The Russellville Democrat., 1884-01-03
NONE so BLIND.

-------s . So
NONE so BLIND.
When Captain Thompson built .
modest seaside dwelling he had no end
of wife's sisters coming to stay with
him. He liked it, or them-some of
them. If only one would come at a
time! He was getting too old to enjoy
the stiff breeze such company created.
He preferred Bella. / prefer her my
self She may be twenty-six; a sensi-
bic, gracious woman. Where pretty
sisters are, somebody's nice brothers
will be. Older men and graver came
to smoke with the Captain. One Of
them was certain Royal Mcmillan,
who, from crude youth, had mellowed
into rare kind of man, they said who
knew. The tide in his affairs that leads
to fortune had not long been flood; but
he took frequent periods of what more
ambitious men would call spendthrift
recreation. Being homeless man,
without ties, he was easily persuaded by
merry-hearted Mrs. Thompson to stay
with them awhile; then another while;
then all the while he pleased He was
certainly pillar of support where the
girls were concerned, one to whom
nothing was trouble or difiiculty-a
born man of affairs. The girls, admir-
ing his stately figure, charming tenn
per, and-the income-were inclined to
love him, also; even the more, when he
evidently detected this disposition and
was amused by it. But at last, drawn
off in other ways, they left him to HIM
SELF unless, when he now and then fell
to the companionship of Bella, who
chaperoned the parties when Mrs.
Thompson did not go.
Well as they knew each other it was
rare occurrence to be walking, as they
were certain superb morning, on the
hard sands, the long, green rollers
breaking twenty feet away at their
right, five miles before them of delight
full footing, the. lighthouse the goal.
They were friendly enough to talk or
not, as they pleased, and as Bella was
the only one who had not sought or
avoided him, he felt easy in her pres
ence; so easy that, like his old jacket;
he didn't think about it.
At first they talked of the West, and
Mcmillan, who was sometimes retro
spectiye, when he could get any one to
listen, had been rather unmerciful in
anecdotes of his boyhood, when he sud-
denly broke a long silence by saying:
.'ls there anything more idiotic than
the behavior of two people under the
delusion called loyep Look at the
couple before us. They have forgotten
we are behind; or, do they suppose they
are acting like civilized peoplep'
can old maid is idyllic," she said.
''To me it is touching.n But she sud
denly gave suppressed exclamation Of
contagious mirth. in which he joined.
''Is it anything particular, Miss Sum-
mers?n
Il was reminded of something
$50 was L; do you know feel con-
victed by secret guilt. / suspect we
have both been fools. II you will not
laugh much, should like to tell kind
of adventure of my own
81 can sympathize to any extent in a
romance
IL suppose you will call it a romance.
/ wonder myself how it ever could have
happened. 1t was at the Centennial.
] had been lounging about the grounds
all day delighted in the people-and
was resting on shady bench, when
there appeared remarkable pair
father and daughter. | concluded.
| They, too, sat down to rest. He was a
MISUNDERSTANDING man, with white
mustaches; she the most beautiful girl
/ ever saw in my life. Your pretty sister
Eve reminds me of her sometimes; but
this was creature divine. ! sat and
devoured her with my Western gaze,
while her companion asked me some
| questions. And when she turned hei
eyes full on mine, as she did, presently,
| / went down-under the waters" He
stopped.
.'Go on" said she.
MAY / have cigar, Miss Sum
mersp'
Il was going to suggest 1t,
'.Well, do not know how to go on
without giving you the idea that she
was too easily wooed. You Northern
women are frosty and-perhaps you car
not understand
Il do, perfectly"
Il was able to be of some service to
her guardian and we were constantly
together after that first day. He soon
found out all about me, and he even
left me with her for hours. / reached Q
desperate point that week. p"
Ibid you not know her nameP''
"The old gentleman gave me his
card, and though have it yet / have
never been able 20 read that name, Il
was foreign one, and sorawled abom
inably. | said something as near it n
i could get and was never corrected
She took the card and wrote .Sybylla;
and Sybylla called her. Imade a few
attempts to find out about them; but oul
time was short, and she plainly told mt
she did not wish me to know who they
were. was to take the present and BIZ
patient. 1t was useless to love her, shs
said; she was bound by obligations She
could not break. If would be obedi
ent, she would explain before we parted
So ono day we left Monsieur sitting in
the Spanish office, and with his consent
went rambling off by ourselves.