Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-06-21
The Blind Girl and her Bible.

Many years ago. said the Rev Monsieur
v, when a student in the University
of Geneva, was accustomed to spend the
long summer vacations, travelling from VII
lage to village in my native France, preach
ing in the open squares the kingdom Of God,
distributing His holy word to those who
would accept it. On such an excursion in
the summer of 183-, / entered little
vine-hung cabin in the environs of Dion
In its low, wide kitchen I saw a middle aged
woman, busily ironing; boy yet too young
for labor, and girl of some seventeen years.
of sweet, serious aspect, plating straw
She did not raise her eyes as entered. and,
on nearer approach, | perceived that she
was blind.
Poor sightless Marie how was she affec-
ted when told her of Him who opened the
eyes Of the blind, d read to her how blind
Bartimeus sat by the wayside begging when
be cried unto Jesus of Nazareth passing by,
and received sight. Then an irrepressibls
longing, such as she had never known before,
a longing for Gods blessed gift of vision,
seized upon the poor blind girl not that
she sighed to behold the blue heaven. or the
golden light, or to look upon Ter mothers
smile, or gaze in her young brothers laugh
lug eyes. No, not these; but she longed to
read the blessed words of Jesus, how lie
said, Come unto me, and will give you
rest
There dWelt then in Dion man of God,
who had gathered around him few blind,
whom be had taught to read and work I
sought him out, told him of Marie, inter-
ested him in her, arranged that she should
come an hour every morning to learn to
read, and procured for her Bible with
raised letters for the blind.
You should have seen her delight as she
started off next morning. warm, bright
August morning-one hand locked ia her
little brothers S, and the other fondly clasp
ing the precious Bible, to take her first les
son. Alas, poor Marie it requires a deli
cate touch to distinguish the slightly raised
surface and nice outline of the letters, and
her fingers were hard and callous with the
constant plating ofstraw. Again and again
was the effort made, but to no purpose
But one day, as she sat alone, sorowfully
chipping with her little knife the rough edge
of the straw, happy thought occurred to
her. Could not she cut not away the thick
hard skin from her fingers, and then it would
grow anew, smooth and soft, like the rosy
fingers of child? And SO she whitfield
the skin from the poor fingers needing not
the pain was it not that she might read the
word of God? but the straw work could not
cease /; it brought bread, and the wounded
fingers were slow TO heal When the read
ing lesson was tried again, warm drops trick.
led from the bleeding fingers along the sac.
red lines. 1t was all in vain.
After the first bitterness Of her disappeint
ment, Marie strove hard to be cheerful
God had opened The eyes of her SOUL she
said, and ought she not to praise Him
and the new Bible! Ah, surely she mus
carry it back some happier blind cir
might pluck the fiuit from this tree @
life, and find healing in its blessed leaves
And, holding the dear volume near +
the beating of her heart. she knelt by he
white cot to pray: Dear and blesse
Jesus, who lowest the poor and openest th
eyes of the blind, l thank thee that tho
hast not hidden thyself from a poor bin
girl. And since cannot read thy heayenl
words, l pray that thou wilt whisper the
into my soul. that my spirit may not be dar
like my poor eyes. can see thee with m
heart, dear Jesus, and thou knowest that
t love thy holy book And she touched Il
open Bible with her lips. Ojoy TO Il
!. soft lips the slight indentations ofthe raise
surface are clearly perceptible; they trac
II the sharp outline of the letters with unerrin
: accuracy. With law cry of joy, she pa
ses line after line across her eager lips, 81
IL turns the leaf they lose not their power.
9 is all clear, all easy now. The lips could d
! what the toil-hardened fingers could not
d they could read.
: A twelvemontb after ! visited Dijon.-
The old kitchen bore its old look, but VIII
IL beaming. happy face was Marie's, as 81
: sat in her rude chair, her basket Of straw
e her side, reading her beloved Bible. Bin
y it was full flight. Nest il pas heureu,
+ she murmured in her rich, musical tons
nest il pas heureux de baiser ainsi !
Of douees paroles pendant que je les lis 2
q q it not blessed to kiss the sweet words as
s read Boston Traveller.
.. a. WHEN thou seest thine enemy in troub