The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-11-29

as fans TO the lot VI rev OF the cnii-
dren of sorrow. Perhaps that was
all that she was destined to look back
upon of joy. Perhaps the future held
for her only expiation. Perhaps she
ought not to rebel against that posi-.
bility. She ought to be glad of such
an opportunity, indeed. But she was
a woman, and by and by she hid her
face in her hands and wept.
In all their intercourse he had never
seen her weep. Tears were entirely
foreign to his experience He knew
what sorrow was, what sadness was.
what sympathy was, for his heart had
been torn when she had read to him
the story of the Man of Sorrows and
his sufferings. A child of nature, the
pathetic in the Old Covenant and the
New had appealed to him profoundly,
but his were not easy tears. He had
never shed any. He had never seen
any. He was appalled,, therefore.
when approaching noiselessly he laid
his hand upon her shoulder and saw
and heard the evidence of her grief.
He dropped the box to the sod and
knelt beside her
HAS the sight of the ship made you
weep?" he said, softly. 81 wish thar
had never come to tell you 1t was
there!"
we have been so happy together,
you and l." said the woman. This
Island has been my world, my haven,
my heaven, rather, and you have been
humanity to me, but now the earth
opeps before you. You will have 9TH
or hopes, other ambitions, perhaps"
Don't say it." protested the man,
vehemently. Il shall have nothing,
nothing but you anywhere, every
where, and, besides, nothing is
changed. See, the smoke grows faint
er; the ship more dim. She passes
beyond. Things shall be as they
were! We shall live on, and love
| ont"
Her desolation, her sorrow appealed
to him profoundly. He took her in
his arms. He laid her head gently
| upon his shoulder. There was protec-
ton and tenderness az we'll as pas
sion in his touch.
Together" he whispered, patting
ner hair softly. alone, you and II"
For one delicious moment with
closed eyes she let herself be SO
soothed and comforted. But her bet
ter nature woke on the instant, as it
were.
NO." she said, drawing away from
MIN gently, 1T would not be right
we belong In the world of men, Men
, and women are not men and women
until they have lived among their fel-
lows, until they have fought down the
temptations of which we know moth
ing here, and have conquered them
out there. Give me the flint and steel
l must call back the ship!"
He stopped as she spoke and picked
up the little silver box. He extended
his hand toward her, and then sud
denly drew it back.
You cannot light the beacon" he
said.
Cannot" she cried.
mo, for l will not give you the flint
and steel"
You must give it to me-"
Il will not / am the stronger, and
you cannot take it from me-" he re-
turned, with growing firmness.
1t was the first time in all their in
tercourse that he had disobeyed a
command. She looked at him amazed,
her heart, nevertheless throbbing at
the mastery in his tone, at the thought
that he was willing to throw away the
world for her. 1t is true he had had
no experience of that he was giving
up, but he was not entirely ignorant of
what lay beyond the horizon, and
she had presented it in such a
way that 1t glowed with color and life
and charm. The evil, the sordid and
the wretehed had been lightly al
luded to, just definitely enough to
shade the picture and bring out the
higher lights Of civilization. His was
not the decision, therefore, of an un-
tutored, inexperienced savage, not the
abandonment Of toy by child;
there was some reality in 1t and the
reality measured his affection. Her
heart leaped in her breast at that
thought. For one fieeting moment she
acquiesced. Things would go on in
the old way. But things could not go
on in the old way. For a day and
night. in spite Of the great change
that had come to their feelings, life
had flowed on as usual, but there was
a limit to human power. 1t was bet
ter, whatever betide, that they should
go back to civilization. The woman
stared at him long and earnestly, her
lip trembling her face pale, her eyes
shining. They stood speeches. at
gaze for moment, and then she
spoke.
You are right" she said, my pow
er over you has gone. l can no longer
command. Mine has ceased to be the
supreme will, but beg you, l entrat
you, pray you, give me the flint and
steel. See, on my knees l ask you'll"
She sank down before him in an at
titude which he knew to be that of
prayer. They had often read the
sacred Scriptures and had said their
prayers together on the sand or be-