Evening journal., 1905-06-13
Sympathy Versus Talent
lorigInaLl

ance constantly reminded him Of it.
Arvine instead of being flattered was
disgusted. Beauty in his eyes was Of
little valve. What he priced especially
was talent. He was not inclined to
marry, fearing that his wife would
have been won by his good looks,
whereas he wished to be loved for his
brain and ability.
Arvine lived in bachelor quarters
looking into court. One morning on
the opposite side of the court he saw
young girl sitting at a window.
There was a tinge Of melancholy about
her face that at once wOn the young
mans sympathy. He watchkd her for a
long while-indeed, till she went away
from the window-and after that
thought about her for the rest. of the
day. When he went to bed her face
was before him. and when he awole
he wondered II she would be at the
window during the day.
That afternoon the girl appeared, this
time standing with her face to the
window, but apparently oblivious to
what was to be seen without. He ex-
pected when she looked toward him
that she would give him the admiring
glance he was accustomed to receive
from women, but no change in her ex-
preston was apparent, and soon after
she turned away from the window.
Here was a girl who from all ap-
pearances was oblivious to his good
looks. Arvine was impelled to try to
win her by his talents. He wrote her
a manly note stating how he had seen
her and asking her consent to a CORE
spondence to be followed by a call. He
sent the missive by the janitor, who
saw that it was delivered. Arvine
waited with a futtering heart for a
reply.
In time he received a note signed
Sylvia Beers" Miss Beers did not
commit herself, but she did not forbid
him to write again, which he took for
an assent TO his proposition. One
thing he notlced-she made no refer
ence to her impressions on seeing him,
and the omission pleased him very
much. If she had seen him, which.
after all, was not likely, since he had
been in shadow at the time she had
not been influenced by his beauty. II
she had not seen him he hoped to win
her before his good looks could come
into play.
Arvine wrote excellent verses. His
illusions were approved by critics and
accepted by the high grade periodicals.
Some Of his letters to Sylvia Beers
were written in verse. When he wish
ed to make love to her he did it in
verse, not lackadaisical, but impressive
and extremely delicate in touch. Miss
Beers wrote that there was something
hanging over her, the nature of which
she did not explain, an ordeal that was
to be endured in the near future.
Meanwhile the man who was putting
all his feeling into his verse and was un-
willing that his personnel should inter
fere with its sole effect upon Miss
Beers kept away from his window
Then one day she wrote that the time
for her ordeal had arrived and she was
going away for a time, but that his
letters would be forwarded to her
Arvine was greatly touched at her mis-
fortune. He was too delicate to ask
its nature, but be wrote her one very
brief note. in which he conveyed gem
uine sympathy. 1t was followed. how
ever. by an effusion in verse which he
called Bearing the Cross" and another
called "a Rift In the Clouds"
Miss Beers was away from home six
weeks, at the end of which time she
wrote that she would return in a few
days. She appointed a certain hour OF
a certain day for him to be at his win
dow. She did not say whether she had
seen him there or not. and he wrote
her a point blank question asking her
If she had. She evaded his question by
saying that she had an explanation to
make and would make it at his first
call. Arvine made up his mind that
she had seen him, but that his good
looks had made no impression upon
her One more letter he resolved to
write before her return, and in that he
told her he had been loved for what he
did not prize and hoped be had won
her for what he did prize. The reply to
this was noncommittal.
At the hour appointed for the two to
appear at their respective windows
Arvine was at his window first. As
soon as Miss Beers appeared and saw
him she threw up her hands in a par
oxysm OF delight and admiration.
Arvine was perplexed. Had he been
certain Of anything he would have
dropped the matter. AS it was he call
ed that evening. and It was plain to
him that his proposition was to be ac-
cepted. But how had he won-by his
talent or his beauty?
Miss Beers told him that she had an
explanation and q confession to make.
When he saw her at the window she
was suffering from an obstruction Of
vision. She had just been to an op-
thalmic hospital and had 1t removed.
She confessed that she did not wish
him to know that she was blind until
It was determined that she could be
cured His letters and effusions had
been read to her by her sister. She did
not understand the effusions. but her
heart had been touched by the letters,
especially the one written her on the
eve Of her departure for the hospital.
After this expression Of sympathy she
was sure that she could give him her
heart II he was not positively repul-
sive in appearance. When she saw him
4 she experienced a delightful relief at