Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-07-19
I'll Miscellaneous.
Prom Dickens "IIouschold Words
MY BLIND SISTER.

think SO ?"
did not notice it; there was still an hours day
light. She put up her hand to her forehead as if it
?ained her, so | babe her go out for a turn in the
garden VIC had sat close to our sewing all the day
and the young thing was tired; even | was, and
my eyes ached we srily. She went along by the
flower bed. and gathered a few rOses-we were in
in the middle eff July then-and gave them to Inc
through the window, saying that she would 60
down into 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 the window, and was light
ing my candle; she sal II 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 a strange, hopeless expression
came into her face, that | was quite shocked and
frightened.
"What nils you, Lettie? what can have hap.
pened2" | asked, suspecting | scarcely knew
what,
She looked at me drearily in silence for some mo-
ments, and then said hastily, II might as well tell
you at once, Jane,-Pm going blind"
Ny work fell to the ground, and ! uttered a star
lied cry.
Don't take on about it, Jane; it can't be help.
ed" she added.
ut is only n fancy of yours, Lettie; | shall have
you to Doctor Nash in the morning. What has
made you take such a notion into your head all at
once" said |, for | thought this was another ner.
vous within. Lettie had been n good deal INDUCED
by our mother before she died,and had shown her
self not u little headstrong sometimes, as well as
fanciful.
vt is Of no use, Jane; l have been to Doctor
Nash myself, and he said plainly that | was going
blind. | have been to him twice before: l knew
what was coming. Oh, JAuey. what shall we do?
what shall we dO?" and having borne up thus far
she broke down and sobbeG aloud, with her face on
her arms On the table.
1--WE shall do very we'll. In the first place, l
don't believe Doctor Nash knows anything about
it; and in the next, l shall have you up to London,
to a great doctor, aud hear w hat lie says before l
give in to thinking that you are to be blind all your
days"
She was a little cheered by this.
ITO London, Janey! but where is the money to
come from ?" she asked.
Leave that to me. III arrange somehow" 1t
was very puzzling to me to settle how just then,
but | have a firm conviction that where there is o
will to Go anything, a way may generally be found
and ! meant to find it.
She took up her work, but | 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 go out into the fresh air
you have been kept too close, and are pale to what
you were. Go to bed now, like a good little lassie;
I'll do by myself"
''But there is so much ~to,,fnish, Janey,"
Mot q stitch that you'll touch, Lettie; go kiss me
good night, ard get away"
"And you don't think much Of what DR.. Nash
said?' she asked very ~wistfully.
mo! I've no opinion Of him at all" And hear
ing me speak up in my natural way, Though my
heart was doubling all the time,) she went away
comforted, and in better hope. | had put it of
before her, because she would have given way to
~fretting, if l bad seemed to believe what the doc.
tor said; but, as | 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 was only two Of us-Lettie and myself
and we had neither father or mother, nor indeed
any relatives whom we knew.
Lettie was seventeen, and | was four years older
We were both dressmakers, and either worked al
home, or went out by the day. We lived in a small
matched, three roomCd cottage outside the town
which had a 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
liked the place where we had been born so mucl
better than the closed-in streets, that we had neve
got changed, and were not wishful to. Our rem
was not much, but we were rather put to it some
times to get it made up by the day, for our land
lady was very sharp upon her tenants, and
they were ever so little behind-hand, she gave then
notice directly.
| set my Wits to work how to get the money t
take Lettie to London; but all that night no ide
came to me, and the next day it was the same
with two pair of hands we Lad maintained our
selves decently; but how was it going to be nov
that there was only one. Rich folks little thinl
how hard 1t is for many OF us poor day-workers t.
live on our little earnings, much more to spare fo
an evil day.
Sunday found me still undecided, but that wa
our holiday, and | meant to see DR.. Nash mysel
while Lettie was gone to chapel. She made her
self very nice, for she had a modest pride IN he
looks, which becomes a girl. ! thought her YER
pretty myself, and so did the neighbors; she ha
clear, small features and a pale color in her cheeks
soft brown hair, and hazel eyes. 1t was not cas-
10 see that anything allied them, which might b
disease. She had put off thinking about hersel
and was as merI as a cricket when she went dow
the lane in her white bonnet and clean musli
gown. She nodded to me II was watching he
from the doorway and smiled quite happily.
was proud of Lettie as ever my mother had beer
She was always such Il clever, manufactured It'll
thing, for all her high temper.
When she was fairly gone, and the church bell
ceased, | dressed myself in haste, and set off int
the town to see Doctor Nash. He was at homt
and his man showed me into the surgery, where
had to wait maybe an hour. When the doctc
came it, he asked sharply why | could not hay
put off my visit till Monday; was my business
pressing? He did not consider how precious wei
the work days 10 us, or maybe he would not hay
spoken so-for he was a benevolent man, as "
had every reason TO know; he having attende
our mother through her last illness as CAREFUL
as if she had been a rich lady, though we coul
never hope to pay him. | explained what | ha
come about and he softened then, but would NJ
alter what he had told Lettie himself.
"She has been with me three or four times" b
said "She is an interesting little girl; it is a gref
pity. but / do not think her sight can be saved
don't indeed, Jane"
lie explained to me why he was of this opinion
and how the disease would advance, more lengthil
than needs to be set down here. Then he said h
could get her admitted into the Blind Institution
we liked and that | must keep her well, and sen
her out Of doors constantly. And so | went HON
again, with very little hope left, as you may we
thiak, after what | had heard.
] did not tell Lettie where | had been, and sh
never suspected. There was ~nocha2el that aftc
noon, and we were getting ready to take a wal
along the river bank, as we generally did on fin
Sundays. (for all the town went there, and it fresl
annd ma III 70 saa H. Lnlidau nnnnla L. q. 4La