Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-10-29
Gales aao Sketfbes.
rHE BLIND PRINCE.
BY MARGARET b. HARVEY.

Once there was a young prince who had
never seen. Long bad he pr aged that he
might receive his sight. but just as long a
time his prayers had not been answered.
Still were his eyes closed to all that was
beautiful in nature and art still were the
faces of beloved friends unbeheld.
Save this one blessing he had almost
everything that could have made him
happy. Never had he known days ILL.,
ness. SO to his other affections he did not
add the heavy burden Of a tortured body:
his courtly position meant freedom from
all the distresses Of want; his bright in
tellect had been well cultivated and he
had almost in perfection that Dever-fi'ling
resource of the blind. . passis nate love
tor music, combined with a wonderful
skill in execution, so the horrors of a va
cant mind were not for him; all Of his
relatives, without exception. idolized him,
20 he never conceived of the awful lOneli-
ness of the unloved. But this one black
shadow hung ove- him, threatening to
poison everything with its blight.
He he'd psayed long for his sight. ]
have observed. Rather should have
said groaned and wrestled for it, fiercely
demanded IL. even called into question
his Makers goodness in denying it. 1t
was very hard for him to mourn, no
doubt, and very natural for him to mourn,
but such griefs "a his had none of the sa-
credness Of real prostration under the
Lords mighty hand. II was rather child
ish, impotent rage, and as such was like
ly TO spoil every good already his.
II was late in the afternoon of beauti-
full summer dav The prince sat in lit
tie pavilion 10 the garden, drinking in all
Of loneliness possible for him. For, though
the gorgeous roses and fair lilies, tossing
in crimson profusion and swaying in snow
majesty, were hidden from him though
the slvery spray of the fountain, falling
among enwreathing ferns and MOSES.
were invisible to yelled eyes though the
graceful trailing vines. with the enclosing
wall beyond were covered from his cur
iained sight; and though the Illuminated
skies and red and gold lights streaming
from them, bathing in all bright
sunset glow. were rs naught-yet the
heavy perfume Of the flowers. the must
cal splash of the waters, the soft rustic OF
the branches, and tie gentle kiss OF the
breeze were all real to him. And so too
was their blessed influence, stealing upon
him ere he was well aware. Healing to
his heart they carried, for strange feel
ing of sudden tenderness came over him.
oh" he unused. IL know that it is all
beautiful around me now. Could be
more kecnly alive to il if | saw it? My
Fathers will must be best | shall leave
it with him to restore NV sight as He sees
fit. But why this great joy. this spring
ing exultation? My soul is full of melo-
dy."
As he spoke, he rose, crossed the gar
den and stepped through low window
into the little room in which he spent
much of his time. Seating himself at the
organ he ran his fingers over the keys. |
hoping to find some expression for the
sweetness rising within him.
His past life rose before him. wrapped
in heavy black pail. And rs memory
after memory. scene after scene came back |
his fingers half involuntarily drew out
low, crashing chords OF rage and dread.
followed by low, minor wailings of dis |
pair. But the gladness still reigned in
his heart. and thoughts of the scent of
flowers. the fall of waters. the waving of
the tress. and the signing of the zephyrs
seemed to intensity it and the sounds of
mourning swiftly changed into an earnest
PRAYER, succeeded by few faint notes OF
timid exalta,ion. which. gathering conf
dence. increased in number and volume, !
soaring as a simple. happy hymn of praise
and suddenly bursting into grand. swell |
ling. reverberating anthem of jubilee.
The last was prophecy. although the
prince knew it not The tmid strain of
exultation. and the simple hymn OF praise
would have been fitting end of his play
ing. For, wonderfully and entirely salts i
fled with the harmonies which he called |
forth. he turned with shade of WEAKNESS
towards the window from which he had |
come.
Like flash was his exclamation, II
can see."
The twilight had been stealing on rs he
sat at the organ, filling all the room with
dark. Bat through the easement came to
him the dim sight of the garden. tinged
with the faint light OF departing day.
.'O" he cried. land this is what it is
too see :" And he stepped out into the
walk, the same and not the same. and
made hasty inspection of the garden, scan
ming the familiar yet unfamiliar objects.
"And this is color. have heard that
roses were red, lilies white and leaves
green-I wonder how men discern differ
ence enough to give them different names
And did not expect to find the grove of
evergreens and the pavilion so much alike.
But the light, the neutrality-suspicious. my
being denied them has made me overesti-
mate them. for certainly was prepared
TO find them very much brighter
So he went on. every step he 'ook bring
ing him some fresh surprise. For, rs his
sight had come 10 him Just at dark, he did
not know what day was. So absorbed. so
had he been by this awaken
ing that he had forgotten the existence of
every human creature. But before the
deepest shadows overlook him h> tutor
Joined him.
As the prince heard the step he cried.
'Oh. Godfrey. can see ~ Then he ielt
OF the new conner as he had done in the
olden time. and scanned him from head to
foot.
Godfrey, see you yet how strange,
Your hair and your face, and the flowers
aud the trees are all the same color-ye,
heard differently.
The same color!" exclaimed the tutor.
.Oh. my prince. do you not know that it
rs almost night and that you are looking
upon everything in the twilight
Tho nrince recoiled and framhlaj ne