The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-11-04

+
society. but If I had money. all tina,
would be overlooked, and I would be
better thought of than am now AS
1t Is, I am not considered at ALL"
Not considered by whom?''
Everybody. And some one in par
tlcular whom wish to consider me and
who has refused. I have tried every
thing else; I have placed myself at her
feet. Love does not count"
| Her face was crimson. She looked
far away over the sere, brown fields
and at last said:
Then what am to deduce from that
assertion-it isn't clear"
You are not to deduce ANYTHING
state 1T as my positive conviction
that, given on the one hand man with
everything to make him desirable in
the eyes of woman, but with no mon
y, and on the other hand a man with
nothing to recommend him but money,
q woman will choose the man with
money, ninety-nine cases out of a hun
dred. That's what I mean.
Why John, why joint" There was
an inf1nity Of reproach 81 those words.
Yes, l mean it," he added IT mean
every word of it. Women are essen
TALLY selfish, and they love the soft
side of life. They know that money
VIII make soft side to anything. and
therefore, they are on the side of
money"
Il am sorry for you" she said simply.
i though that you had a higher idea
Of women
Haven't a perfect right to be bit
ter?" he continued. Haven't I every
right to such ideas? If it has not been
uemonstEated to me, nothing has. There
J IS nothing so convincing as personal
+ experience. and it is from that I
speak,"
II have known you long time John,
and l know Of no such instance in
your career that you speak, Of When
was it?"
You know very well to what I al
lude. You know that have loved you
for all these years. since we were little
more than children. You know that my
highest dream of happiness was to
some day make home for you, where
\ could have you with me always.
There has not been an ambition in my
brain that was not caused by my wish
to excel and make YOU proud of me.
The rest Of the world can go hang
you are my world. the all in all for me
And now. after all these years, all thai
counts for naught. There comes into
your life great big, beefy man-you
know very little about him except that
ne Is very wealthy. and in the course
OF Two months he undoes what have
done. or rather in that time accom-
,plishes what 1 could not accomplish
IN six times as many years. Is not that
evidence enough? What Is to be de-
duced from that except what I have
| stated?"
Il ought to be>very angry with YOU
John. You have accused me of a
VIZ, Wretched thing-that I would sell my
life, my love, my SOUL merely to pro-
vide myself with creature comforts.
don't know why don't make Won lea We
me, and never permit you to speak ia
me again. except that realize that
your anger has carried you off your
feet. l realize what you say, that such
state of things is an awful blow tn
man. But do not grant that any
such state exists-that isl mean
You mean what. that you are not
going to-marry him ?" There was light
and life and hope in the questioner's
eyes now.
Eyes, mean that: and that I have
not Intended to do 50. And now let
me do a little preaching to you--ypu
have had your say, and you have said
Things you ought not to have said"
1T Is mistaken notion men have,
that a woman wants to receive all and
give nothing. True love Is seize fface-
ment. and bearing the burdens OF
those whom we do not love, and moth
ing gives a woman so much pleasure
as to suffer for the man she really
cares for"
DO you really mean thato There
was wonderment upon the face of the
questioner.
Yes. And there would be more
women who would be glad to accept
even the little in the way of wealth
their sWeethearts possess, If they were
given the chance. Instead OF goine
brayely to her and saying, I have little
or nothing, but love you. can pro-
vide enough to keep US from starving
and enough to furnish us with clothes
More than that, do not care for, with
you at my side. Will you accept that :
The men stand off and SWIVEL aboui
women wanting wealth. It makes me
weary. It's weakness
There was a long pause The sur
had sunk below the horizon and the
y'west was gorgeous with the opa;ine
I'tints, of the dying day. The couple
stood Tor "a moment looking at the sun
Fet Perhaps n was the glory of the
4 rudy rays upon her face, or the re-
4 ,fection from the golden gates Of the
4 west that shone In her eyes. He paused
for a moment irresolute, and Their
taking her hand. looked her fun in DIE
eyes She looked down and her face
flushed.
Helen" he said, very gently. q
have almost nothing in the way OF
goods or wealth. but have love foI
i you that the wealth Of Midas could moi
boy. VIII ycu accept what hayees'
She looked up and smiled s6ftiy.
Why didn't you say that a year a,
70 ago. Yes. / viii