The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-06-26

conditions in large cities. going to the
people for my material at first hand, it
will be Of infinitely larger value to me
and to the seminary than course in
lectures and books"
"You are free to mark out your own
methods of study" replied the presi-
dent. According to the terms of the
scholarship, the only condition is a
year spent abroad in some regular
course of study, with a report of it to
be made within six months to the SEM
mary"
So Kirk was happy in his thought Of
the years work, and when the treas
urer had given him the check for the
$7OO and he had gone to Boston and en-
gagged his passage in the intermediate
cabin he felt as if he had very inter-
esting years life before him.
He had come back. to his room and
made his final preparations for leaving.
They were very simple necessarily. He
was going light handed to live in the
most frugal, economical manner possi-
BILE. 1t was now Tuesday evening. His
vessel sailed Thursday afternoon. He
was all ready to go, and yet he had an
irresistible longing to see Dorothy Gil
bert before he went.
He fought against the inclination un-
til o'clock and then did what he knew
he would do all along-he dressed in
the most careful manner he knew how
and walked straight across the campus
to her house.
AS he went up the steps he heard the
piano. Dorothy was playing. When
he was in the hall, he glanced into the
parlor and saw Francis Raleigh stand
! ing there.
| sThen a fit Of timidity seized him.
/, Something in Raleigh's face and man
ner made him feel that it was impossi-
BILE to see Dorothy Gilbert with the
| gifted artist. He asked the servant if
| Mr.. Gilbert was at home and said he
wanted to see him few moments.
1t was the nearest to a lie that NAL
com Kirk ever approached. However,
when the servant ushered him into Mr..
| Gilbert's library he was not sorry to
have talk with the publisher.
| Mr.. Gilbert had been abroad. Kirk
|
| les and people on the continent. He
grew every moment more interested
and staid for more than an hour. Nj.
| Gilbert insisted on presenting him with
two or three copies Of Baedeker and
followed him out into the hall when he
finally rose to go, wishing him a sue;
cessful year of study.
The piano had stopped. and the door
into the parlor was closed, but Kirk
could hear voices, and it seemed to him
that they were unusually earnest. He
imagined he could detect a tone of
pleading in one Of them.
He went out into the night and walk
ed the seminary campus under the
grave elms for two or three hours. He
felt disappointed. He went over his
prospects. He viewed from all sides
his position as man with a career,
and before he let himself into his dingy
room he had gone down into depth Of
self depreciation that measured val.
ley of humiliation for him.
But when he awoke the next day be
determined, with dull obstinacy that
was a part Of his character, that he
would see Dorothy Gilbert before be
went away. And when evening came he
walked over to the house again.
She was playing the piano again, but
this time alone. She turned around
as Kirk entered and smiled as II she
were glad to see him, and before ID
had time to think of any possible shy
ness he was talking about his pros
poets, the places he expected to visit
the methods he was planning to use.
AS the talk went on Dorothy Gilber
grew more Interested. Kinks voice ha(
i, something to do with 1t. But asid'
from that he was at his best whil'
talking about his life work. Doroth!
forgot that he was theOlOgue. Sew
, eral times she was startled at her re
sponse to his enthusiasm. He ha'
planned an original trip abroad, AM
the details of what he intended to d.
reused her native intensity to see re
suits. 2.
, But right in the midst of his explana
ton of what he expected to do in Lon
, don Kirk paused.
81 heard you playing the 'Traume
p ref when came in. Miss Gilbert. Wi
r you please play it again?'
; Dorothy looked surprised at the al
! rupt change. but without word wen
to the piano and began. Kirk kneN
enough about music to know that sh
!, played well, better than any one b
had ever heard.
When she finished, she turned abor
and said: You will hear some goo
music while you are abroad, Mr.. Kirl
q The Germans, especially, furnish til
people with the very best music in tn
" parks and gardens at very sma
Il price"
II She suddenly colored deeply as sh
q thought he might imply that she wa
!, thinking Of his poverty, Of his inabilit
q to hear expensive music in expensiy
! places. If he thought Of it, he mao
. no sign that she noticed. But he salt
- 81 shall never hear any better mus
than l have heard tonight"
The minute he had said 1t he felt Il
10 same tiinidity seize him that came ov'
n him the evening before. But it passe
70 away quickly, and, to his relief, he fe
N a certain inward strength and indon
n table courage fill him. Dorothy was
N first anu Sed at the compliment; tht