The Afro-American advance., 1900-03-31

THE rushing water brought down
the coffee berries from the hills,
and the ever-turning wheels crushed
and tore away their red husks, throw
ing their acrid clean scent out into the
air.
A man and woman looked on listless-
. ", for they had seen it all so wearily
often before.
They had got into the habit of stroll
ing about together, these two, and of
talking of all things under the sun
but especially of her husband.
She was the managers wife and not
at all in love with the big-nosed young
fellow beside her. But the manager
was bully, and rough with women,
and-there were other troubles.
At first the compassion in young Keep
ler's eyes had stung and shamed her
Then he fell i'll, and she had tended him
-soft-handed and low-voiced, though
her husband ragged or whimpered-
and being so often near him it became
a sort of comfort to feel that the ach-
ing silence between them was electric
with his pity and indignation. and with
something else, that pulsed like third
presence.
So she called the something SYM
pathy-and the silence broke into
whispers. And the woman's lot seemed
harder when the man painted it before
her tired eyes.
He never asked himself what he
meant or planned. He just lived on
from day to day in a dull rage with
fate, and the manager, and the utter
hopelessness of it all. He didn't want
to love the brute's wife; and yet, and
yet-life wasn't worth a cent without
her-especially on a coffee plantation
at the back of the Molukkos.
kepler had lost his money in Java,
and gauged the worth of his friends.
So he had taken himself in hand, and
determined that work was the order
Of the day; and at first he had set to
with a will, and written letters home
to his mother, which she called "an-
swers TO prayers"
But the poor old lady would have
lifted up trembling hands again, had
she seen her boy standing by the crush
ing machine, with his hungry, misera-
bic eyes fixed on his chiefs wife.
1T can't go on" he said-"it can'tl
This new insult is too dreadful"
She looked round nervously. "Re-
member the coolies" she whispered.
All! they don't Understandable besides.
the machine is making an Internal
noise" Still her rebuke had shamed
him, and he glanced at her guiltily.
She had adopted che native sarong
and cabaja; her fair hair was tied
loosely with ribbon-her bare feet
twinkled in her little gaudy slippers.
She prodded at the red Shiny pulp aim
lessly with her paper parasol. She real
~ wished that he would go on talking.
oh! do let us get into the shaded" he
groaned at last.
She turned quickly. and they disap-
peared behind the gIistening bushes.
The coolies looked at each other and
grinned.
What's the good of IL alp" he de-
manded, impetuously, when they were
alone.
4 wish you wouldn't keep on asking
riddles!" she retorted.
"Eva!"
He had never called her by her name
before. He had not meant to do so
now.
Well, do talk sensibly." she pouted,
with a petulant movement of her shout
ders. Then her voice changed sudden
~ Il am in awful trouble" she fall
tered.
As she stood under the shadow of the
Trees with her drooping red flowers he
thought she had never looked so beau
tiful.
What is it now?" he asked, under
his breath.
Its money" she wailed-"money-
money; and it means ruin"
"Money,-with this harvest?"
les; the books are all wronQ,"
Then - as she looked away. he saw
how her neck flushed darkly-"you
know his temptations, she added.
Yes. yes, l knowl I wish / could
stFangle them" he replied. savagely.
YET wild Joy bumped and banged In
MS heart. II. after all. his chance were
coming.
She drew very near. Her hand lay be
seeehiugiy on his arln. 'He SAYS II is
your fault" she whispered. That he
s iniured--innoeent: and"
and you believe him?~
No! All. no!v
iaen don't mire. Thank God. I
"a prove rrIy ease /"
And the ehtIdren7 Oh. the poor
ehildren,~
oh. bother thechilLren." is what he
~"ald Ike to have said, but didn't