The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-03
CHATTER Nv.
sERPENTs AND DOVES.

visit there more than at Warsaw. He went
the next week, and found that the trip
across the State to st. Louis and then up
through the edge OF Missouri TO the west
e-a edge of the bridge across the Missis-
sfppi which gives Hamilton its chief en-
trance, was much shorter than he had ex-
pected. He thought of the rapidity with
which a catastrophe always seems to ap-
proaeh.
He felt like diver at the bottom Of the
sea surrounded by tons on tons of pres
sure There was a buoyancy of feeling in
knowing that the pressure was being kept
away from the heart, but he knew that 1t
was TO end. He had determined to cut his
lifeline and let the sea press in on his heart
till il wss crushed. he knew 1t would not
stop beating. and that was the worst of it.
But he was determined that on this visit
he would give the girl he loved to under
stand that he could not marry her. Ii was
not egotism. but penetration. that told him
that this was the honorable thing to do at
once He hoped it would turn out that he
could still visit her for the pleasure and
good that did him, but If not he would
stay away. At any rate. he would delicate
IL make IL clear that his intentions were
not serious, as it was phrased in the only
novel he ever read in his life.
When the girl-he had grown to call her
that to himself-greeted him he did not have
just the expression in reply that he intend
ed. He proposed a ride to historic Nauvoo
for the next day with the idea Of its giving
him an excellent opportunity to show his
intentions-or lack of Intentionally what
he would not say. But his basic idea Of
warning the girl so permeated his mind
that he did nothing else well. He had not
meant TO tell her that he loved her, but
that evening when they were coming home
from Nauvoo along the river road, he half
told her, and the girl insisted on his telling
the other half The moon only little
more than a slim crescent hanging over
the Iowa bluffs. but every ray Of its spec
trail brightness was reflected from each
wave In the river. The lights OF Keokuk
snone like a string of gems along the top
OF the high bluff, and the red and green
lights below along the western shore and
over the locks of the canal added TO the
supernatural tone Of the scene. So close
that they felt it to be at their very feet,
the Mississippi glided as smoothly as
giant serpent and as powerful as a mon
ster anaconda. No one can ride along that
river road upon the very bank without feel
ing the influence OF a power greater than
himself, in the clutches of which he is borne
along One may catch his breath at its
powerful beauty, but he cannot forget the
immensely of it all.
The hoarse tone of an excursion boat
growing out notice of its approach had
turned the conversation between Shacklett
and the girl along the channel of the
friends waiting eagerly in the town for the
signal that the passengers had safely re-
turned. The next minute Shacklett was
talking about the wrong of making ones
friends wait for him. The echoes of the
last long blast from the boats whistle had
not died away before he had let slip the
thought that was with him most Of the
time-a man ought not to ask a girl to wait
until he had gained competency upon
which to support wife
He had meant to stop with that. He had
told her hundred times with his eyes
that he loved her, and it was in keeping
with his diplomatic character to embrace
the opportunity of saying TO her in this
way that he would never tell her so with
his lips.
do you think that fair TO the girl?' she
asked.
1T is the only thing that is just to her."
he replied in a tone that his friends knew
always closed an argument.
But suppose the girl would rather wait
than accept the other life?''
..She will not be that big fool; she will
be just as happy with some other fellow
as with me" that last word was a slip
that he always charged to the witchery of
the omnipotent river. The girl that Shack
lett could love with his whole soul was Of
necessity a girl that could talk as frankly,
and yet as carefully. as the shrewdest lob
byist spoke to the member who was chiefly
concerned about fooling himself as well as
his constituents.
Not IL she really loves YOU" she said,
clearly land you are doing her the great
est injury Of her life in allowing her to suf-
fer because OF false philanthropy on your
part She has as good a right to cast her
own future as you have to cast yours, and
a much better right than you have to cast
hers for her."
Shacklett hated sham unless there was
good reason for it; he only helped a legis-
lator to fool himself when 1t was absolutely
necessary in order to obtain results. He
ceased to be impersonal.
'No: 1 can't argue against that-Pve
tried to do it myself; but, nevertheless, I
shall not tie you up like that houseboat
until I able to pilot you through the
rapids" And the girl knew that the mat
ter was settled.
"And. nevertheless, I shall control my
own future" she said.
Shacklett talked OF other things, and left
early the next morning for home. All the
way he pondered over that last statement.
He might do as he pleased. it seemed to
mean. but she would have her own wom-
ans way in the end. How different she is
from other girls. he exclaimed TO himself
Then he laughed:
ct seem to be in about the same fix that
I put that honest preacher in with the
school books. When my. mothers part OF
me does induce my fathers part of me ia
pass a good bill once in a while the third
house walks in from the lobby and puts IL
to sleep in committee on that very account
The old books staid in. and II looks like I'm
going 10 stay in. too, in this new school
I'm in
For fifty miles he die not hear the drum.
ming Of the rails nor the hustle at the sta.
lions. A woman who thought of asking fol
looked at his face and passed on through
the aisle. The hills had been passed eas
OF St Louis. and outside the windows wa:
monotonous landscape, the lower firing,
OF the grand prairie covering half the State