Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-09-26

~ y SSJ tNaAA natCA4tO llIlA W III
heart which seemed to stand still as
gazed.
"Now look up, Theodore, and tell mt
if you can see your mother"
He looked up very eagerly, and ther
the glad, full answer came in a moment
Yes, mother, l can see your face, bu
not very plain, but plain enough to know
it anywhere !"
What l did-wbat they did, don't
know, but I'm certain that no eyes in
that room were without tears for time,
and that it was not long before Ada Palm,
er, IN her great joy, threw hsr e-a.e
around Theodore's neck, and cried, Il am
so glad, so very glad that you are not
blind any more -
"Eyerything promises nicely" said the
cheerful voice of the Doctor, as he ban
daged the eyes-the no longer blind eyes
of my boy, Theodore Goodrich.
The next week | returned home. 1t
was arranged that Theodore should re-
main with the Doctor three months, at
the end of which time the latter believed
his eyesight might be entirely restored.
What happy heart ! carried to that
lonely home-a heart that kept tune with
the Spring as abe walked full of grace
and beauty into the arms Of the Sum
mer
In two months | received Theodore's
first letter. What glad tears blistered
the few precious lines, God knows -Four
weeks later he came to me with eyesight
entirely restored.
A little later, when the first great shock
of joy had subsided, he placed in my
hands a note from The Doctor, enclosing
the seventy-fve dollars, which had 'co,t
two years Of my life God, remember it
when the great seals are broken and the
books opened
Eight years have gone, and in the
heart of great city, among a mighty
crowd which filled the church to over
flowing, I looked once more upon my
boy.
Thousands Of other eyes were fastened
upon him, for be was the valedictorian Of
his class. Through much of struggle,
and many privauons, he had made his
way through college, and achieved the
great hope Of his youth.
When he ceased speaking, women,
whose beauty had blossomed in every
climate, rained from the galleries their
fragrant boquets upon him, and noble men
beneath houored him with enthusiastic
olaudits; but not far apart from me sat,
n the blossoming of her youth, a maiden
who brought no offering of flowers to the T.
speaker.
Very fair she looked even amid all the .
grace and beauty which shone around her,
IS she sat with the light and shadow IN
Ter hair, and her hazel eyes full of ten
Ter triumph, and her lips parted with a
mile of tremulous gladness--a smile
which suddenly faded into seriousness as
he speaker approached toward her, while
he bowed her head quickly under a still
hover of tears. ! knew where the
thoughts of Ada Palmer, the betrothed
,ife of Theodore Goodrich, had gone
nd l knew, as he stood by her side and
1oked down on her with face which
ad rounded out from its boyish beauty
ITO manly strength and seriousness, that
~ boys thoughts had clasped Ada's and
one back through its long, long patti of
Ight years, to the day when the first
lean of his mothers face broke on his
arkened eyes.
And for me-my thoughts went be-
oud theirs to those two years of slow
Ill and patience, and weary headache,
hen | sat by the window in my little
,ttage home feeding my heart with one
ope through the dreary nights and days,
ID then my thoughts went up TO God
ith great thanksgiving for all the joy of
ese latter days, and because that be
hose young manhood was full of prom
2, who had dedicated his life to the
ory of God and the help of his fellow
en-, and whose work thus far had been
owned with that best success which is
e only true one, was be who had once
en- Theodore my blind boy"
49,, -t,,Ia,t 20 orofbor ,,-L,r,