Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1917-12-08
| BATON ROUGE GIRL
BY MICHAEL. LANE.

Mr. Charless," she said, changing
suddenly her lively expression for one
that was serious but kind, 81 am sor-
ry. very, very sorry for you-but
cannot marry you"
He wilted within. He felt his very
existence crumbling away. He was
silent for space. Then he said:
"Why?"
swell, to tell you the truth, do not
love you, and surely you would not
want to marry woman who did not
love you? Come now, would you! A
loveless marriage!"
He took heart.
"But this would not be loveless. BY
no means. You know love you. I
have told you so a thousand times.
have attested IL with my tears--and
am not given to weeping-have
proved It to you dear Katherine.
would die for you. would lie down
and let you walk upon me. I would
tear out my heart and give 1t to
you"
"Oh. please do not say things like
these" she softly interrupted. "They
| only pain me. know you love me,
but do not love you. II I did"
And she sighed.
sBut you could learn. you know.
You might in time"
mo" she answered languidly. at Is
useless Then, Frightening. you will
recover from this. It's hard. I know.
but you'll recover. You'll live to laugh
Mt 1t yet Cheer up! Cheer up, my
| merry men, nor fear. nor wind, nor
wave as Columbus said to his marin
ers."
| She bcamed on him. radiant like an
angel. He could not resist her and
he. too. smiled In turn.
"There!" she exulted. "you are bet
ter already. Didn't I tell you? And
then. you know, this is only your first
experience. You've never loved any
body but me. have your"
| The question hit him hard. and he
changed Instantly He turned his face
away from her.
Eyes" he said, as If speaking to
himself.
"Oh," she said. In the most uncon.
| Neiheu vi ways sVu heNtt 'oiu "V
that before. Tell me all about II
now"
ut was I'm Baton Rouge" he began,
and his eyes themselves seemed to be
IN Baton Rouge us he spoke. II was
only twenty. She was eighteen. Yes.
loved her. did. indeed"
"Wns she dark or light?"
(Kntherine herself was light.)
Ozark" he answered. "her hair was
rich chestnut and her eyes big and
brown, like the eyes of Homer's OK.
She was Creole. you know, and full Of
the South"
Katherine (who was herself north
ern) moved uneasily and devoured the
face OF her lover with eyes Of strange
interest.
"Go on" she urged. "Why didn't
you marry her? Did she love your"
"That she did" he exclaimed with
animation, looking Katherine full In
. the face. "Oh. yes. But she was
religious and there never had been q
free thinker in the family
, "How did you part?" she asked.
. an tears. You see, ] was u boy
and intellectually proud. and I could
not break my manhood by pretending
. to believe I'm religion my intellec,
. rejected. I could not believe In an!
. religion whatever, and l conceived l,
degrading to pretend to do so.'
"What was her namef" (This In q
J weak. hesitating voice.)
"Nana," and his lips caressed thu
!, sound.
!, Another long pause.
:. "Would you join n woman's religion
now II you loved her?'
J. "Why. of course" replied Charles
B careAessly. ~ am not boy now. Wha
D difference would 1t makeT
J. lie arose and walked toward TIL
0 window.
I "Mr Charless." exclaimed Rather
o Inc family, "Why not you go dow
o there and marry her?'
He turned. She, too, had riser
and was now near him. He lOoke
ut her fondly.
b "You ought to know why" he RI
turned.
4 "Would you advise me to do 1t? ID
Z YOU think the old love would com
back? wish knew for certain m!
'. self"
She was very near him by this tlm'
10 Her eyes We're cast down and her forl
a. was shrinking. lie drew close to he
10 and touched her shoulder. In n M
10 ment her arms We're around his nee
n and her head nestled in just the rigi
10 spot. A long space of silence. The
she whispered, sweetheart"
'. "What is it, love?"
"Do you love me more than 20
lg loved the girl in Baton Rouge"
Or What answer he made | will not oil
close; but l will say this, that Bate
ID Rouge was never so far away as
Or was at that very moment.
Copyright. 1917, Western Newspaper Union
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a, To Save the Eyes.