The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-30
BY JEANNE o. LoIxEAUx.

Copyright 1910. by Associated Literary Press)
She first girl; second, librarian Looking
at her, nearly every forgot the latter for the
former. All the world save one, remembered the
former. The scholar could not remember she was
pretty He consulted her like encyclopedias for
bare facts connected with thesis concerning itself
with botany biology and the beginnings life. 1t
was important The girl his blindness since
December. when she had begun her work And now
it May. and still he saw, vaguely at that, only
the librarian in her.
one gloomy morning he waiting when she came
straight the desk. waited until she removed her
hat and asked for certain book. He always dio
lowed Her cheeks were fresh from the spring
breeze; her step light with youth and health;
her glowed with beauty and her dark hair curled
lovingly about her little He had time to See
these things while took down the volume, but his
heart with the beginnings Of life. His thesis
must be finished for commencement. Therefore his
living become a matter of reading all day.
save for three hurried meals and writing all night
for five 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
study She let him without picking from his
sleeve long thread she wished to do. She would
also have enjoyed sewing button on his unbrushed
coat. and-sweeping back his heavy, unkempt. fair
hair from forehead white and unined save for the
scholarly scowl between the brows As he settled
himself she too her seat behind the desk and noted
the stoop in his broad shoulders. shoulders which,
like the mop of hair belonged to the unexpoited halr-
back In him. The girl sighed. He getting her
and she determinedly turned her mind to other
matters
At the same time, it is provoking the best
looking man in town to be seemingly blind! 1t IS
especially provoking a very pretty and admired
/
and him go about haf-cared for and uncon-
/ scious anything but idea. She yearned to bring
him back to his Had he known whether his
breakfast sufficient? Did he know the wild crab
trees blossoming on the hills and that in sunny
valley beyond the town spring beauties and vioets
| smiled and waited? or mott He was search
ing hindy in books for the beginning of life, or
at noon lifted his eyes and her gaze A
burning blush devoured her He saw the blush and
wondered, but did not connect 1t with himself
back in the afternoon. and she had to
ring bell twice closing time to get him
his dream Of work. Everybody else had gone long
ago sunshine. The scholar shut his
book and, Fastening to the door where she
waiting with her hat to close up. had the grace
apology. He also closed the door
walked beside her down the corridor and out
but at the first he lifted his
left She vowed angriy that she would not think
of him again--he was--well. not boorsh-but he
might gone a little farther with her
The next morning In gust after she
opened the library and while she still
in little the spring beauties she had found
the hill the evening before. She naughty this
morning and fegned at first not to him. He
leaned the desk and put his face down to her flow
ers most lovingly while the sweetest smile in the
world curved his lips
"How--fresh"' he breathed. 1t his first
necessary remark her. Then he asked for another
book. She got It for him stfiiy, and without word
would do nothing far him what her official
position requred--which did not include looking
him where he sat in his corner, his long fingers tug
on the page before him. He WINGED in annoyed
manner the sun, which had crept around and
q glazing finger upon his book, but he not
that lowering the shade was the thingIto be done.
The librarian and after watching him. first In
sxnusement then n vexaton. she nptoed from ths,