The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-03-29
"It's SO annoying" he ventured.

$50 tiresome for you," she was say.
Ing at the same time.
"Oh, don't mind"
"And, you see, it's-it's my father,
room." she added, in an explanatory
manner, so that he could not but feel
that something had been explained.
He would have been glad to have been
told what.
~ suppose We can talk?" she said,
nervously.
"Yes."
There was a long silence. He heard
that she sat down and he moved close
to her silently.
81 suppose" he began, desperately.
"Oh!" she cried.
"Yes?"
81 didn't think you were so near!"
did l frighten you?" How he for
bore to call her dearest" he did not
know.
"Oh. no."
Them"
at startled me. But think like TO
have you near. It's so dark"
at is-very dark" He came nearer.
It 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.
II suppose" he said, despair coming
on again. 81 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 il was with
an effort she turned to him and said:
And when's your book coming out p
She did speak wearily.
II don't know" he stammered.
"You are a slow writer, then?"
81 can't even spell!" he blurted out.
"Oh, l don't know that that makes
any difference"
There was another silence. Then she
to make another effort.
And you really can't tell me when
it would be Of any use putting it on my
list?"
"Oh, how can I bear it?" His voice
came out of dream.
She supposed his work had not been
accepted and reproached herself for
clumsiness. And then
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 l been refused?" he Stam-
"You know"
81 didn't dream l had dared-I don't
understand. How did you guess what
l."
"It's so usual" she said.
He found he was fighting for breath.
"But you mustn't mind" she said,
with sudden kindness. "You must be
,roud, 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
)f 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 l help?" he demanded, al
most with a sob.
She put out ministering hand and
t met his cheek, which was bowed
lown. There was tear on it. He
seized the hand and kissed it, and then,
hey neither of them knew how, he
was on his knees by her side.
make up to me for it-a little," he
said. "It is as hard as DEATH"
Her hand was still in both of his.
He felt a subtle change in it. 1t quiv-
cred, and then seemed consciously to
itself to him. He kissed it
again.
after ALL" she said, by and by, in a
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 a
novice!"
"And always when you came into the
room there seemed to come q breath
from the mountains where nobody
hunts for unusual words and where
one can live with real and beautifu
things instead of writing about them
and Liked that"
He was SO sad and SO happy that he
was dumb.
"D'you know, ibid rather you did.