't heaven yet! And I'm
concerned just now about helping myself to live the rest of this life
the best way I can. I can knit like a machine and I like to knit
socks----"

The remainder was left unsaid for the strong arms of her boy surrounded
her and held her close while his lips were pressed upon her forehead.

"Such a mother," he breathed, as if the touch of her forehead bestowed a
benediction upon him. "Such a mother!"

In the morning he brought the news to the Metz farmhouse.

"Blind?" Phoebe cried.

David nodded.

"Blind! Mother Bab blind? Oh, it's too awful!"

"My goodness," Aunt Maria said with genuine sorrow, "now that's too bad!
Her blind and you goin' off to war soon!"

"I'm going up to see her," said Phoebe, and went off with David.

Mother Bab heard the girl's step and called gaily, "Phoebe, is that you?
I declare, it sounds like you!"

Phoebe ran to the room where Mother Bab sat alone. The girl could not
speak at first; she twined her arms about the woman while her heart
ached with its poignant grief. Again it was the afflicted one who
turned comforter. "Come, Phoebe, you mustn't cry for me. Laugh like you
always did when you came to see me."

"Laugh! Oh, Mother Bab, I can't laugh!"

"But, Phoebe, I'll want you to come up to see me every day when you can
and you surely can't cry every time and be sad, so you might as well
begin now to be cheerful."

"But, Mother Bab, can't something be done?"

"Dr. Munster, the big doctor I saw in Philadelphia, said that only a big
operation might help me, but he's not sure that even it would do any
good. And, of course, we have no money for it and at my age it doesn't
matter so much."

Later, as Phoebe walked down the hill again, she kept revolving in her
mind what Mother Bab had said about the operation. An inspiration
suddenly flashed to her. The wonder of it made her stand still in the
road.

"I know! I'll buy sight for Mother Bab! I will! I must! If it's only
money that's necessary, if there's any wonderful doctor can operate on
her eyes and make her see again she's going to see! Oh, glory! What a
happy thought! I'm the happiest girl since that idea came to me! The
money I meant to spend on more music lessons next winter will be put to
better use; it will give Mother Bab a chance to see again! Why, I'd
rather have her _see_ than be able to call myself the greatest singer in
the world! But she'll never let me spend so much money for her. I know
that