Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-01-21

vaguely term fascination, or magnet
! ism, or psychic force. She was not
at all beautiful, yet was far from be-
ing ugly or commonplace. Passion
and grief were both stamped heavily
on her face. There was a story in all
her attitude. She was one of those
women who, while strong as steel,
have a look of fragility that is at times
very attractive. A certain waxiness
of color, a deepening shadow about
the great eyes, and a growing slender
ness Of figure, gave this impression.
AS the man stepped inside the door,
which closed quietly upon him, he
bent and raised the woman's hand to
his lips ~reverently. A reverence
brooded in his eyes as he looked into
her face. When, without a word, he
lightly stroked the thick tangle of
brown hair that gathered about her
forehead, she stood quiet, only smiling
at him.
"You must go in a minute" she
said, and her voice was exquisite
soft, deep and very tender. 81 have
a wretched paper to get out before
seven o'clock-on love-platonics-and
l feel as stupid as an owl-in fact quite
woolly. Do you believe in platonic
love? Is there such a thing?"
His face grew moody. He walked
quickly to a chair and sat down heav-
lily.
81 believe there u.s." he said-he had
a harsh, deep voice-"and what's more,
believe it's the safest kind of love-"
He pulled at his gloves savagely.
"Oh, indeed" she said, hooking him
p%layfully, "since when did you come
to have an opinion as to loves safe
ness?"
"Since this long time" he answered,
sharply. "You yourself taught me.
You always said love brought suffer-
ing-that it was a thing to be avoid
ed" He rose and walked to the win
dow, then turned restlessly and strobe
up and down the room with hands
thrust deep in his pockets.
iho WoIldA WdtCueu ulLu quietly.
He was in a mood and she would hui
NOR it.
Look at this" she said, pulling a
volume from under a pile of papers.
TITS the last Yellow Book, and there
is an appreciation of Yvette Guilbert
in it that will delight you"
"Yvette Guilbert." He stopped his
quick walking and looked fxedly at
her, "you are very like her-that tall
slender thing all in white, with those
long, expressive, black-gloved arms.
An ugly woman. Jolie laide, as they
say in Paris, but the sort of woman
who gets to a mans head and intoxi-
Gates him. All, you women!" He
crossed to the chair again, sitting,
leaned his arms on the desk and his
head against them.
The woman moved to him softly. A
great light was in her eyes, a mother
light, serene and holy. She laid a
gentle hand on his bright, thick hair.
DON'T" he cried, harshly. Then,
in a half whisper, Help me, Marah."
The woman started back. Her face
grew gray with a sudden pallor, blush
shadows crept about her lips. "Help
you!" she cried, gaily, for his face was
hidden. How car l help you?"
Help me to give you up"
A silence fell about the room. Down
in the street an organ was grinding
out Paradise Alley" She wondered
why it brought her a memory Of a
crowded race-meet and a sweet girl
/ face framed in red hair that looked in
to hers, while a voice sang to the
measure. The flies buzzed heavily. A
spider dipped from the roof on his
slender thread, touched her hair, then
ran nimbly up again.
Then the oma called Marah
spoke. Her voice was full of laugh
ter. SIS that all?" she asked, gaily
what a TODD about nothing! Why
of course I'll help you. Are you going
to tell me such a light thing as this has
SO completely upset you? You, a man
of iron?"
He lifted his face and looked at her.
The cynic's smile crept about his eyes
The pallor had been swept from her
cheeks by a vivid flush. Her eyes
burned.
eff l thought you'd take it so light
ly," he said, grimly, "Id have spared
myself some suffering. Egad, one
never understands women. They are
about as constant as the Winds"
maybe they are" she said, cheer
lily, as his head dropped upon his arms
again, "and maybe that is one of our
com%pensations, for we have to suffer
much-but W. mind these things.
Tell me why you have come to this
mind. Have +" her voice broke for
the first time, "have l offended you in
any way by any solecism? l know how
fastidious, how particular you are"
He shrank a little, knowing her for
the perfect gentlewoman she was; it
shamed him to be thought caddish and
unappreciative.
mot that, not that at ALL" he said,
in a mufled voice. ooh, can't you
see? Didn't you see? Won't you help
me, Marah?"
I think it was then that her heart
broke. Something surely snapped in
her being and went from her forever.
But still she smiled. It was a stiff
smile, al if the muscles had set that
way and she could not change them.
She still spoke heartily, though her
voice took terderer tones.
Didn't you know that l only want
your happiness" she said, slowly and
gently, "and indeed" this quite stout
ly, 81 was getting a little tired myself?
There is SO much work in the world
fbot fboro ;c not ,o,,oL, %spoa I1ft F1r