The Washington herald., 1914-06-07
dawn OF DESTINY

pened had not Matt Moore, clientiess
lawyer. used kerosene one chill afternoon
10 goad the heating facilities in Mrs
Jones' boarding house. Perhaps. in view
Of the fact that destiny usually jusgies
her pawns in fashion quite autocratic.
the result would have been the same
Perhaps not.
However that may be, Matt Moore was
blind. A douche Of kerosene, few sticks
Of kindling wood and match haa
proved a disastrous combination. and
after the excitement and Mrs. Jones had
subsidized and the insurance had been col
iected. the doctor declared Matt would
be- blind for life.
John Stone. his partner. received-the
news philosophicaily and asserted ne
could work for two. John was q ne'er-
do-well: not that he loved Blackstone
less. but because he loved John Barley
corn more. When Mrs. Jones evineed
anxiety concerning a blind mans ability
to pay his board bills, John pointed with
pride to a mysterious thing which ne
called his law practice and assured her
she need not worry.
Flo. the maid in Mrs. Jones establish
ment, was less optimistic. She had wor-
shipped Matt More from afar. but the
struggling young lawyer. obstinateiy oe-
voted to legal commentaries and other
stupid things. had been blind TO the
choice morsels she had smuggled to his
desk from Mrs. Jones' pantry. She had
concluded she was too slight and too
unimportant to be noticed by a man who
read leather-bound books. And now that
Matt was binder than ever before, Flo
almost gave up hope.
But after the dinner dishes had been
washed and certain disquiting and snort
like sounds proclaimed that Mrs. Jones
was taking a siesta, Flo would steal
away to the apartment in the second
floor rear and read the newspapers and
the legal journals to Matt Moore.
One afternoon an epochal event took
place. Matt. seated in the creaky old
arm chair and listening intentiy while
Flo read to him some grim witticism OF
an Arkansas circuit judge. clumsily per-
mitted his hand to come in contact with
hers. Flo blushed and her voice began
to falter.
Queer" mumbled the blind man. toy
ing with her fingers. Il could almost
take oath it is the same hand"
Why. Mr.. Moore, what do you mean?
asked Flo. making a despondent effort
to release her hand
1T was that day when II lost my
sight" enlightened the lawyer. You re-
member there was an explosion and they
carried me out unconscious. While was
lying there on the floor and just before
everything turned dark, ! thought-no.
I'm almost sure of it-that somebody
ran into the room and with a great deal
of difficulty dragged me out in the hall
way. 1t was somebody who had hand
just like this one. l can't be mistaken
/ would know the touch Of 1t among a
thousand hands"
Flo drew a quick breath and blushed
furiously. Guess you must be mistaken,
Mr.. Moore" she suggested. wondering
how a man who had never noticed her
flowers and titbits could recognize the
touch of a hand.
She fumbled through the remainder of
the Arkansas jurists decision and laid
the journal aside. She rose to 60. but
Matt seized her hand.
"Why are you 30 good to me-" he
demanded. "and what is your name ano
what do you look like?"
did you never see me-? There was
a trace of reproach in her voice. Il used
to tidy up your room every day and
and
Matt was forced to admit that he had
been stupid enough not to notice her.
Forgetting that she had answered none
Of his questions. Flo trtpped away
promising to return the following day.
That evening Matt tried to draw his
partner out concerning what sort OF per-
son Flo was. but his friend was uncom-
When she came In the next
day and offered to read to him. Matt pre-
ferred to have her talk to him. Little by
little the story was blurted outflow she
had become an orphan in childhood, how
she had graduated from some sort OF in
stitution and finally entered the service
Of Mrs. Jones. The story was so long
and Matt SO intent upon obtaining all the
details that before she had finished the
ierky sounds emanating from Mrs Jones
bedroom had ceased. But neither Of
them knew it, and for a very good rea-
son.
II was quiet in the room, so quiet that
Matt could almost hear the heartbeats OF
the little maid as he held her to his
breast and told her that he loved her
And Just as the door opened Flo was
wondering whether he would still love
her il he could see her. Not until Mrs.
Jones had stridden into the room. and.
with bony arms akimbo, stood confront
ing the couple, did Flo realize that an
intruder had trespassed upon their little
dreamland. She untangled herself from
Matt's arms and with downcast eyes
faced the embodiment of outraged de-
corum.
Mrs. Jones possessed a knack of ex-
pressing her sentiments tersely. 1t was
the first time in her experience as a
house keeper that one Of her
chairs had been desecrated by being
Jointly occupied by a man and a woman.
There was no room in her house for peo-
pie who would not observe the proprieties-
And II Flo. brazen thing. cared to remain |
longer in her service, Mr.. Moore would
have to marry her or get out. There were |
no two ways about it. Mrs Jones set her
foot down on a frayed old rug and
chased Flo from the room.
But I can't marry her-it wouldn't be |
right" protested Matt. late that evening. |
after he had discussed the situation with |
his partner "I have no right to ask her |
to marry a blind man..
His partner frowned. DO you love |
herr" he demanded.
Matt replied vigorously in the affirma-
i've
Then you're a chump IL you don't"
declared his friend decisively. And Matt |
Knew he was right, but it seemed a cruel |
thing to ask a girl to marry a man des-
lined to remain poor and blind. Now. IL |
ne were only a millionaire, Matt reason \
ID. it would be different
And just to prove that such things oc-
"A asIonally happen in real life, two-cent I
stamp brought a letter stating that an |
,ncle had dropped dead and Matt Moore |
nad inherited ten million dollars. That |
afternoon he asked Flo to become the |
wife of a poor, blind lawyer. and Flo |
consented. loving him all the more be- |
.ause he needed a woman to look after |
him. But she almost wept when, upon |
heir return from a little honeymoon |