The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-05-28

"She never used to take any interest In
them, no said to himself II wonder why
she does nowi"
| He began to count upon seeing her.
| When she came back from her outings, he
was glad But she did not know. II he
had given any sign OF welcome to her dur
ing those first difficult days, IL would have
been great encouragement TO her.
He watched her feeding tho sparrows
One day when she was not there he went
and did the same. Another day when she
had forgotten he surprised her by remind.
ing her.
"You have forgotten TO feed the spar
rows" he said. "They must be quite hun
cry"
That seemed TO break the ice little.
The next morning when she was arrang-
ing some books In the old shop he came
In and watched her.
1T Is comfort to have you, I" he said
That was all he said, but Bernardine flush
ed with pleasure.
II wish had been more to yon all these
years, " she said gently.
He did not qute take that In, and re
turned hastily to Gibbon.
Then they began to stroll out together.
They had nothing to talk about. He was
not interested in the outside world, and
she was not interested In Roman history.
But they were trying TO get nearer to each
other. They had lived years together but
they had never advanced a step. Now they
were trying, she consciously, no uncon-
sciously. But IL was slow process, and
pathetic, as everything human is.
III we could only find some subject
which we both liked, Bernardine thought
70 herself THAT might knit US together"
Well, they found subject, though per.
haps h was an unlikely one. The cart
horses, those great, strong, patient toilers
OF tho road, attracted their attention, and
after that no walk was without its pleas
ure or interest. The brewers horses were
the favorites, though there were others,
too, which met with their approval He
began to know and recognize them. He
was almost like child in his new found
interest. On Whit Monday they both went
to the cart horse parade In Regents park.
They talked about the enjoyment for days
aftcrward
Next year" he told her, 1--WE must
subscribe to the fund even IL we have to
sell book"
He did not like TO sell his books Ho
parted with them painfully, as some poo
pie part with their illusions.
Bernartline bought paper kor herself
every day, but one evening she came I'm
without one She had been seeing after
some teaching and had without any Diff
Guilty succeeded in getting some temporary
light work at one Of the high schools |
She forgot to buy her newspaper.
The old man noticed this. He put on |
his shabby felt hat and went down the
street and brought In copy of The Daily
News.
II don't remember what you like but
will this dor" he asked.
He was quite proud of himself for show
ing her this attention, almost as proud as
the Disagreeable Man when he did some
thing kind and thoughtful
Bernardine thought of him, and the
tears came into her eyes at once When
did she not think of himi Then she
glanced at the front sheet, and In the
death column her eye rested on his name,
and she read that Robert Allitsen's moth
er had passed away. So the Disagrceable
Man had won his freedom at last His
words echoed back to her:
But 1 know how to wait. N I have
not learned anything else, have learned
how TO wait, and some day shall be free,
md thepi'