Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-12
Caine laid down the magazine. l

! came lald DOWN tno magazine. IL
brought it all back-that time when al
most he loved a woman. He read On.
Twas a simple little story of love and
faith and the love and the faith belong
ed to the woman-is it not often SO?
The man all but loved a woman who
was poor and plain, who had naught to
attract but IL heart full of sympathy
for humankind, full of longings for bet
ter things, full of an ungovernable
idolatrous worship for that which she
could not attain.
The man had left her, knowing she
loved him, successful, secure in his own
strength to live his life alone-and the
woman loved on. How her heart wax
laid bare in the story What fervor,
what passion, what longing were ex-
pressed There was a prayer for the
lived one in every line-and the heart
break at the end!
Good Godl' he thought. "Can only
a woman love after all p
How weak were his own emotions be-
side this. What were ideals2 Did not
this suffering of another for oneself put
away all thought of them?
What a fool, a blind fool, he had been
not to see that the woman was breaking
her heart for him, dying slowly, cruelty
for the nourishment that only love.
with it's duties and cares, can bring.
A food of pity swept over his soul
and tears crept into channels long I'M
used. What mattered Wall street, the
club, fashionable friends? He could
give them all up. Love such as this was
worth any sacrifice.
He buttoned the magazine into the
pocket of his ulster and reached for a
time table. At 4 o'clock they would
reach the junction Then 500 miles
away was that woman-the m who
loved him. His strong, evenly pulsed
life should calm the fever in her life
the story would have a different ending.
How the hours seemed to crawl from
this time! He caught himself counting
the telegraph poles to keep himself from
thinking. He must not turn back-not
even in thought-to the world he was
leaving. Another one was before him,
in which there was only one figure. No
more careless freedom, no more silent
worship of his ideal woman-the shad.
ow wife of that future, SO rosy and
bright, when his heart should waken
from its long slumber and know real
happiness. Duty should hereafter ever
rule.
A night and a day had passed before
he arrived at his destination. He sum
moned a carriage at the station and
drove rapidly to the beautiful suburb
where the woman lived. He could not
rest or sleep until that poor heart was
eased of its burden, and then-ah! then
and he shut his teeth hard-would he
rest then?
With what a commingling of glad
ness, remorse, expectancy and fear he
mounted the terrace and stood at the
door of the cottage where she lived.
The evening sunlight was tuning the
waters Of the lake into a sheen of glory
and touched the leaves of the fading
foliage into roseate beauty.
Toward the south the leaves screen
ing the lovers walk whispered softly
together of secrets sweeter than those
ever told, and the katydids called glad
tidings to one another. The peace and
the beauty of the sunset stole into his
heart and softened it still more as it
framed kind words for his lips to utter
to her who had so suffered for him.
Yet the door opened, and he was ST.
lent. A slender, worn figure stood be-
fore him. Mechanically he took the
hand of the woman and drew her out to
the light, his voice unsteady in greet
ing. "You welcome me, Jeanette?"
For a moment the fire of glad youth and
passion shone in her tear faded eyes.
II have come a long distance to see
you, my poor girl. The story-I have
it here-it must have a different end
ing!'
"The story!' The light which had
TRANSPORTED the tender face faded away.
The slender form which had for a mo-
ment trembled and bent toward him as
grasses bend to the warm wind that
wooes them, stiffened and drew aside.
"You forget" said the naughty voice,
"that it is only a story, therefore I'M
true"
And so was love laid away, and pride
was the stone laid at the door of its
sepulcher. Chicago News. y