The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-17
FORA BOYS SAKE

Across the harbor she could see the
silver of the city's great electric lights
outlined against the gold of the myriad
gas jets on the water front. Between
her and the silver and gold lay the
black. of the water, dotted here and
there by the red signal some passing
schooner swung; nearer still she caught
an occasional CLEAN from the dull, cop
perry bronze of the old cooper's sign.
Mechanically. almost, she re-read the
note she held. my own sweet Helen"
1t began. 'at last have thrown over
everything. All the world is nothing
compared with your love, shall be
waiting tonight at the Union station at
y. Yours. ever and only D."
YEARLY she closed her eyes and
leaned her forehead against the cool of
the window pane. She must, she would,
think the matter over from the begin
ming. calmly and clearly.
She had been born on this dingy
water front, had spent all her girlhood
there. A girlhood embittered by pas
sionate longings for beauty and color
utterly at variance with her incon-
gruous surroundings. At seventeen,
while a waitress In an uptown cafe,
she met Jim Forrest-gambler, dead
game sport"-and yet on the whole an
all-around good fellow.
He, taken first with her pretty face,
then with the innate modesty and re-
finement of the girl, married her. From
city to city they went, and the young
girl fairly reyeled In her unaccustomed
luxury. When Jim had luck they spent
money like water-when luck was bad
they cheerfuliy did without. Jim was
always good to her and was wonder
fully happy, especially after the boy
came.
Suddenly. like a thunder clap out of a
clear sky, came the ending. One dread
full day they brought Jim home to her.
dead! accidentally shot in a gambling
fray. PenniIess, she returned to her
mothers little shop again, ready to do
anything and everything to bring up
her boy a man and gentleman. But
1t was not to be. Within year the
blue eyes had closed forever and the
manly little chap smiled bravely into
his stricken mothers face for the last
time.
A widow and childless at twenty
four, for months 1T seemed as though
her heart was numbed with sorrow.
The second year followed the first with
a break, in the dreary monotony of her
life. Then he came-Dane Carlson.
first officer on one of the great ocean
liners. A nasty fall in front Of their
little shop and a resultant sprained
ankle that forced him to call for her
mothers assistance-that had been the
beginning of it all. Now, this was the
end And, oh, but It had been sweet,
perilously sweet, while it lasted.
She had been very fond Of Jim, she
had loved her boy with all the tender
ness of mothers heart-but this all
devouring passion between man and
woman, this was the love that comes
but once in a wonan's life, and is at
once the crown and cross thereof.
She had known that he was married
"a foolish, boyish union to a woman
much older than himself-a creature
hardly worthy Of the name, who was
now paying the penalty Of her excuses
in partial insanity. She knew, too that
death alone could grant him freedom,
but what mattered that? Given his
love, what cared she for either the
worlds conventionalities or its scorn
Together, In some far far new land,
they would defy fate and be happy.
Already her preparations were COM
plete, her lover awaited her-when
suddenly the chance speech of a broth
er officer made it at once and forever
impossible. There was a child-a boyi
A boy like her own, perhaps boy
who, by her, would be compelled in
years to come to bear the burden Of his
fathers sin. All, no, she could not,
would not do 1t.
from the window, and. seating herself
at the table, began to write hurriedly:
Dear friend" she commenced. ARE
you not a bit precipitate In bringing
matters to climax go soon? AT any