The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-08-31
ALL A MISTAKE,
BY Frank A. Myers.


some. The laundering wheels sounded
like the discordant music of sheol.
What was the matter with him? Life
was unreal. dead!
In a few days he wrote her a note.
asking whether they should be friends
or enemies, and she answered that 1t
should be as he wished. He respond
ed that they would then be friends as
OF old, for of all things he hated to
have enemies.
Meanwhile lady friend from
abroad called on her. She was a rel
alive of Mel's. and not knowing the
state Of affairs between them re-
quested Floss to go with her in a min
ute call upon Mel. Wishing to keep
her awful secret, she could not refuse.
So they called. There, as they con-
versed with him, she saw many re-
m1nders of the past.
Now, In answer to Meps last brief
note she wrote under, the impetus Of
real hate:
can't be even that now. You planned
to get me to your den with your rel
at1ve and taunt me with old memo
ries, but your plan failed, for it made
me mad to see my picture on the wall
and note all your comforts. I wanted
to tear the picture down and burn 1t
In the crate before your eyes. Your
relative saved it. You planned to get
me there to spite me. You are not a
man, for doing such a thing. You
need not give yourself any uneastness
because I am woman, for I am a
woman and have some independence
and can take care of myself. / ab-
solve you from all pledges that you
not be friends even, for / hate you
with bitterness that cannot be
| named. Here the whole matter must
| drop and forever"
That was cool and deliberate and 1t
smote hard. 1t was bitter as worm
wood and was the hardest blow ever
dealt him. Her independence was a
! mortgage on his love, and she had
| foreclosed 1t demanding a usurer's in
| terest. 1t was hard but there was no
alternative. He bowed his head in
| pain but not in shame. She knew not
| how hard she had wounded this su-
| perlatively sensitive young lover. She
| wanted to crush him. She had the
| elements in her nature to do 1t, and
she had no scruples about doing it..
The injustice Of the accusation that
! he had "planned" to draw her into
his quarters for the purpose Of taunt-
| ing her made Mel indignant. She had
unreasonably misconstrued his mo-
| tives, and abused his good intentions
| by charging that he did 1t for spite
| work. None Of this was true. He
did not know she had been invited
/ Next, the wind waited to his ears
the story that Floss had said he twas
not a man." and that he had no honor
or character. This touched him
| where he lived'i and he was outraged
| beyond measure. s~On the spur OF the
moment he wrote her to tho effect
that he was a man, that his character
| was all he had and all that was worth
! maintaining and he would defend 1t
against all the world. If she had any
specific charges to- bring against him
he wanted her ITO trot them out" and
he would prove every one OF them
false-if not TO her satisfaction
(Which was doubtful thing In his
mind now at least to the satisfaction
Of impartial judges.
The heartburnings and bitterness OF
their lovers quarrel can not be meas
ured in cold words. The heart Is an
unknown quantity to. even the posses
sor of such a lump Of flesh, especially
| lovers hearts. It is not what the
owner of such a piece Of inconveni-
ence cracks 1t up to be. It e said, we
know not how truthfully, that the mo-
ment the coffeepot comes into the
house love fees in dismay It GER
tafnly is a fact that life is practical
and love is>largely theoretica]-a thing
of a heated Imagination. Now. KIND
reader, don't deny this too vehement.
ly. Pause and think little first.
The only answer Floss deigned t
give to his defense of his honor anc
manhood was stilted request, in sc
many words, to return all her letters
and all her little gifts to him. Wher
she received the small packet she sal
down and wept. Her independence
had expended itself.