Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-04-25
BLIND.

All Paris was oppressed by that over
! powcring heat which often prcccdes n
July storm. Low rumblings of thunder,
like the distant roaring of II lion in the
desert, kept coming nearer, until the
storm-cloulds broke with the sharp
crashing noise of splitting planks.
The next minute large rain-drops be-
gan to pelt the faces OF the passers, and.
to spccklc with gray drops the dusty
granite OF the sidewalks
pretty brunette about twenty years
old, ovcrlaken by the unexpected show
or, hastcned to seek refuge in hospita-
bic doorway.
Her clothing was not such as could be
very seriously injured by the inclcmcnt
! weather, indeed her attire was extremely
simple, and indicative OF the strictest
possible economy. A plain dress of
black mcrino, we'll fitted and tastcfuly
made, and straw hat trimmed with
poppics, showed hcr. to be one OF those
little sewing girls whose honest power
/ ty obliges them to make there own
clothes. Martha Dufou, such was the
young girls name, was pink of neat
ness, from her bare white hands TO her
II was only ten o'clock at night. and
I the street was almost deserted. A younr
man came hurrying along, and al
though lie had an umbrella, he ran for
| shelter from the rain to the door
where Martha stood. He was so alb
sorbcd in watching the progress of the
| thunderstorm that he had hardly noticed
the girl when dazzling flash of light
ming, followed Immediately by Il terrible
peal Of thunder, illuminated the street,
and at the same instant Il shrill cry ranw
through the air.
''Mcrciful Heaven!' exclaimed the
young girl, ''I cannot scc--i. is all dark
/ tho lightning has burnt my cvcs-I am
blind"
Instances of this kind. though com
parativcly rare, are by no means unknown
i'll the history of medicine, sudden blind
ness caused by Il stroke of lightning is
sometimes curablc, but when il results
from paralysis of the optic nerve there is
but little chance of recovery.
A flood of tears followed the sighs and
moans of the terrified girl rs she reflected
that she could no longer earn her living
She could not even lind her way home
| without hclp-what was to become Of
hcr--must she beg her bread!
Bertrand Camusurd was Il young clerk,
and b"in. accustomed TO the designations
| of Paris, was ever on the watch for a
trick. When, therefore, the young girl
bemoaucd i,er fate, he looked ut her curl
ous!y. Her face was not i'll the least dis
! figured, the large dark eyes shone brill
iantIy, slight flush relieved the white
ness OF her skin, and her features were
! small and regular-she was very pretty,
he found.
is there no one to help me9" she
said, piteously, extending her hand
'Dot not cry, Madcmoiscllc, an
swered Bertrand in soothing toue, az
will take you home as if I were your
dog"
''Oh, thank -you, sir
"Wherc do yon livc?"
CAT 1875 Lacondamine street.
"That is close to my house. said
Bctrnnd to himself, and then he added
aloud, "thc rain has stopped, will you
take my arm?"-
As they walked, the young man looked
at his fair charge in surprise; if she was
acting II pert she was doing il to perfcc-
tion. Leaning on his arm, in Il charm
ingly confiding way, she told him that
she was an orphan, that she had lately
arrived from the country with no bag
gage excepting IL letter of recommends
ton to a large establishment where she
had received employment.
Her listener paid but little heed to her
rocifnI and n,oJo fa., ;a.t,,,.. ,o.<.o-t-,
about the whitencss of her dimpled hands,
and the becomingncss of her costume, for
he was firmly convinced that the girl was
trying to play Il trick OH him. At last,
wearicd by her sad air, he determined to
create diversion, and to show her that
he was too thoroughly Parlsian to be so
easily dupcd.
''Lct us go and have glass of beer"
he said gaily, and with an exclamation
of dismny the girl let go OF his arm aud
stood still
ooh, do not try to be so high -fownl"
he added, taking hold of her to lead her
on, but Martha drew back in alright aud
i cried aloud. 'sHelp, help"
3, At tho sourd of her voice, another man,
a wcll-built fellow, came TO her rescue,
cxclaiming
"Lct 60 OF her, you rascal" and deal
: such strong blows upon the shoulders of
Bertrand Camusard, that the latter
thought best to so his way without az
| guing the matter.
Martha then told her story to the new
conner, who, in his turn, informed her
that his name was Pierre earlier and that
he was book keeper in the Office of the
Western Railway. He did not however,
mention the fact of his having been
wounded in the face during the war of
1870, and of his still bcsring frightful
| scar.