The evening times., 1901-11-18

she had nothing but "a disappointed heart
and an empty purse.
She had been but year in Washingtou
when she was on the rdgget cdEe Of
want She had promises enough 10 delight
the fancies, but nothing substantial one
day a member Of Congress. whom she had
frequently met, called on her az her stu
do He had a Government position open
/ for her her tasks would be light. the
place would pay her well, and she would
he able O. make much better appear
ance IN tie circles 20 which she recited.
lie was very anxious 90 set her on her
feet-so b. said But the man had his
condition When he Left her studio he
had the red mark OF her beautiful white
hand across his purple cheek
She locked her door and gave vent 20
, her despair and Indignation.
"Oh. Col is there no help for women
with beauty and ambition and poverty
n" fence 10 keep these things od2 is il
I over such thorus We must cIimb2 Oh.
nov i have suiered-Ralph Ralph, Al
ways battling against my enyironments-
the crude people of the plains. the coarse
men that came under my fathers roof.
on whom had 60 wait hand and foot,
ran away from that-and after meeting
many. at last found one who was my
equal mentally and physically. loved
him. and ne loved me. We were EQUALS
morally, theu-for We loved wrongly. But
/ refused TO listen to the cry OF our hearts
to has plea for happiness, that we loved
was not Of itself a wrong. but that We
Shpuid own IL and live IL would be one
lie had wealth. he pleaded-there was the
Ola ORD To 90 10, to enjoy. TO be happy
H. a king and queen were we. with pIea-
~ OF Kingdoms 10 enter But / could not
go-I could not 1 knew that We were to
meet and know and love each other-but
there bade fate stop / flew back from
nun 20 the prairies-tO sOrdidness and
comparative safety. There I felt myself
growing cold and hard like my associates
once cut a man for daring to kiss ms,
he never told II. neither did l. could
nave killed him that night: he kissed me
where RalQh's lips last rested-his poor
last kiss, the kiss Of renunciation.
Then 1 came here 10 work out nv
career 1 have tOHed. tramDed. scraped.
Planned. gone through long. sIeeDIess
nights. almost starved to see my ambition
Dc FeWarded-to forget what / have
let go-tO be good and trle-and
10 what end2 held my hun
cry heart and waited. only 10 meet
cd since men have known CT my straits
Was 1 right 20 send my own love aysa,,-
the light Of my dark and stormy Iife2~
The tan, wiIl0Wy form swayed I'm agony
as she knelt By her couch. Hot tears
coursed down the veIyety checks. she
forced her pink nails into her palms. The
world seemed one great black state OF
unanswerable problems She knew that
she must do one thing or the OtAer-ao
% Ralph, as ne had begged her, as she
would 90 II her heart led her. OF go back
10 the hotel or the plains and 70 dish
washing. as her father warned her she
should do II she came back again.
Oh, how that great loves rosy wings
>shone out against the dun, narrow life ON
the brown prsiriesI How II warmed her
souli how Il beckoued and babe her res
tie under its protecting wingst She was a
woman meant TO be- loved. why not let
nature have her way2
She wrote her lover a letter that night.
crying out her loneliness. her despair. her
great love-her acceptance Of his love and
its shield In this love she believed she
was right. though all others weSe coarse
and wrong The almighty plans Of the
universe could not be cheated or changed
by laws She intended 10 post the letter
ture out that night She slept ike tired
child, in the morning she as-oke with
Wearied limbs and aching heart Some
thing had moved her in her sleep. 1t was
the cry Of the other wonan's child
She tore up her letter and wrote two
more The first a short one to her faith
ct. said.
Il am almost penniless- I have failed
again Send Iae some u oaey. and / viii
come home and wash dishes
The other ran
Ny poor. dear, bcy. God bless you. I
have fai-ed again. and / go back % the
pradrles. When you are as free as the
winds that blow over them. come TO M
! VIII wait Tor you until then-ouu on Tie
IralTles- love you now and always
And AlcyOue. between her worIz
watches across the plains for the st-au-
gers coming During her hours Of free
dom she takes long rides on her mustang
pauses now and then to watch for him.
for ne may come at any minute. Fate is
not as certain as Time.
This evening she is out on the bluffs
that have sen her in SO many Of her
moods she Is sitting up straight on the
yeIOW-broWu mustang His head is turn
Cd to the west. and she shields her wide
eyes with her white hand as the blood
red sun strikes against them. She
looks lOuginEiy ac-oss the waving sea
Of grass She is clean and firm in
hCr faith that he viii come and we
too keep watch with her. and pray that
some day the long looked Tor viii come
toward us across the dull brown prairses
Of our lives