Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1893-02-18

and woman stronger than they
were, and that if you cannot, when
you are an old man and woman and
sit by the fire, say, Life has been a
braver and freer thing for us, be-
cause we passed it hand in hand,
than if we had passed through it
alone it has failed7 Do you care
for him enough to live for him, not
tomorrow, but when he is an Old
faded man, and you an old faded
woman9 Can you forgive him his
sins and his weaknesses when they
| hurt you most? If he were to lie a
| querulous invalid for twenty years,
/ would you be able to fold him III
your arms all that time and comfort
him as a mother comforts her little
child?" The woman drew her breath
heavily.
"Oh l love him absolutely! i
would be glad to die if only l could
once know that he loved me better
than anything in the world"
The woman stood looking down at
| her. Have you never thought of
that other woman: whether she could
not perhaps make his life as perfect
as youa" she asked slowly.
ooh, no woman could ever be to
him what I would be. would live
for him. He belongs to me-" She
bent herself forward, not crying, but
her shoulders moving. 1T is such a
terrible thing to be woman--to be
able to do nothing and say nothing. "
The woman put her hand upon her
shoulder; the younger woman looked
up into her face: then the elder
| turned away and stood looking into
the fire; there was such quiet you
could hear the clock tick above the
writing table.
The woman said: There is one
thing l can do for you. lido not know
if it will be of any use-I will do it. '
She turned away.
"Oh, you are so great and good, so
beautiful, so different from other
women, who are always thinking
only of themselves! Thank you SO
much know | can trust you. !
couldn't have told my mother OF any
one but you"
Now you must so; have my work
to finish"
The younger woman put her arms
round her "Oh. you are SO good and
beautiful!"
The silk dress and the fur cloak
rllstled out of the room.
The woman who was left alone
walked up and down, at last faster
and faster. till the drops stood on her
forehead. After a tille she went
up to the table; there was written
illegihly in a mans hand on frag
ment Of manuscript paper, Can |
come to see you this afternoonl"
Near it was a closed and addressed
envelope. She opened it. In it were
written the words, Yes, please
come"
She tore it across, and wrote the
words, mo, | shall not be at liberty" :"
She closed them in an envelope and
addressed them Then she rolled up
the manuscript on the table and rang
the bell. She gave it to the servant.
''Tell the boy to give this to his mas
ter, and say the article ends rather
abruptly; they must state it is to be
continued; l will finish it tomorrow.
AS he passes number twenty let him
leave this note there"
The servant went cut. She walked
up and down the room with her
hands folded above her head.
Two months after the elder woman
stood before the fire. The door
opened suddenly, and the younger
woman came in.
II had to come-I couldn't wait.
You have heard he was married this
morning Oh, do you think it is true?
Do help mel" She put out her hands.
"Sit down Yes. it is quite true"
"Oh, it is so terrible, and didn't
know anything! Did you ever say
anything to hi1n?" She caught the
WOulclu = udilttS.
II never saw him again after the
day you were here. so could not
speak to him, but did what could. -
She stood looking passively into the
fire.
"And they say she is quite child,
only eighteen. They say he only
saw her three times before he pro
posed to her. Do you think it is
true2"
Yes, it is quite true"
He can't love her! They say he's
only marrying her for her rank and
her money
The woman turned quickly. What
right have you to say that? No one
but know him. What need has he
of any ones rank or wealth. He is
greater than them all Older wom-
en- may have failed him; he has
needed to turn to her beautiful,
fresh young life to compensate him.
She is a woman whom any man
might have loved-so young and
beautiful. Her family are famed for
their intellect. II be trains her she
may make him a better wife than
any other woman would have Gone"
"Oh, but l can't bear it; l can't
bear it, The younger woman sat
down in the chair She will be his
wife and have his childrenn'
Yves that is hard.' The elder
woman moved quickly. ''One wants
to have the child, and lay its head on
opa'S h,,aast G111 feed H. y She moved