The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-05-09

10 secluded country place, shut myself up
} p absolute retirement with only books for
my companions.
So passed two years. / had become sad
melancholy man, Constant solitude, bitter
hrooding over the wreck of bright career
and the mournful possibilities Of the lonely
cherries future, had imbittered my temper
and weighed down my heart. What hap
piness had life to offer meP The solace of
friends hip, the fond ties of1Oye, were not
For one whose very appearance must in :
sp re- disgus and pity must go lonely to
my grave
Since that miserable day, two years 60,
when, rising for the first lime from my
eouc1 Of pain, llmrel to mirror and
| gazed upon my distorted form and aisfig-
ured face with feelings that cannot be des-
eribed, l had meyer behed myself. There
were no mirrors in tho rooms l occupied,
save that ghastly reflection which my
memory preseryed, and upon whose sad
reality had no wish to look again; in
those two years had grown beard, and
any lameness had so far passed away that l
required only the aid of cane in walking,
but was not conscious of-did not dream
ol-any improvement otherwise, imagina.
zion still presented to my memory the pitt
ipl, ghastly image in the glass.
What were my sufIerings then, what was
my humiliation on discovering that, in
spite of all-I LOVED. 4ove62 | adored, l
worshiped being so bright, 50 good, SO
beautiful, that a very prince Of men could
scarcely have been worthy to be her mate
She had broken in upon my solitude like
q vision Of youth and joyl she had dissipat-
cd the gloom of my dark and lonely home
like burst of warm and radiant sunshine;
the sound of her sweet voice, caroling like
a happy bird, brought comfort and Joy to
my sore heart, my darling, my sister, my
ward, poor Hugh's legacy, my dear adopted
| daughter Blanche.
1t was thus bad thought of her at first
she had como, at her own earnest request,
to spend her vacation with "the kind
| GNN'Ni" ildu dlSO D6el ueT ldlDef
lrend." had consented, and sent Frank
TO bring her home.
had looked for child, found her
woman. had nerved myself to see her
shrink with horror at irst sight OF me, but
there was nothing but tender pity in the
gentle eyes that dwelt upon my iace, and
as she pressed her lovely, tremulous lips to
my mained left hand, her tears fel! down
| like rain,
For tho first time, pity did not wound
me. Her tears were as balm to the sensi-
tive pride that had shfank from all other
sympathy before long her sweet compan-
ionGhip seemed the first necessity Of my
h{s,
She read 10 me-fur my eyes were not
strong-and constituted horsofmy amanu
ensis, "to keep me company" she played
and sang to cheer my melancholy, and
would join me IN my walks, winning me
from regret with thousand bright and
pleasqpt iancies, as she strGlled along AM
pFattied happily by my side.
Innocent, rqnfding; candid as child, |
believed it was as child that ! loved her
and lie had grown precious and dear to
mo onpe more, when suddenly Frank
awoke me from my dream, and opened my
eyes to the wretched reality--he depla red
to ME that be loved her, and sought my
permission to win her for his wife.
gave II. What better could hope for
Than to make her my sister, indeed What |
other hope was there for me
a glesm of sunshpe lad come in to my
darkened life, only to depart and leave the
gloom yet blacker than before sweet
bird bad flown to my desolate heart, aud
sang II to obliYiap of pain, only to take
wing again, apd leave the silence more
lrksome Tor having been SO sweetly broken.
But when Frank came back to me, and
told me ofthe lainre of his wooiug, new
pang rent my nesrt. It was not my griei
Tor the boys disappointment - though
through all my own pliu ! felt for him
but he bad said "She loYes another ("
Therefore poor Franks loss gave no hope
to me-she would go, where heF heqyt had
gone-to strangers, and the light would
fade forever from my lie.
Frapt left u.s. The place was inlolerabls
10 him now. but blanche avoided me. 4
change had come oyer her. She was no
longer the artless child, fearlessly claiming
her place by my side. She had grown
strangely shy and timid- even sad-a
change which panied me inexprsssibly.
J resolved to question her. Qne lovely
evening came upon her sitting IN the rose
arbor, her eyes iixed, with an expression Of
mingled affection aud sadness, upon por-
trait which she held in her hand. 1t was
small Photograph, unframed, and as
stood moment watching her, she pressed
il TO her lips. The next moment she had
seen me and risen to her feet in beautiful
confusion, eri~sou blush dyeing her soft,
far cheeks.
Blanche" ] said advancing hastily, ',
why are you so ehauged-so sad2 How
have deserved to forfeit your friendship,
your confidence? ? Dear child, show me
4
your heart bciieye me, my own contains
no dearer wish Than to secure your happi.
ness"
She did not speak, but the bushes deer- =
ened, and spread o'er her dropping neck {
aud brow, aad she lrembled yisioly. took
her hand in NINE, scarcely less sgilated j
than herself, 4
IL.
rs it on account of poor FrankY He
has told me that your heart was given
away before he sued for it, Oh, my darl.
ing eonide in me, as you would have done f
10 your own father-who is it that you p
loYe2" d
She drew her hand away, her soft eyes is
met mine with strange expression that v
made my heart leap yidly--a look Of ten Y
der reTToaeh was IN them. 5,
at ia not as a lnther that lbi,l, of ,o,,l,,