Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-12-23
BVFMARION CRAWFORD
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he would summon up his most pic
turesque language to tell her how
much pleasure the music had given
him, or that he would perhaps laugh
at himself for having been moved;
but instead, he only told her that he
did not understand what he had felt;
and they walked ON without another
word.
eco and get something to eat" she
said when they reached the hotel,
''and I'll meet you here in half an
hour. / don't care to talk either"
He only nodded, and lifted his hat
as she went up the steps; buC instead
of going to eat, he sat down on a
bench outside, and waited for her
there, rejecting on the nature of lis
new experience.
Like most successful men, he looked
to amuse clever idlers, but never to
be taken into consideration in real
life. He never asked about the pIin-
ciple on which any invention was
founded; his first and only question
was: will it work."
Considering himself as the raw ma
terial, and the theater he had just
left as the mill, he was forced to ad-
NIT that "Parsifal' worked
Presently Margaret came out of the
hotel, expecting to find him waiting
for her within the hall, and prepared
to be annoyed with him for taking so
long over a meal. She stood on the
step and looked about, and saw him
sitting on the bench at little dis
lance. He raised his eyes as she came
towards him and then rose quickly.
rs it timer" he asked.
YES 'she said. did you get any
thing decent to eat?"
YES" he answered vaguely. THAT
is, now 1 think of it, I forgot about
dinner. 1t doesn't matter"
She looked at his hard face curious
ly and saw a dead blank, the blank
that had sometimes frightened her by
it's possibilities, when the eyes alone
came suddenly to life.
Wont you go in and get a biscuit,
or a sandwich" she asked after a
moment
ooh, no, thanks. I'm used to skip
ping meals when I'm interested in
things. Let's go, if you're ready"
81 believe you are one of natures
Wagnerites," Margaret said, as they
drove up the hill again, and she
smiled at the idea.
Well" he answered slowly,
there's one thing, if you don't mind
my telling you. It's. rather personal.
Perhaps I'd better not"
The prima donna was silent for
few moments, and did not look at
him.
Tell me-" she saiu suddenly.
ITS this. l don't know how long
the performance lasted, but while it
was going on l forgot you were close
beside me. You might just as we'll
not have been there. It's the first
time since I ever knew you that I've
been near you without thinking about
you all the time, and hadn't realized
it till l was sitting there by myself. I
hope you don't mind my telling you?"
1T only makes me more glad that
brought you" Margaret said quietly.
THANK you," he answered; but he
was quite sure that the same thing
could not happen again during the
second part.
Nevertheless, it happened. For a
little while, they were man and wom-
an, sitting side by side and very near,
two in a silent multitude of other
men and women; but before long he
was quite motionless, his eyes were
fixed again and he had forgotten her.
She saw it and wondered, for she
knew how her presence moved him,
and as his hands lay folded On his
knee, a mischievous girlish impulse