Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-04-14

with my eyes. People will be sure to ask,
and / shall feel 40 iesIned when | tell
them. tt it'll II
DR.. Buchanan replied gTavely, and dis.
creetiy assumed 10 lave teen nothing OF
what bad happened,
But he had seen, nevertheless, and en-.
pair had departed with hearts wonderfully
lighteped, to forget their fears in the de-
liehtful mysteries Of h0use-furnishing
and even while he himself was busy with
innumerable cases Of ophthalmia, smauro-
sis, and Heaven knows what unutterable
ailments of unfortunate optics, the re-
membranes Of the comical touching scene
came back to him more than once, and
with hope that he might not have to do
anything very terrible to those son, blue
eyes that had looked up 30 wistfully TO
his; for 1t was very evident that whatever
pain was inflicted on them would dupli-
cate itself in the heart Of the fond young
lover or Observation-Disclosures he was.
Meanwhile, said problematic charac-
ter" was deep with Flossy in the mys.
teries of velvet, satin, and brocatelie, and
thanks To their united industry and per-
severance, the great work Of fitting up the
new house was most satisfactorily inau.
gurated by dinner.time.
Fred was too busy to accompany hcr TO
the doctors next morning, and Flossy
went off quite courageously alone. The
physician seemed little surprised to
see her thus, and thought better Of her
nerve than he had done the day be-
fore. He thought better of it still,
when he saw with what quiet fortitude
she underwent the very painful applica-
ton which he presently proceeded to
make. The poor infamed eyelids were
turned inside out, and painted" with
some pungent salve; drops Of some fiery
liquid fell like living Goals upon the sore
and quivering balls; but she made no
sign OF suffering after the first, long, shud-
dering sigh. She sat quite still, growing
white TO the lips, and with her fnger-tips
pressed tight together, but she neither
hinched nor cried out and when it was
over, and she lay back for moment with
the poor, smarting eyes closed, and the
tears running down her pale cheeks, the
doctor was fain TO comfort her as he would
have done child.
"There, the worst is over now" he
said, gently. for the first is always the
worst and you have the consolation Of
having proved your heroism at least"
"That isn't the least bit of consolation,
thank YOU" retorted Flessy, piquantly,
coming out Of her forced calm, as the
pain subsidized little, and drying her tears
with a drolly pathetic air. II am not at
all ambitious of being considered heroic.
OF course, if must suffer, want TO be-
have like woman, and not like baby;
L,,x 7 I.I IL I'll ,<.t
have to suffer at all"
ening and purifying power Of pain!" said
the doctor.
"Tm afraid don't. have no faith in
the be good and you'll be happy doc
trine; when I'm happy, I'm always good.
So are other people, / believe, and they
can't be happy while they are suffering.
Hence, as we used TO say at school, if l
could Danish pain from the world, I'd do
it, and then wed all be happy, and all be
good"
"What would the orthodox people and
the poets say TO such hsresy." asked the
doctor, amused At her fippancy.
knowledge by suffering entereth,'
you know, and you surely wouldn't ven
ture TO oppose Longfellow's dictum, i'm
pressed upon you, doubtless, In your first
reader, that it is very particularly sub
lime thing
"Oh, know all they say" said Flossy,
struggling her shoulders; but it seems to
me If we were spared the suffering, we
wouldn't need the strength. At any
rate, Pm Sabarite enough to wish could
try 1t. think they were the wisest of the
old philosophers, after all. There Is Mrs.
Browning, now, who asks In sad amaze if
we would
Refuse the baptism Of salt tearsr
wonder If she ever had sore eyes! Doc
tor, what haoe you done to make me cry
80 incessantly9 You will ruin me in
pocket handkerchief |"
She held up little cambria trife, com.
pletely saturated with the moisture which
the scalding applications had caused to
flow plentifully from her eyes, and the
doctor gravely presented his own hand.
kerchief. 1t was large, and fine, and cool,
and Flossy took II simply, and pressed il
to her smarting eyebal!s.
at like the smell of Florida water" she
said, naively, at is so refreshing, while
most perfumes are, on the contrary, op.
pressive." And she again applied the fra.
grant linen to her eyes
The doctor flushed with an odd sense OF
pleasure, and gave an amused assemble.
ginning, meanwhile, to fold up powders
"You ought to feel quite honored," he
said, presently. "at being allowed to share
st. Paul's infirmity. You know the
learned in those matters have decided dis
eased eyes to have been his thorn in the
fesh.'"
~ don't believe it," said Flossy, irrev.
erently :" it is only their opinion and
have as good right to mine. ! think he
was Tilted, and that that was the reason he
remained bachelor, and was SO cross on
the subject of marriage!"
Dr. Buchanan laughed outright.
"When have heard 80 much heterO-
doxy in one dayW he said; "but of
course, no woman would admit that q man
would ever remain unmarried Of his own
free choice"
"Not such sensible man as ST. Paul
was, at any rate" retorted Flossy; and
the doctor thought, involuntarily, Of the
tall and handsome young man who had
accompanied his fair patient on the pre-.
ceding day, and of the housekeeperly con.
fab which he had partially overheard.
II can easily imagine that you would
have no trouble in winning converts to
your opinion" he said, courteously, but