The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-07-26
CHAPTER XIV.
WHICH CONTAINS NOTHING.


"You may have talent for other things"
Robert Allitsen said one day to Bernar
dine ''but you certainly have no talent
for photography. You have not made the
slightest progress
Il dom t at all agree with you" Bernar-
dine answered rather peevishly. II think
l am getting on very well. :"
You are no judge" he said. "To be-
gin with, you cannot focus properly. You
have crooked eye. / have told you that
several times"
You certainly have, " she put in. "You
don't let me forget that.
Your photograph of that horrid little
danseuse whom you like SO much, he
said, lis simply abominable. She looks
like fury Well, she may be one for all
1 know, but in real life she has not the
appearance Of one."
Il think that is the best photograph I
have DONE" Bernardine said, highly in
dignant She could tolerate his uppish
ness about subjects of which she knew far
more than he did, but his masterfulness
about subject of which she really knew
nothing was more than she could bear
with patience. He had not the tact to see
that she was irritated.
Il don't know about it being the best"
he said, unless it is the best specimen of
your inexperience Looked at from that
point of view, it does stand first"
She flushed crimson with temper.
Nothing is easier than to make fun of
others" {" she said fiercely. 1T is the re-
source of the ignorant"
Then, after the fashion of angry women,
having said her say, she stalked away. If
there had been door to bang, she would
certainly have banged 1t. However, she
, did what she could under the circun-
stances-she pushed a curtain roughly
aside and passed into the concert room,
where every night of the seasons six
months scratchy string orchestra enter
tanned the Kurhaus guests. She left the
Disagreeable Man standing in the passage.
Dear me, " he said thoughtfully. And
he stroked his chin. Then he trudged
slowly up TO his room.
Dear me-" he said once more.
Arrived in his bedroom, he began to
read. But after few minutes he shut his
book, took the lamp to the looking glass
and brushed his hair. Then he put on a
black coat and white silk tie. There was
a spcck of dust on the coat He carefully
removed that and then extinguished the
lamp.
On his way down stairs he met Marie,
who gazed at him in astonishment. 1t
was quite unusual for him to be seen again
/ when he had once come up from table
d'hote. She noticed the black coat and
the white silk tie, too, and reported on these
eccentricities to her colleague Anna
The Disagreeable Man meanwhile had
reached the concert hall. He glanced
around and saw where Bernardine was
! sitting and then chose place in the oppo-
| site direction, quite by himself. He looked
! somewhat like dog who has been beaten.
| Now and again he looked up to see wheth-
/ er she still kept her seat. The bad music
was great irritation to him. But he staid
! on heroically There was no reason why
| he should stay. Gradually, too, the audi
ence began to thin. Still he fingered, al
ways looking like dog in punishment.
At last Bernardine rose, and the Disa-
! greeable Man rose too He followed her
| humbly to the door. She turned and saw
him.
II am sorry put you in a bad temper, "
he said 1T was stupid of me-
Il am sorry got into bad temper"
she answered, laughing. "Itwas stupid OF
me-"
Il think have said enough to apollo.
giZe," he said. 1T Is a process dislike
very much"
And with that he wished her good night
and went to his room.
But that was not th9,Snd of the matter,
for the next day when he was taking his
breakfast with her he of his own accord
returned to the subject
1T was partly your own fault that
vexed you last night" he said. You have
never before been touchy, and 80 / have
become accustomed to saying what
choose. And it is not in my nature to b'
f1attering."
THAT Is very truthful statement O.
yours" she said as she poured out he
coffee. But own was touchy. Ant
SO shall be again If you make such cut
ting remarks about my photographs.
You have a crooked eye, he said grim
ly. Look there, for instance! You hav
poured your coffee outside the cup. D
course you can do as you like but the usu
al custom is to pour it inside the cup"
They both laughed, and the good under
standing between them was cementet
again.
You are certainly getting better, " h
said suddenly. II should not be surprises
II you were able to write a book, after all
Not that a new book Is wanted. There AT
too many books as 1t Ii and not enougl
people to dust them. Still 1t II not prob
sble that you would be considerats enougl
TO remember that. You win write you
hrnt "