Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-05-23
"What, at young Massa 7" asked the wo'

"What, at young Massa r. asked the wo
man.
"At meat blind man in love.
20, Massa Paul, what ails yeri" sobbee
Dinah; "what has happened yerl"
"Hush!' I whispered. You have heare
the step coming night and day-that has
killed me; but do not tell her, for he viii
be her husband then, and then she would
grieve."
"Tell her / loved her, though, and how
l would have cared for, if I bad been like
other men. She will not laugh, then, fol
l shall be under the sod, and we never laugh
at the dead! Hark! the step is coming r
30, Massa Doctor Massa Doctor here's
young Massa Paul gone dead along o'you
as l knowed he would.
The first of my after memories, that is
reality is the sound of that very footstep
which l so hated. 1t was very soft now
and it came and went constantly, unwea,
riedly. With it came also cooling draughts
soothing change of pillows, refreshening
moistenings of parched lips and brow, and
tenderness equal to any l have ever Known
but hated it and drove it away still. l
knew mother was there, and Elsie; but
thot step destroyed my pleasure in their
presence.-Not until l lay SO weak that an
infant could have prevented me from ma
king the slightest move, but nevertheless,
safe on the road to health again, did that
step cease TO haunt me. But that hour
came at last and for three weeks l never
heard its echo, and Elsie never left me-
As / grew stronger she sat beside me and
read to me as in the old times till tha: day
came;when propped up with pillows,andwas
singing over her household for very pleas
ure. There was no one in the room but
Elsie Russell and myself. My heart was
very warm and soft that day. longed to
thank them for their kindness-even the
remembrance of the stepI hated was no
longer terrible to me. Something of my
first thoughts tried to say, but Elsie put
her hand on my arm as spoke.
"Paul," she said, 81 have not spoken of
it yet, but you owe your, life so far as man is
concerned to Doctor Clayborne. We could
have done nothing. He did everything.
He never left you for moment, Paul, un-
til you were out of danger. We can never
forget any of us, his kindness and devotion
and but for that we surely must have lost
you"
at would have been loss to deplore,"
I said with something of the old bitterness.
"Would you have grieved much, Elsie?"
"Paul, Paul." said she reproachfully.
with her little hand upon my arm again ;
"Ob, Paul"
"And why should you9" I continued.
"a blind mole, useless to you and himself
"a sightess thing, to be led and tended,
and cared, where he would give his life to
guard and cherish! Whv should you
grieve Elsie? You would not long"
"Paul, Paul, you break my hearth 1t
is l who am the cause, the innocent cause
of your blindness. 1t is I who made you
so wretched. Why did you snatch me
from the flames, PaulG My death would
not been SO terrible as this"
Sine spoke with suppressed agony in
her voice of which never heard from any
human being, and involuntary stretched
out my arms and wound them about her
waist. e
"Forgive me, my moro than sister," l
pleaded, sit is worth all to feel your sweet
pity, 10 have you thus near me. Let me
keep you awile Elsie, as though were in
reality your brother; and believe from my
soul, l shall ever bless you and any one
who makes your life happy, be he who he
NAV. have seen it all along, Elsie; ard
if at first bitter thoughts would come, when
1 remembered that as be would gain, so
we must lose you, believe me dear Elsie,
they are now over and have no thought
that is not kindness, no feeling that is not
brothers for him or you."
As l spoke heard once more that ring
ing step upon the path, and she started
from me. "The new step, Elsie; Go and
meet it," said.
She turned and paused. "Paul," said
she, ''do you think that any new step could
be so dear to me as the old ones I have
loved so longl 0, Paul"
"It is right, it is natural, Elsie; do not
blush to own it," said, for l had resolved
to look my hard fate full in my face, and
be unselfish at least, for the future. could
say no more for she was gone and he had
come in her slead-he, the owner of that
step which had first heard coming up the
garden path year before. -
"You are looking BETTER" he said.
sU tbank vou Dr Clavmore: I fnd
owe it to your kind attention that l am thus
far recovered" l anwered. Il fear have
proved very troublesome and ungrateful
patient ;acept my thanks and apologies ;tbey
are all the amends that remain for me 10
make"
He laughed frankly. ae .,-iaa7 -
"To tell you the truth Mr.. Blair" said
he, "only your fever and delirium saves you
from half dozen challenges and rs many
duels. You have considerable animosity
towards me, for some unexplained reason"
l felt myself color as be spoke, but could
make no answer:
IL did not come to speak of this" said
he, "Are you strong enough to bear little
agitations"
81 believe l am," replied.
The Doctor arose, and leaning over me,
paessed his fingers upon my eyelids very
softly. "Pardon me-" he said, "you must
have been blind long time"
"Ten years." l answered.
"And have you never thought Of re-
oainino vour siUht have volt never hoped