Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-01

eraliy ala on tine Sundays. flor all the town
went there, and is freshed us up TO see the
holiday people far more than if We had stopped
at home reading our books, as many say il is
only right to do when one Ct our neighbors
came In with her son. Mrs. Crofts was a
widow, and Harry was studying medicine with
| Doctor Nash. They we're both kind friends
of ours; and, between Lettie and the young
| man, there had been fer ever so long a sort of
boy and girl liking; but do not think they
had spoken to each other yet Lettie colored
| up when Harry appeared, and went into the
| garden to show him, she said, the white moss
rose that was full of bloom by the kitchen
window; but they stayed whispering over il
| so long, that did not think il was only that
they were talking about. Then Harry went
out at the gate looking downcast and vexed.
and Lettie came back into the house with a
queer wild look in her face that did not like
Mrs Crofts said, els Harry gomez" and my
| sister made short answer and went into the
| bedroom.
| "Harry is going up to London very soon
L shall be glad to have the examinations over
and him settled. DIR. Nash thinks very well
Of him; he is good young fellow, Jane. 4"
L replied that be had always been favorite
of mine, and L hoped be would do well but,
| listening for Letties coming to us, pc rhaps [
seemed rather cold and stiff; for Mrs Crofts
asked if was not well, or if there was any
thing on my mind; so L told her about poor
Lettie's sight.
| I've seen no appearance of blindne
Harry never said word. You don't think it
can be true?" she asked. / did not know
| what 20 think. L was sure that, in that whis-
| pering over the rose tree, my sister had told
young Mr. CrOfts; and 1 wished his mother
| would 60 away, that L might comfort her. At
| last she went Then L called to Lettie who
came at once She had been fretting; but
as she tried to hide il made no remark, and
We went down the land to the meadow rivers
in silence The first person we met was Harry
| CrOfts Lettie seemed put out when be joined
Us and turned back She stayed behind, and
was presently in company with our landlady,
| Mrs Davis, who was taking the air in little
| wheeled chair drawn by a footmsn. 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 tree-truDk which lay
there
This is sad thing about Lettie's eyes,
Jane" he said suddenly.
Eyes, it is What do you think about
| them? Is there any chance for her?
"Dr. Nash says not; but Jane, next week
| Philipson, the best Oculist in England, is
coming to stay couple of days with Nash
Let him see her"
81 meant to try to get her to London for
advice "
There is nobody so clever as Phillipson.
Oh Jane, L wish 1 had passed."
"Do you fancy you know what would cure
herr"
"I'd try. You know, Jane, L love Lettie
1 meant to as6 her to be my wife. did ask
her this afternoon, and she said, mo, and
| then told me about her sight-it is only that
l know she likes me indeed, she did not try
t. deny it -
Eyes, Harry, you have been so much to-
gether, but there must be no talk Of marry
ing"
- That is what she says"
/ She is rignG-she must lust stay with me-
You could not do with a blind wife Harry
you, young man, with your way to make in
| the world "
He tore up handful of grass and flung 1t
into the river, saying passiOnately, Why, Of
all the girls in Dalston must this affection fall
on poor Lettie 90 and then he got up and
walked away to meet her coming along the
bank. They had good deal Of talk together,
which I did not listen TO; for their young
hearts were speaking to each other-telling
| their secrets. Lettie loved him yes, certainly
she loved him.
DR. Philipson's opinion was the same as
that of DR. Nash. Lettie was not so down
stricken as had dreaded she would be, and
she babe good bye to Harry Crofts almost
cheerfully when he went up TO London.
There, Jane, now hope be III forget me {;
/ don { like TO see him so dull"
That day Mrs Davis sent her a ticket for
| concert 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 contented. "And why should
not be so too? What a number Of beautiful
| sights L can remember which some Of them
| never see :" she added, with a sigh.
After this, imperceptibly, her sight went
ri II hot in no Annr
| she felt her way before her, with her hands
| out. DR. Nash again offered to use his infu-
ence to get her admitted into the Institution,
but she always pleaded - let stay with
you, Janey -" and L had not the heart to re-
| fuse, though she would have had more ad- |
vantages there than could afford her.
Not far from us there lived an old German |
! clockmaker, who was besides musical, and |
acted as organist at the Roman Catholic chapel |
| in the town We had known him all our |
| lives Lettie often carried him posey from |
| our garden, and his grandchildren came to me |
| for patches to dress their dolls Muller was
| a grim fantastic looking figure, but he had |
heart of pure gold. He was benevolent, |
simple, kindly; it was his talk that reconciled |
Lettie more than any thing else, to her con- |
dition. He was so poor, yet so satisfied; so
afflicted, yet unreplnlng.
Learn music-I will teach thee" he said /
| to my sister. So, sometimes in our little par
II,
| in fine sacred pieces from Handel and Hayden, /
and taught her to sing as they sing in church |
es-which was grander than our simple Meth |
| odist hymns. 1t was great delight to listen /
TO her. 1t seemed as if she felt everything /
deeper in her heart, and expressed it better |
than before and it was all her consolation 10 /
draw the sweet sounds up out of that well IF /
feeling which love mad sounded. l know that, /
to remember how Harry loved her. gave a |
tenderness and patience to her suffering which /
it would else have lacked. She, who used to /
be so quick with her tongue, never gave any /
body sharp word now.
do not say much about our being poor, /
though, of course, that could not but be- still /
we had friends who were kind to US; even /
Mrs. Davis softened, and mentioned TO me,
under seal of confidence, that, if L could not l
quite make up the rent, she would not press
me but fortunately had not to claim her /
forbearance, or else I do fear she could not
have borne to lose a sixpence; and when 1t
had come to the point we should have had TO
go like others; she was so very fond OF money,
| al to tn he