The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-03-28


At the age of Is she received an offer
of marriage from Sim. and urged on by
her parents. she had accepted him
Then came the year at college and
few months later the wedding.
Then there came an awakening Of
which she had never drcamcd--a sad.
bitter awakening that was like cruel
cruciGXion. She realized that to make
marriage sacred and happy there must
be mutual love, and she knew that on
her part there was none and she felt
that the time would never come when
there would be.
Sitting alone in her room that night.
she folded her arms on the table and
pllowing her head on them. wept us
though her heart would break. She
had known many unhappy hours, but
never any so thoroughly miserable as
that.
She felt toward her husband as she
had never felt before. Orten and often
she had experienced a feeling Of dis
like for some trait Of his character
but it was not until now that she felt
that she hated the man himself There
had been many times when his alb
scnce was a relief to her. but II was
never until this night that she had
wished with all her heart that she
might never see him again.
That James Melvin had much to do
| with her feelings she could not help
| but admit. although the admission
caused her face to burn with shame
| The knowledge that another man. aud
| thar man at that. could he the means
| Of making her dcSpisc her husband was
| bitterly humiliating. and she wished
with all her heart that she could dispisr
, Melvin as we'll: but. alas. that was
| something she could not do.
| While she sat there Sim came into
| the room. II was late, and he had
walked two miles out into the country
| and back. He was restless and uneasy
and far more unhappy than hr hnd
ever been in all his life.
Mrs. Mann's prophecy. coupled with
the words Louisa Lad spoken. bad
made Il much deeper impression on Linn
than he would have admitted to amy
living soul, than he even liked to admit
to himself.
That there was something lacking in
bis married life hr knew only too we'll.
and hr had known it from his wedding
day. but never until now had it oc-
Cured to him how serious that lnrking
might be. That Louisa did not love
him as Il wife should hc had been long
assured nut the possibility Of her low.
| ing another man WAS something thai
Ead never crossed his mind until this
day. and the hare thought of such a
thing fell on him with Il crushing blow.
"Grcat God" he cried aloud as he
trnmprd tn" lonely country road. "Such
a thing cannot, must not. shall not he.
1t would kill me. o Cod, ii would kill
| me-"
When he entered the room. Louisa
did not look up, and whcp he spoke
her name she paid no attention to him
He waited Il moment, then asked her
what waS the matter
"NOthing," she replied between her
| Sohs
"rhcn what are you cryin rorl" he
asked.
"Nothing," she answered again
as ii anything I've tlonr:" he uucs.
toned.
"NO."
"ls it what Mary Mann said"
"No"
"Thcn what is it?'
"Nothing."
| but ii is SOmclhin. LGurcSy. You
know il is. Won't YOU tell me wha,!'
She shook her head.
did YOU hear what Mary Mann said
this cvrnn down there on the slrcct:'
he asked.
She shook her head again.
"Shr said You didn't love me an that
| N StI
you'd love his little finger better than
you love my whole bcIy DO YOU
know what told hcr:'
| "No."
"Wcll | give her settler, | guess,
for once. | said, Miss Munn. YOU are
a-lyin when you say any scll a thing
rs that, an il you was Il man ia whup
you ill your hide wouldn't hold
shuck>.' Thrm'S the very words | said
to her. an meant rm ton.''
| lie paused as If expecting his wife To
speak. but she remained silent He
hoped that she would be pleased with
him for speaking SO strongly in her dc.
fensc, and he felt hurt when she took
no notice of his words. Presently nc
| went on. saying:
'"Thcm was hard things you said
about me down there iu,iay, LouecSy,
an ia never "a thought you'd "a done
1t. | guess, though, you didn't mean 1t,
did youY'
do you want me to tell you lic?"
she asked In turn.
mo, Of course not"
"Then you'd better not ask such ques.
tions."
"iOu did mean it, then?
She hestated moment, then said:
"lf | hadn't meant it, | wouldn't
have said 1t. Now | hope you're sat.
isfied."
Sim was thoughtfully silent for al.
most minute. Then he said slowly:
II know 1t was cowardly for me to
act like | done, a-runnin from them
cattle. But, Lord Almighty, how was
| to know they was cattle stead Of
soldiers when ! didn't look back to see
what they wasp