Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-07-08

~ @A
O%t belong to an av-
erage American girl of means and
position.
John Darrell, as he looked at
her, grasped mentally at her words
''Not life as you live it J" he
said quickly.
"Yes-life as l live it."
The young man was silent from
amazement. Yet, in n sense,
he understood. Ever since he, ne
a busy and humble newspaper re-
porter, had come to be counted as
one OF Miss Kennedy's friends, ne
had verified by intimate observa'
ton his Dg-cherished conviction
that wealth is inadequate where
true happiness is concerned.
he was aware that this beautl-
fnl Young woman, whose little
world had been thrown into a Hut
ter Of curious amusement because
OF her open friendship for him,
was not at all content with her lot.
He had known it from the first,
when the circumstance OF his call
ing at the Kennedy mansion to in
terview her father had resulted In
\ conversation with her. She bad
spoken generally Of her dissatis-
faction then. But he had not
dreamed that her discomfort went
deeper than mere theory.
Tonight, as be watched her sit.
ting IN the mellow radiance OF
richly shaded lamps, surrounded
by every symbol of luxury and
beauty, he thought she looked the
very embodiment of what human
sty calls happiness.
The world. WEAKNESS in her
voice smote him, therefore, into
startled wonder.
"What is it," he asked earnest
", ''that makes life a burden to
yOuf
ssJust living" she answered,
with an attempt at llghtness.-
s'Living itself is the great burden
for living includes all the multi
tudiOus things that bore One."
She caught Darnell's look and
flushed suddenly, ashamed all a
once. "YOu think I'm very heart
less.n she cried impetuOusly
4eheartless and selfish, don't you =
Dsrnell flushed, too, ~ think /
you could see life as I see it every
day in my work you couldn't say
such things" he replied.
Miss Kennedy shook her head
eft would make no difference,
she said. escrow and distress
are merely relative conditions, al
ter all not absolute. In a sens
am quite as unhappy as the ma
terially needy. My burdens are a
real to me as theirs are to them.'
wYOur burdens Z" repeated Oar
rell. "FOr instance ~
tsFor instance, the burden O
dress. You have no idea what
weary weight attaches to the con
sideratiOn of gowns and hats AM
foolish fnery. The milliner, tn
modiste and the tailor may becOm
sDecteTs of monotOny so fixed an
hopeless as to fill one with actus
despair. There are legiOns {
other things that go to make l1v
ing for me a burden"
1.-THE philosophy Of idleness an
selfshness," was Darrelt's menta
comment. Aloud he said, "PI
sorry"
Indeed, be did pity her. In hi
heart he was sure that her selfish
ness was the result of circumscril
ed conditions. That she knew NJ
nothing of the real world, but tbs
poverty, wretchedness and iniul
tice Of social conditions were Onl
names to her. he could even e
that the idea Of them touched IS
imagination merely at the Circdn
ference.
AS 3 newspaper man he had D
came use TO the heart.rending fact
Of life, yet they had not made hi
entirely callOus. The pulse OF 81
manity's heart wasa reality to hiI
SCI want you to go with me som
time when / have 3 human intel
est case to write up he said suC
denly. "Will you I"
The proposal savOred OF q Dill
ainct diversion and Miss Kennel
agreed.
~ presume you wish to CONVEX
me-" she said, laughingly, ct par
ing.
The desired opportunity arrive
three days later. Miss Kennel
showed the eagerness and enthuI
iasm Of q child when she met Da.
rell that morning and the tw