The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-05-07
Aa

asperating breach OF faith on the plea
that 1t was due to another high falut-
in notion Bess had taken-and nov
this was the woman! Plainly there
was something wrong somewhere
At first conversation Jagged sadly,
but finally Belle Stilton. our school
ma'am. resumed her breakfast table
discussion with Mark Dinsmore as to
the existence Of a future estate.
And do you mean to claim. Mark
Dinsmore." she said slowly, that with
out the hope of some future life which
offers all this life d~enies-love and
peace and the fulfllment OF those dear
heart desires we put away from us al
most daily-without the hope of some
thing better beyond, ninc-tenths Of hui
mainly would be content to resign
themselves to the dreary dig and grind
OF each days toll? Why, there you
"Oh. hardly as bad as that!' re-
piled Dinsmore, calmly. But what |
do claim, now and always. is that un
less the remuneration of those same de-
sires gave us greater pleasure than the
taking OF them. to a man we would
reach out and grasp them at whatever
cost
Stuff and nonsense :" broke in Miss
Stilton, energetically. "Then what OF
the millions who have suffered ever
martyrdom for conscience sake? Was
their only aim to gain the greatest
pleasure for the present moment? Take
the hundreds of weak. loving women
| who are daily and hourly sacrificing
themselves on the affairs of duty and
devotion to some worthless husband
or profigate child-are they actuated
only by the pleasure such self-cruci-
fxion insures them:'
"Enconsclously so-yes." was the an
swer. Il firmly believe that nothing
whatsoever affects the n t.nn OF man
woman or child but his own innate.
perhaps unconscious. conception of
what constitutes the truest pleasure.
ture, has nothing whatever to do with
1t. Omar says it all in:
20 threats Of He'll and hopes of Para
disc.
One thing at least Is certain-this Life
dies:
One thing II certain and the rest Is
Lies;
The Flower that once has blown for
ever dies.
Evidently bitter war was imminent
when BERTHE manfully stepped into the
breach by remarking amiably:
well, my belief as to the present,
anyhow, Is that we all seem to be for
getting this is our last chance this sea
son TO enjoy all that with a compre-
hensive wave of his hand toward the
magnificent sweep Of waters at the has Sc
OF the elf along which we were driv-
ing. And truly, before the calm lowell
ness OF that never to-be-forgotten
stretch Of shimmering sea and sky, all
petty human q~uestionings shrank into
insigniicance, and we resigned our
selves solely TO the enjoyment OF the
beauty of the scene.
As n general thing "the crowd at the
Turner place went to roost with the
chickens: but this was our last night.
and 50, when at about half-past nine
there was a low rap at the door. we
were n and all on the aui vive to re-
ceive our late visitor. To our surprise
we heard the voice OF our DIANA.
Asa's wife, asking 10 see the tall, dark
young nan who wore glasses; :" so the
rest Of us OF course withdrew to the We
randa, BERTHE bewailIng audibly "some
peoples luck"
The girl evidently felt the strange
ness OF her position, but Dinsmore's
well-bred suppression OF any surprise
treasured her somewhat, and she
plunged at once into her errand.
Il couldn't help hearing what you
said this morning. she began In a
voice low and clear. though slightly
tremulous. about what makes people
live rs they do. I mean. and | was
hoping you'd say more: but you didn't,
and somehow l felt as II l just had to
come tonight and ask you to --"
She stopped In evident expectation OF
some reply. but when her mystiied list
ener only answered by asking. Toto
WHAT with a little frown she went
/ on.
TO tell me il you really meant we
were tolls Toto give up anything un-
less we wanted tc: And that only
the present mattered." leaning forward
In her earnestnesA
"Why-er-yes. that In -" began
Dinsmore, slowly: but the girl Inter
rupted him ~joyously:
! 1T u true then !" she cried. "Now