The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-12-13
XIV.
FRESH AIR IN A GREENHOUSE.

XIV.
FRESH AIR IN A GREENHOUSE.
AT five the next day I rang the Eller-
sly's bell, was taken through the draw
ing room into that same library. h
curtains over the double doorway be-
tween the two rooms We're almost
drawn. She presently entered from the
hail. / admired he picture she made
I'm the doorway-her big hat, her en-
broidered dress of white cloth, and that
small, sweet, cold face of hers. And
as I looked. | knew that nothing. moth
tng-no, not ever her wish, her com
tnand-could stop me from trying to
make her my own. That resolve must
have shown in my FACET or the pas
sion that inspired it--for h paused
and paled.
What is it?" I asked. Are You
afraid of me?"
She came forward proudly, a fine
scorn In her eyes. NO" she said. But
eff you knew, you might be afraid of
me"
II am 1 confessed. II am afraid Of
you because you inspire in me a feel
ing that Is beyond my control. I've
committed many follies in my life
6 ave moods in which it amuses me to
defy fate. But those follies have al
been of my own willing. gu"
Il laughed-''you are a folly for me.
But one that compels me-"
She smiled-not ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
seated herself on a tiny sofa in the
corner, q curiously impregnable in
ttrenchment, as / noted-for my impulse
was to carry her by storm. l was as
eSnished at my own audacity; / was
wondering where my fear of her had
one my awe of her superior fineness
and breeding. Mama will be down
In a few minutes" she said.
"I didn't come to see your mother"
tep1ied /. Il came to see YOU
She flushed, then froZe-and / thought
Il had once more got upon" her nerves
with my rude directness. How eagerly
sensitive our nerves are to had inn
p~ressions of one we don't know, and
dow coarsely insensibls to bad impress
don OF we do like!
x see I've offended again. as usual"
Gaid T.. You attach SO much import
Gnce to petty little dancing-master
tricks and c%aperings. You l~ive-always
have lived-in ar artificial atmosphere.
Real things act on you like fresh air on
= dollhouse flower"
You are-fresh air?" h inquired,
with laughing sarcasm.
II am that" retorted 1. And good
Cor you-as you'll find when you get
used to me-"
I heard voices In the next room
her mothers and some mans. We
waited until it was evident we were
fnot to be disturbed. AS I realized that
Snct and surmised it's meaning, I looked
strfumphantly at her. She drew furth-
.ar back into her corne and the al
most stern firmness of her contour told
one she had set her teeth.
IT see you are nerving yourself" said
Il with a laugh. you are perfectly
certain I am going to propose to you"
Your mother-in the next room-ex-
poets it, too" / went on. laughing aver
more disagreeably. Your parents need
uloney-they ave decided to sell you,
their only large income producing as
Ht- And I am willing to buy. What
- you say?'
/ was blocking her way out OF the
room. She was standing, her breath
coming asst, her eyes blazsng. You
are-frightful!" she exclaimed In a low
voice.
because + am frank. because I am
honest? Because I want to put things
on a sound basis? I suppose, If I came
tying and pretending, and let o lie
md pretend, would find me-alrnost
koierable. Well. I'm not hat kind.
When there's no especial reason one.
or the other, I'm willing to smirk
and griInace AND dodder and drivel,
like the rest of your friends. those
ladies' and gentlemen. But when there's
< ~ roCaHlA - Nl1dl
1ness like. Let's not begin with your
thinking you are deceiying me. and so
hating me and despising me and try
Eng to keep up the deception. Let's be-
gin right"
She was listening; she was no longer
longing to fly from the room; she was
curious. I knew / had scored.
In any eyent,''sI continued you
would have married for You've
brought up to it, like all these
girls of Your set. You'd be miserable
without luxury. II Q had your
between love without luxury and
without love. it'd be as easy to
how q starving poet would choose be-
tween a loaf cf bread and a volume of
poems. You may love love: but you
Love life--your kind OF Iife-better!n
b lowered her head. ut is true
she said. ut is low ana vile. but it is
true
YOU parents need money / be-
She stopped me with a gesture
blame them" she pleaded. .I
stss more guilty thar they.
4 w proud of her as she made that
areai woman ~ 8 safd j. sI should
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Sadsssss 4 :msey $500 !,