Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1900-04-25
THE FACE HE SAW

VI other. "s ''''' people who love each
he an ungainly, stunted figure
with very homely face; she, tall, thin,
of yellowlsh complexion and of slckly
appearance.
Benevolent people had placed them in
Il blind asylum years before. There
they were brought up.
AS children they had played together
and were contented and happy. The
pleasures of the world were as strong
TO them as its daily miseres. They
knew that quiet, comfortable house, its
large garden-and nothing more. There
they belonged. They could know moth
Ing OF what was going on outside One
thlng only was clear to them and that
was-that they loved each other.
] hot summer day.
The two sat on bench In the garden
chatting.
Paul | am so glad"
"On what account, AnnaT
"Ah! Don't you know? To-mor-
row"
"Yes. Tomorrow the famous oculist
will be here
And he will make us both see."
eff he Is really able to accomplish
that"
You are joking. or course, he will
be able to do 1t. That is his business :"
tNbay, Of los r 81, IL
your lovely face. OF that l am glad"
And of nothing else7'
Nothing
Paul said she, laughing quietly,
chow do you know that have lovely
faceW
Because l have seen you twice al
ready-in a dream. You had golden
hair and wings as white as SNOW"
"Oh! If that were only truew
'It Is quite certal0"
WAS so beautifully" she asked, seiz-
Ing him by the hand: 80 beautiful?
But when l reflect, Paul, l think 1t
would be even better for us to be true
to each other than to be able to see.
That would be lovely. Don't you think
so?'
81 know not" he answered thought
fully; and then both were silent. =
The eyentful day had passed. The
operation on the eyes had been perform
ed. If not all delusion, 1t must prove
a success.
Neither Of you must take the band
age off the eyes for fourteen daysv'
Such was the doctors order before he
left.
On the next evening, after the sun
had gone down, the two were again
seated In the garden, clinging close to
each other
paul, when will we first see each
other?"
I'm fourteen daysw
81 know, but that is much too long.
Eight days would certainly be long
enough"
LESS time than that, perhaps; but
we have the Doctors order"
II cannot endure to walt so long.
What II the operation has been a fail
ure, and we have rejoiced in vain!
What then?'
He was silent.
"For all that, we could"
"Annar'
"Only for moment, dear Paul. II
Will surely not be wrong"
you will, Notwithstanding
"Only for a moment. We will nut
the bandages on again Immediately
You need not be at all afraid. Please,
please"
Rather let us wait. We have suf.
fered many years. Let us endure II n
few days longer"
mo, cannot wait. If you love me-
do It, or will myself alone"
He hesitated a while, but at length
answered calmly: 1--WE will do It"
"WhenT
Tomorrow morning early-here al
this bench"
Thanks. You will come at the an
pointed time"
"Yes."
| Goodnight"
Goodnight. l hope you will have @
good sleeS'
Morning twilight.
Paul has ben long out of bed. He Il
in dread Of the next hour. Anna. OF
course, is beautiful, but he? Who know.
how ugly he may be? Perhaps he |.
handsome also, but he can never ap
pear before her In this dreadful uncer
tainty.
"Of with the bandager'