The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-01-24
VDG copyright by BObbs Merrill Coz III
N ODE Deluge
BY DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS *
tt
BY DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS

EilcrSly harshly. panic under the CON-
felt rather than saw my advantage
and pressed H.
You SEQ what they are doing, Miss
Ellersiy." said L.
She passed her hands over her eyes. let
her face appear again, In II there was an
energy OF rcpulslon that ought 20 hav.
seemed exaggerated TO me then. knowing
really nothing OF the true situation. Il
understand now" said she. "oh-it Is
IoathEome!" And her eyes bla2ed upon
her mother
''Loathsomc." echoed. dashinE at my
opportunity. III you arc not merely n
chattel and a dccoy. II there II any woman
hood. any Self-respoct In you. you VII
keep faith with me-"
Anita cried Mrs. Ellersly. 60 to
your room"
I mad, once or twice before. heard n tone
as TcpuIslyc-a female dive-kecper hector
ing her wretched white slaves. j looked
at Anita. I expected tn see her erect. de-
liant. Instead, she was again wearing
that Cowcd look.
Don't judge me too harshly." she said
pieadiuKly to ms. II know what IL right
and decent God planted that too deep In
mo for them To be able TO uproot IL. But
broken my will. They have made me
coward. a thing And she hid her face
IN her hands aud sobbed.
Mrs. Ellcrsly was about to speak.
could not offer better proof OF my own
strength OF will than the fact that I. with
IA look and gesture. put her down. Then
I said to the girl:
You must choose now. Woman or
thing-which shah Il he? II II II woman.
then YOU have me behind you and In front
Of you and around you. II u IL thing-God
have mercy on you! Your self-rcspect,
your prid. are gone--for ever You will be
like tho carpet under HIS feet to the man
whose crcatur. you become"
She came and stood by me. with her
back TO them.
IL you will take me with you now"
she said. IL will go. II I delay. l am lost.
I shall rot have tho courage. And | am
sick. sick To- death OF this life here or this
hideous wait for the highest bidder
Her voice gained strength and her man.
ner courage as she spoke. at the end she
was meeting her mothers gaze without
finchiug My eyes had followed hers. and
my look was taking Ia both her mother
and her father. had long since measured
them. yet could scarcely credit the con-
irmation of my Judgment. Had life been
smooth and comfortable for that old cou-
pic as II WAS for most OF their acquaint-
ances and friends. they would have lived
and died regarding themselves, and re-
gArded as well bred. kindly people. OF the
finest instincts and tastes Hut calamity
WAS putting to tho test the system on
which they had nodded their apparently
elegant graceful lives The storm had
ripped OF the attractive covering: tho
framework. the reality OF that system, was
revealed, naked and frightfuL
Anita 10 NOuF TO0nff aimONt
screamed the old woman. her fury tearing
away the last shreds or her cloak of man
nerp.
Your daughter L. OF age, madam. said I.
'Shc will 40 where she pleases And warn
you that you arc deceived by the Lang
dons. / am not powericss. Rnd"-hsre let
her have full look into my rcd-hot furn-
aces % WRATH stop AT nothing In pur-
suing those who oppose meat nothing"
Anita, staring at her mothers awful
face, was shrinking and trembling ~ II
before the wicked. palc-ycllow eyes and
quiYer.Ug, outstrctchcd tcntaClcs OF n
devil-hsh. Clinging 10 my arm. she let
mo guido hcr 10 tho door. Her mother re-
covered speech. Anita" she cried what
arc you doing7 Are you mndT''
II think | must be out OF my mind"
said Anita. But. ~ you try to keep mo
here. I shall tell him ali-Hll."
Her voice suggested that she was shout
20 go iuto Mysteries. j gently urged her
forward. There was some sort or woman's
wrap In tho hall. put 4 round her. Be
fore sheer I-rcaiiEed 81. she was In my
waiting electric.
Up town." said TO my man
She tried TO get out.
oh. what lave I done! What am
doing!' she cried. her courage oozing away.
Let me out-pleasc!'
You are going with me-" said 7. enter
Ing and closing tho door. saw the door
OF the EllcrSly mansion opening. saw old
Ellerslcy. barcheaded and distracted
scuttllng down the steps.
Go ahcad-fasti'I called TO my man.
And the electric was rushing I'D ths
avenue. with the bell ringing for cross
ingE necessarily. She huddled away from
me into the corner OF tho seat. sobbing
hySterically. l know that TO touch her
would 10 fatal-or to speak. So waited.