Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-17
BLIND GIRL HIS BRIDE.
Though Betrothed Lost Her Sight,
Man insisted on Marriage.

man INSISTED on marriage.
From the Chicago Tribune.
Mrs. John Harlocker Of Cleveland Is alb
soiutely sure Of her husbands love. for he
married her In spite OF the fact that she
suddenly became totally blind four months
before their wedding day. The wedding
took place as planned In spite Of the oppo-
sition Of Harlocker's parents and friends
and against the urgent advice OF his en-
ployers. His betrothed herself in the first
three months Of the darkness OF night that
had come into her life refused steadfastly
to consent to the marriage, and only yield
ed at last when she became convinced in
the depths OF her own heart that her re-
fusal would blight the life of the man she
loved.
So earnestly did the young woman wish
to spare her betrothed from what she in
sisted was the sacrifice of his entire life
that when two weeks ago she gave a
luctant consent to the wedding. she insist
ed that he should avail himself of the right
to draw back even at the altar Itself.
Even IL we are all in the church. John.
dear" she said. and the minister is half
way through the ceremony, you must say
no If at the last moment you decide you
cannot make this great sacrifice. and Will
turn away from my happiness and love you
Just the same-just as much.
And John Harlocker only smiled-a smile
that the blind girl at his side could only
ingly over his face
IT'S not a sacrifice. Leeta.' he said. In
reply. Before this blindness came to you
/ needed you and you needed me. Now I
need you just as much as | ever did; and
you need me all the more, so we will say
no more about it,
All her remonstrances ended the same
way. John Harlocker refused to give UP
his betrothed.
His mother, selfish only in her love for
him, begged him to give up his purpose to
marry his blind sweetheart.
The day came and the wedding party as
sembled The blind bride, lovely even in
her blindness. stood beside the man she
loved and heard the minister speak the
words that made her the wife of the man
who had refused to give her up. She told
him afterward that II she had felt the
slightest reluctant tremor in the hand that
clasped hers-if she had detected even th3
suspicion of hesitancy in his voice-she
would even at that last final moment have
broken away from him and refused to go
on with the ceremony. But the clasp OF
John Harlocker's hand was firm and his
voice rang clear and true-and she was
his wife. for better or for worse.
After the wedding John Harlocker gave
his bride the first proof OF the tender care
he intended to bestow upon her during all
the sightless days Of her life. She knew
he had prepared a home for them, but at
his request had asked him no questions
Together they drove in a carriage to the
home in waiting. The carriage rolled over
smooth paVementS and through little
park. As the wheels rung across little
stone bridge and then left the macadam
road and turned into a stretch of brick
paved streets. the bride. who had been
chattering. with the arm of her big hus-
band around her, suddenly became silent
and seemed to be listening for familiar
sounds The carriage crossed a railway
track and a street car passed by with
peculiar whirring sound, skirting the broad
curve on the edge of the park The bride
turned her sightless eyes to her husbands.
John, o, John. you
She stopped to listen again. The car
riage drove through shaded street and
stopped at a gate.
John, john" she cried. excitedly-'ft's
home-my old home. l knew 1t the moment
we crossed the bridge and I heard the
street car whirr along the edge of the park
It's my old home. isn't it. John?"
Yes, dear" said John Harlocker. ITS
your old home and your new home, for
you shall live there until you are tired OF
it and me-"
That was John Harlocker's surprise for
his bride, and 1t revealed the whole of the
romance that had Joined them together.
1t was a strange romance for a modern,
workaday world-and there have been few
like 1t outside of cheap novels and cheaper
theaters.