Evening star., 1902-03-29

staring straight into the shadowy depths
of the woods.
He waited for her to speak. but she ig-
nored his presence. Finally he seated him
self beside her and said abruptly:
You hadn't ought to run away like that.
You'll get black mark for it
Il don't care" she murmured mechani-
cally. Then. with a sudden burst of pas
sion. she cried, II hate to be shut up in
that stuffy room. and I hate the teacher.
She talks through her nose"
Then, because he was sorry for her, he
tried to make her forget her misery of that
first day in the district school. while he
told her of the robins nest IN the big tree
yOnder and the fishes that hid In the deep,
dim poo, around the bend of the stream.
And when they parted she threw both
arms around his neck, kissed him impetu-
Ously. and cried:
Il like you! / like you, But you are the
only person in this whole town do Iike.''
For she was only ten.
He found her leaning dejectedly against
the stie at the end of her aunt's garden
The moonlight fell upon her uptUrned face,
white and drawn now. with heavy circles
under the eyes.
81 hate it all. the sewing. the baking the
very house. She's put moth balls under
the parlOr carpet and she makes me dust
the room every morning. / want to be out
with the birds and the flowers. l want to
do as ] like
Then because he did not understand the
girls temperament and had been born and
raised in calm. puritanical environment he
replied gravely:
Your aunt knows what is best for you"
She drew back, like child struck by the
hand it loves.
You are like all the rest. No one loves
me No one understands me. 1 wish 1 was
deadi"
And she walked back to the house. her
head high, but her lips quivering.
For she was only fifteen.
He met her al the depot He was breath
ing hard. for he had just heard the news
and had been walking fast. She was fold
ing her ticket with a trembling hand when
he drew her behind a baggage truck. piled
high with trunks. where they were safe
from curious eyes.
What does this mean? Where are YOU
gong? he demanded Sternly. After year
at the theological seminary. he felt that he
mad a right to direct the actions of his fell
low-beings.
Her hands ceased trembling. She cIasped
them firmly about the handle of her travel
Ing bag and looked him squareIy in the
eye
out into the world 1 love. Out where
will find music. I'm starving for It, She
won't let me sing about the house. In the
ten years I've lived with her she has never
k'Ssea me once-she has never asked me ii
was happy I'm going to the people of
NY father. l am of age and no one can
STOP me-
She paused. Perhaps she hoped that
some one might at least try.
me?"
NO, Yesr'
And then because he loved her. he said
nothing more. but helped her on the train
and watched until only faint line of smoke
marked where 1t crossed the state line.
And she. pressing back scalding tears
mCrmured:
II rhOugbt ba would anvil D..
all the rest of them-ice-icei And | shall
learn TO do without him. yes, I shall for
For she was only twenty.
The Rev. Archibald Truax. minister of the
First Congregational Church of North Gro
ton. bent over. his hands c1asped between
his knees and his eyes fixed on the diving
ernbers
Mrs Sawyer. president of the Ladies' Aid
soelety from her post on the opposite side
OF the fireplace. studied his attitude with a
gIaEce that was plying. almost maternal
i trust YOU will not consider what
have said an impertinence Mr. Truax.' she
speak,
oh, no; not at all, my dear Mrs Saw.
yer. ne exclaimed hastily, nervousIv-pulI-
ing himself together as if his mind had
been far away from his study and the wo-
man man VINO was watching him curiously ION
the contrary, | realize the truth of all
you say | have been obsorbed in the liter
airy side of my work. l have sacrificed my
sociaI lie 10 my studies. You know nv
o., ouoH Is, ls 10 oe brought out shortly, and
am most anxious for it's success
We are all anxious for that" she said
rising ana smiling down upon him. But
my dear boy. let me imagine l am still
Suur teacher. humanity is broader field
lot study than the most magnificent library
endowed by man. You will come to see me
before We leave? Do! Good night
And she was gone.
He TO
closed his eyes YEARLY Mrs SAWYER bad
caLed ostensibly to tell him that she mus
Iesish from church work. preparatory to an
ocean voyage for her health. She had al
ways been his mainstay, in women's cir
cIes, but 1t was not so much the news of
ner impending departure that had distressed
nun as certain little remarks which had
stood out clearly In the course of their CO..
versatiOn. Moreover. il was obvtnns thn,
tiOn. '9 oisiesa-
,r ms people We're disappointed in him,
The social life Of the church was az
thetic. They felt that their pastor oped
II as a duty 10 bring TO the silent parson
age helpful young wife.
~ had all been said so skillfully. so dialo-
ihalcalIy, that not a single arrow ranked
In his breast NN
And his answer, How stilted and insin-
cere II echoed In his mind now, Sophlstrv.
every word of II! Had he really been study
Ing to advance the creed he had esnn,sa5
or TO forget? Had he written the book 70
bring glory upon his church or to show her
that ne. TOO, could do something to attract
tne attention of the great outside worldp
he crossed the room and threw un the
window shade The room Law flooded In
moonlight. and the street ran straight,
wide and white-to her
hat was she doing? What was she
thinking? OF him? Or perhaps she was
WFGpped In the music she loved, seated
az the piano, or standing with her violin
tucked tucked close to her white throat. Her long,
,aPerihg hnSers. soft as velvet. tender as a
May Dreeze. were caressng the lifeless in
SSt~rumeht - S~ that could not feel her touch. If
ne could only take those hands in his
could hold her close
win a crash he pulled down the shade
ana strobe back TO the fireplace c,irn
bitter smile played about his Inns II re
congregation knew, would they sim wish
him 10 marry?
Then his mind travelled back to the 6av
Mariana Chester had left North Gro,0n.
tearing asunder the chilling environment
IN which fate had held he foi ten weary
years Every drop Of ItaIiIn blood in .,er
veins had cried out against the puritanicll
atmosphere of Eer maiden aunt's. home
ana Miss Chester, on her par. hfd never
forgiven her