The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-08-16


for all their present wants. hut Allan.
though blind was not idle H. immediate
~ began IN instruct himself in tie various
departments oil hind mnn's work i
loom was purchased and IN few Weeis
he was heatI singing 10 the sound OF his
hy-shuttlc IL merry AS III. hull-fnCh IN Tia
cage that hung at the low window Of his
roam. lie was not long in finding ot.t the
way uC plating rush-rugs and wicker bas-
kets-the figure of ut, ol which Nrrc soon,
as II were, visible through his very iingers ;
and before six months We're over, Allan
Bruce aud his wife we're said TO hr getting
rich, and warm blessing broke from eve
~ heart upon them, aud their virtues and
unreplnlng industry.
Allan lad always been fond of music,
and his voiee was the fines, t,'iior in all tIte
kirk. So that he began in the evenings ol
winter To teach u school for sacred music
and thus every hour was turned to ae-
count. Allan rcpined not now--nay at
times he felt az if his blindness were bless
sing-t it forced hun To trust IL his own
soul--to turn for comfort 10 the best and
purest human ailcclions--ald to see God
always.
Whatever misgiYings of mind Allan
bfute might have eNperienced--Mhateser
ImhtlnSs and sicknings and deadly swoons
of despair might have overcome his heart
IT was NOT loug before he was freed
man from all his slavery. He Mas not IN
INJURED, like many as worthy rs he, in N.
Asylum he was not an ineunbrance upon
a poor father, sitting idle aud in the Wy
OF others, beside an lll-fcd fire, and sea,I-
~ board he was not forced To pace step
by step along the lamp lighted streets and
squares ola city forcing oHt beautiiul mit-
SIC 10 gam few pieces of cQin from PASS
era by, entranced for moment by sweet
sounds, plaintiye or jocund he was nal II
boy-led bcggar along the highway under
Ike sicknng suRshine or the chilling slert
with an AFFECT lia', ahjectly protrudcd with
"A cold heart for colder charity, bu, he was
although he htmbly felt and acknowlrlg
ed, that he was IN nothing more worth,
than these, 4 man loadet with many bles-
smss. Warin-d by eol..iant ,nele, laugh
ed round by a flock of joyful children,
love lighted by u wife, who Was TO him at
once music aud radiance while his house
stood in the middle Of village of which
all the inhabitants were his friends, and al
alI whose hands the knock was known
when il touched his door, Social whose vol.
cesthc tone was felt when il kindly accosted
him in wood, in the field, in The garden, by
the river side, by the hospitablc board of 4
neighbour, Or in the church yard az
sce1blaSc before entering into the house Of
God.
Thus did years pass along. Children
were born % h"m--iivcd--werr healthy
and well behaved. 4 blessing rested upon
them, :. al tia belonged to them, the nam.
Of Blind Allan" carried with il Far * near,
an authority, that could belong only to yr-
tue, piety, and faith tried by allliction, aud
found 70 stand fast,
Ten years ago, when thay married, Al.
Ian Bruce and Fanny Raoturn were among
the poorest OF the poor, aud had 1T pleased
God 20 Send sickness among them, hard
had been thrir lot. But now they lived in
better housa-Wth a largp gardcn-and D
few fields, Hith two COWS of their own
Alan had Wa.Amen under HIM, a b3eltet
maker nov ON Il considerable soaIc--and
bis Hit'a had her apprentices toe, the best
dfess-lnaLer IN al tn country round.
1Ley were rich. Their children were nj
school. &. all thiugs, belonging both 10 outei
\ iAnctiiie, had prospefed to their hearts de
sile.--hllan eauId walk about many f,ni
lar places unattended but that seldom
happened, for while his children were al
school he was engaged in his business !;
* when they came home there was always
a loving contest among them who should
be allowed 10 take hold Of their fathers
hand " hen bc went out on his evening walk
We'll did he know the tread ot each loving
creatures footstcp--their very breath When
their yoircs were silent. Ohe touch of Il
head rs it danced pasl him, or remained
by his s!de-one pressure Of an
arm nj CA hl5 kncc--one laugh from a cor
ner, was enough to tell him which of his
children Wis there and ia theif most con.
fused NOSE and nc.rimcnt, his err W8uld
have known II one romPug imp had been
away. So perfectly accustomed had he
long been 10 his situation, thai Il might al
most he SAID that he was unconscious OF
being blind, or that he had forgotten that
his eyes once saw. Long tad Allan
Bruce indeed brcn the happoat Of the blind.
Itchanced ii this lime, ,hat, among par
.ty VINO was visiting his straw pIanufartory,
there was surgeon eelebrated Tor his skill
in operations upon the eye, who expressed
an oplniun that Allan sight might be at least
partially restored, and offered not only IL
perform the operation, nat i Allan would
reside fer some weeks in Edinburg, 10 zee
him every day, ill it was known whether
his case vas or was not hopeless ONT
Allan's circumstances were now such as 10
make fcw weeks, or even months conine-
ment Of no importance to him and though
he sal. 20 his wife that lie was aYcrse to
submit to IN operation that might disturb
the lqpg formed quiet aad contentment Of
his mipd by hopes never to be realized,
yet those hopes Of onee more seeing Ilea-
ven's dear light, gradually removed all his