Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-02-26

Die condltion-for difference between
you and me that would not grow less
as the years go on. hut greater | do
rot know your people, but know your
race. This knowledge has been driven
into ne and my kind through the CEN
turtles. You would be Just generous,
loyal and loving bur Il ose who are
nearest 10 you, those who are close
knit 10 you by. ties of kinship. what
wca!d they be? They might endeavoT
TO he tender for your sake, but the
loathing, the contempt would be there.
On every day OF your llfo, with me BY
your side you would be upon the de-
feLsiIe Married 10 me, you would en-
Ter at once upon long struggle, los
ing struggle. one TO be ended only with
your death. will not subject you to it.
| viii not burden you, win not see
your dear face wora ard your hair
grayed in a battle against impal pable
but savage foes. K is against yourself
that will protect you-aeainst your
self and those who are of your world"
Il am .trong to struggle, strcng 10
endure. strong TO bear, il only you are
with me Deprived of you, shall walk
among men unseeing and uncaring
coo miles awoy, while all the best of
me is here with your"
yet it must be so. The law where
you live permits you TO marry me; but
what is the written law, the law of the
courts, to the unwritten law, the law OF
conventionality. the law of social agree
ment, the law which governs us from
the cradle onward? With me every
ant gNfy 70 ha IN in
fraction of that law and you would pay
the penalty. 1t would not be !. Re-
member that, but for knowledge of
your unhappiness, | should be happy.
You would be the sufferer ! cannot
permit that"
He stopped, took both her hands in
his and pleaded:
But | tell you that it Is not so. My
people shall know who and what you
are and they will turn to me and say:
You have done we'll
The small head moved YEARLY from
side to side in negation. Then she rose
and stood facing him, frail of form, but
powerful with resolve:
Il love you! | love you! And there
fore | refuse you. Listen, my friend!
! am of that lonely proscripted class
winch mas not us ike III history. lie
best blood of France flows in my veins,
mived with staining drops. | am
wealthy, well educated, well trained |
am a musician and a needlewoman. |
speak three languages. | am young
and you, my friend, say that | am
beautiful. AS am, so is my sister-so
was my mother--so are others whom |
know. The minimizing would calls us
'quadroons,' yet am but one-sixteenth
a black. The men of my race we will
not mate with; the men of yours we
may not mate with. The sins of our
fathers are visited heavily upon, yet we
must endure The Ethiopian may not
change his skin. In that you have all
my heart in your keeping. | will not de-
spoil nor wreck your life This has
been hard for me, but not so hard as
will the coming years. | must leave
you now. God bless you and goodbye"
She drew nearer to him and placed
her hands upon his shoulders. He kiss
ed her lightly, reverently upon the fore
mead. So she went from him. He
heard, or thought he heard, as he OPEN
ed the front door gently, a sound some
where in the dark behind him as little
child pitifully sobbing and choking
back its sobs.