The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-11-14

the public may expect a lively scrim-
mage, and an interesting race
between the numerous candidates,
with the matter go much in doubt
at present. that we do not wish to
hazard onr reputation by predicting
who will be the winnig man.
Letter from J. M. Dixon.
Harrison, Hamilton, Co., O., Nov 6's7.
TO my Brethren Of the Io,ca Press:
During the afternoon of yester-
day was led away from St. Luke's
Hospital, having been pronounced
incurably blind. Recently when l
visited Iowa it amounted to an as
surance with, sustained as it was by
the authoritative opinion of my ply
stefan, that my left eye, which was
the only one remaining to me, was
out Of all danger.
| came back from that visit, de-
lighted with the prospect that after
few weeks more of medical treat
ment, | would be able to return to
Iowa, and discharge again the duties
Of a journalist. Three months ago,
as many of you will remember, my
right eye bursted and ran out, but
from that moment the left one began
to improve, and SO steady and SO
permanent was the improvement,
that anticipated no further trouble
with it. But in one night, without
any visible or known cause, the eve
on which had depended as my only
medium Of sight down to the end of
life, became congested with blood,
and threw me at once into the black
ness OF darkness. | went immedi-
ately to my physician, CROPPING my
way in the thick gloom and though
! was assured by DR.. Williams that
the relapse was but temporary and
would coon pass ss-vey, had a terri.
bic premonition amounting to q
prophetic conviction, that everlast-
ing night had come down on my eyes
and that l had gazed for the last time
on the countenances of those whom
| loved best on earth. Ten days
from that time, while I was alone in
my chamber, in st. Luke's Hospital.
suffering from acute pain, and brood
ing in awful dependency on the fu-
ture Of my family. whom from mo-
tives of economy l had sent away
from me into the country. nv left
eye suddenly gave way as the other
had done some months before, and
the whole forward part of it inclu-
ding the corner, was thrown vio-
lently from its place, the aqueous
humor gushing out on my check
In less than two weeks from the
date of the attack a newly formed
ulcer had accomplished this merciless
devastation.
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
.hee," / could have borne the shock
with comparative resignation; but
the consciousness that in the midst
of my years, at 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 evermore from
the sunlight of heaven, was too ter
rible for contemplation.
Never, if should live until that
period when the dead Of all climes
and OF all ages shall be startled from
their long sleep by the voice of the
Arch Angel and the trump of God,
would thrill of greater woe or OF
more comprehensive despair pass
shudderingly through my heart than
when | knew that all hope was gone,
and that the sever during dark" OF
which Milton spoke in his plaintive
and sublime Apostrophe to Light,
was round and aboutm like the walls
of a prison from which the occupant
shall 60 out no more forever. A great
mountain such as that which was
pluckcd from it's foundations by i'm
mortal hands when there was war in
Heaven for the dominance Of treason
and for the enthronement Of Lucifer,
seemed to have fallen upon me, paral.
wing my being, suspcnding my very
breath, and shutting out at one fatal
sweep of tremendous calamity all the
visible lights and glories OF the uni
verse.
Brethren, ] havegone through this
battle with destinyas bravoly as
could. l have used all the means in
my power to get well, on the means
which my friends iE Iowa contributed
for my benefit and for that of my
family while 1 was disqualified for
the active duties of my profession
] have lived we'll nigh year in Gin
cinnati, seeking the restoration of
my sight, obedient in all things to
my physician and fuctuating from
first to last between hope and despair.
The battle has been fought and I
have lost. | feel that it is Gods good
pleasure that should live and suffer
in blindness, and l am trying to be
content with my lot. For the next
three or four months-probahly more
than that shall be compelled to
remain here in Harrison, in the vi
cinity Of Cincinnati, SO as to receive
treatment.
There is still in what remains of
both my eyes an unconquered infam.
nation which gives throbbing pain