Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-04

| it. His voice vibrated with comforting re-
assurance as he replied:
NO, no. know. You're very good. l
| have never been SO kindly told of such
things by any one before.
Jack Selkirkr' she demanded, do you
| mean to tell me that 1 am not the first?
That--that any other girl has ever had
chance
Jack answered quietly, but most effect
/ lively.
There isn't any other girl in all this
girl there is or ever will be. The sex ends
where you stand, it began there
She stepped toward him and closed her
i fingers on his arm.
"You-you haven't asked me, jack she
| said; II wouldn't refuse you! Truly,
| never would
No" he said, with infinite melancholy,
| II told you that L appreciate your kind
\ ness. Thank you, Mercy"
| Tears were now trembling on her lashes.
| She had undoubtedly intended, in the first
place. to enjoy his misery for time, as she
| might tantalize her colt with sugar humps.
| Women at her age almost always have this
| streak of inhumanity to man within them
Some women never get it out of them. But
| she had intended to pass the sugar over be-
| fore the colt went back into the stable, to
| speak. and now il looked as if she would not
havea chance to- Apparently the animal had
| mistakenly renowned the sweet and done
| 1t for all time! This would not do at all.
| A liquid drop rolled down her cheek, and
| others crowded so to follow it that she had
| to wink in order to see his agony. Jack
saw the tear, and suffered with sharp
| pangs. He was a brute; that was quite
plain to him. He grasped his hat and
| started toward the door.
| Il mustn't stay to make you cry" he
said in misery. I'll go away. 1 beg your
pardon.
| Mercy found her handk erchief and now
| sobbed into it. There was rumbling from
| the kitchen.
IF you go (huk) away. Jack Sell (huk)-
-, ,l,@, ~
| under the Judgment that had fallen on
her for cruelty, I'll never for (huk) =
| give you, never!'
At this point she sank into a chair. She
| longed to kick violently with her small
and charmingly shod feet, but did not
/ Ne (huk) ever. Ne Chuk) ever (huk) =
| ever" she protested a syllable at a time
one with each quick catching Of her
| breath.
Il am brute was all he said.
Jack Selkirk,'' cried the sobbing Mercy,
| ''if you don't stop making me miserable
III thuO, I'll (huk)-I don't know what
| I'll do to you! You've (huk) no right to
make me suffer so. You (huk) ought to
be ashamed to do it! You know you ought
(huk) to be-
Control yourself" he said, in soothing.
tones. Don't take 1t so to heart / dare
say / shall get over it,
4 don't want you to (huk) get over it,
she said.
Il just said that to comfort Won" he
said of course never shallr'
| Despite her sobs the girl was thinking
| rapidly, Just how this thing had come
about she was not entirely certain; but
| she knew that the fault was hers. A Man
occurred to her, She looked up and spoke
| with difficulty and in fragments.
NOW you get right down (luk) on fhuk)
your knees--ees she said with fearful
determination, and as she spoke she na;nt-
| ed to the carpet just in front of her de-
lghtful feet. There" she said ..Right
huk) there IN front of me. As soon as
lhuk) yons Ghuio can do it (hul), Jacf"'
| lie looked at her, distressed and hesitat-
ing. -
/ Don't hesitate, she said, ian hul) in
stanti Get doWn-this mo- (huk) -ment!'
Stumblngly, he knelt
Now. said the girl, you beg Chuk) my
Jack spoke very solemnly. His voice be-
'Oh, Mercy he said. 81 am sorry, I
never should have asked you, Mercy. if
mad supposed that it would make you feel
like thsr
That's just the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ,,
Mercy sobbed .'You (hul) haven't asked
mel Why don't 0iulo you ask me?
You've got TO (hek) ask me! And If You
don't-fH never Quls) let you upg'
why, Mercy! selkirl gasped, aston
ished
you're a great huk). big (huk). cruel
thukl -b-erutti!' she continued. That's
I huk) tell you to. I'll not (huk) for
give you thul) If you don'tr,
Il do apologize. / do!' said the mis-
cradle SellSirk
But L don't (hnI) want you 10 apollo
(hukl-giz," said Mercy, II want YOU 10
thui1 prop-propose.'
"Why-,'' Jack began, astounded
Don't (huk) stop meis Mercy exclaimed
do as you are (huk) told
| II WILL said SeIkirk.
Say (hulk) Mercy, / (huls) love your .
she commanded.
Mercy, you know / do said selkirk
well say (huAl it then.'