The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-11-11

\ 1890 ~AJ NAAPPAAieo o~NAANH-
When l was a little girl some
years before my accident, l used to
see the young fellow at the window
Of the adjacent house The family
had just moved In, but we did not
know each other. In large towns this
is often the way. SUPPOSE we were
interested in each other as boy and
girl are apt to be, but if we glanced
at each other it was with an aspect
OF unconcern, the mere casual look
that one bestows upon stranger.
am three years older than Madge,
my sister, and it always behooved me
to set her a good example. Perhaps
on that account l was especially anx-
ious that she should not see me ex-
change glances with the boy at the
window opposite And Madge was al
ways the beauty, while am plain.
what ! could do Madge must not do
without more serious consequences.
The house was ours. Our parents
had died when we were small. and an
aunt came to live with US and take
charge. When she died l was twenty
two and Madge nineteen. We stayed
on IN the house, but our annuity was
a tiny one There was Just enough
money used to talk about our future.
OF course we both expected to be
married.
III marry first" said Madge, "you
will come and live With US until you
marry
"Who would marry an ugly duckling
like me?' asked, though in my heart
knew some day the man would come.
Madge was indignant with me. She
always saw me through the glasses
of love- But beside Madge I was d
black little dwarf. Madge had one Of
those saints faces, and wealth Of
golden hair that made her wonderful.
II we had been like other girls-I
mean, used to social life-her admir-
ers would have been innumerable.
All this while the family had lived
next door. We had come to know
them slightly. Roger, the young man,
was away at college. We had not
seen him for years.
Then came the accident 1t was a
fall from our car in a collision, and
when / recovered consciousness was
lying at home in my own bed, and
the room was darkened. Before me
sat Madge. She told me was getting
better, after three weeks of terrifying
Inconsistencies.
The days passed and felt stronger.
I wondered why the look Of pain re-
manned on Madge's face At last they
told me- / should never be able to
walk without clutches again
For whole year 1 was an invalid
One day a famous visiting surgeon
passed through our town. He spent
four hours here, and two of them were
at my beside. Madge had brought
him, pleading that he should come
and examine me. He shook his head
frankly when he had completed the
examination.
"There is one man who can re-
place the knee in the socket, and that
is OchS Of Vienna" he said. ut has
been tried in our hospitals, but never
successfully. He has a special technic
for repairing the atropMed ligaments.
You must go to him If you wish to
get we'll"
When he was gone Madge and l
stared at each other in dismay. Even
If the great surgeon were willing to
70 fpr 81 Ia
to 60 to Vienna unless-we sold the
house!
We'll sell it." said Madge.
OF course / refused, and that was
the beginning of our first big quarrel.
For days Madge went about with a
sullen face. But l would not give
way. How could / jeopardize our fu-
ture, her future, in order to get my
knee Strengthened?
Finally we arrived at compromise.
The house should be sold-after
Madge married. Then, if she married
well, we could afford the sacrifice. l
could live on less than two needed,
and the knee could wait Tke sur
ScOu udu Sdiu luul. IL COuIu wall
three years before it was too late to
operate Madge must get married
within three years.
Il hope it won't be that long, Jen-
n.y." she said, as she kissed me in
reconciliation.
Soon after that the young man be-
gan to appear at the window opposite
again.
My invalid chair was by the window.
could no longer help seeing him
when he was there The initiative
had, so to speak, passed out of my
hands.
One day great surprise awaited
me. Madge had struck up a friend
ship with the boy next door. After
that he used to venture to smile at
me, and ! smiled back. Madge had
told me that he wanted to be intro
duced to me; meanwhile 1 felt that
we were practically acquainted.
1t is surprising what new interests
an invalid acquires. I used to watch
him through the window, as he sat
writing at his table. He meant to be
an author, Madge told me, and, hay
ing a little income of his own, he
would not be driven to the expedient
Of writing trash for a livelihood He
hoped to do something big some day.
But, Jenny" she said, when are
fr,rx 30 lat h,s,1