The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-07-18

What's the matter?" | asked. 'Don'i
tell me I'm getting bald"
mo, not bald" she answered, "but
your eyes don't see visions as they did
then
| looked at her, startled a little
what makes you say that?'' l asked.
Forgive me-" she replied quickly. 81
meant nothing"
"You meant what you said" I an
swered, moving close to her, land it is
true 1t is true of all men, and all
women, in q way-of all save the
chosen few who are the poets and
seers. Shades Of the prison house be-
gin to close'-you know that shadow,
too, | guess. l have no picture of you
when you were younger. No-you are
still the poet; you see aqueducts Of
roses SO you think I'm prosy now"
81 didn't say that" she answered,
very low.
Zone vision I've seen," 1 went on,
zone vision, lately. 1t vast was"
1 broke abruptly off, remembering
suddenly my resolve.
COI1e, Sdlu anu II ohO p" JON
Mrs. Pillig's quarters
She followed in silence, and peeped
with me into the chambers Of the ell,
smiling a little as she saw Peters
clothes scattered on the floor and bed.
Then, still in silence, and with the
golden light of afternoon streaming
across the slopes of my farm, we en-
tered the pines by the woodshed, and
followed the new path along by the
potato field and the pasture wall, paus-
ing here and there to gather the first
wild rose buds, and turning down
through the clOister at the south.
AS we slipped into the corner of the
tamarack swamp my heart was beat
ing high, my pulses racing with the
recollection of all the tense moments
in that grove ahead, since first l met
her there l know not with what feel
ings she entered. 1t was plain now
even to me that she was masking them
in a mood Of lightness. She danced
ahead over the new plank walk, and
laughed back at me over her shoulder
as she disappeared into the pines. A
second later found her sitting on the
stone l had placed by the pool
She looked up out Of the corners Of
her eyes, II should think this would
be a good place to wade" she said.
$50 it might" said l. ''Do you want
to try it?'
do you want to run along to the
turn by the road and wait?'' The eyes
still Knocked me.
NO" said l.
She shook her head sadly. "And I
did so want to wade" she sighed.
"Really?" l asked.
Really, yes l won't have a chance
again for-oh, never, maybe"
Then Of course I'll go ahead" L
stepped over the brook, out Of sight. A
moment later 1 heard a soft splashing
of the wafer, and a voice called, ''I'm
only six now. Oh, it's such fun-and
so cold.'
l made no reply. In fancy 1 could
see her white feet in the water, her
face tipped up in the shadows, her eyes
large with delight. How sweet she
was, how desirable! l stood lost in a
rosy reverie, when suddenly 1 felt her
beside me, and turned to meet her
smile.
How you like the brook" 1 said.
"How l love it!' she exclaimed.
Don't think me silly, but it really says
secret things to me-
"Such secrets as the stream told to
Rossetti?" l asked.
She looked away. 81 said secret
things" she answered.
We moved on, around the bend by
the road where the little picture Of far
hills came into view, and back into the
dusk of the thickest pines. At the sec
ond crossing Of the brook, l took her
hand to steady her over the slippery
stones, and when we were across, the
mood and memories of the place had
their way with us, and our hands did
not unclasp. We walked on so to-
gether to the spot where we first had
met. and where first the thrush had
sounded for us his elfin clarion. There
we stopped and listened, but there was
no sound save the whisper Of the pines.
1.-The pines sound like soft midnight
surf on the Shore she whispered.
II want the thrush" | whispered
back. Il want the thrushr'
Yes" she said, raising her eyes TO
mine, ''oh, yes"