The Washington times., 1905-07-23

Yes
''You are siient-or sad Johann!'
She slipped to the ground. You don't
ash things. You aren't excited a BIT;
you aren't glad" Her voice fell.
But the silence continued.
Tell me what it is
IT ia nothing-nothing- He moved
away from her. Somewhere in his
heart there was a dread-a dread in
whose shadow his own efficiency, his
own pitiabe terrors became very
dwarfed. Il am stupid" he said be-
low his breath. II do not know what
to ask. L would ask-I would ask. Il
] knew" He turned again abruptly,
trying to see her face
But she missed his mood When one
is young it is hard to be anything
beside: youth is all-embracing in it's
demands. The whole world to her
eyes was a blur of rose and mauve
She laid her hands on his shoulders
again and laughed,
You dear stupid thing"' she said.
You dear stupid thingl How I'd like
to wake you up. You are dull tonight.
and I could sing and run and be mad
the world IS so good"
y y:
The world Is child's puzzle" he
said sadly. cit has two sides
She caught him up swiftly IF it
has TWO sides, then we can turn I'D
which we like; you have defeated your
self" She laughed again. She was
like a young horse set loose in a wide
field; there was a space in things that
she had not realized before. Her ex-
uberance Of spirit rose up. demanding
vent. "Oh. Johann. she cried. 1T is
more splendid than I ever dreamt. When
was little. / fancied that this street
was tbs whole worId-that there was
nothing else beyond. Then one day.
John Desinslzi took me with him into
the city and l understood. l was very
little then but nothing frightened me-
not the cabs nor the horses nor the
crowds / only wanted TO drive the
horses for myself; TO grow up quickly
and be one of the people who jostIed
and pushed Tonight It's the sameI''
Her voice lifted and fell with her words;
Johann's visionary shadow dropped on
him again He jerked his shoulders
from fer touch and walked away
For an instant she swayed in his di-
rection. then some remembrance Of the
day struck her still again, and she
stayed m0fioRiess with widely opened
L ilS uAi1l sup DcCdI41E d 4]dldR5
from which at any momeEt the mys-
terious veil might lift, her fathers
pen the quill of some recording deity,
and Johann-poor. deformed Johann
no more than the spectre outside the
gates She stood immovable. wrapped
within herself.
" Y
Five minutes drew slowly out, then
| Johann crept back TO her again and
touched her hand. His presence came
with a jerk; she drew back, then
laughed
Johann. you frightened me! You
crawl in the dark"
He murmured inaudibIy, then raised
his voice, Anna, I have been wonder
ing
What -
He shuffled with his feet. II have
been thinking wondering" He halt
ed 1T never comes 10 you that you
Will leave the shop one day.
She peered at him through the gloom.
I why do you ask such siify. thfngs?''
Six hours before she would have an
swered his question with a laugh, now
she halted over her reply. To herself
the hesitation passed unseen. but it
gripped at Johann's heart. He broke
headlong in upon her words.
4 was foolish Anna; it was the sad
ness of the dusk. 1t was the thought
of your-your brightness and the ether
thought Forget that 1 spoke" He
made strenuous attempt TO laugh
But Anna was silent; when she spoke
again her voice was tentative and still
Johann" she said very. softly, do
You really think that I could forget
that father is quite oid-that the shop
that vou--'' She StoDred, and there
was q question in her attitude as she
) leant toward hIm Then abruptly and
charccteristically she lifted her head
/ and sprang back to her former seat.
! quite right One does grow silly in the
/ da I-ia-ht he hmm -.