Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-05-16
The Blind Mans Ward.

The Blind Mans Ward.
GleasonwOod was the name of a mag
nificent castle, half ruinous, yet pictur.
esque and very beautiful, with its
turrets and towers. jutting abutments,
long corridors, leading one scarce knew
whittier. Ii was surrounded by grounds
once in the highest state of cultivation,
but now sadly neglected.
In the drawing-room, furnished with
almost Eastern splendor, sat Mr.. Glea-
son, the master of all this wealth; the
crimson cushions of the couch he occu-
pied brought into bold relief the hand
some profile. a grand face Ii was, with
the midnight eyes and raven hair, the
broad white brow and mouth tender as
woman's. But the face had lines of
care, as of one who had learned to suffer
and be strong; the light of the beautiful
eyes had gone out years ago, and all had
been darknes thenceforth. He was be-
marriage was soon to take place when
the darkness fell, shutting out the
beautiful world and the naughty belle.
refusing to walk in the shadow which
had fallen upon his life, left him in his
desolation.
With heart embittered, and faith
outraged, he had retired to his country
seat, resolved to mingle no more with
the world. Here he had dwelt for three
years with only his servants - his faith
ful valet, Lewis, being his only COM
panion, except when a few friends
sought him out, which was seldom, for
the dark, silent rooms, and the cold,
reserved master chilled them. Inpart
he had learned forgetfulness, and the
old pain had died out of his heart, while
the picture so long enshrined there had
become indistinct, and had not the
power TO move it as of old.
He was thinking of all this as he sat
waiting the arrival of his ward, Grace
Moore, whose father, dying, had ap-
pointed him her guardian, and he could
not refuse, though he shrank from the
change which her coming must make in
the quiet of Gleasonwood.
"Miss Moore has come. Shall / show
her up?" announced Lewis, breaking in
upon his train of thought.
Certainly, show her up immedi-
ately.
And he waited with little flutter of
the heart until soft footstep sounded
on the carpet and little hand was laid
in his, and a voice of sweetest music
said, ''Mr. Gleason, my guardian, be-
lieve?'
'The same. And this is my ward,
Grace Moore?' he said, clasping her
hand warmly.
''Rather a troublesome one, l fear
you will find me. i can't be dignified,
so you must not expect it. 1 am SO glad
that you are not old and ugly, as l i'm
agined all guardians were. l know
shall like you, and you must love me
little. Won't you?'
81 think that will be an easy matter,
Miss Moore"
'sOh, please call me Grace. Papa
always did,"
"Well, Grace it shall be. But pray
be seated. How do you like Gleason
wood? Is is not rather pretty prisons"
:. 'Tis beautiful! more so than any
thing my imagination ever pictured.
should be contented to stay here al |
ways"
"I used to think it very beautiful;
but now"
He sighed and left the sentence un-
finished.
sI am so sorry for youl' said Grace,
with culver of tears in his voice, while
tear fell on the hand of the blind man.
He started quickly, while his face
flushed and paled alternately and when
he spoke his voice was strangely husky.
''No tears for me, Grace; do not
need them 1t was hard at first, but l
do not mind 1t so much now. L have
rare pictures stored away In my memory
of the blue sky and sunshine, the green
fields and Gleasonwood as 1t was then.
i miss my books more than 1 can tell"
SIT will be pleasure to read to you,
If you will permit me-"
81 shall be happy to have you. But
tits near our dinner hour, though tits
scarcely worth while to dress for dinner
when you will only meet blind man."
s.Oh, but is it though? i will dress,
and Lewis will tell you how look. So
du reu0ir'"
And the little witch tripped up stairs
TO her room, humming gay air.
"How handsome he isl do wish he
could see." she said with little sigh as /
she surveyed herself in the mirror.
A pretty reflection 1t was of slight
form, fair, sweet face framed in curls
of golden brown, clear truthful eyes of
the same hue, the sweet mouth with its
twin rosebuds revealing the pearly
teeth, and over all the picture of a kind
radiance, an emanation of the purity
within. Changing her heavy travelling
dress, for fairy like texture of blue, and
twining a few roses in her curls, she
descended to the drawing room and
stood little proudly waiting for Lewis
to give his opinion.