The Van Buren press., 1894-09-08
SISTER MARION.
why She Wished That She M,oh4
Be Beautiful.

~ II 1t be woman. She wonld III,
her lover with her own hand rntho,
than see him happy with anotbe,
woman" n'Vie'
Inc man In the corner by the FIRE die,
lated these words slowly and careful
iy, and the girl at the table wrot,
them down. Then there was silence
and the girl looked across at the m ;
expectantly.
rs 1t getting dark?" he asked, after
few minutes. W.
FOR Lewis Darlington had been blind
Tor nearly six months. That was VIII,
he had engaged Marion Norman as n,
secretary.
Yes ! can scarcely see," answered
the girl. "Shall get the lampqr
mo, ! am tired" answered Caring.
ton. Let us stop 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.
rs that true, do you thinls?" asked
Darlington, lifting his head.
Marion blushed a little, and then
she remembered that the eyes which
met her own could see nothing.
us what true?"
THAT sentence about love an sell
fishness Men know SO little of
women"
Marian Norman sat down in chair
by the fire and leaned her chin upon
her hand as she watched Darlington.
Il hardly know" she replied slowly
II hope not. thinls-no Indeed,
am sure of it."
"How do you knowY' asked CARING
ton quickly. "Ah! forgive me. l
should not have asked that"
In their four months daily compan-
ionship, begun as matter of business,
they had grown into the habit of talk
ing over many things together, and
Marion looked forward to the ten r1in-
utes or 50 between the close of work
and her departure as the pleasantest
time Of the day. The turned her eyes
from Carrington's face to the fire.
"Ycs, have had my romance" she
replied, and then she told him her
story. 1t was poor, feeble little ro-
nance, dead almost before 1t was born,
ten years ago, when Marion was n
nurse at the London hospital. Merely
n young doctor who was poor, few
flowers and a 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 1t in fortnight. But Marion
cherished It's memory, for 1t stood be-
tween her and the certainty that she
had never found favor In the eyes of
men.
"You know that lost more than my
sight when my eyes went" said Car
rington, after pause. THAT is why
I am SO anxious about the operation
next week."
"Yes. You mean"
II was Just engaged, and her people
would not let her marry blind man.
They were quite right, weren't thcyP"
"And she2"
'she cried and obeyed her people"
IfI had been she"-Marion began
quickly.
"Well?"
Nothing. Only never had any
people"
"You were a nurse once, Miss Nor
man, were you not?' said Darlington
presently.
"Yes. 1t is still strange to hear my
self called Miss Norman. was Sister
Marion until a year ago. But my
health broke down and | had to give
it up" .4
'Would you mind very much going
back to it for time-a week or soP'
"Ahl You would like me to-"
.T must have nurse, and ] would
rather have some one know"
His hand went out in the vague way
peculiar to the blind. Marion met 1t
and held 1t moment in her own.
II will come" she said, quietly,
Marion rose to go.
"And when-when 1t is all over, you
won't REQUIRE me any more" she said
with laugh that only just escaped
being q sigh.
"Say, rather, when 1t is all over !
shall be able to see you," said CARING
ton. "You remember, though we have
grown to know one another so well,
have never seen you."
There was small pier glass over the
mantelpiecc, and Marion was face to
face with her own reflection. She haa
known all her life that she was plain.
But now, in the light OF n new hope
that had dawned in the past month";
she appeared palmer and more COM
monplace than ever. =,
"If he never saw me, perhaps
Tho thought had forced itself moro
than once into her mind, but she had
beaten 1t back and prayed that Lewis
Darlington might see again
Marion went her way home and
climbed up three flights OF stairs TO
her room. 1t looked dark and cold
almost as cold as the streets outside
where the sleet was falling She lit
the gas stove and made herself a cup
Of tea. Then she looked out Mt the
nurses clothes which she used to wear.
The aprons wanted stitch here and
there. This occupied her for some
time. BY eight o'clock all was fin
;shed The sleet was still beating
against the window. Even If she haa 1t az.
Ind anywhere to 60, she could not
-. coma Rut IL was having no.