Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-06-16
REMEMBER THg AFFLICTED
IN THEIR HOUR OF NEED

w hAi fnU 7 40 10 ne NhNfH
There IL work Al your hand. dear
Inquirer cites do not hold all the
opportunities for those who would
reach the throne of grace through
rood deoda
Nt 1884 2nd ave Durango on the
bank of the Rio Dc las Animas. rm-
: pw~red In trees sets neat nnpaint
Cd cottage. and In that cottage sits
nh day woman n years Of age to
whom q, In always night She Is n
type Of tho wellhrcd New York state
woman 81 the last century refined and
cuiitr.d ln every particular. and she
nilsscs through her blindness. most Of
all IN" privilege Of reading although
she learned to read the raised letters
pld enjoys tho limited number Of
books she has Of this Kind
Now II You are suffering from en-.
uui or n magul0ccont surplus of moth
INK to do go and read nm hour or SO
20 Mira BENJAMIN Howard She can
lot see YOU and admire your gown.
but she tlkos 10 have you describe
u To her She ran hear the divinity
i1 vour voice aud God and the angels
win hear H. too Notwithstanding
w" fact that she Is familiar with all
The classics she liz extremely fond OF
modern litcrat,pe and most kcenly
enjoys III" POETRY Of Alfred Castnor
King. IN" blind poet Of ourny aud the
pocmu of ella Wheeler wilcox the
modern goddess Of reason and OF
truth
hear You say VERY sad. indeed :
Dreadful bat u would drprceE me 80
20 see one turer such an afiiiction "
70 NO Mrs Howard would cheer
Won with her phllonophy and her wit.
she u no wealtlinR she has brow
IKE n Webster and mind IN touch
with progression n you are not en-
tirelN s"ltacontorrd YOU are likely to
feel Ike a cowardl, vooi-for nothing
creature. aud 10 rcsoly. that YOU viii
nryrr again rcprnarb Fate Tor your
llmlnutiyo aunoyHncea.
II IL takoH Eroaucr 10 appeal TO
vnu you win probably 90 away say
lns 20. she's cheerful she's all right
she doesn't need me"
This is an erroneous view Her
courage and rhcerfulnna. are sublime
and demands yuur attention
How did shc become blindf'
Eight ycars nEo an inexperienced
oculist operated upon hcr eyes for
catarncts aud destroyed completely
ih" littlr sight she had o no she
locs not rail- at the individual who de.
priv"d her ~ her moat valuable sense
but accepts the Inevitable with iha,
calm tortiuude known only 10 those
who have faith In the divine scheme
and its ultimate unfolding
And she IA aloneg"
Alone, save for the friends who
visit her now and again prove to
her that human heart IL not ~ blank
as the world sho lives In. Alone'
N ith little to cheer her save the bird
songs outside and the ccnSolcss mur
mur uf the waters OF the Animas
which she says form pleasing az
ompanimeu, To her long hours ot re
lrospcction
How long has she thus lived
ilopo7"
20. not so long only a fow weeks
That ia the sad part of n all Only
about six weeks ago the partner OF
her JOYS ami SORROWS Mr Howard. an
old soldier aged m years, died after
a brief Illness from injuries he re
eaiy.d while aghtinR for his country
and from which he had suffered lonr
aud patiently For eight years IA,
had read the daily papers To- his sight
less wife. aud waited upon her with
the tendornoss and devotion Of q
youth upon his lady love That he
should be summoned first and sh,
lrc tc the mercy Of world OF people
the majority Of whom are so near
sighted that they can see only thoii
own woes, is another Of the iuscruts
bl" mysteries
Why doesn't she enter the iustitu
'ion for the blind at Colorado
Springs"
That is school only and 81 Yeas
the age limit ot those received there
And Is there no place for one so af
tlicted ia the stateg"
There IL NO state institution COY
eging such cases At Denver there is
an Old Ladies' Home conducted by
the Relief societies OF the city and
only residents Of Arapahoe county
are admitted. unless there be nnan.
cial object to the Institution To re,
cciVe applicants from outside counties.
The Home is well KEEP, and the ladies
upon whom the MANAGEMENT de
wolves deserve great credit II in
somewhat paradoNically stated by
them, though. that only those who
have seen better days are admitted
there. Such an Institution would be
desirable to every county in the state.