River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-10-30

"HereY
[ went.
He held me gently for a half second,
and then with a sob which felt rather
than heard, he crushed me to him and
stopped my breath with his lips on
mine l understood things then that
/ never had before, and l felt that wise
guardian man angel take his fingers
from mine and leave me safe at last.
| raised my hand and pressed it against
Johns wet lashes until he could let
me speak, and l was melted into his
very breast itself
molly" he said when enough ten
derness had come back into his arms
to let me breathe, you have almost
killed me-
Your | exclaimed, crowding still
closer, or at least trying TO. Its not
you. it's | that am killed and you did
it! | know you don't really want me.
but | can't help that. Id rather you'd
do the suffering with me than to do
it myself away from you. I'm so hun
CRY and thirsty for you that-that
can't diet any longerr l put the case
the strongest way l knew how and got
a swooning, maddening, luscious re-
suit.
want you, Molly?' he almost sob
bed, and | felt his heart pounding
hard next to my shoulder.
Yes, want mer' | answered, with
more spirit than breath left in me. Il
refuse to believe you are as stupid as
l am, and anybody with even an Ordi-
nary amount of brains must have seen
| how hard | was fighting for you.
feel sure l left nc stone unturned.
Some of them | can already think
| back and see myself tugging at and it
makes me hot, all over. I'm foolish
and always was, 50 I'm to be excused
for acting that awful way, but you
are to blame for letting me do it. I'm
going to be your punishment for life
for not having been stern and stopped
me- You had better stop me some now
anyway, for if l go on loving you as
| have been for the last few minutes
it will make you uncomfortable"
| Peaches" he said after he had hush
ed me with another broken dose of
| love as large as he thought | could
stand-I could have stood mOreL''l
am never going to tell you how long
have loved you, but that day you
came to me all in a fiutter with Al
Benefits letter in your hand it is go
ing to take you a lifetime to settle for.
You were mine-and Bits! How could
you-but women don't underestimate
l felt him shudder in my arms as |
held him close. l was repaid for all
those tiresOme exercises | had taken
by the strength to crush him against
my breast almost as hard as he crush
ed me. Our combined strength was
terrific, dangerous to life and ribs, but
heavenly!
Don't women know, John?" ] man
aged to ask softly in memory Of like
question he had put to me across that
bread and jam with the rose a-listening
from the dark.
What brought me to consciousness
was his fumbling with the buttons at
the waist of that blue muslin relict of
| 4
and the lace had got caught on bis
sleeve buttons.
"PIease don't button me into his pos
session. l laughed under his chin.
I'm still scared to death of him, and
you haven't hid me yet!'
Molly" he asked, this time with a
heaven laugh, "where could you be
more effectually hid from Al Bennett
than in my armsY
| spent ten minutes telling Billy
what a hippOpotamus really looks like
as | put him to bed, but later, much as
| should have liked to, | couldn't con-
sumo that horrible dinner that l had
helped prepare at the Johnsons' in the
shelter Of Johns arms, and | had to
face Alfred. Ruth Chester was there
and she faced him too.
A man that can't be happy with a
woman who is willing to fulfill bis
destiny doesn't deserve to be.
Then we came over here, and John
had the most beautiful time persuading
Aunt Adeline how a good man like Mr.
Carter would want his young widow tc
be taken care of by being married to q
safe friend of his instead of being
Eighty and having folks wondering
whom she would marry.
"You know yourself how hard time
beautiful young widow has. Mrs
Henderson, he said in the tone OF
voice that always makes his patients
glad to take his worst doses. He got
his blessing and me-with a warning.
A lovely night wind is blowing across
my garden and bringing me congratu
lations from all my flower family
Flowers are a part of love and the
wooing of it, and they understand.
am waiting for the light to go out be
hind the tall trees over which the
moon is stealthily sinking He prom
ised me to put it out right away. anc
I'm watching the glow that marks the
place where my own two men crea
lures are going to rest, with my hear
in full song.
He needs rest, he is so very tired
and worn. He confessed it as l stood
on the step above him tonight aftel
he had taken his own good night from
me out on the porch. When he ex
planned to me how his agony over me
for all these months had kept hin
walking the floor night after night, no
knowing that l was waiting for the
light to go out, gave myself a sweet