The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-03
..Sau MIS-, Skeele. chew want ye to

"sav. Mis- Skeele, they want We to
come right up to Raymont's. LUIS
zone M tumbled down m spraint her
ankle. m her mothers so scarf she
cahn't do nothin.' You better hurry
up"
LIGHT crust. and with swift manipulations
soon had the shapely delicacy ready for
Louise had slipped on the sidewalk at
her mothers door, and painful sprain
was the result, much aggravated by her
careless exposure to the snow-storm.
Fever and delirium set in, and the girl
Law on her bed with scarlet spots in her
cheeks and fierce lights in her eyes,
talking necessarily.
"Seems rather unchristian to say, but
it's good thing for her mother" OBJ
served Mrs. Skeele, when at length she
had returned to the bosom of her family
and the Thanksgiving dinner; en- that's
a thing to be thankful for. Miss Ray
mont hai'nt meant to neglect Loeze,
but she's worried night m day ABBOTT
Rob. never was a faculized woman, 7
the best. She's wide awake now though,
N faint strange. It's enough to break
a heart O. stone to hear that child 60
on. YOU n Nathan IL have to take care
of yourselves tonight, father. told
Mis- Raymont I'd set up with her. She
amt SO sick but what good care Il fetch
her round"
'Jest like ye, mother" said the sex
ton, scanning her gentle face with af-
fectionate eyes. " always a trottin'
round on y'r arrands O. marcy, angel
fashion. How y ever took up 18th such
an airthly- critter as l be I've no.Mgs,
There amt much taste Of the New JefnS
salem about me, sartin. But what do
you s'pose Judge Barron said to me
comm out O. meetin'. Tom says
he, that boy O. your'n does play like
nightingale;;' and says he I'm salts
fed, Tom, that he might git his sight.
m It any rate, says he, 'fyou'll send
him to the best occulist there is in Bos-
ton, I'll be glad to foot the bills de-
clare, mother, l was so beat out that |
couldn't say word. Just then Nathan
come along II the Judge spoke up agin,
Wal, think of it, Tom an walked off.
'Tain't best to expect too much, Nathan,
but l concluded, CONN., home, that !
should let ye go N see what prospect
there is"
Nathan did not respond to the marvel
Gus news. He had been snatched to
such extremes of joy and pain that his
mind seemed unable 10 comprehend at
once this new shift of the kaleidoscope.
His short-lived exultation over Louise
had changed to deep nisgivings. Could
it be possible that she had begun to
care for him? The very thought thrilled
him with a rapture so intense that for
a moment he forgot everything. 1t
must be-" he said, 81 heard it in her
tender voice; l felt it in her touch on
my arm, o, my little Lup' But the
afterthought followed swiftly. s. She
shan't be tied to blind man. She shall
never know how l love herr
But here was a new outlook alto
gether. To be man among men again.
To be free to win this beautiful girl for
his own. To do the work in the world
that he had always hoped to do! What
had Thanksgiving ever meant before in
comparison with this? Wont you
give me my cornet, motherP" he said,
almost in a whisper.
"Yes, my son, but don't forget that
it amt certain yet. You've got to wait
and see first. Don't 60 to raisin' your
expectations on nothin'. /"
Her warning was unheard. for already
the eXulting strains rose and fell, and
filled the room with overlooking har.
mony. Meanwhile the sexton fidgeted
in his chair, and finally, as the music
ceased, he threw back his gray head
and calculated in a deep growl: 80
that men would therefore praise the
Lord for His goodness, m fer His won
derful works to the children O. men,"
Midwinter was at hand. Nathan haC
just returned from the oculist's exami
nation, full of hope and cheer. An in
terval of six months was to be endured
before an operation could be performed
upon his eyes. 1t was impossible tt
predict the result, but it was equally
impossible for such optimists as the
Skeeles to fear the worst. In spite o
his mistaken hope, however, Nathan
held bravely to his first resolution con
corning Louise, and his blindness helped
him. He thought it was hard to listen t.
her pathetic voice. and to know that sh,
was still feeble from her long illness
But if he could have seen the look il
her great blue eyes as they watched
him come and 60, and the sweet pa
thence, so new to her, with which she
bore the long weeks of WEAKNESS ant
pain, his task would have been harder
still. Her recovery was slow. Some
unknown cause kept back the blessed
glow OF returning health, and Mrs
Skeele expressed her misgivings openly
to her audience of two.
"The pretty creeterr' she would say,
"she lays there on the lounge, lookin
jest like a snowflake, m if they'd beer
quick consumption IN the family, | sh't
say she was goin' that way. 1t dom
seem like that, though. She DOM
cough none, nor sweat nights, mol
nothin', but jest lays there m fade!
away. Can't you go round m cheer
her up a little, NathanP She doe,
think her eyes of you, that's a fact
IN l never see sweeter child"
Mother" said her son one day, il
desperation, f'you don't know wha