Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1903-08-14
An Ondercurrent.

how you had hurt me. And six months
later you married Kate"
Silence, broken only by a q~uiverint
sob.
The mans voice, slow and dazed:
MY letters to Kate! My gifts to Kate!
There was a mistake somewhere. Why
Dolly. surely Kate gave you all the let,
ters and gifts l sent her? You remem
Der your father was displeased because
l would not study law, and when
went to Germany to complete my
studies, he made us promise that WI
would not write to each other during
my absence, hoping our love would
die of silence and separation. l KEEP
the letter of my promise, but not the
spirit; l could not write to you, bul
l did write to Kate for you. She was
such a friend to us both, and she knew
u situation. l believed | could trust
=" A pause, then slowly: Dolly, Kate
is my wife,"
A long silence, then the woman's
voice, sweet, tender, almost joyous;
do you know, Jack, / love this BIZ
of rocky coast better than any other
spot on earth! Nowhere else in all the
world are the sunsets so beautiful. Jusi
look at the sky now! That perfect
glory of color would drive Turner mac
with despair.
do you remember the first summer
you came down here with Tom? Yor
were a big, handsome college boy, ani
| was a spoiled child, who would &c
everywhere with you and Tom. Yor.
were SO good to me always, and so pa
tent. Do you remember how we USED
to fish from that level rock down close
to the sea? You used to carry me il
your arms over all the rough places.
you I'M here every summer aftel
that" The voice became low and sad.
And when Tom died. was sixteen
then-you came down here TO comfort
me; for l had no one in all the WORLD
but Tom. Pa was SO cold and sterI
that could not love him. Do you re-
member how begged you to be my
brother in Toms placer"
y y
Silence. The woman's voice, cleal
and happy: And two years after
came the best summer of all, when
you know what happened, and we plan
ned your future, and talked of the
name and fame you would win. l was
so proud of you, and we were very hap.
Ply, and"
The mans voice, hoarsely: Don't
Dolly! For Gods sake, don't! 1 can't
bear it. If only l had known!"
The woman's voice, ineffably tender:
1T doesn't matter so much, now that
we know, Jack. You did love me, and
you were true to me? Say it again
Jack. 1t can't be wrong for you to tell
me that you loved me before!"
The mans voice. brokenly: Loved
you, Dolly, little sweetheart! Did ]
love you? Oh, Dolly, l have always
The woman's voice, quickly: INC
no, Jack! We have no right no. But
it won't be so hard to bear, now we
know, and life is not so very long, ano
perhaps, sometime-somewhere2'' A
little catching sob.
The mans voice, deep, tender, trem.
ulous: God bless you, little sweet.
hearti God help us bothi"
The gorgeous crimson and yellow OF
the sunset had faded to dull purple
and twilight had fallen on sea ano
land. The fretful voice of the sea hac
grown soft and slumbrous with the
ebbing time, and peace brooded every
where, ave in the hearts of the chill
dren of men.
A man and a woman arose from the
rock, and, as they passed the niche
where /, unseen, had witnessed the
pageant of departing day, and had
heard rehearsed the supreme tragedy
of life, the man raised the woman's
hand to his lips, and gazed silently OF
her uplifted face, gloriied with the
love which through all time "endures
and is patient. The Household-Led.
ger.