Richland beacon., 1880-05-15

would you, mac you known MIN. nc
told me that he was almost totally deaf.
| could hardly believe him. His voice
was As perfectly mOdulated as yours or
mine, and then had been talking with
him more or less for n whole year, and
had never once suspected his infirmity.
Lip-reading was not so common then as
it is now, and so | was the more COM
pletely astonished when he told me that
ne could understand what person said
by watching the movements of their
lips. If there were two or three in the
company, he was unable to look quickly
enough from one person to another in
order to see what he said. This ex-
planned his rather peculiar conduct.
"After Leonard had told me of his
infirmity Our friendship grew stronger,
and we gradually became almost insep-
erable. Our walks were always taken
together, and during one of them, on
beautiful spring afternoon, lie entrusted
to me another secret.
81 knew that he was in the habit of
visiting one family in the town, and it
was the only place outside Of college
where / had ever heard of his going, but
I had never guessed theattractiOn which
drew him there.
ain one part of the house, he told me,
there lived a brother and sister, who
were orphans, and these We're the per-
sons whom he visited. The brother was
an invalid, and it was probable that he
would never recover. The sister, Mar
garet WadswOrth, was most devoted to
him, taking entire charge of him. She
was accustomed d to read to her brother Il
great deal, and it was in this way that
Leonard had been able to assist her.
All this was mere preface to Leonard's
secret, and by this time | had guessed
that he was in love with Miss Wads-
worth. lr was so. indeed, and they were
engaged, but with no immediate pros
pect Of being married, although Leonard
wished it as soon as he graduated; but
Margaret was not willing that he should
cucumber himself at the beginning of
his career with the care of her invalid
brother, who demanded all her time
and attention. l saw that Leonard was
in great earnest, and, although he lOnged
to claim Margaret as his wife, his love
for her would not allow him to urge
anything against her wishes.
In few days after our confidential
talk, Leonard asked me if + would call
with him upon Miss Wadsworth and
her brother. l was very much pleased
that he should show me that attention,
and eagerly accepted.
"LeOnard led the way to little cot
tage in a retired part of the village,
where the brother and sister lived.
They occupied only a partbf the house,
as their means would not allow them to
do more. and Margaret wished to have
somebody else in the house, in case she
had need to call any one. Leonard gave
q couple of little raps on the door. and
soon we heard some one running lightly
down stairs to let us in. Margaret
Wadsworth opened the door herself, and
Leonard introduced me as My friend,
viii Dennet, of whom you have heard
me speak so often By the manner
in which Miss Wadsworth gave me her
hand l knew / was welcome, and her
eyes told me that any friend of Leon
ards had claim upon her friendship
also. ftt
"She led the way upstairs to their
little sitting-rOOm. We paused mo-
ment in the doorway, and l recall ex-
actly how the room looked to NE then,
with the marks of Margaret's graceful
and artistic nature displayed every
where. A dark, modest carpet covered
the floor, a wood fire burned on the
hearth, and on low, broad couch, by q
.curtained window, lay the invalid. By
his side was a small table with an open
book, face downward, as if some one
had Just ceased reading, and lamp
with a crims N shade, which shed q
soft, subdued light through the room
Between two of the windows stood 8
low bookcase, and among the knick-nacks
upon the top was vase OF flowers
which / Immediately knew must have
come from Leonard.
"As we entered the room, Margaret
went to the lounge to arrange hel
brothers. pillow and to tell him that w
had come. As she walked across th'
room, l had an opportunity to look a
her more minutely. The way she hat
of arranging her brothers pillow and o
speaking to him showed at once wha
a gentle, beautiful disposition she had
Her large gray eyes we're full of afec
ton, as she said in q low, sweet voice
albert, Leonard has come and ha
brought his friend, Mr.. Bennett. WOui'
you not like to have the lounge move'
q little, 80 you can see them% A'ber
did not speak, but smiled consent;
sweet, patient smile, and 30 much Xix
his sisters.
"As we weae saying goodnight
asked Albert if I might come and rea
to him when Leonard could not. Hi
face lighted up with the same smile, $
/ he said he never got tired listening I
his favorite authors. 1 used to go FRI
quently after that, when Leonard WI
, busy, to read to the invalid. 1t becam
) one of my greatest pleasures. and
= thought it was entirely my desire to d
good. but 1 now know that a mol
/, selfish motive Influenced me somewha
: "Leonard's love for Margaret was ,
: sincere and pure a. hers was for hin
D They were most devoted to each othe
/ but with none of that sickly sentimen
ality which you 20 often see nowadays
i. "Time went on, and with 1t OF
friendship increased. We formed
~ l.,ov quo vfoxfn in the little ri