The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-03-13

story. TOnlSht ! feel like a happy child
in a world Of make-believe. Tonight
we are immortal, you and I, wandering
forever in his green garden under
those Indifferent stars, breathing this
| rose-scented air, spelling the secret of
the world"
"You may say what you please to-
morrow" she whispered, but Villon
would not have it so.
ALIAS, no! Tomorrow 1 shall be
mortality sober; tonight I am divinely
d~runk-drunk with star wine, flower
wine, song wine. The stars burn my
brain; the roses pierce my flesh; the
1 songs trouble my soul. Tonight, if
I dared, I would ease my heart
The girl spoke so family that only a
i lovers ears could hear the words;
r"You may say what o please to-
4 night
y rtliion caught at his heart as if to
4 keep it in the compass Of his breast.
IF I were to die tomorrow, I would
4 tell you this tonight: I love you. These
4 are easy words to say, yet my heart
: fails as I say them, for their meaning
is as full and musical as the bell of
4 doom. Men are such fools that they
! have but one name for a thousand
meanings, and beggar the poor love-
word to base kitchen usages and work.
a-day desires. But I would keep it
holy for the flame which it sometimes
1 pleases heaven to light in one heart for
4 the worship of another. I never knew
4 what love was until I saw a girls face
3 on a May morning and wisdom stripped
4 the rind from my naked heart. The
3 God in me leaped into being to greet
the God in your eyes. love you. This
Is what I would say if I were to die
4 tomorrow"
He was very close to her now, and
i his Eyes We're looking into her eyes.
4 She answered him frankly:
IF o were to die tomorrow, I might
8 tell you this much tonight. A woman
may love a man because he is brave,
or because he is comely, or because
y he is wise, or gentle-for a thousand
a thousand reasons. But the best of all
u reasons for a woman loving a man is
Just because she loves him, without
rhyme and without reason, because
II heaven wills 1t, because earth fulflls
i 1t, because his hand is of the right size
Il to hold her heart in it's hollow"
q The lovers hands were closely
i clasped, h lovers lips were very near
to meeting. Only the god Pan smiled
and sneered as If he knew that some
y times lovers lips fail to meet even
when the space between fervent mouth
and mouth is no bigger than a roseleaf.
+ Katherine" Villon whispered, and
II drew her closer to him. Love, happi-
81 ness, life were coming to his arms as
"a to a shrine.
In the sudden bliss the had come
upon both the lovers they paid no heed
. to a footstep upon the terrace, till a
~ voice struck like a sword-stroke across
n their ecstasy, the voice Of Noel lie
Jolys.
Where are the lovers of yesterday"
a Noel said mockingly as he slowly de-
s. scended the steps to join them.
q There was a red rage in Villon's
Il heart, but he bridled it as he turned
Il upon the interloper contemptuously.
Il Your pink and white lady-bird," he
81 said to. Katherine, n then waving his
II hand at Noel with a gesture of disdain
q and dismissal, chanted at him:
"Lady-bird, lady-bird, fly away
y home.'
Noel's pink face flushed a poppy red
and his white hand went to his sword
a hilt. There was courage in the foppish
substance. and he wou clearly have
%rejoiced to try his chance in a passage
alarms.
My lord,' he said, IT will measure
d word and sword with Q at any sea-
son, out now 1 seek promised speech
n with this lady"
Villon laughed at his menace.
while T nave better business in
"A 1900 yoA SAlcA1 hllo" LII Ill SIllOOlI
of my tongue and the fiat of my fall
chion. Compass your swelling heart
lest you play the lion before a lady,"
The two men eyed each other like
angry dogs, eager to spring at each
others threats. Katherine dropped he1
restraining hand on Nillon's arm.
My lord" she answered, "he has
importuned me for audience. I will
speak with you again ere you ride
N1llOn turned to her.
We ride at nine, remember, he said
IN a low voice; and her in a louder
tone, looking at Noel, he added mock,
s 1ngly, Till then I shall busy mysel1
in writing my last will and testament
and bequeathing a thousand nothings
to a thousand nobodies to puzzle poster
1ty. You shall taste of my bounty
& Messire Noel" and he began to i'm.
E provise derisively:
3 To Messire Noel, named the heat
by those who love him, I bequeath
a he1mless ship, a houseless street,
Il worthless book, aSWOrdless sheath,
An hourless clock, a ileaf1ess wreath,
Aabed sans sheet, a board sans meat,
a bell sans tongue, a saw sans teeth,
10 make his nothingness complete"
Noel Shrugged his shoulders ant
turned his hack. He was very irate
# .DuS uS IWdS -IGSOlpSu ,GO SHOW uOlHlut
but Indifference.
# do Q leave me nothing?" Kath
crime whispered, and Ninon answered
Now n always the heart of m.
heart"
He turned on his heel and glided int,
the liquid darkness of the rose alley
IS alone with exquisite thoughts.
Katherine turned to Noel haughtily
NWell?" she. said.
Il have always to seek you noHra
$days, Noel protested.
Katherine tossed her head, and he
PRESSES tremb1ed like leaves In tn
~smoonlight.
The world is not yet so old that tn
Wooing must be done by women
II II am out of favor" Noel complained
since a fellow from nowhere plays tn
The fool in high places"
III Aatherine's eyes shoWered scorn upol
him.
MI / do not hate you for railing at him
1t does not help me to love you"
&S Noel caught at the word.
eS You loved me once" he asserted
es She shook her head pityingly.
& WE played with great words a
#@Ehildren play with col0red balls. 1t i
asy to say I love you and often yer.
"A A