The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-09
THE SILVER CLEAN
BY IzoLA FORESTER.

4 eeee<~~~~~seees~e~~ ~@~~~~s~~~~es~~a
They say there's no doubt of the
! operations success Stanley was say
/ ing happily. We're hoping he'll be
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' 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
tain. l wish you and Miss Sturges
could come over and see him. He
asks every day for you BOTH
Esther slipped away into the vestry
and laid away the hangings. There
was small passageway that led out
into the old-fashioned garden between
the church and the rectory, and she
slipped out that way instead of wait
ing for her mother and her friends.
The air was sweet with spring
odors. There had been a light, quick
rain, and everything seemed to ex-
ude 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 understanding
had made them so companionable, and
it was companionship he craved most
ly. Their common love of music, too,
was another strong factor.
But as no had grown more fervent
in his love for her she had evaded
him. Knowing his great love for beau
tiful things she believed that IL 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 coloring.
Roy himself was like q picture she
had seen once Of a young Olympian
racer, tall and blond, with the Greek
profile and only the closed, fiuttering
eyelids to tell of what he lacked. But
she was little and brown, brown hair
and eyes, skin that always freckled
with tho first spring winds and fea-
lures that were Gallo in their irregu-
lar provocative contour.
She passed some boys bearing
palms into the church for Easter serv-
ice. There would be full choral
service, with the mixed choir, and she
was to sing in the cffertory anthem.
She made an excuse that afternoon
while her mother went to call on Roy.
When she heard that they had taken
the bandages of his eyes and that he
could 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 win
dow above the altar. Which one. he
asked himself, which of them all was
| Esther?
Not until there came the hush be-
fore the offertory did he see her. As
he took his place at the grand old
organ, she rose with the others, but
when he began her solo. he saw her
face, not turned toward him, but lift
ed as she sang the beautiful words.
Esther, you stay and see IL any
of the flowers need changing, dear.
win your" asked Mrs. Sturges after
| services.
She was glad of the excuse. Out
in the garden. people crowded in the
bright sunlight. She dreaded meeting
Roy there before them all, having to
bear his gaze when he first looked on
| her.
She fingered among tho palms and
flowers until all was quiet out of
doors. then she stepped into the gar
den and found him waiting for her
| there.
Il 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
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 / knew you loved all
things beautiful, and" she laughed
and shook her head-"Roy, I'm not
even pretty"
You are all I ever wanted" he en-.
claimed. Don't you know what it
all meant to me, the understanding
and sympathy and you-the girl |
came to know SO well? When heard
you sing this morning and saw your
dear face for the first time could
hardly play the anthem. II l had
only loved you through the human
vision, dear, would that have been