Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-07-26

more than his share; but the same merci-
full providence that saves the rounded
limbs from being broken when children
pursue each other in headlong chase over
open cellar doors, down rickety stair
ways, and on the verge of dangerous pit
falls, took care of him, and he never was
seriously hurt.
Many doctors looked at Eddie's eyes,
and they all said that his blindness was
occasioned by "congenital cataract" but
they differed as to the probabilities of a
cure and as to the time the operation
should be performed. Some thought that
IL should be deferred until he arrived at
the age of twelve or fourteen years, Others
were of the opinion that the fale mem
brane should have been removed when he
vet was an infant, and were fearful lest
four years of darkness had destroyed the
seeing faculty. 1t chanced that Eddie's
parents lived on a farm adjoining the
country seat Of Joe Jefferson, at Hohokus,
and when Professor Reuling went there
to operate upon the seyes of the great
dramatist for glaucoma, they brought the
little blind boy to him and asked his ad-
vice. He informed them the time to ex-
tirpate the cataracts was n0o. The little
fellows mother brought him to Balti-
more; Professor Reuling persuaded him
"to smell some nice cologne" and when
the deep sleep of insensibility came on, he
divided the exterior membranes, and cut
ting into the secret chambers of the eye,
took out the little Opaque lenses that
ought to have been transparent, and then
closed up the incisions and put a tight
bandage around his head before he woke
up. Heaven bless the man who first dis
ha nf
forml
In few days the bandage was taken
off and Eddie for the first time beheld the
light The sense of vision was too over
powering, and in few seconds the light
was shut out again, but not before the
wondering look gave assurance that Eddie
could see. What moment that must
have been, when the optic nerve for the
first time thrilled with the pulsations OF
light, and the pictures formed upon the
retina were reproduced upon the brain
A bright little boy, with a good knowl-
edge of things, and keen perceptive fac
ulties, had suddenly acquired new sense.
1t was like being born into a new world
with consciousness in full play. By and
by, the doctor began to remove the ban
dage at intervals, and to show him objects
with which the sense of touch had made
him familiar. The little silver cup from
which he had been drinking milk ever
since he was baby, was held up before
him, and he Immediately recognized it;
he also was shown an orange to which he
gave the right name, but he could not
identify any of his toys until he shut his
eyes and took them in his hands. He was
greatly puzzled when fan was held be
fore him, until his mother began 10 stir
the air with it, and then he knew what il
was.
Eddie is now permitted to see a little
every day, and his mother is teaching
him the names of the objects that come
within the range of his vision. What q
delightful task it must bel He will relate
stories by the hour, in which he talks OF
things as if he comprehended all about
their uses, and knew all their forms per
fectly, but when brought before him he
don't know what they are. Upon the in
vitation of Prof. Reuling, we visited the
little patient day or two after. he had
enjoyed the first Sensation of seeing. lie
way living in bed with bandage over his
eyes, and looked not unlike those little
statues of Cupid, by which the sculptors
intend to teach the moral, 'Love is
blind" He told US the story of Lazy
Lawrence" with much glee, and answered
our questions with an intelligence that
was extraordinary in child of his years
In few days Eddie will be taken home
by his mother, rejoicing in pair of blue
eyes almost as good as any other little
boys, except that for some months he will
have to wear spectacles with convex
lenses, which in his case were Opaque,
and had to be taken out. Truly this i:
the age of miracles, in which "the blind
are made to see."