Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-08-04


the wisest recall of q mother-and
that she had taught him and made him
say always that prayer whose Co
herency and meaning to her intense
surprise she found herself imparting
to him. And she could not make up
her mind to take from him the reality
Of the only recollection that remained
to him.
Her new belief, as has been said,
was both Joy and sorrow to her. Save
for her experience in the ship she had
been happier in her philosophy. She
had suffered grievously through her
trust in It and in man, but her con-
seriousness that she was fundamentally
right in her beliefs had consoled her.
Now to feel that she had been wrong;
that she had thrown away under the
leading of false light what she could
never again-Ah, no Magdalene ever
wept bitterer tears at the feet Of
Jesus than this woman in her hours
of solitude over her mistaken past,
her loss and shame.
She had hours of solitude, too. Early
in the life they lived, she had laid
down certain regulations. He was in
the formative period then and had
unhesitatingly acquiesced in them. So
far those regulations had neither been
abrogated by her nor broken by him.
A cave upon the farther side of the
island had been found and that was
his home. They breakfasted together
at a certain hour, which be told by
means Of the sun and she by her
faithful watch. The morning was spent
in study. In the afternoon they sep
arated, each passing it in accordance
with individual preference, but he
vigorously kept to his side and she ito
her side of the island during the
period. Certain dividing lines clearly
established and understood marked
which was his and which was hers.
At supper time they met again and
passed the time together in converse
ton until the rest period arrived.
Things had to be this way else life
would have been uncomfortable. They
lived on the natural products of the
island which were varied and suff1-
GENTLY abundant to fulfill all dietetic
requirements.
She had also taught him things not
learned from books. Among them,
truth, honor, duty and dignity-all the
virtues. Her instruction had been
first, that which was natural-ethical
merely, but afterward it had grown
spiritual. Unspotted from the world
he, and she washed white she hoped
and prayed in spite Of spots, they lived
a life of idyllic innocence. Yet be-
cause he was a man and she was a
woman, strange fires glowed beneath
the outward calm, strange ideas and
desires and thoughts rose from both
hearts. This was inevitable. Her
original relation to the man had been
one of so great superiority as to be
fatal to the early development Of any
feeling but the maternal. Even now
she possessed the superiority which
association with her kind, her longer
training and her greater opportunities
had given her. And yet she could only
recognize that to the impartial view
tunities he stood quite on level with
her. Perhaps had he enjoyed her
chances he might have stood higher.
She began to idealize him, to dream
about him, to wonder. She trembled
on the verge of passion. She knew his
to be brilliant mind. She OWNED
his to be knightly soul. Physically,
in face and figure, no more splendid
man, untrammeled by base convention,
ever stood upon the earth's surface.
Grace and strength mingled In har-
mony that was as striking as 1t was
full of charm. She had no opportuni-
ty to test his courage, for no physical
danger ever menaced them. But she
believed in his manhood thoroughly.
The woman had had bitter expert
ence with love. Following what she
believed to be the highest inspiration
she had wrecked her life and brought
herself to this pass. The revolt in
her soul at the thought Of the man
who had so degraded her, or who had
so taken advantage Of her ignorance
and innocence-the more complete
since they were covered by a conf
dence Of knowledge and sophistication
-as to allow her to degrade herself,
convinced her that what she had mis-
taken for divine light was only false
fire, an ignis fatuus which had led her
into the marsh and slough of slime
and shame. She loathed the thought
of that man. She had loathed, when
she had been thrown upon that island
the thought OF all men, This one
had given back her confidence in her
kind. Yet sometimes she wondered
whether that confidence were war
ranted or not because of him. Sup
pose he should come in touch with
the world, what would happen2 Was
he, too, capable of breaking a wo'
mans heart? Would he do it2 Was
hers the heart? What would the soil
ing touch of the sordid conditions un'
der which life was lived, as she had
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