Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-11-22
Letter from II. M. Dixon.


TO my brethren Of the ,Lotca Press:
During the afternoon ofyesterday /
was led away from ST.. Edke's Hos
pital, having been pronounced uncur--
ably blind. Recently when visited
Iowa it amounted to an assurance WITH
me, as it was by the authoritative
eve, which was the only ere remain
ing to me, was out of all danger.
came back from that visit, delight
ed with the prospect that after few
weeks more of medical treatment, /
would be able to return to Iowa, and
discharge again the duties of q jounal-
ist. Three months ago, as many
of you will remember nv right
eye bursted and ran out, but from that
moment the left eye began to improve,
and so steady and permanent was the
improvement, that i anticipated no
further trouble with it. But in one
night, without any visible or known
cause, the eye on which / had depen-
ded as my only medium of sight down
to the end of life, became congested
with blood, and threw me ut once into
the blacklist of darkness. / went I'M
mediately to my physician, cropping
my way into the thick gloom; and
though was assured by DR.. Williams
that the relapse was but temporary and
would soon pass away, / had terrible
premonition, amounting to o prophet
ic conviction, that everlasting night
had come down ON. my eyes, and that i
had gazed for the last time on the
countenances of those whom / love
best on earth. Ten days from that
time, while was alone in my cham
Der in st. Luke's Hospital, suffering
accute pain, and brooding in awful
dependency on the future of my fam
lily, whom from motives of economy
had sent away from me into the coun-
try, my left eye suddenly gave away as
the other had done some months be-
fore, and the whole forward part of it,
including the cornea, was thrown vio-
lently from its place, the equeous HUI
NOR gushing out on my cheek. In
less than two weeks from the date of
accomplished this merciless devasta-
ton I,.tsts.s g.. ..,..- ...,.... g.t.,,..
If, on the morning of that day, a
message from that world which lies
beyond the region and shadow of death
had come to me, saying, This day
shall thy soul be required of thee" /
could have borne the shock with COM
parative resignation; but the con-
seriousness that i'm the midst of my
years, ut forty years of age, when men
are almost universally in the maturity
of their faculties and in the meridian
of their usefulness, / was shut out
ever more from the sunlight of heav-
eli, was too terrible for contemplation.
Never, if should live to the period
wleE the dead of all chimes and all ages
shall be startled from their long sleep
by the voice of the Arch Angel and the
trump of God, would thrill the & reat
woe or of more comprehensive despair
pass shudderingly through my heart,
than when knew that all hope was
gone, and that the lever during dark, ~
of which Milton. spoke i'm his plaintiff
and sabine A postrophe to Light, was
round about me like the walls of a
prison from which the occupant shall
90 out no more forever. A great
mountain such as that which was
plucked. from its foundations by inn
ruortt.t hands when there was war in
heaven for the dominance of treason
and for the enthronement of Lucifer,
seemed to have fallen upon me, par.
alizing my being. suspending my very
breath, and shutting out mt one fatal
sweep of tremendous calamity all the
visible lights and glories of the uni.
verse.
Brethren, 1 have gone through this
battle With destiny rs bravely as
could. have used all the means in
my power to get well, on the means
which my friends i'm Iowa have con-
tributed for my benefit and for that OF
my family wkile / was disqualified fol
. lat Of
have lived well nigh q year in Cincin.
natl, seeking the restoration of my
sight, obedient in all things to my
physician and fiuctuating from first tC
last between hope and despair. The
battle has been fought and have lost
1 felt that it is Gods good pleasure
that / should live and suffer in blind.
ness, and am trying to lie contented
with my lot. For the next three OF
foHr nonths-probably more than that
Il shall be com PEELED to- remain here
in Harrison, in the vicinity of Cincin'
natl, so as TO- receive medical treat.
ment.
There is still i'm what remains o.
both my eyes an unconqusred infiama
ton which gives throb6ing pain to
my temples and shoots back into the
chambers of the brain, almost threat
ening me with insanity. But Il am
bearing it with whatever christian
philosophy am able to summon Il
my aid AT intervals, when have OPP
portunity and especially when have
my wife with me, who is my amanu
ensis, am engaged in preparing fol
the press n book which shall be emit
led 1.-THE Valley and the Shadow; Of
the experiences of "a Blind Man.
Aside from my own experiences, this
book will give my instances of hospit
al life, and will give whatever is inter
esting and salient in the lives of other
blind men viii, whom l have become
acquainted. This work which shall b.
dedicated to the Press anG to the peo
pie of Iowa, will doubtless have man,
melancholy passages in it, but one de
sign of its publication, to reconcile TIL.
blind to their fate, and enable them u
educe from positive evil, even from tn
great darkness wherein they are con
tinually walking, lessons of wisdom
and of absolute happiness. I'm fev
months more, if life and cOmparativ,
health be spared, and especially if thi
terrible pain in my eyes shall be sub
be associated with physical torture, TIN
|
for the press and after it's issuanc,
from the press. will travel extensive
by, making sales as 1 go. .mg. .'4#
Brethren with you have no con
cealments. The book which an
preparing for tile press in great pain O
body and depression of mind, is chief
ly designed to save my helpless famil.
from that last appalling penalty o
pauperism, the County Intirmary
For my self / shall desire but little NOR
to make comfortable during the re
mainder of my pilgrimage on earth
but for the loved ones who constitute
my family--my wife and two children
Il must make one last effort at leas
to place them above restitution when
shall have passed away. The only re
quest which / shall make of you, m,
brethren, who have been so kline
to me thus far, and of the people of m,