The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-10-05
A BLIGHT
by ELIZABETH WEED
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

nurse. she fell and cut her lip. produc'
ing IA wound that in healing left a
scar, giving IL very disngreeable ex-
preston 10 her face.
Edith could see In the faces of those
she met repugnance accustomed by
her expression. Al tirst she tried 10
obviate this effect by smiling. hut she
saw at once by the further recoiI Of
the one looking at her that she WAS
only frightening the diSagreeahle im
preston Such physical blighrs usual
ly have one of two effects. either the
blighted person Is unconscious Of the
defect or becomes painfully sensitive
concerning It. Edith was Of the lat
ter class. She would not 70 70 the
social gatherings of her own uge. More
and more she shrank within herself.
Then, becoming conscious that> in be
Ing u recluse she would be forced into
"A life Of selhshness. she began 10 de-
vote herself to the poor.
She had friends. girl friends. who
sought to draw her out socially. Con
fidence between young girls Is close.
while that between opposite sexes. es-
pecially at that age, is distant. The
young men who met Edith looked
upon the expression on her face and
turned away with a shrug. Her girl
friends had better opportunity to
learn what there was. under the mis-
leading expression When one Of her
chums was married she insisted on
Edith being her bridesmaid Edith
deniurred. but her friend would not eX
cuse her.
At the wedding the bridesmaid,
looking up suddenly. saw the eyes Of
a young man she had never seen rivet-
ed upon her and withou, that repealed
expression she was accustomed to see,
The man was q recent graduate of a
medical school The reason why his
face did not reflect any dipgreeable
expression at her defect was because.
being practitioner. he was used to
controlling bis fea tures when treating
his patients.
But Edith did not know this she
knew only that man with kindly
face was looking at her without any
reference to her defect And when
DR.. Allan Emerson requested an In
PRODUCTION and was presented to her
her heart fairly bounded within her,
Not for an instant while he chatted
with her did he seem conscious OF her
blight And she, being made to feel
that II was inconsequential. rose above
1t so far as to display the real attrac-
tveness and worth that were In her.
And yet the reason Of the young doc
tors desire to make her acquaintance
was that very defect. He had been
observing her before she had noticed
him and with professional eye bad
been watching the effect of her scar
upon the various expressions rhar dit
ted across her face. Some physicians.
rough IN manner. though they may be
invaluable helpers to the afflicted.
would not have SCRUBBED to betray the
real Object of their interest. Emerson
was OF different kind. He not only
concealed his own thoughts for pro-
fessional reasons, but from an innate
sense of delicacy.
Whatever be the exact analysis OF
his feelings. the act produced II mark
ed impression upon Edith Wilton. A
man whose personnel, whose bearing.
was far above the average had not
only failed to show any repugnance
at her defect. but had asked to be In
troduced to her and chatted with her,
displaying unusual interest In her
without seeming to be conscious that
there was any difference between her
and other girls, unless TO her advan
tage But when he asked her II he
might not call upon her the cup Of her
delight was full
A few months after the meeting DR.
Emerson asked Edith 10 be- his wife
When she Ind accepted him be men
toned for the first time her defect.
letting her know that be believed be
could remove at least its effects
why" said Edith. didn't you re
move II before proposing to meg''
Because. sweetheart" he replied
these stupid men who have been
passing you by would have learned Of
your real worth. and the field would
have been full Of rivals"
There was more In her eyes than In
her words when she replied. you
know very we'll that none Of them
were to be feared by you"
But Edith dreaded lest in case an
operation were not successful her lover
might find himself tied through life
to blighted woman and unhappincss
for both would result. She therefore
insisted on having the operation per
formed and II the trouble were re-
moved the marriage to take place aft
erward. DR.. Emerson demurred to
this. saying that. whether the OPP
Grafton were or were not success he
would not give her up Both stood
firmly on the ground that they hid
taken. but the man. since the result
would be the same to him In any
event. finally yielded.
The operation was merely matter
of delicate handling. its only object be-.
ing to produce certain result OF
facial expression. DR.. Emerson per.
formed 1t himself. covering the wound
he made with piece of skin
from the atm of another person. When
tho xrhnla haA baoia1 Qua a.. A.-s