The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-11-14

you crIeu the old man put take OH
your hat, let me see your face"
"Not yet" said Arthur gloomily, "you
will see me soon enough; you have recog-
nized me with my hat on let that suffice
for the present"
Mr.. Hartley stared; then he began to
wonder if he knew ofhis daugter's misfor-
tune.
"YOu don't ask after Lillian" be said,
presently.
81 have seen her already," replied Ar
thur
"Seen her :" said Mr.. Hartley.
"Yes, in the meadow /; but she did not
know me; We were quite near, and she
passed me like stranger" cried Arthur
''and yet you remember me"
Mr.. Hartley sat down with a deep sigh.
Arthur did not know, then, the painful
task that lay before him still.
"No wonder my poor girl did not know
you, Arthur"
eyes, yes, know am changed, fear
fully, horribly changed p exclaimed the
young man, passionately; sand | come to
ask you whether | had even better let
Lillian see me again. l will 90 away, if
you bid me will make any sacrifice to
epare her the shock. Only think first of
all have had to bear, before you decide,
think how loved her, and how the thot
of this meeting, which | shrink from now
has never been absent from me, night nor
day, since We parted"
"You misunderstood NE, Arthur" said
the old man. "It is not you who should
shrink from meeting my poor daughter.
You have nothing to fear, nothing to
shrink from"
Nothing to fear !" repeated Arthur
then with sudden effort he threw off his
hat. Look at me, before you say that.
Mr. Hartley did look, then half started
back, still staring at the altered face be.
fore him.
Good heavens, it is very Fearful cried
Mr.. Hartley, "it is very shocking"
1T is fearful" repeated the unfortu-
nate young man, boWing his head upon
bis hands.
Two years ago Arthur Goldthrops was
a very handsome man. The face that
Lillian had last looked at when they part
ed was fresh with health. and color, and
manly beauty, now he was terribly and
strangely ugly. The straight features
the noble, broad brow, the dark full eyes
were still the same; but the skin had
altered completely from a healthy red and
white to blush indigo gray; face, neck
and hands. indeed his entire BODY, had
undergone that complete and fearful
change.
Mr.. Hartley drew long breath as he
recovered little from his establishment.
Il don't understand it, my boy" said
he. won't it come off? Bless my soul
it really is most extraordinary thing.
knew different climate would do great
deal; but anything SO strange as this |
never heard of in nay life"
at was not the climate" said Arthur,
sadly 'let ne explain to you how it oc-
CURED. Directly after I had dispatched
my last letter but ore to Lillian, l caught
the yellow fever that was then raging at
one Of the stations | had occasion to 90 to
and never expected to survive; the na-
tives were dying around ne by dozens and
[ resigned myself to meet the worst as
courageously as | could. The disease with
me developed itself in its worst form, there
no chance open for me it seem.
ed fated | was to die in a foreign land,
away from home and ny dear Lillian. At
last one of the native doctors told NE
there was one remedy for my stage of the
disease that was sure to cure me eEectual.
ly; but which left behind it such terrible
results that nearly all preferred death TO
such cure. This remedy consisted of
certain preparation cf mercury being RIB
bed all over the unhappy patient at reg
ular iatervalsj the result would be to
change the white European skin to this
miserable blue gray tint. At first you
may Imagine that shrank from SO re-
pulsive cure, but by degrees | grew
more accustomed to the idea until it grad
uaIlg lost much of its responsiveness. Life
IS very dear to the most ofus, and Iseem-
ed to have so much to lose. At any rate
| reasoned that if,when am so disdgured
life is to terrible to be endured, aud my
fridnds shrink from me / can only die
then, as l should die now. SO I gave my
consent. The doctor commenced his work
and cured me, but left me what | am"
Arthur Goldthrope paused, and Mr..
Hartley hold out his hand.
"You did right Arthur" said he "Rnd
now we have to thank Heaven for what
had thought my greatest misfortune.-
Lillian shall never know of this change"
"Never know of this change.
SHAY | then never see her All, sir
you speak too kindly, aud let at the same
Ill