The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1884-11-13

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eagerly obeyed the doctors directions.
She understood that the operation must
be delayed until her nerves were calm
ed; and it was pitiful to SEQ how she
strove to be tranquil, and how the very
effort seemed to defeat its object
1t was nearly three weeks before DR..
Preston was willing to undertake the
operation, and in that time | was too
sorrowfully convinced of tho cause of
poor Bortha's anxiety to regain her
sight. Every day, for hours together,
she would listen to Martha's long de-
scriptions of my nephew's perfections
Moro than once | saw Bertha steal
into his room and gropo about there,
touching tho objects with which he was
associated. She had Martha tell her
where he usually sat, which was his IA
Vorito chair, and she had takon his
photograph to her own room, delight
ed to pass her fingers over the flat sur
face, no doubt fancying she could trace
the features.
wrote my sister, and the letter con-
firmed my fears. Governed by the ten
der sympathy any true man must feel
for such af1lictions rs Bertha's, Fred
had joined tho family in their devotion
to the blind girl. Not dreaming of tho
harm he WAS doing, he had been ever
ready to guido her, to read to her, to
describe for her the scenes around
them, and most innocently he had won
a woman's heart, where no had thought
it was but q child's affection offered to
him.
The operation performed by DR..
Preston was successful as far as he
could judge, but Bcrtha's eyes were
most carefully bandagod, and every
precaution taken to keep out every ray
of light. Sho was much calmer when
the ordeal was once passed. but it
panied mo to see how palo and drawn
her face had become, how slowly and
languidly she moved.
Summer weather was coming, when
one morning as l sat in my little sitting
room, Fred came in.
'How l startled you," he said,
laughing ut the jump he gave; "you
did not expect me. But | must tell you
my good news myself. You must con-
gratulatc me first"
L looked up, but did not answer him.
A strange dread of what was coming
kept me silent
Il have won my wife," he said, gai-
ly. Did you guess from my letter That
1t was not l who spoke. A low,
wailing tone was in the voice, and we
both started rs Bertha came in, her
hands, as usual, outstrctchcd before her
Fred sprang to meet her, and took the
little white hands in his own.
"You will be my dear little sister,
he said, so utterly unsuspicious, that,
if he had had any doubt before, it was
gone then.
"Your little sister! Yes" and then,
before could stop her, she threw off
the bandagc from her eyes. Widely
straining them, she cried
81 sec you! | see you'll" and tainted
away.
For nine long days she ravcd in Wild
est delirium, revealing tho secret of her
pure, young heart sooming TO see Fred S
face constantly before her. His sor-
row was very sincere, rs he realized, at
last, the mischief he had so innocently
committed.
'She seemed such child" he said
to me, land her atuiction seemed to set
her apart from tho thought of love-
making. l. mover even dreamed of
this"
The fever left Bertha ut last, only to
increase our fear. Utterly exhausted,
without will or power to rally, VIC knew
she was dying. Her mother and Susie
had come to me, and helped to nurse
her, and many bitter tears poor Susie
shed as the pitiful cries to "sce Fred
once" told her tho secret of her sisters
illness.
''Only oncer' she would cry; but af-
ter tho first removal of tho bandaoo
the sight was hopelessly gone. The
delicate, dangerous operation might
have been successful, but the rash act
that let MONDAY glare fall upon the
eyes was fatal. Bertha saw Fred once,
and again tho night of blindness fell
upon hor
He stood beside hor, one of our sor-
rowful group, as she passed away. She
had taken the Holy Communion for the
last time, had listened to the prayer of
our good minister and, knowing the
end was near, asked for Frod. He took
the littlo hand she stretched out us she
hoard his step, and bending over,
pressed his lips upon her forehead.
"Good-byeP she whispered. You
will think of me sometimes! / am
glad 1T is Susie you love-"
He spoke a few words only Bertha
heard, and then made hasty motion
TO us to como again to her. HOLDING
his hand, hearing his voice, our poor.
blind child had passed away.