The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-12-08
McGREGOR, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1853.

amusement in which he was engaged
At this moment, her mournful features
were bathed in tears, and then she would
rise up and move in little circuit round
the parlor, wringing her hands as if in
agony, and displaying every symptom
of grief and gloomy apprehension
Finally, she entered the gentlemen's
cabin, and with slow and faltering steps
advanced in the direction of the card
table. She looked like one walking in
a dream, and appeared not to be guided
by sight, but rather by the loud ringing
of the coin which the gamblers were
almost necessarily throwing down on the
table. I was standing, at the moment,
about ten feet from the players, and a
dense circle of spectators interviewed
betwixt myself and them. The young
lady approached, in a right line, the
very point which occupied, and her
sad blue eyes, with vacant expression,
As 1 fancied. were fixed on my face
She paused, however, when within one
step of my position, and stretching out
her hand, touched my arm. Her lips
parted, and size murmured, in tones of
such low, sweet, indescribable music,
that thought she WAS going to sing
Pardon me, sir; l am seeking for my
brother
He is engaged at the card table, l
replied, wondering immeasurablv at her
strange behavior. :.
Alas F! l knew that she said, with
profound sigh; but my eyes cannot
distinguish him from the others. l am
blind !! She uttered the last sentence
in accents SO unspeakably mournful,
that felt as if could weep like child.
The whole truth flashed upon me at
once, like burst of sunshine from be-
hind; "a passing cloud. All the singular
itty1 os hssT hsT previous conduct was account
ed for. Yes, those eyes, 80 blue, so
beautiful, so like the tints of summer
sky, could not see, had never seen, the
rich world of colors which is more than
half the sensible universe For her,
there had never been green on the grass,
or CORY in the flowers, or splendor in
the light of the sun. In her moonless
memory there were no diamond dawns,
no radiant red evenings, no cleaning
rainbows, no golden stars. She had
been doomed from her very cradle to
linger through life in everlasting dark
ness
Arousing myself, with an effort, from
such unpleasant reflections, inquired
in kind voice-'Shall I tell your
brother that you desire to speak with
him p
You cannot tell him anything she
answered with tears. He is as destitute
of hearing, as am of sight =
This information explained the pecu'
liar eccentricities that l had remarked
in the acts Of the young man from the
instant when first perceived him, ant
especially his silence during the game
But what an astonishing calamity wa
TINS Here were two members OF the
same family afflicted by nature with
similar misfortunes, each wanting mair
avenue by which the soul communica
tes with the material forms and element.
around it.
"Can assist you in any way?' ]
asked, compassionately.
Yes she said, lead me to my
brother, and place my hand on his shoul
DER
Excuse the seeming discourtesy,'
remarked but suffer me to say, with
the greatest respect, that this is no place
| for one SO beautiful and innocent as you
Already, rude and vulgar eyes are be-
ginning to wander this way. Allow
me to conduct you back into the par
lor.' "
'Ah, me how can I 60 and leave
| himr sobbed the blind girl, turning
| pale, as if about to faint at the thought
of some danger that l was utterly at a
loss to imagine. 't'
your brother appears to be in fail
way of providing for himself l ans
wered. in order to console her; 'he has
nearly won all the money on the
board -1'5
ooh that is the reason for my fears,
she replied, with a cold shudder !; fol
then the others will commence cheat
ing, and as he cannot remonstrate with
words, he will do it with blows, and life
blood will be shed, ss it has been be
fore; for he is dreadful in his wrath
when aroused
At the very instant, as she ceaset
speaking, l heard the same wild, gut
tural cry which, as l have previousl,
mentioned, young Greenleaf uttered a
he broke away from his sister in tn
ladies' cabin. She heard it also, and a
if in nameless terror, FASTENED away t
the parlor. Then came the sound of
slight stroke, like a slap in the face, mex
a powerful blow, heavy fall, scuffle
and Immediately the most frantic con
fusion rsignod throughout tho hall.--
Some voices exclaimed, Part them
part them!' Others shouted as vehe
mently, No, no! let them alone-le
them fight it out! 7 Finally, the roar G
pistol suddenly sounded, and tn
throng scattered in alright from thei
perilous proximity to the scene of con
tlict, when l was enabled to obtain
fair view Of the situation of the parties
They were standing, separated by tn
distance of not more than three feet
gazing into each others eyes with look
Of hatred and malignity the most abso
lutely horrible that ever witnessed
before or since, on the human counter
ance. Grsenleaf. entirely unhurt. clutch
ed the hilt of dagger. from which tn
blade had been broken off in the rer
, contre and Frank Foeman, his feature
being dis6gured by bleeding wounds
held in his right hand the pistol jui
discharged. and which still smoked 8