The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1859-03-25
A BLIND MANS STORY.

tpWlu 'hli Ntth EieiltN 81 nature ana 81
art, blue sky and wind.swept fields and,
above all dear faces faces whose very
memory lightcucd my nighttime my
father, my gentle mother, my young
dark.cycd brother There was another
too. mot Of oar blood whose face saw
oitcncr than any THIS was strange, for
lcona Ashland, the daughter Of nay
mothers most intimate friend. was bat a
child Of ten six years Younger tlan
myself She was. however. very dear
tu me She had been IN and ont Of our
house "a iamiIlarly as daughter She
was the pet Of every one save me; but
child as she was. my own feeling ior hcr
was too tender and rcYcreut 10 admit Il
gay familiarity. had never heard any
one call her beautiful; but to mr h"g
face Away, seemed ike that Of an angel
| used to tremhlc lest some day she
should lie taken from us for ever; her
features, framed in those long brown
eurls, seemed SO spiritual, So delicate 1,
When | looked into her thoughtful eyes
life seemed boiler, "A more earnest thing
Buc the time came when ] could see
them no longer.
For fifteen years the world had been
visible to ne. with It's beauty, its mys.
terry. its romance. Then dafknces began
to steal gradually over me 1t was Il
whole year before the last ray Of light
had faded was stone blind At sixteen
| was thankful that II was not a sudden
stroke Day after day had sought ia
vain for seinc cherished Object of vision
Once it had been the range Of faroil
hills: again. the familiar outline Of a
distant tree. Attcr a time The dan kncss
came nearer bay after day some ten
der grace woull fade Ont from beloved
face, aud could only reproduce it IN
my fancy At length seemed to dwell
ia a world Of shadows; shades, whose
dim outline | could only family catch,
hoated by me; hut still | could ten day
from night-stil Heavens blessed light
was welcome. But what shall ! say Of
lhr anguish If lcsolation when the last
ray was gomez when they told me the
midday sun was shining clear ard
bright. and, l. alas sat IN tliudes,
deepest midnight p ina light, no hope
| had So much to CIV up, II was
not alone the Joy Of sight. tho dear
fares, the beautiful world; bnt all my
nigh ho.c., my plans for the fnturc. my
ambition my ptidc ! had had vision,
ui fame In the profession | he'd chosen
There were months Of siurming, surpipg
discomfort. before could settle calmly
down 20 my destiny, ! secluded myself
rvcu from those dearest 90 me on earth
+ The very sound oi their voices madien-
O. ID q o.
ger "a hook upon turir faces n-y al..,
+ hay sat alone in my room, where had
hcsogcht thew not 20 come lo me
sometimes nay mother who loved me
more ,hau ever ia NY sorrow and my
hopclcssnoss. would steal into the room,
aud sit l1r am hour beside me in silence
She was 80 still could scarcely hear her
breathe; tut knew that at those times
che wcpt mach Once, iu au irresistible
'mr','s" Of maternal tenderness, she
+ folded her arms around me and drew
my head tohor bosom "oh, my cl lid ~
she cried, my dear cli,d bc cnmioyicd !.
Believe that there 10 something icn IN
Vie. or this blow VII lil us both -"
Dai my ychcllious spirit would not strug
gle with it's despair. even though felt
that It was breaking my mothers heart
Ouco--aud thiuk tins did me more
good than anything Icoua came 20 me
'' '''" ~ ,',,9 ~, 80 ~ XVI W. , .tt
r,me In aIonn / know her f,,ts,,o os
s,on as il crossed the threshold. but I
/ l,A uo, .oe,k Sbe .a,o, +, my ala.
| M, I,i3 h.r hand L.r ii,,lc ctld. hand
u"on m;nr / lnrw as wnllasif bad
.ecn !, fine sorrowfnl ni,y vim which
lcr ,vss ,vcrc lf,r3 a. nv r,cc -b.
..c,,od .t,;yins, ~ ,a,l.r .olfron,,,,,1
.u.r.sh +, .rSak rImfv A. lrr,th
law End op,r, ys, oarues, l.r vTrls
IN u,on nh c,r"ob Au.n .ba r,.tor
saws our Heavenly Father knows what
ia b.at for every one lie is our Father.
AID lie docs not love to make us uuhap.
~. This is the passage NJ Green told
me to repeat t. you Like AZ q father
piticth his children. go the Lord pi,icth
ihcm that fear HIM
Her childish v.ic. had doopcgsi io,o
a thrilling ,n.rrv a. IA. rnri,ed ibt
v,,l. ~ Ipsn,r,t,nn TIM, she turned
:, lc,vc mI. I'm, detained b,r Al.
"a, shc IA ,,,,r.r,,.a ,o..
:, i..,y conn, Mr. Groom I, ton vsn F.,
rn,e,t thoe. varas a. ,or7p | asked
"Yen are not vcx,a A'leu 20 sac
sail