The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-03-13

70 her son from his legarthy. FL
moved his hand several times with q
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 he
wrist significantly.
You see, mademoiselle, resumed tn
afflicted mother, "that he would no
have his guardian angel leave her worl
unfinished. For PHYS sake, do not for
sake himl You have found employ
ment. Consider yourself my travelin,
companion, and I swear to you hat
will always regard and treat you as m,
second child.s
Cecile yielded to these moving en-
treaties. She saw that her presenc,
was as necessary to the mother as to tn,
son.
The hurried journey, the cruel emo
tions she had suffered, had prostratet
the already ailing Nine. de Chatillon
and Cecile, besides her other duties
now had the care of q confirmed inva
lid.
The scene just related seemed t.
have produced o salutary effect upo1
the sick man; the fever disappeared,
reason returned, he regained some
strength, but his sight grew no better
When Cecile at length took hertwo pa.
tients to Vienna she summoned a coun'
Gil OF physicians. They decided that
the iris had lost its power of contrac
ton, that amanrosis was complete. that
NJ. de Chatilion must resign himself tc
lifelong blindness, a decision confirmed
q few months later by the most re-
nowned oculists of Paris.
They then retired to the Chatilion
estate near Monies. Here, after months
of languishing, the mother died, COM
mending her idolized son to thu young
girl she persisted in calling his guardi-
IN angel.
The blind man who had hitherto
borne his affection with a strength OF
mind akin to stoicism was strangely af-
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 Grand to the town had detained
her longer than vas expected, she found
him on her return the prey to an agita-
ton he could not conceal.
His solicitude grew daily. Cecile, at
tributing his sadness to the loss of his
mother. and to his blindness, conjured
him to make an effort to recover his
former resignation.
II 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 Us is my
destiny / have become resigned to
it, and l must say to you, Cecile, that
you have rendered my lot so sweet that
| have many times blessed my misfor-
tune. The cause of my sadness lies
neither in the past nor present; it Is
anxiety for the future.
What then do you FEAR" asked Co.
Gle, TREMENDOUSLY.
THAT / may lose some day her to
whom l owe SO much. / fear this not
only because without her care my mis-
fortune will assume new horrors, but
because I love you"
Cecile's face blanched. at is wrong"
she sobbed, .'for you to doubt my
friendship"
Your frieadshipw echoed the young
mar 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, mol Hyon would really have me
recover that early serenity; if you
would have me as at the first, bear pa
tiently, 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 me q tie other and stronger than
friendship-you must consent to be-
come my wife"
For a moment speechless, Cecile fix
ed her amazed eyes upon the blind man.
She seemed not to have understood his
words.
so, beavenw she cried at length.
"How deeply / regret not having reach
ed Ribitzno two days earlier"
"Why, Cecile?"
Because you then could have seen
me, monsieur because if you had seer
me my plain face would have remained
SO deeply craven in your remembrance
rs to spare you this new trouble after
SO many sorrows. This confession costs
my self-love nothing. I am ugly. Mon
sieur Robert SO ugly that my friend
ship, the friendship you value so lightly,
would never consent to give you u COM
panion so unworthy Of YOU"
mo, you can not be ugly. Cecile. The
eyes which mirror this celestial sweet
ntss and all the noble sentiments of the
most generous and loving Of hearts can
not be without their charm; there must
be seductions in the smile that accom-
panies a voice SO gentle and penetrat-
ing. And what matter to me more or
less regularity in the features? I, alas,
shall never see! What l love in you
is your soul, and this world holds not a
soul more beautiful and pure"
Cecile had listened, bewildered, en-
tranced, despite herself, at these in
toxicating words; enchanted at seeing
rise before her that prospective she had
never dared cherish even in dreams.
Rut soon recalled to the reality, con-
fused, ashamed at having submitted to
an enthrallment not sanctioned by rea-
son, she protested more energetically
than ever, that her resolution was
formed, and no arguments could change
it.
This heroic contest went on for near
ly two months. NJ. de Chatillon re-
turned daily to the charge with more
impassioned earnestness. But there
was a traitor in She stronghoId-the
heart Of the poor young girl. The health
of the besieger also began to give way,
and anxiety for him at length decided
the besieged to waive her scfuples, and