The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1885-03-18

lnOtSll
Ny limbs were strong. I could bear
fatigue and exposure. could hold my
own with the best walkers and the swift
est runners. The chase, the sport, the
tt al of endurance had never been too
long or too arduous for mel passed my
left hand over my right arm and felt the
muscles firm as of old. Yet l was as
helpless as Samson in his captivity. ~
For, even as Samson, / 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 as I turned and
turned on my pillow and thought of the
fifty years of darkness which might be
miue-a thought which made me wish
that when fell asleep it might be to
wake no more?
b ind After lowering around me for
years the demon of darkness had at last
laid his hand upon me. After letting me-
for while, almost cheat myself into Sc
curity, he had swept down upon me,
folding me in his sable wings and blight
ed my life Fair forms, sweet sights,
bright cclors, 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 a new world
of light better, cried i'll my despair,
"better even the dull red glare of Hades
than rhe darkness of the world!"
This last gloomy thought of mine
shows the state of mind to which was
reduced.
The truth is that, in spite of hope held
out to me- had resolved to be hopeless.
For years I had felt that my foe was ly-
ing 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, q
whisper seemed to reach my ar Some
day 1 will strike again, then it will be all
over" I tried to laugh at my fears, but
could not quite get rid of the PRESENT.
ment of evil. Ny enemy had struck once
why not again?
Well I can remember his first appear
ance-his first attack. 1 remember q
hght-hearted school-boy so engrossed in
sport and study that he scarcely noticed
how strangely dim the sight of one eye
was getting, or the curious change which
was taking place in its appearance. I
remember the boys father taking him to
London, to large dull-looking house in
quite dull street remember our wait
ing IN room In which were several other
people most of whom had shades or
bandages over their eyes. Such dole
full gathering it wa that felt much re-
Geved when we were conducted tc
l-noG1er room In which sat kind pleas
ant-spoken man, called by my father Mr..
jay. This eminent man, after Applying
something which know now was bella
donna to my eyes, and which had the
effect for short time of wonderfully
improving my sight, peered into my
eyes by the aid OF strong lenses and mir
rors-I remember at the time Wishing
'tbnt some of those lenses were mine.
what SPLENDID burning glasses they
would make Then he placed me with
my back to the window and held lighted
candle before my face All these pro-
ceedings seemed so funny that was half
inclined to laugh. Ny fathers grave
anxious face alone restrained me from so
doing. AS soon as Mr.. Jay had finished
his researches he turned to my father
Hold the candle as l held 1t. Let it
shine into the right eye first Now, Mr..
Vaughan, what do you see? How many
candles, mean?"
Three the one in the centre small
and bright, but upside down"
Yes now try the other eye. How
many there 2"
My father looked long and carefully.
9 can only see one, he said, : the
large one"
'9This is called the catoptric test an
old-fashioned but infallible test, now al
most superseded. The boy is suffering
from lenticular cataract.
This terribly sounding name took
away all my wish to laugh / glanced
at my father and was surprised to notice
his face wearing an expression of relief.
That may be cured by an operation,
he said
Certainly but in my Judgment it is
not well to NEEDLE, SO long as the eye
remains unaffected"
is there danger?"
There is always danger of the disease
appearing in the sound eye; but, CT
course, it may not happen. Come to
me at the first s.gn of such a thing.
Good morning."
The great specialist bowed us out, and
returned to my school life, troubling
little about the matter, as it caused me
10 pain, and, although in less than
twelve-month the sight of one eye was
completely obscured, l could see well
enough for every purpose with the re-
naming one.
But / remembered every word of that
diagnosis, although it was years before
L recognized the importance of it. 1t
was only when compelled by an accident
to wear for some days q bandage over
my eye that realized the danger in which
L stood, and from that moment felt that
u merciless foe was ever waiting his
time.
And now the time had come. In the
first flush of my manhood, with all that
one could wish for at my command, the
foe had struck again.
He came upon me swiftly-far more
swiftly than is his custom in such cases
yet it was long before / could believe the
the worst long before would confess
to myself that my failing sight and the
increasing fogginess of everything
looked at were due to more than tenn
porarY weakness. l was hundreds of