The Southern herald., 1910-11-25


brarian- Looking at her. nearly
every one forgot the latter for the
former. All the world-save one
remembered the former The scholar
could not remember she was a pretty
girl He consulted her like an en-
eyclopedia for bare facts connected
with a thesis concerning itself
with botany. biology and the begin
ming of life. 1t was important. The
girl had borne his blindness since De
eember. when she had begun her
work. And now it was May. and still
be saw. vaguely at that. only the IL
brarian in her.
One gloomy morning he was wait
ing when she came, barely on time.
to open the doors. Then he walked
straight to the desk. waited until she
removed her hat and asked for a GER
tain book He always did that. She
walked down a book aisle and be fol-
lowed. Her cheeks were fresh from
the spring breeze; her step was light
with youth and health; her eyes
glowed with beauty. and her dark
hair curled lovingly about her little
ears. He had time to see these things
while she took down the volume. but
his heart was at the beginnings Of
life. His thesis must be finished for
commencement. Therefore his living
had become q mere matter Of reading
all day, save for three hurried meals,
and writing all night. save for the
five or six grudging hours he gave to
sleep.
Now he took the tome from her,
made an absent little bow Of thanks
and went to his favorite corner to
study. She let him go without pick
ing from his sleeve a long thread, as
she wished to do. She would also
have enjoyed sewing a button on his
unbrushed coat. and-sweeping bach
his heavy. unkempt, fair hair from
a forehead white and unlined save
for the scholarly scowl between the
brows AS he settled himself she
took her seat behind the desk. ant
noted the stoop in his broad shoul
ders, shoulders which, like the MOI
Of hair, belonged to the unexplolteC
halfback in him. The girl sighed
He was getting on her nerves, anC
she determinedly turned her mind Il
other matters.
At the same time, It is provoking
for the best-looking man in town t
be seemingly blind! It is especiall,
provoking to a very pretty and ad
mired girl. II is worse when she Il
Of a motherly nature, and sees hin
60 about halfcared for, and uncon
scious of anything but an idea Sh,
yearned to bring him back to hi
senses, Had he known whether hi
breakfast was sufficient? Did h
know he needed a spring suit? Dit
he know the wild crab trees wer
blossoming on the hills, and that Il
a sunny valley beyond the towr
spring beauties and violets smile,
and waited? OF course not! He wa
searching blindly in books for tn
beginnings Of life, or some such III
satisfying quest. Just before he wen
home at noon he lifted his eyes an
met her gaze. A burning blush dc
voured her. He saw the blush an
wondered, but did not connect it wit
himself.
He came back in the Afternoon
and she had to ring the bell twic
at closing time to get him out G
his dream Of work. Everybody els
had gone long ago into the swee
sunshine. The scholar shut his boo
and, fastening to the door where sh
stood waiting with her hat on t
close up, had the grace to murmu
an apology. He also closed the doc
for her and walked beside her dow
the corridor and out of doors, but a
the first corner he lifted his hat an
left her. She vowed angrily that sh
would not think of him again-h
was-well, not boorish-but he migt
have gone little farther with her.
The next morning he came In ius
after she had opened the library an
while she was still arranging in
little vase the spring beauties sh
had found on the hill the evenin
: before. She was naughty this NOR
, ing and feigned at first not to sc
, him. He leaned on the desk and D,
. his face down to her flowers mo-
lovingly, while the sweetest smile
the world curved his lips.
"How-fresh!" he breathed. II w,
his first unnecessary remark to he
Q Then he asked for another book. 81
= got 1t for him stiffly, and without
I word. She would do nothing for hi
save what her official position 7
quired-which did not include loo
Ing at him where he sat in his &C
ner, his Tong fingers tugglng at Il
/ rough blonde hair, his scowling ga
y bent on the page before him. +
WINGED in an annoyed manner at Il
sun, which had crept round and Ia
3 glaring finger upon his book. b
Il he was not aware that lowering d
o shade was the thing to be done nj