The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-12-20

enterprise nothing couid possibly hap
pen Ia disturb a. I was all ready for
the first OF July announcement ana
boom. Never did have lighter heart
than when 1 joined Anita and her
friends at Sherry's. IL seemed 20 me
her fricnillneSs was less perfunctory.
lcSs "A matter OF appearances. And the
sun Was bright. the air delicious. my
health perfect. n took all the strength
az all tho atraps Monsoon had put on
my natural spirits 10 keep me from be-
ms eNubcrnnt.
had fully intended so be back at
my office half AN hour before the Ex-
change ciosed--this In addition to the
obvious prccnution Of leaving orders
that they were To telephone me II any
thing should occur about which they
had the least doubt. But so comfort
able did ny vanity make me that for
rot To- look nj my watch until a quar-
ter 60 three. I had momentary
qunlm then rcasrurcd. i asked Anita
To- take a walk with me. Before we
set out tcicphoncd my righthand man
and partner. Ball ~ had thought.
everything was quiet: the Exchange
waa closing with Textile sluggish and
down a quarter. Anita and I took a
ear - the park.
A We strollcd about there. Il seemed
To me- I was making more Roadway
with her than IN all the times I had
seen her since We became engaged. At
each meeting had had TO begin at the
beginning once more. almost as n we
had never met for I found that she
haze In the meanwhile taken on all. or
almost all. her original reserve. IL was
rs " she forgot me the instant i left
hcr--not very Gathering. that.
'yo' accuse me OF refusing To get
acquainted with you" said l. ''of re-
fuslnE TO see that you're different
person from what I imnginc. hut how
about yoI? Why do you all stick to
your FIRST notion OF me? Whatever I
am ar am not. I'm not the person YOU
condemned on sight"
You have changed" she conceded
The way you dress-and sometimes
tho way you act. Or. IL u because I'm
getting used IN YOU
Motifs" ] began. but stopped
there. Some day would confess about
Monsoon, but not yet. Also I hoped the
change wasn't altogether due tn Mon
son and the dancing master and my
Imitation OF the tricks OF speech and
manner 81 the people In her set.
She did not notice my abrupt halt.
Indeed. often caught her nj not listen
Ing To- me. I saw that she wasn't lis
tcninI L. rnc now.
You didn't hear what said" ac-
cused somewhat sharply. for I was ir-
She started. gave me that hurried.
Apologies look that was bitterer Ia
nic than the most savage insult would
have been.
Il began your pardon" she said
We were talking of-of changes.
weren't We"
we were talking OF me-" I answered
"of the subject that interests you.
not al all.
She looked az me In n forlorn sort Of
way that Noftcnet my Irritation with
sympathy. I've told you how II IL
with me. she said. II do my best TO
please YOU. L"
Damn your best" cried. Don't
try 20 please me. he yourself. I'm not
n slave driver. don't have TO be
concilaicd. Can't you ever see that
I'm not your tyrnnt? DO treat
you as any other man would feel
he had the right To treat the girl
who had engaged herself To- him? Do
ever thrust my feelings or wishes
or-longings on you?: And do you
think repression easy for man OF my
temperament
You have been very good" she said
humbly.
Don't YOU ever say that to me
again. I half commanded half pleaded.
II won't have you always putting me
In tho position ~ kind and induigent
She halted and faced me.
why do YOU want me. anyhow"
she cried. Then she noticed several
loungers on n bench staring ut us and
grinning. she flushed aud walked on.
IT don't know" said ]. Because I'm
n fool. probably. Ny common sense
tells me I can't hope To break through
that shell OF self complacence you've
been cased IN By your family and your
associates. Sometimes think I'm mis-
taken In YOU. think there isn't any real.
human blood left in ''our veins, that
you're like the rest az thcm--a human
bod whose heart and mind have been
taken out aud "a machine substituted
"A machine that can say and do only n
narrow little range OF conventional
things-like one OF those French dolls"
You mustn't blame me for that"
too and I'm ashamed OF Il.
But If You could know how I've
been educated. They've treated me ns
tho Flathcad Indian women treat their
babies--kecp their skulls I'm a press
isn't that it'--untll their heads and
brains grow ot the Flathead pattern.
only. somehow. I'm my case--thc proc
ess wasn't quite complete. Aud so, in
stead ~ being contcntcd like the other
Flathcad girls. rm-almost n rebel. at
times. I'm neither the one thing nor
the other-not natural and not Flat
head, not enough natural to grow
away from Flnthead. not enough Flat
head 10 get rid Of the natural"
II take back what I said about not
knowing why II want you. Anita"
said. II do know why--and-well. as
| told you before. you'll never regret
marrying me"