The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-03-27

penitencc, 81 am sorry that ! said my,
thing today to make you mad at me, an
l hope you'll forgive me. Won't you,
pleaseT"
Sim hesitated for a moment, then
said:
"You done Loueesy a great wrong,
Mrs. Mann
Don't call me that, SIM" she inter
rupted. Don't you know l dcspiso
that namc?"
"Do you? Why?"
'If you was n woman IN had to bear
the name of somebody you didn't love,
you'd know why"
Didn't you love your husband?"
You know l didn't"
slow should l know that?"
"You ought to know that a woman
never loves but one man."
"An in your case Dick Mann wasn't
that one2"
"No."
"Who was IT."
Mrs. Mann blushed and acted con-
fused and finally stole Il sly glance at
Sims face that ought to have told him
the whole story. But he was thinking
of something else and looking In II
other direction, so the effect of that
smile and that glance was to Il great
extent lost.
you ought to know that without
a~skin," she said dcmuycly.
maybe | ought, but l don't, an l
reckon it don't make no difference no.
how"
"No, reckon 1t don't, not to you any.
way with Il sad sigh. Put you'll call
me Mary, wont you, SimT
"Why, l guess so, If you're very par.
ticular about 1t. 1t don't make any diff.
ference to me-"
at does to me. 1t makes all the DIFF.
ference in the world what you call me.
1t don't matter about anybody else,
though"
well, I'll call you Mary, then"
Thank you. An now, Sim, you amt
goin to be mac at me any more, are
youY"
"No, l guess l won't be mad at you,
but you done Louecsy wrong. You had
no right to say hat about that stran.
ger"
mo, l hadn't. Sim. know that now
But l can't bear to rear you talked
about the way you was, ar | felt l jest
had to take LouecSy down Il peg OF
two. l oughtn't to have said it, but
since | have said it | ain't goin to talk,
no Dackwatcr. LouceSy don't love you
an she never will love YOU, but as Ger
tain rs my names Mary Mann shell
fall In love with that Melvin if she ever
gifts to know him."
81 don't believe it. While ago she got
as mad as Il wet hen cause | SAID
Somethin bout her thinkin him grcat
shakes"
"Humph! You don't know much
about women folks or you wouldn't
Pm talkin about, Sim Banks. an, as
said before, If you live you'll see l do
Loueesy don't love you. know she
don't. But let her go, Sim. She aim
the only oman an there's one ! know
that does love you with her who'll,
soul"
"One! Who?"
"Grcat Lord! Arc you bllnd-pluml
blind and dumb?"
Sim did not reply ut once, but stoot
uneasily twirling his hat about in hi
hands, first looking down at his feet
then casting n furtivc glance ut hi!
companion. When at last he did speak
1t was In cold, unimpaSSioncd tones.
81 reckon | amt so blind an dumb n
l might be-" he said, but you ain
called no names, an | amt maxim III
guesses."
"If you wasn't as blind as n bat al
dumb as an OWL" Mrs. Mann said soft
ly, you wouldn't need for me to cal
no names, an you wouldn't need t
make no guesses either"
"Mebby that's So" Sim replied slow
ly, "an If l am blind don't know tia
Pm sorry. There's times in n body
life, Mrs. Mann. when it's best to b
that away"
Without a word Mrs. Mann turne,
away and, entering the house, slam
med the door hut behind her. Sin
walked on down the street, chuckline
softly to himself. But could he have
seen the expression Oh Mrs. Mann'S
face at that IN and the stccly
glitter in her eyes he nigh, have had q
prcmonition of some things that wcrc
to follow.
When he had passed out of sight, =
figure crcpt out of the shadow Of The
fence and stole quietly away in the op
ooSlLe G.s~S
W. fro BE Continued q J