The Delta independent., 1890-02-04
srss, .csnrily 1urp,.ned, rag-carpetea pest

ISoW.
He Rasped ~ he stood there. He had
vaguely hoped for little reprieve, but she
Sst there by the lamp. alone, bending
over some work. She rose at his entrance,
and came forward q little to offer her hand !;
but he did not SEQ 1t. and shs dropped II
back in awkward haste.
Wont you take cnairf" she said.
She brought one forward. Thornton sat
down. He dropped his hat a. he did SO, and
picked it up with a red face. Then he sat
still. He would have tried to speak, but he
knew he cou,d not, his tongue folt thick
end i'm movable.
Wits showing. amt it." said the school
tescher; she bore the marks Of difidence
herself in her timorous voice and look
Thorton nodded, It was all he could do
He stared at her hxedly, almost vacuously.
His mind wandered back and strove 10
anchor itself to something. Once he had
spcnt an evening at Bis sells, on the occasion
Of sociable, and taken her hand In one Of
the games; once he b ad overtaken her. in .
wagon, on her way TO school and gwen her
lift. That was all. He thought it might
have been less hard for him IL there had
been something more. but that was all his
morbid self-distrustfulness had allowed
him.
Tho ticking Of clock on . corner-stand
allied the ailence. IL was q round, nickel
clock, and II ticked 10 loudly ~ to force
itself upon them.
"That's my school clock" said the teach.
OF. ~ am all ready for tomorrow. There
are my books over there with it and the
register.
The school director dropped his miserable
eyes TO the faded stripe in the carpet at his
feet, but he did not see 1t; his hat shook
with the trembling of his hands.
"I've ben thinking how many I'll have,
likely" the school teacher went on. His
misery impaired itself to her in degree Of
nervousness. and she lot her work drop. II
had twenty i've this summer; there's a.
ways more winters, amt there"
He managed to say yes. His eyes were
wandering about the room now, his lips
parted as II for air. he saw new pane in
the window, clumsily puttied-a camphor
bottle left on tho melode on-a break in the
cane seat Of chair-a small tub filled with
white asters still in bloom. He continued
looking at hese,
They're real late, amt they!" said the
girl. They're mine, pott ed 'em myself
and I guess they'll last best part of the win
ter; I've heard they will. took care Of. Do
you want onel"
She put down her work and went and
picked one. Then, with shy laugh, she
took her scissors and went back to them
may pe your uOtncr'u Hko y 1eWt sue
hain't got 'em, has sher she said.
She made . bunch and tied it with her
black thread. Thornton watched her, .
slight girl In cheap and well-worn dress,
her dark hair in girlish braid, and her
eyes mild. THIS she was, but who shall tell
what hc vast His agony rose, eliminated
as she turned 10 him; ho clutched his hat
till its stin brul cracked. She was coming
toward him with tho flowers.
"There, may be she'd like = few" she re-
peated, faiu theartediy; but he did not hear
her. He felt his face adams like fire, and
choking In his throat. he struggled 70
speak, and did make an inarticulate sound,
at which she looked at him in wonder.
He looked up at her pitifully-and then fell
stumhlingly on his knees st her feet and
buried his face in her alirt, and cropping
for her hands, pulled them down till they
pressed his throbbing head and rested
there, her happy, wondering tears falling
upon them.
. .
Bashfuli" said Dave Kinney to Hanks,
the store-koeper "I'd like 70 know whata
your Liee O. hsshfulness. WY, Jun Thorn,
tou walked out o. this store that night and
up 10 Rissers straight rs string, and told
that school-teacber that, OWN to circum,
stances that he didn't have NO control over,
she couldn't have the school thus winter, ner
likely there couldn't nobody else neither,
but II it'd be any consideration 10 her, she
could have him; told her that right up and
down, and didn't mako no bones Of It. II
Jim Thornton's bashful, wy, the Teller that
amt . what I'd like TO see."-Emma A.
Opper, In Leslie's Newspaper.