The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-03-06
REWARD OF A WOMA

house table, and looked up with laugh
ter and mock admiration in her ewes al
her lover, who came and stood before
her. But the man looked down at he1
in eager pleading.
Ursula, darling, how can you talk
in that way-now?"
"How can 1? Why, with a pretty
grace, 1 hope"
Ursula" cried the man, don't have
that mood! 1t hurts me. 1t maddens
me to waste our minutes so. Oh, my
darling, have you no sentiment in you?'
Sentiment" she. began, lightly; but
she stopped suddenly and her word
trailed off into a sob. "Bertie-"
The man caught her hands quickly.
What, darling?"
She dropped her head on his breast
and her breath came fast.
you have thought me unsentimental,
matter-of-fact, even hard-yes, just a
little bit hard-ever since you first
knew me; while ouweres o-so-other-
wise"
He held her tightly to him and
waited.
"But"-and it was she who spoke
passionately now-"I was only acting,
BERTHE; only showing you a surface
heart. And now-now you are going
away, and for so long, I will give up
acting. I am sentimental-sillily senti-
mental, if only you knew. I did not
show i'll don't know was shy, 1
suppose. I thought you would not care
for it-that you would laugh at me"
"Oh, Ursula, Ursula," he exclaimed.
81 believe you would laugh now if
you only knew how ridiculous l am
how much I love you. And now I have
broken down-you have made me break
down. 1 can never unsay my confess
sion. I have humbled myself have
laid bare my heart"
Ursula, my own. why did you never
confess before? I laugh at you! Oh,
my darling. 1 have hungered to hear
you say such words"
The eyes of the girl were love-steeped,
and her lashes wet. and She raised her
head and looked up at the man..
"All this past year you have made me
happier than I ever dared hope to be-"
she whispered, trembling-"the hap
piest woman in the whole world. I
think"
And the man bent and pressed his lips
to hers. But 1 want to make you still
happier" he said. passionately. II
want TO take you from all the care and
drudgery; to have you all to myself; to
guard you, to cherish you-never t.
part. Oh, if only 1 had money! This
waiting, waiting is awful; and the hope
so small, the reward so slow"
"Am l really sraall-and slow" she
asked, softly.
He laughed back at her. Not you,
dearest, but the getting IN, and the pit
lance; it all seems so endless. Even
now l am holding you only to part from
you-to go back to the grind. And
worse than all is the knowledge that
you are also drudging, and l cannot pre-
vent it."
"As there must be waiting, dear, I am
glad of the work to fill my time. And"
with a soft blush, 81 shall be saving for
my trousseau."
Don't Ursula-don't go boarding
your shillings and denying yourself.
Some day 1 will make my pile, and you
shall walk in silk attire; and we'll
leave the work, and the trouble. and the
care, and go off a-wandering in Italy
and Greece and Algiers, and every place
we've ever set our hearts on"
The understanding clock upon the
painted marble mantelpiece struck five
metallic strokes.
Five o'clock already! This is awful!
For a whole year, OIL longer. Say it
again, Ursula-that you love me-"
Il love you, BERTHE" she said, slowly.
and quite soIemnly. 81 love you. l
think 1 would die for you quite will
ing!y."
Darling. darling, for a long year"
He caught her up to him in a passionate
embrace, his lips met hers again and
again; then he turned quickly, and went
toward the door.
There Will be the letters" she said,
in q voice which strove to be steady and
cheerful, for mis- white, hopeless face
hurt her heart. And hen lie was gone.