The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-24
The Euening Story
The Silver CLEAN.
(By Izola Forrester-)

ing happily. Wefe hoping ne IL De
able to play for the Easter service,
and see the beauty of it all as well,
please God"
Esther stood just back of the choir
stalls, on her way into the little room
where the altar hangings were kept.
She could not but pause as she caught
the words, and Mrs. Sturges's warm,
motherly voice answering back.
There isn't one heart that will not
rejoice with him. In the three years
since he came here he has endeared
himself so to all of us that his joy is
our joy. Does he know?'
He is hoping, as we are said
Stanley. "Of course, until the ban
dages are removed he can't be GER
could come over and see him. He
asks every day for you both"
Well, we will, of course, this aft
ernoon. I had no idea he could be
seen yet
Esther slipped away into the ves-
try and laid away the hangings.
There was a small passageway that
led out into the c1d-fashioned garden
between the church and the rectory,
and she slipped out that way instead
of waiting for her mother and her
friends.
The air was sweet with spring
doors. There had been light, quick
rain, and everything seemed to exude
fragrance. How often she had walked
up and down the tagged walks with
Roy, talking of all the things they two
loved best, helping him to bear his
blindness.
He had told her it was her voice
and the touch of her hand that first
made him care for her. These and
her eager, sympathetic understand
ings had made them so companion
nj h.
craved mostly. Their common love
OF music, too, was another strong fac
tor. She sang contralto, and often in
the old church their two voices min
gled in sympathetic harmony.
But as he had grown more fervent
in his love for her she had evaded
him. Knowing his great love for
beautiful things she believed that if
ever his sight returned his love for her
would die. Not that she was honeIy.
but she was not beautiful, and she
too, loved beauty as he did, the Greek
perfection of line, the rare Saxon
beauty of coloring
Roy himself was like a picture she
had seen once of a young Olympian
racer, tall and blonde, with the Greek
profile and only the closed fiutterine
eyelfds to tell Of what he lacked. But
she was little ana brown, brown hair
and eyes, skin that always freckled
Tea
lures that were Gallo in their ir-
regular, provocative contour. Surely.
II sight ever came to him he never
would love her as he had done be-
fore.
She passed some boys bearing palms
into the church for the Easter serv-
ice There would be the full choral
service, with the mixed choir. and she
was to sing in the offertory anthem
The shadows break in eastern dawn,
On, silver CLEAN that lights His way
Since fair and clear where Mary seeks
Her risen Lord on Easter Day
she made an excuse that afternoon
while her mother went to call on Row
Wnen she heard that they had taken
the bandages off his eyes and that he
couid see, she prayed silently that she
might be thankful with all her heart
for him and think nothing of her
self.
AS the choir came up the chancel
steps on Easter Day, the girls last of
all in their Oxford caps and snowy
collars, Roy lifted his head to watch
them He was not strong enough yet
to play the full service, but he was
to play the offertory anthem, and he
| wondered which of the singers was
Esther. One was tall and fair as one
| of the lilies themselves, and one was
| dark haired, with blue eyes uplifted
to the angel in the stained glass
"
he asked himself, which of them all
was Esther?
Not until there came the hush be-
fore the offertory did he see her. As
| organ, she rose with the others, but
when she began her solo, he saw her
| face. not turned toward him, but lifted
as she sang the beautiful words.
| Esther, you st. " and see if any
of the flowers need changing, dear,
will you?" asked Mrs. Sturges after
service.
| She was glad of the excuse Out
in the garden. people crowded in the
bright sunlight. She dreaded meeting
bear his gaze when he first looked on
her.
She fingered among the palms and
| flowers until all was quiet cut of
doors. then she stepped into the gar
| den and found him waiting for her
| there.
II wanted to see you" he said sim
ply, and stood looking down at her.
weren't you glad for me?''
She nodded her head. afraid to
under his scrutiny. And with the in
tuitive gift that had come to him in
his days of blindness, he seemed to
appreciate at once what her fear had
been.
why did you dread my seeing
your
because I knew you loved all
| things beautiful, and she laughed
and shook her head-'tRoy. I'm not
Eeven pretty"
you are all l ever wanted,' he ex-
claimed. Don't you know what it all
meant to me. the understanding and
sympathy and you-the girl 1 came
| to know so well? When L heard you
sing this morning and saw your dear
face for the first time / could hardly
play the anthem If 1 had only loved
you through the human vision. dear.