The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-11-26

her Wedding day her heart felt cold
and unresponsive toward him.
Il asked you a question awhile ago."
he said, IAN you amt answered It,"
did you? l must have forgotten 1t.
What did you ask?"
Il wanted to know what it was you
was growlin' bout bein' so cruel"
odd l growl?" she asked in turn.
Dogs growl, you know"
ooh, we'll, you know what I mean.
You was complainin', an that's the
same thing"
Il don't think l was even complain
ing, and even if l was it would not be
growing. l wish, George, you would
be more careful with your speech"
He emitted a long whistle and grin
ned at her.
you've got tuck" he said, with one
O them streaks O putin on dog. l
amt got no patience with nc SIGH err
way o dom. My notion is folks ort
to act nachul an sensible an not git to
tryin' to spread on like them derned
town fools. I'm a plain practical sort
O chap myself, an when l speak I say
what l mean an I say it fiat out SOS
anybody can understand it. l amt
goin' to put no ribbins an frills an
gewgaws on my words an make a
blame fool O. myself for dom It,"
Minerva sighed and silently drew a
little scarf closer about her shoulders.
George waited a moment then said:
but you aint answered my ques-
ton. What is it you've found so cruel?
'Tain't me, / hope""
She threw her hands out wildly.
"Oh. it is everything, everything..'
she cried veiemently-"fate, life and
circumstances. Everything is cruel"
George chuckled softly.
Il amt found it So" he replied.
"'Pears to me like ev%erything's been
mighty good to us. We've had good
health, an we're maxim an savin mon
ey right along next to the best of 'em.
We've got plenty Of stock about us an
a good eighty acres Of land, and | ( don't
know what we got to kick about"
She gave him Il look, half Of pity,
half Of contempt, and shrugged her
S!1OulueIS ull)lllellly.
Money and land! Money and land!'
she cried ~passionately. Cant you see
anything in life but that:"
Not much,' he answered calmly.
Don't see where there's much else
worth botherin' bout nohow."
Don't you ever think what a grand
thing it would be to be great and ia
NOUS and have Il name known to all
the world?'
Il never do. l amt never got no time
to waste on no SIGH foolishness."
"And you never think what it would
be to live Il different life from this and
to work and accomplish something that
would cause people to love and praise
you?'
"No-ah. Can't f1gger out where
tlere'd be any profit in SIGH foolishness
as that. Love an praise don't buy nei-
Their provisions nor clothes. Moneys
bout the only thing that counts. I'm
satisfied with what l am, an this life's
good enough for me-"
She stamped her foot impatiently.
| What a small foot it was, and yet
what an amount of energy there was
in it!
II hate this life!" she cried. II
loathe and detest it, and I would al
most as soon be dead as to have to live
it. What is there in it to cause any
one to want to live? What is the use
| of it?'
ooh, l don't know" George replied.
Il reckon this life is all right an as
good as any. Guess it don't make much
difference how people live so long as
they have plenty to supply their needs.
| All we can do anyhow is to live till we
die, an when we're dead that's the end
of it,
ut is? Do you suppose this little
existence is all there is for u.s."
mo, l don't suppose that. But
guess the next life has nothin' to do
with this, nm that when we're dead
it won't matter nothin' about what we
done here"
I'D hate to believe that. It would
be unjust and cruel for all our high
ideals and our unsatisfied longings to
go out with our breath when death
comes. l want to think of heaven rs
Il place where | shall find an answer
to all my dreams and have all my long
ings satisfied"
George shook his head slowly.
II guess you're wadin' out into wa
ter that's too deep for me-" he said
so you'll have to go alone. l amt nc
dreamer, an l don't pretend to have
much idee of what heaven is like"
She was silent a long time, with her
gaze fixed OF the ridge to the east;
then dreamily, MS if speaking to her
self. she murmured:
"To love and to be loved must be
heaven. For two mated souls to dwell,
together must be the acme of bliss
Even a guilty love is better than never
to have loved at all"
George looked at her wonderingly
o,J with ounfhnv clou- c1o1{v~ of lii