The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-03-06

spoke with q vehemence that seemed
to rouse her son from his legarthy. He
moved his hand several times with an
air of lmpatience. Cecile, who was near
est the bed, took the hand in hers, try
ing to calm the sufferer. AT this con-
tact the wasted fingers pressed her
wrist significantly.
aYou see, mademoiselle, resumed the
afflicted mother, chat he would not
have his guardian angel leave her work
unfinished. For PHYS sake, do not for
sake him! You have found employ.
ment. Consider yourself my travelling
companion, and / swear to you that ]
will always regard and treat you as my
second child"
Cecile yielded to these moving en-
treaties. She saw that her presence
was as necessary to the mother as to the
son. 2
The hurried journey, the cruel emo
tions she had suffered, had FRUSTRATED
the already ailing Nine. de Chatillon,
aud Cecile. besides her other duties,
now had the care Of q confirmed inva-
lid.
The scene Just related seemed to
have produced a salutary effect upon
the sick man; the fever disappeared,
reason returned. he regained some
strength, but his sight grew no better.
When Cecile at length took Der two pa
tients to Vienna she summoned q coun-
Gil of physicians. They decided that
the iris had lost its power of contrac-
ton, that amanrosis was complete. that
M. de Chatilion must resign himself to
lifelong blindness, n decision confirmed
a few months later by the most re-
nowned oculists Of Paris.
estate near Monies. Here, after months
Of languishing, the mother died, com
mending her idolized son to the young
girl she persisted in calling his guardi-
m angel,
The blind man who had hitherto
borne his aflliction with a strength of
mind akin to stoicism was strangely Of
fected by this new trial. He became
anxious, preoccupied, almost melan-
choly. When Cecile came to read to
him, to guide him in his daily walk, he
received her with the wonted smile; he
thanked her with the usual touching
emotion, only to fall back into inter
minable reveries. Her shorter absence
made him impatient, and one day when
some errand to the town had detained
her longer than was expected, she found
him on her return the prey to IN agita-
tion he could not conceal.
hi ssolicitude grew daily. Cecile, at
tributing his sadness to the loss of his
mother. and TO his blindness, conjured
him to make mn effort to O his
former resignation.
Il still weep for my mother" he re-
piled, "but convinced that every passing
hour brings nearer the moment of
our reunion, my sorrow loses day by
day its bitterness. Cruel as is my
destiny I have become resigned to
it, and I must say to you, Cecile, that
you have rendered my lot so sweet that
1 have many times blessed my misfor-
tune. The cause of my sadness lies
neither i'll the past nor present; it Is
anxiety for tho future"
What tllen do you fear 2" asked Co.
cile, TREMENDOUSLY.
"That I may lose some day her to
whom / owe SO much. fear this not
only because without her caro- my mis-
fortune will assume new horrors, but
because / love YOU"
Cecile's face blanched. cit is wrong"
she sobbed, "for you to doubt my
friendship"
"Your friendship" echoed the young
man bitterly "Cecile, this would alone
justify my terrors. What will it weigh,
this friendship, if one day a sentiment
that admits neither partition norrivalry
comes to take possession of your heart ?
No, no! If you would really have me
recover that early serenity; if you
would have me as, at the first, bear pa
even gayly the lot that casts me
off from the number of those who be-
hold Gods creatures and His beautiful
world, there must exist between you
and mo o tie other and stronger than
friendship-you must consent to be-
come my WIFE
For q moment speechless, Cecile fix
ed her amazed eyes upon the blind man.
She seemed not to have understood his
~otos'
heayen she GREG NJ length.
i19M aeePly ! regret ioe hav,ns reach
ea .. islpi1Ano tSo gays eatiler.
nhs' oecpe!
because you 'hen couio nave seen
me my plain face would have remained
- ueep.l erassn ~ your Ielaenloranee
Us 70 spare you uhls new trouole AFTER
80 many sorroWs. 1his concession costs
my seii-ioVe mourning; am nS'Y,
sieuf Iiobeio SO ugly 1na5 my Trend
snip, 1he irlehashlp you Sal'e so hgntiy,
Noulu never consent tosl'e you com
pah.oh 81 unworthy OF you.
70, you can noD ugly oeclle. Inc
eyes Walcn mirror tnls ceieselai sweet
ness ana all the noble sentiments or the