The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-03-28

MSNI " N see him happy with
ENssr.!Pfi l:Ss'e:Fl another woman"
i;S6SsrS> Jsi The man in the
ESkxakI corner by the fire
MAwNashNIVVtNsA dictat ed those
words slowly and carefully; and the
girl at the table wrote them down.
Then there was silence and the girl
looked across at the man expectantly.
rs it getting darkP" he asked, after
few minutes.
For Lewis Darlington had been blind
for nearly six months. That was why
he had engaged Marion Norman as his
secretary.
eyes, l can scarcely see, answered
the girl "Shall light the lamp?"
''No, am tired, answered Caring
ton. 'Let us stop now and talk"
Marion put together the sheets in
their proper order, tidied up the table,
and came over to the fire, by which
she stood, leaning against the mantel-
piece and watching her companion.
She was no older than Darlington,
thirty-fve or thereabouts; but she
looked older than he did. A woman
who has lived her life out of the sun
shine-which is love-fades early. For
the sunshine is good, even though it
scorch at times.
'Is that true, do you think?" asked
Darlington, lifting his head.
Marion blushed little, and then she
remembered that the eyes that met her
own could see nothing.
'1s what true?"
''That sentence about love and sell
fishness. Men know SO little of
women"
Marion Norman sat down in chair
by the fire and leaned her chin upon
her hand as she watched Darlington.
81 hardly know" she replied,
slowly. 81 hope not. 1 think-no.
Indeed, 1 am sure of it."
"How do you know?" asked Car
rington, quickly. "Ah forgive me.
l should not have asked that"
In their four months daily com
panionship, begun as a matter of bust
ness, they had grown into the habit of
talking over many things together and
Marion looked forward to the ten min
utes or SO between tho close of work
and her departure as the pleasantest
time of the day. She turned her eyes
from Carrington's face to the fire.
eyes, Ihave had my romance" she
replied. And then she told him the
story. 1t was poor, feeble little
romance, dead almost before it was
born, ten years ago, when Marion was
a nurse at the London Hospital. Mere
ly young doctor who was poor, few
| lowers and note, which Marion still
kept in her workbox, though she did
| not tell Darlington that. Some girls
would scarcely have noticed it at the
time, and would have forgotten all
about it in fortnight. But Marion
cherished its memory, for it stood be-
tween her and the certainty that she
had never found favor in the eyes of
man.
''You know lost more than my
sight when my eyes went, said Car
rington, after pause. "Phat is why
am 80 anxious about the operation
nextweek "
Yes?" You mean"
81 was just engaged. And her peo-
pie would not let her marry blind
man. They were quite right-weren't
they9"
"And she?"
"She cried and obeyed her people. u
'If had been she" Marion be.
gan quickly.
''Wen?"
Nothing Only I never had any
people.
"You were a nurse once, Miss Nor
man, were you not?" said CarringtoI
presently.
eyes. Yet it is still strange to hear
myself called Miss Norman. 1 wa,
Sister Marion until a year ago But
my health broke down and had t.
give it up"
"Would you mind very much going
back to it for time-a week or 500"
"Ahl You would like me TOP"
81 must have a nurse, and would
rather have some one | know.
His hand went out in the vague wa,
peculiar to the blind. Marion met il
and held it a moment in her own.
81 will come, " she said quietly.
Marion rose to go.
"And when-when it is all over
you won't require me any more" sh
said with a laugh that only just es
capped being a sigh.
''Say, rather, when it is all over
shall be able to see you, said Caring
ton. ''You remember, though W
have grown TO know one another s
well, 1 have never seen you"
There was a small pier-glass owe
the mantlepiece, and Marion was fac
to face with her own reflection. Sh
had Town all her life that she wa
plain. But noT. in the light of a ne'
hope that had daWned in the pas