The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-05-23
being booklsh, and''----
What other virtues are left, ] wonders'

being booklsh, and''----
What other virtues are left, wonderi"
he interrupted.
And who does not scorn to take a pride
In her looks because she happens 20 take
| pride in her books" continued Bernar-
dine, looking at the Disagreeable Man and
not seeming TO see him. "She is what sho
is by reason of that grave and loveless wo-
/ man who won the battle for her"
Here she paused.
But how ridiculous for me TO talk to
you In this wayi" she said ut is not
likely that you would be interested in the
widening out Of women's livcs."
And pray why not!" he asked. Have
been on the shelf too longs'
II think you would not have been inter
ested even If you had never been on the
shelf, she said frankly. "You are not
the type OF man to be generous to woman
May ask one little question OF you,
which shall conclude this subjectY" he
said Since here we are already at the
Gasthaus, 10 which type Of learned woman
do you lay claim to belong!"
Bcrnardino laughed.
/ THAT l leave TO your own powers OF dis
elimination, she said and then added, If
| you have any"
And that was the end OF the matter for
| the word spread about that Herr Allitsen
had arrived, and every one turned out TO
| give the two guests greeting. Frau Stein
| hart smothered Bernardinc with motherly
tenderness and whispered in her ear:
You are bctrothod now, liebes frau
lcini Ach, am sure of IL"
But Bernardine smiled and shook her
head and went TO greet the others who
crowded round them, and at last poor
Catharina drew near, too, holding Bernar-
dimes hand lovingly within her own.
Then Hans Liza's lover, came upon the
scene, and Liza told the Dsagreeable Man
that she and Hans were to be married in
months time. And the Disagrecable
Man, much TO Bcrnardine's amazemcnt,
drew from his pocket small parcel, which
he confded to Liza's care. Every one
pressed round her while she opchcd it and
found what she had so often wished for,
silver watch and chain.
"Acb," she cried, ''how heavenly How
all the girls here will envy mel How an
CRY my dear friend Susanna will bc,''
Then there were the photographs to be
examined.
Liza looked with stubborn disapproval
on the pictures Of herself In her working
dress, but she did not conceal her admira-
tion of the portraits which showed her TO
the world in her best f1ncry.
''Ach" she cried, this Is something
like photograph
Tho Disagreeable Man grunted, but be- !
hayed after the fashion of hero, claim
ing, however, a little silentsympathy from
Bernardine.
1t was "a pleasant, homely scene, and
Bernardi-n, who felt quite at her ease
among these people, chatted away with
them as though she had known them all
her life.
Then Frau Steinhart suddenly remem-
bered that her guests needed some food,
and Liza was dispatched to her duties as
cook, though il was some time before she
r.,uid be ittdaeed TO leaYee4 looking at the
photographs.
Disagrecable Man. Then we shall get
our meal all the quicker"
She ran oil, laughing. and finally Bernar-
dine found herself alone with Catharina.
Liza is very happy" she said to Ber-
nardine. "She loves and is loved +"
THAT is. the greatest happiness, Ber-
nardine said half to herself.
"Fraulein knowst" Catharina asked ca
gerly.
Bcrnardinc looked wistfully at her COM
panion.
mo Catharina," she said. II have
only heard and read and seen"
Then you cannot understand" Catha-
rina said almost proudly But under
stand"
She spoke no more after that, but took
up her knitting and watched Bernartiine
playing with the kittens. She was play
ing with the kittens and she was thinking,
and all the time she felt conscious that
this peasant woman, stricken in mind
and body, was plying her because that
great happiness Of loving and being loved
had not come into her life. 1t had seemed
something apart from her. She had never
even wanted 1t. She had wished To stand |
alone, like little rock out at sea-
And now!
In few minutes tho Disagrccablc Man
and she sat down TO their meal. In spite /
OF her excitement Liza managed to pre-
pare everything nicely though when she
was making the omelette aux fines horbcs !
she had "a be kept guarded lest she might |
run of to have another look at the silver
watch and the photographs of herself in
her finest frock!
Then Bcrnardne and Robert Allitsen !
drank TO the health Of Hans and Liza, and
then came the time of reckoning. When |
he was paying the bill, Frau Steinhart,
having given him the change, said coax
ingly:
Last time you and fraulein each paid
share today yta pay it ell. Then perhaps
you are betrothed at last, dear Herr Ait T
sens Ach, how the old hausfrau wishes
you happinessl Who deserves to be happy |
II it is not our dear Herr Allitsens'
You have given me go centimes too
much, y ho SAID quietly. "You have your
head so full of other things that you can
not reckon properly"
But seeing that she looked troubled lest
she might have offended him he added
quickly;
when / am betrothed, good little old
house mother you shall be tho first to
know
And she had TO he content with that
She asked no moro questions of either Of
them, but she was terribly disappointed
There was something little comical in
her disappointment, but Robert Allitscn
4. l.