Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-03-27

"You have no right to Judge him till
YOU know his trouble" she said sharply.
II didn't suppose you could be so I'M
charitable.
There! there! don't snap me up like
that" cried, resolutely crowding down
the rising lump in my throat. I'm sure
l don't want to be hard on the poor man,
but you must own that his conduct is very
unaocountable. There isn't soul IL the
house, except Dora, that he treats with
common civility; and the strangest part
of it all is the close connection it seems
to have with his letters. He looks like a
thundercloud whenever he opens one"
"Perhaps some of his friends are in
trouble" suggested Dora from the depths
of the easy chair, where, ever since the
professor left the room, she had been sit
ting with closed eyes, so silent that we
thought her asleep.
more likely it's some miserable love
affair."" l said wickedly. "Men don't
often go into such moods as his over
other peoples troubles" -,
"Oh! YOU shouldn't talk so, girls said
Aunt Glare, shutting her "Saints' Rest"
and taking off her glasses; perhaps,
now. he's in debt; but, dear me, he
oughtn't to take that to heart. He's
young, and has a good paying business.
But there's no telling; it might be that,
and it might be something else Whatever
it is, we must bear with him till it's over
For my part, 1 shouldn't be a bit sur
prised if he was coming down with the
fever. There's a good deal of it round,
and | know when my Jonas came down
with the intermittent, you couldn't get a
civil word out of him for more than two
weeks before he really gave up. It's often
the case when there's sickness in the sys-
tenn. And I can't help thinking that
maybe that's what ails the professor.
Anyway, think III get him to take a
dose Of composition. But then, as say,
there's no telling what it is. Perhaps
he's never had trouble before, and doesn't
know where to carry it." And, bidding
us an affectionate good might, the dear
old lady went to prescribe for the profess
sor.
Whether it was the effect of the COM
position tea, or of some remedy more
meet for "mind diseased" we could not
tell, but we saw at a glance, when we met
the professor at breakfast the next
morning, that there had been change
for the better. All the moodiness was
gone, and in its place was patient and
resigned look, as Of one who had suffered
and grown strong, while his voice had the
deprecating accents of little child who
had been naughty and wants to be for
given. l am sure we, every one of US,
wanted to put our arms about him and
comfort him. l suppose that is the nat
ural feeling Of a woman's heart to-
ward any one for whom she is sorry, be
it man, woman, Or child But we didn't
r l. l. I. II
in judging him, and was fairly choking to
contess-partly, perhaps, from a sense
of propriety, and partly for fear that our
united demonstrations might prove too
overpowering. No, we sat and ate in de-
corous silence, contenting ourselves with
wondering chances at his changed face.
But no sooner had he left the room than
we got our arms about each other and
fell to crying. 1t is remarkable how
proper roomful of women can be so long
as there is a man present, and how entirely
their self-control gives way the moment he
vanishes. I think we never knew till
then how we all loved him, nor half how
troubled and anxious we had been through
those long weeks.
II couldn't get him to take the compo-
sition," said Aunt Glare, wiping her eyes,
but he's taken something better, and is
over The worst Of it, thank the Lord"
To which last clause we all said a silent
'amen."
What blessed day that was at school!
Even the dullest of the scholars seemed
conscious of the changed atmosphere,
while timid little Grace Darrow, the
youngest of the flock, stole up at night
and put both arms about the masters
neck for the kiss which she had not dared
to take of late. On the way home we
met Dora, who, seeing the professor
sauntering On alone, with his head bowed
and his hands behind him, went shyly
and slid her arm through his. Had she
guessed the riddle, l wonderi Surely
none of the rest Of us had. For myself,
l felt that it must be something too sacred
to be meddled with. and was almost
shocked when, sitting in the twilight after
tea, heard Sue say to him:
cousin Hugh, why don't you let US
know what it is has been troubling you
so long? l am sure it would be better for
you"
Not vet, p'ease," he said; "you will
know soon enough" But presently he
asked: "Haven'tyou seen anything strange
about me, Sue:"
''Strange!' she repeated; "why, you
haven't been yourself for month"
II know it," he said humbly, 81 have
been perfect savage; but you would all
forgive me if you knew"
They were silent for little while-so
silent that from my seat on the doorstep
| could hear his quick-drawn breath. At
last he spoke again:
II wanted to ask her 10 be my wife, but
how can | nOW?"
"Who?" asked Sue, with a startled
voice
why, Dora!" he answered in surprise
Il love her better than my life; but what
woman would marry a man who is likely
to be blind all his days and poor as
WE'LL"
Blind! How quickly it was all ex-
planned! How strange that none of us
had thought of that! And while l was
still bordering over it, shadow stole
out from the bay-window, and voice,
which could belong only to Dora, said
softly: II would"
We did not stay to near what followed,
Sue flying up to her room, while ran to
tell the news to Aunt Clare
ono wonder he wouldn't take the COM
position tea," said the old lady; ''but it's
just like Dora to take him. She'd go
through fire and food for any one she
loved, the Lord bless her!'
As for Sue and myself, it must be con-
fessed that the romance of the affair was
a double shock to our feelings; but we
lived through it, and forgave Dora, and
loved the dear professor better than ever;