Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-11

He tore II open, and inside found his
last letter TO Sallie Worth, returned with
the seal unbroken. He sprang to his feet
with flashing eyes, trembling from head
to foot.
"Ah! they did not dare to let her re-
ceive another of my letters So clerk
returns il unopened" he cried.
And a great lump rose in his throat as
he thought OF the scenes of the past two
weeks. The old fever and the old long
ing came rushing over his PROSTATE soul
now IN restless torrents. How dare
strange hand touch message to her!
I could strange him. We will see now
who wins the fight" He set his lips with
determination. packed his valise, and
took the train home without word of
farewell to the companions Of his revels.
When he reached Hambright he felt
sure of a letter from her. A strange JOY
filled his heart.
IT have either got letter or she's writ
ing one to me this minutev' he exclaimed.
He went to the postoffice in state Of
exhilaration. The letter was not there.
But II did not depress him.
1T is on the way" he quickly said.
For two days he remained in that con-
dition Of tense nervous excitement and
expectation, and on the following day he
opened his box and found his letter.
II knaw it!'' he said with thrill of Joy
that was half awe at the remarkable
confirmation he had received of their
sympathy.
He hurried to his office and read the
big precious message.
How its words burned into his soul!
Every line seemed alive with her spirit.
How beautiful the sight of her handwrit-
ing! He kissed it again and again. He
read with bated breath. The address was
double expressive. because 1t contained
the first words of abandoned tenderness
with which she had ever written to him,
except in the concealed message dotted
in the note that broke their earlier cor
respondence.
my Precious Darling-I have gone
through deep waters within the last three
weeks. I became so depressed and hun
CRY to see you, felt some awful calamity
was hanging over you and over me, and
that It was my fault. I could scarcely eat
or sleep.
It felt I should go mad If 1 did not
speak and so I told mama. She sympa-
thized tenderly with me but insisted I
should not write. She is so feeble could
not cross her. But oh! the agony of it!
Sometimes 1 saw you drowning and
stretching out your hands for me for
help.
Sometimes in my dreams I saw you
fighting against overwhelming odds with
strong brutal men, whose faces were full
OF hate. and I could not reach you!
II was nervous and unstrung, but you
can never KNOW nOW IGdl the nOTIOT Oh II
all was upon me.
ct made up my mind one night to tel
egraph you. 1 heard some one talking
inside mama's room. / gently opened the
door between our rooms. and she was
praying aloud for mel I stood spellbound.
I never knew how she loved me before!
When at last she prayed that in the end
might have the desire of my heart, and
my life crowned with the Joy OF a noble
mans love, and that il might be yours,
and that she should be permitted to see
and rejoice with me, could endure it no
longer.
Choking with sobs I ran to her kneel-
ing figure, threw my arms around her
neck and covered her dear face with
kisses.
Il could not send the message I had
written after that scene.
THE next day papa came. and she told
him in my presence, Now. general,
against my Judgment. The strain has
been more than you can understand. I
Civ cup tn task. Yon can manage her
now 20 suit yourself
There was a firmness in her voice I
had never heard before. He noted it,.
and was STARTLED into silence by It, He
had long talk with me and repeated his
orders with increasing emphasis.
The next day I was unusually depress-
ed. did not get out of bed all day At
night / went down to supper. The clerk
at the desk of the hotel called me and
said: Miss Worth, 1 have a terrible sin
to confess 10 you. I'm a lover myself,
and I've done you a wrong. returned
TO young man yesterday a letter to you
by request of the general. Forgive me for
it. and don't tell him I told you
THAT night papa and had fearful
| scene. I will not attempt to describe 1t.
But the end was, l said to him with all
the courage of despair: am twenty-one
years old. 1 am a free woman. I will
write to whom please and when I please
and I will not ask you again. It is your
right to turn me out of your house, but
you shall not murder my soul.
Then for the first time in his life papa
broke down and sobbed like a child. we
kissed and made UP, and 1 am to write
TO you when I like.
Forgive my long silence. write and
tell me you love me. My heart is sick
with the thought that I have been cow
ardly and failed you. Write me a long
letter and yoI cannot say things extrav-
agant enough for my hungry heart.
II feel utterly helpless when 1 think
how completely you have come to rule
my life. wish you to rule it. 1t is all
I yours" -
And then she said many little foolish
things that only the eyes of the one
/ lover should ever see. for only to him
could they have meaning.
When he finished reading this letter,
and had devoured with eagerness these
foolish extravagances with which she
closed It, he buried his face in his arms
across his desk.
A big, strong, boastful man whose will
had defed the world! Now he was crying
like whipped child.