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

| become tolerable mistress OF tue keyDoaru
In lesser degree DR.. Saxon shared my
musical raptures. He was himself respect
able violin player, and one result of our numer-
Gus duets was that we became fast friends.
first friendship is generally significant
episode in ones existence, but to me 1T was
something far more. Ii was both an awaken
ing and a revelation. All the pent-up sympa-
thies Of years rushed along this new outlet {;
! life became a changed thing, full of fresh hopes
and wider possibilities, and containing, rs 1t
seemed. compensations even for me. Without
! being consciously in love with DIR. Saxon yet
| felt that he was becoming Indispensable to my
existence.
was standing one evening in early Autumn
| by the French window which opened out upon
our little lawn. knew by the time and by GER
| tain indefinite sensation which il always pro-
| duees in me that the sun was near its setting
and happened TO be seized with one of the vain
| helpless longings and impotent resentments
with which occasionally varied the monotony
of resignation. It was the old, weary, futile
| lament that ] INDUCED in now and then for
the sake of the relief il brought me. but of
which ] was mono the less, heartily ashamed.
"0h! that / could pierce the vail and see
! Gods daylight again oh! for n glimpse OF
the free wide sky, touched into glory by the
setting sun! For that l would willingly give
up the balance of my life. What, indeed, is life
10 me? A poor, helpless wretch, burden to
myself and utterly useless to Others"
Pardon me, Miss Urquhart, hut think you
may yet be of great use to others. And, as for
| your burden, your friends will endeavor to
make it light for you"
had spoken my ieremiad aloud, rs was my
wont when thought myself alone, and so pre-
occupied was / that even my keen hearing fail
ed TO detect DIR. Saxon's quick step across the
| lawn. 1t was the first time the subject Of my
| blindness had been, even indirectly, limited at
between us, and / felt myself blushing with
shame and modification. Ii was certainly an
noying to be thus caught unpacking ones soul
with words, aud such weak ones.
"What will you think Of me, DoctorF ] am
afraid my reputation for fortitnde is gone. 1t
is very unlucky that you should have over
/ heard my lamentations. But they do not mean
| very much. A kind OF moral safety valve;
4 that's ALL"
The Doctor took my light speech for what IL
was worth, and answered gravey and gently:
Dear Miss Urquhart, think. for my part,
that you bear your afiiiction with admirable
resignation"
Admirable indeed, when was railing In
| good, set terms at things in general two min
utes ago"
"Ah well, your railing was innocent enough.
You would be more or less than human if you
didn't feel little bitter Mt times, and it Is bet
ter TO give il vent aud have done with il. May
\ ] ask, 20 adopt the professional manner, what
was the exciting cause this EVENING""
'Perverseness. Doctor, that's all, and va
perish longing for the moon. or, what to me is
| as difficult of attainment, peep at the sunset.
A foolish wish-my sun set for ever IL years
ago."
LET me enlist my eyes in your service for
once, and describe it TO you as best can"
al thank you, DIR. Saxon; II would give me
| great pleasure-the greatest pleasure Next to
seeing for oneself the most pleasant thing,
should imagine, is to look through the eyes. of
other people"
81 don't think" said the Doctor, with hui
morous gravity. that as u describer of sunsets
! should take rank In the very first class.
wish, for your sake, that were Ruskin or
/ TheophiIe Gautier. Anyhow, / will do my
best. In the first place, then, ii happens TO be
q very fine sunset this evening"
al was sure Of IT,"
"From where we are standing one can Just
catch glimpse of the river as il winds around
low wooded hill Perhaps you remember IL,
and the slender, thread-like spirs that rises
/ among the trees at the topp
alt is SO long since / saw il, though / have
lived here all my life; but yes, / think do
| remember it,"
well, the bin and the trees look black now
against the sunset; and the spire is like little,
sharply-cut silhouette standing out against
| gold background. As for the river, ii il cool
and dark where It runs along under the hill
glows like flame"
| "Ah!"
Across the sky are drawn many irregular
bars of clouds, looking like long, purple prom
ontories running far awayinto wide sea of
gold aud orange and green, and this sea gets
| brighter aud brighter as it nears the great cen.
| trail glow, and then fades perceptibly into the
quiet blue Of the night, out OF which the stars
are already beginning to look down on u.s."
How very beautiful IL must be-" said i,
| with an involuntary sigh.
Beautiful il Is, but that hardly expresses it
all. IL is grand, solemn, imposing; looking at
il, ones mind seems somehow TO get purified,
ones whole being enlarged. you are llled with
q sense OF mental aud physical spaciousness.
To me ii looks like the vista Of d world TO como
| appears the promise Of a future state 10 is
sublime; the element Of beauty Is subordinate
The purely beautiful" murmnred the Doctor,
under his breath, " is nearer at hand"
The words, however, were not 80 softly
spoken bnt that my quick ear had caught
their import.
81 don't quite know what you mean by that,
| Doctor" said l.
WELL" be answered. after seconds hesita-
| ton, you must forgive me IL confess frankly
that was thinking Of yourself, Miss Urquhart"
OF mel" ] calculated. too much astonished
TO be coherent. Surely you are joking"
DO you really mean 70 say that you don't
know what you are like7"
j reflected. ] certainly did not know. Iahad
indeed general impression that / was pain
fully plain. Still, il was possible TO be mig
taken. Here was an opportunity Of acquiring
knowledge. To neglect il might be unwise
I" IL sounds very ridiculous ] daresay," ] an
swered slowly, but am obliged 10 admit that
] haven't the slightest notion what am like"
I" Impossibe!"
Easily possible; and, in addition, quite
true"
"Miss Urquhart," said the Doctor, after a
pause, 10 enable himself to grasp fully this
stupendous fact, "you are indeed phenome-
mona rara avis among young ladies: but such
q state of things is abnormal and poFtentOus.
Let rue do for you what tried to do for the
sunset just now, and hold in my clumsy way
the mirror up to nature. / will be your look.
ing glass-a most imperfect One-and tell you
little about yourself"
g shall be delighted. That is IL you will
promise 20 be severely accurate, and neitheI
critical nor complimentary"
" / will be the strictly impartial observer
and as will nothing exaggerate, so / will Sci
down naugbt in malice"
Very well-go on. then-imprimis"
"Imprimig, you are tall"
] know it," said /, calmly; five feet seven. ,
"YOu are aware Of that; very we'll IL
particularize further: Your hair is abundant
aud Of an Undesirable golden brown color
your forehead good, intellectually speaking
artistically-here the impartial observer asserts
! himself-it may be, perhaps, q thought too
high; defect, IL IL be a defect, which IL cor
rected by the natural wave Of the hair. Eye
brOWs well defined aud fundamentally arched