Annals of our ancestors; one hundred and fifty years of history in the ...

28 ANNALS OF OUR ANCESTORS
began his noble life. Just here I will state that this affliction
is not known to have occurred before in the families of our
ancestors, nor has it appeared in any of the generations since.
Waiting times were not over for the younger son. Now
they watched for some one to bring into the new country proper
magnifying lenses and adjust them to lit the poor eyes. At
last this other eagerly expected one came and spectacles were
obtained. During the interval of waiting an intense desire for
an education took possession of the blind boy. The lenses had
come — perhaps now the longed-for knowledge of books would
be his! The first efforts to use the spectacles furnished were
attended with great difficulty. In the beginning two pairs of
glasses were used, but the clumsy makeshift was soon abandoned
for one more practical z watchmaker's magnifying
glass with tenfold magnifying power. With the last device
new joy and hope filled his heart and aspiration for knowledge
and scholarship sprang up anew in his mind. With this little
glass in a bone tube pressed close to the eye having still a
fraction of sight, and seeing but one word at a time, he began
to study English grammar and the very few books at hand.
To be sure, the "deestrict school" had reached southern
Ohio at last; but how shall I make eyes of to-day see it.? It
was a log schoolhouse, with a large fireplace in one end and for
benches a lot of rude slab seats. Instead of glass window panes
they substituted greased paper. At a desk of rude construction
sat the schoolmaster, with a bundle of switches within
easy reach and oftentimes a huge cudgel in his hand. To gain
order he brought this weapon down upon his stout desk with
a sound that struck terror into small craniums. In this school
our father received the one thrashing of his life. On the door
a card was suspended by a cord, on one side of which was
written the letter "I," and on the other "O." When a child
was excused from the room he was to turn the letter "O" out,
and on returning, to indicate that he was in, he displayed the
letter "I." A mischievous boy, in order to play a joke on
"Ben" once, when our father was out, turned the card back
to "I," and when he came again into the room he was called
to account by the master, accused of dishonesty, and immedi-