The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1903-07-24

"Yes, and in that miserable house,
all open, she is nursing her dylng hus-
band"
The Major got up and began to walk
about the room. Don't, Margaret, I'd
rather not heal about IT,"
but you must hear. No place could
be more desolate. The wind was moan
ing in the old plum thicket. The gate
was down and hogs were roofing in
the ya.i. Louise did not hear me as
l drove up the wind vas moaning so
distressfully among the dead plum
b~ushes-she did not know that l was
on the place until I entered the room
where she sat at the bedside of her
husband. She jumped up with a cry
and -"
Margaret, please don't"
81 must tell you, John. l will tell
you. She jumped up with a cry and
ran to me, and started to take of my
cloak, but remembering that there
was no fire in the damp room, she let
1t stay on. She tried to speak but
couldn't. Her husband held out his
waxen hand, and when l took it l
s~huddered with the cold chill 1t sent
through me-"
Margaret, l am going out" said
the Major, turning toward the door.
"If you do, John, I will go with you
and tell you as we walk along. Please
sit down"
He sat down with an air of helpless
ness. His wife continued: "In the
room there was scarcely any furniture,
nothing to soften the appearance of
bleakness. l asked why no fire had
been made and Louise said that she
had engaged a negro to cut some
wood, but that he had gone away. She
had paid him in advance. She would
herself have kindled a fire, but there
was no Xxx on the place, and she was
afraid to leave her husband long
enough to go to the woods to gather
sticks. I went out and found the
negro doing in the sun. He was i'm
pudent when I spoke to him, but when
l told him my name and threatened
and sauatered off, and l thought that
we should see no more of him, but
soon we heard the lazy strokes Of his
axe. And shortly afterward we had
N fra a,,;gn u,ac u ~ hnr ci1ont
moods, but Pennington talked as much
as his cough would permit him. He
, said that it was all his fault. 1 told
her. said he, that unless she married
me l would die disappearing the
name of God, and that if she would
save me from hell she must be my
wife. l know that it was selfish and
mean, but l couldn't help it. And so
she has married me to save my soul
He grew excited and l tried to calm
, him. l told him that you were angry
at first, but that now you were in a
better humor toward him."
"Margaret-'
This appeared to help him. but l
saw that Louise did not believe me.
However, I commanded her to come
home and bring her husband with her.
But she shook her head and declared
=, that she would eve again enter your
r house until she could in some way
discharge the debt Of gratitude with
which you ~reproached her, which she
says you Haunted in her face at a time
VIII she was greatly distressed"
what! I don't exactly under
stand"
Eyes, you do, dear. You reminded
her that you had saved her life, and
told her that you based your plea for
obedience upon your own gallantry."
, ooh, that was a
, piece of mere non-
, sense, a theatrical 10
trick. OF course ~
don't deserve any -AINNEM"
credit for having MA ~.
saved the life of STM s IN
my Owl child" MN .Tkfa5
ait may have been SAr t33tSgs
a theatrical taick ~ NSs
with you, but 1t ga 49,
wasn't with her. NtFkY&Mz&a
She keeely feels KalEN TssSSSW
-, your reproach." ,-&NGSMN
: AMtNK