Sight to the Blind | Page 3

married just a month before Evy died in October, and
gone to live up the hollow a small piece from maw, and even then she
were complaining of a leetle scum over her eyes. Losing Evy, and
rebelling like she done atterward, and Uncle Joshuay's talk, holp it
along fast, and it were plain to all before winter were over that he had
prophesied right, and her sight were a-going. I would come down the

branch of a morning and beg her to let me milk the cow and feed the
property and red up the house and the like, but she would refuse in
anger, and stumble round over chairs and table and bean-pot and
wash-kittle, and maintain all spring and summer her sight were as good
as ever. Never till that day of the funeral occasion, one year atter Evy
died, did she ever give in."
Here Marthy again covered her face with her hands, and Mrs. Chilton
took up the tale:
"I can see her now, up thar on the hill-shoulder, betwixt you and John
on the front log, by Evy's grave-house, and Uncle Joshuay a-hollering
and weeping and denouncing like he does, and her setting through it
like a rock. Then finally Uncle Joshuay he thundered at her the third
time, 'Hain't it the truth, Sister Dalmanuthy, that the judgment and the
curse of God has fell on you for your rebelliousness, like I prophesied,
and that you hain't able to see John thar or Marthy thar or the hand thar
before your face thar?' when Aunt Dalmanuthy riz up sudden, and
clinched her hands, and says slow and fierce: 'Man, it is the truth you
speak. The curse has fell; and I hain't able to see John here or Marthy
here or the hand here before my face here. But listen what I got to say
about it. I'm able to hate and to curse as good as God. And I do! I hate
and curse the Hand that, after taking all else I loved, snatched from my
bosom the one little yoe lamb I treasured thar; I hate and curse Him that
expected me to set down tame and quiet under such cruelty and
onjestice; I hate and curse and defy the Power that hated and spited me
enough, atter darkening the light of my life, to put out the sight of my
eyes! Now,' she says, 'you lay claim to being mighty familiar with the
Lord; take that message to Him!' she says.
"Women, that whole funeral meeting kotch its breath at them awful
words, and sot there rooted and grounded; and she turnt and looked
around defiant-like with them sightless eyes, and strode off down the
hill, John and Marthy follering."
[Illustration: "Aunt Dalmanuthy riz up sudden, and clinched her
hands"]

After a somewhat protracted silence, Marthy's gentle voice resumed:
"And from that day to this John and me hain't left her sence. We shet
up our house and moved down to hern; and she tuck to setting by the
fire or out on the porch, allus a-knitting, and seldom speaking a word in
all them years about Evy or her sorrow or her curse. When my first
little gal come along, I named it Evy, thinking to give her some
easement or pleasure; but small notice has she ever showed. 'Pears like
my young uns don't do much but bother her, her hearing and scent
being so powerful' keen. I have allus allowed if she could git her
feelings turnt loose one time, and bile over good and strong, it might
benefit her; but thar she sets, day in, day out, proud and restless,
a-bottling it all up inside."
"She biles over a right smart on you, Marthy, I should say," remarked
the hostess.
"No, now, Susan, she don't, neither, considering her provocations. She
were the smartest, most managing woman in these parts, and I never
did have no faculty, and don't run her house like I ought; and John is a
puny man and not able to do all her bidding; and the young uns they
gits terrible noisy and feisty at times, all but Evy."
"The women" rode with Marthy a mile farther, stopping before a lonely
log-house, with corn-fields climbing to meet the timber half-way up the
mountain in the rear. Marthy ushered her guests into the porch with the
words, "Here 's the fotch-on women, Maw."
The tall, gaunt, forbidding-looking old woman sitting there turned
sightless eyes toward them, putting forth a strong hand.
"Howdy, women," she said grimly. "Git cheers for 'em, Evy."
They seated themselves, and Aunt Dalmanutha resumed her knitting,
swiftly and fiercely, all the pent-up force of a strong nature thrown into
the simple act. Instead of the repose that characterizes the faces of the