The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-09-15
RISING SUN, CECIL SEPTEMBER Is Is

tread upon the dangerous ground;
rarely do they indulge in this dever-
sion. Do you believe that?"
He made no reply, so pleased was he
at this unusual. expression of the va
garies of her soul. He reproached him
self instantly for the thought. Vagar-
les! EaAa! Men were stupid, heavy
ciods, Incapable of aprpeciating the fine
subtlnties of feminine nature. 1t was
revelation to him, to hear Agnes,
whose life had been so carefully guard
ed, theorize in this delightful way.
In complete forgetfulness of her
question, her voice growing fuller and
rounder as the depth of her reasoning
impressed itself upon her, her shining
eyes peering into the shadows of the
distant corners of the room as if the
future were about to unfold to her its
manifold mysteries Agnes continued:
"Men are generous and helpful-wom-
en- the opposite. Men are loyal, woman
vacillating in friendship. Men are self
ish and purblind, woman selfish and
lynX-eyed. Some day the great law, the
universal law of God, will make all clear
and requite the sufferer for all sor-
row inflicted through the injustice of
man."
Ringing outthe words, Agnes realized
she was not alone. Jack placed his
hand on her bowed head saying:
"You have suffered more than I
thought, Agnes, but let me tell you now
of that fatal misfortune which has so
embittered our lives"
"No! No! Jack! it is useless" she re-
piled tearfully. at can never bring
back the old happiness. Let us be
friends, forgetting the past and-and-
we'll, you know you may break, you
may shatter the vase as you will"
Lifting her head, the shadows of I'M
shed tears saddend the smile which
played upon her parted lips.
II will be silent no longer, Agnes.
My cousin, living abroad, bore the
same name as myself. He became in
fatuated with a pretty danseuse, Aimee
Devereaux. He married her secretly,
rightly knowing my uncle would disin-
herit him. He became more reckless
than ever, spent his allowance quite too
freely, and finally arrived at destitu-
ton. Hearing l was in Paris, he sent
for me, but resisted all my entreaties
to place him, now i'll and helpless, in
more comfortable rooms, and refused to
leave the Latin quarter. Bohemian by
nature, artistic and dreamy, he had
passed several years, wasting his talent
and income in the vain attempt toward
an artistic career. Crushed by failure,
he married the woman who appreciated
his efforts. Now, illness was upon him,
but she was loyal as well as proud. She
returned to the stage to support him.
1nsanely jealous as well as nervously
sensitive to her need of protection, he
requested me to see her back and forth
from the theater or concert-room as it
chanced to be. Unconscious of the ter
rible. consequences, I gladly assumed
the responsibility, learning meanwhile
the nobility of the plucky little woman,
worthy the love of any man. For two
months we watched and waited for the
end. AT last it came. We placed him
where he had chosen to rest and Aimee
returned to her parents in the south
ern part OF France. That is all, Agnes.
The similarity of names, John, as we
called him, being unknown to many,
Mrs. Jack Wilson, attended by Jack
Wilson, of New York, precipitated mis-
fortune which was revealed to me when
Aimee's absence was observed. My
letters were returned unopened. 1 de-
SPARED of seeing you ever again, but
love will find way. My heart battled
within me and with sudden determina-
ton, engaged passage for New York.
Dorothy's wedding day is an auspicious
one for us both; the rose had special
significance for you. Agnes! my dar-
ling! you are willing to trust me? Come!
look up and show me l am forgiven!"
"Jack!" came from Agnes white
lips,
"Yes, darling"
"Kneel down."
Jack knelt obediently and reverently.
Agnes looked shyly at his expectant
face. Taking his head between her trem-
bling hands, she kissed him lightly on
the forehead as she murmured:
"My own Jack!"-The Woman's Ex-
change.