Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-07-14

| tely alive to form, to the luminosity
OF the colors he did not see and hence
to gradations OF ligat and shade i'm
perceptible to his many friends. The
| latter gift, characteristic to his en-
pIoyer, and had won him a fine posi-
ton. Ard yet his hours away from his
work we're more than ever given over
to gloomy thoughts For he felt him
self handicapped in striving for the
prizes OF life. And the fairest Of these
was at that very moment an object OF
! rivalry among mis- friends.
Maud Leander was the prettiest girl
in town, and an heiress besides. A
handsome fortune had been left her by
an eccentric maiden aunt, on condition
that she be engaged on her twenty-hfth
/ birthday. Otherwise the money was to
i revert to some charity. An easy enough
| condition to fulfill, one would think,
/ for a girl of Maud's popularity. And
indeed suitors were not lacking. Many
! of them were merely fortune-hunters.
Annoyed by the persistence of these,
Maud had grown to dislike them all,
and had vowed not to marry any one
among them.
There was only one young man in
town Maud cared to think Of as her
future husband. But Edward Dalton
/ kept aloof The sense of his inirmity
hung over him. And moreover the
thought of her money kept him back
lie detested fortune-hunting. Had she
| been poor as he was, he might have
asked her to share his growing pros
/ poets. The heiress could not ask. Yet
he loved Maud and was miserable be
cause he would not tell her so.
Maud OWNED his feelings from the
| shy Difference with which he approach
ed her, in grateful contrast to the ton
que worship of her suitors. She there
fore made up her mind either to marry
him, or to let the money go and re-
main girl-bachelor But he would not
speak, and she dared not, for fear of
seeming unmaidenly in his eyes. Thus
matters stood between them while the
fatal birthday was fast approaching,
and a score of young men hung on her
decision.
Dalton went unwilhngly to the dance.
It tormented him to see her surround
ed by that throng of hatterers all I'M
worthy of her, one of whom would soon
carry off the prize. 1t never occurred
to him that he stood a better chance
than any of them.
AS he entered the room Maud was
cha,ung with Stillwell. But she dis
engaged herself Immediately and beck
oned to him.
I'm so glad you've come" she said
cordially. This first dance belongs to
YOU" and off she went with him,
leaving Stillwell to gaze after as if his
rightful property had been snatched
from him. His frowns promised moth
ing good to his friend. AS he watched
them swing around the room an ugly
thought took shape in his mind.
Selling the first opportune moment he
asked Maud for dance.
ITS hot here" he said after he had
obtained her promise, would you not
rather go into a cooler room for a
while?'
Eyes, If you like, for a moment" she
said.
Stillwell glanced around to where
Dalton was talking with another girl.
Then he quickly took Maud out into
an adjoining conservatory, and seated
her on bench hidden by ferns.
I'm glad that Dalton seems to be en-
joying himself with the girls this even
ing" he began artfully. poor fellow,
his infirmity does make him unsociable
at times"
'fHis infrmity? Why, what is the
matter wit hhim?' she asked alarmed.
u have never heard of anything.
Don't you know that he's color
blnd?" he raped out.
"Color-blind?" Maud echoed.
eyes. He's really unfit to be among
people It's a wonder he doesn't make
a guy of himself, going about in green
trousers and red waistcoat, for he'd
never know the difference. He knows
,iilussSSssn.,aId Is getting morose in oonse-
quebec. People with such iniirmities
are always unpleasant to live with for
any time.
Doesn't he see any color at all?
Maud asked.
only blue and yellow, l believe,
ne answered.
Maud grew thoughtful. and Stilwell
took her back into the room, curious to
know what would be the effect of his
words. She danced little after that, and
Dalton soon disappeared.
zen days before her birthday Maud