Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-08-02
" Are you not happy, my daughter ~

ADMIRE It's beautiful color, and now II u
summer again, and every one has seen i
but me. The birds sing, but see then
not"
" My dear Clara, do not pine aud grievt
at your misfortune. We will hope for thu
best, and pray that y, u may soon be restored
to sight. What if | should tell you that the
physician may be here to see you to-mor
row."
Will he, mother? oh, will he !" amos
shrieked the little girl.
The physician was expected to come the
next day and perform an operation upon hel
eyes. Mrs. Revere had kept this intelli
gence from her daughter till the last mo-
ment, from an unwillingness TO hatter the
poor child with any false or deusve hopes.
She was restrained also from breaking the
news to her, from an apprehension that
should the operation be unsuccessful and
the chance was very slight that it would be
otherwse-so sudden blight of her heart.
warnings and hopes, which had acquired
intensity from the nutriment which years Of
affection had inistered-would prove ia.
tai, and strike down the little sufferer from
their side. 1t is impossible to describe the
effect OF the annunciation of the inelli.
gence upon her. Her simple exclamation
of delight gives but faint idea of her feel.
ings at that moment. Her cheeks crimson.
ed suddenly, and she wept for joy. Mrs
Revere was alarmed.
My daughter !"
ooh, will he? did you say so! will he
then, restore me to sight? Then shall
see you, mother. | shall see the robin tina,
has sung for SO many years at morning and
evening upon the old tree, whose sweet
song have almost got by heart. Day after
day hear fathers step as he comes up the
path, and sweet is the sound. But | shall
see him now / shall see him. Oh tell me
mother, how does he look ! Is his face as
kind and pleasant as he talks? Shall !,
then, see, see tomorrow Oh, do not, do
not disaPpoint me this time r'
Thus did the sweet girl run on, delight
ed, enraptured, almost frantic with Joy.
My sweet Clara, you must not raise
your hopes too high. Be assured that your
father and mother would make any sacri.
lice that would restore their daughter to
sight. Were it possible, they would either
of them consent to be blind, that you might
see. The physician will come tomorrow,
but you must not expect to see Immediately.
1t may be months-it may be-"
"Oh, say not so, dear mother | will
undergo anything for my sight-enGure any
pain without murmur, that NAV not only
hear your voice, but greet your smiles, and
see you welcome me to new life. Oh say
not so, mother
Such natural, artless and unaffected lam
guage was inexpressibly touching to her
whose very existence seemed bound up in
her only child. Her feelings OH such occa-
slons can be but family imagined.
Clara, my dear, you must be calm, and
we will pray that the skill of the physician
may restore you to sight"
al will, | will, mother but oh, do not,
do not diSappoint me this time !"
Such expressions went to the mothers
heart. Mrs. Revere, as | have said, was
apprchensive that Clara would attempt to
grasp too suddenly, too eagerly at what
might not be realized, that her thoughts
would centre upon nothing but the idea of a
complete restoration to sight; and oh il
their prayers and wishes could not be crown.
ed with that blessed contamination which
they hoped and for which they so ardently
prayed, she trenbled lest bitter disappoint-
ment should follow, and lead to settled
and confirmed melancholy, that would eth
er deihrone her reason or send her to the
grave. Her exclamation, "Do not disap-
point me" was repeated earnestly aud often
alter the brief conversation detailed and
when, the next day, the physician was an
nounced, whom Clara had fanced that she
heard coming to her relief in every step
towards the house, she burst into an almost
uncomfortable gush Of tears.
! Mrs. Revere speechless with grief, and
wholly unable to control her emotions while
witnessing the frantic delight of her darling
child, as she dwelt upon the prospect Of
seeing her, took her husband by the hand,
and without speaking word, entered an
adjoining room. There they knet together
and offered iervent suppication to the Al
mighty, that the operation about to be per.
formed might, in his good pleasure, lead to
the restoration of their beloved child, and
that she might not be lost to them forever
In darkened room this beautiful CIR
was seated, accompanied only by her par
ents, while the physician commenced the
performance of his cure. The operation
was painful i'll the extreme, exceeding diff
cult to perform, aud of very delicate char
actcr. 1t was last resort, and the sub
mission with which this girl of fifteen bore
up under it, was astonishing and admirable
She was calm, and scarcely murmur esca
ped her lips. Every thing was at last hap
pity completed, and bandage was placec
over her eyes. The remedy was not Ger
tain, but the chances were greatly in he
favor that it would be completely successful
not Immediately, but in a few weeks a
most. On one point, however, the physi
clan had warned her parents, freely telling
them that if their child was not calm ant
quiet, and especially if she we're to tear tn,
bandage from her eyes, her case would b,
beyond human skill, and her eyesight los
forever If she were extremely careful
they were assured she would, in all proba
bility, be able soon to see. Soon to see =
The thought Of it thrilled through her soul
lnpartlng new existence to the poor girl
This was glorious news to Clara--so de
lightsul that the warning which accompan
led it was lost upon her ear. Hardly hat
the operator departed, ere she began to dis
course of her returning sight. Seated il
the chair, which she was cautioned not /,
leave, she almost shouted with delight, ant
longed to bound, in the excess of her 10Y