Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1867-11-29
L tier from J. M. Dixon.
HARRISON, HAMILTON Co., o., I
Novembcr. 9TH 1861.

10 Wy reMr ~ the IoWa Yrs1:
During the afternoon OF yesterday | va
led way from St. Lnkes Hospital, havin
b en- pronounced uncurably blind. Recent
when | visited Iowa it amounted to an assui
ance with me, rs it was by the authoritati>
opinion Of my physician, that my left cy,
which was The only one remaining to ME, wa
out of all danger.
came back from that visit, delighted wit
the prospect that after a few weeks more F.
medical treatment | would be able TO re,ur
To Iowa, aud discharge again the duties Of
J'urhalis'.' Three months ago. as many Of 20
will remember, my right eye bursted and ra,
ont but from that moment the left eye begal
TO improve, aud so steady and permanent wa
the Improvement that l anticipated no turtle
trouble with it. But in one night, withou
any visible or known cause, the eye on which
had depended as my only medium Of sigh
down 70 he end Of life, became conges,eu
with blood, and threw me at once into tn.
blacklist OF darkness. I went Immediately I.
my r ~ysician. cropping my way into the thick
gloom ana though ! was assured by DR.,
Williams that the relapse was but tcmporar,
and would soon pass away, l had n terrible
premonition. amounting to a prophetic convic
tion, that everlasting night had come dowi
on my eyes, and ha, | had gazed for the las,
love hes, on earth. Ten days from that tim,
willie was alone in my chamber in ST. Like
Hospital, snierin. acute pain, and broodin;
in awful despcn'lency on the future Of m,
family. whom from motives Of economy | In.
sen, away f:cin me into the country. my lie,
e.,r sud ien'y gave away rs the other ha,
done some months before. and the whole for
part Of It including the cernea, was throw,
violently from its place. the eqneous hume,
gushing out on my cheek. In less than two
week from The date Of the attack a ncwl,
formed, ulcer had accomplished this merciless
devastation.
1t. o." the morning of that LAY. q message
from that world which lies be, ond the region
AMI shadow Of dea,h had come 70 me, saying
''This day shall thy soul be required Of thee.
] could have borne the shock with comparative
resignation ; but the consciousness that in the
ni'is. Of my years. at forty years Of ag.
when men are alnos, universally ia the ma.
turity Of their faculties and in the meridian
Of their usefulness, l WAS shut out ever more
from the sunlight of heaven. was to terrible
for cont ampla,:on.
Never. if | should live to the period when
the dead Of all cl;mes and all ages shall b.
startled from their long sleep by The voice OF
the .Arch-Angel and the trump Of God, would
thrill the great woe or Of more comprehensive
despair pass sh.dderingly through my heart,
than when | knew that all hope was gone and
that the sever during dark, of which Milton
spoke in his plaintiff and sublime Apostro>
Pine to Light, was round about ene like the
walls Of n prison from which the occupant
shall go out no more forever. A great nouns
tain such as that which was plucked from its
foundations by immortal hands when there
was war in heaven for the dominance Of trea-
son and for the enthroanment Of Lucifer.
seemed to have fallen upon me, paralizing ms
being, suspending my very breath, and shut.
ting out at one fatal sweep Of tremendous ca
laIAity all the visable lights and glories of
the uni verse.
Brethren, l have gone through this battle
with destiny as bravely as l could, | have
used ell the means in my power to get we'll.
on the means which my friends in Iowa have
contributed for my benefit. and for that Of nv
family while | was disqualified for the active
duties Of my profession. l have lived we'll
nigh Q year in Cincinnati, seeking the res,or-
alton Of my sight, obedient in all things 70
my physician and fuctuating from FIRST 10
last between hope and despair. The battle
has bee" taught and | have lost. feel tina,
It is God > good pleasure that / should live
and suffer in blindness. and | an, trying 10 be
contented with my lot. For the next three or
four months probably more than that
shall be compelled to remain here in Harr;.
son, in the vicincty Of Cincinnati 30 as 10 re.
ceive medical treatment.
There is still in wha, remains OF both Of nv
eyes an unconquered inflammation which eives
. throhblng pain to my temples and shoots
back into the chambers Of the brain. almos,
threatening the with insanity. But | am
bearing 1t with whatever christian philosophy
l am able to summon to my aid. At interval.
when have opportunity and especially when
; nave my wife will inc, who is my amanuen.
sis, am engaged in preparing for the pres.
. book which shall he entitled THE VALLEY
and the Shadow; or The experiences of .
Blind Man. Aside from my own experience
this book win give my instances Of hospital
life, and will give whatever is interesting
and salient in the lives Of other blind :..e,
with whom | have become acquainted. Thi,
work which stall be dedicated to the Pres.
and to the people Of Iowa, will doubtless hav ',
many melancholy passages in it, but one de
sign Of its publica ion, to reconcile the blint
TO their fate, and enable them to educe from
positive evil, even from the greatest darkness,
wherein they arc continually walking, les.
sons Of wisdom and absolute happiness. In ,
few months more, if life and ~comparativ,
health be spared, and especially if this terri.
bic pain in my eyes shall be subdued SO tina
every thought shall not be associated will
physical torture, the manuscript of my bool
will be ready fo' the press, and after It's is
suance from the press, l will travel extensive
~, making sales as | 20.