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


he slept; but the days and weeks wor
on, and the old steadiness returned to hi
pulse, and the soft roundness to the pail
cheeks, but the darkness did not fal
away from him.
Ten years before his father had lef
me He had gone to South America, a,
there was an opening there for him to en-
ter on some new business which promised
to bring him fortune. The yellow fe
yer clutched him a month before be wa.
to return home they made his grave in
the land Of the stranger, and greedy and
dishonest men secured the small fortune
he had acquired, So our little cottage,
where my husband brought me, a loving
and happy bride, and which had been to
me an earty paradise, was all that re-
mained to me and my boy, Theodore -
And love him better, because bis face
was like that face which | should see no
more till the morning of the resurrection
that face that had suddenly been struck
down in its manly power and beauty, and
laid under the long, wild grass, amid
which my hands could never plant the
sweet Spring violets, or scatter every
June with roses from the bush be had set
by the bedroom window on our boys first
birthday.
Theodore had always been fragile
child, and his singular beauty had attract
ed the observation of strangers, from bis
infancy, and his blindness in no wise dis
figured his face. The deep, gentian eyes.
shaded by long lashes, had no blank, va
cant expression, TO testify Of their quench.
ed light and above them waved thick
rings Of chestnut hair The face was
delicate and very fair, and itssmies were
bright as the wiuking Of the Spring bios
SONS in the young meadow grass.
Theodore bad been a somewhat grave
yet a very happy boy; and though be
was restless and nervous after blindness
came upon him, he bore it with q sweet
fortitude.
ana rOr me-vc eli, I su,cued oA, up
held by ONE hope during the long two
years, which tasked every energy to earn I
seyenty-fve dollars, and then when the .
burden seemed too heavy and my heart
tainted under it, had the One Heart 10
whom | carried it, who "bore al! our sor-
rows" and sounded for Us the mightiest
deeps of human anguish--the one dear
Name Of which no trials can rob US, which
only grows more precious as all others
fail. our hope in life, our trust in death,
our JOY and glory through eternity, Jesus
Christ.
Two full years had rounded them.
selves through their Summers and Win
ers, when l laid the last dollar to the
little sum had been boarding so long, r..
md two days later Theodore and start
ID for the city, fifty miles away in which
Dr. Palmer, the celebrated occulist re-
ided.
1t was in the early Spring and the ,
purple violets and white anemones sprin-
lied the grass, and the young birds were
ubilant with songs, and the air was fra .
rant with the breath Of Spring blossoms. +
But, God have pity upon that mother f
Who may ever carry a heart so tossed with =
ope and fear, as was mine when | walk f
d with my blind boys hand cIutched in
nine, up the marble steps of the stately
rick mansion in which dwelt the man on
those verdict was to lie the bitterness of
cath, or such promise and joy that it
eemed to me my heart could not bear 7
lem.
I had concealed my fears respecting +
le result as much as possible from Theo- =
ore, but he penetrated the real facts, :,
Notwithstanding my DISCUSSES, and grew :
ushed and agitated during the journey. \
We waited very long time, it seemed ?,
terminable to me, for there were other q
atients with the Doctor, but at last he E,
ltered the room where we sat. He was :,
tall, slender man, with a thin, serious
ce, and his hair had thick sprinkling
gray. >
l felt bis first glance searched US both. r
ID then be came forward and laid bis
md quietly on Theodore's head, and y
id in pleasant, brisk sort of a voice,
This is my patient, perceive" And "
en- the words leaped right out Of my -
art, and | could not hold them back. ei
"Yes, he is my boy and he is all I've
t in the world. o, Doctor I've an
ought him to you. Can't you make him nj
e ?"
"I hope SO we'll try very hard for it" a
swered Doctor Palmer; and this time hi:
, voice was so kind and sympathetic, giT