Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-28

described them.
"But Martin" said, would the
church accept that?"
What matter whether IL would OF
| wouldn't? Our consciences would be
clear There would be no sin, and
] what you were saying this morning
would not apply"
But if left my husband couldn'i
marry you, could II"
Perhaps not"
Then the church would say that
was a sinful woman living sinful
| life, wouldn't it?"
But you wouldn't be-"
All the same the church would say
so, and IL it did l should be cut out
of communion, and If I were cut out
of communion l should be cast out OF
the church, and If were cast out Of
the church what would become
of me then?''g
"But, my dear GIRL" said Martin
don't you see that this is not the
same thing at all? It is only case
Of a ceremony And why should a
mere ceremony-even If we can not
do away with it-darken a womanss
life forever?"
Ny heart was yearning for love, but
my soul was crying out for saliva
ton; and not being able to answer
him for myself, / told him what
Father Dan had said was to say.
Father Dan Is a saint and love
him." he said But what can he
know--what can any priest know OF
a situation like this? The law OF
man has tied you to this brute, but
the law Of God has given you to me.
Why should a marriage service stand
between us?"
But it does" 1 said. And we
can't alter it. No. no, dare not
break the law of the church. l am
weak, wretched girl, but / can not
give up my religion"
After that Martin did not speak for
moment. Then he said:
You mean that, Mary?"
Yes
And then my heart accused me SO
terribly of the crime Of resisting him
that l took his hand and held his
fingers in a tight lock while told
him-what had never meant to tell
how long and how deeply had
loved him, but nevertheless / dared
not face the thought Of living and
dying without the consolation Of the
church
Il dare not! I dare mott" said.
I should be a broken hearted woman
If l did, and you don't want that, do
you?"
He listened in silence, though the
irregular lines in his face showed the
disordered state Of his soul, and when
had finished a wild look came into
his eyes and he said:
II am disappointed in you, Mary.
thought you were brave and fear
less, and that, when I showed you .
way out of your miserable entangIe-
ment you would take it in spite Of
everything"
Heart Clamored.
His voice was growing thick again.
/ could scarcely bear to listen to 1t.
do you suppose / wanted to take
up the position 1 proposed to you?
Not /. No decent man ever does. But
] love you so dearly that was will
ing to make that sacrifice and count
it as nothing If only I could rescue
you from the misery Of your abomi-
nable marriage.
Then he broke into q kind Of fierce
laughter, and said:
1T seems l wasn't wanted, though.
You say in effect that my love is sim
full and criminal, and that it will inn
peril your soul, So I'm only making
mischief here, and the sooner get
away the better for everybody"
He threw off my hand, stepped to
the door to the balcony, and, looking
out into the darkness, said, between
choking laughter and sobs:
ELAN, you are no place for me.
can't bear the sight of you any long
er. I used to think you were the
dearest spot on earth, because you
l. = -
follow me to the ends of the earth IL
wanted her, but l was wrong. She
loves me less than a wretched cere-
mony, and would sacrifice my happi-
ness to a miserable bit of parchment"
My heart was clamoring loud Never
had / loved him so much as now. 1
had to struggle with myself not to
throw myself into his arms.
"No matteri" he said. Il should be
poor spirited fool to stay where I'm
not wanted. I must get back to my
work. The sooner the better, too.
1 thought L should be counting the
days down there until l could come
home again. But why should care
what happens to me? It's all as one
now"
He stepped back from the balcony
with a resolute expression on his
gloomy face, and / thought for a
moment (half hoping and half fearing
it) that he was going to lay hold Of
me and tell me / must do what he
wished because belonged to him.
But he only looked at me for a
moment in silence, and then burst
into flood of tears, and, turned and
ran out of the house.
Let who will say his tears were
To me they were the bitter
cry of great heart. and wanted to
follow him and say, Take me. Do
what you like with me. / am yours"
l did not do so. / sat a long time
where he had left me and then I
went into my room and locked the
door.
1 did not cry. Unjust and cruel as
his reproaches had been, began to
have a strange wild joy in them. II
knew that he would not have insulted
me like that If he had not loved me
to theAvery verge of madness itself.
HcOrs passed. Price came tapping
at my door TO ask If she should lock
up the house-meaning the balcony.
/ answered mo. go to bed"
l heard the deadened thud of Mar
tins footsteps on the lawn passing
to and fro. Sometimes they paused
under my window and then had a
feeling, amounting to certainty, that
he was listening to hear IL / was
sobbing, and that II had been he
would have broken down my bedroom
door TO get to me.
At length heard him come up the
stone stairway, shut and bolt the