The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-05-10

one to lead me by the hand. That L,
the great man of bone and muscle,
should be in moment stricken down
helpless, to be henceforth a burden to
my poor wife, and we-poor people.
1t was the act of child, l know
for, with an exceeding bitter cry, 1 lay
there and sobbed miserably, while every
tear smarted and burned like melted
lead running over my eyeballs. o, yes,
it was the act of child, and I know l
was now as helpless as the weakest
How 1 lay and thought of poor blind
Samson, and pitied him. How I called
to mind those with sightless eyeballs
whom l had often passed by uncariugly
and how | thought and thought what
could l do for my bread in the long,
long night that now seemed to be my
future.
"Iu the dark |! in the dark !" | kept
on groaning to myself as l lay and
then the thought came to me Of other
blessings which never seemed blessings
before, for being mostlings short O mo-
ney, l always thought myself hard used,
and growled more than I need have
done. An at last of all thinking and
suffering, my head seemed to get hot,
and turned delirious--half mad, you
know-and went on terribly, L suppose,
till two days after, when l seemed to
wake up in the dark, and lay still, think
ing and wondering where was, till /
heard noise as of some one moaning,
and 1 calls out, "Who's there ?" |
knew who it was directly, for 1 Just
heard the one word, " Tom," sobbed
out, and then there was an arm under
my head, and tears falling upon my poor
sightless face, and such tender, hopeful
words whispering to Inc, as made my
heart swell and beat and l felt that
come what might--come sickness, come
sorrow, blind, or able to see-I had
some one to lean on, aud lead me by the
hand.
We we're very quiet then, and I lay
on my side trying to look through the
black darkness at that dear old face
that l could feel close by me as some
one kneeled down by the bedside; br:
no, could not see it with my eyes,
though could with my heart. And
then she stopped sobbing, and talked Of
hoping for the best, and of how the
eyes Of the blind had been opened, and
and that perhaps my af1iction might
by His help yet be removed. And SC
we talked and talked and, and she said
that We would sorrow no more about it
and then how much she could get by
needlework, and all on so hopefully
that l seemed to brighten up but on
ly for few moments, for knew what
a dead, helpless burden I should be-
And then she must have seen my face
working, and poor lass she broke dowr
herself, when l said she had better beer
left widder.
! AT last, IN the quiet O. that little
room, not a sound to be heard but ths
twittering O the birds outside the win
dow, 1 said in better hope, some word
with her. as she knelt by me, but w
got no + further than "Thy will be done
DICK smith, L never knowed how
much love, and tenderness, and gentle
ness there was in the world till 1 gropet
: around in the dark I'd been bitter, a
many a disappointed workingman, anc
rallied at my betters but now, in th'
midst of my trouble, 1 learnt that I hac
walked all my life in the dark, stumb
ling about, and not seeing the blessing
that were spread around me. We neve
knew want during that dark montl
: which we spent in that pleasant coun
try place, where my wife led lac abou
amongst the sweet spring flowers, Will
1 everybody had kind and loving wore
for me. The governor allowed me hal
7 wages, and somebody did needlework
and they used to pay her double an,
treble; and send me all sorts O. things
SO that were well off. Then the docto
came every day, and told me l wasn'
! to fret about it, for he hoped l shoulc
I get my sight yet,
One day | sat trembling in my chair
} with the doctor operating-not tremb
ling at the pain, but for fear he hac
7 been deceived; somebody stood there
too, holding my hands, for she had 90
leave tobe present. All at once there wa
! a bright flash of light, and then l fel
l my head swim, and 1 tainted dead away
for could not stand up against tn,
= swelling joy that burst upon me.
X X
| As keen pair of eyes, as ready pal
, Of hands, and as willing and hopeful
heart as | hope are to be found in am
workshop in England, Dick Smith ant
I'm humble and thankful man for it
, But the Lord bless you, 1 has my fit
: of ill-temper when things goes three
cornered; and then Patty comes ant
whispers-God save her-in my ear
when the sun shines again, and l thinl
! OF old times before my accident, and sa,
to her
\ EVaS shut Datfv r,o, 80 a.,