we couldn't even be congenial married
friends"
But, he pleaded, 81 can lead your
life. Any life with you would be perfect
happiness.
she said, smiling. " We are neither Of US
young lovers. If you entered my world it
would seem like death. You love me, but
you can't spend all your waking moments
looking at me and telling me so. l tell you,
and tell you truly, that We cannot make har-
mOny by combining our lives If We-if L
were madly IN love with you we wouldn't
be happy married"
"DUn't!' cried the man, impulsiYely, ris-
ing 20 his feet. " Don't talk to me any
more. You have torn down the fabric upon
which built my lte's one hope of happi-
ness. GU have LETT me nothing OF hope,
nothing to respect. You have cut out my
heart with the cool blade Of your reasoning
have WorShiped you-liYed for you all
these years"
Oh" And you have found your idol cold, COM
mon clay. Yes, know It. You were worth
better requital. l would give II to you if
could. You are young yet. A man at 80
need lot despair of happiness"
You are encouraging" he said, bitterly.
Oh, you needn't talk that way. You feel
wTetched now, but after a while you'll find
someone 10 suit you. Some Western girl,
who loves ranch life, who"
And you, too, will console yourself
with"
"TTavel and social amusements Dom
think I've fallen in love with some man of
my set during tile two years Of my freedom.
A sensible woman marries but oDce-mar-
Ties either for love or ambition. / have
everything | want. shall enjoy my Wild
OwhOOd. / shall never resign it"
wonder what you are made OFF" he
said, looking down upon her. Then, as all
the s0TTowfulness Of his disappointment
came upon him lie stretched out his fine
strong arms 10 Der.
Conc to me" he pleaded, passionately
Come to me the same woman that l loved
long ago. come to me just as have longed
for you to come"
One moment her eyes flashed out upon
him their old, bright light, then her face
grew cold and smiling again.
would be untrue to myself, unkind TO
you if | came" she said. " Let us part in
peace. l hope the future may bring some
great recompense; then shall feel for