Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-08-28
WHEN a MANS SINGLE.
y TALE OF LITERARY LIFE.
BY J. M. BARRIE.

his head. He did not do it well, but he
did il. Some men would have sue
cumbed altogether on realizing so
sharply that it was not women who are
so terrible, but woman. Here is
clear case in which the part Is greater
than the whole.
Rob would have liked to wish Miss
Abinger happy Christmas, too, but The
words would not form, aud had she
chosen she could have left him looking
very foolish. But Mary had blushed
slightly when she caught sight OF Rob
standing helplesSly in the middle OF the
road, and this meant she understood
what he was doing there. A girl can
overlook a great deal in man who ad-
mireS. She feels happier. 1t increases
her self-res pect. So Miss Abinger told
him that IL the frost held the snow
would soon harden, but il thaw came
II would melt, and then Rob tore out OF
himself the words that tended TO slip
back as they reached his tongue.
~ don't know how / could have done
it," he said, feebly, beginning at the end
Of what lie had meant 10 say. There ne
stuck again.
Mary knew what he spoke OF, aud.her
pale face colored. She shrank from
talking OF the "Scorn OF SCornS."
please don't let that trouble you"
she said with an effort. II was really
Ouly a schoolgirl when l wrote II, and
Miss Meredith got il printed recently as
q birthday surprise for me. l assure
you l would never have thought OF pub
fishing 10 myself for-for people TO read.
School girls, you know, Mr.. Angus, are
full OF such silly sentiment"
A breeze Of indignation shook ''No,
no. out OF Rob, but Mary did not heed.
II know better now" she said, sin
deed, not even you. the hardest OF my
critics, see more clearly than / the-the
childiShness OF the book"
Miss Abinger's voice faltered a very
little, aud Bob's suferings allowed him
10 break out.
''No," ne said with a look OF appeal in
his eyes that were as gray as hers, at
was madness that let me write like that.
The Scorn Of Scorns' is the most beau
tiful, the teudereSt-" He stuck once
more. Mrs. Abingsr could have helped
him again, but she did not. Perhaps she
wanted him 10 20 on. He could not do
so, but he repeated what he had said
already, which may have been the best
thing to do.
"YOu do surprise me now, Mr.. An
gus" said Mary, light-hearted all at
once, "ior you know you scarcely wrote
like that"
'Ah, but I have read the book since
I saw you" Rob blurted ont, land that
has made such difference"
A wiser man may have said a more
foolish thing Mary looked up, smiling
Her curiosity was aroused, and at once
she became merclleSS. Hitherto she had
only tried 70 DC kind 10 Rob, but now
she wanted to be kind 10 herself.
"You can hardly have re-read my
story since last night" she said, shak-
ing her fair head demurely.
Il read 10 all through the night" ex-
claimed Bob, I'm such q tone that Mary
startled. She mad no desire to change
the conversation, however; she did not
start so much as that.
But you had to write papa's speech?"
she said.
II forgot to do it," Rob answered
awkwardiy. His heart sank, for he saw
that here was another cause he had
given Miss Abinger to dislike him. Pos
sibly he was wrong. There may be ex-
tenuating circumstances that will en-
able the best OF daughters TO overlook
an sfront 20 her fathers speeches.
But 10 was In the Mirror. l read IT,
said Mary.
WAS it?" said Rob, considerably re-
lieved. How it could have got there
was less of mystery to him than her,
for Protheroe had subedited so many
speeches 70 tenants that in an emerg-
ency he could always guess at what the
landlords said.
1T was rather short, " Mary admitted,
compared with the report In. the Argus
Papa thonght"- She stopped hastily.
"He thought It should have been
longer?" asked Rob. Then before he
had time TO think OF IT he had told her
OF his first meeting with the Colonel.
Il remember papa was angry at the
time" Mary said, "but you need not
have been afraid OF his recognizing you
last night He did recognize you"
"Did hR?'
Eyes; but You were his guest
Rob could think OF nothing more 10
say. and he saw that Mary was about TO
bid him good morning. He found him
self walking with her in the direction OF
the castle gates.
.Tais scenery reminds me OF Scot
land" he said.
81 love It" said Mary (man's only
excellence over woman is that his awe
of this word prevents his using 1t so
lightly, land I am glad that l shall be
here until the season begins"
Rob had no idea what the season was,
but he saw that sometime Mary would
be going away, and his face said, what
would he DO then?
"Tben / 20 10 London with the Mere
diths." she continued, adding, thought
fully, 'I suppose you mean TO so TO
London. Mr.. AnguS2 My brother says
that all literary men drift there"
eyes, on yes, said Rob.
"Soou2'
Immediately" he replied, reck-
leSs.y.
They reached the gates, as Mary held
out her hand the small basket was tilt
ed upon uer arm, and a card huttered
out.
'.It is a Christmas card little boy in
one OF those houses gave me, she said,
as Rob returned it to her. Have you
got many Christmas cards to-day, Mr..
AnguS?'
"None," said Rob.
"No, even from your relatives?'
asked Mary, beginning TO pity him more
than was necessary.
- have no relatives" be replied;
"they are all dead"
81 was ia Scotland two summers ago,
Mary said, very softly, at place called
! ELnr n-,-aritu pana was there shoot