The Newark journal. (Newark, Ark.) 1901-1959, 1907-11-22
Blessed
Blindness
By Judith Spencer

(Copyrign

1.-THE condition of our streets is pos
itively disgraeeful.' thought Miss Ag-
new, as she gathered up her gown and
proceeded to pick her way over unsta-
BILE boards and loose paving stones,
where the crossing once had been. 1t
was then that she saw him first
He was tall and well-made man,
walking somewhat slowly ahead of
her Suddenly he stumbled and al
most fell In recovering himself he
turned and paused irresolute, as if
uncertain which way to go. He was
now facing her and she saw his ex-
preston of helpless bewilderment,
and saw, too, that he was blind.
With sudden pity for his misfor-
tune and predicament she advanced
toward him. Our streets are in such
a chaotic condition." she said will
you allow me to pilot you to the op-
posite side?"
Il should be most grateful to you"
he replied, lifting his hat. Il have not
been in New York for some time and
confess that l find myself decidedly
at sea"
1t seemed tho strangest thing in the
world to Mary Agnew to be walking
thus Familiarity by the side of an I'M
known man. And she felt that luck
had favored her when she had run the
gauntlet of that half mile without
meeting any of her friends. But the
man was a gentleman, and something
in his helplessness had appealed most
strangely to her.
This unconventional episode haunted
Mary Agnew all that day. She caught
herself wondering again and again
who her stranger was and why he had
ventured out alone. Sometimes it
seemed as if she had done something
inexcusably bold and unwomanly; yet
at the same time she felt that she
would never have forgiven herself had
she acted otherwise. His tall, straight
figure and fine face were still present
with her when, late that evening, she
entered a crowded ballroom on her
fathers arm.
Half an hour perhaps had passed
when she saw her old friend Jack
Beaverton approaching with-could it
be possible?-her stranger of the
morning,
Miss Agnew, allow me to introduce
my cousin, Anthony Gordon, once of
New York, lately of the far west and
now of New York again. Jacks
words seemed buzzing in her ears.
Il am glad to meet Mr.. Gordon"
she said quietly, though her heart was
fiuttering strangely, as it had not done
since she was a young, young girl.
She saw him start and turn eagerly
toward her. Jack had now passed on,
and among the crowd these two
seemed quite alone.
ut is you! / was hoping I might
meet you again." Gordon said gladly.
THE world is a small place, after
ALL"
Yes" she assented; yet l confess
this is a great surprise"
you probably think that a blind
man is even more out of place in a
ballroom than in the city's crowded
streets, and / agree with you; but
Jack overpersuaded me and now ] am
glad / came! He promised to keep me
in tow and to introduce me to few
of his friends with whom | could sit
out an occasional dance"
She regarded him curiously. 1t was
a novelty to meet man who was ap-
parently no more sensitive about such
terrible affection than if it had been
but broken bone and he was about
with his arm in a sling.
Il hope you did not think me-for-
ward this morning" she said i'm
pulsively.
Il thought you did most gracious
and beautiful action and / blessed you
for it,
You have not benin this condi-