Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-05-14

Elsie was near him.
Il cannot see you. Elsie" he cried
"Speak 10 mol"
She came softly TO him. gathered his
hands in her own, her tears failing fast
80 Elsie !" he remarked, IL have no
word to comfort such sorrow rs yours
We all loved him; your grief is ours"
And your aiilicIion, Earnest. she re
piled. gently. lis new sorrow for me"
Il feel it to-day" he said, simply,
''since cannot see your face
They talked long together. There
WAS much TO tell on both sides, and each
felt how truly The other sympathized in
the sorrows that had fallen upon them
during their separation.
1t was no, long before Elsie had found
her old place in the home circle, as if she
had never left it. She vas altered in
many ways. The gentle nature had de-
veloped into Il dgniiea selfrellance
during the period oi her married life,
when she had been The one 10 guide, to
nurse, and comfort. The long journey
home had given her IN Independence OF
thought, new 10 hel tendcrly nurtured
lie, and the possession OF ample means
from her husbands legacy added to the
difference oi character. But as time
glidcd away, the loving hearts around
her found Elsie was tneir own darling
still. More womanly, more dlgniiled,
her mind developed by travel her charac
ter cnnobled by experience and discipline,
bul with the loving heart unchanged, the
sweet womanly disposition untouched.
To Earnest new life was opened
Elsie again was his loving sister. II was
Elsie who drove him out in the low, easy
pony carriage; it was Elsie whose hand
guided him in the garden; Elsie who
read To him. sang iVr him, made the
hours fly with merry descriptions of her
o"''cs aorH,.,d, or glowing accounts OF
~, '.t beauties she had seen Elsie short
cued some oi the lonely hours by teach
ing him 10 knit. aud finally Elsie put into
practical torn his most brilliant castle in
the air. 1t happened in this wise:
Elsie had opened II drawer in EarneSI's
secretary. searching for some paper The
blind man wished her TO see, when she
said -
What are AL these loose papers,
Earnest? There are hundreds OF pages"
He replied. very sadly
That is the wreck of my ambition,
Elsie"
Tell me about it,"
You cannot realize the temptation
there is Tor n student of medicine 10 de-
vote all his energy to some special branch
of The study, and study all that bears up
ON it. 1t was my fancy that could give
formation upon diseases OF the brain, and
had written what you see when my In
bors were stopped, and became the use.
less log am now"
Earnest. you shall not ieel so Are
You not my uncle's greatest help and
comfort ?"
at is his kindness, not my value Elsie.
that makes him think So"
But the book, Earnest. Have you
forgotten what you wished TO write
Forgotten Never! Every point is
clearer and more distinct in my darkened
life than ever before. My mind, in my
hours oI solitude, has dwet upon each
phase oil The various diseases and their
treatment. till feel my blindness and
misfortune Tor others as great rs for my
self This ID not vanity, Elsie; il is my
firm conviction. may be in error"
"But, Earnest, why should YOU cease
the work ? Cannot you dictate to me ?"
Elsie! Tie you down to such drudg-
cry ?"
"lt will not be drudgery. | shall be
proud oil my share in the work when the
world praises the book. Let me arrange
these papers now. and read them to you,
and tomorrow you can continue the
, work.
II cannot refuse know it is selfish,
but the temptation is too great. Elsie,
you are my guardian angel"
The work progressed rapidly, and DR..
Rodney watched with loving gladness
the change in Earnest. The sad droop
left the tall figure, the color came again
10 the pale face, and certain look OF
dignity, once characteristic OF the man,
returned TO face and figms. He had an
object in lie. Ambition, wakened anew,
could not rest, but urged him TO new
efforts. Elsie wrote for him, searched
his authorities, read the extracts he die
tated, arranged the manuscript, entering
with her whole heart into the work.
II was 10 child's play she had under
taken. A year passed away from the
day the work was commenced before it
was ready for the press. Doctor Rodney
undertook the business OF publication,
and the labor ot the blind doctor and his
amanuensis were rewarded at last by
package containing the handsomely
bound volume in which the public re-
ceive,l tile result OF their efforts.
Elsie was in the library alone when
Doctor Rodney entered with the precious
book.
"Look at it Elsie, while find Earnest"