The Saint Paul globe., 1905-03-26
JOHN HARLOKfR WfDS THE GIRL HE LOVES IN SPITE OF BLINDNESS

leave the old home. went to live with an
elderly aunt.
Leeta Anderson remembered John Har-
locker first as big 'gawky," as she call
ed him, who drove a delivery wagon for
her father. When she first knew him she
was seven years old and he was seventeen
He was big and awkward and fresh from
an Ohio farm. In those earlier days of
their acquaintance Leeta paid but little
attention to John Harlocker. Five years
passed and Leeta was twelve. just enter
ing the grammar school and beginning to
plan for long skirts. John Harlocker was
twenty-five and bigger and more awkward
than ever-but he no longer drove the de-
livery wagon He was something in the
steel works. But he came frequently to
see his old employer. and Leeta, even in
the wisdom OF her twelve yeafs,- didn't
guess why.
When Leeta bade farewell to her child
hoods home she was sixteen and John
Harlocker twenty -six-bigger than ever,
but awkward no longer. Even then Leeta
Anderson failed to guess why John Har-
locker came TO see her aunt so often
particularly as her aunt had no extended
acquaintance with the young chemical en-
gineer-for that was the position John
Hariocker had attained in the big steel
plant.
His Love Revealed to Her
1t was not until Leeta was eighteen
and had graduated from high school that
John Harlocker let her into the secret
At first she laughed-to herseif-for she
realized that no one could laugh at big
John Harlocker. But as the weeks and
months went by she began to recall Incl
dents in the years that had passed since
she was seven and John Harlocker was
seventeen. She began to remember that
John was an ignorant. awkward boy, and
that In ten years he had become an edu-
Gated man, able TO command respect of
men known TO be among the greatest
financiers of the city. She realized. dim
ly at first. that he must have studied
hard and worked hard. and put down al
most heartbreaking obstacles 10 work so
great a transformation In himself In ten
years
One day, after he had called. her aunt,
with the wisdom of a woman, remarked
casually:
well. it's strange to me. that John
Hariocker hasn't married long before this"
In one sudden. overwhelming flush OF
conviction Leeta Anderson realized that
moment that John Harlocker had waited
all of those years for her. and for her
only. She realized all at once the depth
OF the love that had kept him so stead
fastly near her.
1t was easy enough for Leeta Anderson
her to be his wife. She had other suitors
She had refused wealth. She had refused
social position. She loved John Harlocker
and believed he was poor.
Stricken Blind Without Warning
Four months before her wedding day
Leeta Anderson was stricken blind. II
was not the blindness that comes after
a gradual fading OF the light. No months
OF twilight preceded the darkness. In a
moment without warning. without a pre-
monition of impending disaster, the light
went out and she stood In the darkness
forever.
John Harlocker brought the best
oculists of Cleveland to see his sweet
heart. They could do nothing. He
brought the best talent from New York
and Boston that money could induce to
make the journey to Cleveland Leeta An
derson's eyes were as bright and clear as
the day she saw the first birds nest in
"Thy Sentinel Am l." but the optic nerve
was dead and the oculists told John
Harlocker his betrothed had looked into
his eyes for the last time.
Four months of pleading and refusal
followed, and finally the girl consented to
marry John Harlocker in spite of her
blindness. Unknown TO her he had pur-
chased her old childhood homeland now.
in the old house. Mrs. John Harlocker can
go about as well as IL she could see, for
every room. every door. every turn in the
graveled walk. every tree. Is familiar to
| her. She can go about the grounds with
| out even the aid of her husbands arm to
guide her.
"Oh, John" she says every day. 81 dc
| hope nothing has happened TO George
Washington and that the bluebirds will
| build their nests next spring in Thy Sen
| tinel Am l."