The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-13

/ the sun, she would De Quil anu Sttu %
, lead. Then, With a gust of wind, she
! would wrinkle into waves of temper.
| And next there would dawn Tranquil
moment when. calm and clear and deep
} and sweet she shone on one like bur
! nished silver.
Once, I recall. she sat in her big
: chair STEPPED in a way of pensiVe
/ wordlessness. 1 had not heard her voice
for an hour; nor she mine, for 1 was
/ fallen behind in my letters, and poll
tics and president-making are mighty
y gluttons of ink. Suddenly she broke
/ in:
why are you so good to me-so
| much more than any other?'
How should one fail of sympathy"
! said 1, giving my manner a light turn,
for another so innocent and so i'll
used ."
And it's just sympathy-all sympa-
! thy?" demanded Peg, resting her round
chin in her little shell of a palm.
/ Nothing but sympathy"
What else should it be?
| Il don't know" said Peg, shortly.
| Then she walked slowly across the
room and studied a picture. In a mo-
ment she gave a word to me over
| her shoulder: Il may tell you this,
| Mr.. Questioner. There is but one ques-
| ton a man should put to a woman"
Smiling on her jaunty petulances, I
went forward with my writing; she
| to pulling out the slides of a cabinet
| This apartment, l should tell you, was
my private workshop of politics where
| in l repaired and extended the des-
| TIMES of the General, and transacted
his fame for him. There were a world
/ Of history and one President-and say
the least Of Reconstructed in that
! room.
Peg came presently to my elbow,
bringing a trinket of coral. 1t had
been my sisters, and was my mothers
before that.
rs it worth much money!" asked
| Peg.
Nothing at ALL" I returned.
And yet you value it highly?"
Very highly"
MAY l have it?"
1t seemed shame to hesitate, and yet
/ did while Peg stood with wistful
Why" said I at last, 81 meant 1t
for the one 1 should love"
oh, you meant it for her whom you
| would love! And do you look to see
1t again after that? The coral is
mine from this moment"
With a swish of her skirts Peg was
gone; and with her went the coral.
Peg betimes would lay out her cam
| palgn for the coming winter. 1t was
then she talked of Van Buren,, 1.-The
! good little Secretary" as Peg named
| him. Van Buren, went often to the
Eatons; and on each of those kind ex-
! cursions he climbed ever higher with
| the General and with me-
Not only" said Peg, assuming a
wise pucker of the brow as she re-
| counted how she should wage and win
! her social war, mot only shall / pre-
side for our good little Secretary at
dinners and receptions, but he has
| brought to me the Viscount Vaughn.
/ VINO iS minister for ha CHI \
Baron krudener, who is here, as you
know, for the Russians; and they, since
| they own no wives to help them, also
| nave besought me to be at the head
of their legation functions. And with
| the White House back of all, what then
VII MIS-; Calhoun and her followers
| DO! Watchdog, we have them rout-
ed" Here Pegs rich laugh would ring
| out for victory on it's way.
! Peg, on another day, would shake
her head with soft solemnity.
| Il do so wish some one watched
over me-" Peg spoke in contemplative
earnestness. IF 1 could find a fault
in a best of husbands, it must be
that he doesn't watch over me-"
! What idleness now claims your
tongue?'' said I. impa tiently was
ever such nonsense uttered! And the
| wives should all turn ospreys, too, l
take it, and haunt the upper air to
|
| NO" returned Peg, demurely read
ing the carpet; mo, a wife should
never watch her husband. What should
| you think of her who, dwelling in a
garden-a measureless garden of roses
| went ever about with petticoats tuck
ed up, stick in hand, questing for some
| serpent? Who is she, to be so daft
as to refuse the fragrance of a thou
sand blossoms to find one serpent and
be stung by it?" Peg crowed high and
| long, deeming herself a princess of
chop logic. But a man should watch
a woman" she concluded; 1.-The wom-
an wants him to-"
GUS
Because she likes to feel herself
tethered by his vigilance"
| But why?" I insisted. us not free
dom dear to a woman?"
Yes, but love is more dear. She
what she gains when she barriers only
| little freedom for a world of love"
Il had not thought a woman set such
store by jealousy-the green eye turn
ed against herself
"Jealousy-a mans jealousy is but
| the counterpart of his love" Peg lift
ed her clever head oracularly. "And,
Watchdog. that reminds me''-here she
admonished me with appraised finger
! you are jealous of mel Yes, you are:
your are jealous of my husband"
You are confusing form of little
| girl" l said, laughing, in my turn !;
land most confusing when you Jest"
Yes; when 1 jest" This in a way
Of funny dryness. Especially, when
l jest. Still, you are Jealous; you
watch me all the time. Do not look
| frightened; l do not object to ieaI-
ousy." Peg finished in a mirthful rip
pie.
Il would not see you walk into
HARM" said I, meekly.
| Perhaps 1 was thus meek because the
small hectorer would stir up confusion
in my BOSOM and she, cool, assured,
mistress of situations it was her merry
humor to create.
You would not see me walk into
HARM" she repeated. But you are
jealous of my husband. Is my hus-
band 'harmY"
do you not complain for that he
does not watch you?"
This l said desperately. 1t is not a
hand s-breath behind a miracle how a
girl-and you a steady man of years
and twice her age-will wrap you in
perplexities like parcel 1t was SC
with me; the witch would wind and
unwind me as though / were a ball OF
knitting yarn! She would darn and
patch her laughter with me!
''Watch-dog," said Peg, severely
watchdog you know you are jealous
And how long do you count 1t since ]
told you that jealousy was but love
turned upside DOWN." This came of
trippingly, and with superior wave OF
wrist, as settling thing beyond de.
bate. Then with a tinge of tender