Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-04-26
MISCELLANY.
THE BLIND MANS WREATH
FROM DICKENS HOUSEHOLD WORDS.

"Mv boy, my poor blind boy"
This sorrowiul exclamation broke from the
fps of Mrs Owen. as she laid upon couch TO
which "a long wasting illness had confined her,
aud whence she well knew she was never more
to rise.
Her son, the only child of a widowed hearth,
thc sole object of her cares apd affections, knet
beside her, hin face bowed upon her pillow, for
nov only, in moment of solemn communion
with his mother, had she revealed the fatal truth,
aud told him she must soon de He had watch
ed and hoped, and trembled for many weary
months, but never yet had admitted to himsefthe
possibility Of losing her; her fading cheek and
sunkep eye could not reveal to him the progress
Of decay, and long as the loved voice main; aIl'-
ed its music to his cur and cheered him with pro-
mise ofimprovement, so long as her hand clasped
bis, he had hoped she would recover. ......
He had been Blind snce he was three years
old; stricken by lightning, he had totally lest his
eight. A dim remembrance Of his widowed moth
er's face, her smoothly braided hair, and white
flowing dress, was one of the few recoections
entwined with the period before all became dark
to him.11a,1 E7,@
The boy grew up. tall, slender, delicate, with
dark pensive eyes which bore no trace of the ca
lamity that had destroyed the powers of vison;
grave, though not sad; dreamy, enthusiastic, and
requitting mothers care with the deepest venera-
ton and tenderness. in the first years OF his
childhood, and also whenever his education did
not take him to London and elsewhere, they had
resided near town on the sea-coast in one OF the
ptcttiest parts Of England.
INDEPENDENTLY OF the natural Kindness which
very rarely fails to be shown towards any person
who is blind, there was that about both the widow
and her son which invariably rendered them ac-
ceptable guests; for their intellectual resources,
and powers Of conversation, were equally dyersl-
fed and uncommon. Mrs. Owen had studied
much in order to teach her son, and thus, by i'm
proving her natural abilities, had become person
OF no common stamp, her intellectually however
being always subservent to, and fifty Shadowed
by, the superior feminine attributes of love, gen
tisncss, ard sympathy; for Heaven help the Wo
man in whom these gifts are not predominant oveI
any mental endowments whatsoever =
When they walked outtogether his mother TOOK
his drm; he was proud Of that, he liked to fancy
he was a support to her, and many plying eyes
used latterly to follow the figure of the widow II
the black dress she constantly wore, and the tai
pale son on WHOM she loaded cQnfdingly, as j
striving with assweet deception to convince hin
that he was indeed the staff of her declining
strength! But gradually the mothers form grew
beat, hef step dragged wearily along, and the ex
preston Of her face indicated increasing weak
ness. sThe walks were at an end; and befor
long she was too feeble to leave her bed, except
iDe to. be carried to a summer gparler, where sh
IaY upon q, sofa beside a window, with flower
twining around the easement. and the warm sun
shine filing oil things with joy, save her forebo
disg hear. and the anxious son who incessantl
hung oyerher. Friends often came to visit them
and turned away with deep sadness as they nc
ted the. progress Of her malady, and heard th
blind man 5ass each time. whether they did nc
think nkherbettsr--oh surely little better than whe
thsyhsa tsstbeheld hers % tosaw 2 1..'@ .a.t7
AfGSng dlli these, no friend was 20 welcome :
brought such solace, TO the sick room as Mar
Psrker. . joyoas girl Of fnineteenIcne ofthe bea,
ties the county, and the admiration and deligl
ofaHwho knew her, Mrs. Owen had dance
Mary upoR l her knee, and Edward used to, weay
baskets and make garlaRds for her when he wa
bow of.tMslsesa andshes little fairy ofsix yeal
oldpo thsSesbOdss stood beside him, praising b
.liil.. And wondering how he could manage /