Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1899-09-08

thu great mailship. ard til, n---but my
heart was too full TO think of it.
We leaned against low wall and
looked ont to sea. 1t was not much /
could distinguish, but my imagination
filled the void. In minute or so we
were joined by my sister Kate. was
Of course glad to see her. and remarked
mischievously:
"Hello. Kate! What brings you ont
here9'
1.-The same reason that brings you. sir
something in the air, suppose, was
the unblushing reply.
There was a pause for a minute. dur
ing which l rested my head in my
hands, for a strange drowsiness stole
over mo just then. Still. seeing that
the fever of expectancy for the past few
nights had caused me to sleep badly,
this did not strike me as odd became
conscious Of mysterious voice in my
head which sang in unison with hand
organ which kept grinding out "Au-
tumn Leaves" in a neighboring street
The lazy lap Of the water, the easy
laughter of some seafaring men pushing
off in small boat sounded as if from
the clouds, and the measured rasping Of
a saw in carpenters shop hard by
seemed very unreal and far away Some
one grasped me by the arm. II was
second or two before ! realized it was
Kate.
"Dick. I've brought your green
glasses You mustn't leave them of
just yet, you know Let me put them
on you, old boy, at once. -
What had come over me that should
think we were some considerable dis
tance apart instead Of being close to-
getherf The voice in my head struck
up another tune. and the hand organ ac-
companied as before. The rasping and
Kissing Of the saw, the tapping Of the
water and the calls Of the sailors became
confused tumble of sound A sudden
chill crept over me. my heart tluttered
painfully. horrible presence possessed
me.
Was it "the Pickering Of the candle"
the great oculist had spoken abouts
found my voice and cried:
Kate, isn't Gods world very beau
tiful?"
Eyes, Dick" che answered, with q
womans unerring instinct. "But not
80 beautiful as humanity" and hel
arm went round my waist.
Then lass, I've looked my last on
it and On you!'
For the candle had burned down in
its socketl
AS they led me back to the hotel be-
xl.,,,, - q,
joyous dance aud l could hear the
rhy ythmical patter Of the children feet
tripping it right merrily on the paving
stones. Oh. how full of the glory and
the gladness of life were these children
And. oh, the irony of fate that should
make that organ peal out, as like a
prematurely old man, passed it. "Sun-
shine Above, sunshine abovel
Suddenly l stopped.
Jack" asked. ''place me with my
face to the sun.
Reluctantly. as it were they turned
me round until l could feel its warm
rays kissing my cheeks. but there was
nothing before my lifeless eyeballs but
an unbroken twilight. l might in the
future be able to tell night from day.
but nothing more. How had | sinned
that the cup of promise should have
been held out TO me and then dashed tc
pieces Immediately il touched my lips
They took me into the private sitting
room There threw myself face down
ward on couch and gave way to the
rebellion in my heart, just as l had
done when my sight had first been
taken from me. Resignation, forsooth
Let them preach it who have success
fully triumphed over living death like
mine At first those with me wisely re-
Trained from those stereotyped words oi
so called comfort. They knew that 9
clasp of the hand and period Of sig
nifcant silence could do more for a mar
at such time. My mother, good soul
came and knelt by my side. His viii
BE- done. she said. struggling to b
brave.
His wiIlw I cried when il
means the ruin of my life"
''Do you think it is not as hard fo
me To bear she rejoined; .'you, wh'
are the only boy have left T.
Oh. how ashamed | felt Of myself a
that moment Have mercy upon me
O Lord, for am weak" l cried
Oh. how hated that Pickering o
my dying sight Why had it not passed
from me forever so that | might hav'
beer spared the tornients Of disappoint
ed hopes. the bitterness OF soulf Bu
those words of my mother made IN
think II had often regretted lackiDl
the opportunity Of proving my man
hood and that better self which | be
lieved was in every man. had not nov
one chance in thousand Of ASSERTING
it, No sooner had this thought possess
sd me than became like my old self
Just then a messenger came TO 50.
that the Almora was siznaled and the
tender would start Immediately.
insisted on Jack and Kate going ou'
70 meet the ship Better tell them u
. 60 On ~ London. said in my trouble
"Anyhow. its several months since sh'
| spoke as she did about my blindness