Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-04-14

will look at the hall tonight, J fan'y should
never rrrnc again.
"TLe Lall to night ! hai quite forgotten NJ;
wish mlnntwuid M, insist m NV going
| DO not care Gnr these things ary Hnrcr: -
-you will he len alone, Edward sud ha, seems
50 hcariless and unkind !"
"Mary," said oue " her sisters, opening
the library door, "look ai iless beautiful
hoi-housr flowers which have arivcd here
Gor Ms. Come Edward, Dome and see them
too."
They were 80 accustomed TO ,reit him A.
one or themselves, and they werr'o used Ia
hi. aptitude IN many ways, tha, Ilry very of.
ten did not in the least appear TO rmember he
was blind.
The flowers were rare and heatiul and Vet
NO donors name sccomranic egin Sud.
denly one VI the girls cried oot latlhnrly.
81 have guessed, | have guessed. il Is Ed
ward lie has hcard US talking alnut this
hall, apd mus, have ordered Ihem pu'p"'r i"r
u,. Kind, good Edward - and were lood In
their expressions of delight; all except Ma
~, Who kcr, ,llen,ly alrof.
"Mary does not like her howcr''' said Ed
ward ipquiriugly turning inthedlrec,o7 where
she stood.
"No," she replied soroUfnlly, 'i, Is NE
hall ,h1, | do no, like, neither yoI thinking
about decking US oui for it. Asif cared to
rur'
"Look At these lovely roscs, ,"saI the eldest
sis,cr,as they werc selecting Nhn'sarh should
wear, would not Mary luok yell With a
wreath Of those TOSS ~ her hair"
"Ycs, YES" cScl1imcd Edward eagerly,
,and lc, inc weave j, Tor her You Lno~.
Mary. It is one II nv accomplishments Nou
were proud of NV rarlanjs when you were a
/ lrul. ri'l. Will you trust INV fnc'rs for the
task"
III YOU really wish il. Il It does not seem
too trHlnr, ycs. said Mary gently, with q
troubled expression upon her brow usually 50
serene as she muyed Reluctantly away. "Bul
It must appear such a m'ckory tn 'ou. poor
Edward =" aud then, without waiting lnr ! re-
'y.shc hurried tn her 'oom, and dld not show
hcr,clrarliu until the family assembled iodin.
ncr. while ElUard, seated between the SIS.
tcrs, who were in rrca, delight IN llrir aniic.
lpa,ion Of the evenings amuscmeut', silently
br,ook himself to his task
Early after dinner, rhc large old.fshioncd
dravinr.room at Woodland, was jescrcd; the
momeu,ous business Of the toilet t7d To GO
through, anil then drive of five miles accom.
pli,bcd. beforc Mr., Parker and her three fir
daughters could find themselves at The hall.
Edw1rl was the only occupant ofrhe room /;
,.alcd 1t the pnno. M which hls fingers idly
srrayed .uc nov sni ,n'o s'-..-L -'.,y-', oC5rvl'
melancholy. m broke into passages of plain.
tive sadness.
"A'o-c. alone How the silence of this
room ,ulLcs uron my heat,-how long this
evening will b, ,.wlhout her vo.ce without her
ortNcp' And vet rhisis what asails me-,
wha, Is inevitably drawing near. Mex, week
| leave the runf uuicr whlch she dwclls ]
shall not hear her singing a. she runs down
stairs In the morning ! shall nu, have her
constantly at my side. asking me, with sweet
childhks caructucss. io teach her to rp'ai
poetry, or 10 give eSprcssi"n io her music -
The welcome rustic It her dress the melody
of hor laugh. will soon hccomc rare sounds to
me- Within, around, ,hcyond,aI Is dark hope
less. solitary Lie slrclchc, itself ~c1rlly
before ne, blind dcsolaio as am Mother.
mo,hcr, we'll might your sUce, spirit shrink
when ,ou contemplated this lor your mlscra-
hle sun How strange those last words -
! lhouCht of them to-day, while made her
wreath OF rr,es, and when her sislers told me
ur the numbers Who fockcd around hcr. E'.
cry little flower broughli's warning and iis
sting "
"EdwaulhaVe no, made haste : wish
ed To keep you company, Tor lilIc while be-
iore We sel out. Oh, you must be 81 sad
Your playing told me that you were sad, Ed
ward.
She was standing by him IN all the pride OF
her youth and lo,ellncss her shle dress fall
ING in a cloud.lke dnPcry around her grace
iul form, her sunny hair sweeping her sh"nl.
ders, and the wreath surmounl'ng brow on
which innocence aud truth were impressed by
Natures hand.
Tie sense of her beauty, Of an exquisite
harmony about her,was clearly PercePilhle TO
the blind man; he reVerenIiy touched the flow
ing robe, and placed his hand upon the flow
cry wrath.
"will you think of me, dearest, tonight
You will carry With YOU something to remind
you Of me. When you are courlcl, worship
ped, cnyicd. and hear on every side praises "l
pour beauty, aill you give passing thought
| 10 Edward who lent his liule help to lis alorn.
me- :"
"i;Iward how can YOU speak somockInels'
You know lha, in saying this you render me
almost miserable"
miserable With roses blooming on your
brow, and hope cSulI.ng your heart, ; when
/ lie smilcs 50 brightly on yon, and guardian
angels seem tn hover around your path -
lie spoke in manner thar was unusual to
him; she leaned lhoughlully against The pit
ano, aud, as il unconscious Of MIA, 'ho was
doing, she disensoccd the garland from her