Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-02-03
WHEN SIGHT COMES
BACK TO BLIND
Graphic Picture Of sSCGRe
When Darkness Leaves.
(By Evelyn Huston.)

4 white, white-room-the surgeons
and internes and nurses all in whi-e
and a siIver-white head nthe pill
low. She is seventy-six, and she
wants to see her life's sunset So a
final spray of the merciful cocaine
is given, the surgeon-hand moves with
steady and exquisite precision. And
soon the keen-steel-blue eyes of the
big specialist flash up a look of tri-
umph.
The Cry Of 81 See! / See"
How many fingers, auntie?'
1.-TWO; Oh, doctor, see. SEE!"
A man, this one-just forty Strong
sturdy, an artisan-and helpless as a
blind OK. Again the tense silence
broken only by the fine clash of the
delicate instruments, the magical clip
ping of delicate films, the cleansing
spray ~ an s
"Ah-!"
/ 1t is the strangled sob of a released
prisoner seeking daylight-hope
work!
Thanks, doctor"
1t is a hoarse croak, and he swaI-
lows hard once or twice and the
shaven mouth witches.
The skillful, infinitely gentle hands
strap on the final bandage, the nurses
and orderlies step forward, the ruiz
Der wheels roll noiselessly out to the
ward There were giants in those
days Yes, but there are gods ia
these!
He who has just given sight to the
blind squares his broad shoulders
smiles and spins brass coin in the
air
1T is the philosophy of life" he
says "An astigmatic eye looks
through the slit in this disk-so! Ane
all is clouded | turn it-so! And ala
clears Life grows dark, We use the
little knives, the sun breaks through
the clouds again The one philosophdss
the other is understanding, and Tins
is the Teacher
And the hospital gives us all or
life and the operating room transit
ton, emancipation-so sometimes tho
Great Solution!
1t is the philosophy of life" he
had said as he slipped the little disk
into his pocket, and we Went out to
the street We saw the sparkle of
snow on the park trees, the deep sap
phire of a winter sky, the swoop Of
pigeons at our feet.
You have given them baek-this. =
said.
But it was always there only
showed them the way"
And the strain of it-day after
day."
well, yes-and sometimes-we fail
you know
The keen eyes We're those of pictur--
ed Lincoln-weary, profoundly s.
And suddenly l thought Of a Calvary,
a Cross, a Face and lips that va
stopped with dust He, too, had trjsH
to show them the way"
DO we try to help the Surgeop-
hand, / wonder? 1t is just an astIE-
matism of the heart, of the intellect
"a blindness of the spirit that keeps
us from the light
Beauty, wealth, pleasure, ambitioRY
avarice, impatience-they turn fr0ra
theSurgeon-hand then cry out that the
light is dim, that Life is distorted, THAI
existence is a sham And meanwhile
the wonderful scroll unrolls before
their blinded eyes the great things thaT
give life its dignity-the heroism oS
quiet lives, the fortitude Of qnies
places; Art that tolls and starves TO-
leave us something OF beauty; Lit
Dor that sweats and is patient ans
bears its yoke cheerily; Science ths3
works sleeplessly through long nighE
hours in hospital wards; Love thaA
shuns the palace and makes Of the
cottage Sanctuary; Poverty, draped ia
the robes OF silence-more royal fss
than ermine of England and Indlss
Pain that plumbs the depths and SS
twin sister, Ecstacy that tastes IRE
passion-crushed grapes of Olympus.
This is what Life gives to the eye
that sees. But gives only to the
vision that walks unshrinking up 10
/ the keen knife-blades of Experience
And those who will not-they may
miss the tragedy Of the depths, pex-
haps. But not for them the purpre
fire of Olympian .wine-pressi Thai 10
reached only through tears and blood
And when reached-the long sob ca
ccs.acy the souls paean Of gratitude
81 see; ! sEE!"
--~---------- - -