One Sunday night a brother and sister went to an appointment Father had in a school house some miles from home. It was a Nen’ dark night and this bro. and sister had a lantern tied in some wav under their bug’. Coming home they were ahead of Father and Mother. Father kept back as far as he could for just then he was driving a mustang pony and he was hard to manage. The lantern swaying back and forth out of the darkness made mother ill and dizzy.
When they reached home the boys had left the big gate open so they could drive right up to the barn. Father said “Ma. you hold Pete and I’ll g(; get the lantern.” But Mother was en much afraid of horses and slaid “no, oh no. I’d very much rather get the lantern.” She started for the house, but it was yen very dark and she felt ill and clizz She missed the path and staggered onto the woodpile and fell on a sharp ax and cut her very badly just oN er and below the eye—her good eye. She got up however and made out to reach the house and get the lantern. I was sleeping sweetly in bed with my big sister and knew nothing of it until morning when I got up my dear Mamma was sitting with eves bandaged. Her crossed eye was weak and she could see but little with it so both eves had to be kept bandaged until the good eye was well. Mother ahvays carried scars from that midnight fall on the ax.