The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-11-21

| occupied by the words of his landlady.
| Poor little wOmanl Now he knew why
| the window was dark and the blind re-
manned down. She was i'll. Sickness, that
| despair Of the breldwinner, had lain its
dread hand on her. Poor thing, poor
thing
Men such as he are seldom spontaneous
1 ly sentimental or sympathetic, and he be-
| lisved that he was no exception to the
| rule. Years Of loneliness cramp and mar
| row our emotions and turn them toward
| self, and il was the knowledge of this
| that made him surprised AT the quick in
| terest he took in this woman whom, al
| though he had for years seen, he had
never but once spoken 10. He took up a
| book, but he couldn't read. He walked
| about the room, he looked out of the win
dow; In short, for over an hour he fidget-
| ed over a score of things, and then, that
| Inward tOrmentOr refusing him any peace.
| he suddenly put on his hat, crossed the
| road, and knocked at the door, determined
to ask what was the matter with the
| lady on the drawing-room floor. He had
| arranged mis- words and, the door open,
| was about to utter them, when, why-nO
| -yes-it was she. she herself, who had
answered the door and was standing be-
| fore him.
II am so glad" he said taking her hand
and giving Vt a hasty shake. II thought
| you were H.
And you came over TO see? Oh. how
| good and kind! That ANYBODY should
| care cheers me more than L can say"
| There was no light in your window last
| night, and this morning the blind was
/ down, and while 1 was wondering what
had become of you, my landlady told
| me she had seen the doctor here"
Yes, but happily not for me- But you
| must come in and hear the story. It's
| poor Keziah, the servant here. She tripped
| on the stairs and fell down, and has
broken some tendon in her leg. And MIR.
| jenkins is away and the other dodgers
| were out, 50 that when l got home Il
found her lying, grooming helpless, on the
| mat"
But why did you not come over for
me?"
II wish 1 had now. did not think of
| doing so, but fortunately l was able to
! help her. l managed to get her to bed
| but L had 10 sit up all night with her, and
! this morning l got the mik-bOy TO go for
| the doctor. and take a telegram telling
! them | could not 60 to Bedford-s,. 1t was
| impossible to leave her alone; but now her
! sister has come. and Mrs. jenkins will
| soon be here, so / am free again. Won't
| you come upstairs to my rOom?"
! She did not wait for a reply but led
| the way, saying, as she ushered him in:
what ply 1t is not ligAt; then you
| could see my view of your window"
| on, but what a cosy ROOM He had
| halted just inside the door and was look
| ing around
Does it look SO? I tried as much as
| l could 10 make it look like my old home
| \ few friends brought in some of the
| furniture for me. and when / was really
! settled it was sent up. Lodglng-house
| rooms are so dreary."
His answer was a half-stifled sigh. In
| that moment he had compared the black
! hOrsehair-cov"red chairs and sofa of Miss
| Bates's drawing-room-the rigid back Of
| each one protected by 4 wool antimaca ssar
with the homely snugccSs which rc!gncd
! here.
AS YOU see" she said pointing TO- the
! table Il was just making myself q cup of
| tea. Now won't you sit down and join
nelgnborly."
Il think I have had my tea"
Think only?"
We'll / know my landlady brought il
to me. because 1t was then she spoke OF
| having seen the doctor here: and | at once
! jumped at the conclusion that you were
! i'll. because for week past / have never
caught sight OF you at the window"
And | have never seen yoI."
''No; we don't see unless we look"
But | have looked"
Not from where you usually stand or
| must have seen you. | began to feel
| little huffy. I though, She never flncies
| mean to presume on that little chat we
had together?' "
"Why, of course not. How could I?
was only afraid I might have let my
tongue run too quickly"
Come. GOMEZ" he said. smiling. at has
taken us ten years To break the Ice 1t
must not take us ten more before we
| thaW."
While he spoke his eyes were following
her-watching her measure out the tea,
pour the water from the kettle He did not
offer to help her; the sight of a woman
doing these trifiing acts brought to him q
plelSUrable sense Of home.
you are looking very tired" he said.
! as she sat down waiting for the tea to
draw
That is partly because l was up all
night. and then during the day / have
felt rather anxious about being away from
the office"
"Oh. don't worry about that They'll
get on all right without you"
yes, / know they will; bus / don't want
them TO find that out. There are 50 many
women wanting employment and some
know French and German. which l don't
and others have a home with-their parents
and could take a smaller salary Oh, Il
does not do TO stop away When I found
that poor thing lying helpless on that mat
I thought-supposing this waa my case,
what would become of me? 1t isn't death
1 fear-sOoner or later that comes TO all
but old age, sickness, sends a shiver
through me-"
Then have you nothing put by?"
"A few pounds only. How could I?
get 30 shillings a week. That is not quite
$50 a year"
Il pay my way. Why? Does that
sound to you very little?"
VERY little"
81 suppose they do pay men better, and
it's well they do, for you want more than
we do. and you are not able to manage
as we'll"
Il am in a fire-insurance society,"" he
said. "The salaries there vary from one
hundred to three. When 1 had f100 it did
not matter 10 me. My mother was living
then. and in addition to a pension, she
had little put away. which ut her death
came to me-"
Il am glad you need not be troubled
with my anxiety"
mo. and yet l have as great dread Of
sickness and of old age. Each year 1
i've the sense Of my lOnliness more OPP
presses me-
II know. Why, 1 can't tell you the
plsacurd It gives me TO have somebody
drinking tea with me. TO be able to speak
Of things we fe.l-things that give one
sorrow or joy. The men at the Office are
al good fellows and very kind to me, but
l should never dream of talking to them
as 1 have to you. They would not under
stand. / might wei speak in Chineser'
He did not answer in words, but he
gave her a nod Of sympathy, and stopped
down to stroke the cat.
Now, Totty. get up and be friendly TO
Mr.. -" She stopped.
THAT reminds me-" he said, I'VE have
not exchanged names yet My name is
Robert Morley"
"And mine Is Elizabeth Davidson"
Elizabeth hl repeated softly. my
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