Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-08-21
Nlisrellonp.
My Blind Sister.

were sitting in the window at our work--it was
some mourning we were making for our rector s
family-and it had to be sent home the next
day early. She said, " Jane, it seems as if the
sun had given up shining how dull everything
looks don't you think so : '
| did not notice ii there was still an hours
daylight. She put up her hand to her forehead
as if it panied her, so bade her 80 out for a
turn in tie garden; we had sat close to our
sewing all the day, and the young thing was
tired even | was, and my eyes ached wearily.
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 20 down into the town
.ir 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
patti as spoke. 1t was dusk when she came
back had Just shut the window, and was
lighting my candle she said, " 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 strange
hopeless expression came into her face, that |
WIS quite shocked and frightened
What ails you, Lettie! what can have ha?
pened " | asked, suspecting, | scarcely knew
what.
She looked at me drearily in silence for some
moments, and then said hastily, 81 might a
well tell you at once, Jane-I'm going blind.
Nv work fell to the floor, and / uttered {
startled cry.
"Don't take on about it, Jane; it can't b
helped" she added.
"It is only fancy of yours, Lettie | shal
have you to DR.. Nash in the morning. Wha
has made you take such notion into your hea
all at once!" said [, for | thought this wa
another nervous whm. Lette had been goo
deal induced by our mother before she died
and had sSEn herself not a little headstrons
sometimes, as well as fancful.
1T is of no use, Jane have been to Dr
Nash myself and he said plainly that was 60
ing blind. | have been to him twice before
knew what was coming. Oh Jane wha
shall we do! what shall we do " and havn
borne up thus far she broke down, and sobbe
aloud, with her face on her arms on the table.
" We shall do very we'll In the first place
don't believe DR.. Nash knows anything abou
it; and in the next, shall have you up t
London to great doctor, and hear what he say
before give in to thinking that you are to
blind all your days"
She was cheered little by this
"To London, Jane but where is the NOR
ey to come from " she asked.
Leave that 10 me. I'll arrange somehow.
1t was very puzzling to me to settle how Ju
then, but | have firm conviction that whei
there is will to do anything, a way may ger
orally be ound and | meant to find it,
She took up her work, but bado her leaN
it. 'You shall not set another stitch, Lettie,
said "you may just play on the old plan
and sing your bits of songs, and get out in
the fresh air-you have been kept too close, ar
are pale to what you were. Go to bed nov
like good little lassie; I'll 10 by myself"
But there is 50 much to finish, Jane"
"Not stitch that you'll touch, Lettie
kiss me good night, and get away
"And you don't think much of what d
Nash said ' she asked very wistfully.
No I've no opinion Of him at all " Ar
hearing me speak up in my natural way (th
my heart was doubling all the time) she we
away comlorted and in better hope. l h
put it off before her, because she would ha
given way to fretting, if had seemed to belle
what the doctor said but as drew my ncet
through aud through my work till thre hot
past midnight, had often to stop to wipe t
tears from my eyes.
There were only two Of us-Lettie and m
seif-and we had neither father nor mother, n
indeed any relatives whom we knew Let
was seventeen, and | was four years older.
were both dressmakers, and either worked
home or went out by the day. We lived in
small, thatched, three roomed cottage, outs
the town, which had nice garden in front
Some people had told US that if we moved ii
town we should get better employ; but be
Letie and liked the place where we had bt
born SO much better than the closed in sire
that we never got changed, and were not vii
ful to. Oar rent was not much, but We w
rather put to it sometimes to get it made up
the day. for our landlady was very sharp up
her tenants, and if they were ever so little
hindhand, she gave them notice directly.
set my wits to work how to get the NOR
to take Lette to London but all that night
idea came to me, and the next day it was
same. With two pair of hands we had ma
tanned ourselves decently but how was it goi
to be now that there was only one Rich fo
Ii tile think how hard it is for many of us p,
day-workers to live on our little earnings, mu
more to spare for an evil day.
Sunday found me still undecided, but t
was our holiday, and [ meant to see Dr. N
myself while Lettie was gone to chapel.
made herself very nice, for she had a MOD
pride in her looks which becomes a girl.
thought her very pretty myself, and so did
neighbors; she had clear small features, an
pale color 10 her cheeks, soft brown hair,
hazel eyes. 1t was not easy to see that a
thing allied them unless you looked into Il
very closely, and then there was dimness
be seen about them, which might be disease
She had put off thinking about herself,