The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-05-18
THE LEOPARD'S SPOTS" STORY d. reconstruct" reconstruct! 5 !~ o the South
BY Thomas Dixon. Jr.

can never know how real the horror Of Il
all was upon me.
Il made NJ nv mind one night TO teIe-
graph you. ! heard some one talking inside
Mama's room. l gently pushed open the
door between our rooms, and she wa pray
ing aloud for me- | stood spellbound. l
never knew how she loved me before! When
at last she prayed that in the erd l might
have the desire of my heart. and my life
be crowned with the power and the joy of
a noble mans love, and that K might be
yours, and that she should be permitted 10
see and rejoice with me. I could endure it
no longer.
Choking with sobs I ran to her kneeiirg
figure. threw my arms around her neck
and covered her dear face with kisses.
Il could not send the message / had writ
ten after that scene.
The next day papa came, and she told
him in my presence. Now. General. l have
carried out your wishes with Saliie against
my judgment. The strain has been more
than you can understand. 1 give up the
task. You can manage her now to 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 u long
talk with me and repeated his orders with
increasing emphasis.
The next day l was unusually depressed.
/ did not get out of bed all day. At night 1
"Sll1 HpNA u GuRBNAs lc lie d. ilit utoh
Of the hotel called me and said. Miss Worth,
l have a terrible sin to confess to you.
I'm a lover myself. and I've done you 4
wrong. 1 returned to a young man yester-
day a letter to you by request of the Gen
eral. Forgive me for it, and don't tell him
I told you
'That night papa and I had a terrible
scene. j will not attempt to describe it. sut
the end was. i said to him. with all the
courage of despair: I Am n years old. I
an a free woman. I will write to whom 1
please. and when l please, and l will not
ask you again. 1t 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 / am to write to
you when 1 like.
Forgive my long silence. Write and tell
me you love me. My heart is sick with the
thought that ! have been cowardly and
failed you. Write me a long letter, and
you cannot say things extravagant enough
for my hungry heart.
Il feel utterly helpless when I think how
completely you have come to rule my life.
/ wish you to rule 1t. 1t Is all 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
and cried.
A big, strong, boastful man whose will
had defed the world Now he was crying
alone in his room like a whipped child.
AT last he knelt by his chair and tried
to pray again.
God be merciful to me a sinner, I am
not worthy to live, to have doubted her! 1
have degraded body and soul and sullied
the sweetest dreams of life with shame.
Forgive. cleans and lift me again in the
arms OF thy father-lovei And I viii strive
for . nobler nfes"