The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-10-14

Il He has noble heart, replied the gIrl
'and I know that he would marry me, and
TRY to make me happy, but how could
endure his aEerted looks--his sorrow j!
No, no / shall suffer much less in suffer
ing alone.
| Just then we'll known bark was heard,
and large white dog rushed out OF the
woody path. 'Cesarr cried Gertrude.
f'Wnere is your master p
Here he is" replied an agitated voice
and, holding one end of cord, of which
the other was fastened to Caesar collar, a
soldier appeared. Mother are you here |!
Where is Marguerite? Why don't you
come and embrace you poor blind wan
I derer %
= Blindr exclaimed Marguerite and
| fixing her eyes on her betrothed, she saw
that his were covered with a bandage. 1
cannot describe the emotions all three
suffice it to say that after an incredible
number of embraces, Gertrude and her
two children returned to nv house, and
we passed delightful evening.
Here the curate stopped and thought
his tale was ended.
Well,n / said, !" / suppose the blind
warrior and his betrothed, still, in his
imagination, blooming in all her youthful
charms, were speedily united ?' -...s
"They were," he replied. It was /
who married Them but / have somewhat
more to telleyou of them. Their cottage,
by the willing aid of all the villagers was
soon rebuilt, and they moved into it.
Their circumstances were very comforta
Bile, and Juan supported his infrmity,
caused, he told me, by the explosion of a
mine-witl the utmost cheerfulness His
tenderness fer his wife seemed to increase
every day; yet she was evidently not hap
Ply. She became a prey to constant, mel
ancholy, and her health and strength
vIsibly declined. Her old friend, the
doctor, visited and prescribed for her but
without avail.
MY art is at fault, he said to me- Her
body suffers, but the seat of the disease is
her mind. Do you try to discover what
the secret is which weighs on her, or I
cannot answer for her life.
Alas how could apply the consolation
of religion to case of which the sufferer
persisted in keeping me profoundly igno-
rant? Once she seemed on the point of
opening her mind, but Juan entered the
room, and she was silent ; nor could ev-
er afterwards induce her to speak freely.
Meanwhile her bodily condition became
very precarious and Juan, who was now
aware of her danger, scarcely ever stirred
from her side. Old Gertrude, as you
may suppose, was scarcely less anxious
about her.
One evening, when [ was in the cot
tage, the doctor arrived and having ex-
amined his patient, pronounced that un
less some powerful reaction took place
she could not long survive. How solemn
were the moments that succeeded this
announcement Poor Juan grasped con
vulsiyely the hand of his wife, while large
tears streamed from beneath his ban
dage.
| began to exhort her on the subject of
religion and when l spoke of the mercy
of her Maker, she exclaimed,-sOh,I have
great need of mercy, for my conscience is
bnrdened with heavy load Listen, she
continued addressing us all, aud tell
me whether can hope for forgiveness
Grouped about her bed, we waited in
silent establishment. Marguerite had
raised herself to sitting posture her
wasted arm, her disordered hair, hersunk-
en- features her hollow eyes cleaning
with light like that OF a lamp kindllng
up before it is extingulshed forever, lent
an air of Undesirable solemnity to the
scene. Placing her hand in her hus-
bands, she said,-'Juan, you remem
Der, when we separated, the promise
which we made of mutual fidelity? My
heart was yours, and yours was mine.
Well the terror of losing that heart caus-
ed me to commit grevious sin. I pictu |
red you to myself, with shocked averted
looks at the first sight of her who was
called the Pearl; and In the agony, |
and the delirium of the moment, criea |
to Heaven: Oh, God either give me
back my beauty or take from him his eye
sight y The moment the selfish impious
prayer was uttered, bitterly repented,
and would fain have recalled it; but
too late Juan the wish was granted
aud / have never known since one mo
menr's happiness
What, cried her husband, and is this
the secret, Marguerite, which is killing
you - - ~ So
It is tx
Then live, dearest, and be happy
your prayer was not answered ost
Aud tearing of the bandage which
covered his eyes he fell on his wife's DO.
som, and ctasped her in long embrace.
1t appeared that the blindness, which
had fallen on Juan was Of only q temper
ary nature. Under the skilful treatment
Of our friend, the surgeon, whom he pri |
vately consulted, the power of vision be-
gan slowly but surely, to return. Having,
however, heard from his grandmother the
whole history of Marguerlte'sa horror at
the idea of his beh' ] lirg her disfgured