Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1913-04-04

fered on this trip when I ten you ia
never been outside OF Deadwood since
I was a child. The noise and the strange
people on the way nearly drove me
crazy. But he wanted / should come
and tell you. I don't believe he'd have
asked Il OF mo II he'd been real clear.
He always took thought for me and
tried to make It as easy for me to bear
os possible, but when Il come TO dying
I reckon everything else seemed little
alongside Of letting you know, 90 he
asked me. and I've come. I'd have
come sooner, but l cOuldn't-I Just
couldn't But along about a month
ago I see a piece in a paper about you.
II said you hadn't wrote any since your
husband died. Everybody was pushing
you for stories and poems, but you just
couldn't get started to work again.
There was a picture Of you too. You
looked kind OF sad and sweet "A II
you didn't see much In life, and all at
once my heart softened TO yOu-all at
oncei I fell down on my knees along
side the little girls crib, and l cried
oh, my God. how 1 criedI And I prayed
too. And somehow Il got easy for me
to start So I'm here"
Mira Grandon was pale and trembling
with emotion. Il am distressed at your
pain. I cannot imagine what you have
to tell ne. but II he wished It 30
much
Eyes, he wished IT, / didn't think
you'd know OF that you ever cared for
him, but he-he Just woFshiped you
Hike he did the little girl"
But that was a great many years
ago. r.
1T lnsted as long as there was life In
him. That WINS what he wanted I
should tell you. He said he couldn't
lie In his grave without your knowing
It. He-right at the last-he asked me
10 swear I'd tell ~you-tell you that
there hadn't been a day in fifteen years
that ne hadn't thought Of you and seen
you Just as plain-just as you used to
look and dress. BE spoke particular
about a white hat you used to wear. II
had a wide brim, rolled back and faced
with white silk. There was a wreath
Of green holly leaves and red berries
around the crown"
"oh, this is terrlbieI 1 pray you say
no more"
I've come all the way from Dead
wood to say more. At frst, Of course,
I hated you awful. l could have put
my hands around your pretty slim neck
and crushed the life out Of you. 1
didn't and 1t out till after the little girl
was born. He Just would name her
Carella. II was such a queer name /
wanted to know where he got It, but
he wouldn't tell. Well, one day m old
friend Of his family come to see the
baby when she was six months old.
She was looking over the album when
she come to your picture with your
hair down in one braid and your face
all dimples and mischief, and she cries
out: Why, good land, here's Carellal
Do you let Valentine keep her picture
nowf That's the way. She couldn't
make bread, and yet every young man
In town would have give all his eyes
for her. l never see her beat She
could have married all OF 'em at once.
She couldn't make bread. Her names
Grandon now, and they do say she's
handy with her pen-writes pieces for
the magazines. That's the way. A
womRn can be a good housekeeper and
wife and mother and work like a slave
ADDING her duty. and along comes an
empty fool head OF a woman and gets
all the men. Carella, abe couldn't
make breadg
"Well my heart just opened and
shut. l saw everything then. When
she was gone I went at Valentine like
a wild panther, I guess. he didn't
deny a thing. He said he'd as SCOT
deny Christ as to deny he loved you.
He said he always had loved you and
be always would love you. but that
you didn't care for him, 30 he didn't
think It was wrong TO marry a woman
he liked and be q good and faithful
and a~fectionate husband to her. l
s~uppose"-she laughed drearily-'there
Is a difference between love and affec-
toni"
Mrs. Grandon said gently: II think
there Is. But I lmplOre you. tell me
no more"
"There amt much more to tell.
1Ouu Boo more IN IL maybe, aIVer I'm
gone and you set down alone aud
think It over. Get II clear that I wor-
shipped Valentine from the minute l
nrst saw him and never had q thought
OF any other man. Well, Il nearly
killed me. / used TO set and look ct
your picture till my eyes would al
most Jump out Of my head-and hated
your She arose and walked up and
down the room. "But after a year or
two I conquered Il he was 30 good
and gentle TO mel 1 reasoned II out
that love Isn't love unless it's willing
to go along without 0ternally thinking
Of itself. / made up my mind to go
on allowing Valentine Just a. unsslhsh
and silent al he'd been loving you
and l did. After the little girl died
he seemed 10 get closer 10 me and
tonder Of me. He couldn't bear me
out OF his sight, and I used to lay
awake nights and listen to him shak-
ing the crib and saying. There, there,
little GIRL and / got the notion that