Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-04-04
S E L ECT TALE.
THE BLIND BOY.
AN AFFECTING STORY.

pf William HaIeck aud though poverty
Law like dark mist on his prospects, and
sometimes pressed heavily on his heart, yet
the hardy and pIous farmer toiled patiently
along the thony path he found marked out
for hun. 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
once a living Joy aud living sorrow. His
fourth child was bright aud beautiful boy
bur God had shut out from his mind the
PERCEPTION OF all visible lovelIness. Henry
was born blind. The hearts of The parents
were troubled when the terrible suspicion
first came upon their minds, that the fair in-
tan on whom they eazed lay IN a world OF
darkness. Manv and various were the ex-
perlmenIs they uried to ascertain the truth,
and it was long after every friend and
neighbor that looked upon the child had ex-
pressed his melancholy conviction, ere the
father and molher would shut their hearts
against all hope. But the boy grew and
streng hened hls hlIle limbs became ac-
tive; lie stood by his moIher's knee he
grasped her hand and walked totIerIng at
her side !; language came III due season TO
his tongue and hls artless pralte and happy
laugh were The loudest and hvelest IN the
house Yet vision was still wanting, and
ihe earth aud all II contained, even tie faces
OF those he best loved, were shut from his
gaze. He was born 10 be a poor useless,
helpless blind boz and the hearts of his
parents sometimes ached 10 the core as they
looked On his blooming cheek and sightless
eyes, and thought of the future.
But the voice oil complaint was sound
unknown beneath the roof Of William Hal
leck, and the hymn of Thanksgiving ascend
ed every evening from the lips of his family
circle. the deep sleep OF The weary came
OH their eyeids.
Three winters in succession had a rheu-
matte fever laid one OF the daughters OF
William Halleck on the bed of sickness !;
vet She. too. like the rest OF that humble
household, was industrious, coutented, and
pIous. She was two years older than Hen
ry; and "a mutual sense of snhrmlty had
knit the bonds of a brothers aud sisters 5
love most closely between them. When
the invalid first rose from the weary bed of
pain. and went forth under the blue sky of
spring, il was the strengthening arm of
Henry that supported her; and when the
blind boy asked of thlngs that were shut up
from none but him, IL was the soft voice of
Mary that answered his questions, and pour
ed into his mind the delight of new ideas.
1t was Henry who sat by Mary's bedside in
wants. He knew by her breathing when
she slept, and remained still and silent IN
his darkness Till she woke. He knew by
the very tones of her voice when she was
better aud when she was worse, and though
he stole about the room with the bent head
aud ou stretched hand of the blind, he sell
dom missed finding any thing that Mary
wanted. Aud II was Mary who gave Henry
that knowledge oil the Being who made him,
which was bright light TO his mind, and
shed over his spirit hope more gaddening
than the sunshine which cheered all OUT
ward things.
As >oou as pain ceased 10 rack her joints,
aud strength ~as in measure restored 10
her lilnbs, Mary was wont TO arise and re-
turn aukfuliy TO those emplOyments IN
which she alone was permitted TO assist the
tolls OF her family. The first warm days of
spr,ag were 10 Henry days OF reiolclng.-
As sosa as he felt their breath, he used to
hasten into the house crying with glad
voice, Summer is coming, and Mary will
get we'll !. To him the first note OF the rob-
En told not of the verdure and blossoms
which were soon cover the face of nature
with beauty: but il announced that she
whom he loved would be freed from her
main. and come out with HIM INTO the pure
a II,
ing fragrant wild flowers, listening 10 the
music OF the winds, waters, and birds: and
talking to him cheeriuliy and usetully. Ma
ry was entering upon her seventeenth spring;
and before the April SHOWS had mel,ed from
the fields, she was already so well that she
sal up as she was accustomed in her little
window, plying her needle with busy and
skilful hand There came a heavy storm Of
ram with warm south winds, and in one
night tile snowy mantle of the earth had
vanished, aud the fields lay bare and brown
the next day, beneath clear sky and a
warm sun. Ii was beautiful morning, and
unseen influences were busy liz the trees
thar stretched their arms silently to The
gentle breeze The leaf was preparing 10
pun firth, the green blade 10 sprout, and The
pulses of man beat lightly and happily under
The sneil OF the season. Henry ielt the soft
west wind on his cheek and heard the first
notes of The spring birds. As soon as the
sun rode hign IN the heavens, he went to
Summon Mary from her tolls, 10 walk with
aim as far IA. the tireal Oak. a spot which
size loved, because il commanded a wide and
beautiful prospect, aud which was dear 10
Slim because She loved il, and because il
xyas always the end of their first walk IN
spring. Mary hesiared, for she feared the
riampmess of the ground hut Henry had
gone with young brother all the way up
90 the Great Oak OH purpose, and assured
her the path was dry. She stood at the do"r,
and as she looked up at the clear and beau
aiiui skv, around on The landscape, and
again on the pleading face of her blind
brother, she could not 6nd in her heart to
say No. They Went out together, aud
Mary was glad she had gone. Her own
heart seemed to expand with quiet happi
ness as she walked. Wha, invalid is not
happy in breathing the open air for the first
fine. after tedious months of confinement.
and feels not as if the simplest act of ex-
is,ence were in itself luxury? Henry
went leaping by her side with short and Joy
Gus bounds, pouring forth the exuherance OF
his spirits in the songs she had taught HIM
asking a thousand questions, aud sometimes
stopping 10 listen when the sounti OF
sbeep-bell, the note of bird, or the mur
mur of a distant voice. struck on his quicE
ear. When The way was rough, he walked
closer to her side, holding her hand tightly
and seeming as if made happier by the pen
s;ve smiles on that pale face he could mol
see. He asked her sometimes IT The walk
was making her cheeks red. for then he
knew that his father would say she was we'll
and sometimes he furnished her with food
for reflection. as she wondered what ideas
,ys,. conveyed 10 hs mind by the terms he
had learned to use in speaking of visible OBJ
iects. At last they came to The Great Oak
and as they sat resting together on rock
under its leafiess branches, the galefy OF The