The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-22
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Silver Clean.
-RY lzoLA %FoRREsTER.
Copyright. 1916. by Mcclure News.
paper syndicate.)

and see the beauty OF 1t all IS we'll
please God"
Esther stood just back of the choir
stalls, on her way into tho little room
where the altar hangings were kept.
y She could not but pause as she caught
the words, and Mrs. Sturges' warm.
motherly voice answers 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 STAN
lev. "Of course. until the b1ndages
are removed he can't be certain.
wish you and Miss Sturges could come
over and SEQ him. He asks every day
wei, VIC will. of course, this after.
noon. u had no idea he could be seer
Esther slipped away into the vestry
and laid away the hangings. There
was a small passageway that led out
into the old.fashionGd garden between
the chu7ch and the TectOry, ana she
slipped out that. way instead OF waiting
for her mother and her friends.
The air was sweet with spring odors.
There had been d light. quick rain, II
Everything seemed to cXude fragrance.
How often she had walked up and
down the tagged walks with Roy. talk
ing Of oil the things they WI loved
best. helping him to bear his blindness.
He had told her it was her voice m
the touch, OF her hand that first made
him a r for her. These and her eager
sympathetic understanding hnd u
them SO companionable. and 1t was
companionshIp he craved mostly.
Their common love OF music, too, was
another strong factor. She sang con-
itralto, and often in the old church
their two voices mingled in sympathet-
gic harmony.
But as he had grown more fervent
in his love for her she had eVaded nm.
Knowing his great love for beautiful
things she believed that II ever his
sight returned his love for her would
\ die. Not that she was homely, but she
was not beautiful, and she, too. loved
beauty as he did, the Greek perfection
of line. the rare Saxon beauty OF col
oring.
Roy himself was like a picture she
had seer once of q young Olympian
racer, tall and blonde. with tho Greek
profile and only the closed, tiutterihg
eyelids to tell of what he lacked. BuE
she was little and brown. brown mar
and eyes, skin that always treckled
with the first spring winds ana fea-
lures that were Gallo in their irregu,
lar. provocative contour. Surely, II
sight ever came to him he never would
love her as he had done before.
She passed some boys bearing palms
into the church for the Easter service.
There would be the full choral service,
with the mixed choir. and she was TO
sing in the offertory anthem
1.-THE shadows break in eastern dawn,
Oh, silver CLEAN that lights Ills way,
Shine fair and clear where Mary seeks
Her risen Lord on Easter Day"
She made an excuse that afternoon
while her mother went TO Cali on Roy.
When she heard that they had taken
disadvantages off his eyes and that no
could see, she prayed silently that she
might be thankful with all her hear
for him and think nothing OF herself.
AS the choir came UP the chancel
pteps on Easter Day, tho girls last OF
all in their Oxford caps and snowy col
lars, Roy lifted his head to watch them,
He was not strong enough yet to play
SEhefull service, but he was to play the
oftertory anthem, and he wondered
which Of the singers was Esther. One
was tall and fair as one OF the mes
themselves, and n was dark haired'
with blue eyes uplifted to the anger
In the stained glass window above the
altar. Which one, he asked hiMsetk'
which OF them all was Esther.
Not until there came the hush pctofe
the offertory did he see her. AS ile
~ 49, II. $1,000 ~ tho grand nl6 organ.
she rose with the others, but when she
hogan her solo, he saw her face, not
turned toward him, but lifted as she
sang the beautiful words.
ESTHER, you stay and see II any OF
the flowers need changing, dear, Will
your" asked Mrs. Sturges after serv'
Ice,
She was glad OF the excuse. Out in
the garden, people crowded in tho
bright sunlight. She dreaded meeting
Roy- there before them all, having TO
hear his gaze when he first looked on
She fingered among the palms ano
flowers until all was quiet out OF doors,
then she stepped into the garden 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
speak, the color rising in her face un-
der his scrutiny. And with the tntu-
tive gift that had come to him In his
days Of blindness, he seemed to ap:
preclate at once what her fear had
been.
"Why did you dread my seeing you?"
because / knew you loved all things
beautiful, and" she laughed and
shook her hcad-"Roy, I'm not even
pretty
claimed, "Don't you know what 1t all
meant to me, the understanding and
sympathy and you-the girl came to
know 81 well? When l heard you sing
this morning and saw your dear face
for the first time I could hardly play
the anthem. II l had only loved you
through the human vision, dear. would
n aH--Aaf 49,. n,tn st1xFaR plnam that