Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-28

y
.aSe rank Ia the very first class. wish, for your
SAKE, that were kuskin or a Theophile Gautier
az 70 Ds very ne . sns mn P :s
ming"
..lwas sure Of It..
From where we are standing one can Just catch
enmpse OF the river, as II winds round under
low wooded hill. Perhaps you remember IL, and
IN, ines slender tnread-ke spre that rises among the
ut Is 30 long since saw It, though have lived
mere al my life; but yes, think do remem-
SWELL the hill and the trees look black now
against the sunset, and the spire IL like little
shapely-eut silhouette. standing out against gold
where IL runs along under the hillside but beyond
that the sun strikes IL ana IL glows like flame"
across the sky are drawn many irregular bars
OF clouds, looking like long purple promontories
running Tar away into wide sea OF gold and
brighter as It nears the great central glow, and
tnen ladies' inpercept1oy into the quiet blue OF the
night. out OF which the stars are already be-
show very beautiful it must be-" said I, with an
Involuntary sign.
Beautiful il is, but that hardly expresses It all
II Is grand solemn. imposing; looking at it ones
mind seems somehow TO get purified, ones whole
being enlarged, you are filed with a sense OF
mental and physical spaciousness. To me 1t looks
like the vista OF a world 70 come-appears the
promise OF future state. II Is sublime; the ele-
ment OF beauty IS subordinate. The purely beau
tliul,' murmured the doctor under his breath, "is
nearer at hand"
The words, however, were not 50 softly spoken
but that my quick ear had caught their import
Il don't quite know what you mean by that,
DOCTOR saidI.
"weil," he answered, after seconds hesitation,
was thinking or yourself, Miss UrquharL"
"Of me?' CALCULATED too much astonished TO
De coherent. "surely you are joking"
do you really mean to say that you don't know
what you are nke?r
rejected I certainly did not know. had,
indeed, a general impression that was painfully
IN. mistaken
was an opportunity OF acquiring knowledge. To
neglect IL might be unwise. at sounds very ridic-
obliged to admit that haven't the slightest no
ton what am like"
''lmpOSsiDleir
Easily possible; and, in addition, quite true"
Miss Urquhart,' said the doctor after a pause,
70 enable himself TO grasp fully this stupeDdeous
fact, ''you are, indeed, phenomenon; a rara avis
among young ladies; but such state OF things is
abnormal and portentous. Let me do for you what
tired 10 DO tor the sunset Just now, and hold, in
be your looking glass-a most imperfect one-and
tell you a little about yourself"
Il shall be delighted. That Is, If you will
promise 10 be severely accurate and neither criti
cal nor complimentary
II Will be the strictly impartial observer; and
as VIII nothing exaggerate so 1 will set down
"very well-go on, then-imprimis"
"Imprimis, you are tall"
II Know Il, said i, calmly; "fve feet seven.n
'YOu are aware or this; very we'll To particu.
ar1ze further; your hair Is abundant and OF an In
descrioaele goiden-orown color; your forehead
good, intellectually speaking; artistically-here
the impartial observer asserts himself-it may be,
perhaps, thought too high; defect II It be de-
feet which Is corrected by the natural wave OF the
hair. Eyebrows well defined and Mechanically
arched As for the eyes themselves, they are
large, bright, and OF clear hazel. Except for a
far-ayay look, which tells us doctors a good DEAL
no one would imagine that you had not-well, the
perfect use OF ITEM They are shaded by long
lashes, nose straight, and delicately chiselled;
pray spare me further details and get on at
once 10 the general effect"
NOW, l call that unreasonable. You can no
more get general effect without details than you
can make wall without bricks However, will
be as brief as possible. To proceed, then: your
rhsTe IS in Ihs censsy
very effective dimpla"
please, DOCTOR" protested.
"Facial outline, continued he imperturbably ga
pure oval; complexion, a very admirable blending
OF red and white.'
.'rhe impartial observer apologises; and, being
admonished, leaves detailed criticism and hastens
10 sum up. His conc iuSOn-on which he Is pre-
pared TO stake his professional reputation-is that
you have rare beauty, Miss UrQu.Iart and that of
very. very superior order. He trusts you are not
"oh. how could be? But think you are very
much mistaken"
Not In the least, assure you. 1t isn't ques-
ton OF mere prettiness, about which there might
easily be difference OF taste. No two opinions
are possible In your case"
doctors Judgment, and there was no installing
the sincere ring Of his voice. / trembled with
pleasure. VAN was all my careful schooling and
evolved Indifference to personal ap-
pearance. Here was /, very woman, glowing
with pride and pleasure at the thought that some
POOR share of personal beauty had fallen TO INV
lot. Instinct is ineradicabie, suppose and u is
woman's instinct TO like to look pretty. My ex-
altation however, was OF brief duration. The next
moment was sounding the depths, overwhelmed
by the thought OF my blindness My eyes fi4ed
with angry tears i felt that the doctor was
watching me- and turned my head aside. Then
heard him rise and pace up and down the room
Presently he halted and stood in front of me.
"Miss Urquhart," said he abruptly 81 came this
evening TO say good-oy; l am going up to London
for six months"
$40 LOnoonl' exclaimed.
yes want 10 complete some surgical studies
in one OF the great hospitals"
Why. thought you had finished your students
tific man is more or less student all his life.
There Is subject In which am deeply Interested
have theory OF my own about IL that wish to
Of you, Miss Ufquhsrt Win you let me &c examine
your eyes?r
assented, asa matter Of course. 1t was not
scientists, and rang the bell for the lamp.
Dr. Saxon made hts examination with the great
est care DO not think my eyes had ever before
been subjected TO so minute a scrutiny His man
TO the point
"Have you ever had any sensation of lieht,- was
his last demand, "any feeling that the darkness
was lifting, so TO speak,"
"Yes. Three or four times a gray mist seemed
10 rise Ia 1ront OF me- II was very bright the last
time. almost thought was going to see"
"How long ago was THAR"
.Six months. on my twenty first birthday.
"Ahi Thank you very much; won't trouble
you with any more questions. Really, how late IL
Il getting! i must be OF at once; my hands are
full just now, as you may suppose. Goodbye Miss
Urquhart- You have greatly obliged me BY allow
ing me TO make this examination"
do you think there Is any hope for me?r I
asked pla1ntively.
"Hope, or course-of course " said he vaguely
1--WE doctors never give up that II we can help IT,
1t Is the nnest OF all medicines. Good-by once
more!" And the doctor grasped my hand with
kind, firm pressure, and was gone.
IL was fully twelve months before / saw him
again He went, heard afterward, first to Lon
don. and thence, attracted by some great SCIENTIFIC
luminartes, TO Paris and Vienna. / am not
appeared 10 me by far the longest in my life
With him my grasp on the realities or the world
seemed 10 depart, and / sank back, with a shud-
der into my old r0rmless. Oojectless, meaningless
existene. True, had my mot ner. and the affec-
ton between US was deep and sincere; but there
cesses; long familiarity had made us too well ac-
Quainted with every turn OF the others thought
Tor our intercourse 10 be relieved much above the
dead level OF monotony. Music was my great
ennui and bring about monetary feeling OF
contentnent.
i have a rather fanciful habit, WaQnerian
though II be, OF associatng certain airs with par
tcular people. There is, for instance, plaintiye
little melody of Mendelssohn's which tnyarably
alway be linked in my mind with Raff's aCava-
tina" for was playing IL softly to myself one
evening when i heard his step in the hail /
ceased at once, and the next moment the doctor