Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-02-12

"Fierce! echoed Brenda. why.
anything else in the world, should
say"
That's slang" said Elsie. at mere
ly means terrible"
well, I'd hardly agree to that word
either" said Brenda. "You don't in.
spire any terror in me. You're only
little bit pale, and perhaps you have
cried too much"
You must think | am perfect baby.
Really 1t isn't so. have borne some
things in this life fairly well. would
bear much more and be as happy as
there's no way. My life is in tangle
+ that canne. lie ruwound. just sim
ply cont 20 CT. Brenda. That's what
felt wien | opened my eyes in this
room the fist time and while I lay
thinking before | would let DIR. Ken
I dali know was conscious. There Is
4 no way. absolutely no way
/ Her voice began to tremble, but she
4 resolutely checked the tendency.
How everything settles down on
| you in the mornings" she said. You
wake so happy. Perhaps you have
| dreamed of the pleasantest things
almost always dream of people like
and of being with them in the fields or
| abroad somewhere in strange city
and all dressed up in the most wonder
| full clothes. and then the reality be-
gins to come down. like-like great
ball of rags. saw them loading a
barge with rags once-she was along
side a steamer-and l always remem-
bered how those dirty, heavy, sitting
! bales came down. They were like life"
"Your life hasn't been altogether a
bale of rags, my young FRIEND" said
Brenda, "and unless I'm much mis-
taken it will be in the future quite
like some of those dreams. There was
a young man who made promise or
| two about strange cities and beautiful
clothes. you know" she added. REDEEM
ing Il little. II saw Mr.. Alden's note
to you, and was tricked into reading
a part of it."
Il suppose 1t will be printed in the
papers," said Elsie. with your picture
and mine and Mr.. Alden's. Isn't this
awful? 1t is so absolutely horrible
that there's no use being polite about
| 1t. But really never meant to do you
any harm. never encouraged Mr.
Alden. l loved him from the begin
ming. The very first evening l saw
him went home and cried about him,
but when he began to come to see me
l made him think that didn't care
| To- Ii 7 u H.
think so.'
81 know it, replied Brenda gently.
"He told me So"
1T was only on that last evening
that ! let him guess the TRUTH" said
Elsie. land how did that, heaven may
know. Suddenly he seemed to see it.
and then, honestly, had no oppor-
word in two hours. Mr.. Alden talked
for both of us. making my arguments
for me and then answering them
without the faintest perception that
they weren't really mine at all. In
fact, he was like a big boy, so carried
away with his own idea that all the
world seemed to be rushing along in
the way he wished. 1t was only when
he talked about sending me lot of
money to buy wedding clothes that I
managed to make myself heard, and
even then he thought that my objec-
ton was altogether to the money and
not to the wedding. Remember that
was not much calmer than he. and you
| will have some idea of the confusion.
oh, Brenda, how can talk to you like
this? And you don't seem to care in
the least. Are we all crazy together|
Some of US have been so perhaps"
said Brenda. but this morning think
we are all particularly sane"
1T was wrong. of course. to let him
come to see me" Elsie continued. "But
1t must end soon, and 1t was SO little,
and you would have so much. You
know In those days hated you. enyied
you, lay awake at night to think bitter
thoughts about you, with your beauty
and position and luxury! Oh. saw
you! l walked up and down in front
of your house for an hour one day until
you came out and got into your car
riage. And wished the horses would
run away with you. and just as the
thought flashed into my mind one of
them began to prance, and actually
prayed out loud, because l was so
afraid he really would run. after had
wished it,
The rhetorical value Of this speech
was somewhat married by the circum-
stance that Elsie's face was being
washed while 1t was delivered. Hay-
ing rendered this service, Brenda be-
gan to arrange her patients hair.
81 felt so small and shabby outside
your house, said Elsie. "You can't
have any idea Of it. Fancy that man.
sion full of servants, all yours, and
there was l who was in need of shoes.
don't mean to say they We're full of
holes or anything like that, but they
didn't look very nice, and couldn't
afford to buy a new pair, for was saw
ing every penny. My mother and
have little income, and I was down
to that, for l hadn't had an engage
ment since February. l suppose you
never wasted your time thinking about
me-after you knew there was such a
| girl"
II never knew there was such q
girl" replied Brenda, until saw you
in this room. The girl thought about
never existed. And now let me say
this: There is no rivalry between US.
There are matches so manifestly made
in heaven that even woman's jeal-
ousy must admit the divine sanction.
So don't think of 'sparing my feelings
rs my New England aunt expresses
it. or being polite to use your own
phrase for the same Idea. You and
Mr.. Alden We're made for each other.
If had been writing book or play,
might have tried to create two people
SO perfectly reciprocal. The way is
made smooth for me to be friend to
both of YOU
Elsie turned her head suddenly and
kissed Brenda's hand. Then she re-
lapsed into thought which eliminated