The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-03-21
Ais Well That ENDS We'll.
A STORY or FOUR SIDED LOVE.


He looked for the most part straight
in front Of him as they walked across
the field side by side. His forehead was
puckered, his mouth set, his peculiarly
youthful face paler than it's wont.
Life" he said, is such huge re-
sponsibility."
Unconsciously his voice took the
dcgmatic tone which so often char
acterized it in the performance of his
clerical duties.
Life is such serious matter; l
do not think we half realize its tre-
mendous seriousness
'Talking-of-er-ti said she.
His voice dropped to one OF sur
prise, almost of irritation. What do
yoI mean?" he asked.
Il haven't grasped the connection" :"
she said. 1T is only when am in pain
that feel like that"
Plainly he was seriously affected
for he even ignored her frivolous
aside.
"Oh, what is it," she asked. There
must be something" she continued.
Has the vicar"-kere she smiled, al
though unwillingly-"has his rever-
ence been insisting on the fifteen min
utes' limit for your sermons again?"
You couldn't neglect your mother
for any one" she said, bravely.
NO" he admitted, mo; that's true"
$50 you are forced to make duty
of necessity she said.
He waited moment, repeating her
words over to himself, as though he
had not reached their meaning.
consolation to help me through the
empty days. If there had not been
this plain, straight way of duty for
me, could you-?"
Yes, oh, yes!" she said.
81 had to speak?" he questioned.
"I can bear it better?" she said,
"since you have spoken"
IF love were all?" he quoted.
Nothing else could have made me
love you like this" said she.
Only his look thanked her. "Now,"
he said, you must forget that once l
was tempted to play the man. You
must only remember me as the con-
ceited young curate who tried"
DON'T" she exclaimed, don't hurt
me like that"
Take your own way. then" he
whispered, with wintry smile. "And
bless you always, my one love- You
alone hold my secret-safe with you"
Dear God, how safe!" she cried.
And SO they parted. It was the only
way.
H.
But that was not the only conf
dence with which she was honored at
about this time, and strangely
it was the curate's mother
who next put her powers of secret
keeping to the test. She prefaced her
confession with touch of fattery
Il hope you will not laugh at me for
a silly old goose!"
''As if should!"
81 don't know-wait and see. l sup
pose that in your idea no one could
possibly fall in love aftcr-well,
"CS, why not?'
Very well tried, dear! Very cred
itably said! But l am more than
r, ;,.x Evyo- tn low
wonder you start
Il. don't-think-I did,"
mot badly! But there, don't
want you to think that because ex-
Derience has taught me to laugh in
he face OF misfortune l cannot still
EEL. Child, there is no love like a
ate love for tearing your heartstrings.
Practice helps to make perfect. per-
laps--I don't know. Women love and
Marty and live happily ever after
hundreds of women do that. But l
iave had experience, and know what
!, am saying is true, that not one
Woman in a hundred ever finds her
Zeal as l, SO late, have found mine"
oh said the girl, doesn't he
lOesnt he-forgive my asking-but
Iussn't he love.you?"
Yess dear. that's not the barrier. |
sfnink at my age, you know, fail
IN TO return my affection would have
i4rFed She picture in the beginning,
IAFe lbraken up the likeness to the
6eH tooSsoon. would have stayed the
pf;ueH ef love before much harm had |
esn DONE. No, I am spared. that. I