Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-07-08


as she passed the breath of rare per.
fume she affected fioated to his nos.
trils. He did not watch her. as had
been his custom, but looked steadily
In the blue light Of the fire. Once
before he had passed through similar
experience. At least. he had found
himself in an unpleasant position. The
girl was desperately in love. declaring
he had encouraged her, while he had
never given her anything but frank
comradeship. He remembered dis
tinctly II had not affected him in the
slightest. Now 1t was different, and
why? Involuntarily, he sighed. The
woman heard 1t and instantly arose.
He was not aware that she had An.
ished until he felt her hand, caressing
In its tenderness, on his shoulder, and
her warm lips against his forehead.
Tell me- she pleaded piteorsly:
tell me what is wrong
He almost shook her away Her
beauty, the perfume of lilies, the whole
truth OF her love vitality plain, angered
him more at each moment.
Wait" he cried sharply. I'VE have
made a horrible mistake. Perhaps /
am more to blame, but | never
dreamed you thought of me in such
light. ! do not love you" He was
fully aware that his tone and attitude
were brutal, but he knew he must
finish II did not intend it. | craved
your friendship SO that | was utterly
blind to consequences. Forgive me,
and II ] go with your forgiveness,
won't feel the coward that am"
The woman was leaning YEARLY
against the chair She looked every
year of her true age, but there was a
pitiful sadness about her mouth and in
her wide. startled eyes.
1T was a mistake, she said calmly,
yet her breath came fast and hard,
and. as though to master herself, she
placed her frail hand to her breast. |
did not intend to let it go on, but
could not prevent it. ! love you,' she
raised burning, hungering eyes.
He buried his face in his hands ana
stammered some inarticulate words,
which were drowned in his throat
''Ah. but listen, dear one" she bent
forward, a wild ring in her voice. Il
love you as a mother loves child. for
you are my child"
He sprang to his feet, his face white
and drawn, the Precipitation standing
out boldly on his forehead.
1T is not worth while TO go over the
mi CT Ia fn11 u-h
you were old enough to ask for me
that he divorced me because he
thought me an unworthy wife and
mother, and he compelled me to re.
linquish all rights to you, my own
boy. He poisoned your mind against
me until you finally forgot in some
part of the world ! eXisted-that is the
word; life isn't much when all the
sweetness is taken away. | waited all
these years until heard of his mar.
riage and residence abroad, then
came. for my poor heart was hungry
starving for a sight of you. So
slipped quietly into your life to learn
the nature of your feelings towards a
mother you had never known. You
could not help believing what you 6Id
can forgive you, dear, all that, add
go away with the sweet satisfaction Of
having experienced the only breath OF
happiness I've known since gave you
birth"
For the brevity of a second weird
sensation of creepiness stole through
him. Then he looked at her standing
before him, wondrously lovely with a
moistness in her gray eyes and an in
jured sadness quivering at her mouth
Mother" he said, with a great
hungering JOY, and he clasped hei to
his heart and kissed her trembling
lips.