Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-21

| Illllhlh- q oIIlC1IN III LIZ " t.
less life she led. And then she fell
to wondering what that other one was
like. OF course she was pretty. There
was d photograph OF d girl upon Car
rington's m~antlepiece, with mora
Thurston" scrawIed across the foot.
Doubtless that was she.
'Oh, if I might be just a little beau
tiful just for a little while?' she sighed
to herself. Then rejecting that wish
was absurd, she had her supper
a couple Of biscuits and a glass of
milk-and went to bed.
A fortnight had passed, and the
operation was over. Fol- some days
Lewis Darlington had lain upon his
sofa in a darkened room, with a band
age across his eye and a terrible dread
at his heart. He was waiting for the
removal of the bandage to know
whether he was to see or be blind for
the rest of his life. Marion had been
with him all the time, waiting upon
him and reading to him. She had not
been SO happy for years, for Lewis
Darlington depended entirely upon
her. Every day she had been down
stairs to answer to the inquiries Of a
fair haired girl. 1t was the girl whose
photograph stood upon the mantle
piece. Every day she had been able
to tell her that Lewis getting on
we'll, and that there was every hope
that he would see as soon as his eyes
were strong enough to bear the light.
The evening before the day on which
the question vas to be decided, Car
rington was restless and nervous.
Marion read aloud to him to keep his
thoughts from the morrow. But she
saw his fingers twitch upon the arm
of his chair and knew Of what he was
thinking. At ten o'clock she insisted
on his going to bed. But for more
than an hour Marion, who was listen
ing by his half open door. heard him
tossing from side to side, She had
decided to give him a soothing draught
when his breathing became more regu-
lar. and at last settled down into the
rhythmic respiration of the sleeper.
SO Marion lay down on the sofa in
the sitting room.
She had been asleep, as it seemed,
but a little while when something
awoke her, and from where she lay
she saw Darlington standing in the
doorway between the sitting room and
his bedroom.
'NIr. Darlington! What is the mat
ter? Can I get anything for your" she
said, starting up in alarm.
He did not reply, but walked slowly
without turning his head, straight
across the room to the window, over
which a heavy pair of curtains hung.
"N1r. Carrington,' she said again.
But he did not answer And then
she understood that he was asleep.
For the moment in her half-awak-
ened state. she could not think of the
right thing to do. She watched him
pull one of the curtains aside. The
light from q gas lamp in the street
below fell upon his face. And by the
light she saw that his hands were pull
ing and Juggling at something upon the
back of his head. He was trying to
take off the bandage from his eyes.
In another moment, if he succeeded,
the glare of the gas lamp would meet
them and ~extinguish forever the feeble
glimmer of sight. Her senses, half
dazed with fatigue. and sleep, Marion
in that instant of startled comprehen-
sion. saw but one thing, that Lewis
Darlington would be blind, and being
blind
Her heart gave a great leap of eXul-
tatiOn. MotioDless she sat, watching
him as he still fumbled with the band
age.
''The lover is always selfish. espe-
cially if it be a woman"
Tho words broke in a Hash across
her mind-the last sentence she had
taken down from-Carrington's lips.
In an instant she was by his side,
wide awake, every nerve tingling with
shame.
"Come-come with me-" she WhiS-
cred in his ear, laying her hand upon
his arm and gently drawing him away
from the window.
With a sigh he turned and suffered
himself to be led back to his DOR
For a minute or two Marion watched
him as he settled again into a peaceful
sleep. Then she bent down and hastily
touched his forehead with her lips and
returned to her sofa. But not to sleep.
The next morning Lewis Darlington,
knowing nothing of his narrow escape
during the night, was waiting for his
eyes to be uncovered. The doctor had
lust arrived when the servant opened
the door and whispered something to
Marion. Without saying anything
Marion left the room and ran down
stairs. Nora Thurston was there.
Come up" said Marion. 'You are
Just in time. I think he can see YOU
i They went up the stairs together.
eco in there, d~ear-quietly. One
moment" Marion took the girls face
between her hands and kissed her.
ooh, is my hat straight? Dc I1ook
all right? I want to look nice if he
does see me-"
Marion stood by the door listening.
! There was silence for some moments
= Then she heard the doctors voice
: A few minutes afterward the doctor
:, came into the sitting room.
what, nurse! Broken down, eh|'
: For Marion vas lying upon the sofa
> her face hidden in the cushions.
ooh, 1 am glad! 1 am glad!" she
/ shouted. ooh, God, make me glad!"
THE BEST HUSBANDS.