The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-07
W. OF

you are a cynic," retorted the Gen
eral with a snort, and after surveying
me for a moment with a warlike eye he
sauntered away for another pipe.
Your woman must save herself"
cried |, as he went through the door.
AT all events, if she have nothing
stronger than your man to lean on,
her case is lost and desolate indeed"
"You-all is plumb kerrect, Marse Ma
Jor," said Jim. who as usual had been
listening with fattering interest while
the General and l discussed; ''you-all
is plumb right. Man an woman is jes'
like a candle; he's d'taller, she's
dwick. D'Marse General is a pow'ful
fine soger an all that, but he shore
don't know enough bout women folks
to wad a gun"
One day ! got little note from Peg.
1t was as though l held a sunbeam
in my fingers; l kissed it while my
heart put up prayer. Thus it ran:
80, -dog--they have taken me
and left you, and there be miles be-
tween. Wherefore feel very safe and
very sad. 1t is all birds and blossoms
and trees and Sunshine and bright
days and sorrow here. | came away in
such tumult of hurry l left many
things behind. Most of them 1 can
do without, but l mislaid my love,
and that grows to be a sore distress.
Here where 1 should need it I'm with
out it; there, where mayhap it lies I'M
regarded and uncared for, it can give
me no good but only pain. You may
find Tiny poor love!-since it should
be something close to you 1t may be
lying at your feet while you read this
Should you come across it, even though
you be in the art and press of Presi-
dent making, don't forget to lift it up
and save it and keep it warm upon
your heart for the sake of little Peg
But I must cure me of this abject
strain; l too much beg where l should
give commands. For are you not my
slave? Look if the small white mark
of vassalage be not upon your hand!
Do you find it? Yes? Read it, then,
and re-read it with your heart! Do
you know the promise it would tell
you? BY the sign of that white mark
my tooth made, it is given that now
or then, or here or there, or in this
life or in that, your Peg will yet lay
hands of love upon her slave"
That was the last letter as it was
the first-the last word from my lost
and vanished Peg. 1 have that letter
by me as I~write; it is yellow and
worn and stained and blistered as
though with tears That was my last
word from her, l say. And now when
the winter of my days lies thick and
white and cold upon me, and those
whom 1 loved are gone, while those to
come and go before me are strangers
whose very names are strange, l wend
often to Pegs grave. There were the
great stone fits down above her. and
resting myself upon that stone-there,
by the door of death, muse upon the
past. kiss the stone above Peg-cold
it is, cold as my age chilled lips! And
/ think on the time that was, with it's
hot lights to dazzle and blind and make
drunk the heart with the red splendors
of them; and on the time that will be
"a shadow-land of uniformed wonders
Then will my old eyes come to search
among the wrinkles for that small
white mark on my hand which Pegs
loving leopard teeth ordained, and 1
feel again that snowstorm kiss, while
my hope, for a prayer, recites Peg S
bond to yet lay hands of love upon her
slave.
(The End)