The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-11-15
j. CRUEL KINDNESS.

mluuIc-dpeu woman, VINO nad been Il
my service twenty long years; who ha
nursed my children now lying in tn
cemetery, had been my own devote,
nurse when my husbands sudden dealt
Frustrated me for weeks. A servant
but my most devoted friend rs wen.
"Martha," said, ~ have lette
from Mrs. Joyce. ~ ..'" '."
Martha waited for further informa
ton. ''. 4.
Miss Bertha l said, wants L
come here, and have DR.. Preston oper
ME upon her eyes. DR.. Preston say
| the operation will be a difficult anC
/ dangerous one, and the result very
doubtful. But Miss Bertha, who ha!
| been so resigned to her loss of sight
so submissive and patient, has become
restless and irritable, and insists upon
the operation. What ] called you fol
Martha, was to asRif you will take the
care of her--take her out, sleep in her
| room, devote your whole time to herP"
"Gladly, ma'am. The poor afflicted
darling" u ..a a l' a1''.TT
"And will you 60 to Castleton for
herp You will be glad to see Mr.
Fred" N'.' "t.a "'.. on ''''
The old woman's face frightened.
Friedrich Stevenson, my husbands
nephew who had been our adopted son
as well, was the very idol of Martha's
heart. To believe her was to believe
Mr. Fred the model of manly perfec-
ton, physically and mentally.
1t was only natural that my sister
should make her house second home
to him, and | was fearful from her let
ter that it was some hastily spoken
opinion of his that has caused Bertha's
sudden resolution. For ten years,
since she was child of eight, she had
borne the loss of sight-caused by i'll
ness without complaint, and had felt
it.as little as family of devoted BROTH
ers and sisters could make her. She
was the darling of all of them, from
Susie, who was two years older than
herself, and was feet, hands, and eyes
to her, down to baby Johnnie, who
carefully led her to her seat in the
house or garden as gently and as sue
cessfully as Susie herself. Nobody was
ever too busy to wait on Bertha, and
she had often laughingly said her af-
Fiction gave her throne she never in
tended to vacate. '..' b..
Never shall | forget the first inter-
view we had with DR.. Preston. had
asked him to call in a day or two after
Bertha's arrival, wishing to give her
the opportunity to rest after the jour-
ney. But she had not been an hour in
the house when she asked me to send
for him, or take her TO his surgery.
She was trembling with excitment, and
her very lips were white, so that did
not dare to take her out, and sent for
him. She was not ill moment until
he came, pacing up and down the long
parlors, her shaking hands outstretch-
ed before her, or standing at the win
dow, rs il she could watch for him.
Every few moments she did what had
never seen her do before in all the ten
years OF darkness, opened her eyes
wide, to their fullest extent, and strain
ed them in a stare that was sickeninr
10 see. 1t was quito in vain that |
tried by every loving device to win her
TO sit quietly beside me, to talk, even 10
play for me. She could not rest. "
When at last the doctor entered the
room, she went quickly to him, crying:
"Dr, Preston, | must seel mustl
You will open my eyes for mel" .....
lie took both her extended hands in
his own, and led her to seat
>. every hour OF this excitement less.
ems your chance, " he answered, "You
are in fever now and | can do moth
ing.n la,nn....r Ut y, - -.
And indeed the poor child's checks
were crimson, and tho veins upon her
temples throbbing yisibly. = N.
You will look at themP You will
look at my eyesP" she pleaded. 81
VIII be SO obedient SO patient, doctor.
You will not refuse meph
Il will not refuse you," he said;
"out can do nothing until YOU have
conquered this excitement. You must
be tranquil, or cannot operate"
u will be- Give me one ray Of hope,
"nu VIII DC Qulct!
1t was pitiful to see how she tried
even then, to control her restless fin.
gers and quivering lips. Tho doctor
motioned me to follow him and call
Martha. | sent Bertha to her own
room with tho doctors orders to lio
down Tor an hour or two. .. -
u Will perform tho operation, Mira.
stevenson" he said to me, "becnuso
your niece will have il done by some.
one else il | refuse, But ] toll Won
frankly, 1t is not advisable, .... ~
There Is chance, thoughP' | ask.
ca, almost as eagerly as poor Bertha
herself .6N Obj 1.F'.... iI-l y = '''.
Yes But what has so changed
herP" .lH..u' '"'.' = .I ''' D Wv '''
u dare not ask myself" I said sad.
~ u know nothing" ''I .| tIIUI7 .
I'll will see her again tomorrow "
tho meantime would strongly advise
you to call in your family physician 10
see il he can control this feyorish oy.
element. She seems on the verge Of
brain fever" ..'''7' 'N's' v
followed his advice. ana por,ho
eagerly obeyod the Doctors directions
She understood that the operation mns,
be delayed until her nerves were calm.
edi andit was pitful to see how sho
slrovo TO DO tranquil, and how the yorv
enorl seemed to defeat It's object .I'.
IL was nearly three weeks before pr
Preston was willing TO undertake Tho
ODgratiou and In ihnt finn. \ ,,... a. III