The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-07-30

be jealous"
lie did not echo my slight laugh
! lie stood pulling on his gloves, and
looking obviously, now at mo--now at
the ground.
"After all, he muttered as If to
himself, "it may only be a false alarm %
"What alarm2' I had him by the
arm, and I compelled him into the ad-
Jacent room. I shut the door, and
stood with my back against it to guard
1t alike from aifording ingresB TO Paula,
or ogress to the doctor. en- he had an
swored me.
"What is the matter2n said l.
"What is wrong2 What do you sus-
pect2'
"My dear fellow, he began.
"In few words, Lethby I am strong,
not patient In few words"
"Hou will forgive me if time should
Iprove--as please God il may-that I
am mistaken. But for some time
have watched your little girl with ap-
Iprehension, and 1 fear-all is not right
with the brain There is-some de-
feet in the intellect I fear so. I am
not yet sure, Have courage"
bit my lip till the blood flowed free
| ly and clinched my hands firmly on
the chair I held by. Ny first impulse
was to strike down the man who had
told me this terrible truth. For felt
it was truth. I had no doubt-no
hope-not for a single instant. I knew
it was as he said.
Don't tell your wife" he went on,
seeing l said l nothing, "tll the fact
is ascertained beyond doubt. Remem-
ber, there is hope I have been mista.
ken before, when 1 felt assured of 9th
or things. The suspicion rests on my
judgment alone Nevertheless, it is
well you should know-that you should
recognize tho possibility--you under
stand? Otherwise, I would not have
told you. But precaution, taken in
time, may do much"
The mad animal instinct Of passion.
ate retaliation had passed by. I took
the hand he held to me, and grasped it
firmly. / thanked him for his kindness
his cOnsideraton-in a firm voice
would not tell my wife; 7 would wait
guided by hint would but there
he was without the door, and I closed it
on him quickly, and went back to my
study.
sat there, thinking, till Paula came
to seek me. l had wisely planned not
to let her know or suspeot-planned
like man, not reckoning on the wo-
mans instinct that is as a second soul
with her, and where she strongly loves,
would be almost omniscient. The mo-
ment her eyes struck on my face her
own look answered mine. She was on
my breast, entreating, cntreating to
know ALL What allied me? What i'll
was impending over me-or the child?
Her voice rose to a pitiful cry, on those
words, "the child?"
Then she looked up at me-holding
my eyes with hers, by her straight, un-
IHinching gazo-and she listened while
told her. And the weeks grew into
months, and the months into years and
little Wish grew tall and fair like the
arum lilies she loved to peer into with
her wistful blue eyes. Wistful eyes.
indeed they we're; as though perpetual
ly yearning for what they could never
lind, As she became older the pecui-
arity of her mind became more evident.
1t was as if some thin but inexpugnable
mist had been set between her per-
ceptons and comprehension - moth
ing more. Nothing morel It was
enough. Sometimes a slender rift seem
ed to open and let in the. light with a
sudden sharp CLEAN; and then shut
more closely again, more hopelessly, in
exorably than before. At such times
the child was sadder than her WON'T
Usually she maintained the same quiet
but mirthless serenity that had marked
her infancy.
She spoke very seldom, though her
utterance was very distinct and quite
free from defect But speech seemed
unnatural and painful to her; and un-
less all other and more habitual means
OF making herselfunderstood failed her,
she scarcely ever voluntarily resorted to
It, She knew nothing of fear, or ang-
er, or distress. Pain, that trial to most
childish natures, appears to have had
little power over hers. Once, when she
slipped down and cut her arm, while
Paula was in anguish as she bound up
the ugly wound that looked so red and
terrible on her fair white flesh, the
child herself sat calmly on her mothers
lap, and looked at her disturbed face in
surprise.
Does it hurt my darling muoh?n
'No.' A minute after she added
slowly, 1T hurts you, mamma" And
the perplexed look came over her face
Afterward, when the arm inHamed. and
the pain for few hours was very Great
it was only by her involuntary restless
ness we could tell she was conscious
of it, She mover cried, or complain-
ed, or fretted. She lay on the sofa
quite still, except when she CHANGED
the position Of her bandaged arm.
looking out upon hel mother and NV
self with stoadlast grave eyes.
The child was always with her moth
er. She did not care to plav with
other children; from their boisterous
games she instinctively drew aside
neither could she join in their chatter
over pictures and story-books. For
though Wish would soon be nine
years old, all our pains had been i'm
efectual to make her comprehend any
thing Of the mysteries of the alphabet
All was dark TO her there; she eouId
.,.E y,,,, ...t- -.-., 90 an