The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-12-31

S&& o. 30 o. o. o. ~ te ~ " go
C HE stood among the roses singing
~ light heartedly as she gathered
great fragrant clusters of them. For she
was young, and all life lay. before her,
and her heart was full of dreams, and
her head of ambitions. But when her
quick ear caught the sound OF man S
approaching footsteps a faint shadow
fell across the brightness of her face,
and a vague trouble crept into her
eyes, born Of the knowledge that her
greeting Of today would be different
from the greetings Of other Gays. To
the man, however, the little, unae-
customeG touch of gravity seemed only
to lend an added charm to the childlike
beauty Of her face.
Dreaming again z" he asked, with a
little, half tender half quizzical smile.
Then, as she lifted her eyes to his, ne
added, with an impulsivenass rare in
him, Dear, do you ever, among your
dreams, dream Of how much [ love
YOU? Do you guess sometimes how
life means just a time to make you
happy, and death only a time to lose
your Do you know, little girl, that
for me this great world holds-jusf you
only you? Can you understand yet
love that
The roses fell suddenly unheeded to
her feet, and she put out her hands
with half frightened gesture.
"Ah, DON'T she whispered; don't
say Isl
why not?" he questioned gently,
since you must already know It? !
ask so little-only for the right to love
you and take care of you, to teach
you what you are too young yet to
knoW-al that love may mean Dear,
have I only dreamed that your eyes
have told me you cared-0! not a
great deal, know, but just a little?"
Fer hands dropped to her sides, and
her eyes wandered past the garden Of
roses to the bare purple moor beyond
yes" she said slowly, at last. Il
do care for you-a great deal-more,
think. than for any one else in the
world, and not any less to-day than
yesterday, or al9 other yesterdays,
only care for the other things-for
the other thing-more.
He smiled down on her serious
youthfulness.
You dear little stage struck NOR
tall he said. And is that the only
obstacle between u.s."
1T is an obstacle she affirmed, and
he recognized with a swift pang a
new quality in her. voice, a certain
suggestive stiffness in her attitude,
the stiffness that spells purpose.
I suppose" she went on dreamily,
I'VE all come into the world with some
one great want, the need 60 express
ourselves in some one particular way
And the failures in life are those who
never learn to voice that want
'.or who voice a wrong one.' he
amended
All. but" she took him UP swiftly,
u know that this is right. | feel it
deep down in my heart. It's like a
voice that keeps saying insissentlg, Go,
Col Goi'''
TITS all very-sudden, y he suggest
ed. Are you
20, i know she interrupted But
I've always wanted to do it. you know,
and then it came to me all in flash
at the last that / must. Yet that
doesn't necessarily make it any less
true, does 1t? Truth comes to us all
differently. To me it came that way"
His heart, as he looked down on her,
was heavy within him, heavy with
fear for her. Yet what could he say
TO her, to this child of the radiant
eyes, across whose young life the
shadow of distant fame had fallen?
He wanted only to gather her into his
arms and hold here there, away from
the battle and the struggle and the
bitterness Of life, but he was wise
enough to know ii would avail nothing.
Yet, knowing it. ne made one effort.
'.And you think that the stage will
satisfy you-wiIl fill your life?s he
questioned.
rs not work enough to fill ones
life?" she questioned back.
1T may be, for some women. Not,
+ i lillLh4 lpI SO&- 9JIIIIi, are YOU sure
of yourself? Have you counted the
cost? Is it indeed to be fame and only
fame?''
90" she cried, 81 can't bear to hurt
You. Hilary, and yeti must so.
Then, If you must, marry me first.
Dear, it isn't the life one would choose
for YOU &c isn't the life any man
would choose for the woman he loves.
1t is too hard a one. But give me
at least the right to protect you. the
right to fight your battles for you.
the kind Of battles, mean. that no
woman should need to fight for her
self. Let me make the path as smooth
for you as / can. am, as you know.
rich, and
But she shook her head.
"Gne cannot serve tgo masters. =
she said, with q Risdom beyond her
years. cone must give oneself ones