The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-07-24
..The Woman
In YellOw...

And when his passion had died
down, 80 he went OH" and he saw
what a fool he had been, and how
deeply he had wronged her, he went
back to her and pleaded for forgiveness
with all the strength of love, and all
the agony of rcmorso. But she," he
continued, bitterly, " do you think she
could take him back and forgive him
freely, as he had thought she would3
No. She spoke loftily of her woman
hood and her outraged feelings and all
the other phantoms of the BRAIN which
you women affect to prize so highly,
yet sacrifice 80 lightly. And then she
told him coldly that all was over be-
tween them forever, forbade him ever
to see her again-put him out of her
life, and left HIM to fight it all by him
self, when and where he would. And
vet shc had said she loved HIM. A fine |
object to lifelong misery for mere
nothing. Only woman could love
that wayP'
His listener moved lmpatiently and
opening her fan began TO WELD it Wig
orously.
cit is warm here" he said. "Shall
we go?"
"No," she answered, ego on with
your story. lit interests me-"
You pity the man?" he asked al
most pleadlngly.
"I pity the woman," she responded.
=" But go on"
The womanI" he cried. (" She
put off what she called her love as she
would a discarded garment, and her
life was none the sadder for it. Blu,
he--the mani Twenty years h.:je /
been with him, night and day, And not
for moment Of that lifetime has he
been able to blot her Image from his
heart, and it vii! dwell there TO his
dying day. When he first left her
house he Thought his love was dead,
so cruelty had she wounded it. But it
was hot. Lashed by it rs by whip,
lie shut out from his life everything
that could remind him Of her--yea,
changed his very name in blind
yearnlng to forget. But go where he
would, do what he could, his love
stayed with HIM, killing his happiness,
blighting his life. Had he not loved
her 80, he would have cursed her for
so wantonly turning all the sweetness
of his life to gall"
There was note of fierceuess in his
voice as he spoke the last words; then
his lips formed themselves into the
bitter, cynical smile, which had
come to be habitual with him and he
added
"You see, he was man, and she
why, she was woman, and that
epitomizes the whole story.'
For a moment there was a pause :;
then mis- companion turned to HIM i'm
pulsively.
"Is that alp" she asked.
HAll?" he answered. "Is it not
enough? A few minutes III the telling,
lifetime in the living"
And now," she said, "now that
you have pleaded the mans cause 80
we'll, and have branded the woman ae
heartless, and cruel, and tickle, end
unloving-ln short, as a woman, will
you let me say word in her defense?
Will you let me draw you picture of
what her life may have been, her life,
of which you speak, with such assur-
ance, but of which you can know
absolutely nothing?"
He nodded his head I token of as
sent. She continued almost passion
ately, her eyes flashing with danger
Gus light.
"Oh," she said, how lightly you
men talk of woman's love. With
what arrogance you extol the depth of
your own passion, holding hers as
naught IN comparison. Listen. Per-
haps that woman trusted the man she
loved with trust beyond all saying.
Perhaps he was to her the embodiment
of everything noble, and beautiful, and
great in man, and 30, because she
thought him that, she gave him freely,
totally, all that she had to give--her.
self. Oh, you can not imagine, you,
mere man, tho struggle that takes
place in woman's heart before she
takes the step by which she voluntarily
cuts herself adIift from all that she has
been wont to cling to before as her
dearest rights, asking no compensation
for her sacrifice but the love and faith
of Mm for whom she has made it.
With man, love is but an added bless
ing. Take it away, and you leave him
a little sadder, perhaps, little less
gay, but in all other respects the
same"
"No, no." he interrupted, "you
don't know what you say. You-but
pa'uou me, you are speaking OF Inc
woman-go on"
" Yes, the womanl Man may love
in the abstract, woman must have
living, tangible object. Think, then,
before you judge 80 harshly, how this
woman may have looked upon the man
of your story; think of the struggle
that may have gone on in her heart
before she gave herself to him, of the |
doubts of him, and fears of him against
which her love battled, first strongly,
then ever weaker and weaker, till it |
finally yielded. Think of the trust
which she gave him with herself, and |
then of the agony which must have |
been hers when she found that that |
trust had been misplaced, whom che
saw the mantle Of greatness and good.
ness with which her love had clothed |
him torn ruth1eaelv awou rauaol;pn In