The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-02-23

She was quoted and courted and COP
led, but in the spring she would marry
me-for love.
THAT was winter to warm dead
summers by it's memory. We never
spoke of the years Intervening or their
experiences Our fidelity was at least
no indiscretion. There must be a God,
in whose mind such joy was conceived
and fulfilled. Coming home from the
opera one night, when only a few
weeks lay between us and our mar
riage a frantic runaway tore through
the crowded avenue. leaving many
wreck Ill its deadly wake. Julia was
carried into mere boulevard cafe and
died in my arms. my face so close to
hers she never saw the squalid sur
roundings of that last holy hour, though
| shall wear the terror stricken faces
of the onlookers across my eyes for
ever, heightened by sad dreams. She
knew me to the last. 'Sereta,' she
whispered, keep her safe from the
world My world has not been always
yours. Love is more than She
smiled with her soul Her lips were
cold Every haunt held a stab for me
there From that night the sight of
her flowers on the other women turned
me faint. | shivered when | met one
of the gay circle of her devoted inner
coterie Every mood of passion re-
turned to mock me now. The sight of
other lovers made me fear myself in
my shattered condition of will and
Nth
Life had given me all my boyish hopes
in manhood's measure. l never reach
ed the high altar of my holy of holies,
but l have heard the music of the
great organ as stood on the threshold.
ut WIS not until lately that | realiz-
ed the time had come to do more than
listen and wait. The blood of your
mother is in your veins too. We will
go soon. little friend, and make ac-
| quaintance with the best of her world
and mine"
But Sereta's arms were crossed upon
her breast, and in voice too sweet for
any mortal woman save her mothers s
child she said, 81 will not gop' At the
end of an hours struggle she still per-
sisted: 81 will not go. | care nothing
for a world that betrayed you and
| l will not gov'
| Samuel found her singing ''furrin'
| song over the honeysuckles next morn
| ing and waited to be drawn into con
| versation.
| Morning. Samuel" There was his
| chance without compromise of dignity
| "Good morning, Miss Sweeta. Ho
| day. | guess" Then in queer voice
| quite unlike the usual gruff Samuel
It'll be lonesome enough not to heal
| you singin. Miss Sweeta. Some say
| you and the admiral are tired of root.
and goin away"
| Going awayT repeated Sereta
"Why. Samuel. you said yourself only
| little while ago that the admiral wa:
| py'rennial. and | am another. wv,
are going into partnership with th,
| yellow lilies forever and ever" Th,
old man made a motion of incredulit.
and, shaking his head as he did whel
rain was prophesied in drought, re
/ marked: MAY be true of the admiral
| Miss Sweeta. but | expect that othe
soldier fellow'll be back here before fal
lookin after some more yellow iii,
| slips-like as not. He said he took
very particular interest in py'rennials
should think he would. He'll be tn
first man that ever raised a bulb fron
a slip"
And Roger did come back man,
times. but he went straight to the ad
miral when advice was needed, fo
the kind of flower he wanted was nev
er illustrated in the gaudiest catalogu
of Samuel's loyal admiration. Nor vii
the yellow lilies watch in vain at til
end of the garden walk next spring
for Sereta has given her lover to un
derstand that she is a py'rennial o
the admiral, however satisfied he ma
be to live as mere "blown away Seed"
!, Perhaps she hopes he will take roo
some day. Anyway, she smiles whe
Samuel whistles, my hope is built O.
nothing less" 'Sereta is too young,
says the admiral, land am too DID,
Martha Gilbert Dickinson in Spring
field Republican.