The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-05-11

between ner anu the reallZatlOn OF
some OF the hard lines of her past.
He was glad that it was SO; but he
hoped that, as life was showing more
happily for her now, she might put
away that childish mood for one more
womanly.
At that instant the playfulness dis
appeared. She looked at him with a
serious, wistful face, and said simply,
"You are so kind-I love you"
David tried to speak, but his lips
closed upon the words. In his at
tempt to express his feeling he found
himself as hopelessly and helplessly
dumb as the kitten under Annie's
hand. The outspoken sentiment, the
affectionate pathos in her face was
more than his self-conscious difidence
could bear. He rose, and with some
excuse of neglected duty went outside.
There he sat long time, close to the
altar of the great temple, meditating
other offerings of homely service.
The little scene of the evening was
characteristic of much of their after
life. Annie's impulsiveness, that had
all tho ingenious freedom Of child
hood, was always surprise to David's
quiet dignity, and her protestations
of gratitude and affection were an en-
barrassment to him. Her easy dem
monstration seemed to increase the
weight of his own stolid silence; but,
try as he would, he could not over
come it.
He had no medium of expression
but that Of doing. He applied him
self carefully to the wood and water
basis of their housekeeping, and took
OH himself gradually many tasks sup
! posed to be within the province of
womankind. Annie was inclined at
first to oppose his encroaching on her
domain; but, in time, she came to
forget her unwillingness in the inter-
est and amusement of Watching his
methods.
One morning she stood by, laugh
ing at his awkwardness while he was
trying to coerce newly-bought
washing machine to do its duty. He
was struggling with the theory of the
machine, while, propped up against q
door, her hands behind her back,
stood Annie, teasing him about his
new accomplishment with raillery
and gayety that made him think of
the bobolinks outside.
He had perhaps never been more
keenly conscious of her dearness to
him as he listened to that merry
strain; but his face was very grave
and silent. She bent toward him sud
denly with a speech half bantering,
half kind; when, because the crit
ical faculty in her was awakening, or
from some accident of conditions, it
seemed that for the first time she saw
his face as it really was-stern and
unresponsive. She drew back with
quick misgiviDg. What! didn't he
like her?
She slipped from the room, ran up
the stairs and sat down to think about
it. 1t was her first mood of retrospect
and questioning. Strange what q
rapid growth a fungus of doubt can
makel
Yes, she remembered now-he had
always looked like that, though some
how che had never minded. She had
taken it for granted that he was fond
OF her because she cared for him, and
it seemed so much easier for people to
care than not to care. She herself had
loved all the world that she had known
her father, the kitten, the dog, even
the pretty sprigged china had come in
for an occasional pat and kind word.
Had she been too sure, too thought
less, too happy? She laid her head
upon the table and cried. Over and
over she muttered through her tears
that it was easier to care than not to
surely no one could have Won
dered that she had been so blind. She
remembered tnow that he had never
answered her when she had told him
all her heart. How cold and silent he
had been Truly she had made mis-
take! Strange that she had not found
it out beforel
She rose and went to the window.
David was outside, bending and work
ing over something in his palm. 1t
was bird with broken wing. He
was tending it with all the gentleness
and patience that could find express
sion in his strong hard. The sight
became a revelation to / She knew
now why he had come T. y that
morning after her fathers death, and
had brought her to his home. He had
somehow understood how lonely and
wretched she was; and just as he tried
to heal and mend and save every
broken thing that came in his way, he
had gone to her in her time of need.
That was kind; but-she was no bird
nor dog nor kitten to receive aims OF
love, a pittance doled out to her in
mercy. She was woman, born to q
queens right in her cwn home; no
pensioner upon another's kindness.
She paced the floor restlessly few
minutes; then glanced again toward
the window, and this time her eyes
were full of the instinct of freedom
loving creature that has been shared
the instinct to escape. She looked
down the road that led away from the
village. Her fear of the world seemed
to have gone. She longed to be far
away within it, out of sight and hear
ing, in some place where-her child
lips were tremulous at the thought
she might sadden and grow old with
out his pity, wonder and care 1t was
n proof of her childishness that she
had never Thought how stranpa in IL