The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-05-09
The Tines Daily Short Story.

HYou'n have it all to find out" he
said coolly, "and more important mat
tiers than defective eyeslght. You may
find that l have an imperious disposi-
ton, bad temper, a grasping nature
indeed faults enough to make me
poor husband for any woman"
'HThat is a risk we all have to take,
and since we are unconscious Of our
own faults there is no deception in not
confessing them. But If, for instance.
wear false teeth or my foot is made
Of wood
II would love you just the same"
at would be a fault for me not to
confess it." I persisted.
He showed very plainly that I had
offended him. He sat looking at me for
a few minutes, scowling, then said:
VERY well, / win make a confession
which may cause you to break your
engagement with me. But win not
place you in a position to be infu-
enced in your decision. viii write
my confession on scrap Of paper and
leave it with you. Take plenty Of time
to come to q decision whether or no
you can live with man with such
defect as mine, then write me-"
Going to my secretary, he took up a
bit Of paper and a pencil and wrote his
message, then, without looking at me,
hurried from the room. | waited
breathlessly till I heard the front door
close after him, then sprang eagerly
for the paper he had left on the desk.
Great heavensi What revelation
II wear d glass eye"
I sank down on the sofa limp as O
i wet cloth. Never, never can never
live with man with a glass eye. The
horrld thing would stare at me the
first thing in the morning and continue
its dreadful ogle till the last thing OF
i night. No; it Is all over between us.
But what misfortune! Poor Paul
How sensitive he il about ii! / don't
wonder that he is SO. III 1t Is such 9
terrible thing for me to look at, how
much more terrible it must be for him
Besides. he suffers all in losing me
/ that / suffer in losing him.
/ must be as gentle as a dove. IN
breaking my decision to him. There i
no need to take time. My mind i
made Up. We must part forever.
/ took up the pen that he had Just
laid down. kissed il as ] did so-thef
began 10 write a note which when
+ read it seemed very harsh. wrote an
othar then another and another till
/ had written half a dozen, each grow
/ ing more tender, more loving. The las
was simply. Come back and let mt
comfort you for life" This / sent t
him posthaste
When be came | was alone in tht
room TO which he was ushered.
looked for serious, melancholy ex
preston, but was astonished to see
very merry one. He clasped me.in hi
arms, saying.
Louise, pardon me If l am llttl'
late. Just as I was about to read you
note my glass eye fell on the floor, ant
as / am very nearsighted spent som
time hunting for It"
'Never mind, Paul, dear. You viii al
ways have me to find it for you"
"You see,D he said taking off hi
monocle. when hold it off there In
as blind as bat. for my left eye Il
addition to nearsightedness has astig
matism."
He looked at me. both his eyes fairl
dancing. The truth rushed upon me
His glass eye was his eyeglass.
1 suppose that the knowledge tina
after all he had two natural eye
should have made me inexpressibi
happy. on the contrary, 1t made m
inexpressibly angry. tore mysel
from his embrace and was fleeing fror
the room when he caught me In hi
arms and covered my face with
shower Of kisses. 1 bitterly complaine
that he had played me trick. He d.
clared that should thank him for giv
ing me the opportunity to prove th
3 nobility Of my nature in standing b
him in his supposed misfortune.
BERTHA ID. FAIRBANKS.