Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-09-08
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A BLIND MANS STORY.

: had not been blind from M
birth. Sitting alone, in utter dark
ness. my closed eyes could max
pictures. could call back glorie
!, Of nature and of art; blue sky an,
wind-swspt fields; and above all
e dear faces,-faces whose very mem
ory lightened my night-time-my
father, my gentle mother, my youns
dsrk-eyed brother. There was an
other, too (nos of our blood,) whose
face Isaw cftener than any. Thi:
was strange, for Leona Ashland, the
daughter OF my mothers most init.
mate friend, was but child Of ten
six years younger than myself
She was, however, very dear to me.
Size had been in and out of our
house as familiarly as a daughter.
She was the pet Of every one save
me; but, child as she was, my own
f! feelings fer her we're too tender and
reverent to admit Of gay iamiliari-
ty. | had never beard any one call
her beautiful; but to ME her laeo al
ways seemed like that Of an angel.
/! used to tremhIa, lest some day she
should be taken from Us forever; her
features, framed in those long brown
curls, seemed so spiritual, so deli
cate! When ! looked into her
thoughtful eyes, life seemed holier,
a more earnest thing. But the
time came when. | could see them no
longer.
Fer fifteen years the world was
visible to me, with its beuuty, its
mystery, its romance. Then dark
ness began to steal gradually over.
me. Ii was a whole year before the
last ray Of ligh; had faded. / was
stone blind at sixteea. I,was thabk-
fuI that it was not a sudden stroke.
Day after day had sought in vain
for some cherished object Of vision.
Once it had been the far.of' hills; a
gaia, the familiar outline OF distant
tree. After time the darkness
came nearer. Day after day some
tender grace would fade oct from a
beloved face, and could only repro
duce it in fancy. At length SEEM
ed TO dwell in world Of shadows;
shades, whose dim outline ! could !
only family catch, hoated by me;
still could fell day from night
still Hs4ven's blessed light vas VEL +
come! But what shall / say of-tbe
anguish Of desolaticn when the last
ray was gone2 when they told me
the midday sun was shining clear
aud bright, and !, alas! sat in blindest,
deepest midnigh.?-no light, no
hope!
Ihad SO much to give up, it was
not alone the icy of sight, the dear
faces, the beautiful world; but all
my high hopes, my plans for the fu-
ture, my ambition, my pride. | had
had visions of fame in the profession
had chosen. There were months
Of storming, surging discomfort, be-
ore / could settle calmly down to
my destiny. / secluded myself
rom these dearest to me On earth.
The very sound of their voices mad
lened me, for it made more intense
he longing to look upon their faces.
Day after day | sat alone in my
room, where l had besought them to
not come 20 nle.
Sometimes my mother, who loved
ne more than ever in my sorrow
lud my helplessness, would steal in-
to my room, acd sit fer an hour be-
side me in silence. She was SO
still / could scarcely hear her breathe;
but / know at those times she wepti
much. Oncs in sn irresistible i'm
pulse Of maternal tenderness, she
folded Ler arms around me, and drew
nv head to her bosom. "Oh, my
child! my dear child, be comforted!
Believe there is something left 10 life,
OF this blow will kill us botbl' she
cried. But my rebelioas spirit would
not struggle with its despair, even
Lhough | felt it Was breaking my
heart.
Once- aud / think this did me-
more good than anything -Leona
cams TO me. She had SO long en-
treated TO see ms that at length
mother consented. She came to my
side. She laid her hand, her little
,hild's hand, upon mine. ] knew,}
IS we'll as if ! had seen it, the sor-