The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-04-28

IN Cornelia sHardman's favor fran
the first IN spite Of her excellent
introductions from some dear
writer friends. There was in her ma
ture an iDexpIicable something diff
cult TO understand, a certain sphinx
like calm, an impenetrability, the wari-
ness Of the animal that covers up its
tracks for fear Of detection. that looks
upon the world as fits natural enemy.
from which # must conceal all things
possible Of concealment
COrnelia was from the far west She
was said TO have had some little sue
cess with her work Of writing with a
magazine or two. Evidently she wrote.
Always upon her desk was a type
writer, into which some paper had
been coiled. There were often unfn.
ished sentences upon this paper.
However, in contradictory evidence
one saw nothing Of her work in print
that is, next to nothing On the wall
* her sitting room a newspaper article
deliberately illustrated with photo
graphs taken by herself was displayed.
The photographs were good, the article
mediocre.
This was the sole specimen Of Corne-
las work ever exhibited to me.
She lived in a three room fat at the
top OF a great new building Of fats in
a miserable neighborhOod.
After our first introduction there
were months that 1 did not see Cornc-
liza. Then she called upon me.
After a little in her quiet way she
spoke Of a young German whom she
had met
They were engaged, she said. Soon
they were to be married.
She was glad. She was very tired Of
the constant work for magazines and
newspapers, Of trying to follow up her
work, Of waiting for it to appear so
that they would send her her money.
The existence was a strain upon the
nerves Of any woman. She often won
dered how 1 endured it. Except that 1
wrote with such exceeding rapidity
when I did write-I passed over the
Implied inference that this was seldom
she was sure that would succumb.
With that she arose and extended me
an invitation to meet her fiance. As she
stood in the light OF the window OBJ
served the crOwlike blackness Of her
hair without a curl, the straightness Of
her nose, a peculiar pallor that was not
OF New York in her complexion.
Prompted more by curiosity than
anything else, 1 accepted her invitation
and in due time made a visit to her
fat. I. climbed six breathless flights.
part light, part dark, and entered.
I was amazed at sight Of the young
German with whom she was infatu-
ated. 1 compared the two, resting my
eyes first on one and then on the other.
Years younger than Cornelia, apparent
| " he was also far her inferior in point
/ Of intellect. I was astonished that she
/ could for a moment consider him. II
may have been that his lack Of knowl-
I edge Of the language accentuated his
/ intellectual inferiorfty, but before had
made my adieus found myself regret.
! ting the fact that an American woman,
/ particularly an American woman gift
! ed with the ability TO write, could 50
descend. The difference in intellect
was not my sole regret. The difference
In their heights! CoTnelia was exactly
one foot taller.
Strange to say, It seemed that at In
tervals she felt the necessity Of my
presence and the need Of turning me
Into a confdant Of both sorr0E and
happiness
Verbally she conhded the happiness
3nstinctively I felt the sorrow in a
telepathic way common to me.
Some months afterwsrd she made me
q visit
She sat very still In a rocking chair
looking out my window with lacKlus
ter eyes. She folded her hands in her
lap and began to talk to me-
HE has gone home" she told me
'rHis father sent for him. You know
that Alfred belongs to a very arlsto-
cratic family In Berlin"
They all do, from their own &C
count" I inserted.
ALFRED does, she said firmly. You
can tell that from his manner, his
bearing"
But not from bis English"
''He has had hardly time" remarked
she, ito learn the English. He I'm
proved much before be went away.
taught him. 1 could not see him or.
One grieves so to watch the boat leave
the dock.
But helped him get ready. write
b him every day. Soon I am going to
him. 1 shall not expect a letter from
him for a week or two. The boat may
be delayed this time Of year-the
storms, you know; the winds. But
that win not prevent my writing to
dim every day. Soon I am going to
him." she repeated. HE wanted me
to marry him before he went away,
but refused to do that. / refused on
account Of his father, who is very
stern. II Alfred married without his
consent he would diSlnherit him. He
would never forgive him il he married
without his consent"