The Press., 1895-01-03
NEARSIGHTED.

Mrs. Stanton was little widow wh6 thought herself inconsolable.
 She was convinced that there never had been and that there never would be such another man as her late lamented husband. She believed that he had been created, raised to manhood and endowed with every amiable quality for the ex. press purpose of completing her happi. ness, and now that he was gone she felt assured that her earthly felicity was over. She mourned for him so inces. sanity that her health broke down, and she was obliged to leave her home and seek restoration at water cure.
 It was very small establishment in one of the eastern states, and it con tained the usual complement of broken down ministers, men of business and spinsters, with a very few young cpl leptic, cataleptic or dyspeptic patients.
 Among the latter was certain MT. Charles Weeks. He was about 24 or 25, rather tall and spare, yet well propor' tioned. He had regular features and a neat, dark mustache. He was not only nice looking, but his face was the index of kindly disposition, and he had a very sweet smile.
 These advantages were offset by two defects. He was very nearsighted, and he was desperately bashful.
 This amiable young man had lately lost beloved mother. He had been hel idol, and she had been his friend and companion, and indeed had supplied him with all the society he was con. scious of needing.
 They had lived alone together fol years, and when she was i'll he had nursed her as tenderly as if he were hel daughter. He was now mourning hel loss very deeply.
 Mrs. Stanton arrived at the water cure by very late train; consequently she did not make her appearance ir public until the next day at breakfast. She was then placed at the table al which MT. Weeks was seated, but o1 the opposite side and farther down. Next to Weeks sat young Hardie, who, although 8 dyspeptic, broken down al college, was the life of the house. He was a merry, rollioking young fellow, with good humored face and spar kling black eye--indeed two of them.
 When the little widow took her place he nudged his companion and whis pered: "Hello, Weeks, here is a new comerl Very taking face-very. Seems to be an elderly lady. Must be widow. , ! Weeks, ill an agony lest the lady should overhear, glanced across the ta ble, but could only see blurred, indei mite, palish splotch, crowned by white film, which he took to be widow cap, as indeed it was.
 So he said, ''I suppose she is.' X X
 Mrs. Stanton spent her days as quiet ly as if she were in her own house. Her. the formula was water, water, nothing but water, hot, cold, externally, inter nally and eternally." The regular life simple diet and bracing mountain ali soon proved of great benefit to her. Sh was ordered by the good doctors to res as much as possible out of doors on cot At other times she took as long walk as she could.
 Now, young Mir. Weeks bashfulnes did not extend to elderly ladies, ant when, a day or two after Mrs. Stanton arrival, he found her sitting under tree in the grove he recognized by he cap that she must be the widow latel, arrived, and his natural politenes prompted him to stop and say, 'The ai is very fine today, madam"
 As he uttered this commonplace with his attractive smile, the lady coult not help recognizing we'll bred ant kindly young gentleman, so she an swered him with equal suavity and in sweet and winning voice.
 MT. Weeks was sensitive to voices and he honored all elderly ladies for hi dear mothers sake. He told himsel that Mrs. Stanton reminded him of he whom he had so tenderly loved, and al most before he knew it he had seated himself upon an opposite bench and wa talking pleasantly.
 At the end of half an hour when tn ringing of the treatment bell cut shor their interview, he said to himself tha he had not met so charming persol since his mother died. Mrs. Stanton gentle voice and sympathetic manne and the spirit of kindliness which in spired all she said found ready re sponse in his own warm heart.
 From that time they were frequent, seen together. Sometimes he woult meet her on her walks, when he woul, join her and often offer his arm to as sist her over a rough part of the road If they climbed hill, he accommodat ed his pace to hers and begged her t. lean upon him for support. They spen hours together in the grove. Weeks wa a fine reader, though, as he would no wear glasses, he was obliged to hold hi book so close to his face that it almos touched his nose, He used to read alouC while she lay in her hammock.
 Thus their intimacy grew so gradual ly that there was nothing in it to alarn the most scrupulous little widow in tn world. She told herself that, althougl she could never love again, she was glac that friendship was stiil possible tC her. Besides she considered Mr. Week mere boy and felt motherly into res WY R. RUDGE,
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