The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-09-11

the clock struck twelve. l groped my way
faint and trembling, to the wreck Of the
burnt summer.house, and sat down once
more upon the bench where Elsie bad been
sleeping when I rescued her from The
flames. struggled no longer with my
reason, but muttered wildly to myself.
"ilere, here-yes hero. where she slept
II will die, and she shall never know that
died for her love. Ha! ha! ha ! how
they would laugh OF the idea Of blind
man In love"
"Mastcr Paul, come to luncheon Don't
sit here, looking so wild like" said old Di.
nah, who was close beside me.
I knew the voice-I heard what she
said /; but I went on talking.
aWhy don't you laugh, DinahT'
"Wha, at young Massa ?" usked tho wo'
man.
cat me-oh blind man in love!"
20, Massa Paul. what ails yer ?" sob.
bed Dinuh, "wlat has happened to yer''
aIlush whispered. ,'You have henrl
the step coming, night and day-that has
killed lne but do not tell her, for he will
be her husband then, and she would grievc.
Tell her how | loved her, though, and how
I would have cared for her, IL 1 had been
like other men.-She will not laugh then,
for shall be under The sod. and We never
laugh ut the dead.-Hark the step is com
ingl ..r .......
Firmly Il came along the path |; md as ]
stretched out my arms, seemed to spring
from black precirice into gulf of deepest
profoundest darkness, where hearing and
motion wcrc buried in oblivion, l heard
her calling out;
"Ol Massa Doctor! Massa Doctor !!
here's young Massa Paul gone dead all
along O. you as knowed he would! !"
The first Of my memories that Is reality,
Is the sound of that very iootsiep which ]
=, ,,..n,v h,,od !, M. very .of, now
-, :, go. ,,d ,.n, ,on.,,r,lv ,nwcsr.
;0d,v W,h !, ,h.ro came ,i.o cooling
draughts. soothing change Of heated pill.
lows, refreshing moisieniugs Of parched
Il, and brow and Tenderness, so,,l 10 any I
t.,. .v., Lno,v, h,, I hated 4, ,nd
duo,, !, .,..v .,;,, tr.,v ,,v h,o,hsr
go. ,h",0 ,rd rI.;. h,, ,bo, .,on dc.,rov.
.I my nI...,,rs IN ,b.;r nr...,ce
No, nn,;I Law .o wal ,h,, m ;,f.n,
co,ld b,v, urryen,cd m, from making tho
,li,b,e,, move bu, nevertheless safe on the
road to health upain, did ,ha, stem censc to
burn, me. Blu, tim, hour came a, last, and
for three weeks never heard The echo ,und
Elsie never left me. AsI grew stronger.
she "a, beside me and read to me, as In
the old times, until ,l,a, day came, when
propped with pillows 81, in my old chair
in the parlor, close by the open window.
My mother had kissed me. and was singing
over her household duties for very pleasure.
There was no one In tho room but Elsie
Russell and myself My heart was very
soit and warm that day. llongcd to thank
them for all their care and kindness-even
the remembrance ofthe step hated was
no longer terrible TO me.
Something of my first thoughts tried TO
say, but Elsie placed her hand upon my
arm rs spoke.
"Paul," she said, "I have not spoken oi
II yet, but you owe your life, SO far as man
is concerned, to DR. Claymore. We could
have done nothing. Ho did everything.
He never left you for moment, Paul, until
you were out of danger. we CON never ior'
get, any ofus. his care and devotion but
for that, we must have lost YOU"
"lt would have been a loss to deplore'
! said with something OF the old bitterness
@Would you have grieved much er
""Paul! PAUL." she said reproachtnlly'
with her little hand upon my arm again
10 PAUL."
"And why should you3" ! continued
"A blind mole, useless to you and himself
"a sigh,less thing, to be led and tended
and cared for, where he would give his life
0nf