The Red Cloud chief., 1881-11-10
THE STORY.

Traversing the same streets every
day, one soon comes to look upon
familiar faces as those OF his frIend L
have no idea that the occupants OF the
handsome houses on Beverly Street
ever dream that they are anything 10
me; and | am sure the poor people OF
Clarence Place would be surprised TO
learn that they are my friends; but it is
so, nevertheless.
Beverly Street and Clarence Place,
The most imposing avcnue and the
I. humble-t lanci And, strange Is it may
' seem. they almost run into each other,
they are SO very near.
II was early in October that l first
noticed the new occupants OF No. ID;
and each morning afterwagd l saw a
little girl of about eleven years, with a
woman who seemed TO be her nurse.
sitting upon the doorsteps, apparently
waiting for some one. A peculiarly
thoughtful child she seemed 10 be. for
she generally sat with her head a little
inclined and her ewes downcast. As |
came along one day. she cadied out to
me. in a clear little voice:
Would you like to know what I'm
doing?"
les, i SAID
I'm guessing steps. I'm guessing
every one who goes by. Bessie tells
me If I'm right. Now, I guess you're
the postman."
why don't you look up and sec if
Won are right said l.. noticing that
She still seemed TO be studying the
ground.
The nurse put her arm around her,
rs if to shield her from something;
but the little girl answered. brightly:
How stupid. | keep forgetting
tha: everybody doesn't know l am
blind"
She raised her head. Her face, with
the exception of the eyes. was sweet
and pleasant Ia look upon. Her revela-
ton SO astonished me that. for a mo-
ment, | forgot myself, and stood look
Ing down upon her with a pitying
stare. which it was well that she did
not see.
But it IS the postman. Isn't it. Bes-
sie?' she asked of the dignified nurse.
Yes. darlin'."
Haven't you a letter for me? For
Miss Angie (or perhaps they'd put it
Angeline) Trowbridge7"
/ was sorry TO say l had not.
We'll" she said, r~esignedly, ait
will come. / must wait People al
ways have to wait for things. Don't
they?'
Mostly" answered. surprised at
her womanly tone.
They always DO. When you get a
letter directed to Miss Angie Tor Ange-
line) Trowbridge, you'll remember
where TO bring il. Won't you?n
promised and went my way. A few
days afterward the letter came-a
bulky document, with two stamps upon
it. Angie sat upon the doorstep. rs
usual. listening for me. This time she
vas alone.
Il don't have to guess who You are
now" she said. II know. / can tell
your step from the corner. your boots
make such a nice, quick click upon the
pavement"
And al you guess what l have in
my hand?'
.Of course. / can. It's my letter.
from NV darling Aunt Lizzie"
gave it TO her. and she held it for q
moment. pressed closely between her
two small hands.
Now" she said, at length. "if
you'll please open this for me. at the
end, very carefully, I'll show you what
funny kind of a letter a little blind
girl gets"
l did as she requested. Very care
fully she took from the envelope three
sheets of thick ~note-paper.
There" she said, handing one for
my inspection. You never saw such
q letter as that. Did yos?"
And truly 1 never did. / could dis
Germ the faint tracing of a pencil. as if
the words had first been written; but
every letter had been pricked into the
paper, and every letter was as plain as
print.
Here's where it begins" running
her fingers over the lines. "Let me
read you a piece"
but that would keep some other
little girl waiting"
III read you as far as the next
.house. anyway" walking along with
me. My precious little Angie. You
have been in my heart ali these DAYS,
but my hands have not found time to
tell you so. hope
"Oh! dear. Must you 60 in there?
Well. / can't GO any further without
Bessie. Gcod-byr,'
Angie and Isoon became fastfriends.
] came to anticipate ourmeeting almost
as impatiently as she did: and once,
when 1 met her riding with her parents,
whom l had never seen before, and she
: passed me without a sign of recogni-
ton, / felt for a moment quite cut up.
and then laughed heartily at myself for
my foolishness-
One morning she met me with a
brighter smile than usual. "Bessie
Rnd l n going to walk a piece with
YOU" she said. We're going to wait
at all the gates and doorsteps for you.
and Bessie will see that I'm not in your
way"
j walked along, making the quick.
clicking sound she liked SO well. She
initiated the same with her stout little
heels. laughing gayly. The cool wind
blew her curls and gave a bright color
to her cheeks. This is funr' she cried.
lit is ever so much better than riding;
but / have to ride sometimes, because
- papa keeps 20 many horses"