The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-11-29
TINES WHIRLIGIc
BY MAUD COBB.

which it illustrates more, the power
of men and women to rise on step
ping-stones of their dead past, or the
r9generating force of love. However
here you are: Anna Devine, the eel
ebrated actress, used to spend her
summers at a famous place in the
North woods, now torn down. It's only
memory with US who used to go
there. But we had gay times there,
and Anna was always the biggest dare
devil of the lot of US.
There was young fellow, a guide,
Just an ordinary, simple woodsman,
but made like a Greek god. Apollo,
we used to call him. He took the name
good-naturedly, and probably never
heard Of Apollo before Anna Devine
was struck by his appearance, as any
woman would be-
Just for a joke she determined to
make the young fellow fall in love
with her. We were all in the secret
in fact, she confided it to us.
THE climax came sooner than was
expected. Anna had staged the scene,
merely telling US to be at a certain
spot at certain time. Sure enough,
when we arrived, Jim Quantock was
on his knees before Anna, pouring
forth flood Of rapture and all that.
And Anna was as demure as a saint
until she looked up and spotted us.
Then she burst into a peal of such
nTIyf Ion
How she let loose on him. Fury sue
ceeded mockery-and all the time it
was a game. She asked him how he
could have the presumption to aspire
to marry her, how he could dare to
violate his duty as q guide, a mere
hired servant-she rubbed that in
and tell her such nonsense. When she
got through with him he was as limp
as rag. He was just standing with
open mouth, amazed at the transfer
nation.
Then he looked up and saw US,
ana he spotted the game. He doubled
his fists and stepped toward US. [
can tell you I didn't feel particularly
happy just then, with six feet of mus
cular manhood advancing on me. And
was the nearest. However, he
stopped short and turned upon Anna.
And the speech he made, while it
lacked the f1uency of the actress,
didn't lack dramatic effect. He told
her that she was a depraved woman,
that no decent woman in any class
tricked the man who loved her. His
scorn seemed to shrivel up the actress.
And when he went on to denounce
her, telling her that the day would
come when she would regret the hon
est love she had thrown away, Anna |
Just stared at him with wide, terrified
eyes, and said not a word.
Then he turned on his heel and !
strobe away into the forest. Anna |
urned to me with a pitiful smile.
4 guess he spoke the truth, and l |
lon't often hear it, she said. Will |
you kindly take me back to the hotel?' |
We'll, time went on, and from that |
lay Annals nature seemed to change. |
saw her act that fall and I was
I'll the old charm that had captivated |
thousands. She seemed a mechanical |
creature going through a mechanical |
'art. The subtle power was lost for
,ver.
Five years passed. Anna Devine
vas now playing subordinate parts in
small companies. Sometimes a mana
ger would advertise her name and she
ried to come back, but she never
.ould. She was gone-all that had
been was gone, and in place of her
vas a woman who was strange even
o herself. l guess it was about this
ime that she began taking drugs.
THE end was ,proaching, and
Anna realized it. She had run through
Ter money, she was living in a cheap
furnished room somewhere in a
qualid part of the town. She had al
eady bought the carbolic acid. She
vas sitting upon the edge of her bed,
courage to take the draught,
yhen the door opened and Jim Guam
Ock strobe in
He dashed the bottle from her hand.
OR few moments Anna did not
now who he was. Then, somehow,
mong all her memories this one came
ack to her.
guess you spoke the truth when
on said l would regret it. she said,
nd suddenly reached down for the
ottle again. But Jim was upon his
nees before her, just as he had been
hat day in the woods, and telling her
gain that he loved her.
in those five years he had made
imself an educated man, and a pros
erous one. He had a lumber yard in
own that was paying handsomely. He
ad spent half the time at school and
lie rest in business. First he had
,ade himself an educated man, then
g had built up his fortune. And
trough it all Anna had been his in
piration.
well, that's all, gentlemen. You'll
eep the matter sacred, | know, be-
ause-well, you see, I'm about the
My old acquaintance whom Mrs.
uantock hasn't entirely dropped.
nd I'm due there at dinner this eve
ing. / oughtn't to have told you, |
uess. only / don't like to hear it said