Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-06-04
CHAPTER m.

CHAPTER III.
1t is three years since my dear mothers
death. How well remember when father
called us out of the school room to her
bedside. where she lay so still. so pallid
Only once did she speak, and then her
words We're addressed to me in a faint
whisper
For my sake, Joan!'
L knew what she meant. was to be
good to the babe whom had determined
to hate, whose coming was costing her her
life. pressed her hand in token that 1
had heard and understood her-3that was
all could do. Then came her death, my
swooning. followed by an illness which
prevented me from attending the funeral
of my beloved dead mother and kept me
in my room for nearly three months
When was we'll enough to join the boys
in their play they recalled to my mind the
babe. whose very existence l had almost
forgotten. had, in fact, not seen her
since the occasion mentioned in nv pre-
vious chapter.
went to the nursery to fetch her, and
MS looked upon her little white face, and
saw her golden hair and dark eyes so like
my mothers, all the resentment and jeal-
ousy l had felt against the child passed
away. and then and there there came into
my heart deep, abiding love which moth
ing could replace. took the tender mite
from Nurse Crotty's arms and carried her
i'll triumph to my brothers, followed by
the nurse, and then and there. at Tcddy's
suggestion. we named her Darby. al
though father had had her christened Dor
othea, his mothers name.
''Nou are JOAN" said Teddy. "Let her
be Darby; then it will be Darby and
JOAN"
And Darby and Joan it has been ever
since. We noticed now for the first time
that the babes eyes maintained Il fixed
stare, which did not change when brought
into the brightest light or near the flame
of IL candle, and Nurse Crotty finally con-
fessed that she had had for some time
suspicion that the babe had been born
blind. And such it proved to be. The
motlcrlcss little mite had come into the
world wanting the sense of sight.
AS made this discovery the memory
of my dying mothers dying words. "For
my sake, JOAN" rushed over me, and I
unconsciously repeated them as hugged
the little one to my breast.
II am gl,d mother did not know" mur-
murcd Teddy. "for how she would have
grieved."
Il am glad mother did not know" Those
were Teddy's words. and at first | had
echoed them thankfully, seeing only DESC
lation and martyrdom in the darkenet
life of my little sister: but as time went OH
found that she needed little of the pity
and compassion that ovcrtlowed in our
hearts. a brighter. swecter little nature
never developed itself. The child herself
seemed quite unconscious of her loss, and
when she began to walk. would toddle
about. and feel her way from place to
place in staid little fashion of her own
that caused us all to wonder.
All this time l have said little about my
father; but. indeed. since mothers death.
he had withdrawn himself from us more
and more. We rarely saw him. except at
the formal dinner at which l and the two
elder boys were in duty bound to appear;
but in course of time Alfred and Ted and
Hughie We're sent to Il boarding school,
and Toddy and l shared the instructions
of Miss Cray, somewhat antiquated
governcss. to whom. however. l was in
dcbted for my limited stock of accomplish
mcnts. as it never seemed to enter INV
fathers head that l needed more varied
horn won h,t hr;af wonlar NJ ms .m', ."1'sesl as.
n,ss;on from him Mo cnliod ;n "am 0',;,'n.,t ,ont
Inrtors maid thom tbo;r foos -. md d',ne, hnea,,
thn;r o,.is;nn stn;oo,ir and "ftau m .,". ne'.u ~
snnnd to ,rnnh,a hmso,f in rn var .,,. ni,a... Ut
hcr and r,relv Locked NJ how nr,m m. auo. M
.,w hn, in nv, arms M ..,;,,.;. In Wen -. .ie
s;.,, ' ' >'"sins ~ nls
~ c,,o slow. s.; u.,,,
,oraI 70 s ~. @ ~. f io,n ".s m,, anu ,, was INNS. ms
,n ,lo ~ thro,d M os mr .tnrr a a; u", Us 81, tahe
t,ran ir rnars ia Ji my ,;.tis asa, sue was
fn;r,. III ..roa.,,r, ,,.,,s SUN. nuitsu'
ron. @ oMho1;nant @ di r. Hmo s.vIa ~ .ne .ne
~ ns naan,,. y. 1,,,n;..',,n 'oseainess :n d.
.un, T"s ,aw ,,,a,. Gnf.s.ni.'s .,'l asain, ene
the Glow of thn "H tna,;aht , ', onS 1nu ma.,n ~
were sitt;nr wn;t;nn fnr ,ba hnrs a Thoy ,rhos,
were com;nr hn,ma Gov M +,,a WV, ,,a,;so,, s o. icy icy
Tod1v had ,.nnn II, ~. I d,, sS' ann. =. san. anu
them for u the s,,on IN rne aos cart aa to meet
from our house@thn old Id grim rim ha4tared. es uI
looking building that had ' come ei to 's rs from