Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-12

/, soldiers have suffered brain wounds and
recovered completely, mentally and phys
ically.
But cases are many where n larger loss
Of brain matter has affected the mind:
where head wounds and loss of the gray
ooze Of the brain have made merry men
moody and irritable; have weakened
memory and changed the processes of
the intellect.
If this shall be the case with Maria
Brcia. her fate will be strange one.
Her mother, Louisa Bricia. is very
pretty woman. She herself, IL her de-
velopment follows the precedent Of other
italian children here. will be taller, stron-
ger, more beautiful. She will be edu-
Gated, wear pretty clothes and become
an attractive child. lovely woman.
Prosperity will give her beautiful cloth
ing; education will add charm Of manner
to physical beauty.
But as a child she may be loveless;
as q woman. cold.
In vain-if the worst follows from the
operation-will her little playmates ap-
peal to her to join in their games. She
will not care for goats or rabbits or kit
tens. She will not love her home. An
other fireside will be the same to her as
her own. Her father and her mother
will weep bitter tears over her, but new
er call to life in her an answering throb
Of affectionate sympathy.
And love may come-the love Of a
lover. 1t will find her unmoved, heart
less. Hate she may, love she cannot.
Protestations Of undying fealty she will
meet with laughter. She will be an
Undine. She will wonder at the feeling
that makes the tears start to her suitor's
eyes. but she cannot share 1t. She will
be cruel without blame, because she does
not understand.
II love you. / kneel to you. implore
you not to be heartless."
So may some lover address beautiful
Maria Bricia in 1918, kneeling at her lit
tie feet, gazing up into her mocking black
eyes.
"Heartless? don't know what you
mean," she will reply. "What is this
love that you and all the others talk
about?"
why, love is--is-just love-" he STAN
mers. II love you. 1t is the dearest
wish Of my life to marry you.'
"To marry? All, yes! You stand in
the church, and the good father says
but there again-I would have to promise
to love, honor and-how shall I promise
to love you when ! do not know what
love is? Why should marry your"
Because love you and-and"-a bright
thought this-"to have home all your
own"
But don't want home," the benuti.
full girl laughingly replies. "What is a
home? It's place where you eat and
sleep and read novels, and can do that
anywhere. l need no home"
a..
ly. "You say that now, but you are
young, beautiful, petted, admired, loved.
VIII you not be lonely when you are old
and wrinkled? will you not then wish to
feel the arms of children and grandchil-
dren about you; to-
Children" The girls tone is full Of
contempt. "Oh. yes, I've known girls
that have marred-my sisters and 9TH
ers. That was the end of life for them.
Nothing bat work and worry, poverty
and pinching to make both ends meet.
Children! They're funny little creatures.
l can't understand how anybody should
want them about her. I'd never be SO
foolish, I'm sure"
"Children-and home-the end of life!
No, no; the beginning of life. Maria, l
love you as the light Of my life, and you
are you incapable of love?"
How do l know? You have not yet
told me what love is nor has any one
else."
1t will be such conversation as never
man and maid held since the world be-
gan, will it not?
And yet
Yet there is hope-the hope that educa-
tion. patient training. may wake in her
the lacking sentiment: 1t will be
strange case to watch as little Maria Bri-
cia grows up to womanhood.