Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-09-28

| lheh why 10 you talk IN that way T. no
retorted, cautiously then seeing that | could
not keep back my tears, he put his arm around
me, saying iondly, There--don't cry, my
darling. I'm afraid | am often cross and
stupid nowadays but you know what we
hope the summer will bring u.s. and feel as
though ] ought to strain every nerve 10 get
the means Of making my darling comfortable
in her great trial"
Your eyes arc more to you-and me
than any thing esc," | whispered. "I'd
rather go to st. Luko's than your sight should
be injured
Nonsense--dont talk so birdie" Dick
said, with little nervous shudder Besides,
there is nothing the matter with my eyes.
They smart and feel queer Of evenings, to be
sure but that's nothing; good nights rest
makes them all right. Come-take the
Builder aud read TO me awhile sufficient
for the day you know-dont borrow trouble,
Dame Trot"
Ills words only half rcassured me; but I
did as he bid me, with a secret prayer that
no harm might come to my brave darling who
loved me so we'll.
The long winter months slowly dragged
themselves out. Spring came, soft and balmy,
midsummer, bright and golden, smiled over
all the land On my breast lay weo whito
ldasy-Baby Margaret; but was still in my
lofty chamber, and Dick was---blnd
i lcs-Giod help US the blow had ialleu.--
Shall | ever forget his awful face as he stag
gered in from his office and threw himself on
his knees beside my bed, gasping out, Mar
garet OH my poor darling my punishment
has come have been stricken all in a mo-
ment My God if had listened to you
last winter What will become of us!
Aunt Becky rose from her seat beside me.
The old lady had soflened wonderfully since
she first heard of the new hope that had come
to US. She had been our constant visitor and
helper Of late, and was now my tender, faith
tul nurse. Children !" she said, this is a
terrible dispensation- You must
feel it almost unbeorable just nnx x-but pray
pray if you can for pate9se. Give>Qe the
baby, Margaret. You ofght TO be alone
with your husband, and AUST go for help di-
roctly. 1t may not be too late"
She took the sleeping child from my arms,
wrapped in her little blanket Il knew after
ward that she left her in the care Of the jan
itor's wife, and disappeared from the room
Then my poor, stricken darling grcped his
way to place on the bed beside me, and wa
; just cried in company-God help US
" You will recover from this first attack,
Mr.. Dalton" said the calm, kindly voice Of
the ophthalmic surgeon, after long and pain
ful examination.
"Thank God !" spoke Dick, bending his
head.
" But it will not do to risk second. You
must not venture to use your eyes for year
to come at least. This is Indispensable"
: 3" But Doctor-good heavens My wife
my child How can leave work for yearT
| have no other resource than my professional
} income"
" Have you no friends who would assist
you? II you wish to recover your sight you
: should not only give up work, but it would
even be better for you to go away altogether
to Europe, say"
Impossible !"
There was a momentary silence. Then
dear old Aunt Becky, brushing away the tears
r that had gathered beneath her spectacles, took
Dicks two white, shapely hands in her brown,
wrinkled ones
Richard" she said, "Im an old woman
now. have nothing to live for now but to
make you young folks happy. I've been
saving up nest-egg all these years, and il
comes to a tidy little sum now. Will you
4 take 1t from your cross, grabbed old aunty,
and go on this journey? Margaret and baby
4 shall be safe with me till you come home.
! Will you, my dear?"
e | don't know which did it, but certainly
, either Richard hugged my aunt, and gave her
C a sounding kiss, or DIR. Blount did. think,
, upon the whole, it was both of them. l, ly-
. ing on my sofa, to which had been promoted
= for the first time, could only cry, God bless
/, you, from my heart, pray, dear, dear Aunt
r Becky"
= A month anerward Dick went. 1t was
- hard struggle, parting from my bonny darling
r for that long voyage, that longer absence in a
b foreign land above all, when it was still 50
! painful to him to DO more than glance at OBJ
l. jocts through the strange blue spectaces they
= put over his handsome brown eyes. Baby
+ Margaret and | went to my aunts old-fash-
t ioned house-unchanged since | left it to be
D wife. The dear little rooms in st, Thomas
Buildings were closed and locked, the office
: let to an architectural friend of my husband.
e How happy was wnen the first letter came,
e after three months Only a few lines, but
9 enough to show that the cure was working.
a How | onged and watched for my darling
c when the time drew near for his return
praying, fearing lest some accident should be-
L fall the steamer-rushing down to the Office
in the most unreasonable way, to know if she
r had been spoken, long before there was any
a possibility Of such an event And when the
summer-tde was at its height once more, and
c Baby Margaret could just toddle to the door
= and utter wooing sound that my fond, be-
y lieying ears announced to be "papa," the
e good ship EaroPe foated safely into the har-
Dor; and through the golden sunset to the
! old house, as he had come many time two
d years ago, came my Richard, restored, thank
j. God to perfection Of sight and strength.
:, We are rich people now. Our house stands
d stately among the homes of the wealthy Of
! the land. Its rooms are filled with every
,, luxury that sense could demand or artistic
= taste require; but on on upper floor is little
Is room that is dearer to us than all the rest be-
i sides. No carpet covers its floor the farni-
, ture is only cane, with one tiny, shabby green
couch among it; a brass lamp stands on the
P green-covered table; a bright chrome hangs
/ over the mantle, with a quaint screen OF
y Gothic design beneath. And here, in the
r. soft twilight often come the master and mis-
s. tress of the mansion There is sound Of
e children's voices below. The glitting lights
j. and iestal, fower-crowned table seem to tell
}, that brilliant dinncr-party is soon to begin.
a But Richard fingers yet; and putting his arm
: around the blue-eyed morsel Of woman
'- beside him, he whispers " am happy now.
g God has given me all could have asked !;
y but | never can be happier than when first
r brought home my darling wife-my own pre-
Q eious Little Dame Trot !"
----- 800 ---------------
=. If any subject for new unoasiness is
# wanting, it may be found in the astronomical