Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-11-11

HAasrsoS, Hamilton Co. o.,
N.rar.har e. lSey

HAasrsos, Hamilton Co. o.,
Noveriber G, 1867.
To NJ Bre'hrsn Of tie lo,ra Press:
Daring The afternoon Of yesterday vas
led away from. ST. Lukc's Hospital, having
been pron ounced incurably blind. Recent
lv when visited Iowa il amounted - IN
assurance with me, sustained ~ il was BY
the authoritative opinion O. ~ physician,
mat nv left eye, which was the only one
remaining TO me, was out Of oil danger.
/ came hack from Shst visit, delighted
with the prospect that after few weeks
more Of medical treatment, | would b. able
70 return 10 Iowa, and discharge again the
duties Of . journalist. Three months age,
- many Of you will remember, ny right
eye bursted and ran out, but from that mo
mens the left one began to improve, and 60
steady and % permanent was the improve
ment, that antici ated no farther troubls
with il. But in one night, without any Wis
ple or known cause, the eye on which
had depended ~ my only medium Of sight
down to the end Of life. bec.me ccngested
with blood, ard threw me ct once iuto the
black ness of darkness. went immediate
ly to my physician, cropping my way IN the
thick gloom; and though was assured by
DR.. Williams that the relapse Was but tenn
porary and would sGon pass away, had
terrible premonition amounting to pro-
phstic conviction, that everlasting night
had come down on iny eyes, and that had
gazed for the last time ON the countenanccs
OF those whom loved best ouvarth. Ten
days from that time, while | was alone in
my chamber, in St. Luke's Hospital, suffer
ing from acute pain. and orooding in awful
despondercy on the future cf Iny family
whom from motives Of economy ! had sent
away from me into the country, my left
eye suddenly gave way A. the other Lad
done some months before, and the whole
forward part Of it, including the cornea,
vas thrown violently from its place, the
| aqueous humor gushing out on tiny cheek.
| Ic less than two weeks from the date OF the
attack q newly formed ulcer had acsom-
plishe1 this msrciless devastation.
II, on the morning of that day, message
from that world winch lies beyond the re-
gion and shadow Of death had come to me,
saying, "This day shall thy soul be re-
| quired Of thee" l could have bOsns the
shock with comparative resignation but
the consciousness that in the midst Of my
| years, ct forty yesrs Of age, whom men ora
almost universally 10 the maturity Of their
faculties and in the meridian Of their use
fulness. WAS shut out evermors from the
sunlight Of heaven, was too terrible fof
contemplation.
Never, il l should live until that period
when the dead Of oil climes and Of oil ages
shall be startled from their long sleep BY
the voice Of the Arch Angel aud the trump
Of God, would thrill Of greater woe or oI
more comprehensive despair pass shuddsr.
ingly through my heart than when kne y
that oil hope was gone, aud that the lever
during dark" Of which Milton spoke in his
plsintive and sublime Apostrophe to Light
vas round and about mo like the walls Of Z
prison from which the occupant shall 50 ou'
no more forever. a great mountain. such
as that which Was plucked from its found.
tions by immortal hands when there wa,
war o Heaven for the dominance Of trea
son and for the enthronsmsnt Of Lucifer
secmsd to have fallen upon me, paraiy zing
my being, suspsndin. my very breath, and
| shutting out at ono fatal swssp Of tren,end
ous calamity oil the visible lights and gl1
ries Of the universe.
Brethren. have gone through this ba.
tie with destiny AZ bravely IS | could.
have used oil the means in my power to gel
we'll, on the means which my frends r
Iowa contributed for my benefit ard fol
that Of my family while Was disqualified
FOR tho active duties Of my profession.
have lived we'll nigh ysar in Cincinnati
seeking the restoration of my sight. ODE
dent in ail things 10 my phy sicisn and fuc
tuating from first TO last between hope and
despair. The battle has been fought and
have lost. feel that it 10 Gods goot
pleasure that should live and suffer il
blindness, and am trying to be conten
with my lot. For the next three or foul
months-probably more than that shal
be compelled to :, main here in Harrison, il
the vicinity Of Cincinnati, 30 as 10 recsiv,
ned cal treatment.
There is still in what remains Of both my
eyes an unconquered inflammation whict
gives . throbbing pain to my temples an,
shoots back into the chambers Of th,
BRAIN. almost threatening me with in
sanity. But ain bearing il with whatcvs
christian philosophy | am able to sum
mon 10 my ai. At intervals. when kav,
opportunity, and especially when hav,
my vile with me, who is my anspeuensis .
| am engaged in preparing for the press
book which shall be entitled 'The Vale,
and the Shadow; or the Experiences Of
Blind Man Aside from my own expe
riences, this book will give many instances
of hospital life. and will give whatever is in
terssting and salient in the lives Of othe
blind tnen with whom have become &C
q lainted. This work, which shall be dedica
ted to the Press and TO the people Of Iowa
will doubtless have many me!au choly passa
ges In II, bu: one desigo Of it's publication
is 70 reconcile the blind to their fate, ant
enable them to educe from positive evi.
even from the great darkness wherein the,
are continually walking, lessons Of wisdom
aud OF absolute happiness. In few month
more, if life and comparative health b
spared, aud especially il this terrible pain il
my eyea Shall be eubdued 80 that ever,
thought shal not b. associated with phy.i
cal torture, the manuscript Of my book vii
he ready for the press and after its issu
ance from the press. l will travel extensive
y, making sales as 20.
Brethren. with you I have no concsa!
mcnts. The book which am preparing 70
the press in great pain Of bvdy and depses
sion Of mind, is chiefly designed to save m
| i s~' RsS<o 'S'As'y ssotss tuoS io0t 0RY8JluK VV0
atty Of pauperism, the County Inliemary.-
For myself shall dsairs but little more 1
make me comfortable during the semainds
Of my pilgrimags % earth but for th
loved ones who oenstitsts my fau,lv-m
wife and two children, must make on
last effort Al least to place them above dss
tisution when shall have passed away. Th
only request which shall ever make Of vou
my brethren, who have been 90 kind to m
and mine thus fer, and Of the people Of N
. adopted State, whose substantial sy mpathie
followed ne in my misiostunss, is to bel
me in this crisis Of my fate in which the Or
! alcgy Of business has been inverted, to d.
fray the expenses Of the publication Of N
book.
You have never deserted me since th
Inauguration Of the great woe Of my life
} will not Withhold your help when the sxis
l Aannn NJ fasnslv Ioo>cIn ~. .~.. -