Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-04-13

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rDr1rD ss-eaAnLrs Dterrxs
J boy, ny peer blind boz p

the lips 81 mrs Owens IS she lay upon the
couch to which . iDhg and wasting Hines.
had confined her and whence she veil knsu
she was never more 90 rise.
Her son the only eAild Of her widowed
hearth. the sel8 object Sf her cares and affec.
items, knelt beside her. his face bowed upop
her pillow, fer new only, in moment Of sol.
emu communion with Bis mother. had she
revealed she fatal truth, and told him she
must sosn die BE had watched aud hoped,
and trembled for mar3 weary months but
never yet had he ad9itted 70 himself the
possibility cf losipg hsr; her fading cheek
and sunken eye could net reveal 80 him the
i progress Of decay gsnd % long as the loved
voice maintaiaed is music to bis ear and
chcerel him with promise Of improvement,
50 long as her hand still clasped his, he had
hoped she would recover
He had been blind since he was three
years old stricken BY lightning, he had TO-
tally lost his sight A dim remembrance Of
his widowed mothers face. her smoothly
braided hair, and flowing white dress, was
one Of the few reeollections entwined with
the period before sll became dark to him
The boy grew up tall, slender. delicate,
with dark pensiye eyes which bore 20 trace
Of the calamity that had destroyed their
powers Of vision grave, Though not sad !;
/ dreamy, enthusiastic, and requiting his
laother's care with the deepest yenefation
ind tenderness! In the FIRST years Of his
childhood, and whenever his education did
not take them to London and elsewhere,
they had resided near tewn on the sea coast
in one of the prett est parts Of England
. In 4 IL - L. L Il.
which very rarely fails to be shown towards
any person WHO'S blind, there was that about
both the widow and her soa Nhioh inyaria-
bly, rendered them acceptable guests; for
their intellectual resources and powers of
conversation, we're equally diversified and
uncommon. Mrs Owens had studied much
in order to teach her son, and thus, by i'm
proving her natural abilities, had become a
person Of no common stamp her intellect
uality. however, being always subscrvientto,
and fifty Swallowed by, the superior feminine
attributes love, gentleness and sympathy
for Heaven help the woman in whom these
gifts are not predominant over any mental
endowments w whatsoever
When they walked cut together his moth
er took his arm !; lie was proud Of that, he
liked TO fancy he was some support to her,
and many pityir eyes used latterly to fol.
low the figure Of tie widow in the black dress
she constantly wore, aud the tall pale son on
whom she leaned con6dingly, rs If striving
with sweet deception to convince him that
he was indeed the staff of her declining
strength. But gradually the mothers fora
grew bent, her step dragged YEARLY along,
ard the expression of her a4indicated in.
end aud before longshe was too feeble to
leave her bed, excepting to DO carried TO
summer parlor, where she lay upon sofa
beside an open window, with flowers twining
around the easement, and the warm sunshine
filing I'll things with Joy, save her forebo-
ding heart and the anxious son who inces-
Esautly hung over her Friends often came
!. to visit them, and turned away with deep
sadness as they noted the progress of her
amalaay, and heard the blind man ask each
time whether they did net think her better
oh, surely little better than when they last
beheld herr
4 Among all these, no friend was 50 welcome
sor brought such solaee to the sick room as
Mary Parker, JOYOUS girl Of nineteen. one
Of the beauties Of the county, and the admi-
ration aud delight Of all who knew her
J.
and Edward used to make baskets and weave
garlands for her when be was boy of twelve,
I and she, little fairy Of six years old or
whereabouts, stoed beside him, praising bis
! skill, and wondering how be could manage
50 cleyerly though blind None Of his child
| ish companions everied him go carefully as
:iMary, or seemed So much impressed with bis
mental superiority she would leave those
1games of her playmates in which his blind
ness prevented him from joining, and would
listen for hours to the stories with which bis
memory was well stored, or which his ewn
Inauguration enabled him to invent
As she grew up. there was no change in
the frank and esufding nature Of their in
terceurse Mary still made him the recipi-
ent of her girlish secrets, and plans, and
dreams, just as she had done Of Der little
'griefs and joys IN childhood; asked him to
| quote his fayorite passages Of poetry, or sta
tened herself near him at the piano. suggest
ing subjects fer him TO play which be extern
perized at her bidding Bright and bloom
ing as Mary was, the life Of every party,
beaming With animation and enjoyment, no
attention was capable Of rendering her I'M
mindful of him, and she was often known
TO sit cut several dances in an evening to
talk 70 dear Edward OHen, who would Be
sad if he thoaght himself neglected
And now she daily visited the invalid
her bueyant spirits tempered by sympathy
for her increasing suferings; but stifI diff
fusing such an atmosphere Of sunshine and
hope around her, that glosn and desponden.
cy seemed to vanish at her presence. I'd
wards sightless eyes were always raised ia
her bright face, as If be felt the magic in.
fuencs it impaired
+ His neither had noted all this With moth.
er's watchfulaSss; and, on that dav. when
strong in her love, she had undertaken "a
break to hin the fact which all others shrauL
from eomnunicating. abe spoke likewise d
Mary, and Of the vague Wild hone she had
always cherished Of one dsy seeing her Ii,
wife
man. Dearest mother, il this you are moi
true to yourselfl What Would Won wish
% see her in al Der spring -tine of youth sni
beauty sacrificed . sach one as i Ito Sc,
Mary, a. you have described her 70 ne. :.
my ssul tells ne she Is. tied down 20 bs a.
1 guide, and leader, snd support Of one II,
could net make enc step IN her defence
whose kelpIossGeSs alo1e in the ewes a n,h
Ut6ld be bis means 81 shelterinf kni mo
teetihg Der Wsnla ypu hear Ter p::,;ed-
osE bright h.ry Pitisd -as Blind Man
wife. motharF
'Bus Edward II she lsves you, Is I -
sure she does
Love ne, moiherl Yes. as angels Low
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