The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-05-16

"c~ 70 Ps.yt iof you seeih W Hs rAtner
better lately"
What confession for you TO make of
any onei" said she.
"Oh, don't mean to say that you will
ever get well, he added grimly. "You
seem to have pulled yourself In too saany
directions for that. You have tried to be
too alive, and now you are obliged to join
the genus cabbage"
II am certainly less III than was when
first came, she said. And I feel In bet
ter frame OF mind altogether / am learn
Ing good deal in sad Petershof"
'That Is more than / have done" he
answered.
We'll, perhaps you teach instead" 4" she
said. "You ha 70 taught me several things
Now, go on telling me about the country
people. You like them2'
II love them," he said simply. II
know them well, and they know me. You
see, have been in this district so long
now and have walked about so much that
the very woodcutters know me, and the
drivers give me lifts on their piles OF tim
ber"
You are NOT surly with the poor peo-
pie, thenP said Bernardine Though I
must say cannot imagine you being gen.
ial. Were you ever genial, I wonderg"
II don't think that has ever been laid
TO my charge" he answered.
The time passed away pleasantly. The
Disagreeable Man was scarcely himself to-
day. Or was it that he was more like him.
self? He seemed in a boyish mood; no
made fun out Of nothing and laughed with
such young, fresh laughter that even Au-
gust, the grave blue spcctacled driver was
moved To mirth. AS for Bernardine, she
had TO look at Robert Allitsen several times
10 be sure that he was the same Robert
Allitsen she had known two hours ago In
Pctershof But she made no remark and
showed no surprise, but met his merriness
half way. Noo ono could be cheerier com
panion than herself WHOM she chose.
At last they arrived at Loschwitz. The
sledge wound its way through the sloshy
streets of the queer little village and final
ly drew up in front of the Gasthaus. 1t
was Q blsck sunburnt chalet, with green
shutters and steps leading up to green
balcony. A fringe of sausages hung from
the roof; red bedding was scorching in the
sunshine; three cats were summing them
selves on the steps; a young woman sat in
the green balcony knitting There were
some curious inscriptions on the walls of
the chalet and the date was distinctly
marked, lo1U.s
An old woman over the way sat in her
doorway spinning. She looked up as the
sledge stopped before the Gasthaus, but
the young woman in the green balcony
went on knitting and saw nothing.
A buxom elderly hausfrau came ont to
greet the guests. She wore a naturally
kind expression on her old face, but when
she saw who the gentleman was the kind
t.<. onlS 49, 1t H.
lative.
She first retired and called out:
Liza, Fritz, Liza, Trudchon, como
quicklyi''
Then sho came back and cried:
Herr Allitsen, what surprised"
She shook his hand times without num-
Der, greeted Bernardine with motherly
tenderness and interspersed all her re-
marks with frantic cries Of Liza, Fritz,
Trudchen, make hastel"
She became very hot and excited and
gesticulated violently.
All this time the young woman sat knit
ting, but not looking up. She had been
beautiful, but her face was worn now, and
her eyes had that vacant stare which be-
tokened the vacant mind.
The mother whispered to Robert Allit-
sen:
"She notices no one now. She sits there
always waiting"
Tears came into the kind old eyes.
Robert Allitsen went and bent down to-
the young woman and held out his hand.
"Catharina," he said gently.
She looked up then and saw him and
recognized him.
Then the sad face smiled welcome.
He sat near her and took her knitting in
his hand, pretending to examirc what she
had done, chatting to her quietly all the
time. He asked herwhat she had been do
ing with herself since he had last seen her.
and she said:
Waiting am always waiting" :.
He knew that she referred to her lover,
who had been lost in an avalanche the eve
before their wedding morning. That was
four years ago, but Catharina was still
waiting. Allitsen remembered her as
bright young girl, singing in the CAST
haus, waiting cheerfully on the guests, a
bright, gracious presence. No one could
cook trout as she could. Many dish of
trout had she served up for him. And now
she sat in the sunshine knitting and wait
ing, scarcely ever looking up. That was
her life.
"Catharina" he said as no gave her
back her knitting, do You remember how
you used 70 cook me the trouti
Another smile passed over her face. Yes,
she rcmembored
"Will you cook me some todayf'
She shook her head and returned to her
knitting.
Bernardine watched the Usagreeable
Man with amazcment. She could not have
believed that his manner could be so ten
der and kindly. The old mother standing
near her Whispered:
He was always so good to us all. We
love lam, every one Of us. When poor
Catharina was betrothed five years ago, 10
was TO Herr Allitsen we first told the good
news He has a wonderful way about him
just look at him with Cathariea now.
She has not noticed any one for months,
but she knows him, you Sec"
At that moment tho other members OF
the household came-Liza, Frits and
a maiden of 10, Of the
homely Swiss type; Fritz, handsome lad
OF Ia, and Trudchen, just free from school,
with her school satchel swung on her back.