Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-08-22
A Halt Under Fire.
How an Old Song Put 10 Flight a
Compromise Of LOVs
BY Gelett Burgess.

you IL will be frankly for your position
and for your money. Every one Will
accuse me OF it. and | might as well
acknowledge it TO you. as have TO my
self" She leaned over the rail OF the
veranda. her eyes following the wake
of the moonlight upon the water.
You've said that before-too many
times" said the man at her side But
can't believe it. If it were true. You
would never say ii. There is something
else. There must be something else.
There is nothing else she said.
unless it is that am tired. | want to
feel settled and at rest emotionally.
don't want to think-in that way
any more. If | married you. il would
be wrong TO you. and | wouldn't do IT,
| should begin all over again new. And
then
That's a very different thing" he
replied. You've played fairly. | knew
when you first answered me that you
didn't love me. but | can't bear 10 have
you speak of your motives in that cold
blcoded way. II isn't quite fair To you.
Il want TO put it as brutality as
can" she insisted. Il want you 10 know
the worst that is in me. so that you
can never reproach me-"
"Bertha!" he cried. wincing at the
suggestion.
'Oh, yes. know you think you would
never do that. but | know that one
changes in time. and that perhaps after
a while. when you had got used to my
being near you, and hadn't made me
care in the way that you hope TO. then
you might forget what had said. and
think that you had been cheated.
want the bargain well understood. You
don't seem to believe THAT | have no
heart left. don't want you to cherish
any false hopes"
She moved her head so that she could
look out over the vague. wide waters
on the bay. Her eyes were strained,
her features motionless. The faint
lap. lap of the little waves on the
shore seemed TO annoy her.
You said you were sure we could
always be friends. at least" he broke
in, half pleadingly. half in argument
"Oh. yes. of course. You'll not bore
me. l suppose shall even grow fond
of you. You have tact and patience
and sympathy" She spoke listlessly
and these faint compliments had some
of contempt Then she rose. and said.
please move my chair around. can't
bear the sight of that water"
The Honorable Charles Braxton re-
position. and went on with his custom
airy persistent patience. Il have told
you that want you more than I ever
wanted anything. Bertha, and the more
| see OF you, the stronger that need
grows. | want you so much that
must have you. I'm willing to take all
the chances. IL you are. | think | can
make you love me. It's trite enough
thing 10 say, but I'm SO sure OF my
self and SO much in earnest that
can't bear TO have you accuse yourself
so and insist upon your lack of any
feeling"
Its not an accusation, il is the
statement of a fact. l am making a de-
liberate compromise. | couldn't have
II
half loaf. This isn't flattering to you
but | can't help it. can give you only
my bare acceptance. If you want me
that much. | am yours. know SO well
what the real thing is | had touched il.
ane felt il. and known the life and joy
of il for one little while. and then the
big house of joy tumbled. and was
Of IN hn lor
you came. | told you didn't care. that
never could: but you will never be-
lieye me. Now I'm simply tired OF
resisting you, and I'm at a halt, ready
to be captured without much fight
There's no hope of achievements. My
romance is quite over"
Ones first love-affair always seems
more romantic. | suppose. You thought
you were in love. but I think one can
never judge at the time One is never
sure until long afterword"
Miss Frayne rose suddenly. mo. one
doesn't always know at the time" she
said. but one does know afterward!
Look at that water. Must | tell you
that now. here. the moonlight on those
W6NcS Hlt dluiOSl III WIN an dEl-
tation | can't control? II is heart
rending. Moonlight always is. any
way. TO any one who has Imagination.
1t is the typical thing for happy mem
cries grown sad. It's almost theatri-
cal-it's the subject of a hundred
cheap lithographs-but | can't bear it,
My nerves tingle with ii. for il means
only one thing for income night, We
were on the water in a boat alone, and
of somewhere in the darkness a wom-
an in summer cottage was singing
Robin Adair.' The song is a part of il
all, and | cant bear to hear that either,
1t is one OF the tricks our memory
plays us when IL selects something abb
solutely insignificant and passes over
so many obviously important events
But the song and the moonlight on the
waves stand ont in my past with the
vividness of a fiash-light photograph
and they mean only one thing-him"
He did not reply TO tnls tor some
time. but at last he cautiously adj
vanced. But your engagement was
broken. Doesn't that prove that your
love was not perfect?"
No" she said; Il shall never ac-
knowledge that. Every great love
must be tragedy. it seems to me. |,
>-s so in poetry, in the drama. in all
art. and so il Is in life I thiDl, Tho,