Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-07-08
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BACK 70 SIGHT AND LOVE
How an Officer Proved That
Love Is Blind.

Love Is Blind. =
= +
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The silent stars looked down through
u clear. still night upon Il IoSt of sleep
Ing men The brigade had advanced
by forced marches and now lay within
two miles of the dcrNiS,I camp. To
morrow's dawn would S,'c the assault
Two officers stood together talking in
Importance that the enemy should be
taken by surprise. and the orders as 10
silence We're strict.
Buck up, old chap you'l come
through all right. And if not. what
does il amount -? Nou'y" got no wo-
men folk 10 bother about.
NO. thank heaven. 1t is in times
like this that one is glad never To have
narricd-likc poor old lIircourl."
why poor"
Il was thinking of his wife should
aot care TO be tied To an ugly woman
myself"
That's all rot. Hamilton" rctortcd
:hc other Il don't believe il matters
row of pins. 80 lol.=. of course. as
she isn't rcpulsivc or un,!crhrcd"
Think so:'
Yes. The most unlifrly women
sometimes attract most "
We'll, old chap I'm precious thank
ful I've no thoughts Of woman To both
ar me tonight shall Try for Il lead
tomorrow. even if have got the
routc. We've Il good chance of being
first into the zareba
We will give You u race for il. any
now. But we'd better try and .ct Il
sleep, for this awful heat takes il out
If Il fellow"
The two went 10 their separate posts
And aS he lay sleeplcSS tn" thoughts
"amc 10 Hamilton that il was some
what lonesome 10 think thai no wom
ans eyes would ill NJ the news of his
death; and he looked upward AT the
stars above him. wondering where his
soul would hc tomorrow
The shadow of death lay upon him.
rs dt times il does upon the braveSt
soldier: he would tight none the worse
for ii in the morning
The sun had risen
In the previous short half hour of
dawn the assault had been delivered.
the dcrviSh forces had been driven
from their inircnchmcnts ana now
the black. grinniny a;ippvS" were
fraicrnizing and triumphin. with their
laughing and chatting white comrades.
Backward. across the half mile OF
plain. the surgeons were huSy Away
To the southward could bc heard the
sounds of pursuit as the British otii-
GERS chased the living Bag.ara
\ field hospital nj the front * not Il
pleasant place. neither can it Ice de
Scribcd in cold black anI white War
correspondents. as readers of the
da;lics have no doubt noticed Judi
ciouSly avoid more than the mcrcSt
mention of such places
There wc"c some ghl~ily eases. and
both surgeons and assistants had been
worked hard. But the prrSSur" was
over and nj last there was time 10 at
tend To thc wounds which were not
deadly.
Now. Hamilton. let's see" said
Surgeon Major Murphy. approaching
an officer who lay mutionlcsS on Il
StrcIchrr who had 80 lain half an
hour ai least. The doctor looked his
patient over. gave n low whistle and
brckoncd Ia rnr of the or'lcrlicS who
Ut that momcn, furar,l his head.
Look. see. ,awkin>. here's u bad
ease. lie must 20 back To the hos
pital."
had aS that doctor asked the mo-
tioulcSs man family.
''''Tis so. Now YOU keep quiet"
Lieutenant, Hamilton had been to
tally blinded 10y the explosion of a
shell in an carthworl, aS. well in front.
he was lc;t lin. his company. He was
sent to the rear Io hospital and Sis
ter May was given charge of him.
lie had not much pain. only he was
blind. Treatment appeared To have no
effect on this II seemed likely To be
Il long business. The days began 10
hang heavily Then came the old
story. Love III ldhil"SS.
Hospital sisters ,lo not cease 10 hc
women when they take np their work.
Sister May WAS just rs susceptible To
love aS though she had been silly
Young thing Of Is though. in fact she
was ten years older And he: Pity
hcing akin Ia love the recipient Of pity
runs II douhlc risk Her voice WAS soft
and musical her touch WIS soothing.
her care OF him seemed first mothcrly.
then Si>te. ly and then
So it W; : that hy easy stages they
driftcd into that strange attraction
which the world calls love"
And her one fear was that some day
he might see again. The surgeon said
II was just possible and was advising
a consultation with the world famed
Professor .Nu-enwirt" of Gla"fraIh.
She prayed against that possibility. foi
in her own eyes she was plain nay,
ugly past redemption. Yet. though
she could not realize il. her too large
mouth and y mincnt teeth. her irreg-
ular nose and all the fIncicd mpcrfec-
tonS Of her f;ir" matt"rcd little; for
her large gray eyes We're soft and fun
i animation. her skin was like vel
tct. hi'r ii-urr ana carriage perfect.
Eut womanlikc She could only dwell
upon her facial defects ami WAS fun of
apprehension lest some day his sight
should bc restored, AMI. seeing her fcI-
lures he should loaihc her.
Her cousin Kate. Il sister nurse. Soc
ing how things tended. chaifcd her
unmcrcifully.
Now, May. thought YOU had long
ago sacrificed your life to nursing: and
yet the first good looking young lieu
tenant
lie viii always want nursing.
Kate" she falirrcd in excuse
"Ah. but supros" Dr llaggcrty is
right and his sight comes back He
won't want any nursing then"
Sister May did not answer
a week later Hamilton left the hos
pital for Gra"fIath fun of hope The
night previous Ia his departure they
came to an indefinite understanding.
and though sl.c would net XIV" an I'm
qualified answer 10 his plcadin=S. she
had not the cullI;i-c IL sop him alto
g"thcr. In rccklrsSnrSS she allowed
herself 10 drink in the sweets of his
passionate words. they would ni amy
rat" be- u liftlon. remembrance. even
though on his return h. should east
her OF