The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1898-07-22

You would follow me to the end
of the world though your hand never
so much as touched my hand. To kiss
me once you would die-because | am
4 woman.
He sank slowly down and down, his
eyes never leaving hers.
For me you would give your life !;
for me you would do the basest deed !;
for me you would sell your soluble
cause | am a woman"
He was like a candle slowly shrink
ing in great heat. Insensibly he
drew nearer and nearer, till at last he
lay at her feet, gazing, dumbly gazing
up at her She smiled. She smiled
the soul olt OF him; smiled till there
was no more will, no more though, no
memory in him.
His lips moved, 81 love you"
81 For how long?"
Forever"
"And nobody else?"
land nobody else"
" In the whole world?"
In the whole world"
His head fell down on her knees
He thought he swOoned.
Do you love me?:" If he died he
must ask that.
mo"
"Why not?"
81 will not love you"
"Lovc me-" he entreated, "or--kill
me-"
Il will not love you"
He put his arms around her waist
and strained them till she breathed in
pain. "Wll you not love me?'
Z" | will not loye you'll"
lie lifted his head and kiss her.
Nov you are man." she said.
"And you will love mc?"
81 will net love you. But you may
love me-for an hour"
When the sun had moved the shad-
ows of the leaves an hours space fur
ther toward the east, voice came
calling through the wood.
"That is my husband" she said,
"calling me-"
His arms dropped away from her.
Your husband?"
"My husband" She turned her
head on his shoulder and laughed up
at him.
"How long have you been married."
"A whole week."
And?-"
And you're the first other man |
have seen. Happy you! A whole
week !"
He sprang up, so that she fell on tc
the ground. He hoped she was hurt
He heard her mocking laugh ring in
the air as he Glove his furious way
through the trees. He was afraid she
was not hurt. On and on he went
stumbling, cursing, blind. The bush
es and branches crashed as he passed
The birds and small creatures flew
from before him.
Hours after he stumbled over some
thing IN his path. 1t was his gun, ly
Ing in the wet grass with the LITTLE
dead rabbit stretched before it. HI
thought he had never seen that CUR
before, never shot those rabbits. Hi
dog got stiffly up and wagged numt
f0rgiving tail.
He remembered Maryland tn
proud superiority of man.
Slowly he went homeward In tn
dusk. His head hung low, his gun h
hardly held. TO be unworthy o
Mary's slightest regard! Mary's, who's
eyes should forever have waited oi
him, her lord and her god.
A light step came near and stopped
| He looked up. Mary stood there III
white from head to foot She held up
her face. He did not kiss her.
"You are so late, and l was SO
frightened What was it?"
Silently he took the rabbits out ol
his pocket and showed them to her
One fell to the ground, and he left II
there.
"All day F.! Only killing9"
He looked at her.
"Mary"-
"Yes, dear. You're tired aren
your she said. $50 am l. We dro,
all those miles, and then the brio
was not at home"
Suddenly he turned on her.
MARY" he said fercely, "havc "
ever loved any man but me?"
, Her eyes looked up into bis. Th'
! were clear, like q pool.
II should not dare 10 offer you n
love II l had" she said simply.