St. Tammany farmer., 1906-12-29
Darkness and Dawn
BY HARRY IRVING GREENE

Copyright, 1906. by
In the fullness of their lives there
comes to many an hour, a day or q
week when the dead weight OF black
despair crushes the last hope and the
thought of earthly existence fills them
with a weariness unutterable. Then
It is that certain natures walk to the
Brink, and half-fascinated by It's aw-
ful mystery, stand staring into the
silent depths, while the Icy sweat
gathers on their brows and their limbs
shake like wind-thrummed reeds.
So it came about that Kent stood
looking from the black doorway OF
the warehouse into the early night.
It was long time since Kent had
been happy, SO long, in fact, that he
sometimes doubted that he ever had
been. Still, his experience was but
the story Of a man-bitterer than
most mems. possibly-yet common
place enough to make the details un.
necessary telling. Suffice to say, he
had looked from sunset until dawn
into the muzzle Of his own gun, and
now was telling himself that he had
seen enough of this thing called Life,
and that he would have no more OF
1t. It was not worth Its suffering.
He turned up his collar and looked
from the doorway again. Coming
down the empty street that led to the
wharves he saw woman who leaned
far forward as she forced her slender
form against the burly strength OF
the wind
"You are going to q boat?" he in
Quired.
She looked at his face for the first
time and answered him rapidly: "Yes.
the Senator. It sails at nine and I
must hurry" She stepped to the
pavement and Kent stood watching
her fighting against the wind. A wild
impulse surged within him.
! What better way to end it all than
= plunge from the deck? A brief
struggle with the waves, dream OF
fields and music, and then the last
great unconsciousness. No one would
ever know what had become of him.
Gossiping tongues could say no more
than that he had disappeared.
IT am going to the Senator also"
he shouted, hurrying to her side.
'Take my arm and hang on hard"
She stopped short, shot him quick
upward glance and then he felt her
fingers close upon his sleeve. Flushed
and breathing heavily they crossed
the gangway and stood before the
Office OF the purser.
''Yes, the ship is going to sail to-
night" said that official in a matter
of fact toae. '"The cargo has got to
go, gale o. no gale. But all our pas
sengers have cancelled their berths
and you two will have the salon to
yourselves. OF course, you under
stand it is going to be pretty rough
outside"
She nodded and both made their
way to the salon.
From out of the great northeast
there swept that night gale that
whipped itself into a hurricane.
Huger and more huge rose the steep
hills before the laboring Senator.
black, solid, battering her front with
herculean blows, twisting her steel
frame like giant wrestler.
From the depths of his big chair In
the salon Kent watched the girl as
she sat nearly opposite him. She had
Nstlessly thrown aside her hat and
under the lights of the cabin the
dark masses of her hair shone with
the luster of polished ebony.
Then suddenly she arose and glanc-
ing neither to right Or left went with
In stateroom, while the man, sinking
lower in the chair, let his eyelids fall
Endlessly the huge rollers came
laundering over the wallowing Sen
ator, burying her beneath their
black weight, crushing her down into
the depths, but each time she arose
like some half drowned thing. and
shook herself free.
For an hour Kent's eyes swept the
length of the dim cabin listlessly-
then suddenly he leaned forward.
From her stateroom the girl came
creeping and, with one hand against
the wall to steady her, she slowly
made her way towards where he sat.
The man caught his breath and drew
further into the shadow as she passed
him In the half darkness. A moment
later her fingers closed upon the knob
Of the door leading to the deck as
she twisted and tugged at it vainly.
ooh, OH" she cried, as she turned
away and covered her face with her
hands. a sudden lurch of the ship
threw her towards him and, springing
10 his feet, Kent caught her by the
arm.
Kent knew that one motive only
could have actuated her to seek that
deck: and her motive had
been his motive of the hour before.
But for a woman like her! He grew
cold at the thought.
go back to your stateroom!" he
began sternly, then caught her sec.
ond time, for her knees had grown
limp and she was slipping to the floor.
Then as he looked about the deck rose
beneath his feet in mighty upheaval
md the dull crash OF rent wood and
ron filled his ears. Rendered awk-
ward by his burden Kent's feet