The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-11-15

most beautiful places on the EARTH |
those places L had longed and deter |
mined to see. Now, knew l should
never see them, and groaned in an
guish at the thought
NV limbs were strong. l could bear
fatigue and exposure. | could hold my
own with the best walkers and the
swiftest runners. The chase, the sport,
the trial of endurance had never been
too long or too arduous for me. l
passed my left hand over my right arm
and felt the muscles firm as of old.
Yet was as helpless as Samson in his
captivity.
For, even as Samson, l was blind!
Blind Who but the victim can even
family comprehend the significance of
that word? Who can read this and
gauge the depth of my anguish rs |
turned and turned On my pillow and
thought of the fifty years of darkness
which might be mine-a thought which
made me wish that when l fell asleep
it might be to wake no more?
Blind! After lowering around me
for years the demon of darkness had at
last laid his hand upon me. After let
ting me, for awhile, almost cheat my
self into security, he lad swept down
upon me, folded me in his sable wings
a..d blighted my life. Fair forms,
sweet sights, bright colors. gay scenes
mine no more! He claimed them all,
leaving me darkness, darkness, ever
darkness! Far better to die, and, it
may be, wake in new world of Light
Better" L cried in my despair, ''bet-
ter even the dull red glare of Hades
than the darkness of the world"
This last gloomy thought of mine
shows the state of mind to which l was
reduced.
The truth is that, in spite of hope
held out to ME, had resolved to be
hopeless. For years | had felt that my
foe was lying in wait for me. Often
when gazing on some beautiful object,
some fair scene, the right to enjoy
which made one fully appreciate the
gift of sight, whisper seemed to reach
} my ear-''Some day l will strike again,
then it will be all over" l tried to
laugh at my fears, but could never
quite get rid of the prosentiment of
evil. Ny enemy had struck once-why
not agalnp
Well can remember his first appear
ance-his first attack. | remember a
7 lght-hearted school-boy so engrossed in
a sport and study that he scarcely noticed
, how strangely dim the sight o. one eye
! was getting, or the curious change
a which was taking place in its appear
;. ance. | remember the boys father
;. taking him to London, to a large dull
4 looking house in quiet dull street
7 remember our waiting in room ir
7 which were several other people; mos
q of whom had shades or bandages ovei
\ their eyes. Such doleful gathering il
y was that felt much relieved when W.
!, were conducted to another room il
q which sat q kind, pleasant-spoken man
called by my father Mr.. Jay. Thi
# eminent man, after applying something
i which l know now was belladonna t
= my eyes, and which had the effect TO
: short time of wonderfully improvin!
\ my sight. peered into my eyes by tn
:, aid of strong lenses and mirrors re
8 member at the time wishing some o
a those lenses were mine-what srlendi,
u burning-glasses they would make
~ Then he placed me with my back to tn
- window and held lighted candle befcr
! my face. All these proceedings seeme
= so funny that l was half inclined t
II laugh. NJ fathers grave, anxious fac
= alone restrained me from so doing. A
7, soon as Mr.. Jay had finished his re
searches he turned to my father:
7 Hold the candle as / held it. lie
10 it shine into the right eye first Now
20 Mr.. Vaughan, what do you seep HOY
w many candles, l mean?"
10 "Three the one in the center sma
ct and bright, but upside down"
ayes; now try the other eye. Ho'
Or many there?"
10 My father looked long and carefully
I'd IL cah only see one, he said, =" tn
ar large one"
Sc "This is called the catoptric test, a
Nv old-fashioned but infallible test, now a
err most superseded. The boy is sufferin
LII from lenticular cataract"
nd This terribly sounding name too
he away all my wish to laugh. glance
nv at my father and was surprised
W. notice his face wearing an eXpressiC
re of relief.
lie THAT may be cured by an oper
lis ton" he said.
"Certainly; but in my judgment it
or not well to NEEDLE, so long as the 9TH
tie eye remains unaffected.
We els there dangerT'
va "There is always danger of the di
oh ease appearing in the sound eye; bu
m. of course, it may not happen. Come
.rs me at the first sign OF such thin
| Good-morning."
he The great specialist bowed us OF
w. and returned to my school life, trou
re ling little about the mater. as
nut caused me no pain, and, although
ne less than u twelvemonth the sight
L one eye was completely obscured,
III could sec we'll enough for every purpo
nd with the remaining one.
IN But remembered every word of tn
WI diagnosis, although it wa; Years befo