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


went there, and /. freshed us up to see the
holiday people far more than If we had stopped
at home reading our books, as many say it is
only right to do,) when one of our neighbors
came in with her son. Mrs. Crofts was a
widow, and Harry was studying medicine with
Doctor Nash. They were both kind friends
of ours and, between Lettie and the young
| man, there had been fer ever so long q 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 1t 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, SIS Harry gomez and my
sister made a 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. DR.. Nash thinks very well
Of him; he is a good young fellow, Jane"
| L 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 l
seemed rather cold and stiff for Mrs Crofts
asked if was not we'll, 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,s;
| Harry never said a word. You don't think it
| can be true?' she asked. / did not know
| what to think. L was sure that, in that whs-
4 pering over the rose tree, my sister had told
| young Mr. Crofts; and wished his mother
| would 60 away, that l might comfort her. At
last she went Then called to Lettie, who
| came at once She had been fretting but
as she tried to hide it 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 he 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 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-truuk which lay
there
This is a 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
| Phillipson, the best oculist in England, is
coming to stay couple Of days with Nash
Let him see her"
~ meant to try to get her to London for
advice u
"There is nobody SO clever as Phillipson.
Oh! Jane, L wish had passed.
"Do you fancy you know what would cure
her."
"I'd Try You know, Jane, love Lettie
| 1 meant to asa her to be my wife. I did ask
her this afternoon, and she said, No; and
| then told me about her sight-it is only tn
1 know she likes me; indeed, she did not try
t. deuy it y
Yes, Harry, you have been so much to-
L L... %l,- L., .oIi- e
ing"
THAT is what she says"
'.She is right-she must just stay with NE.
You could not do with blind wife, Harry
you, young man, with your way to make in
the world -
He tore up handful of grass, and flung it
into the river, saying passionately, " Why, OF
all the girls in DalstOn must this affiiction fall
on poor Lettie? ?" and then he got up and
walked away to meet her coming along the
| bank. They had good deal of talk together,
| which L 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 Lsttie was not so down
| stricken as l had dreaded she would be- and
she bade good bye to Harry Crofts almost
cheerfully when ne went up to London.
There, Jane, cow l hope he'll forget me |;
| L don t 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 1 can remember which some Of them
never see :" she added, with sigh.
After this, imperceptibly, her sight went
| until noticed that, even in crossing the floor,
| she felt her way before her, with her hands
out. DR. Nash again offered to use his influ
ence to get her admitted into the Institution,
| but she always pleaded I" let me stay with
you, Janey - and 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 cur
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 unrepiniDg.
| Learn music-I will teach thee" he said
| to my sister. So, sometimes In our little par
lor, and sometimes in his, be gave her lessons
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 IL better
| than before and it was all her consolation to
draw the sweet sounds up out of that we'll Of
feeling which love mad sounded. 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 could not
quite make up the rent, she would not press
me but fortunately had not to claim her
! forbearance, or else L do fear she could not
have borne to lose sixpence; and when it
| had come to the point We should have had TO