Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-10-08
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Real and the Beautiful.
[Orig mall

as he couldt notI communicateI with the
outside world by means of!visiOn he
lived in a realm of Thought. a woman
came to love,him. Whether it was that
she sacrificedifor him or admired his
mental vigortor because of a melan-
choly manly! beauty there was about
him doesn't tmatter. She loved him.
Her love wasIreturned,, and they were
married.
The woman was not gifted at any
time with physical beauty, and after a
dozen years of married life what good
looks she had ever possessed vanished.
1t was about this time that case of
blindness similar to that of her hus-
bands was cured by the removal of
what obstructed the vision, and it be-
came possible that he, too. should see.
He was OverjOyed at the prospect.
But what gave him delightful antici-
patlOns acted cmtrarywise on his wife.
She knew that the great desire of his
heart was TO look upon her. He had
talked with her about his conceptions
of her and told her so far as words
could express them what they were.
They were many and different. for they
were created by his imagination. One
thing she had noticed-none of them
was dispensing. On the contrary, they
were all pleasing. She shuddered when
he became enthusiastic upon a lowell
ness which he now knew could be re-
vealed to him.
She was swayed by conflicting emo
lions. If it had not mattered to him
she would have preferred to keep him
blind. But the blessing of sight was a
priceless boon to him, and, loving him,
she must rejoice I'm it with him. On
the other hand, when he came to look
upon that which he had pictured as a
mortal may picture a seraph and saw
a plain, middle aged woman would not
his love vanish with his conceptions?
She was sure 1t would.
Before the operation that restored his
sight took place she visited the sur
geOn who was to perform IT. told him
of the dread she suffered and her plan.
When she left him he had promised
her that he would instruct the patient
that it would be only safe for him to
indulge in the comfort of sight by
natural light AS soon as the night
came on and artificial lights were used
he must cover his eyes till dawn. Then
she hunted for the most beautiful wom-
an to be found and engaged her to
play part.
The day of the operation came and
the first object on which the mans eyes
rested after the restorati ton of his sight
was indeed a vision of loneliness. From
midday till sunset he gazed upon his
supposed wife, then reluctantly sub
mitted to the bandage. He had noticed
that during these first hours in which
he had enjoyed the sight of her she
had been unusually quiet. undemon-
Strative and communicative. Indeed,
that sweet confidence he had enjoyed
before was wanting. No sooner was
the bandage put on than all was re-
stored. There was the same tone of
voice to which he had been accustomed,
the same loving interest. Indeed. for
the first time since the restoration of
his sight was he congratulated in the
way he had expected.
''Wife," he said, Il almost wish had
not been made to see"
in meT'
mo; you are truly beautiful, but my
vision, which shows me your beauty,
seems to change your identity, and the
loss is far greater than the GAIN
The next morning he met the wife
of beauty at breakfast changed as be-
fore. What a singular thing is sightr'
he muttered. ut gives, but it takes
away. 1 would never have dreamed
that it could have made such a differ
ence''
AS soon as the meal was over he en-
tered upon his usual avocations, and
when he had finished and asked for his
wife he was informed that she had
goneoout. She did not return until the
bandage had been put on for the night,
but when she came in and threw her
arms about him, the same loving wom-
an of'the night before, he exclaimed:
What have l gained? When 1 see
you, you are cold like other women.
When do not see you, you are still
my love"
Suppose you could have me always,
night and day, plain, homely wom-
an. would not having me by day beau
tiful and by night unseen be far pref
rable?',
81 would like to have you beautiful
always and always as you are when
do not see you
The next day the husband tried TO
cultivate in his wife of beauty some of
the warmth Of his wife of reality. He
was an attractive man, and the beauty
listened. 1t was to the man the be-
ginning of a courtship. For weeks he
strove to win by day and relaxed I'M
der love already won by night. Then
when the wife of beauty responded
he felt that he had won what was of
no value to him.
One night he said to the wife of real
ity: "Take me back to the surgeon and
ask him TO make me blind. With my
sight / lose YOU has the time; blind
you are always the T:5man 1 love"
Suppose" replied the wife. that in
stead of making me always what
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