New-York tribune., 1900-01-14
NOT 4 WRITING MAN.

The Boy stood and looked and looked at the
Cir Il was by no means the first time he had
net her, and he would have been extremely
giad 10 know that il was the last. That is to
say he would have wished Of all things in the
world never to part from her again But this,
Ne ACKNOWLEDGED TO himself was past hoping
1or- All her people were so clever, everybody
sic knew had written something or other, she
was only used TO the very most intellectual
persons Why, even this party that ne was
now a. was given IN the great room at the end
II her fathers garden where he wrote his Won
1er1u- books And he-he was such a countri-
led fellow He only had money and a ridicu-
t0ls, cutie Intellectually useless strength Of
BODY He could only shoot and hunt. and play
games and manage dogs and horses. Boorish
pursuits, ne thought deSpairingly. Once he
frightened for a moment as he looked round
ne crowd Of nervous, narrow shouldered men.
bet anything not one Of 'em could bring
Gown q pheasant at P hundred yards" he said,
ana almost chucked 10 himself.
Nobody took any notice Of him. He felt that
ne had hardly any right 10 be there IF he had
ever taken a composition prize Al school or
even so much as written a letter to the papers.
ne let that he need not have stood there so
ashamed once She in her capacity as young
LosIesS had come and spoken TO him Very
shyly. And no wonder he thought bitterly.
HAaI single thing IN common with her could
such stupid fellow as he have? And so she
Aao lett him alone, after taking him 10 one or
TWO girls whom be supposed 10 en- BODY genius
N its most terrible form the feminine znarfrnau
ana who therefore found, and left him dumb
% ne wandered on into a far corner. for il
was large room, and when he had put himself
behind a small grove Of portfolios he could
watch her without being seen or being in any
Dooys 5 way For long time he gazed at her
t-i- ar, ana IN white with what he called a
lump Of black velvet against her Shining white
SloL-ler- Then at last she was lost 10 him in
2 ---lnS lar away at the other end Of the room
he turned his back on everybody and looked
|-th curious, ingenious wonder at some Inca
drawings which were in the corner on the wall
be did not observe that the noise Of voices
EE~" less and less and then ceased altogether
he was lost in q dream Of Her till suddenly he
vas awakened by the electric lights going out
altogether and the sound Of the key turning
u tl- lock Of the door. He listened acutely
L-e-, ana heard the gay voices growing fainter
OUTSIDE as the guests went along the Chinese
iauteTned path into the house to supper. He
Started out OF MS corner 10 rush for the door
and rry TO make somebody hear him. But he
erIanSled himself among the portfolio stands
Win d lDuQ noise, and when he eXtricated him
self and felt cautiously round in the darkness
for landmarks he found that he had lost his
bearings The sounds outside died quite away
Re stood still and wondered what he should
no. And where was She? What more worthy
man was handing ner TO supper? His teeth
came together at the thought It had been his
cC= -naI daring hope, 10 take her in to supper
this very last tine-and then 10 retire to Yege-
tate and slowly die in the empty country. And
even this had been denied him. He felt a chair
near and sat heavily down
Then his sharPened senses seemed to take in
breath and q soft rustic . very long way off
ana there came low, sweet voice, Are you
mere, Mr.. PenWln2
Rapture. Are you?" was all he could say
and he bounded from his chair.
She laughed gently. Yes. II got left behind
es-as you did. you know
= can't imagine how I did it, he said
~ on were dreaming something beautiful in
your corner
i was" ne cried out eagerly. and began to
nake his stumbling way toward her voice
Something that ] shall perhaps read some
day n a great bo0k2' she breathed softly
He stopped cropping with gasp. Heavens!
tn-s was worse than anything She took him,
hin -or a writer lie Dlushed as he stood there
II The darkness And, Of course, how could
s-e suppose that any guest Of her fathers had
E-t Hrr-en or was not about TO write, some
W1----s--r -rring masterpiece? II thrilled him for
be even for instant of writing something,
z1E---1s- But the despair all the iatter
a-t-rHard- Well, il certainly was ali over now,
the o1.y thing 10 get away from her as
SulcEly and with as little betrayal Of his stu
p-1--y IS possible. So he bundered out:
Tel me what I can do 10 let you out"
u.s. she said. very gently. he thought.
U.s. he echoed, and his heart seemed to him
h stop beating as he said it. That she should
US
There aren't any windows" she said in
voice that struck him oddly calm, coming
through the tUmUIt Of his feelings. Father has
lighted from the top, so that he shan't see
anything 10 distract his thoughts or we could
have got out that way"
Does ne really" said Penwin in Overlooking
soInlratlon OF this iron type Of genius. "Splen-
did mani"
DO you think SOP she said slowly. .I think
the blue sky OF the great clouds and the trees
a1c Ho|ers would help 10 make ones thoughts
beaUttul-aEd true"
De became more ashamed than ever. feeling