Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-02-03

| Twice, perhaps, in the lives of most
men, when they are passing through
the awful years of adjustment to the
incomprehensible and apparently cha
otto experiences of existence
Like thunderstorm, these convul-
sions clear the atmosphere and give
relief to the strained tension of the
soul. At length, when his emotion had
spent itself In long drawn sighs, Da-
vid rose in calm and tender frame
of mind. plucked a bunch of violets
from the grave and reluctantly turned
away.
On foot, and leading his horse he
entered quiet and secluded path
which led past the rear of the farm.
He had not consciously determined
what he should do next; but his heart
impelled him irresistibly toward that
little bridge where he had encountered
Pepeeta on his return from the lum-
Der camp. 1t was at that place and
that hour, perhaps, that he had passed
through the deepest experience of his
whole life for it was there that the
full power of the beauty of the woman
in whom he had met his destiny had
for the first time he had consciously
surrendered himself to those rich emo
tions which love enkindles In the soul.
He threw the horses bride over the
limb Of a tree, leaned over the hand
rail of the bridge and looked down in
to the water. The stiffness of the
world, the slumber- song of the stream,
the haunting power Of the past super
induced mood of abstra action so COM
mon in other, happier days
Oblivious to all the objects and
events of that outside world, he stood
there dreaming of the past. While he
did so, Pepeeta, following her daily
custom, left the farm house to take
an evening walk. She also sought the
little bridge. Perhaps she was sum-
moned to this spot by some telepathio
message from her lover; perhaps 1t
was habit that impelled her, perhaps
it was some fascination in the place
itself. She moved forward with the
quiet step peculiar to natures which
are sensitive to the charm Of the great
solitudes of the world, and came noise
lessly out from the low buses behind
the lonely watcher. AS she stepped
out into the road, she caught sight OF
the solitary figure and her heart, an
ticipating her eye in its swift recogn1-
tion. throbbed so violently that she
placed her hand on her bosom as If
to still it.
David" she said, in a low whisper.
She paused to observe him for a
moment and, as he did not stir, began
to move quietly towards him as he
stood there motionless-a silhouette
against the background of the darken-
ing sky. She drew near enough to
touch him; but so profound was his
reverie that he was oblivious of her
presence. 1t could not have been long
that Pepeeta waited, although 1t seem
ed ages before he moved sighed and
breathed her name.
She touched him on the arm. He
turned, and so met her there, face to
face.
1t was an experience too deep for
language, and their emotions found ex-
preston in a single simple act They
clasped each others hands and stood
silently looking into each others eyes.
After many moments of silence David
asked: why do you not speak to me,
Pepeeta?"
my eyes have told you ALL" she
said.
"But what they say is too good to
be believed! You must confirm their
mute utterance with a living word" he
cried.
81 love you, love you. love you." she
replied.
You love mel I bless you for It.
Pepeeta, but there is something else
that must know"
What can it be? Is not everything
comprehended in that single word? 1t
is all embracing as the air! 1t enfolds
life as the sky enfolds the world"
"Ah! Pepeeta, you loved me when
we parted, but you did not forgive
mel"
She dropped her eyes.
Have you forgiven me now?"
1T is not true that 1 did not forgive
you," she replied, looking up at his
face again. There has never been in
my heart for a single moment any
sense of a wrong which I could not
pardon. 1t has been one Of the awful |
OF this experience that l |
could not feel that wrong! When I |
tried to feel It most, my heart would |
say to me- you are not sorry that he |
loved you, Pepeeta You would rather
that all this agony should have be-
fallen you than that he should not |
have loved you at all,' II is this feel |
Ing that has bewildered me, David. |
Explain It to me- Let me know how /
could have such feelings in my heart |
and yet be good. It seems as II |
ought TO hate you; but l cannot
love you, love you, love you"
But, Pepeeta. II you loved me, why
did you leave me? do not compre-
hend How could you let me stand in
the darkness under your window and
then turn away from II into the awful
Dlackness and solitude to which l
fed?"
DO not reproach me, I thought #
was my duty, David"
I do not reproach you. I only want
10 know your inmost heart"
7 do not knowl There has been all
The time something stronger than my
self impelling me. grew too weak to
/ felt that the heart had rea-
sons Of its own, too deep for the mind
10 fathom. and yielded to them. I
was only q woman after all. David