The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-09-26
My Blind Sister.

CHAPTER
This was how found It out. Lettie
and were sitting In the window at our
work-it was some mourning we were
making for our rector's family, and 1t
had to be sent home the next day early.
She said, "Jane, it seems as If the sun
had stopped shining; how dull every
thing looks don't you think so2"
did not notice It; there was still an
hours light. She put up her hand to
her forehead as if it panied her, sol
babe hergo out for a turn in the garden;
We had sat close to our sewing all the
day, and the young thing was tired;
even was, and my eyes ached YEARLY.
She went along the hower-bed, and
gathered few roses-We were in the
middle of July then--and gave them to
me through the window, saying that
she would go down into the town for
some trimmings we wanted to finish
the dresses. 1 would rather she had
stayed at homo, and replied that the
shops would be shut; but she was not
| listening, and went away down the
path as spoke. It was dusk when she
came back; had Just shut the window,
and was lighting my candle; she said,
81 could not get the fringe Jane" and
took up her work. After she had sew
ed perhaps five minutes, she dropped
her hands on her knees, and such a
strange, hopeless expression came into
her face, that 1 was quite shocked and
frightened.
what ails you, Letter what can
have happened?" asked, suspecting 1
scarce ~ knew what.
| She looked at me nearly in silence for
some minutes. and then she said, hRsti-
I ly, "I might as we'll tell you at once,
Jane-I am going blind"
My work fell to the ground and ut
tered startled cry.
Don't take on about 1t, Jane, ii can't
be helped" she ADDED.
SIT is only a fancy of yours, Lettie /;
L shall have you go to DR.. Nash in the
morning. What has made you take
such notion into your head all at
once?" said 1, for thought that this
was another nervous within. Lettte
had been a good deal INDUCED by her
mother before she died, and had shown
herself not little headstrong at times,
as we'll as fancifui.
"Ips OF no use, Jane; L have been to
DIR. Nash myself, and he said plainly
that I was going blind. have been to
him twice before; I knew what was
coming. o, Janey, what shall we do2"
and having borne up thus far she
broke down, and sobbed aloud, with
her face on her arms ut the table.
1--WE shall do very well. In the first
place, don't believe DIR. Nash knows
anything about 1t, and, in the next
place, l shall have you up town to a
great doctor, and hear what lie says,
before L give in to thinking that you
are to be blind all your days"
She was little cheered by this.
TO town, Janeyl but where is the
money 10 come from2n she asked.
Leave that TO me. I'll arrange that
| some how"
It was very puzzling to me to settle
how just then, but have a firm con-
viction that where there is will TO do
anything, a way may be generally
found, and meant TO tiud it.
She took up her work, and bade her
leave it. You will not set another
just play on the old pinno and
sing your bits of songs, and get out in
the fresh air-you have been kept too
close, and are quite pale 10 what you
were. Go to bed now, like goo littl
lassie. rll do 1t myself"
"But there Is SO much to finish, ia.
TNot stitch that you'll touch, Lettie;
so kiss me good night and get away"
land you don't think much of what
DIR. Nash said2" she asked very visit
fully.
mol I've no opinion of his Mt ALL"
And hearing me speak up in my natur-
/ al way AtuOuBu my hehIl was OOuuNluB
all the time), abe went away comforted
and in better hope. had put 1t of be-
fore her, because she would have given
way to fretting, if had seemed TO be-
lieVe what the doctor said but as
drew my needle through and through
my work till three hours past midnight,
had often to stop TO wipe the tears
from my eyes.
There were only two of us-Lettie
and myselE-we had neither father nor
mother, nor indeed any relatives whom
we knew. Lettle was seventeen, and ]
was four years older. We were both
| dress-makers, and either worked at
home or went out by the day. We
lived in a small, matched, three-room-
| ed cottage outside the town, which had
a nice garden in front. Some people
had told us that If we moved into the
town we should get better employs
| but both LIattie and liked the place
where we had been born SO much better
than the closed-in streets, that we had
never got changed, and were not wish
full to. Our rent was not much, but we
were rather put to iLasometlmes to gel
it made up by the day, for our landlRdy
was very sharp upon her tenants. and
/ il they were ever 80 little behind hand
she gave them notice directly.
/ set my wits to work how to get the
money to take Lettie to town; but al
THAT night no idea came to me, and tht
next day il was the same. With two
pair of hands we had maintained our,
selves decently; but how was IL goinp
to be now there was only oneI Rict
folks little think how hard 1t Is for sc
many of us poor dsy-workers to live
on our little earnings, much more tc
spare for an evil day.
rHhpTPR IT