Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1906-08-31
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS N'aV
! An Unattained Sacrifice.
BY DUDLEY JAMES.
Ei..INe.rNN~~esNlt.r.Ilere

She looked into his eyes with the
self-enacing devotion pertaining to
women He looked into hers with the
expression of the hunted stag.
There was that in his face, however,
which relieved 1t from the suggestion
of fear and painted into his personal
ity the mark of the hero.
She saw 1t and understood-under-
stood not at all what his trouble and
his fear was, but understood that Il
was the desperation OF a brave man;
and ieI heart OF hearts yearned to help
him and comfort him.
She was no longer a girl, yet re-
tained the lneffable charm Of sweet
t. Her attitude toward the man was
unmig,dkabe. She was his sweet
heart, his very own patient, passion
ate, loving and self-abnegating.
lie was a handsome fcllow-or would
hay been had 1t not been for the lines
OF care and suffering In his frail face
There were great lines in the face and
the head was marvellous in its shape
and proportions, and the wide, straight
mouth and the steady eyes told of in
domitable purpose TO conquer physical
weakness.
They had been lovers for so long
that they had forgotten the measure OF
the years, Since early childhood they
had been playmates and chums but
since one memorable day-ah. the wo-
man remembered the very day and
date, after all-they had been accepted
lovers the one to the other. II was
very, very long ago, 10, IL, l7--perhaps
as much as 20 years back in the past.
1t Was all so full of promise and
happiness then. He was young, bril-
liant rich, with every prospect ahead
Of him, when he asked her for her
promise, obtained It, and went brave
ly away to college to 1T himself for a
great career. And in all the land
lived 10 such happy girl She had
found her own true knight and he had
broken his lance AT her very feet. All
she mad to 10 was to wait and dream
VIVA: more could fair maid desire?
And so, meath sunny skies, with no
cloud on the horizon, the two fond
hearts waited the truition Of their
hopes, impatient only at the length OF
the days and nights which interviewed
between them and bliss.
Then came the crash, and in a single
momen; Clarence learned he was the
orphan OF a bankrupt and suicide
and his loved and respected father
would have been a convict had he not
forestalled 1t all by taking his own
life.
1t was a terrible blow, but Clarence
never wayered lie left college within
the hour, never to return, and brayely
took uR the burden left by his father
1t was an awful task for an ineXperi.
enCed youth, without business training
who had always been taught that
come what might, the fortune Of The
family was safe and that his ambitions
were to find an outlet in other way,
than money-getting. Besides, hi
loathed business with the true abhor
renee OF the born aristoCrat.
But he never ilinched. He mastered
the situation and started In to worn
out he problem. After the remnant.
of his fathers fortune had been gath
cred together and paid to his creditors
despite the protests OF his mother anC
sisters, Clarence obtained employment
with business concern and pushed
along doing work at which his very
soul abhorred. He supported his mo-
Their and the family, educated hi,
younger brother and. above and beyonC
It all, paid IN year by year what h,
could save to reduce his fathers debts
But the years were long and dreary
and the great cloud of the debts hiC
the sunlight beyond. Only one ray o.
light did he haye-eXcepting Alice, o
course-and that was that certain ar
ticles he wrote were accepted from
time to time by magazines of the bet
ter class. Upon these articles ant
their acceptance Clarence and Alic,
built their fondest hopes. For Alic,
never wavered In her love and accept
ed the years Of waiting as her very
heritage.
The strain on the man was fearful
and he felt things giving way within
him. One day he consulted a physi
clan end emerged from his Office Will
an expression on his face which com
bined resolution with fear. After thi!
he ever looked haunted, but Away,
Tesolute.
The debts had been paid, the boy ed
ucated, the girls married and the mo
Their dead. Then came an offer from
great magazine to take up a series o
Investigations along the lines OF hli
writings on the basis OF very liberia
salary. A representative Of the maya
zine had come to see him and clos,
with him. The interview was over anC
he had come straight to Alice.