The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-06


AN so, you see." he added gently. turn
ing back into the room, that there amt
any use O finishin the story as they've
wrote it down.,
The rumble of heavy carts, the never
ce2sing changing of bells on the cable cars.
and the effect of the restless surging of
humanity in the narrow streets penetrated
everywhere 1t was impossible to get away
from it. What one could not. see one could
hear and what was not heard could be
seen; and, although the buildings reared
their heads higher and higher into the
heavens in self-defense, the noise was still
waited up to them, and the life OF the
great city remained theirs
An so lowed I'd drop in The speak
err was large man, with thick, white hair
pushed back from his forehead. His face
was tanned and furTowed as though from
much exposure to the weather and he had
the manner of those who go down to the
sea in ships" He stood looking around the
room, breathing somewhat rapidly from his
toiling up the long flights of stairs, and
hesitating as though uncertain what TO do
next Seem as there was some things to
be bought in the way O. fiXin's for the boats,
an Steve Hawkins, as is my partner not
wishin to come he added helplessIy A
woman the only other person in the room,
and who had risen from her desk on his
sudden entrance, smiled slightly.
GU might SIT down, she SAID ana
rest yourself for a few moments, although
L am afraid you won't find here just what
you want
He took the chair which she placed for
him, seating himself squarely in it, with
his largo hands placed on his knees, and
once more took a careful survey of the
room, occasionally bringing his eyes to bear
curiously upon her. 1t was a small corner
room Juttlng out over a business street on
one side and overlooking an apartment
house on the other. The principal article
OF furniture in it was u large desk covered
with books; IN the middle was clear space
on which were sheets of paper closely writ
ten over, some placed neatly IN piles and
others strewn carelessly about. One page
cd nd wit ST
wet with ink lying by its side showed what
she was doing at the time of the interrupt
ton. On the walls hurg some etchings,
and there were a few chairs placed about
IF you will excuse me-" she said after
moment, Il will go on with my work and
you can sit there until you are rested.
She seated herself at the desk, with her
back toward him, and the scratching of the
pen commenced. She finished the page IN
numbered 1t, and so on, page after page
1t was evidently copy she was making from
the original manuscript in front of her.
Twenty minutes, half an hour, passed, and
still she wrote. The wind, blowing in
through the open window, moved the cur
tain back and forth with a stiff, rafting
pavements, and the shrill voices of the
newsboys calling their first edition, rose
story by story until every corner of the
little room seemed filled with unrest. A
large pianO-organ just outside the building
started up popular air. The writer mad
appeared unconscious of the general noise;
now her brows contracted, and after
moment she threw down her pen in despair
and got up from her seat. At the sight of
the old man she started and looked be-
Wildered.
"Oh, had forgotten. I didn't know you
were still here" Something IN his face
caused her to add: Perhaps you came to
see me, after all. 1 did not understand
He made no answer, but. thrusting his
hand deep into the pockets of his loose coat,
brought up a magazine which bore the date
of the previous year. 1t looked perfectly
fresh, as though having been scarcely han
la6 nd h1It fnNxr of hn
He turned the pages over very slowly in
fumbling way, evidently hunting for some
thing in particular, and yet unfamiliar with
the contents of the book.
Here it's" he said at last. Il never
looked at it but once so I'd kind o forgot
ten where twas"
Pointing to tie bottom of page, he hand
ed her the book, and then leaned back in his
chair with a breath of relief
The woman took it with a puzzled air, but
as her, eyes caught the page she looked
'.Ah, you have brought me my story. And
you came a long distance to tell me that
you liked it. How kind" she stopped
suddenly. cor, rather" she added, noticing
his expression, ito tell me that you did not
like it?'
The situation was perfect. Here was ma
terial right at hand for her next story, and
she smiled slightly she looked at him.
One could work it up well; she felt sure Of
that; good deal of humor with, perhaps,
little pathos. And the title; what should
that be? She still kept her eyes fixed I'M
consciously upon him as her imagination
worked fancies in her brain. Yes, she was
glad f he came in just that way perhaps s 10
west window, and the motion, with the
sound of his voice, recalled her to herself.
lis the village an the 'Scttcment is Two
miles off. They call i, to, but l low it's
somethin' more An that's where live"
"Yes?" She had gone over to the desk
faced him while at the same time, one
hand held a pencil with which she wrote
down a word occasionally. Her visitor had
Onor lie nd a
near the window. Leaning idly back with
an absent look in his eyes which seemed
neys. he continued, AN that's where the
bay is, all smilin' and peaceful such a day
as this, an the boats a-layin' to, with their
in the breeze. An off, way off, is the ocean
stretchin' itself clear out to the sky He
gave a sigh which might have betokened
some slight home sickness. An that's
where we live, Marthy an me:
''WeI?" said his listener at last, after
long pause And the story? You read 1t
Yes he answered. still looking out of
the window and smiling as though trying
to recall some pleasant scene. Yes" he re-
peated, AN there was Steve Hawkins, be-
sides. an little Car'line am her brother.
Just we five The readin'," and there was
touch of pride in his voice, alters takin'
place in the settin' ROOM which Marthy has
kind O. fixed up accordin' to her ways o
looking directly at her. want never fin
ished seein' as 'twa'n't wrote down cor
rect
He uttered the last sentence quite calmly,
with the confidence of one who states a fact
that can admit of no contradiction
Why he went on, speaking almost pity
ingly, and yet with a touch OF SternneSS III
his voice, "she couldn't do any harm.
APers so gentle an sweet, her bein' a wo-
man grown couldn't ha' made any differ
ence for the same light was shinin out o
her pretty eyes, an the same smile was on
her lips. An so,' he added, rising and pick
ing up his hat, which lay on the floor by
his side, "seein as l was up in the city,
lowed I'd stop in
The pencil had dropped from the woman's
hand several minutes before he ceased
speaking and she was now tearing into bits
the paper on which she had been writing.
tie piles on the desk before her, she said,
without turning around:
And So although you never read beyond
that number you did not believe it of herr
Seem as there wa n t any truth in it.
No"
She laughed a little bitterly "And yet you
remember what the story was. That they
all blamed her
night" he finished ''she that bein a wom-
an grown had commenced to love, an bein
loved, She"
Eyes, l know, I remember" she inter-
rupted hastily, looking az around, 1t vast
a lighter tone. But 1 forget. You never
read the last number. There it was ex-
planned But you see by that time it was
her, Just those she cared for most"
There was a faint. pathetic note in her
voice as she emphasized the word all"
And So as the story tells us, she became
somewhat resentful and hard" She had
placed the bits of paper in one pile and
now. seemed absorbed in the act of separat-
ing them slowly, piece by piece. But
then" she continued speaking, half to her