The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-09-11
GREAT BRITAIN RllH!1 RESERVED.

Every day the blind girl sat In her
accustomed place facing the park.
She sold matches In little blue boxes
at penny each. gentleman who
lived at n or the houses close by FREE
#iiauently gave her sixpence for a box,
and he omitted to wish her Good
smorning!" when he passed, and he
talked to her as IL she could see like
other people, which pleased her very
much. and she looked for his coming.
She would lift her small face to him.
her beautiful blue eyes gazing blankly
into his.
A card was round her neck hung by
m old piece of black ribbon bearing
the words: Totally blind"
The girl knew her benefactor's foot
tfnguish them from many others on the
pavement at the same time.
She felt sure he was young, his step
was 30 buoyant-and rich. for he con-
#stantly rode in cabs-and handsome.
with curly hair. and dark eyes, like
he heroes Of stories that her grand
mother read to her.
One day he asked her IL she liked
flowers. and when she said yes he gave
her his ~buttonhole, which beau
**sttful~ gardenla. and she took 1t home
that night and the grandmother pro-
Mounced 1t to be Camilla" but In her
young days she said they smelt
nice like this one. After that he con-
{sstalltly gave her his ~buttonhole when
he came home about z o'clock before
going out again.
nv One afternoon he had ladies to tea
with him.. They alighted from a car
Tlage Just beside the blind girl. Their
dresses rustled, and they smelt deli
ftously Of scent.
Remember. Violet one said, ut is
no good your ever thinking Of Harold
tSst. Leger: he is only a younger SON."
The other one laughed as she an
severed:
MY dear mother. he has not pro-
posed to me yet They went up the
steps and the blind girl heard no more.
about an hours time they came
out again. and the harsher voice was
thanking their host volubly for such
pleasant time and the silent listener
0nathe pavement imagined the speak
$er was getting into her carriage as the
gentleman said In an undertone, she
thought, to the other lady. ."Till tomor-
IoW!-an the waltzes after No. TO-"
There was no answer audible, and,
the carriage drove away.
h blind girl knew quite well that
Waltzes were dances. and dances were
associated In her mind with beautiful
Sfp-iano-organs. which came and played
IN their street, and thrilled her
ly.
@Thesmusic gave her visions Of a world,
where no one was blind and the men
and women were like angels who
danced all day long with rhythmic
motions, in diaphanous draperies-and
sang beautiful songs.
The blind girl helped to support her
grandmother. who was ~bedridden, but
active enough In mind.
Jane kept her Informed of the uoings
20 the outside world in which the old
e 4 woman had never lost her interest
since she had been housemaid in good
families
The girl would tell her Of the crowds
of carriages. the silk dresses which
$frustled by her, nj little snatches OF
conversation which she overheard and
the shOutings OF the newspaper boys
were v missed. The old woman
liked to hear of the great people who
had died and was duly interested in.
ANY "'orrible crime"
Jane told her of the kind gentleman
who gave her sixpence# instead of pen
mics, and the grandmother specialized
g to who he could be: she surmised
n was o member Of parliament,
which was the greatest honor she could
confer on him. for she had lived ten
in the family of a rich M. p, and
ishe never tired Of talking of the par
ties they gave in the season.
lane had been doing very we'll lately,
and US 1T was summer her grand
mother thought the girl should have a
new ribbon round her well-worn sailor
hat and she commissioned a friendly
.nefghbOr to purchase a small length of
"a nice .maginta" or blue ribbon-blue
iof h shade kneWn as 'rial,'' for
Ichofce.
With the encouragement Of the new
ladornment Mrs. Richards bade her
granddaughter find out who her unbe-
known b~enefactor was.
That morning the familiar footsteps
approached as usual about II O'Clock,
but, alas! they passed her without a
that morning and she noticed that he
walked slowly and heavily.
About 2 o'clock when the streets were
iuuieter. he came back. but not alone,
and with him walked one Of the ladies
who had tea with him-the one who
had the nicer voice. The girl recog-
|nized her by the perfume she used.
They walked up n down in front of
the campstool and its occupant, who
heard their conversation quite clearly.
Mother say If l don't marry storm
boWay she will take Inc abroad at once
and 4 shall certainly never be allowed
ito write to you"
"Oh, darling. Why am T doomed to
ipoverty?? Why am I not my elder
~.brother?"
'I should not like you If you were
And I am not rich enough to give
you the luxurtes you ought to have"
"Oh, yes. o are. I know my own
requirements: all the same, Harold,
Just at present i dare not see you.
again. 1t will be better for US not to
meet for a. Bit.
1T is like starving a man-and I
can't even have a crumb of comfort in
the shape of a letter.
s"No. dear: but trust me as I trust
you"
IT do. darling"
"Goodby!" and the blind girl imag-
lined their hands were clasped; Their the
lady hurried away and the gentleman,
went straight to his house and the door
slammed.
The next day he came as usual and
walked straight to Jane.
Good morning. Where's my box OF
matches? ~ and he rendered sixpence.
Here, SIR" And the blind girl lifted
her sightless blue yes to his face as
she handed him a box.
He lit a cigarette.