The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-02-04

His frank question drew him rather
deeper into the subject than he had
meant to go, but he laid hold of his
courage and spoke the thought that
was in him. 81 mean when man has
been fortunate enough to find the one
woman in the world with whom he can
share all things" He said it quietly,
trying to keep the vibrant note of pas
sion out of his voice.
She did not reply at once, and when
she did there was no sign that she had
taken his answer in any sense Other
than as an abstract statement of fact.
even then | think you are wrong" she
said. 1T doesn't seem possible to me
that any woman could accept such q
sacrifice and retain her respect for the
man who made it; does it to you?"
81 had never thought of it as being
sacrifice. 1t is more like part of the
homage which a loyal subject would
give freely to the one whom he had en-
throned."
She looked at him in doubt. 81 can
never tell when you are in earnest and
when you are trying to be satirical."
"Oh, beg you to believe 1 wouldn't
jest upon such serious subject" he
hastened to say,
''Then l can't understand your posi-
ton at all. You-you write about wom-
en-, and you should understand them
better than that. Isn't it true that even
the strongest woman prefers to look up
rather than down, if her husband be
noble and brave and generally worth
looking up to?"
Ringbrand WINGED, for had he not
signed his name to a certain narrative
in which the motive turned upon the
theory that deep in the heart of every
woman there dwells an anspolsen desire
to be dominated? He smiled at his I'M
conscious mendacity and wondered why
1T is that man who chances to be in
love cannot apply the wisdom of other
days to the solution of his own riddles.
Perhaps you are right, after all" he
said, musingly. Nov that you recall
it, it seems quite possible that may at
one time have held and expressed such
a view myself. Your proviso, however,
helps my side of the question"
"In what way?"
"By asking for rare combination of
virtues in the man."
"How do you mean?'
"You said he should be noble and
brave and generally worth looking up
to-
"Are those qualities rare?''
"Rare enough, fear. | think there
are not many of us who could fill the re-
quirements. But to return to Miss
Bradfern: You think she will be on the
governing hand, do you?"
Perhaps not quite that, but I'm very
sure she has some-shall we call them
convictions?-that will make Mr.. Ra-
is the idea that it is part of her mis-
sion to bring about the social recog-
milton of the negroes" She said "nig-
gers" but the provincialism bore no
contemptuous accent.
The remark caught Ringbrand off his
guard and he said: "There is room for
reform along that line, isn't there?"
THAT depends very much upon the
point of view" Hester drew herself UP
and shade of austeritY came into her
manner. ''I'm not quite sure how you
regard it in the north, though papa says
you make no distinction-or, at least,
not very much. With us the question
has been definitely settled for long
time"
He was besotted enough to try to
argue the point with her. Don't you
think that much of the objection to sor
cial equality on the score of the color of
persons skin is prejudice" he asked.
'Non are at liberty to call it that or
anything else you please" she an
swered, with chilly preciseness, "apd
there is nothing to prevent your put
ting yourself upon an equality with our
servants if you feel so disposed"
I'm sure | don't wish to do that,
though I'm quite as certain that the
question of color or race would not pre-
vent me. ! think the negroes in the
north are given all the social rights
they expect or deserve; they are at
least the social equals of white people
in their own class"
Hester rose and stood before him
with sparkling eyes and flushed checks,
and he forgot all about the argument
In his admiration of her superb lovell-
ness, That's just it," she exclaimed: