Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-10-04

"Yss Why MOTT Hs 70 20 be WY Aus
hand"
81 love your brvther!' she had said.
Il was NJ " she hal said;
'See, I have all the world-all that II
contains l. mine. All that Il bcsutiful
or precious or 10 le desired by the heart
of q woman u mine. What can you
ofYer me inor,, What can you give ine
Ia exchange II I sacrifice all this
What could he. indecsii A few years
lees of youth, y somewhat better for
tire: n wider knowledge of the world.
q, this latter hal its drawbacks; while
he ,uld Offer her q very honest and
manly love. he could not Offer her the
toyish alteration that goss with fewer
years and narrower experience. j do
not say that TIL. was the reason why lac
couli not win her; he might not have
won her In any case. even hal there
hen no one else. hut there was an.
other, younger. more ardent. perhaps
l.ttsr hitei a. mate with her young
life. And 80 when she hal stopped him
with that gesture. and said. II love
your brother he hal not argued his
cause further. Whatever the priys was,
however much he might otherwise have
.iriyen for u. he would not strive against
him.
And NJ for her-she was but woman.
and with such woman the passion and
abandon ~ love out weighs all else. One
might protest ~ well against the sweep
ing power ~ FIRE or fool ~ 90 try and
stay iis cours.. Such love gives much.
and give freely and glories In the xiv.
ing. and 10 demands much in return; u
will thar. with no other. And such
love will forgiv. much. but there are
some things u will never forgive.
Chalmers hal not eIpeci-i any out.
break. H.. knew that her pride wouli
force AMI sustain calm and conhdeIt
exterior, and he felt that a. him les.
,han 20 any other would she willingly
lay hare ANY u the tortnrings ~ her
heart In thi. trial. Yet be hal hardly
looked to meet at once the CLINT u frmi.
nine armor. Perhaps be- would have
b.en better prepared had he known morc
of women. How they steel themselves
sometimes against tho-e who would help
them mo~t-whose help In their very
hearts they most desire.
Tho rom into which Chalmers was
ush.rr,i. AMI where lac waitc,l for her
only brief moment. bore evident traces
II individuality. somehow you could
have told that 10 was = woman's room.
though there vas nothing of mere prrt-
tine-. about u. no knickknacks, no
holgrp.-lge of Sr.c-a-brac aud home art
with which women IL nonindiyiduality
clutter their surroundings. There were
many bcok.. q few gocd engrayings upon
the wall. . small bronle Of flying Mer.
curry. and these were disposed ~ u they
were .eyerally rad and studied and look.
si at-not ~ mer. decorative parapner'
nalia-but ~ part of the everyday life
of the inmate.
Into ,nch q room. thought Chalmers
| land ~ such q woman, too, psrhaIs). .
man couli come aud Ia al his best. here
q man land this mythical woman) could
meet upon q common level. talking,
thinking. bringing cut the h-st that Wa
In each other. forgetting or unhcesiins
that Lesser and bAser life that must pr.
fore. - lived out In the world and
among men.
Into such room land 10 such won
sn. too. perhaps) he had once thought
it might H. possible for him 20 come
but that time hal gone now. lie must
only think of these things impersonally
To this point In his reverie had Chal
mers come when Miss Tennant entered
the room.
"You have come at last" she said. In
an even monotone. ~ she gave him hei
hand.
Chalmers was not prepared for the
coidness or restraint of her greeting
Yet with charity that not many who
knew him would have thought hin
capable of b. did not recent II.
"you blame ne for not coming soon
er,- he answered.; "but ! did not know
Your letter and his and the paper thai
you sent all came 10 me at the sam'
time. Since then have come A. fast ~
steam could bring me. have bcen II
Mexico"
Thus much he felt he must say In hi
own defenfs Int II availed him nothing
"You shoull not have gone away ~,
she said. "You are older than YOU
brother; you have some duties"
"You do well TO reproach me-" h'
said moolily. II went away for yo'
and for him"
"You should not have gone" she sai'
again ipsistently. Eat least not NJ far
not in this way. There was no reaso'
why you should go ut all; and he ha'
only You 20 look to-"
| Doubtless she had been sorely hurt
Women do not stand well the breaking
Of their idols. And 10 cover her hurt
womanliks. ,hc turned upon him VIII
had been in bowise to blame.
| Chalmers Thought TO himself that
was strange that he should not rr~sn
this. lie had always been man VIII
was impatient of criticism. PERHAPS !
be had been In any way To blame In thi
matter. II there hal been any self sccu
sation 10 contend against, he might hav
rc,entetl her words. She was calm an
pale and cold. But looking at her NOR
closely he could ses that she kept her
elf under control only by the most De
, ternipcd effort. He would not make !
any harder for her.
, "Yes, I have l'een 10 blame" be sai
, finally. IL should not have gone. Bu
: I have come back now 10 help him-an
Jon. II you viii let me. Tell me what
|. can do"
"Oh. I don't know" she answered
IL am only woman. ! could do moth
ing. thought when you came yo
, would know-you could suggest
She had depended on him. then. tn
|, thought gave Chalmsn . new determ
1 nation to be gentle With hsr and hsly
ful. whether she asked him or not.
i He watched tho nervous twisting Q
4 hsr long slender hngsrs for moment
The only Sign oe smoticu-bssors b
! spoke again.
"I don't understaud whst hes haI
4 psned. Ihavo had no word except thu
A you cent me. Ihavs sen no ous hsr'
; Yoa - ! am wholly u los"-