The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-06-29

suercner-wnv nad so lain hair an
hour at least. The doctor looked his
patient over, gave low whistle and
beckoned to one Of the orderlies who
at that moment turned his head.
"Look, see, Dawkins, here's bad
case! He must 60 back to the hos
pital."
bad as that, doctor?" asked the mo-
tionless man family.
'"Tis so. Now you keep quiet"
Lieutenant Hamilton had been to-
tally blinded by the explosion Of
shell in an earthwork as, we'll in front,
he was leading his company. He was
I sent to the rear-to hospital-and Sis
ter May was given charge of him.
He had not much pain, only he was
blind. Treatment appeared to have no
effect on this. 1t seemed likely to be
long business. The days began to
hang heavily. Then came the old
story, Love in idleness."
Hospital sisters do not cease to be
women when they take up their work.
Sister May was just as susceptible to
love as though she had been silly
young thing Of IS, though, in fact, she
was ten years older And he? Pity
being akin to love the recipient of pity
runs double risk Her voice WAS. soft
and musical, her touch was soothing,
her careIof him seemed first motherly.
then sisterly, and then
So it was that by easy stages they
drifted into that strange attraction
which tie world calls "love."
And her one fear was that some day
he might see again. The surgeon said
it was just possible and was advising
a consultation with the world famed
Professor Augenwirte of Glaefrath.
She prayed against that possibility, for
In her own eyes she was plain-nay,
ugly past redemption. Yet, though
she could not realize it, her too large
mouth and prominent teeth, her irreg-
ular nose and all the fancied imperfec-
tons of Der face mattered little; for
her large gray eyes were soft and full
of animation, her skin was like vel
vet, her figure and carriage perfect.
But, womanlike, she could only dwell
upon her facial defects and was full Of
apprehension lest some day his sight
should be restored, and, seeing her fea-
lures, he should loathe her.
Her cousin Kate, a sister nurse, see
ing how things tended, chaffed her
numerically.
"Now, May, thought you had long
ago sacrificed your life to nursing; and
yet the first good looking young lieu
tenants- IT, a..,.s. ii
"He fill,, always want nursing,
Kate. sic faltered In excuse.
.p}..Ah! but suppose, DR.. Haggerty is
right, and his sight comes back. He.
won't want any nursing then. !"
Sister May dds not answer.
A. week later Hamilton left the hos
pitai for 'Graefrath full Of hope. The
might previous to, his departure they
came To- ian indefinite understanding,
and though she would not give an un-
qualified answer to his pleadings, she
had not the courage to stop him alto
gether. In recklessness she allowed
herself to drink In the sweets Of his
passionate words; they would at any
rate be q lifelong remembrance, even;
though on his return he should cast
her of.
The operation was successful beyond
his hopes, and in few weeks he was
rushing back to his love-eyes shaded,
it is true, but with the certainty that
in short time his sight would be fully
restored
II want to see Miss tombstone" he
said to the orderly at the hospital en-
trance.
Miss tombstone, sir7 WhichY'
'Why, the nurse
Eyes, sir; but there's two Of them"
well er-she's very good looking.
/ did not know there were two"
"Oh, yes, sir; there's two. But l
know the one you mean now"
And he was shown into the waiting
ROOM
Gentleman wants me? Who can
it, Then the door opened. He start
! ed forward.
My love!" he whispered. II knew
you were beautiful. have come back
to claim you"
Sister Kate drew back startled. For