The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-07-05
CHAPTER V.
THE DISAGREEkBLE MAN.

Robert AllltSen told Bcrnardlne that she
was not likely to be on friendly terms with
the English eople in the kurhaus
They will not care about you, and you
will not care about the foreigners. So you
will thus be thrown on your own resourc ),
just as was when l came"
II cannot say that have any resources,
Bernardne answered Il don't feel we
enough to try to do any writing, or else
would be delightful to have the unin,"-
rupted LEISURE
So she had probably told him little
about her life and occupation, although
it was not likely that she would have CIV
en- him any rious condolences. Still peo-
pie are often surprisingly frank about
themselves, even those who pride them
selves upon being the most reticent NOR
tails in the W, rid.
but now, having the leisure, she con-
tinued, II have not the brains
Il never knew any writer who had,"
said the Disagreeable Man grimly.
Perhaps your experience has been lin
ited," she suggested.
tWhy don't you read2" he said. "There
is good library here. 1t contains all the
books we don't want to read"
Il am tired of reading" Bernardine
said. II seem to have been reading all my
life. My un-.e, with whom I live, keeps
a secondhand bookshop, and ever since
can remember have been surround,
by books. They have not done me much
good, nor any one else either"
mo, probably not, " he said But now
that you have left off reading you will
have a chance of learning something, If
you live long enough. 1t is wonderful how
much one does learn when one does not
i- nj, IL
care about reading now, why do you not
occupy yourself with cheese mites!'
Il do not feel drawn toward cheese
mites
Perhaps not at first, but all the same
they form subject which is very engag-
ing. Or any branch of bacteriology?"
"Well, If you were to lend me micro
scope, perhaps l might begin"
Il could not do that" he answered
quickly II never lend my things
No, did not suppose you would she
said. II knew was safe in making the
suggestion"
You are rather quick of perception in
spite of all your book reading" he said.
Eyes, you are quite right. l am selfish.
dislike lending my things and dislike
spending my money except on myself. If
you have the misfortune to lingcr on as l
do, you will know that it is perfectly le-
gitimate to be selfish in small things, if
one has made the one great sacrifice" "
''And what may that be?"
| She asked so eagerly that he looked at
her and then saw how worn and tired her
face was and the words which he was in
tending to speak died on his lips
| Look at those asses of people on tobog-
| gans," he said brusquely. Gould you
| 70 i'm, hot
That might do you good. -
"Yes," she said, "but it would not be
| any pleasure to me-"
She stopped TO watch the toboggans fly
ing down the road. And the Disagreeabln
Man went his own solitary way, a forlorn
! figure, with face almost expressionless
| and a manner wholly impenetrable.
He had lived nearly seven years at Pc
tershof, and like many Others was obliged
to continue staying there if he wished tn
continue staying on this planet. 1t was
not probable that he had any wish to pro-
long his frail existence, but he did his du-
ty to his mother by conserving his life,
and this feeble flame of duty and affection
was the only lingering bit of warmth in a
heart frozen almost by i'll health and dis
appointed ambitions. The moralists tell
us that suffering ennobles, and that right
acceptation of hindrances goes toward
forming IA beautiful character. But this
result must largely depend on the original
character-certainly, in the case of Robert
| Allitsen, suffering had not ennobled his
mind, nor disappointment sweetened his
disposition. His title of Disagreeable Man
had been fairly earned, and he hugged it
to himself with n triumphant secret salts
faction There were some people in Peters
absurd rumors about his alleged kindness.
1t was said that on more than one occa-
sion he had nurSed the suffering and the
dying in sad Petershof, and with all the
sOrrowful tenderness worthy of a loving
mother had helped them to take their leave
of life. But these were only rumors, al
there was nothing in Robert Allitsen's or,
binary bearing to justify such talk. So the
foolish people who, for the sake of making
themselves peculiar, revived these unlike
ly fictions were speedily ridiculed and re
duced to silence. And the Disagreeablt
Man remained the Disagreeable Man, with
clean record for unamiability.
He lived life apart from others MosI
Of his time was occupied in photography
or In the use and study of the microscope
or In chemistry. His photographs wers
considered to be most beautiful. Not thai
he showed them specially to any one, b,l
he generally sent specimen of his worl
to The Monthly Photograph Portfolio
and hence II was that people learned Il
know his skill He might be seen any fn'
day trudging along in company with hi
Photographic apparatus and q desolat,
dog, who looked almost as cheerless as hi
chosen oomrsde. Neither one took an,
notice Of the other. Allitssn was no NOR
genial TO the dog than he was to the Kur
asus sussss - pns ~ ros me- Wss no ~ mGss g
= anv enc n Pstssshof as