Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-20
"" said Jonas Kent ;s'it II you who

ly," said Jonas Kent ;s.it rs you who
are fooh"
They stared at, him In amazement.
Never before had they seen the 70.
cluse OF the rose garden. People had
talked to them OF him. OF his almost
forgotten love affair which had made
him withdraw from the world. and hve
alone with his books. He stood before
them now shaking old figure In
shabby suit, but there was about him q
dignity which made ridicule impos-
sible.
He beckoned to them with his long
fore.flnger. "Come over here and let
me talk to you," he said.
In spite of themselves they obeyed.
He had the air of one who had always
commanded. IN
But when they sat on the stone
bench beside the fountain Bruce said,
You called mo fool, sir, will you ex-
plain why?"
The old man looked, at him thought
fully. II called you q fool because !
was one. In my young days | tested
woman's love as you are testing this
girls, and one day she rebelled, and
let her go, and since then there has
been for me-nothing:" His old voice
quavered. Il could never forget
Then in the rose garden he told his
little story to the lovers.
"She was such pretty little thing"
he said. In those days women were
praised for their gentleness and their
meekness, and I loved her because she
was different. She was q beauty, too,
and wore her hair in curls that fell
about her white neck and made q
frame for her fair. face. Pink was her
favorite color, and she used to look
like rose when she came to meet
me3here In this old garden. loved
heE and at last won her. We We're
to be married In the fall. Then one
June day there came a visitor from
the city. She was dark beauty as
imperious as my own little lady. From
the first moment they we're friends.
think l was bit Jealous of their
liking for each other, for would have
my sweetheart think of no one but
myself. I think, too. that I wanted
to test her, to have the thrill of seeing
her Jealous. You know what
mean . he asked Bruce sharply.
The young man blushed, ~ was not
conscious, SIR he said, "of any such
motive"
."Ah, but 1t was there" said the old
man. "You wanted to see her flame
and fare. You made her miserable
that you might prove yourself her.
MASTER
with this, spirit upon me-" he went
on, II asked her friend one afternoon
80 Ill ~ vry{kh ~ c$o lot M
came back. by moonlight. My little
lady was waiting for us. She was
very grave but very sweet. She
would not distrust me. Had she
grown indignant, and accused me all
would have been well, TOR would have
appeased her. But her dignified re-
serve simply urged me on to see If
could rouse the spirit in her. So day
after day l paid attention to her
friend, her false friend as it proved,
for the girl from town was very will
ing to take me from the woman l was
to marry.
Sat last q day came when we had it
out. My little lady said she would
stand for 1t no longer. that did not
love her.. and IL treated her as you
today have treated this child He
put his hand on .Marjorie's shoulder.
IT said she was silly, foolish, chat she
was unfair to distrust me. i wanted
to see her eyes flash, and then to WOO
her back to believe in me. But I
could not-and that night she went
away for long VISIT in distant town.
She wrote that she must think things
over and the next news was her mar
riage to another man. He broke her
heart as knew he would: They lived
near me and had to see her nnhap-
piness. She was faithful wife and
she never complained, but the burden
OF her misery and mine was always
upon me-"
He drew long shuddering sigh.
"She Is dead now, poor soul. and I
live here alone, and all because in my
pride of manhood wanted to, see a
woman yield her will to NINE
"And that is what you have wanted
to do today" He turned to Bruce.
"And that is why, have told you my
story that you might take warning and
save yourself from a silimar fate
But Marjorie never would" was the
young mans assertion, would you
dear heart"
"Oh. l am not sure" her voice was
tremulous. mo woman knows her.
self. 1t is better net to rouse in her "a
spirit of opposition. Love is too won
derful for that"
He came over and took her hands in
his. Yes" he said 'grayely, love is
too wonderful for that Will you for
give me, Marjorie?''