Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-10-21

And bidding us an affectionate good
night, the dear old lady went TO prescribe
for the professor.
Whether il was the effect of the CO m
position tea, or of some remedy more
meet for mind diseased. we could not
| tell; but we saw at a glance. when We
met the professor at breakfast the ne IT
| morning, that there had been change
for the better. All the noodiness was
gone, and in its place was a patient
and resigned look. as of one VINO had
suffered and grown strong, while bis
voice had the deprecating accents OF q
little child who had been naughty and
wants TO be forgiven. / am sure We,
every one of rs, wanted 10 pu. our arms
about him and comfort him. ] suppose
that is the natural feeling of voman's
heart toward any one for whom she IS
| sorry, be It man, woman or child but
We didn't, not even /, who had been
hardest of all in judging him, and was
4 fairly choking TO confess: partly, per
| haps, from sense of propriety, and
partly from fear that our united demon
STATIONS might prove too overpowering.
No; We sat and ate in decorous silence.
contenting ourselves with wondering
chances at his changed face. But no
sooner had be left the room than we got
our arms about each other and fell TO
crying. II is remarkable how proper a
roomfui of women can be so long as
there IL man present, and how entirely
their self control gives way the moment
be vanishes. think We never knew TIL
then how we all loved him, nor half how
troubled and anxious we were through
those long weeks.
II couldn::t get him TO take the com
position" said Aunt Clare, wiping her
eyes; but he's taken something bet
ter, and il over the worst OF 1t, thank
| the Lord"
To which last clause we all said 81
| lent amen"
What blessed day that was at school.
Even the dullest of the scholars seemed
conscious of the changed atmosphere,
| while timid little Grace barrow, the
youngest of the flock, stole up at night
| and put both arms about the master 8
| neck for the kiss which she had not
dared to take of late. On the way hsme
We met Dora, who, seeing the professor
sauntering on alone. with his head
bowed and his hands behind him, went
shyly and slid her arm through his.
Had she guessed the riddle, | wonder!
Surely none of the rest of us had. For
| myself, felt that it must be some
| thing too sacred to be meddled with,
and was almost shocked when. sitting
in the twilight after tea, heard Sue say
to him:
"Cousin Hugh, why don't you let us
know what it il that has been troubling
you so longl am sure it would be bet
| ter for YOU"
mot yet, please" he said; "you will
know soon enough" But presently he
asked: "Have you seen anything strange
about me, Sue?"
"Stranger' she repeated; "why, you
haven't been yourself for month"
II know it," he said. humbly; II have
been a perfect savage; but you would all
forgive ME if You knew"
They were silent for little while: so
silent that from my seat on the doorstep
l could hear his quick drawn breath.
Az last he spoke again:
81 wanted to ask her to be my wife,
but how can now"
"Who?" asked Sue, with a startled
voice.
why, Dorar' he answered, in sur
prise. :" / love her better than my life;
| but what wsman would marry man
who is likely to DO blind all his days and
poor as well.''
Blind! How quickly it was all ex-
planned! How strange that none of us
had thought of that. And while was
still bordering over it a shadow stole
out from the bay window, and veic 9,
which, coald only belong to Dora, softly
said:
II would"
We did not stay to hear what followed,
Sue flying mp to her room while | ran to
tell the news to Aunt Clare.
| No wonder he wouldn't take the COM
position tea" said the old lady; but its
just like Dora to take him. She'd go
through fire and flood for any one she
loved, the Lord bless her"
As for Sue and myself, it must be con-
fessed that the romance of the affair
was double shock to our feelings; but
we lived through it and forgave Dora.
| and loved the dear professor better than
ever; and the result of it all was that a
few weeks later there was wedding at
Aunt Clare's cottage, at which Sue and
were bridesmaids.
Deltield Academy still hourishes, with
the professor for its principal. Stone
blind he is, but rstentive memory
makes him independent of text books,
and for the rest, Dora il ewes for him.