The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1900-05-23

everything That not even tie most ter
rible catastrOnhe could make much
difference 10 his pens for daily life.
least Of al deprive him Of his reason,
as IL has so often done Robert Hardy
was just beginning TO realize dlmly
that life Is not one thing huf many
things. and that it's importance Is the
importance which belongs 10 the char
acter of God himself
He began 10 talk calmly with his
wife concerning what he would do that
day and was still tal ing about II when
James came in with doctor. who at
once went up stairs. He was just from
the scene OF the accident and bore
parks OF hard nights work. His
first glance IA Clara was hard and pro-
fessional, but as he looked he grew
very grave. and an expression Of seri-
Gus surprise came over his weary face.
He laid his hands on the girls eyes and
examined them. raised her hand and
dropped IL upon the bed again. Then,
turning to the father and mother, he
said gently:
"You must prepare yourselves for
terrible fact resulting from the acct
dent to your daughter. She has suffer
ed shock that will probably render
her blind as long rs she lives"
Mr.. and Mrs. Hardy listened. pale
faced and troubled. II was hard to
think of the girl. so strong willed, so
passionate and yet SO capable of noble
impulses and loving desires. as all her
life shut up within the darkness thus.
1t was bitter to think of this for her.
What would ii be TO her when she
it?
The doctor spoke again slowly:
There is another thing you ought to
be prepared for. In rare cases like this
ii happens sometimes that a loss of
hearing accompanies the loss of sight"
Then, after a pause: And with the
loss Of sight and hearing il Is possible
the peculiar shock has deprived your
daughter of the power OF speech. | do
not know yet whether this has happen
ed, but l prepare you for the worst"
Blind and deaf and dumb muir
INJURED Mr.. Hardy, while his wife sat
down and buried her face in the bed
clothes and sobbed. 1t seemed terrible
to them.
The doctor, after n little further eX-
animation, said nothing more could be
done at present, gave directions for
certain necessary treatment and de-
parted after giving look at VIII and
Bess and prescribing for them.
Mr.. Hardy went down stairs and
quietly told James all that the doctors
had said To a man living on the
verge of eternity, as Mr.. Hardy was,
there was no time for evasions or the
postponing Of bad news or the utter
ance of soft speeches.
James took the news more calmly
than Mr.. Hardy thought he would. 1t
was evident he did not realize all that
was meant by it.
Can you love Clara under these con-
ditionsY' asked Mr.. Hardy, looking
at James with sympathy that the
young man could not help feeling.
Yes, sir; more than ever. Why, is
she not more in need of it than everT
IIut, Dul W nat NdH yOu w WIN a
helpless creature like thatT'
Gold help us, sir! If she were my
wife now and were dependent on me,
don't you think / could care for her
tenderly, better than any one else in
the world
Mr.. Hardy shook his head. This is
a hard blow to me, James. | don't
know just what TO say yet But ii is
possible the poor girl may not have to
suffer all that. Let us hope the doctor
is not justified in his supposition. In
deed he said he could not tell for GER
tain that loss of hearing and speech
would follow. If 1t does, ! cannot see
how Clara can retain her reason when
she RECEIVERS from the shock. James, l
believe you are a good fellow. l have
not forgotten my own courtship.
will not stand in the way between you
and your love for Clara in anything
right and reasonable. | had hoped
we might have a good talk together
over the matter. This accident has
made it impossible for a time at least,
but | confide in you as an honest, true
/ man. we UluSI Wilt lOf eNeuts 10 tdhe
shape. Meanwhile let us pray God 20
give us wisdom and lead us into the
way we need TO 60"
James CaXton listened to Mr.. Hardy
with a feeling Of establishment. This
was not the Robert Hardy he had
known all his life; this was new
man. For n moment his own hopes
and fears were almost lost sight of in
the thought of the great change in the
elder man. In tumult of feeling he
went home after begging Mrs. Hardy
to send him word If Clara became
worse or If there were any service he
could render the family.
Robert went back up stairs, where
his wife sat by the side of the injured
girl.
MARY" he said, II must GO down tc
+ the shops. You know | left word with
/ Wellman TO do what he could in the
office until | could get down, but this
/ accident has made ii imperative that
be there myself. There are details the
men cannot attend TO. / cannot do any
/ more here, and l must do what l can