The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-05

seat opposite him, q shall expect you
70 say you're glad 70 see me & And as
she smiled Mt him across the table she
made upher mind that for that eyening
she would be as entertaining as she
knew hdw
Before the meal was over ilclcn
! Arnold had made an interesting dis
coyery, namely, that her father Ncould
be entertaining as wen as herself
Moreover. there was certain agree
able novelty about being tete-a-tcte
K with ones own father ut dinner. Helen
could hardly remember when She had
/ enjoyed an hour SO much When they
arose from the table Mr.. Arnold glanced.
| irresoiutelg at his daughter m you
are not too tired. Helen. " he said, Il
/ wonder II couldn't have some music I,
4 Indeed yon may. answered Helen,
/ trying to speak lightly, though the mn
conscious appeal in his voice had
touched her inexplicably She went at
once to the piano and almost instinct
i.ely began 70 play the simple melodies
which harmonized bcst with the gath
Eering twilight, the hush 81 the room
and her own softened thoughts And
her father, sitting IN the deepening
shadows, NOW and then put Hrs hand 10
his eyes as II to wash away an un.
hidden tear
When the long evening was over and
Helen went to her fathers side 90 bid
him good night. he put his arms about
her and held her fast This has leen
like old times, Helen he said. - had
expected such a lonely evening and this
was such a pleasant surprise shall
think q II very often when I'm here
alone. Thank yon. my dear. fsaod
night 4
Helen kissed him in silence, not gst-
ing herself 10 make q reply. FIJI Sis
went upstairs, struggling 10 keep bnels
the tears, she whispered softly My
poor, lonely faItierl I'll try aft8r tbis
70 be q better daughter.
You want to spend tue stiliaar At
home!s said Mrs. Arnold the next af.
ternoon. She sat IN her room IL tho
Seaside house. and looked at her oldest
daughter with gaze III which constcr
nation and bewildernent we're blend
ed Helen, You must be crazy Con-
slider your health,,'
Helen gazed at the reelection of her
blooming face in the mirror opposite
and smiled d little 1t hardly seemed
necessary to answer that argument
Stay In the city all summer. chifned
in Grace. why, Helen, nobody does
that
Papa does, answered Helen,
quietly.
"You couldn't stand ii, Helen, 4 said
4.
ly. You'd die Of loneliness. =
But papa stays there without any Of
us, persisted Helen.
Grace flushed Indignantly How
absurd you are, Helen. OF course papa
does, lie always has. It's very differ
ent with man =
But lIelen's mind was made mp. Tn
moved by circumstances or ridicule,
she packed her trunks and went back
to the city. not, ii must be admitted,
without pang at leaving the cool al
Effectiveness Of Ctifside When her fa-
thor came home that evening he f0nnd
her in her pretty tea-gown, with her
hair dressed in the most becoming way,
waiting to receive him. II was some
time before he could be made to UNDER /
stand the change in her plans, but
when he at last comprehended her ex-
PLANTATION he grew quite pale.
Give up your summers pleasure,
llelen@ he said Indeed, I'm not sel-
fish enough TO allow anything Of the
KIND. Yen must go back Tomorrow Y y
But even then Helen proved OBJ
aurate. Not that the why Of scff-de-
NAL was unexpectedly easy slte#ltad
many days of loneliness, many gloomy
hours, every letter she received from
Cliffside made the course She had
marked out for herself seem more diff+
cult and unattractive But thfSxesv re-. \
lation between her father. and herself,
his grateful tenderness, the change in
his face and step, his altered be;ri.fr,=.
surely these We're enough to recon-
pense for far greater sacrifice. And,
moreover. during the enforced quiet Of
these long months Helen was making
certain surprising discoveries. Among
the many .nobodiesF who had not left /
the city for the summer Helen was
finding people Of intelligence and cul-
ture, charming peoples people whose
names she had hitherto barely found
time to remember half dozen times
throughout the busy year. Az she now !
felt the inspiration Of these earnest
lives, Helen wondered not little at her
previous blindness.
X was perhaps through the influence
of these ne,y friends that she found sos
many new and unexpected oppoltuni-
ties Of helPfulness, Her narrow life
seemed to have broadcned ont. her
sympathies Nal widencd Ore brave
act a seif-denial had opened her eyes
70 the diatrcsses Of an the suffering
world and had brought her into touch
with i'll tie loving. sacrificing helpers
81 humanity
When Mrs Arnold came home III
September she scanned her eldest
daughter With some anxiety, .Bo you
think Helen IS wella he asked 81 \
Grace, Doesn't she seem changed2a
II think She looks well, Grace an
swered, donbtfuliy .but she certainly
seems differ rent in some way.
Helen, oyerhearing this conversation,
smiled Httle, for who appreciates the
difference SO fully as one who. hav-
ing been blind, now secs, or the soul X
which has wandered long iii the fogs Of X
seltishneSs but comes at last into Loves
clear sunlight For her lonely sum
A ~ -. n