Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-08-29
might have been cured OF thy blind.
nRaS md fl.ia


reese And she clasped the blind girl in
her arms and laughed gayly. Yet
thus shone the woman-her face grew
pale. for she began TO see what was 10
come, and she feared the end.
Now. this Is how the Dit became
deeper; When Bcppo came. as he did
one evening. with Luigi. he brought
his mandolin which il 10 say. Marcia
sang and Beppo cried: "Brava. signo-
rina. Thou hast wonderful voice &"
Whereat the little blind girl was de
lighted. aS were Luigi and Terese
which was Sad-all very sad. II they
could have known, But how could
they have known unless they read the
future. which is what few people can
even guess So that not knowing.
these things happened-that Beppo
came again ana again and for many
weeks aftcrward
In the evening they sat on the stairs
and talked. or Beppo played his man
dolin while Marcia sang while II was
all dark and still. maybe a little noise
from the street And on one OF these
nights. which were dire nights. the lit
tie bad girl sat silent. as if unhappy.
and sighed.
What is II. little onef'' asked Tercse.
Art sadf' And the little one smiled.
Nay" she said; Il am happy"
Beppo laughed. "One must not sigh
when one is happy" he said. Il will
play"
The moon was half way I'm the sky.
The night was soft. The music rose
softly and reached the heart. 1T is a
love song" said Beppo And he reach.
ed out and cauSh; Tercsc's hand. II
was dark. and there was none TO see
except the blind girl and Terese laugh.
cd and smiled i'm Beppo's face 1T is
love song" she repeated. and Marcia,
too. laughed Yes" she said. II is n
love song" And she began 10 sing.
And this was the pity OF it-that they
didn't guess those two. Repro and Te-
rcse. Nor dld they seem likely TO find
out. for not alone are those blind who
cannot sec.
And when it was all hnlshed-when
Reppo had gone hOme-Marcia and Te-
rcse sat silent and held each others
hands.
What is il. little bird?" asked Te-
reese
And Marcia sighed and held down
her head and cast down her eyes. as
though they feared To meet those Of
TereSe. Terese kissed the blind girl.
What is IL. MarciaT' she whispered.
Il am I'm love-" said the blind girl.
She hung her head on Terese's shoul-
der, and. though she had whispered. it
sounded In the ears OF the other like a
thousand thunder claps. Terese grew
white. and her eyes grew wide.
"Oh," she cried. you are in love-
You are in lover'
Then she grow whittier and held the
little blind girl of and looked at her a
long time silently and strangely.
Yes" said Marcia simply. "Terese,
thinkest thou Beppo likes mer"
Once there was a man who said:
Yes; Ii was l." And another was
glad he lied. Once there was a woman
who said: Nay; love not" And an
other was glad she lied Once-but
wait.
Luigi came. and he and the little
blind one went into their room. and
Terese went to hers and threw herself
upon her cot and cried almost all the
nlght-at least during the time she was
not busy packing up-for on the floor
OF her room she laid a big, stout cloth
and on this she piled all her things
her Sunday dresses and her trinkets-
and the most OF them were wet with
her tears. Tightly she packed them
and crept down stairs at O'Clock and
disappeared in the gray OF the morn.
ing.
4 l.NN.
her BeppO and Luigi-though they
searched through the whole of each
day. She had the most forlorn ex
preston In the world and went with
them quietly and meekly nor answered
wo<d. walking between them with
eyes dOwncast. rs though she were
dumb. Tears were in her eyes the
whole way, but to everything she said
II know nothing"
And they all lied. every one OF them
But Marcia was happy. Mia caris
ima." she cried, II was SO afraid
Thee said not a word. And thee was
blind"
Terese laughed-that is, ii sounded
Ike laugh. And she said:
Yes i was blind, little bird, but
/ dAC llc AuQ lQeN
have brought me back TO thee" Their
she kissed the little blind girl anC
/ hugged her again and again and cried
/ between times.
Thus il went on as before MOI
could any one Of them have helped
! though II was sad. And as the enc
/ drew near they all became happier anC
/ happier. There Will be serenata
tonight at the park" said Beppo one
evening. I'VE will all 60" And he
laughed gayly. for he had something
on his mind, and he intended to speak
The serenata was like a fete. There
We're hundreds that sat beneath the
trees and listened, as did Terese and
kars&a. And Beppo sat between them
1T 10 grand" said Marcia. Yes" said
Beppo and Terese. cit is grand" And
after 1t was all over they fingered. sit
ting beneath the trees for an hour OF
more, until the music OF the night had
crept into their hearts and made them
happy.
l..