American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-07-19


me when he sees me in this staie?" Al
that moment the surgeon entered, and hay
sipg felt the patients pulse. be began lsi-
Iently to remove the bandages. As soon
as Maguerile felt that her wounds were ex-
posed, she asked for mirror
"NoI yet, my child; not to-day" said
the doctor. She tried 20 raise her hands
to feel her face. "Hold her arms down, "
cried the surgeon to the old woman and
myself We did SO involuntarily turning
away our eyes from the sight of those
swollen and mutilated features, once SO
lovely "a.
Maguerite saw and understood our
movement. "ls it not so, sir?" she said
to me calmly; "will it not be impossible
for linn to love mo-"
Nine days passed on; the wounds were
regularly dressed and were now nearly
cicatrised, The tenth day was that Of
Juan's expected reluIn; but no one ventur-
ed 10 speak o, it. Early in the morning
Margurlte rose, and preparedto go out,
saying that walk in the fresh air would
do her good l offered to accompany
her. .-
No, thank you, sir, she said; my
mother alone will come with me- And
with one hand slightly leaning on Ger
trude's arm, while the other held small
package, she went out. They walked to-
wards Juan's rustic seat, butvery slowly,
for tie conyaescent was yet very weak.
Arriving there, she knclt down, and af-
ter short silent PRAYER she turned to Ger
trudc, and embracing her, said: Bless
your daughter, dear mother, for the last
time; you will never see her ragan.'
what do you mean, my child?'
The truth. | am going away. You
will say good bye for me to him, mother;
and tell him that it is my very love for
him that forces ne ia fly
But dear one, said Gertrude; OBTAINING
her, you wrong our Juan; he has notle
heart, and he will love you all the better
for these scars when he hear tha, it was
in saving me iroma dreadiul death You
received thtm.'
He has noble heart, replied the girl;
'and | know that he would marry me, and
try to make me happy; but how could l
endure his avert l1oks-his sorrow? No,
no. shall suffer much less in suffering a.
lone .-. .
just then, well known bark was heard, +,
and large white dog rushed out of the
woody path.
'Casar! cried Gertrude. Where is
your master?'
Here lie is, replied an agitated voice;
and holding one end of cord, of which
the other was fastened to CeSer's collar,
a soldier appeared. Mother! are you
here? Where is Marguerite? Why don't
you come and embrace your poor blind
wanderer"
'Bllnd!' exclaimed Marguerite; and fix
ing her eyes on her betrolhed, she saw
that hi; was covered with bandage. l
cannot describe the emotions Of all three;
suffice it to say, that after an incredible
number of embraces, Gertrude and her
two children returned to the house, and
we passed delightful evening.
Here the curate stopped, and | thought
his tale was ended.
Well | said, i suppose the blind war
rior and his betrothed-stll. in his imagi-
nation, blooming in allher youthful charms
were speedily united?'
They were, he replied. 1T was Iwho
married them; but have something more
to tell you of them. Their cottage, by
the willing aid of all the villagers, was
soon built, and they removed into it.
Their circumstances were very comiorta-
bic, and Juan supported his inGrmity-
caused he told me, by the explosion OF a
mine-wiih the utmost cheerfulnesS.- His
tenderness for hls wife seemed TO increase
every day; and yet she was evidently not
happy. She became a prey to constant
melancholy, and her health and strength
vsibly declined. Her old friend, the doc
tor, visited and prescribed for her. but
withoutavall. .sF ,l.f,. 1..s"
My art is at fault, he said to me. Her
body suffers, but the seat of the disease is
her mind. Do you try to discover what
the secret which weighs on her may be,
or can not answer for her life
Alas! how could Iapply the consultations
of religion TO case of which the sufferer
persisted in keeping me profoundly igno-
rant? Once she seemed on the point of
opening her mind, but Juan entered the
room, and she was silent; nor could | ever
afterwards induce her to speak freely -
Meantime her bodily condition became
very precarious, and Juan, who was now
aware of her danger, scarcely ever stirred
from her bedside. Old Gertrude% as you
may suppose, was scarcely less anxious
about her.
One evening when | wasin the cottage;
tile doctor arrived; and having examined
his patient, pronounced that unless some
powerful reaction took place, She could
not long survive. How solemn were the
moments which succeeded this announce
ment! Poor Juan grasped convulsively
the hand of his wife, while large tears
streamed from beneath his bandage.
| began to exhort her on the subject of
religion; and when spoke ofthe mercy of
her Maker she exclaimed: oh, l have
great need of mercy, for my conscience is
burdened with heavy load. Listen, she
continued addressing us all, and tell me
whether l can hope for forgiveness Z
Grouped around her bed, we waited IN