Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-06-13

IuS'.
sit down here by my side" COM
manded h,r. Il must talk to you. l
will Will"
DO not. She implored. ".Ah. what
shall Do, You are not fair"
BuI | took her hands in mine. y
can endure il no longer" | said. y
will not endure it,"
She looked NJ me with her eyes wide,
looked me full in the face with such
gaze as | have never seen ON any
womau'S face.
Il love YOU" | said to her. Il have
never loved any one else. can never
love any one again but you" | say
that |, John Cowles, had ut that mo
mcnt utterly forgotten all Of life and
all OF the world except this then and
there. Il love YOU" | said over and
over again to her.
She pushed away my arm. They
are all the same" she said as though
to herself
Yes, all the same" said. There
is no man who would not love you.
here or anywhere"
TO how many have you said thatT
she asked me. frowning.
To some" | said to her honestly.
But ii was never thus"
She curlcd her lip. Scorning the
truth which she had asked now that
she had it, And if any other woman
We're here it would I've the same 1t is
because am here. because we are
alone. because | am woman-ah. that
is neither wise nor brave nor good Of
YOU"
THAT is not true Were it any 9th
err woman. yes, what you say might be
true in one way. But | love You not
because You are Il woman. 1t is be
cause YOU are Ellen. You would be
the only woman in the world. no mat
ter where we were nor how many
were about us. Though l could choose
from all the world. 1t would be the
same,
1T is the old story" she sighed.
Eyes. the old story" l said 1T is
the same story, the old one. There
are the witnesses, the hills, the sky"
lpu StcIll W INV Z lDpuShl VI SuNh
things" she said to me slowly. Il
have not thought. l have simply lived
along. enjoying life. not thinking. Do
we love because we are but creatures?
| cannot he loved sol will not be,
| will not submit that what | have
sometimes drea med shall be so narrow
as this John CowleS. woman must
be loved for herself. not for her sex,
by some one who is man. but who
is beside
ooh. have said all that, l loved
you the first time l saw you-the first
time, there ut the dance"
And forgot and cared for another
over again.
THAT other girl was YOU" once
more reiterated.
"And again you forgot me-"
"And again what made me forget
you was yourself. Each time you
were that other girl, that other wom
an. Each time | have seen you you
have been different, and each time
have loved you over again. Each day
l see you now you are different, Ell
len. and each day l love you more.
How many times shall l solve this
same problem and come to the same
answer. ! tell you the thing Is ended
and done for me-"
ut is easy to think so here, with
only the hills and skies to see and
hear"
mo; it would be the same" l said
1T Is not because OF that"
at is not because I am in your pow
err" she said. She turned and faced
me, her hands on my shoulders, look
ing me full in the eye. The act a
brave one.
Because ! am in your power, John
Cowles?' she asked. Because by ac-
cident you have learned that l am a
comely woman, as you are strong
man, normal. because l am fit to love-
not i'll to look at? Because n cruel ac
cident has put me where my name is
jeopardiZcd fOrever-in situation out
Of which / can never never come clean
again-is that why? DO you figure
that | am woman because you are Il
man? Is that why? Is it because you
know l am human and young and fit
for love? All, | know that as well as
you. But | am in your hands; am In
your power. That Is why | say, John
Cowles, that you must try to think
that you must do nothing which shall
make me hate you or make you hate
yourself"
Il thought you missed me when
was gone" J murmured family.
Il did miss you" she said. "The
world seemed ended for me. | needed
you, wanted you | turned toward
her swiftly. Wanted meg
Il was glad to see you come back
While you were gone ! thought. Yes,
you have been brave, and you have
been kind. and you have been strong
Now, | am only asking you still to be
brave and kind and strong"
But do you love me. will you love
me-cau YOU