The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-01-27

just then n well 4 well known bark
was heard, aud large white dog rush
cd out of the woody path. "Cmsar. p
cried Gertrude "where is your master?"
"IIere he is :" rerlied an agitatcd
vnice; and holding one end of cord, of
which the other was fastened to Caesars
collar, r soldier appeared. "Mother,
arc you here Where is Marguerite
Why don't you come snd embrace your
poor blind wanderer 7"
"Blind p exclaimed Marguerite; and
fixing her eyes on her betrothed, she
saw that his eyes had been covered by
bandage. cannot describe the emo.
tions Of all three; suffice it to bay, that
after an Incredible number of embraces
Gertrude aud her two children returned
to my house aud We passed delightful
evening
Here the curatc stopped, aud Thought
his story ended.
"Well,' - / said, 81 suppose the blind
warrior and his betrothed-still iu his
Imagination blooming in all her youth
ful charms-wore speedily united 7"
They were, he replied; it was | who
married them; but have somewhat
more to tell You of them. Their cot
tage, by the willing aid of the villagers,
was soon rebuilt, aud they removed into
it, Their circumstances were very com
Portable, and Juan supported his in6r-
mity-eauscj, he told me, by the ex.
plosion of mine-wi;h the utmost
cheeriulness. His tenderness for his
wife seemed to increase every day; and
yet she was evidently not happy. She
became prey to constant melancholy,
and her health and strength visibly de-
clined. Her old friend, the doctor,
visited and prescribed for her, but
without avail
my art is at hand" he said to me.
"llcr 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 cannot answer for her life "
Alas how could l apply the cousola-
ton Of religion to a Csc Of which the
sufferer persisted in keeping me pro-
ioundly ignorant Once she seemed
on tie point Of opening her mind, but
Juan entered the room and she WAS 81
lieut.; nor could | ever alterwurd induce
her to speak freely Meantime her
bodily condition became very prccarious,
aud Juan, who was now aware of her
danger, was scarcely less anxious about
her.
Que evening when | was in the cot
tage, the doctor arrived, and, having
examined his patient, pronounced that
unless some powerful reaction took
place she could not long survive How
solemn were the moments that succeed.
cd this announcement Poor Juan
graspcd conyul,iyely the hand of his
wife, while large tears strcamcl from
beneath his bandage.
began to exhort her on the subject
Of religion; and when spoke of the
mercy of her Maker she exclaimed =
ooh, | have great need of mercy, for
my conscience is burdened with heavy
load, i=tcn, she continued, address
ing US all, aud tell me whether | can
hope for forgiveness"
Grouped around her bed, we waited
in silent astonishmen:. Marguerite had
raised herself iLto a sitting posture, her
wasted arms, her disordered hair, her
sunken features, her hollow eyes, CLEAN.
ing with light like that of lamp kin
died up before it is extinguished forever,
lent an air of indescribable sole,nuity to
the scene. Placing her hand in her
husbands she said: "Juan, you re-.
member when We separated the promise
which we made Of mutual fidehtyy Ny
heart was yours and yours was mine
Well, the terror of losing that heart
caused me to commit geievous sin.
pictured you to myself with shocked,
ayerted looks, at the first sight of her
who was once named the Pearl; and in
the agony, the deiirium of the moment,
| cried to Heaven: Oh, God either
give me back my beauty or take from him
his eyesight! The moment the selfish,
impious prayer was uttered | bitterly
repented, and would fain have recalled
it; but too late. Juan, the wish was
granted, and have never known since
one moments happiness
"What !" cried her husband, and Is
this the secret, Marguerite, which is
killing your
"Itis."
"Then live, dearest, and be happy;
your prayer was not answered"
Aud tearing off the bandage which
covered his eyes, he fell on his wife's
bosom and clasped her in long en-
brace.
1t appeared that the blindness which
had fallen on Juan was only of a tem.
porary nature. Under the skillful
treatment of our friend the surgeon.
whom he privately consulted, the power
of vision began slowly but surely to re-
turn. Having, however, heard from
his grandmother, the whole history of
Marguerite's horror at tho idea Of his
beholding her disfgured face, he gener.
ously determined to conceal from her
his cure, at least for a time. Now,
however, il was suddenly revealed, and
was it too late? The doctor motioned
US all away from the bed, took his pa.
tents hand and felt her pulse; hope
ful smile played on his benevolent lips.
"My FRIEND" said he, turning to me,
the age Of miracles has not ceased-
Marguerite is cured r
Here the good man ceased, and after
pause, / asked: