Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-04

right hand corner. Then he tore out the
check, and returning to his former seat
gave 1t to me.
II have left it open,n he said. Ask her
to write in-ray unhappy little friend-the
amount she needs, and tell her. In case abe
doubts 1t still, that her secret is safe in my
keeping and that she has made me happy
by remembering me in her distress"
took the check, faltering some incoher-
emit words of gratitude
"You will stay with us a day or twot'' he
asked
mo; must go away today"
Have you far to go homef"
II am going to London" he replied eva,
sively,
"You are staying with friends thereP"
mo; have no friend to go to-"
Are you quite alone!"
Quite"
He was silent for a moment, seeming
greatly shocked by his discovery. Then he
said:
But you have friends"
None but Mere Lucas and"-
He held out his hand quickly, and as it
closed on mine a smile broke over his face.
And me-" he said. "Oh, If my ear and
reason deceived me the sense of touch
would tell me whose hand this Is hold
Let us give up this game of crooked ques-
lions and cross answers and be ourselves.
Have faith in me, little friend"
For some minutes we sat thus, with our
hands locked, and neither spoke Some
such feeling of mingled joy and sympa.
thetic sorrow as choked my utterance may
have silenced him. Perhaps he was wait
ing for me to confide my sorrows to him
to pour out the history of past troubles
that he might give me comfort. But /
dared not answer that silent appeal, and
I Al a Il. 4.
| fell upon his hand as bent over it was all
the confession l could make
rs there nothing can do to help your"
he asked in a tone of deep agitation.
''Nothing-nothing more than you have
done. No one can help me. / need no help
now. The worst is past. Better days must
come Then may tell you more"
Il want to know no more than that" he
ans'A cred impressively. If the worst is
past, W. will cease to think Of it. Let us
| so in the garden" he added in a brighter
tone as he rose to his feet. THE sun ought
to be shining today"
He took my trembling arm.
You know the wayf" he asked
YES; I walked across the lawn yester-
day"
| II knew it," he murmured. Something
touched my arm, and felt that you were
near. have been expecting you to come "
He said this, l thought, to encourage me,
but the radiant happiness in his face sur
prised me, though | knew the vigor and
| fortitude of his character. One would not
have imagined but for those poor closed
| eyes that he had lost the most precious
| gift of nature He pressed my arm to his
side and spoke some wise words of assur~
ance, adding:
We have both met with misfortune,
| little friend"
Il think too much of my own"
| Mine" he said to turn my thoughts, lis
not so great as you would think. At first
| it was hard to bear-the world seemed SC
empty. But am learning to see now with.
out my eyes, and l find multitude OF
beautiful things that had before escaped
my notice, / never weary of sitting herC
and listening-puZzling out where all the
sounds come from and making a better &C
quaintance with the hidden world"
And in the evening you have Miss Bel
to read to you and play"
Yes She is a good, amiable girl, won
derfully patient and untiring"
There was great whir of wings over ouI
| heads, startling me for the moment, and
then six or eight beautiful pigeons fiuttered
down and settled on Tnras' shoulder and
outstretched arm. He gave them hand
full of maize from his pocket, and they clus
tered about his hand with outstretched
wings to take the grain.
do they come down to Miss Bell lik,
that" asked, with envy.
They will come to any one who has
something to give them, " he said, smiling
l wondered if he regarded me in the same
light.
l held out my hand timidly to the pretty
fluttering birds, but they had swallowed
| the last grain. and they took to their wing:
and few away in n body.
l could bear it no longer. The pain at my
heart was greater than l could endure.
Il must go away. too" said, choking
down my grief.