The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-05

"In the water butt?"
You know what I mean"
Nerves" said the doctor, "all nerves"
mo, but" said Miss Pierrepoint, tits
not all fancy. Sometimes, in a certain at
mosphere, one has sort of impulse from
outside. Now, last night, for Instance
She turned a face OF such lively distress
to the doctor that he was startled.
Yes; last night? To what do you re-
fer?' he said composedly.
when 1-you remember-when Ibid
! that to the poor little moth That was
nothing. nothing but an impulse-how
how shall describe it? L was very I'M
Il think you are making much Of very
little" said the doctor bluntly. DO you
often have this-this feeling?"
"Yes-nO-I do not know" she replied
uncertainty, after a pause.
II woulo forget an about It, If I were
you, SAID the doctor. His solid cheerful
ness mes had Ibd its way L with her It's moth
do think life is $3.50 cruel, sometimes"
she added. presently.
oh" said the doctor. ''Is it? sup
pose it is. I hadn't thought of it in that
light. In what way do you mean?''
'"The things that should make people
happy seem to turn to knives In their
hands. Look at the children in the Lon
don streets. look at their wretched
fathers and mothers. They must have
married for love and happiness. See what
they come to-"
Jacomb. What else can you expect?
That's only one side-the wrong side.''
"Ah, well. it's the one we see" said the
girl. We're shut in a prison. The jailers
come in and out, but there's no escape
for the prisoners"
"Who are the 1ailers?'
"Men-aiwayS men,
ITS not So bad as that, is it % said the
doctor-rather feebly, he thought
Some people" pursued Miss Pierre
point. seem to pass by all the wretched-
ness in the world without seeing it. They
can be happy in spite of it. There must
be some sort of inner defense wanting IN
me- or course, sometimes I forget; but
one needs strong sensation to make one
forget"
why worry about what is not your
fault2 said Jacomb
You are doctor: you spend your life
alternating pain" said the girl; you
don't understand My people have lived
here for generations; I have heard mucn
of their doings, but l never heard OF their
making a single person about them hap
pier or better; If ever they did good it
is buried with their bones. The hahn
they did goes on causing other harm,
while ! have to look on helpless. That
debt I can never pay. L might be-
come nun, and do perpetual penance:
but then, I'm not a Catholic. Sol do
nothing"
Wen, you have it in your power to
make one person happy at all events.
And that's something" Jacomb ventured.
Il snail never marry, II that IS what
you mean" said Miss Pierrepoint COM
posedly II have thought over all that.
No-I shall just go on living, and forget
ting, and remembering again until die -
The doctor saw little meaning in her
words; they seemed to him the empty
talk Of a girl inclined to give way to
morbid fancies. you are very gloomy
he said.
81 tell YOU she answered. "I live upon
sensation. If l stop to think 1 am sad
Who that ever thinks seriously is NOT
sad?'
"Oh. lots of people," returned the doc
tor, with great cheerfulness.
"They must have courage then. I have
none. I am selfish, too. I might give
away all have and earn my own living,
but ! don't you see. I live in idleness
and luxury, and 1 like it,
Would it cheer you to know that you
yourself cannot live without giving pleas
ure to some one in this weary wOrld3'
said Jacomb, venturing a little further.
Miss Pierrepoint flushed and was silent.
The doctor was about to go on speaking
but checked himself He would not dis
turb their mutual understanding, SO
pleasant, so poignantly alluring. until he
Knew his own mind more clearly They
spent the rest of the day and all the next
together in a shining content only married
by the prospect of Miss BonSor's rettrn
on the day following.
The last day of their solitude dawned
sultry but livid clear at the zenith. The
hills Of wood stood away distinct and
vivid, as if fresh painted, upon banks OF
thunder cloud, towering and still. Now
and again thunder muttered in the dis
lance. Miss Pierrepoint was restless and