Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-08-02

place the canary birds within the cage, and
the rose and geranium in chair by her
That when the glorious moment arrived, she
might first open her eyes upon the dearest
object of her heart.
hopes were realized at once. Years seem
ed compressed into single moment of in
expresslble Joy. She spoke, with n full
heart of the pleasure in which she should
lndnlge-of visiting her playmates, CONVEX
sing with them, and most of all, seeing then
face to face. 1t was no moment to think OF
even breathe of disappointment. But alas
how often does some dark shadow suddenl,
TALL upon our hopes when they are the high.
est aud brightest, TO dispel and eclipse
them forever Her feelings became SO
wrought up, and she longcd to sec, that
suddenly, at moment when her spirits
were most excited, and regardless of the
voice that had warned her, she tore the ban.
dage from her eyes, as innocent smiles play.
ed upon her lips, with the heartfelt excam-
alton, "I must see you mother I"
All was dark aud dim as midnight to the
poor girl. Her feelings and those of her
mother, SO different in their character, a,
this moment, must be left to Imagination
if indeed they can be fully imagined. Who
shall number the bright hopes that were
suddenly eclipsed!
Clara, my own Clara !" exclaimed the
mother in the anguish Of her heart.
How could you disappoint me, mother!
Forgive, oh, forgive me--DUk--dmk-
dark !--Al-seeing God, forgive me p
The once gay and beautiful Clara Revere
is no longer among the living. For sever
al years after her sight was hopelessy gone,
and disastrous eclipse" had fallen upon
her in the manner | have narrated, blight
ing her hopes and her biissful dreams, she
lived entirely shut out from the world. She
still retained her surprising beauty, but
cheerfulness had passed away from her spir-
1t forever. The joys Of earth seemed to
have been suddenly stricken out from her
heart Her parents, it may well be suppos-
ed, were almost inconsolable at the mourn
fol spectacle, which their daughter exhib
tied. Every effort to restore her former
buoyancy and gaiety was unavailng. Her
heart was broken, and (if may coin pc.
etical passage) although
he stricken heat,
Like to tho bleeding bird thut cannot sing,
An bnihc its puions in the golden ali,
llive, and live, and broksny live on
she seemed no longer to have a wish that
she might be restored to sight or even to
live. Occasionally, indeed, the light of the
expiring taper would flicker up, for a mo-
ment, and then as suddenly die away. As
she was sometimes led out upon the lawn in
front of the house, and heard the sweet mu-
sic of the birds, or inhaled the fragrance OF
the flowers, she would give utterance to all
occasional exclamation of delight and 10y
and then, as if some heavy affection were
casting its shadow over her spirit, she would
sink into her former sadness, and sorrow
would be imaged in every line Of her beau
tful countenance. If at such times you
had passed the cottage at the foot of the
hill, you might have seen a little girl, whose
duty it was to lead her by the hand or watch
her footsteps, reading from a thumb-worn
volume, as they sat beneath the old elm
and If you listened attenlvely, you would
have found the volume to be the bible. and
that she was reading Of the blind man who
was restored to sight. Her health and del
icate frame at length gave way under the
blight and disappointment which had fallen
upon her, and the poor thing was consign-
ed to the grave, at the spot on which we
are sitting. She had but few of the pleas
ures of liie-but few of the treasures OF
this world, but she had laid up in heaven
riches which are incorruptible, and which
cannot pass away. Yes, the little blind girl
will SEE in heaven and who shall say she
is not even now looking down upon us from
her blissful abode, as we mingle our tears
by this simple slab which marks her burial.
place.
" 1t is a sad tale" said |, as the old SEX
ton ended his recital, "and if you will
pluck me flower from her grave l will
cherish it till its cup closes, aud withers in
death, as symbol of the sweet girl who
sleeps beneath the sod upon which it lavish.
es its iragrance."F
+This little sketch by creation Of the fancy
The main features of il. Of leustihat which represents
CId as tearing away tbs banages from her eyes that she