Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-06-10

had always been favorite of mine, anc
[ hoped he would do well but, listening
for Lettie's coming to us, perhaps l seem
ed rather cold and stiff for Mrs. Crotts
asked if was not well, or if there was
anything on my mind so / told hel
about poor Lettie's sight.
''Ive seen no appearance of blindness
Harry never said a word. You don't
think it can be true 2" she asked / did
not know what to think. [ was sure
that, in that whispering over the rose
tree, my sister had told young Mr.. Crofts
that wished his mother would 60 away
that L might comfort her. At last she
went. Then I called to Lettie, who
came at once. She had been fretting
but, as she tried to hide it, | made no re-
mark, and we went down the lane to the
river meadows In silence. The first per-
son we met was Harry Crotts. Lettie
seemed put out when he Joined us, and
turned back. She stayed behind, and
was presently in company with our land
lady, Mrs. Davis, who was taking the air
IN little wheeled chair drawn by fooG-
man. Mrs. Davis had already noticed
Lettie. Harry Crofts looked back once
or twice to see if she was following US :;
but, when he found she was not he pro-
posed to wait for her, and we sat down
by the water on tree trunk which lay
there.
"This is sad thing about Lettie's
eyes, Jane," he said, suddenly.
eyes, it is. What do you think about
them ? Is there any chance for her?
"Doctor Nash says not; but, Jane,
next week Philipson, the best occulist in
England, is coming to stay couple of
days with Nash. Let him see her."
Il meant to try to get her to town for
advice"
'There is nobody so clever as Philip
son. o Jane, I wish [ had passed."
"Do you fancy you know what would
cure her 7" ..-...
"I'd try. You know, [ love Lettie.
l meant to ask her to be my wife. I did;
ask her this afternoon, and she said, No;
and then told me about her sight-it is
only that know she likes me indeed,
she did not try to deny it,
eyes, Harry, you have been SO much
together, but there must be no talk of
marrying"
'That's what she says"
''She is aight-she must Just stay with
me. You could not do with a blind wife,
Harry. you, young man, with your own
way to make in the world"
He tore up handful of grass and flung
it upon the river, saying, passionately
"Why, of all the girls in Dalston, must
this afiiction fall on poor Lettie 7'' and
then he walked away to meet her coming
along the bank. They had good deal
of talk together, which I did not listen
to; for their young hearts were speaking
to each other telling their secrets. Lettie
loved him yes, certainly she loved him.
DR.. Phillipson's opinion was the same
that of DR. Nash. Lettie was not so
doEn-stricken as I had dreaded she would
be, and she babe goodbye to Harry
Crofts almost cheerfully when he went
up to town.
"There, Jane, now hope he'll forget
me" she said to me ; II don't like to see
him so dull"
That day Mrs Davis sent her ticket
for concert at the Blind Institution,
and she went When she came home to
tea she told me that the girls and boys
who sang looked quite happy and con-
tented. "And why should [ not be so,
too? What number ofbeautiful sights
[ can remember which some of them
never saw ? she ad led with sigh.
After this, imperceptibly, her sight
went; until [ noticed that, even in cross
ing tho floor, she felt her way before her
with her hands out. Doctor Nash again
offered to use his influence to get her ad-
mitted into the institution, but she al
ways pleaded, "Let me stay with you,
Janey..!w and I had not the heart to re.
fuse, though she would have more
advantages there, than could offer her.
Not far from us there lived an old
German clockmaker, who was besides
musical, and acted as organist at the Ro-
man Catholic Chapel in the town. We
had known him all our lives. Lettie Of
ten carried him posy from our garden,
and his grandchildren came to me for
patches to dress their dolls. Muller was
grim, fantastic looking figure, but he
had heart of pure gold. He was bene-
VIOLENT, simple, kindly; it was his talk
that had reconciled Lettie, more than
anything else, to her condition. He was
SO poor, yet SO satisfied so afflicted, yet
unrepining.