Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1918-01-13
THE BLIND MAN
INTHE GARDEN
OF The GODS

This newspaper man loves Ramsey
CANYON in the Huachucas. He not
only admits il, he is proud and glad
10 proclaim the fact. Il is the finest
spot in the world 10 him except the
old home where his mother used 10
gather the lilac blooms from the biz
bush in the little frOnt yard Every
Sunday that his brave and broken
rivver will run he goes 70 that be-
loved spot TO gain strength from the
fir trees and the peaks and TO gain
wisdom from the falling water and 10
gain humility and gentlenesS from the
beauty and strength Of this place
Well. a Sunday or two ago. after
spending an hour by the leaf-Irmged
pools and sunkiSSed rocks. thu news
paper man started TO rig up his fllvver
for the homeward way. when a pill
grim came and stood by his side and
told him that Old Man Berner was
hack from the hospital and was at
this moment sitting by the fireplace
in his cabin. The newspaper man
turned at once and went and knocked
on the door Of the pioneer master OF
all this particular part OF Ramsey
CANYON. A soft voice hade him enter.
and there before the fireplace sat an
old man with handaged eyes and
Bonded back and gentle preser>s.
For nearly an hour the newspaper
man sat silent and humble and
man sat silent and humble and
philosopher and mountain man tell Of
the DAYS of long ago. And never
complaint OF Deity or protest against
the fateS did he hear from the lips or
the man whose passion is love OF
beautiful flowers and who has been
stricken with blindness,
Consider for a moment. friends. the
case Of this blind man. In this wild
canyon he planted and tended a little
plot OF ground until il grew into a
wonderful garden NarShsled and
led BY the brave. beautiful roses. these
flowers marched in a bewildering ar
ray OF grace and color from the banks
OF the brooks TO the rugged rocks OF
the mountain side. For years they
have been the admiration and envy
Of every pilgrim fortunate enough TO
come to the canyon. And the master
of the garden glOried in his flowers
But there came a time when he went
to the garden that his dimminy eye
saw the bright colOrs Of his children
and friends with difficulty. and then
finally he saw them not al all because
of the shadows that filmed his eyes
at MONDAY.
He is back now nom the hospital
where he spent weary months in an
effort to win back his sight There Is
Stin chance. but il Is slight one.
And he sits day by day before his
fireplace in his cabin home with the
glory OF the flashing water and tower
ing tree and orag about him and wears
this mask Of blackneSS. Where his
thoughts are these winter days Sny
one who viii sit quiet and listen may
know. They are with his garden. His
flowers will bloom next spring as
hright and fair as ever they bl0omed
before. mute tokens of the resnrrec-
ton and the life. bur will he see themS
The names of his old friends have
been carved for many years on the
tomb. but this man would see his
flowers and count their petals and
marvel az their beauty and their
bloom. Il was his hand and faith that
made Berner'S place so beautiful. and
vet Berner cannot see IL now,
The newspaper man Is only simple
and broken pilgrim on the track OF
time and his ambitions are modest
and few But il the gift were gle
him he wOald wish that Old Man
Berner might see his budding flowers
in the miracle light OF next springs
sunshine.