The Mena weekly star., 1909-08-05
BARRING THE GATES
tcontInued from last lssue)
K RILEY DENT.

Tho crisis came Eipa was ae ro- ..,&ion at one of the ultra fashlonables. ese Was radantiy beautiful in point lace .nd diamonds The crush was terrible. .fhs alare of the lights, the crash of the .rns;e and scent of the flowers, mads ,ae unhappy woman faint and sick. Hes tero2les were throbbing, her eyes burn ,ar She sought an opportunity to slip .xsx from the crowd and rest moment A quiet corner where tho lights were more subdued- A dashing young fel iou. a darling of the gods, pet of <he four hundred, who had always pro <essed the greatest admiration for Elba foIIoNed her to the retreat His admir- at;on had always been open, but Elba ksd repulsed every attempt at expression, n words, with naughty scorn, checking .xerv look or movement Had be not hesn under the influence of wine he ~ou1d never have braved her anger and Htruded upon her solitude Flushed with 5Fi66 in the glamour of her presence, away <f6u others, the dreamy waltz music, 1ofsened by distance, pulsing in his brain, u;neling with the fumes of the wine, tr6dence vas ignore'. passion leaped sll 61rriers Laying his hand on her bare xhite shoulder he poured forth a tor r<n< of sent inent that frightened the Nsfsner into silence. She gazed at him I1 horror, not even resenting his touch s1 her bare flesh. The horror of it all paralyzed her speech
 He told her how long and bopelossay k1 had loved her. How her cold indiffer. 1aee tortured him. How 1t maddened fin to see the sacrifice she had made. Hxr youth and beauty were intended for something better. He begged her to 20 6ether they would be happy
 Far away and indistfnct hfs worcl oounded to the woman All the blood m h6r body seemed to have rushed to hsr iEad, and was pounding against thu 1fums of her ears. But reaction tooh r|ace. Gradually she came out of the 1|0por, speech returned, and she was G6ie to reply. That reply sobered the of. Under. Humilated as he had never been 1efore, he retired from her presence And dAef With eyes opened to things as they t9peared to others, she despised herself. G<oseling in the dust of humiliation and 64If-condemnation, she shrank from pub t gaze. Seeking her hostess, she made 1sr adieus, and left. The haunts with Hhich she was familiar knew her nc 6Iore. Like the Arabs she folded hes <nts, and quietly slipped away. Drop ed completely out of the old life Of purse there were regrets among h1 Blends, for many truly loved the beau lful woman, but in the mad rush fos leasure and gain, few had time to aste on any one, or any thing, savs (teir own. "And the world moved on just the same'
 I thought perhaps you needed me. and knew that I needed you, {" she said I Imply, when she stood in the presence
 her husband, in his far away homo
 the rough mining district and saw n glad surprise
 The husband 6 heart leaped to the Fought, that she had learned to care for
 n, and longed for his society. For brief me he was happy in the thought, but
 learned his mistake The same frozen Eplf yawned between them. The knowl <dge made no difference in his treat nent of the woman, 80 dear to him He Nas tho s~-ee laF.sg hns.. d. HeTcr, hy nad bon 1ono him. Hor col, he give sxT sssion to thought Eat had never 1ad birtl n s mindl Had she not onored him greatly by marrying him, nen how could he repay her save by Myishing upon her his love and his noneyf He was never so happy as when aae expressed a wish calling for large ums. He often anticipated her wishee-- VI thought he did--thc result waa Elbs = =sis surfeited with valuable things that fave her no pleasure. At first he had Exempted to express his affection tn
 resses, repeated fepulses taught him hat they were distasteful, and he do sted. He worshiped at distance and
 silence.
 Rough and uncultured though he was, s was not selfish love He knew noth- IS of affinity or destinies. He never publed his brain about metaphysics. He nly knew that this woman whom he had nrried, was dearer than life, and his ne aim was to make her happy. As the
 Nnths went by he saw plainly this he ould never be able to do. She longed
 eongenial companions. Then he urged
 to go back East and make her home.
 You can have one as fine as any Of
 'n, he told her, and then added piti- 11lly. When I can't do without seeing oa no longer, 1 II run over and peep at ou without your fine friends seeing me.
 Her reply was determined shake of er head.
 married you for better or for orse My place is by your side. Your