The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-17

| the DOCTORS Judgment, ana tneTe was no HIS
taking the sincere ring in his voice. trcm-
bled with pleasure Vain was all my careful
schooling and deliberately evolved indifference
| to personal appearance. Here was |, q very
| woman, glowing with pride and pleasure ut the
thought that some poor share personal beauty
| had fallen to my lot. Instinct is ineradieable,
/ suppose, and it is n woman's instinct to like
! to look pretty. My exutation, however, was
| of brief duration. The next moment was
| sounding the depths, overwhelmed by the
thought of my blindness Ny eyes filled with
angry tears. felt that the Doctor was watch
ing 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, 4" came
this evening to say good-by; ! am going up to
| London for six months"
| "To London 4" exclaimed.
ayes i want TO complete some surgical
studies in one of the great hospitals"
Why, i thought you had finished your
students career long ago2"
THAT is true in the ordinary sense; but q
| scientific man is moro or less student all his
| life. There is "a subject in which am deeply
interested. have theory Of my own about
| ii that wish to test practically. Before 20
want to ask favor of you, Miss Urquhart.
| Will you let mo examine your eyes2
assented, as a matter of course. 1t was not
the first time had been examined by curious
scientists. and rang the bell for the lamp.
DIR. Saxon made his examination with the
greatest care. i do not think my eyes had
ever before been subjected TO so minute a
| scrutiny. His manner was wholly professional,
| his questions few and to the point.
Have you ever had any sensation of light2"
was his last demand; "any feeling that the
darkness was lifting, so to speak ?"
Yes Three or four times kind of gray
mist seemed to rise in front of me. II was very
bright tho last time. / almost thought / was
| going TO see."
How long ago was that?"
"Six months. On my 2lst birthday"
"Ah! Thank you very much; / won't trou-
bic you with any more questions. Really, how
| late IL IL gettngi / must be off at once; my
hands are very full just now, as you may sup
pose Good-by, Miss Urqnhart. You have
greatly obliged me by allowing me to make
do you think there is any hope for me7"
asked, plaintively.
Hopel OF course-of course" said he,
vaguely. "We doctors never give up that if
we can help it, II is the finest of all medicines
| Good-by, once morel" And the doctor graspeG
my hand with kind, firm pressure, and was
gone.
Ii was fully IL months before / saw him
again. He went, heard afterwards. first to
London, and thence, attracted by some great
scientific luminaries, to Paris and Vienna.
am not ashamed to confess that the year of his
absence appeared to me by lar the longest of
my life. With him my grasp on the realities
| of the world seemed to depart and sank back
! with shudder into my old formless, ohjectless,
| meaningless existence. True, had my mother,
| and the affection between us was deep and sin-
| cere, but there WIS too great similarity about
our mental processes; long familiarity had
made us too we'll acquainted with every turn
of the others thought for our intercourse TO be
/ relieved much above the dead level of moi Jt-
/ hugtr Wu my
weapon wherewith to ward off ennui aud bring
about a momentary feeling of contentment.
j have rather fanciful habit, Waguerian
though IL be, OF associating certain airs with
| particular people. There is, for instance,
plaintve little melody of Mendelssohn's which
! invariably recalls my mother to me; and DIR.
Saxon will always be linked In my mind with
| Rats Gavatna for was playing 10 softly To
myself one evening when ! heard his step in
| the hall. ! ceased at once and the next mo-
ment the Doctor was standing in front of mo
| holding both my hands in bis own.
| We'll, Miss Urquhart" said he. "Hers i
am back again, aud hope you are very glad to
see me-"
"very glad, indeed" answered. withdraw.
| Ing my hands, for felt myself blushiug like
schoolgirl.
"And / am delighted to be here again. II
seems so like home. after wandering about
among the capitals Of Europe"
4 IL gives EEchL Pits1hkb 10 iSAE you say
| that"
when came Into this room Just now, and
| heard the music, and saw you seated at the
| piano In your white dress with the freight
| CHANGING on your hair, felt wish | could
tell you how felt"
surely you are not afraid Of poor blind
RirI2"
"Well / am not quito 80 certain Of that
You don't know how formidable you can look
| at times, Miss Urdnhart"
"im sorry. hadn't the least intention Of
| looking Formidable"
"FormIdably lovely. mean"
You ought not 10 say such things DIR. Sax
on"
81 can't help myself; they come out againat
my will" The doctor paused aud then went
| on in sudden burst Of energy; ] must make
| clean breast Of IL. COW or never. Dear Miss
Urquhart- Constance. the fact Ia. / love you.
| ] have done So IL seems to me, from the first
Forgive my stupid, laundering way Of saying
| 1t. / have come 10 ask you 10 be- my wife"
| A proposal Of marrage ! could hardly be-
lIeve my ears. Was the world coming to an
| end? SO extraordinary aud unlocked for an
| occurrence fairly took my breath away, aud
| rendered me for the moment speechcas.
But the Doctor was q man of action, aud had
heard somewhere That silence indicates consent
| His arms stole gently round my waist, and
felt his lips on my check.
For moment let myself go. The sense Of
repose, of rest. OF protecting affection. was too
delicious aud loved the Doctor. realized IL
now for the FIRST time. Then knew, or fan
| cied knew, that was not doing my duty and
il Ii pity that duty should be so often dlsa-
greeable. IL did not seem TO mo that my way
| Of life ran along snch pleasant paths as these.
disengaged his arm and pulled myself to-
gether.
DR.. Saxon" stammered, 81 am grateful
to you, believe me; deeply grateful. But Won
must see that this Is impossible. Marry n
woman who will assist you to fight the battle
of life; don't be dragged down by q poor sight.
less wretch like me- Ii Ia too great a sacri-
fee"
Sacrifice! Rubbish" the Doctor cried.
"Who talks Of sacrifice? The only question
ia, do you care for me2"
! turned my head aside; he was reading nv
face. / knew, aud that was betraying me
The next moment he had me in his arms.
"Ah, see how 10 is." he cried triumphantly !:
"you do love me, COMFY, just little, don't
your"
"Well, yes; II you must know"
"And you can talk of sacrifice" he went on.
still little indignant; the sacrifice ia all on
your side. ii you only knew IT, you lovely sim
pleton. How do you suppose poor, ugly devil
Of Woodworking, commonplace doctor could
hope 10 win one Of the most beautiful women
In England for 80 he talked in his infatua-
toni If she had all her senses about herr /
am simply the luckiest medical man in the
United Kingdom"
What lid care ii he were poor and ugly: II
| was enough that we loved each other That