The Blind Girl.


LITTLE Mary Dale was playing on the sidewalk

before her father's house. Ellen Green

saw her, and running to her, called out, "Mary,

Mary, come and play with me in the sand-bank."

"No, Ellen; my mother has forbidden me to

play there."

'"Oh, do come; we'll have a good time, and

she never'll know it."

"No; I can't disobey her. You know it

would be wicked."

"Well, go along, then. I don't want you to

play with me," said Ellen quite angrily, and giving

Mary a sudden push, threw her upon the

side-walk, and then ran away. Mary's bonnet

flew off, and the side of her head struck hard

against the pavement. She lay still, as if 

insensible.

Her mother saw her from the window,

and hastening to her, took her up in her

arms and carried her into the house. She was

soon able to speak, but there was a great pain

in her head, and a mist before her eyes, 

so that she could see nothing distinctly.

A physician came

and prescribed for her relief, but in vain; her

sight grew dimmer and dimmer, until she could

not see at all. She was blind. When she had

been quite blind for several days, she asked her

mother, "Can I never see again?"

"I fear not, my dear child," was the answer.

"Jesus could open my eyes, if he was here.

He made the blind to see."

"He is not on the earth to open blind eyes

now, but he is continually giving sight to blind

souls, which is a greater miracle to those who

understand it."

"I think I know what you mean, mother;

making those who didn't care any thing about

God, and who never thought any thing about

him, to see him and feel him all the time, and

love him too for his goodness."

"You understand something of what I mean.

If you should be blind all your life, yet if you

see God with your heart you will be happy.

The light of his presence is better than the light

of the sun, and the smile of his love is sweeter

than the face of parents and friends."

"I think God does smile, on me sometimes,

mother, and then I feel a very sweet peace in

my bosom, and I love every body. I am not

sorry, then, that I am blind."

"Do you love Ellen Green, then?"

"Yes, mother; and I am always sorry for her.

She must feel so badly for what she has done,

and I think she don't know how pleasant it is

to feel that God loves her. Couldn't she come

and see me now, sometime? Perhaps it would

do her good?

It was told Ellen that Mary wished to see her.

Ellen seemed very much troubled when she

went into the chamber where Mary sat quietly

holding her hands, and whispering to herself

little verses that she had learned when she

 could see. When she heard that Ellen was come,

she took hold of her hand and spoke very kindly

to her. "I can't play much with you, Ellen,

but I wanted you to see how happy I am. God

is very good, even to blind people."

The tears came to Ellen's eyes, and one of

them fell on Mary's hand. "Don't cry, Ellen.

It is best for me to be blind, or God would not

have permitted me to become so; and perhaps,

when you see me blind, you will be sorry for

the bad temper that sometimes makes you

 unkind, and will learn not to get angry any more."

Ellen still wept, but she could say nothing.

A few days afterwards she went to lead Mary

out for a walk in the beautiful sunshine; and it

was pleasant to see how careful she was that no

harm should happen to the little blind girl.

But O, how sad and sorry she looked! And

though Mary smiled, and talked of the fresh air,

and the sweet smelling flowers, and the songs of

the waters and the birds, and of God in all of

them, and seemed very grateful and happy, Ellen

looked unhappy and miserable. Those blind

eyes continually reproached her with her sin.

There was no peace for her till she had sought

and found the forgiveness of God; but even

now, when she looks on Mary's pretty, sightless

face, joy dies within her, and her spirit lies low

in humility. She will never cease to mourn for

her great sin of anger, by which, though she

meant it not, and little dreamed to do such

harm, she put out the eyes of her friend and

play mate. 



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