never flinching, never winking as she lay.

"The doctor raised her nearer and nearer to the flame; he turned the
screws, and let out each burner to its fullest capacity, and passed his
hands rapidly to and fro close to the child's eyes, then turning towards
the wondering, panic-stricken group, who were slowly beginning to
understand the meaning of that fearful pantomime, he laid her once more
in her father's arms, and looking in his face, said, in a rough, broken
voice, while a great tear trembled in his eye--'God help little
Eva,--SHE IS BLIND.'

"The doctor went away that night with the sorrowful wail of the poor
parents smiting his heart.

"He came again and again, but nevermore in that house did he open the
door upon a group so smilingly happy, as that which greeted him on the
fatal night, when he told them the dreadful truth, that their child
would never see their faces, for she was blind.

"And now I will tell you about Mr. Vernon. When he was quite a young
man, rich, handsome, and surrounded with friends, he was taken ill with
a dreadful fever, which left him totally blind. For a long, long time he
murmured at God's will, and refused to believe there was any thing left
worth living for; but God's ways are not our ways, and in His own good
time He so softened the wilful heart of the blind man, so that he became
not only resigned, but happy.

"After a few years, God gave him a beautiful wife, who loved him more
because of the affliction which made him so dependent upon her loving
care; and oh! how I hope that all who are reading this true story will
have a tender pity for those upon whom God has caused outward darkness
to fall. They cannot see the sunshine, or the beautiful flowers--let
them _feel_ the warm sunshine of a loving heart.

"In due course of time Mr. Vernon had two lovely children, the elder a
pretty little maiden, with deep blue eyes, and dark, wavy hair, whose
sweet name was Ruth. The dear little girl was six years old before the
other darling came to gladden his parents' heart, and having no
companions but her blind father and gentle mother, she grew to be quite
a dignified little woman. None so proud and happy as Ruth, when she was
guiding her blind father; none knew better all his favorite walks in and
around the beautiful country place where they lived; and her gentle,
patient ways made her the very darling of his heart.

"In a few years there was another little being in the world, to whos