The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-11-25
CHAPTER
The Waif

Hc wan
There was a quiet urge in her veins
that took her 10 John Lexington. II
was a gray.fenthered night In spring
ami she refused to turn back. John
held her hands IN his. and could not
accept as real the great beauty OF the
world He had been writing verses as
usual when she came to his door. and
the gentle lines were as always OF her,
his Mary. his unattainable. Now the
flame that he loved shone forth In her.
She threaded her destiny with his. In
the dim. dusty hallway outside his
door he found her arms about his
neck, and that springtlde evening
lowered In their kiss.
Mary would not go back. Her family,
the proper Martins. had estranged her
when they refused to receive the man
of her choice. The fact that his verse
had once appeared In print served only
TO whet their dlsapproval. He could
not make three hundred a year that
way. They would have no more of
him. and no further talk. shining
new and silent electric had been
brought to the porte-cochere, and
long-deslred pearls appeared on her
dressing-table. These gifts and their
bald object wcn only storm from
Mary. when she had locked her
mother from the room, and had lain
upon the floor TO think and resent,
the spring twilight had found her, had
touched her cheek and raised her
from the rug. II whispered to her,
and caused again the familiar tumult
In her heart. John, her poet Twi-
light pressed the barb OF desire In her
flesh; her tlAughts were bitter.sweet
She admitted to herself that II was
not his writing she wanted, for he
might not be a great poet She for
got his delicate praise OF her eyes,
her llght-brown hair. her young limbs.
All OF that might fade some day. She
loved him the most for their moments
OF silence. SO, while the last robin
of the day caroled outside OF her
window, and the soft dusk sank upon
the trees and lawn, she obeyed her
own heart, and went TO him.
~ will work" he said. when they
went gally down the stairs of the
roomlng house.
"Iou will write, John" she said.
Yes, and work with my hands, too,
for wages. | can make song Of IT,"
"Whore shall we go now?" she
asked.
nafnra onn,ber o,,nsat tI,a,, h,a a..
gotten the name of the sallow minister
who had sanctioned their JOY.
They went to small Michigan
town. John worked in a stove fac
tory, and came home each night with
grimy face and bruised hands, TO
small house that was liz with happI.
ness. Mary was in shining dream.
The world was a place OF beauty aud
tenderness and passion. Johns day
labor was something to laugh at. He
was strong, and his bench.mates never
suspected him OF writing poetry. With
his beloved he would 20 downtown
on the summer evenings. carrying a
basket, TO buy groceries. They found
delight In simple things In this small
Dowagiac, Michigan. Their cottage
was radiant with cleanliness. John
grew robust from his work. His pale
blue eyes shown with light from
within. He took lightly the mistakes
that often cost him days wages.
There was enough. To him the uni
verse was overfowing with sunlight.
Tho police came but went away;
smiling and powerless. Then the old
butler from Mary's house came, and |
they kept him overnight, until he for |
got his errand OF malice. and found |
himself gripping the hand Of John
Lexington when they parted. The
butler lost his position. and later
Mary's father came. Her mother,
also, but the mother remained in the
railway station, refusing TO set eyes