The Delaware register, or, Farmers', manufacturers' & mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1829, 1829-01-24

THE BLIND BOY.

Ii
Seven children gathered around the board of Viii
liam Halleck and though poverty lay like dark mist
on his prospects, and sometimes pressed heavily ON his
heart, vet the hardy and pous farmer toied patiently
ang the thorny path he found marked out for him.
Death had never entered his doors; but sickness had
come often, with fatigue, expense, anxiety and sorrow
in her train and beneath his roof dwelt one being
at lnce living Joy and living sorrow. Ills fourth
child was a bright and beautiful boy but God had
shut out from his mind the perception Of oil visible
oyelness Henry was born blind. The hearts Of
the parents were troubled when the terrible suspicion
first came upon their minds, that the fair infant on
whom they gazed, lay in a world Of darkness. Many
and varoHs the experiments they tried to ascer-
tain the truth, and twas long after every friend and
neghbor that looked upon the child had expressed his
melancholy conviction, ere the father and mother
would shut their hearts against all hope. But the boy
grew and strengthened his little limbs became ac-
i've he stood by his mothers knee lie grasped her
lln, and walked tottering at her side language came
in due season to his tongue. and his artess pratte and
hpy laugh were the loudcst and the happes in the
house. Yet vision was still wanting, and the earth
and all it contained, even the faces Of those he best
loved were shut from his gaze lie was born to be a
poor, useless helpless blind boy, and tie hearts of the
parents sometimes ached TO the as they looked on
his blooming cheek and sightlcss eyes, and thought Of
the future.
But the voice of complaint was a sound unknown
beneath the roof of William IIalleck, and the hymn
of thanksgiving assembled every evening from the lips
of his family circle, the deep sleep of the weary
came on their eyeids.
Three winters in succession had a rheumatic fever
ald one of the daughters of William Haleck on the
bed of sickness yet she, too like the rest oa that
humble household, was industrious, contented, and
pous. She was two years older than Henry andthe
mutual sense of infirmity had knit the bonds of a
brothers. and sisters love most closely between
them. When the invalid first from the weary bed
Of pain, and went forth under the blue sky of spring,
II was the strengthened arm of Henry that supported
licr and when the blind boy asked of things that
were shut up from none but him. it the soft voice
o. ary that answered his questions, and poured into
Ills mind the delight of new ideas. 1t was Henry who
sat BY NaW's bedside in her hours OF suffering, and
mustered to her wants. lie knew By her breathing
%len she slept and remained still and silent in his
darkness till she woke He knew by the very tones
o. her voice when she was better and when she was
worse, and though he stole about her room with the
eh head and outstretched hand of the Blind he sell
dom missed finding any thing that Mary wanted. And
was Mary who gave Henry that knowledge of the
being who made him, which bright light to his
mind, and shed over his spirit hope more gladden.
ing than the sunshine which chcered all outward
things.
AS soon as pain ceased to rack her Joints and
Vength was ma measure restored to her limbs Ma