Alabama -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction; Domestic fiction; War stories
Skilfully he cut through the membrane and drew it down, then held his
hat between her eyes and the light streaming through the window.
Some seconds elapsed and suddenly a cry broke from the child's lips.
"Oh! something shines! there is a light, I believe!"
Mr. Murray threw his handkerchief over her head, caught her in his arms
and placed her on the side of the cot.
"The first face her eyes ever look upon shall be that which she loves
best--her father's."
As he withdrew the handkerchief Mr. Reed feebly raised his arms toward
his child, and whispered:
"My little Huldah--my daughter, can you see me?"
She stooped, put her face close to his, swept her small fingers
repeatedly over the emaciated features, to convince herself of the
identity of the new sensation of sight with the old and reliable sense
of touch; then she threw her head back with a wild laugh, a scream of
delight.
"Oh! I see! Thank God I see my father's face! My dear pa! my own dear
pa!"
For some moments she hung over the sufferer, kissing him, murmuring
brokenly her happy, tender words, and now and then resorting to the old
sense of touch.
While Edna wiped away tears of joyful sympathy which she strove in vain
to restrain, she glanced at Mr. Murray, and wondered how he could stand
there watching the scene with such bright, dry eyes.
Seeming suddenly to remember that there were other countenances in the
world beside that tear-stained one on the pillow, Huldah slipped down
from the cot, turned toward the group, and shaded her eyes with her
fingers.
"Oh, Edna! a'n't you glad for me? Where are you? I knew Jesus would
hear me. 'What things soever ye desire, when ye pray believe that ye
receive them, and ye shall have them.' I did believe, and I see! I see!
I prayed that God would send down some angel to touch my eyes, and He
sent Mr. Murray and the doctor."
After a pause, during which the oculist prepared some bandages, Huldah
added:
"Which one is Mr. Murray? Will you, please, come to me? My ears and my
fingers know you, but my eyes don't."
He stepped forward and putting out her hands she grasped his, and
turned her untutored eyes upon him. Before he could suspect her design
she fell at his feet, threw her arms around his knees, and exclaimed:
"How good you are! How shall I ever thank you enough? How good." She
clung to him and sobbed hysterically.
Edna saw him lift her from the floor and put her back beside her
father, while the doctor bandaged her eyes; and waiting to hear no
more, the orphan glided away and hurried along the road.
Ere she had proceeded far, she heard the quick trot of the horses, the
roll of the carriage. Leaning out as they overtook her, Mr. Murray
directed the driver to stop, and swinging open the door, he stepped out
and approached her.
"The doctor dines at Le Bocage; will you take a seat with us, or do
you, as usual, prefer to walk alone?"
"Thank you, sir; I am not going home now. I shall walk on."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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