The Iola register., 1901-04-19


"will you let me ask you a question
of yourself again?"
Eyes, If you wish"
"Dr. Brodnar said that you had
never had but one ambition in life,
and that you had been disappointed.
What did he mean2"
"I once had ambition to be great
soldier. That is ALL"
"Were you ever a soldier7"
"Yes, an officer in the regular
army"
"And nowP"
81 am a wanderer. A gentleman
only"
"Why did you leave the army?"
"T struck my superior officer. They
heard my defense and-let me resign"
And the other-what became Of
him?"
"He cheated at cards, was publicly
insulted-and cashiered."
"Why did you strike him9"
"Is this asking "a question:"
"Oh, forgive me! Good night"
at is very short" he said, repent
case; the card incident was but pre-
text" A low cry escaped the girl.
Then she said, half rising:
"You loved her2"
"Yes." He heard her sink slowly
back upon her pillow. 81 thought so,
at least-until now. / was mistaken
in her; my pride was wounded" He
arose and paced the room.
Tell me of her, please2"
"She lived not far from Washington
with a relative, her parents both
dead. She had some means of her
own and frequently came into the
city, where she had friends. We met,
and l believed in her; but this officer
came between us. She thought him
rich, and was deserted for him. She
belonged to that class of women who
esteem wealth the foremost object Of
life, women who go deliberately to
men they do not, cannot love, or even
respect, and say in effect: Here, we
have beauty, youth, freshness, for sale.
Take us, dress us, give us jewels and
fine clothes to wear, carriages 10 ride
in; give us a chance TO command the
homage of men, and ell that we have
is yours Watch for them upon your
streets; all men know them at sight.
God, but they pay at lasti Look in
when the excitement has passed and
see upon their faces the frozen de-
spair; see in the heaviness of their
step the weight of dead youth, and
in their eyes eternal hopelessness.
| Child, child, be not deceived, love is
the only gold that pays a woman.
Shun them, these wFotohed advertise
ments of dishonoT. Let no man come
into the holiness of your life until love
has sanctified the sacrifice" He ceased
abruptly, and the next instant was
kneeling by her side. Forgive mel"
he cried. Have I not told you /
hold you blameless?" Suddenly he
felt her arms about his neck, drawing
his face TO hers. Her hair enveloped
and almost smothered him In a sudden
storm. Holding him thus, she broke
into such an agony OF grief and tears
as to render him speechless and help
less. She held him in such frantic
embrace that each effort he made to
free himself was defeated. When her
strength was exhausted she sank
back among the pillows, bFeathless
He bent above her unnerved.
"How lonely, how barren must have
been your life, that little kindness
--another's sorrows--should touch you
so deeplyl"
Lonely Speak of the persecution
the brutality, the infamy-!"
Hush" he whispered. mo more
to me. Come, you must sleep" Rising
abruptly, he left her side. When il
was that she fell asleep he could not
discover, but presently he seemed tc
hear her deep, regular breathing, ant
was thankful.
And so the moments passed. The
girl started up once or twice anc
spoke his name; but always at SCUM
of his calm, reessurirg voice sanl
back again upon her pillow. From
time to time he went and stood above
her-a spell upon him new snC
strange, a spell that filled him will
uneasiness and vague alarm. He wa
no longer lonely. In some mysteriou
way burden seemed to be slippin!
away from him, and in its place cam'
a sense of companionship sweet anc
comforting. Most men discount mar
ried life in their dreams, and few eve
realize the fullness of those dreams
but with him it had been different
This strange experience preceded th
dreams. Without days warning h
had been plunged into the privacy o
a young and modest woman's life, hat
become the guardian of her honor an'
in measure of her future; and in
mysterious way the divine sweetnes
of her soul had issued forth and en-
veloped him. In the chiaroscuro o
the still room he could Just determine
the outlines of her bed and upon II
wilderness the Outlines Of her siende
figure. He was glad that she sEept
In that quiet falling aSaeep vss 70
him the finest tribute eyee pasd TO hi
manhood. A glad, quick poiee leapec
from his heart "a he realized thi
| truth. and Ina vvsI,,da ~ 4ha otri'