Newport daily independent., 1902-09-15


 and hopes led up to so ridiculous an ending And he was so sorry for his wasted love that he felt like cry ing.
 For three days he could do nothing he could not eat or sleep-but when he learned that Catherine had gone to Moscow to study music, he calmed down and his life flowed on peace fully.
 Four years went by. Starzey was by this time very popular physi- elan, with a large practice in the city.
 One beautiful morning he received letter from the TurlSins, in which he was requested to call without fail in the evening. There was a post cript in the note which read: II also invite you to come, Catherine"
 In the evening Starzey went up to their house.
 You never come to see me, doc tor" said the hostess with a re- proachfu1 smile "Of course, am too old to interest you, but my daughter may be more fortunate. She has just returned rom MOSCOW.
 Though Catherine had grown thin ner and paler, she still looked beauti- full and graceful But the doctor no ticed that the former expression of childish naivete was no more. There was something timid and guilty about her manners, as though she felt her self out of place here in her own home.
 ''How do you do?" she said, shaking his hand and regarding him stead fastly and eagerly "How stout you have grown, how manly! But on the whole you seem to have changed but little."
 Starzey was silent. Somehow the pallor and the expression of her face, the faint smile, and her voiceZall these did not appeal to him now, and soon he found fault with the dress she wore, with the very armchair in which she was seated He re- called his love for her-the dreams and hopes which stirred his soul four years ago-and he felt ashamed of | himself.
 They drank tea with sweet cakes. | Then the hostess read aloud a story of her own, after which Catherine played the piano as noisily as ever.
 Ut is a good thing that I didn't marry her." thought Starzey. Catherine ceased playing and looked at him, evidently waiting that he should ask her to go with him to the garden, but he kept silent.
 Let us speak" said she, advancing towards him. "Tell me, how are you getting along? I have been thinking | of you all these days" she went on nervously. q was going to write you. I have waited for you so impa- tiently to-day. For Gods sake, come into the garden"
 They walked out in the garden and seated themselves on the bench be- meath the maple tree. It was a dark night.
 ''Well, tell me, how are you get ting along?" asked Catherine.
 'As usual,'' replied Starzey.
 And he could not think of any thing else to say. They sat in si- lence for a while.
 q am nervous" said Catherine, covering her face with her hands, ''but don't pay any attention to that. I feel so good at home; I am so glad to see everybody here. How many happy recollections. It seemed to me that we would keep on speaking here all night long, until daybreak."
 She now gazed at him with naive curiosity as though she wanted to scrutinize, the better to comprehend l the man who once loved her so ten derly and passionately, and her eyes seemed to thank him for that love.
 At this time Starzey recalled how he roamed about the cemetery and how he escorted her to the club on the next day, and he felt sorry for the past. A new light was kindled in his soul.
 Do you remember the evening took you to the club?" he asked. Tt was raining. .. dark. ..."
 He was growing enthusiastic, he wanted to unburden himself, to com plain of life in general.
 "Eh," said he, with sigh. "You ask me how I am getting along. am getting older, stouter, weaker. Life passes gloomily, without leaving any impressions, without inspiring any thoughts. The days are devoted to money-maling, and the evenings spent in the club amid gamblers and alco- holics whom I detest from the depth of my heart. What good is there in | c1,nb lifa aC