Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1868-01-31
The VALLEY and the SHADOW. Being the
Experiences or Blind Ex-Editor,
Combined with Numerous Incl
dents OF. Hospital Life, and
Sketches or the West
and Western Men.
BY j. M. DIXON.

In the course of few weeks hand
somely printed and bound duodecimo
volume of $50 or 400 pages, with the
above title, will be issued from the press
of RusselPs American Steam Printing
House, Nos. %, 30 and 80 Center Street,
| New York. Its author was for eleven
years, editorially associated with the
State Register at the capital OF Iowa.
During. that period he occupied u prom
inent position among Western editors.
On the 18th day of December, 1865,
while engaged in his laborious duties
on the Register, he was suddenly at
tackled with an infiamatory disease of
the eyes, which ,ey once disqualified
him for the active pursuits Of life, aud
confined him for weary, wasting
months In the gloom of u darkened
chamber. During the following spring
and summer, while the disease in his
eyes Was still unsubdued, the necessity
of providing maintenance for himself
and his family compelled him TO return
to his duties on the Register. Early In
October, 1866, he was forced by his
ruined vision to vacate his place ON the
journal, and, In the latter part OF de-
cember following, some friends. who
were noble in their benevolence, but
whose philanthropy came too late, gave
him the ability To seek aid from. oculists
I'm Cincinnati. He remained under
treatment i'm that city for nearly year,
sometimes enjoying the hope of re-.
stored sight, and again realizing all that
Is comprehpnded IN the word despair!
All this time he was supported, as well
as his family, by the contributions OF
warm-h hearted friends, whose sympa-
tines followed him from various homes
in Iowa. In September last his right
eye become disorganized by an ulcer,
aud was totally destroyed. A few
/ weeks afterwards, having endured IN
tense agony for many days and nights.
his other eye Sace way from n like
cause, and he Is now totally and incu-
rably blind.
| To save his family from the extremity
of want, with which they are constant
ly menaced, aud To contribute his mite
Co the current literature of the age, MIR.
Dixon, in those intervals in which he
is partially relieved from intense pain,
is engaged on the work whose title and
general scope are given above. Aside
/ from the authors own experiences, the
book will contain many incidents OF
Hospital Life, and will give whatever
Ii interesting and salient In the lives OF
other blind meh with whom he has
become acquainted. Indeed. one i'm
portant design of its publication Is Ia
reconcile the blind to their fate, and
enable them to educe from positive
evil, even from the great darkness
wherein they are continually walking
lessons of wisdom and of absolute hap.
piness.
1t Is believed that the sale OF the pro.
posed work will secure to Mr.. Dixon
the means of seif-support, and save him
from the painful necessity of further
assistance by way of charity.
His numerous friends are. therefore
solicited to aid in the publication of his
book, either by contributions or sub
Inscriptions, which may be forwarded Il
him at Harrison, Hamilton Co., o.
The subscription price of the volume
will he $l.75, or two copies for $500
payable on delivery. Advance pay
ment will be acceptable, as the mean,
are needed to defray the EXPENSES O
publication, which, however, is alread,
responsibility assured.
The delivery, at an early dhy, %
books subscribed for, Is guaranteed.