The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-03-22
EYES OF The BLIND
BY JOHN CAMERON.


Dorothy Lee. She was a sweet girl,
ana 1t was agreed that it was great
pity she was so homely.
1t amt a fair handicap" said old
Mrs. Howell, who kept the post office.
II nara enough for girl to get mar
RED in New England, anyway, but
with her iooks-I say it amt fair"
Dorothy's father probably Endorsed
TINS view, but the hard-headed old
farmer was too practical a man to
worry about his daughters looks.
Dorothy lived alone with him, her
mother being dead. What she thought
on the subject she never disclosed.
She must have known, however. that
there was a reason why she was al
ways wall-tiower at parties and was
never invited on picnics and such fes-
tivities.
When she was twenty-five Tom Ian.
ark came home after an absence of six
years in the West.
Fabulous stories preceded him He
! had found gold mine in Nevada, one
/ OF the richest in the world, it was said. |
| and the glare of the sun on the alkali |
| plains had scared his eyeballs until he |
! could only distinguish light from dark |
ness. So he had come back at thirty, |
to resume life-no, not to resume it,
4 but to take up its burden alone in the
old house that had given him birth
Margaret Barnett had been an old
fame of Toms in the bygone days. But
If there was any idea that she would
link her life to a blind mans Margaret,
who was running" with the bankers
son, dismissed it promptly
i want live one when / get mar
ried,' she said. And Dorothy wit
messed a snubbing which Margaret ad-
ministered to Tom in the street, in
front of her house
She saw the blind man trying to
peer after the girl whose shriIl. scorn-
full laughter echoed through the quiet
street, and an excess of pity overcame
! her shrinking, and she hurried
out.
: Mr.. Lanark," she said quickly, con-
scious that her words were almost be-
yond her control, = am Dorothy Lee
) Don't you remember me?"
!. Tom Lanark felt for her hands and
: took them in his. Indeed l do" he
4 answered warmly. Il have often
| thought Of you since / have been
!, away"
q 4 think it was a shame the way
= Margaret Barnett spoke TO YOU" de-
> clared Dorothy Indignantly.
4 All, well, one lives and finds out
= these things" replied the blind man
: YEARLY.
> After that Tom fell into the habit of
HrNnnfnp int 10 ~ So .,,1a -
: an afternoon, and on one occasion he
. actually drove up in buggy
Il thought Id ask you to come for a
drive with me, Miss Dorothy" he ex
u planned. Il was sure knew the way
;, down the street to here, and that you'd
u do the rest-if you are willing to do an
act of kindness for blind man"
:. 20, should love to go driving with
- you" the girl answered. She ran up
stairs to change her frock, and, five
minutes later, the village was specu
ID Iatlng over the appearance of Dorothy
p and Tom, driving down the road into
T, the country and chatting as merrily a.
he though they were old friends-which
is indeed, they might have been called
ep But during the return Dorothy be
Z her heart had turned very strongly il
Of the direction of the blind man, ant
re that he, too, as her woman's instinc
I'd told her, was by no means indifferen
til to her.
And when they neared the town III
IT suddenly placed his arm around he
II, and drew her toward him.
IT. DO you think you can ever learn Il
IN care for blind man, Dorothy?" b.
ID asked.
Ike 1t was a tremulous figure, shrink
ing and nerved only by intense resolu
ton, that went to Toms door tina
a. night, fearful of discovery by tn,
prylng eyes of the town, vet spurre
on by the sense OF tremendous neces
'or slty. And, after she had knocked, sh
could hardly make her knees supper
he her, and chung to the door-jamb 70
int support
The door opened. Tom peered on
. Then
Il can't marry you." the girl wa
sobbing wildly. You have never see
me as | am, Tom You don't know
nd Don't know what, dear?" aske
Toms quiet voice. She felt his hand
bo on her shoulders, but she could not sc
-. him through the gathering tears.
am the homeliest girl in Erpiaj
~ nam" cried Dorothy. IF ever 70
Nc saw me you would be ashamed Of m
lot Tom And can't marry you and ne
we let you know; and 1 can't marry va
ou- and let you be ashamed of me-"
ice She was beyond all self-controI ST.
was weeping in his arms. She hear
ct. Toms voice between his kisses.
nv Dorothy, you are the prettiest gi
,ad IN birmingham, and it wouldn't mai
any difference to me anyway" he sal
n x i0NS sOu. NOW VIII u