Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-08-02


won't cast any more tender glanccs at me.
There is an end Of that now"
Don't talk So Florentiu, That isn't
the worst, tha; you must give mp dancing
and singing, for you never cared much
about it. For aught l care, You could have
two wooden legs. I should like you just
as we'll.
Florentin gave her a long side glance
+ and then said:
You are foolish, and will soon change
your mind; but I thank you for coming. It
/ does one good, lying alone in his misery,
to see familiar face But how did you
hear what has happened to me:'
Il didn't bear it at all; | dreamed it
three nights a-running, and took that for a
sign that you needed me Then I came to
4 find you. but never said word about it
20 anybody"
Florentin had peculiar sensation as he
heard that, and then he willingly gave
himself up to Kathe. le's nursing. He
/ thought she was sent by the good God and
/ one mustn't resist Him. So, having the
I good creature near him day after day and
experiencing her love and goodness in the
| care She gave his weak, sick body. he lost
/ the defiance that had so long wounded her
/ and even treated her gently and kindly.
/ He no longer noticed that she was older
\ than he, and forgot her wealth in the pains
/ taking service she rendered him. Soon he
y 4 I / 4. IL ,.l
/ her but oppressed by the consciousness of
/ his manned condition, he would not ven
/ ture to inform Katherine of the change in
/ his sentiments.
/ She, in the meantime, was too sharp
/ sighted not to have become aware of this
/ change Now that the future began to
/ shape itself in accordance with her wishes,
instead of speaking openly and fully, she
/ held shyly and modestly back. She, who
had formerly wooed so boldly the healthy
/ Florentin now that he was thrown almost
/ helpless upon her mercy, from sheer en-
/ barrassment could no longer address him a
confidential word; and if ever at their
first morning greeting he held her hand
somewhat longer than usual, the widow
( experienced a confusion such as she had
never known as girl.
/ No, she had certainly felt rothing of the
/ kind during her betrothal to the old
/ peasant, her first husband, although he
could boast of stately figure and vigorous
health and, besides, clung to her almost
/ passionately; and aiterward when, having
/ become widow, she felt attracted toward
her young neghbor, she had been far from
/ any languishing doubts and longings.
/ Then, too, when he treated her with dis
/ dam, she had felt no more than keen vex-
! alton, which, however, was not especially
deep;-and now these heart throbs! this
faint hearted shynesS! She could no longer
understand how she ever came To run
blindy after this man who was in no way
related to her. Such caper! She thought
she would never have the courage for it
now
This new phase of Katherincs nature
was very pleasing to Florentin, yet he was
Mt a loss how to account for it. When she
had left alone evenings, painful thoughts
took possession of him 1t seemed to him
then that She was turning away from him,
and his fancy pictured that he would real
ly be obliged, lonely fellow, to trudge
about the country with a hanj-organ on
his back and crawl in winters wherever he
could find shelter; for that he could not
linger in Katherine's neighborhood after
she had given him up he considered a mat
ter of course.
Once he said to her, Il can't see you
spending your time any longer for such a
useless fellow as | am. There il not much
to do for me now. Everything is growing
right of itself, and it isn't well for your
housekeeping that you don't take a look at
| it all this while. | don't know why you
want to stay with me any more. / should
not blame you if you left and went about
your own business
"Oh, yes" replied Katherine, "you are
right. 1t would be better if | could be at
home; but look here! am not going with
out you. That is vow have made to
myself, and | am going to keep it."
Want to take me with you, do youp
What for, them
Don't ask such stupid question, Flor
entnr
Perhaps you think you can unload me
in front Of my cabin and then 90 on with
| your good feet Then you'll send me a
bit to eat now and then, whenever you
happen to think of the poor fellow who
must get along with only one leg! | tell
you that doesn't suit my ideas. You may
just know, Katherine, that if you can't
take me for your husband you are seeing
me for the last time. Excuse my impu-
dence, but ! can't help it. 1t isn't for the
sake of being taken care of; you mustn't
think that. The Lord knows that if had
three good legs | shouldn't talk differently
Now you know how the matter stands, and
you can consider it."
There was not much for Katherine to
consider.
"Oh, you comical fellow" she replied
joyfully; edo you suppose | ever thought
of anything clsci | shall not let you out
of my hands again. You come with me
to my house, then the bans shall be pub
lishcd and | will make such wedding as
people haven't seen for many a day"
So the affair seemed satisfactorily ar
ranged between the two, and Florcntn, for
whom a temporary wooden leg had been
provided, was soon dismissed fl Iom the hos
pital As he drove through Alsacc in
light wagon with Katherine Mt his side he
felt even jubilant and entirely forgot now
and then that he was nothing but a poor
invalid. But in Baden, where he came
across throngs Of people and saw every
body stepping off SO lightly and easily
dark shadow settled over his spirit. He
was quick to notice that when Katherine
led him every one looked after them sym
pathizingly, and it was not always he who
received the pity. Once in an inn, where
they had stopped to rest, he heard a con
vcrsation that disturbed him sorely.
at is good enough in her to want to
marry him. said some one under his win
dow, "but it is not right in him to let her
do it; for her own sake now, not A plucky
woman like her deserves whole man for
a husband and he must think 50 himself
when he goes dragging along at her side"
During the rest of the journey poor Flor
entin was lost in thought. He would have
preferred, after all, to be unloaded in front