Iron County register., 1900-03-01
bore to call her dearest" he did nov

know.
"Oh, no.
Them"
at startled me. But I think like to
have you near. It's so dark"
1T is-very dark" He came nearer.
1t was delicious to think she could be
afraid of the dark. He had feared she
was too clever.
What were you going to say?" she
asked.
Il suppose" he said, despair coming
on again. II suppose there wasn't any
body here tonight who hadn't written
a book?"
Most of them, several" He fancied
she sighed again. 1t must be boredom
this time to think of the brilliant peo-
pie at supper while she was shut up
with him. He fancied that it was with
an effort she turned to him and said:
''And when's your book coming out ?"
She did speak wearily.
II don't know" he stammered.
you are a slow writer. then ."
Il can't even spelI!" he bIurted out.
''Oh, | don't know that that makes
any difference
There was another silence. Then she
appeared to make another effort.
And you really can't tell me when
il would be of any use putting it on my
list?''
''Oh, how can l bear it?'' His voice
came out of a dream.
She supposed his work had not been
accepted and reproached herself for
somehow went on to make it worse.
They generally don't mind" she
said.
mind what? ?" he murmured.
''Being refused"
He felt himself grow burning hot.
Have | beer refused?" he stam-
mered.
You know"
81 didn't dream l had dared-I don't
understand. How did you guess what
l.
Its so usual" she said.
He found he was fighting for breath.
But you mustn't mind" she said,
with sudden kindness. You must be
proud. and say like the others, that it's
gross blindness and prejudice, and that
somebody else will recognize your
merit
'The-the others?" he stammered.
''What others?''
''All those who have been refused"
''Were-were there many?"
"Hundreds."
Penwin laid hold hard of the edge
of her chair.
But you mustn't mind so much.
Indeed. you mustn't, dear Mr.. Penwin.
Everybody begins by being refused.
Please don't mind so.''
''How can 1 help?" he demanded, al
most with a sob.
She put out a ministering hand and
it met his cheek, which was bowed
down. There was a tear on it. He
seized the hand and kissed it. and then,
they neither of them knew how, he
was on his knees by her side.
MAKE up to me for it-a little" he
said. 1T is as hard as DEATH"
Her hand was still in both of his
He felt subtle change in it. 1t quiv
cred. and then seemed consciously to
surrender itself to him. He kissed it
again.
After ALL she said, by and by, in
new voice, somehow | should not have
thought you were writing man."
"Why not?"
You don't look like it, you know"
81 don't" he admitted. miserably.
"And YOU never ask how much So
and So got for So and So. and you never
seem annoyed at anybody's book being
a success, and you never say a good
thing and then seem to think you've
wasted it, and you don't talk about
form and local color and
"You see" he pleaded, I'm quite
novice.''
And always when you came into the
room there seemed to come a breath
from the mountains where nobody
one can live with real and beautiful
things instead of writing about them,
and Liked that"
He was so sad and so happy that he
was dumb.
"Dyou know, ,Td-I'd rather you did
mt write!"
'Dulcie!" He had never dared even
to think of her by her name, but now
it seemed the one word in the whole
world that belonged to his lips. "Dul
cie."
Yes" she whispered.
Don't you like writing men?"
I'm sick to death of them
Gould you like man who couldn't
put two words together?" he painted.
I'm afraid 1 do
Gould you-could you love him?"
I'm afraid 1 do"
For ore sharp moment happiness
seemed a greater agony than despair.
Then he leaned his face to hers, and TIE
agony was gone.-Good Words.
FOrevarned Is FOrearmed.
In Canadian town in which the con.
tracing business is quite largely in the
hands of Scotchmen there has long ex.
listed fierce compe tition between the
several firms engaged therein, the re-
suit being that the municipality has
had its work done below cost. Owing
to protracted losses several of the COM
petitors were retired and the two sur
viving concerns decided that the time