The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1908-04-17
O)OOOOJOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
THE HUNGER
OF THE SOUL
By NJ. F. SAhiMONS
5OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

anu a lAl -t manuscript III MS INihtt
when he landed in Brownsville TO lee
ture for the village library. Dakin
was a cynic. q bachelor. a scientist
and an IL. ID. He was a cynic because
De had eaten many meals in country
hotels. a bachelor because he had met
many formal women, a scientist and
an IL. ID. because he found IL con-
yenient and profitable
A delegation from Brownsvilies
Shakespearean society met him az
the depot with starched bOnnets. prlm
countenances and literary quotations
There's a case Of smallpox I'm the
only hotel IN the village" said the
president OF the society. bowing like
an acolyte asking for blessing
You'll have TO 20 TO Mother Clark's.
Mr Dakin."
The announcement CALLED Dakin's
IL. d. and aggravated the chill IN his
spine
Really. ladies'" said he, Il am
overwhelmed at this cheerful greeting.
but / merely stopped of to make the
announcement that cannot lecture
tonight feel IN. unable 10 speak
nervous and respondent Otherwise J
am all right, only l have a desperate
cold. ! must return to my home on
the next train"
There isn't any next train" said
the delegation with a chorus effect
that escaped Dakin's appreciation
You'll have to daily til morning"
With sweeping bow. illuminativc
Of sarcasm rather than Of chivalry.
Dakin dallied. The delegation led
him to the domicile of Mother Clark
and turned him over to a rosy-cheek
ed bright-eyed little woman. who
seemed TO know more about tea than
Tacitus. about soup than Shake
speare
BE thou familiar but by no means
vulgar" warned the president Of the
society 10 Mother Clark in a whisper
so dominant that Dakin could not es
cape it,
She amt initiated with us" a sis
ter Of the society explained. dropping
her voice towards Dakin and inclinine
her head towards Mother Clark. $50
ion't mind her II she doesn't use
aphorisms"
Il shall try to endure their absence
until you good people return - escort
me TO the lecture hail." said Dakin:
for the very air OF the place has in
spired me to do my utmost not to dis
appoint the good people Of this vii
lage tonight"
"Oh. we amt a-going to leave you in
no rude hands. said the sister, cheer
fully. Were agoln' to have supper
with You"
Dakin went 20 his room with his
manuscript. his chilly spine and a
faint feeling around his heart. Moth
or Clark has a countenance worthy Of
the title she bears" he mused as he
set his back against the warm stove
pipe that ran through the room. "a
kind face" he mused. gazing absently
into the cold atmosphere that had set
tied upon Brownsville like death upon
a lost lamb. For a long time he gazed
at the bleak hills. at the gray skies. al
the dreary horizon reaching from
earth TO heaven like a symbol OF
mourning for lost loves. absent hopes
and dead joys.
This IS a devil OF a life," he said.
finally, reaching one hand for where
a pain caught him like a knife thrust
in his back. q guess I've got her
he concluded. "The grips the grip.
no matter where It grips US"
Half an hour later Mother Clark,
rspping on Dakin's door to tell him
supper awaited his coming. heard
groans that made her blood run cold.
Il hope It isn't his lecture" she muir
INJURED. timidly. IT'S more Ike his
liver" she reflected as she listened
anew. Not receiving an answer, she
made bold to open the door and enter
the room.
I've got her." Dakin cried, glaring
wildly into her eyes. "The grips the
grip. no matter where she grips you.
Mother Clark fed for assistance 10
the delegation gathered below, and in
a brief space Dakin was surrounded
I by starched bOnnets, Shakespearean
quotations, medicine bottles and moth
erly advice. Only Mother Clark knew
enough to run for DR.. Griggs, half
mile away.
The grips the grip no matter
where she grips you" yelled Dakin
when he saw the doctor. Eve got
her" he continued. catching the pres
ident OF the Ladies' Shakespearean so
ciety by the nearest arm and emitting
a veritable warwhoop as a signal of
victory.
The delegation fed in alright
aThere1l be no lecture tonight" DR..
Griggs called after the indignant
ladies' as they went below, quoting
Shakespeare, Scripture and symptoms
OF insanity as set forth in the family
almanacs used in the town.
For seven days and nights Dakin
fought the delirium that fastened upon
him. He struggled with all the shapes
of his shattered past. wrestled with
his lost loves, clutched at his vanished
youth. prayed and shrieked for the
happiness that ever and ever had
eluded him in his wanderings around
the world. Then, white and wan, he
looked up into Mother Clark's sweet
face and saw in her sympathetic eyes
heaven he had sought for years.
shes gone" he said, drearily.
Then he closed his eyes for a time.
opened them and asked: where's
your husband
Mother Clarks rosy color deepened.
I never had any" she said. with a
touch Of sadness that went straight 10