Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-01-04

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~sN%SNgSAMAh farther over ais
N\\SWMM%NNAP eyes, as ne feli
>N>V~NSSM the gaze OF u
passer bv the lit.
tie country inn, rest curiously upon
his disfgured face He ha i not yet
become accustomed to being stared at.
The fresh spring morning had nc
charm for him for he felt that his life
was ruined. He looked over at the
tiny vine-trellised cottage, with bit
ter sigh and rebeilious spirit lie
had come from the hospital to his old
home, and for whole week had been
so near to Rose, his sweetheart, that
twenty steps would have carried him
to her side; and yet he had kept his
room until the morning of his depart
ure, fearing, by chance to meet her.
He had sent coldly polite notes of
thanks for the many gifts of flowers
and books which had come to him
from her kind hands; and though his
heart cried out in bitter protest, he
resolved that he would never see her
again. He would rather die than see
her shrink from him in disgust.
Moodily, he smoked his cigar, and
reviewed the past-the long years of
toll and study in college, his admis-
sion to the bar, his first speech before
Jurv--a speech that had won the
plaudits and bright predictions of his
colleagues How full of promise life
had seemed. But verything bright
had cone to an end on the day of the
accident
The exp ,osion of a gun in his own
hands had robbed his right eye of its
sight, and torn his cheek so fright
fully that he started in horror when
he first saw its reflection in the
mirror. The publicity of the court
would be intolerable to him now He
must work at something away from
the eyes of men.
Suddenly, sweet young voice rang
out in a merry song, behind the tall
thorn hedge, and in an instant the
man was on his feet.
1t was Rose. The desire to see her
once more overpowered him. His
cigar and resolution were alike for
gotten. He ran down the steps, and
ssprang through gap into little
flower garden, where a slender,
brown-haire girl, on her knees, was
searching among the wet leaves for
violets
Good morning, john" she said
quic tly. ''Seel l have quite nice
little bunch. Papa had his yesterday
morning; these are for you. Kneel
down here while pm them on"
AMI tie young fellow knelt at her
side, and shut his teeth tightly to-
gether while with dew-wet fingers
she pinned the fragrant cluster on
his coat.
How sweet she was! How danger
ously kind and oblivious!
He must not stay; he could not
trust h 'mself any longer.
They both rose, she blushing
little at her nonsense.
~ have 'ome to bid you good-by,
Rose he : lid, almost CURLY. 81 have
sufficiently recovered, l think, to go
back to work, and | leave for the city
within an hour. Rose, l want you to
know how deeply grateful | am for
your many ac of kindness. / have
seemed cold and unapprec ative, but
l have not been indifferent Heaven
knows have not! | shrank so from
meeting you. But l believe you will
understand it ALL"
The girl looked at him with an ach-
ing heart. Yes, she understood. Oh,
&c pity of it all! That stalwart fig
ure, so suggestive of power and
stSecgth; that noble heart. cherish
ing only kindness for every living
creature; that bright mind, sharpened
and cultivated by closest study; that
indomitable will, which bad overcome
all sorts Of obstacles and won success
at last; all these attributes of a grand
character to be Swallowed by an exter-
nal flaw.
She looked at the red Scared face,