Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-05-24
CHAPTER VII.

| bic Mans verdict. She still looked Singu-
larly lifclcss and appeared to drag herself
about with painful effort, but the place
suited her, and she enjoyed sitting in the
sun listening to the music which was
played by scratchy string band. Some
| of the Kurhaus guests, seeing that she was
alone and ailing, made some attempt to be
kindly to her She always seemed aston
ishcd that people should concern them
selves about her. Whatever her faults
| were, it never struck her that she might be
| of any Importance to others, however inn
| portant She might be to herself. She was
| grateful for any little kindness which was
| shown her. but at first she kept very much
| to herself, talking chiefly with the Disa-
| grccablc Man, who, by the way had sur
| prised every onc-but no one more than
| himsclf-by his unwOntcd behavior in be-
| slowing even II fraction of his companion
| ship on IL Pctcrshof human being
There was n great deal of curiosity about
| her, but no one vcnturcd to question her
since Mrs. Rcffold's defeat. Mrs. Rctfold
herself rather avoided her, having always
n vague suspicion that Bcrnardinc tried to
make fun of her. But whether out Of per-
vcrsity or not Bcrnardinc never would be
avoided by her, never let her pass by with
out few words of conversation, and al
ways went to her for Information, much
to the amusement Of Mrs. Rcffold's faith
full attendants.
There was always n twinkle in Bcrnar-
dimes eye when she spoke with Mrs Ref
fold Shc never fastened herself onto any
one. No one could say she intrudcd. AS
timo went on there was vague sort of
feeling that sho did not intrude enough
She was ready to speak if any one cared to
speak with her, but she never began a con
vcrsation except with Mrs. RcffOld When
people did talk to her, they found her gen
ial. Then the sad face would smile kind
ly and the sad eyes speak kind sympathy,
or some bit of fun would flash forth and
II peal of young laughter ring out. 1t
seemed strange that such fun could come
from her.
Those who noticed her said she appeared
always to be thinking.
She was thinking and learning.
Some few remarks roughly mado by the
Disagrccablc Man had impressed her deep
ly.
You have como to IL new world, p" he
said, the world of suffering. You arc in
n fury because your career has been checked
and because you have been put ON the
shclf-you of all people, Now you will
learn how many quite as able as yourself,
and ADLER, have been put on the shelf, too,
and have to stay there. You are only y
pupil in suffering. What about the pro
fcssorsY If your wonderful wisdom has
left you with any sense ut all, look about
you and learn.
So she was looking and thinking and
learning. And rs the days went by per
haps II softer light came into her eyes.
All her life long her standard of Judging
people had been an intellectual standard
or an artistic Staudard-what people had
done with outward and visible signs how
far they had contributed to thought how
far they had influenced any great move
mrnt or originated it, how much of u
benefit they had been to thCir century or
thcir country, how much social or pulit-
iCal activity how much educational CnCr-
gy they had devoted to the pressing need
of the times.
She was undoubtedly a clever, cultured
young woman. The great work of her life
had been self culture To know and un-
dcrstand She had spared neither herscl:
nor any one else 70 know and to use
her acquired knowledge intellectually as
teacher, perhaps, too, as writer, had been
the great aim of her life, Everything that
furthcrrd this aim won her instant attrn-
ton 1t never struck her that she WAS
selfish Ono docs not think of that until
the great check comes One gOcS on and
would 80 on. But a barrier rises UP.
Then, finding one can advance no farther,
one turns round, and what docs one see
Brrnar(linc saw that She had ccmc a long
Journey. She saw what the Traveller saw
That WAS Ill She SAW at first Then She
remembered that she had done the Journey
entirely for her own sake Perhaps it
might not have looked So lrcary II ii had
been undertaken for some one else,
She had claimed nothing Of any one, she
had given nothing to any one; She had
simply taken her life in her own hands
and made what She could of it, What had
she madc of it?
Many women asked for riches, for posi-
ton, fer influence and authority and al
miration She had only asked to be able
to work, 1t seemed little enough to ask.
That she asked SO little placed her, 50 she
Thought, apart from the common herd of
eager askcrs To he cut of from active
life and earnest work was u possibility
which never occurred To her
1t never crossed her mind that in asking
for the one thing for which She longcd she
was really asking for the greatest thing.
Now, in the hour Of her enlightenment and
in the hour of the bitterness of her heart,
she still pridcd herself upon wanting So
little
1t seems So little to ask. She cried to
herself time after time : only want to
be able to do Il few strokes of work.
would he content now to do so little If only
might do some. The LATEST day laborCr
on the road would laugh Mt the small
amount of work which would content me
now.
She told the Disagrccable Man that one
day.
:" 50 you think you arr moderate in your
demands, he said to her. You arr
most amusing young woman. You arc 50
perfectly unconscious how cxacting YOU
really are. For, after all, what is it you
wants You want 10 have that wonderful
brain ef yours restorcd 50 that you may
begin TO teach and perhaps write book.
Well To repeat my former words, YOU are
still ut phase one, and YOU nC longing t.
b, strong enough TO fulfill your ambitions
and write book When You arrive at