Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-18
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
THE FACE HE SAW

otuer.
He. an ungainly, stunted figure,
with very homely face; she, tail, thin,
OF yellowish complexion and of sickly
appearance.
Benevolent people had placed them in
2 blind asylum years before. There
they were brought up.
As children they had played together,
ana were contented and happy. The
pleasures of the world were as strong
to them as its daily miseries. 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
thing only was clear to them and that
was-that they loved each ether.
A hot summer day.
The two sat on bench in the garden
chatting.
Paul, l am so glad"
"On what account, Anna?'
"Ah! Don't you know? To-mor-
row"
yes. Tomorrow the famous ocullst
will be here"
>NAAAN AC Will HIKE uS DOIQ see.
III he is really able to accomplish
that"
You are joking. OF course, he will
be able to do 1t. That is his business"
Then. at last, shall be able to see
your lovely face. OF that am glad"
And of nothing else?"
Nothing"
Paul." said she, laughing quietly,
"tow do you know that have a lovely
face|
Because have seen you twice al
ready-in dream. You had golden
hair and wings as white as snow"
"Oh! IL that were only true!
1t Is quite certain"
Was SO beautifully" she asked, seiz-
Ing him by the hand: $50 beautiful?
But when reflect, Paul, think 1t
would be even better fec us to be true
to each other than to be able to see
That would be lovely. Don't you think
SOL"
Il know not" he answered thought
fully; and then both were silent. ss !.
The eventful day had passed. The
operation on the eyes had been perform
ed. II not all delusion. 1t must prove
success.
Neither Of you must take the band
age OF the eyes for fourteen daysr'
Such was the Doctors order before he
left. IS
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?"
'In fourteen daysv'
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"
Il cannot endure to wait SO long.
What IL the operation has been q fall
ure, and we have rejoiced in vain,
What then?"
He was silent.
"For all that, we could"
"Annar'
"Only for a moment, dear Paul. 1t
will surely not be wrong"
you will, Notwithstanding"
"Only for moment. We will mt
the bandages on again Immediately.
You need not be at all afraid. Please
please!'
Rather let us walt. We have suf-
fered many years. Let us endure It a
few days longer"
.No. cannot wait. II you love me
do 1t, or will myself Alone"
He hesitated while. but at length
answered calmly: 1--WE will do it."
.'When?'
Tomorrow morning early-here at
this bench"
.srhanks. You will come at the an.
pointed time?'
EYES,
Goodnight"
Goodnight. hope you will have a
good sleep"
Morning twilight.
Paul has ben long out of bed. He ia
in dread of the next hour. Anna. of
course, is beautiful, but he? Who knows
how ugly he may be? Perhaps he IA
3 handsome also, but he can never an.
pear before her in this dreadful uncer-
tainty.
ION with the bandage"
He tore 1t loose and threw 1t on the
table. His eyes were still closed. He
ran to the cupboard and searched there
until he found small mirror. He then
went to the window, where he seated
himself and waited. His heart beat
violently; his head was in glowing
heat.
In feverlsh anxiety he sat there, his
sightless eyes fixed on the little glass,
which his fingers held in a firm clasp,
1t must now decide his fate. In few
minutes he would have certain knowl-
edge.
Clear daylight came.
Hc felt the light, opened his eyes
slowly and stared at the mirror, trem-
bling all the while with torturing ex-
pectation. No, no, no! But see! What
is that? Could that be himself? An
old, pock-marked, ugly face! He?
Those pale, sunken cheeks. that red,
tousled hair. those decayed teeth, that
long neck? 1t could not be possible.
No; 1t must not be!
he closed his eyes, leaned far out Of
the window, opened them wide and
looked again. His image was still there,
unchanged. Still he would not believe
1t. In horror he kept on staring at the
glass until 1t became clouded. Then
a veil seemed drawn slowly over his
eyes, It grew more and more indis.
tinct; darkness gathered all about him,
and suddenly everything was black. He
saw no more.
Despair seized him. He thought he
had become insane. He threw the mir
ror away, stamped with his feet and
struck himself in the face. Anna would
see him, and she would be horrined.
She would forsake him-ugly and blind
and she would 60 away into the sunny