MARY, OUR MOTHER

CHAPTER XXXII: TWO HEARTS OF WIT & WISDOM

MARY'S MIRACLE:
This book was not intended to be an autobiography, however happenings have come about in my life that brings up "Gems" of facts, which are indeed worth re-telling:
I was just four years old, I stayed in the country on a farm, near Vienna, Austria, with my Grandmother and Aunt. Dad was in the service on the Russian front in the first World War, Mother in Vienna, employed with Dr. Fischer and Dr. Neumann, dentists. Food was scarce, because of the war shortages, so I stayed in the country on a farm--good thinking--.
We kids were playing one day with little pebbles of lye, which the farmers use for mixing purposes. We were throwing these pebbles into the air, just to see who could throw them highest, and lo and behold a handful of this lye rock substance fell into my eyes.
Someone ran for water to wash out the eyes, the lye started to bubble and burn more than ever. Result--I couldn't see. - - - I was blind. Of course, in those days in the war-years, there were no quick ambulances--as you have them in this country. Cilli Tante, my aunt took me in a little wagon to the hospital two towns away.
The Doctors declared, sorry the boy can't see--you should not allow children to play with rocks of lye! - - -
You can imagine the mental agonies of my aunt and grandmother, with a blind boy on their hands--they had not as yet informed my Mother in Vienna. (Communications in those days were not as they are today.)
After a time in the hospital, Cilli Tante came again with her little wagon to take me home. On the way, my aunt stopped at a way-side shrine "Denkmal" as they are called in Austria, praying to Our Blessed Mother for a cure. It all seemed so hopeless. - - -
I remember this happening too well. I was waiting patiently in that little wagon, on the other side of the country road. All at once I cried out:
"Cilli Tante, Cilli Tante--ich kann wieder sehn!"
"Cilli Tante, Cilli Tante--I can see again!"
Just imagine the joy of one and all!
After I came to America 10 years later, at the Stamford High School, in Connecticut, at an eye examination I was prescribed glasses--a slight correction of vision.
Many many years later, Dr. Wahlig of Queens, N.Y. after examining my eyes said:
"How old are you now? 60, you say - - -. You have the eyes of a 19-year old!"
Isn't true that every reader of these pages, who prayed to Our Lady could tell a heart-warming story of receiving direct and immediate help from Our Blessed Mother at some time of their lives.

* * *