The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-05-27

I
the ordinary words Come to this chair;
its the most comfortable in the room. You
know that, don't you?"
"And so you always give it to me,
John she said Il think you can't
help being like that-the best invariably
for some one else wonder, her soft
| fingers closed on his hand as he led her to
chair-''why you are sad toniaht--un-
happy? ..
He started, ever so slightly.
How did you know he asked
How wonderful YOU are, Norar'
She was sitting now, he standing close
beside her, worshipping her with his beau
tiful eyes, feeling he would give the whole
world, were it his, to take this dear, blind
girl in his arms and kiss her sweet lips.
Il suppose | know, she answered,
because God, who is very just, has given
me greater power of perception Of some
things than those who can see "a fuller
sympathy Tell me what l. wrong, John ~
why you are sady
He hesitated moment, then very slow
", half timidly, he sank upon his knees.
This is why, he answered, and his
hungry lips almost kissed her hand Il
want something that | dare not ask for,
and yet if ii could be mine how would
love and cherish it want something
some one to work for. to make money for;
some one to surround with alteration and
comfort, but dare not i dare not say to
. 1. I 1 1
lie paused She stretched out her hand
aud laid it unfalteringly upon his shoulder.
Because she is blind, John ?
He covered her hand with his then be
covered it With kisses
No. no, \ thousand times no I, he
answered oh Nora, you know love
you-want you-you know your blindness
makes you all tie dearer 10 me But You
don know lne as Others know me-you
have never seen me. If-if You should
give yourself to me, you would be giving
your<ef to an unknown man. think you
care for me but
There is no but. she interrupted
Il love you As for knowing you there
j. no one in the world | know ~ we'll
Aud today my mother has told me just
shat you are hke--has - to speak, painted
the picture of yoar eyery feature. can
l,.ok at yoa now with my mind EYE
am 20 glad. deaE
He put his arm arouud her. be drew
her gently to him; he kissed her lgs
little sweetheart he saii I.ittle
wiic tn he 80 your mother told YOU all
Are you surc you did no, dislike the pie
ture
With her slender, sensitive fingers she
touched his features, one by one, smiling,
but little puzzled
Quite, she answered and mother
vas right, your features are beautiful
Your skin i roagh aud rugged, different
from mine that i because yoa are a man,
but you must not think One could searoe-
" believe she was not looking az the Scared
face-''I love you for your beauty; lose
sou Just because hove yoa-be,zuse |
cant help it. And hope-I do hope,
with all nv heart You viii never regret
your goodness in taking blind girl TO your
. tANAAA- AaNAAff@ A2Nt EAA NRAAt NAAN-
CHAPTER Ill
Many times during their short eagage
mcn, something aluos, compelled John lie
Strange TO paint word picture Of himself
a. he really Was, not as he knew she be
keyed him to be, but, after al, Is 1t neces-
sary She loved him, aud, God knows,
he loved her She would never look upon
his face. always 20 her he would be beauti
full - far a. utter afectioa could, he
would keep all ~arrpw from her, surround
her With every comfort She vas more
helpless than most women; would need all
her life more care and cherishing
More than once he asked Mrs Desmond
ii il would not be better 20 uRdeceive the
girl She, however, was emphatic in her
negative.
'You u just spoil her life and her hap
pines if You do she answered What
/ the eve does not see. the heart does not
grieye fer n every one knows, the blind
/ in their hearts and souls worship at the
shrine Of beauty more ardently than those
who see. To hear you are all that is de
.irable in every way; let that content you.
And -, with the truth untold. the two
/ married, and in the whole Wide world there
was no happier wife than Nora lie Strange.
/ Never once did he let her feel her blind
ugs. never did he tire of telling her Of
beautiful things, describing every place he
/ took her 10 50 yiyidly, with such care, that
always she SMILED and nodded as she pressed
the hands she held
II see-I see it all quite plainly she
would say ..Oh. John, what beautiful
place this world Is - And what pair Of
| seeing eyes you lend to me :
/ Ii was rot until her little son was born
that Nora craved passionately to see, If
only for a moment Time after time as,
[ she held the little creature, as she passed
her fingers ever 50 gently across his downy
| head, his tiny features over aud over again,
| John described just what the little one was
/ like-the most beautiful baby in the world.
/ But for once, she seemed hardly satisfied,
"Oh. if | could only see him !'' she
said Just once. John. Eve wanted ter
| ribly sometimes TO see you, though | know
! Just what you are ike. | want even more
to see him, because he ; you and me, and
our dear love all rolled up in this sweet,
warm bundle.
1t was just about this time that
stranger, meeting John, Nora and the
beautiful child in a public conveyance,
looked at the girl 5 eyes with an interested,
professional glance. A day later, having
discovered where they lived, he called upon
| John lie Strange.
.sYonr wife is blind, he said, after a
preliminary word or two, Il think, how
ever, she was not blind from birth =?
mo, he answered, ''she was not blind
until her fourth year Her blindness is the
outcome of some juvenile complaint.
''And can, | believe, be cured, the
doctor said, gently.
John heart gave great leap. Nora
blindness cured That would mean that
she would see him; look upon the man she
had believed beautiful-see how he had
deceived her-perhaps hate him!
Cured he repeated, and DIR, Winter
| Il ,..,,>f. sna,ral f,.a ,yraxV