The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1877-02-23
SuBscRIprIoN-On One year 81. Six months 81.
Papers sent outside of the county, Is cents
postage additional Clubs Of five so each,
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE COUNTIES
Cobb, Paulding, and Piokens.

uofOA ioi S3ossVA JVu' @Ns ~ 49,
no longer the child | left six years
ago.
NO. was the half mournful ans
swer i am a woman now. But
you will let me remain beside you,
and be your eyes and hands r
'Ah, Trixy, no Your youth and
beauty-for know you are beauti-
ful--must never be taxed by such a
heavy charge. Dc you know that
in less than a year l shall have to
find home in a charity asylum ?
You will come sometimes and read
to me there, perhaps 2
Never | will never come to
charity asylum to see you. You
break my heart when you talk so T!
SWELL, little, little one, then we
will hope for better daysp
Trixy's lip quivered at the attempt
to speak in the old, CHEEKY tones that
had comforted all her chiildood's
miseries. Her eyes were dim with
tears as she spoke again hoping to
carry some brightness to the darken~
ed life.
Poor blind Martin Bruce, who had
lifted her from the darkest misery
and suffering to place her where she
could improve -who had put her
where her aunt had discovered and
adopted herb her benefactor and on
ly friend-a helpless, blind pauper
Was it wonderful that The woman's
heart thrilled with pain and love,
and that the gratitude of years sud
denly confronted her in new form
the love of her woman's heart She
realized suddenly, forcibly, that if
Martin Bruce passed out of her life
again he left there a void never to
be filled. Pity and gratitude seemed
only feeble names when love sprung
up Strong and true, and Trixy re-
cognized its power.
But all maidenly reticence held
her silent for many days, every one
of which found her in square beside
side Martin Bruce, winning answering
love by her tender care for his help.
lessness, her sparkling conversation,
her womanly sweetness.
1t was a strange courtship, where
the woman woed, where the man
worshipped. Little by little, Martin
Bruce acknowledged to his own heart
that the loss Of his eyes was light
compared with the loss he anticipa,
ted-the loss of Trixy's voice and
Trixy's touch. The summer was
coming, and the doctor was urging
Martin Bruce to try the effect of
some famous German baths, when
Trixy received letters from New
York that necessitated her return to
look after some of her aunt's proper
ty.
The prospect of her separation
nerved her as no other prospect
could have done, and she sought the
bench where she had met Martin
Bruce, daily, with resolution that
made her cheek burn.
MARTIN she said gently, but few
woman dare to take their life's hap-
piness into their own hands-wait-
ing hoping till another comes to put
it before them. A maiden may not
WOO, they say, and SO they wait till
their hearts grow sick for fear they
may be thought unmaidenly.'
Here she paused, watching the
pallor, the breathless eagerness Of
the face lifted toward her.
'Trixy,' her lover said, you de-
ceive yourself. You think gratitude
forces you to-
| A soft hand closed his lips.
do you love me, Martin 2
with my whole heart y
'As | love you !
'Trixy, / dare not take you at
your wordV
'But you will +! | have loved you
for six years, Martin. / will pot lose
you again =
And she kept her word. Those
who speak with pity of "poor Mrs.
Bruce, whose husband is totally
blind" know nothing of the deep,
abiding love that makes Trixy's life
of devotion and self-sacrifce life
of pure happiness, Swallowed only
by sorrow for her husbands affiic>
ton.