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

i3oSoi siauly-and III nad 70 De sent home
the next day early. She said, "Jane, it
80 2"
did not notice 1t there was still an hours
daylight. She put up her hand to her fore.
head as If it panied her, so babe her 90 out
tor turn in the garden We b sd sat close to
our sewing all day, and the young thing was
tired even was, and my eyes ached weari-
~ 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 go down
into the town for some trimmings we wanted
to snish 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 L spoke Itwas
dusk when she came back had Just shut
the 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
i've minutes she dropped her hands on her
knees, and such strange, hopeless expires
sion came into her face, that I was quite
shocked and frightened.
"What ails you, Lettie what can have
happened :" L 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 CO.
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 a fancy of yours, Lettie shall
have you to Doctor Nash in the morning
What has made you take such notion into
your head all at once" said I, for thought
this was another nervous whiu. Lett.e had
been good deal INDUCED by our mother be
fore she died, and had shown hergelf not a
little headstrong at times, as we'll as fanciful
1t is of no use, Jane; i have been to Doc
tor Nash myself, ard he said plainly that |
was going blind L have been TO him twice
before knew what was coming Oh, Janeyi
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.
owe shall do very we'll. In the first place,
don't believe Doctor Nash knows anything
about it; and in the next, shall have you up
TO 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 little cheered by this.
"To London, Janey, but where's the money
to come from 2" she asked
how" 1t was very pulling to me to settle
how just then, but L have firm conviction
that whore there is will to do ANYTHING, a
way may generally be found, and meant to
find it.
She took up her work, but L babe her leave
it. =" You will not set another stitch, Lettie,"
L said " you may just play on your old piano
and sing your bits OF songs, and get out into
tho fresh air-you have been kept too close
w. dt Won f}u had
now like a good little Iassie; I'll do by my
self"
"But there is so much to finish Jauey."
"Not stitch that you'll touch, Lettie; so
kiss ne good night, and get away"
" And you don't think much of what Doc =
tor Nash said :" she asked very wistfully.
"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 L had
seemed to believe what the doctor said but
as I drew my needle through and through
my work till three hours past midnight, 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 were both dressmakers, and either
worked at home, or went out by the day
We lived in a small, matched, 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
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 so
little behind-hand, she gave them notice d.
| rectly.
set my wits to work how to get the money
to take Lettie to London; but all that night
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
earnin rs, much more to spare for an evil day.
H.
Sunday found me still undecided, but that
was our holiday, and I meant to see DIR. Nash
myself while Lettie was gone to chapel. She
made herself very nice, for she had modest
pride in her looks, which becomes a girl
thought her very pretty myself, and so did
the neighbors. She had clear, small features,
and pale color in her checks; 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 a cricket when
she went down the lane in her white bonnet
and clean muslin gown. She nodded 70 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, arm-hesrted little thing
for all her high temper
When she was fairly gone, and the church
bells ceased, 1 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 I had to wait may be an hour.
When the doctor came in he asked sharply
why I 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 a rich lady,
though we could never hope to pay him. 1
explained what 1 had come about, and he
softapaa than INIT wouId not alter what he