Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-07-19

out at the gate looking downcast and vexed, and
Lettie came back into the house with a queer wild
in her face that | did not like. Mrs. Crofts
said, us Harry gomez" and my sister made her a
short answer, and went into the bedroom.
Harry is going up to London very soon; ] shall
be glad to have tina examinations over aud him
settled. Doctor Nash thinks very well Of him; he
is a good young fellow, Jane" | replied that he
had always been a favorite of mine and | hoped
he would do well; but, listening for Lettie's coming
to us, perhaps ! seemed rather cold and stiff for
Mrs. Crofts asked if ] was not well, or if there
was anything on my mind; so / told her about
poor Lettie's sight.
1--WE seen no appearance Of blindness; Harry
never said q word. You don't think 1t can be
true?" she asked. l did not know what to think.
| was sure that, in that whispering over the rose
tree, my sister had told young Mr.. Croits and !
wished his mother would go away, that | might
comfort her. AT last she went. Then 4 called
to Lettie, who cams Mt once. She had been fret
ting; but as she tried 20 hide it, | made no remark,
and we went down the .ane to tho river meadow In
silence. Tho fist person we met was larry
Croits. Lettie seemed put out when he joined us
and turned back. she stayed behind, and was
presently in company with our ~laDdlady, Mrs.
Davis, vino was taking the air in a little wheeled
chair drawn 10y u fOotman. Mrs. Davis had always
noticed Lettie. Harry Crofts looked back once or
twice to see if she was following; but. when he
found she was not he proposed to wait for her,
and we sat down by the water on a tree-trunk which
lay there.
THAT is a sad thing about Lettie's eyes,Jane,"
he said suddenly.
ayes, it is. What do you think about them? Is
there any chance for herr
doctor Nash SAYS not; but, Jane, next week
Phillipson, the best oculist in England, is coming
to stay a couple of days with Nash. Let him see
her"
81 meant to try to get her to London for ad-
vice."
There is nobody as clever rs Phillipson Oh !!
Jane, | wish | had passed."
"Do you fancy you know what would cure
herr"
I'D try. You know, Jane, love Lettie. I meant
to ask her to be my wife. | did ask her this after
noon, and she said, MOI and then told me about
her sight--it is only that. l know she likes me:
indeed she did not try to deny it,"
Eyes, Harry you have been so much together;
but there must be no talk of marrying"
"Tbnt is what she says"
'She is right-she must Just stay with me.
You could not do with a blind vito, Harry you,
a young man, with your way to make in the
world"
He tore up a handful of grass, and flung it upon
the river. saying passionately, "Wby, of all the
girls in Dalston must this afliction fall on poor
Letter" and then he got up and walked away to
meet her coming Glong the bank. They had a good
deal of talk together, which / did not listen to; for
their young hearts were speaking to each other
telling their secrets. Lettie loved him: yes, GER
tainly she loved him.
DR.. Philipson's opinion was the same as that OF
DR.. Nash. Lettie was not so down. stricken as l
had dreaded she would be, and she babe good-by to
Harry Crofts almost cheerfuily when he went up
to London.
There Jane, now 1 hope he'll forget me; l don't
like to see him so dull"
IN - = AZ n. - u. 60 an.
cert at the Blind Institution and she went. When
she came home to tea she told me that the girls
and boys who sang looked quite happy and con-
tented. "And whv should | not be so too? what
a number of beautiful sights ] auremember which
some Of them never saw!" she added, WITH q
sigh, .
After this, imperceptib!y her sight went; until
l noticed that, even in crossing the floor, she felt
her way before her with her hands out. Doctor
Nash again offered to use his influence to get her
admitted into the Institution. but she always
pleaded "Let me stay with you, Janey!" and l
had not the heart to refuse, though she would
have lad more advantages there than l could
afford her.
Not far from us there lived an old German clock,
maker, who was besides musical, and acted as or
ganist at the Roman Catholic chapel in the town,
We had known him all our lives. Lettie often
carried him a posy from our garden, and his grand
children came to me for patches to dress their dolls
Muller was a grim. fantastic-looking figure, but he
had a heart of pure gold. He was benevolent
simple, kindly; it was his talk that rcconciled Let
tie, more than any thing else, to her condition
He was was so poor, yet so satisfied; so afflicted
yet uurepining.
Learn music-I will teach thee" he said to my
sister. So, sometimes in our little parlor, anC
sometimes in his, be gave her lessons in fine sa
cred pieces from Handel and Haydn, and laugh
her to sing rs they sing in churches-which was
grander than our simple Methodist hymns. 1t was
a great delight to listen to her. 1t seemed as i
she felt everything deeper in her heart, ana ex
pressed it better than before; and it was all hel
consolation to draw the sweet sounds up outof tina
well of feeling which love had sounded. / know
that to remember how Harry loved her, gave
tenderness and patience to her suffering which i
would else have lacked. She who used to be 81
quick with her tongue,never gave anybody a sharl
word now.
l do not say much about our being poor, though
of course, that could not but be; still we haC
friends who were kind to US; even Mrs. Davi
softened, and mentioned to me, under seal of conf
dence, that, if | could not quite make up the rent
she would not push me; but | fortunately had no
to claim her forbearance,O or else | do fear she coul'
not have borne to lose a ~sixpence; and when 1T hat
come to the point we should have had to go lk'
others; she was so very fond of money, poor wo
man. Lettie used to go to the Institution some
times, where she learned to knit, and net, ant
weave basket-work. Our rector Ia better neve
lived or a kinder to the poor had her to net cover
for his iruit-trees, fshing-nots, and other things
and to knit wolen socks for himself and his boys
} so that altogether she contrived to make what al
most would keep her. Now that the calamity hat
really come, it was not half so dreadful as it hal
seemed a long way off. Lettie was mostly cheer
3 full. ] never heard her complain, but she used t
D say, often, that there was much to be thankful 70
e with us. She had a quiet religious feeling, whic
e kept her from melancholy; and though | did nc
. find it out till afterwards, a hope that perhaps he
i ~afhictiOn might some day be removed. Harry ha
J put that thought into her mind, and / do not thin
i ] am overstating the truth in saying that hi
a honest, manly affection for her was the great M
I tive to his working so hard at his profession, j
which he has since become deservedly successft
3 and famous.
: We had six very quiet years. 1t seemed to m
as if Lettie had always, from the first, gone softl
cropping her way, and | had alwaysl led her to chat
ell and back. Harry studied in London; then "
heard Of him in Edinburgh; and at last his mothe
q said ba had mona toDaris. and aha was half afrai1 Il