New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-07-22


point or surrender
My fingers closed yet more tightly
over the small hand. but her face re-
manned rigid. the lines deep about the
mouth.
| THE landlady had turned me out"
speaking now bitterly and swiftly, IRE
tanning nay few belongings. had moth
! ing leftznothing. For week l had
! listened to no kind word. met with no
kind act. was upon the street alone
at night purposeless. homeless. wan
dering aimlessly from place to place,
weakened by hunger, stupeied by de-
spair.
II found myself out among the resi-
! dences. where everything was still and
lonely, walking, walking. walking. ev-
cry shadow appearing like ghost. I
! sat down to rest on the curling, but
! policeman drove me away. Once
crept into darkened vestibule in big
apartment building, but another dis.
covered me there and threatened to
take me to the station. The night grew
misty and damp, but found no shell
anhood, no remorse. 1t was thus
came there to that corner. heard
the policeman approaching along the
side street and. terrified. sprang into
. the yard to escape; then-then I met
you"
''Te!. me-" l questioned earnestly,
what caused you to interfere between
me and the o6cery
what! Oh, hardly know" touch
of hysteria in the nervous exclama-
ton. Il was compelled to choose in
stantly between his mercy and yours.
The-the difference seemed small
enough then. but-but realized you
were frightened also. and-and so l
preferred to trust you That was all.
1t was my fate. and-and. well didn't
care much how it ended"
But you endeavored to escape from
me- You sought to compel my leav-
ing you?"
! She lifted her face again. flushing.
saddened. slightly indignant. the brown
+; eyes widening.
] Perhaps the soul was not all dead"
she returned gravely. perhaps WON
anhood was not all gone l did not
know you. was in terror. But now
l am not afraid. believe I have
found man-and friend"
I was conscious of sudden wild
throb of the heart. a swift rush of
blood through my veins.
II might have doubted that myself
awhile ago." l acknowledged almost
bitterly. but now am going to make
seed when he let's himself go! Don't
you know you are helping me as much
as am you? You didn't find much
out there-only a drunken discharged
soldier, an ex-hobo with a laborers
job. I've wasted my chance in life
and been an Internal fool can see
that plain enough and despise myself
for it. knew it before you came
The difference was then I didn't care
while now do. You have made me
care. Yes. you have. girl" as she
glanced up again. plainly startled by
this unexpected avowal. "You see,
J you belong to my class. little girl. and
and you are the first of them to
speak kind word to ne in five years.
1ts-its bit tough to be cut dead by
your own class
1t was her hand. white and slender.
which reached shyly across the table
and touched mine but her eyes alone
made answer.
"That is all right" l continued, my
| voice shaking. Il understand how
you feel. But this is no fit place for
your mother"
She shook her head with decision
why not? Is she hard?
Yes. She would be very hard with
me-
do you mean you would rather risk
it here with-with me than go back
and face her?"
Eyes, even that she replied sober
~. II have courage to fight it out
here, but not there. | know what it
will mean if | go back--reproaches.
gossip. ostracism, all the petty mean
nesses of small town. | loathe the
very thought. am strong again. and
| will not go. 1t is between God and
me, this ACKNOWLEDGMENT God and
me-" She dropped her head, hiding
her face upon her arms. her Shout
ders trembling. 'You-you may de-
spise me You may think me the low
est of the low, but IL am going to
stay here
l sat in silence. amazed. puzzled.
/ Oft dc
clinched
You actually mean you dare risk
yourself herewith me?''
With your help, with you as a
friend to talk to-yes."
But stop and think what am
urged recklessly. "a mere hobo
No she said earnestly. You are
not that. You are a man. iii .
! For a long minute | did not an
sWer, unable to determine what to do.