The Hickman courier., 1877-06-29


Georges en- trance with painful earnest
ness.
He came in very slowly, his arms out
r.reaahaal ord -. stan uncertain. Mag
sse 10nged 10 offer hazs.a
not control her voice to speak.
care you here, DIR. Easta?' George
asked; and the deep, sweet voice struck
upon Maggie's ear.
"I am here, in my old place
Let me find my chair. All here it
is; and he sank down YEARLY in the
chair.
4 have glad but still sad news for
you, said DR.. East.
Sad and gladl News from abroad?"
'' Yes. The sad news of Edward
Glover. He died in Italy last month. "
4" And Maggie is coming home, that Is
your glad news?p
'' Yes. Poor Maggie"
There was a deep silence Then George
spoke in a meditating tone, as if follow
ing aloud a train OF thought: Better
to be widowed than to have been bur
dened as she would have been, had my
life been blessed as I once hoped. May
heaven bless and comfort her in her sor-
row !"
You loved her very truly, George ?"
81 love her while life remains. / can
never cease to love Maggie When is she
coming home, doctor?"
&" She has come. "
But her parents arc away"
She is here, George. "
1t was painful to see how the sad face
Of the afflicted man lighted up as he bent
hrward eagerly, his hands outstretched
aud his features working with emotion.
Here, here, Maggiel" He had forgot
Ten his blindness, her widowhood, every
thing, but the fact that Maggie was near
him. I cannot see you, Maggie, dar-
ling. he said, with emotion. Speak
to me. She came softly to him, her
tears falling fast.
" Oh, Maggie!" he remarked, q have
no word to comfort your sorrow.
And your affiiction, George, she
rsgiied, is 4 new sorrow to me They
talked together for considerable time.
There was much to tell by both parties,
and each sympathized with the other for
the sorrows which had fallen upon them
during their separation.
1t was not long before Maggie had found
her old place in the home circle rs if she
had never left it.
To George a new and perhaps happier
life had opened. Maggie again was his
sweet, tender, loving hearted sister. 1t
was Maggie who drove him out in the
carriage; it was Maggie who read to him,
sang for him, made the hours fly with
merry descriptions of her travels.
Maggie bad opened a drawer in
Georges desk, searching for some papers
he wished TO see, when she sail suddenly:
What are all these loose papers,
George? There are an immensity of
papers"
He replied, very sadly: THAT is the
wreck of my ambition, Maggie" b"
Tell me about it.
You cannot realize the temptation
there is for a student of medicine to de-
vote all his energy to some special branch
Of the profession, and to study all that
bears upon it. 1t was my fancy that 1
could give my fellow students some val
liable information upon diseases of the
brain, and had written what you see
when my labors were stopped and l be
came the useless log am now"
But the book, George; have you for
gotten it?"
Forgotten Never 1t is clearer and
more distinct in my darkened life than
ever before. My mind, in my solitary
hours, has dwelt on each phrase of the
various treatment of the diseases till 1
find my blindness a misfortune for others
as great as for myself"
"But, George, why should you cease
your work? Cannot you dictate to me ?"
Maggie, is it right to tie you down
to such drudgery ?"
q 1t will not be drudgery. Let me ar
range these papers now, and read them to
you, and you can continue the work to-
morrow"
q know it is selfish, but the tempta-
ton is too great. Maggie, you are my
guardian angel! !"
The work progressed rapidly, and DIR.
East watched with loving gladness the
change in George Maggie wrote fro
him and read the extracts he dictated,
entering with her whole heart into the
work
A year passed away from the day the
work was commenced before it was ready
forthe press, and they were rewarded at
last by a package containing the hand
somely bound volume.
Maggie was in the library alone when
DR.. East entered with the book.
"Look at it, Maggie, darling, while l
find George"
"Iam here, Doctor" said George, en-
tering. 'Let me feel it. Maggie, dear,
please read me the title page"
Slowly she read the page, even to the
figures that announced the date of pub
lea tion. "1S64," she answered, as if
pondering. "It is leap year"
George looked up. Despite his blind
ness he had never lost the habit of turn
ing his face toward any objectofinterest.
Now his face was pale, eager and yet ra-
liant.
"Leap year" continued Maggie when
aides NAV offer their hands to gentle
nen. George, will you take mine?''
Maggie, do not mock me. You are
voung. beautiful and wealthy What
I'M I?''
What you are to Others" said Mag
yie, "let the universal love and respect
You meet testify. What you are to me