Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-01
EVENING STAR.
MY BLIND SISTER

the next day early. She said, "Jane, II
seems as If the sun had given up shining;
how dull every thing look Don't you think
SO ?"
I did not notice it there was still an hours
daylight. She put up her hand to her fore
head as if 1t panied her, so 1 bade her 90 out
tor turn in the garden we sd sat close to
our sewing all day, and the young thing was
tired; even l was, and my eyes ached weari-
ly She went along by the flower bed, and
gathered few roses-we were in the middle
of July then-and gave them to me through
the window, saying that she would 90 down
into the town for some trimmings we wanted
to finish the dresses. would rather she had
stayed at home, and replied that the shops
would be shut; but she was not listening, and
went away down the path as spoke. 1t was
dusk when she came back: had just shut
tho window, and was lighting my candle; she
said, "I could not get the fringe, Jane" and
then laying her bonnet On the dresser, took
up her work. After she had sewed perhaps
FIVE minutes she dropped her hands on her
knees, and such n strange, hopeless expires
sion came into her face, that was quite
shocked and frightened.
"What ails you, Lettie? what can have
happened ?" asked, suspecting / scarcely
knew what
She looked at me drearily in silence for
| some moments, and then said hastily, "
might as well tell you at one, Jane-I'm m 60
| ing blind -
My work fell to the ground and uttered
| a startled cry
"Don't take on about it, Jane it can't be
| helped" she added
| at is only fancy of yours, Lettie 1 shall
have you to Doctor Nash in the morning
What has maie you take such notion into
| your head all at once" said l, for thought
this was another nervous whim Lettie had
been good deal INDUCED by our mother be
fore she died, and had shown herself not a
little headstrong at times as we'll as fanciful
| 1t is of no use, Jane; 1 have been to Doc
tor Nash myself, and he said plainly that j
was going blind. have been to him twice
before knew what was coming Oh, Janey.
what shall we do what shall we do?" and
having borne up thus far she broke down, and
| sobbed aloud, with her face on her arms on
| the table.
| "We shall do very we'll. In the first place,
l don't believe Doctor Nash knows anything
about it; and in the next, shall have you up
10 London, to great doctor, and hear what
he says before give in to think that you are
to be blind all your days"
She was a little cheered by this.
| "To London, Janey but where the money
to come from ?" she asked
| Leave that to me. I'll arrange some
how" 1t was very puzzling to me to settle
| how just then, but / have a firm conviction
that where there is will to do anything a
way may generally be found, and meant to
| find it.
She took up her work, but bade her leave
it. You will not set another stitch, Lettie, -
L said I" you m ay just play Oh your old piano
and sing your bits of songs, aud get out into
the fresh sir-you have been kept too close,
/ and are pale to what you were Go to bed
| now like good little lassie III do by my.
self"
| "But there is so much to finish Janey."
| "Not stitch that you ii touch, Lettie SO
kiss ne good night, and get away"
| And you don't think much of what Doc
tor Nash said 2" she asked very wi.tfully
"No. I've no opinion of him at all +" And
hearing me speak up in my natural way,
| (though my heart was doubling all the time }
/ she went away comforted and In better hope
l had put it off before her, because She
would have given way to fretting, if had
| seemed to believe what the doctor said but,
as drew my needle through and through
| my work till three hours past midnight, L had
often to stop to wipe the tears from my eyes.
There were only two of us-Lettie and my
self-and we had neither father nor mother,
nor indeed any relatives whom we knew.
Lettie was seventeen, and l was four years
older. We both dressmakers, and either
| worked at home, or went out by the day
We lived in q small, thatched, three roomed
cottage outside the town, which had q nice
garden in front. Some people had told US
| that if We moved into the town We should get
better employ; but both Lettie and L liked
the place where we had been born so much
| better than the closed in streets, that we had
| never got changed, and We were not wishful
to- Our rent was not much, but We were
| rather put to it sometimes to get it made up
by the day, for our landlady was very sharp
| upon her tenants, and if they were ever 50
little behind-hand, she gave them notice di-
rectly.
set my wits to work how to get the money
| to take Lettie to London; but all that night
no idea came to me, and the next day it was
| the same. With two pair Of hands we had
| maintained ourselves decently; but how was
| it going to be now that there was only one
| Rich folks little think how hard it is for many
Of US poor day-workers to live on our little
earnings, much more to spare for an evil day
| II.
| Sunday found me still undecided, but that
was our holiday, and meant to see Dr. Nash
myself while Lettie was gone to chapel She
made herself very nice, for she had modest
pride in her looks, which becomes girl. |
thought her very pretty myself, and so did
/ the neighbors. She had clear, small features,
and a pale color in her cheeks soft brown
hair, and hazel eyes. 1t was not easy to see
that anything allied them, unless you looked
into them very closely, and then there was a
/ dimness to be seen about them, which might
be disease. She had put off thinking about
herself, and was as merry as cricket when
/ she went down the lane in her white bonnet
and clean muslin gown. She nodded to me Il
was watching her from the doorway and
smiled quite happily. was as proud of Let
| tie as ever my mother had been. She was al
ways such a clever, warm hearted little thing
| for all her high temper
| When she was fairly gone, and the church
bells ceased, dressed myself in haste, and
set off into the town to see DR.. Nash. He
was at home, and his man showed me into the
surgery, where l had to wait may be an hour.
| When the doctor came in, he asked sharply
why 1 could not have put of my visit till
Monday; was my business so pressing? He
did not consider how precious were the work
days to us, or maybe he would not have
| spoken so, for he was a benevolent man, as
We had every reason to know, he having at
tended our mother through her last illness as
| carefully as if she had been rich lady,
though we could never hope to pay him. I