The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-17

see, l am so much more the woman
than the lady. There is my defect"
And was it that" said I, attacking
a second steak with the fury of a farm
hand, while Peg glowed to see me dis
patch it, was it that to teach you
to warn me 1 must be a man rather
than gentleman when 1 dealt with
your"
Now, I shouldn't WONDER" replied
Peg, going for more coffee.
This kitchen mood Of Peg's-and
somehow I liked it as much as ever
she did-and' her word for it how she
preferred cookery to balls, set me to
put questions as we twined along our
path among the trees on homeward
journey. The night, as Peg foretold
when she SO favored supper-getUlnG.
was full of white radiance that one
might read print by for the air was as
clear as glass and the moon both big
and round.
You We're speaking as one weary"
said l, "of dance and reception, and
declared how you would sooner cook.
Now that puts me in a fog, l should
have supposed you the happiest, as you
should be the proudest, woman in the
world"
Il said would sooner cook for you,"
, said Peg. You are uncouth enough to
f rget that part. Or pefhlps, now IT
was your timidity. l am proud enough,
doubtless; but why, Watchdog, should
you think me happy?"
rs it not reason enough" returned
I, that you have stifIed your enemies,
and stand on the last summit of our
society,""
Il am happy only as it makes my
friends happy" returned Peg; the
good General and yourself. 1 would
not, for my own part, waste one mo-
ment on it."
Il can not understand" said I. THAT
I should love nothing of drawing
rooms does not amaze me; the day is
on in middle life with me and I've
seen too much of grass and sky to now
care for floors and frescoes. But for
woman-,I should have said her joy
would be there
Watchdog, am too much the
woman" said Peg; cor, since you may
better understand, I'm too much the
savage. I've climbed the social noun
tain. I stand on its summit; there is
nowhere higher. And yet what will it
all mean?"
What will it not mean?" I asked.
Watchdog, I'll tell you what it will
rot mean" Peg spoke in a tone of
tired earnestness. 1T will not mean
sympathy or love or trust. Society, as
we've agreed, is like a mountain. And
like mountain, you 1in1 less and
less OF vegetation as you cllmb-feWer
of the green, good virtues tina tstand
so thickly rank in the poor valleys be-
low. AS you climb, it would turn ever
barer and colder: and at the last no
understanding but lichens and livid
MOSES. We are at the summit,
Watchdog. And now what find we
other than the dead cold snow? You
have told me I stand on the social
summit; you see 1 keep repea ling. DO
you know now what it is in my heart
to do? There lies no peril of a slip;
have too much the sure foot of the
ibeX. Do you know what am moved
TO dome on my high snow social
peak? Why, then, dash myself into
that common valley far below"
Now, that is not our Peg who
by Pegs Alpine parallels. 1T is the
talk of a tongue and means mere wild
ness"
And that is it, Wa dog" return
ed Peg, in a way of mourning. IT
am not tame; am like the wild things
that will not bear a cage. Now here;
see how strange I am. I do not like
women 1 will not trust one with a
word; I must watch myself to treat
them with fair face. Then I am all
to talk and go about with men.
should have been born one of those
Indian girls of whom you told me. A
campfire and petticoat of buckskin,
a wigwam and a husband-big and
broad like you, Watch dog-to fight
and to hunt for me; that would be my
dream"
There arose a rough laugh, and if my
ears were true, a rum sodden laugh
turned my head, and there, a hundred
yards to our rear, came rolling and