The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-01

She was laughing young dame, witn a rowing eye and a smile seemed to ln- ylte even when 1t repelled a filtration.
 "You ask me If I married my first love?" she inquired, flashing out TO- guish glance. even while she regarded me with a sort of mock reproof.
 What an absurd question. What wo- man ever marries her first love? except perhaps, some quiet, puny little thing who felt herself fortunate in getting one man even to notice her. No. indeed; I've had lots of beaux and often thought my affections seriously enlisted. I've con cluded, however. that they were only fancies.
 "But stay; there was one find 1t worth telling you about. l was always very romantics; was born that way and couidn help 1t. My earliest girlish fancies pie tured some dark patrician, foreign gen tleman, with a proud air and prouuer ancestry. and if he had strange past well. nothing bad, you know. but Just mysterious--so much the better.
 ..Eate willed that 1 should meet one 1vho typified exactly my dream, ana or all nationalities destiny must make nm u Snaniard! I met him during stay !" Eronce He followed me to America. dor,t think I ever enjoyed another man society quite as I did Don Anselmo's!
 "As 4 lover he was ideal; as man. charming. He was the Incarnation o' knIghtly honor, attention, gailantry! Ho was on every side sympathetic mere was also a deep note of sentiment whlch at times annoyed me because could neN-
 rasnoud tO if.
 "I tonlx him about d good deal socially among my friends and we went often tn the theatre. of which he was very fond Ho urged marriage and I finally engaged myself to him
 ..Then I began to discover new phases and mary shadings in his character He hegan to claim ownership and exact con 6denaes regarding every little movement on my part He wanted to probe my soul to learn my feelings toward every hrnan heinz | knew in the world. l resented this and we had lots Of lovers uuarrels. These were not so bad Ill thelr way. since they afforded scope for the many pleasant reconclliations that lol- lowed.
 "Finally his love developed to the point of wanting to read all my corresponds ence-see every line l received from man or woman! l drew the line there-a sharp onc-and a serious quarrel followed He reasoned with me, pleaded, tried to snow me my duty and his rights. l could see neither from his viewpoint.
 .,rhe rift in our sky deepened. He happened in one day while l was read ing a letter in which I was too deepIy interested to notice his coming. lie demanded to know from whom it was and what it contained. The letter was mere ly from a girl friend and there was noth- ing whatever in 1t of real privacy, but his autocratic manner made me refuse point blank to show it to him. He in sisted; continued to refuse. He tried to wrest the letter from my hands. l re- 1 sisted, evaded and held the letter behind my back Then he lost control and be- came furious Jealousy and rage shone from his eyes. He lifted his right hand and struck me on the left cheek.
 For a moment stood speeches., quiv- erins with indignation. Then broke the silence with an angrily nervous laugh. thought once you had smitten my heart, l said. but it remained for you to smite my cheek in order to make me see my mistake. have never loved you l never can love you-gow
 He was on his knees in a moment, all protest, penitence and prayers " It Is no use continued. An Amer icsn woman can never love the man who strikes her. She cannot even respect him. Leave me-go at oncer
 He went, proudly erect, his head in the air and all the aura of Spanish tra- ditions trailing in his wake