The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-29

the vine and the shrub I'LL all It's
quivering leaves were closed and it's
pretty pink or yellow blossoms
arooped and could bear no morei
Enriqueta Roldan - Ia mimosal
Laughing, he scrawled my name thus
On the sheet OF paper that lay on the
table between as. was making the
Spanish translation of his book for
my employers and he had come to
give me hints. It was o novel,
with . heroine named Harriet
which is the same rs Enriquetas
and which translated Enri-
quota In his story the lover of Har-
riet treated her most cruelty, but she
forgave him and so--died- He saw
my scornful smile at her weakness.
lyon think" he said, ''it is not true
to life? You think that Enriqueta
should not forgive himP''
81 only know what / would or
would not do in such case" am
swered care1essly.
And you--what would you doP'' he
cried with appearance OF intense in
terest.
ST think should kill him." said,
calmly and smiling. 81 think would
stab him through the heart or shoot
him, first calling him to defend him
self"
''But then you would be put in pris-
on, he laughed
''And what of that?"
He burst out laughing still harder
But, finally, he grew grave and went
away. If he had knowni /, to talk
of killing. /, who used to brash the
green grub gently from my roses in
the great garden of my tropical home.
/, who shrink at even a look of pain.
], who weep with every heart in soT'
row, who would fain gather every
fearful child to my bosom and hush
away its grief
Stupid, thrice accursed the stupid,
far-sighted Anglo-Saxon race, these
dull beings who discern well things
and motives too distant to concern
them seriously, yet must have strong
lenses to read the open books of souls
like mine, throbbing SO close to theml
After that day he seemed to study
me, to note me closely. Then came
the night of all nights of my life for
me-never to be forgotten, never to
be forgiven! When he threw himself
into my arms and into my soul-cry-
ing out passionately, 81 love you'll
love you!'
From that night on he never came
to me again. And made no com
plant Amazed. stupefied, tortured,
I suffered in proud silence. It did
not enter my head for long weeks
that his only thought had been to
gain a new experience--a new passion
to be made use of in another novel
another viviseetion of a soull We
ly--ln the street He
seemed to await some thing; fool that
he was. he awaited my attempt to
murder him--to avenge the injury to
nay heart Fool that / was, not to
know it! J only walked my way half
dead---but cold and proud and appar-
emily utterly forgetful of the clasp of
his arms. the pressure of his ipsl
Doubtless he had forgotten the
naimosa, in which there is no deadli-
ness only power to shrink and
suffer.
Maria Santissimal How lonely one
can be in such great ethyl How
tired one may grow of livingi How
purposeless may seem the struggle. 1,
who only desire to love and be loved
II, whose dearest wish for life would
be to devote myself to a fond and
aithful husband-to suffer in this
wayI To reach out feverish hands for
the pure and dew moist rose of love
and only grasp the singing nettle Of
deceiti
1t seems as If years had passed since
/ wrote what comes before this. 1t
may be an hour or two. A tap came
at my door. I opened 1t and stood
face to face with him. He came in
without invitation, smiling, blond
and with pretense of superiority.
"Ah, busy?" he laughed lightly.
s'But is it not warm here2 Why do you
not throw wide the windows?" He
flung one higher and sat down ON the
sill, sat carelessly out in such a way
as one might sit and easily lose his
balance.
Have carei'' I said. sharply. But
he only laughed
IL have not seen you in SO long" he
said, Il thought you might be dead or
married"@
81 might say the same to you"
answered slowly. had not given
nay hand I stood by the table in the
middle Of the room.
ZIP" hs echoed, Struggling his shout
ders. PAS 81 beteI No marriage for
me!'
You can then live without love9''
asked composedly.
''Oh, no; / snatch the blossoms as
go-culling here and there a rare
flower at the wayside to remember
pleasantly for a day or two-until a
fairer attractsT'
This from him to me! I made O
quick step forward toward him.
swear before high heaven my only
thought was to spit upon him--to call
him dog-to command him to leave
my room and never dare to look at
Trr< n I'D hn@ In