Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-03-06

Helena, T:iutu i,uuS uu LES LII
diss;Date: that's what I'll do-fill the
cup that clears today of past regrets
and future fears-whooD 'er up Eliza
Jane. ! believe III drink a bottle of
beer before l go. to bed tonight, just
as starter. They will go to her and
tell her what I'm doing, and then may
be she will be sorry. don't know,
though, why I should care whether she
is sorry or not. l don't suppose |
really do. My mind is naturally dis
turbed now. Just as it would be if
suddenly broke myself of any other
habit. IN a week l shall be wonder
ing what I ever saw in her and shall
be ahead so much experience. sup
pose every man has to go through it
once, just as puppies get the distemp-
er, and l ought to be thankful that
found out in time how callous and
frivolous women can be. I've had all
I want of them, that's one thing sure" ;"
He got up and walked about the
room and then suddenly sat down
again with an impatient exclamation.
"I don't see why I can't simply dis
miss the matter from my mind and
let 1t go at that" he said. ~ won't go
out; that's one thing dead certain. 1t
would be confession Of weakness to
seek distraction. wonder if she
won't write and ask me to come again.
I guess it's too soon for letter. but
she might send messenger. Then l
could coldly express my regret that
was unable to see her and suggest
that it would perhaps be better that
our correspondence should cease.
That would settle the matter and it
would be satisfaction to know that
it was actually settled. guess it's
settled, anyway.
~ wonder how that trial balance is
coming out Mosier is going to get
fooled on this guess. They want to
get some ink that won't clog on the
pens the way the last did. / don't
believe in the economy of buying
cheap ink. There's going to be plenty
for us to do between this and Christ
mas with the ANIMALS and the holiday
shipments, and it won't let up with
the new year. Well. shall be glad
to have plenty Of work to take my
mind off this business. Work! That's
what there is before me now. Good,
honest, hard work and no fooling.
Not that I wouldn't have worked just
as hard for her. There was our home
to work for then. Now It will be just
money grubbing. Well, I'll grub to
beat the band"
He laughed a harsh. sardonic and
dissyllable laugh, the sound of which
reminded him of villain in black
cloak whom in happier days he had
guyed from gallery seat. He felt
that he had misjudged that villains
art, but at the same time he ceased
his soliloQuy and lit his pipe again.
It was easier to stop talking than to
keep from thinking, 'nnd his thoughts
went wandering off to the little home
they two had planned. There prob
ably never had been a house built
just exactly like it. and there prob
ably never would have been. but it
had grown very familiar to him in
the first half-waking hours of morning
particularly the room where they
would sit together. Her face!
Castles in Spain! Money grubbing
now; a deadening of human feeling, a
self-contained, self-suflcing existence
that would harden his heart and at
his face in lines that would scare chill
dren. He took q savage satisfaction
in the contemplation of his future self,