Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-06-08
FOR Old SAkE'S SAKE.

is no changing the ieopardS spots. The
keen observer of his kind, who has not
twelve aXioms wherewith to work the
theorems of life, but 1900, accepts it as
gospel. Raymond, who was not Il keen
observer, but a man with faith in his
heart, did not accept it. In the face of
advice and caution and good counsel, he
decided to reduce it to the absurd and
marry Cicely Granville. Success crowned
him, as even those who warned him know
now, but it was a desperate risk.
Far back in the days which it were
heresy TO doubt were as good as they
were old, when Alan was just the stolid
small son of Capt. Raymond and Cicely
was but the angel-faced little daughter of
Capt. Raymond's first lieutenant, Marlitt.
the boy and the girl had been fond of
one another. They had made mud pies
and hunted the first wild flowers of the
plains, and had ridden burros and brOn-
chOs together They had Wintered and
summered in each others company, the
mountains and prairies of the Southwest,
while the land was yet given over to
the never-ending disturbances of the hos
tiles. They had learned what it was to
have only one another for playmatess for
months at a time. And because of the
hardShips of long marches and the joys
of a haf-savage freedom together, they
came TO think themselves inseparable.
And then they were separated. Clcely
was to be civilized. She was sent East
and abroad TO school. Alan Raymond
went through West Point ard got his
commission. Thereupon fate-which at
times does what might be expected of
her-Sent him to the same post where the
Marlitts were stationed, and he saw Cice-
ly again. He looked into the placid depths
of her long, gray eyes, and remembered
the past. He looked at the curving red
lips and the thick brown hair, and guessed
the future. She had changed for the
worse and for the better. She had been
civilized. and was less frank; she had
learned to attain her ends by Indirect
means. yet, as women go, she was hon
est But the sanity face was more beau
tiful, and the child was grown to be one
of those women whom to love is to wor-
ship. And in due time Raymond loved
her.
There are men who take their love as
simply as they do the breath of their
life. It is necessary to them, but they
do not go mad with the ecstacy of its
possession. When Raymond had told
Cicely that he loved her, and when she
had laid her head upon his shoulder and
had put her slender, clinging hands III
his, and. turning up the beautiful, deep
eyes to his face, had said: I love you"
he was satisfied. His fault, if such it
were, was that he was undemonstrative,
and Cicely' s-though some count it 4 vir
tue in WOman-that she was jealous. OF
all vices, jealousy carries with it its own
sWiftest punishment. 1t realizes its I'M
reason, but is pOWerless-like dreamer
who suffers and cannot awake, though he
knows. the while that he is dreaming
She knew in her heart that her lovers
word was worth more than most mems
vows; she knew that his purpose-w was di-
rect and honest. and yet she doubted. The
tiny stone of suspicion began to roll. A
question which Cicely was too proud to
ask would have checked it, but it rushed
on and became an avalanche that buried
and crushed their happiness under its
mass. Raymond looked on dazed. He
could not understand.
When it was too late, it was made
plain. Cicely sat before her own fire, in
the dusk, and looked quietly at the blaz-
ing logs. The light SnOne on her fair
face and on her cleaning hair. Raymond
stood and looked down at her. resting his
arm on the mantelpiece. He was an hon.
est man. He had no intention of speak
ing even the love Of the past to another
mans wife, but beside the blank reality
rose up in front of him the might-have-
been of his life, and he cried out from the
depths, ,.
"Cicely, why did you do it?" he asked.
She started back and looked up at him.
For one long minute the deep eyes gazed
into his eyes and saw there the futility
Of an irretrievable mistake. The curved
lips grew white, and parted and closed
again. She turned and hid her face in
her tight-clasped hands. and bowed her
head against the back of the chair. There
is tragedy of the fiercest sort that en-
tiers once, at least, into most HveS-trag-
edy which seems to rend the veil of ones
universe in twain and to open up the
u-ha bnnnS
have lain sleeping. Yet we jeer at melo-
drama when we are shown bits from the
play of existence that are as nothing to
the truth. We say it is overacted. 1t is
because it has been mercifully given to
us to forget. In the past Raymond, first
of all, would have scO1ed; in the future,
he would come to doubt the horror of
the present moment. But it caught him
and held him then with mighty strength
The primitive creature comes out When it
is dashed with the whip of real pain; all
the bars of custom and convention can
not restrain it. He forgot the honor Of
his sane moments. He snatched away the
hands, and dragged her to him, and
turned her face up again to his.
Why did You do it, Cicely:" he re-
Deated
She clenched her teeth and steadied her
voice. and then she told him.
But you were utterly wrong he said.
He was dazed to have been SO misunder
stood. and he offered no explanation. But
she Gid not need one now. She had seen
the full measure of Ter FOLLY.
Il know" she answered, L was wrong.
and-I am punished She threw her
arms about his neck and sobbed, and he
held her close. It was only for a little
time. Then she drew away and her arms
fell at her side. 1T cannot be helped"
she said; and she turned and went away.
There was no change in Raymond then
or as the years went on. He was q good
officer and a good man, and unembittered.
But Cicely Granville changed. The world
loves nothing better than to find an ex-
PLANTATION for what has mystifed its be-
lief. 1T is plain,'' it said now, why
Cicely Marlitt married Granville. Ray
mOnd was not the man to have allowed
her to indulge her propensities.'
The propensities were toward firtations
that scandaliZed that conservative and re-
spectacle institution, the army. Even the