The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-11
THE MERCIEs or PROVIDENCE.
Blind Woman Restored to Sight Extols the
Blessings OF Rheumatism.
From the Smith College Mcnthlv.

From the Smith College Mcnthlt.
"Mornin'. doctor. Dfaw up a chair, wont
yer2 How'm | feelin' this mornin'? Well,
the rheumatics doin' nicely.
NO, thanks, l don't care for yer medicine
! tempted fate once and got well paid for
it and l amt likely ter try agin.
"How's that? Well, yer see it was nigh
ten years ago one of them smart busybodies
Of a city doctor, a specialist. yer call 'um,
came up ere for the summer and asked
me if he could perform on my eye g, and I
bein' a disconnected, silly thing, and not
realizing Gods mercy, let him do it,
yer see I'd been blind fer nigh twenty
'ad a real comfortable kinder time in life,
and when l was first performed on it was
real nice. Father and the boys were Jest
that tickled. it was even more an honor
than my bein' blind, and~we'd been always
a bit sot up over that.
Yer see no one else in these parts was
blind, and the ladies all made it sech a
point ter kinder drop in regular and give
me all the news, and father, e always was
that kind. Well as l was sayin', l was per-
formed on.
Did I like seein' again? Well, yes, /
kinder enjoyed it at first. Yer understand
I'd never seen Sally-she's our youngest,
yer know-and it was a real pleasure, only
I must say l was a mite disappointed, as
she was not nigh as good lookin' as l
somehow had picked 'er out 10 be.
ooh, no, I'm not complairin', ] was Jest
stain facts, and | feel real obliged to Provi-
dence.
whats my reaso for bein' agin doc
tors and their medicine? Well, as | we're
sayin', I real enjoyed seem fer a while.
I kinder sot around and all the ladies'
dropped in and was that took with me,
but after a while it kinder wore off and they
didn't drop in like they'd used to.
And then yer see trouble began fer me
Father, to pay fer that there meddlesome
doctors bill fer my eyes, had ter mortgage
1t was a poor season and we was hard
pressed for the interest, and so father, e
asked me to 'elp.
well, the first thing | knew I was workin'
in the field, yes, actually in the field, I, who
always sot in the comfortablest chair in the
'ouse. Well, l kinder reasoned with father,
but 'e's real sot when e gets started, and
l Away did ate a fuse more'n nothin'
so l jest give in and let things kinder slide
along.
We'll, / worked in the fields and did
washin' and cookin' besides for nigh ten
years. until I was nigh tuckered out, and
80 one day when catched that awful cold
out in the 'ayfield, 1 jest said ter myself,
Now, Maria, ye was a big fool once, but yer
never goin' ter be again if the Lord give
We another chance and e did. I got Their
rheumatics 30 bad 1 amt been able ter
move much sence.
Amt the pain bad at timesf Well. yes,
but yer see when it gets real bad l jist
call ter mind how comfortable like ware
afflicted before, and l realize it ware askin'
too much of the Lore ter do it as well ag,n'
and that I'm kinder payin' fer my first
presumption agin Providence.
Then, when the ladies begin to come in
jist like they used ter with their cuiet words
and talk about the Jews, and father brings
me a new piece Of ribbon or a nice geranium,
and Harry fetches the kindlin', l list heave
a sign Of real thankfulness.
NO, l thank yer, doctor, ! like yer real
we'll and think yer do the best yer know
how, but l amt any Use fer yer trade, yer
too careless OF the powers that be n I'd
never risk CHANGING Providence agin."