Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-10-06
THE BASILISK
A sToRY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER III.
A DECIDED STEP.

which l can not see! St. Bartimeus's en-
fete always appealed grimly to what
what was left of the humorous side of
my nature. The brightness of light
and of color which was so lost on the
persons chiefly concerned; the floral
and other decorations, which the sensi-
tive fingers of patients helped to con-
strive, and which were greeted with SO
much admiration by the feeting visit
ors, who crossed our dark orbit for q
night, and came no more; the stir of
preparation which heralded the visits
of the children of light to the children
of darkness; the cares and the vanities
which bridged that dreadful gulf more
firmly than the mockery of a sympa-
thy, which tried in vain to forget its
W security-all these things usually
moved me only to an unwholesome
mirth. I kept apart in spirit even from
my blind fellows, reserving a nook of
special darkness for myself. They
were not like me, luckily for them,
They had brought their past lives with
them into their strange land, and kept
touch unimaginatively with those who
loved them. l had found my new life
SO awful that I had lost the saving
sense of the reality of the wholesome
LONELINESS that surrounded u, all. To-
day, while we were busted, under COM
petent direction, in fitting up our large
hall for the entertainment of the evening
l had lost much of the of herce
dependency in which TRUSTED. / felt
very little like that blind mixture of
blind Milton and the Devil whom he
portrays, on which I had somewhat
tried to mold my character. 1t was
not without shame that I felt an actual
sensation of exhilaration as l did my
fair share in carrying a heavy piano
from one room to another. Nor was
it in the old n~ninterested spirit that l
ran my fingers over the keys, when we
lad deposited the instrument in it's new
place, and made the large empty room
ring and re-echO with strains If almo~t
aggressive j%ubilance. l knew very well
that, beside those whom l should re-
spect as musicians. my powers were
as nothing. The applause I had re-
ceived in old days had gratified. but it
had never deceived me. l had loved
music too truly to dishonor it by think
ing that my attainments were worth a
thought. and now I rolled off my thanks
to it for rewarding my devotion by
bringing me back into the warm cir
Gle of human s%ympathies. Ishould no
longer be outcast. | should no longer
be useless: The inperious and mystic
rious Giulia Bcaufoy had owned the
spell of my music; the gertle-voiced
cousin was to profit by my powers of
instruction. Life seemed positively
about to relax into a smile
once more, and the grimly humorous
view of St. Bartimeus' s en- ffete had given
place to the eagerly expectant.
'.Soyou're determined to despise the
warnings of friendshipp'. said: DR..
Shaw, as we stood by the fire in the
hall expecting momentarily the arrival
of the earliest guests.
I'm what way, doctor?'
''In leaving us, and going to the Beau
foys."" =.
said I; ',,you don't think l am likely to
II can't TELL" said Shaw, rather
testify. H. hated to be pressed on a
point where he did not feel justified in
giving a decided opinion. Your &C
impatient. One of the main objects of
this place is to give people a chance of
recovering in peace. Yours Is a curious
case. 1t is chiefly nervous A morbid
nervous state, and a shock, sli ght to
anybody else, serious to you, were the
real causes of your loss of sight. 1t
might return under favorable condi-
tons. You won't give yourself a
chance"
I put very little faith in Shaw's med
ical views of my case, clever and sue
cessful as he undoubtedly was. I had
too good reason to believe that he real
" regarded mine as hopeless. AS a
really strong feeling of friendship had
grown up between US, l put these oc-
casionally hopeful views down to his
desire to encourage me, and, at present
particularly, to bis wish to keep me at
the Home. and more especially to pre-
serve me from the imaginary and to
me rather inviting, dangers of the Bas-
:.WeI, doctor" I said, IF that's
your view, [ am much more likely to
meet with some homeopathic cure out
in the world than in this security. And
I can't 60 on living on charity like this
forever
'.Bosh!' said Shaw. ":A wilful
man will have his way These enter
tainments won't 20 on half so well
without YOU"
= 81 can come over to them," I said.
'Besides, the matter ism t settled yet. I
have not seen MI. Beaufoy, and he will
have something to say to it all
HE will only have to say ditto to
his daughter, depend upon it," he re-
piled grimly. ''Though 1 should say
she is about the only person he would
take his orders from" ...
i what is he ike?' : asked for the
first time, for I had rather av ed the
subject when it had become SO interest
ing to me, and so distasteful to the
good doctor. ~ =,
AlhCS Vus Ao YUtCes auA as AaAO
as nails. Something between a groom
and q dean, aud talks like an ideal
scboolmaster."
SIS he old?''
..He's grey, in q hard robust way,
y. With %tlss sn eye ~ blue as ice and as keen
Il hope he won't sit by while I give
my lessons was all I could say.
A loud peal at the front-door bell
brought our. conversation to q close. I
made my way to a sofa e a the piano.
which was convenient for mo in the
discharge Of my duties, and there
awaited the beginning Of the proceed
ings. and whatever events fate might
have in store for me. Shaw assumed
his post to welcome the early arrivals.
Gradually the room begins to fill.
The first are apparently sub
dued in some measure BY the size and
emptiness Of the room. for they talk in
: subdued tone, and suddenly. drop.