Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-04-03
Eftisfellanrcus.
The Blind Fiddler

u
every step forward sent you halt step back .
nrnin-when no one whom fate or equally .
inexorable business, did not drive iorlll, Vcli-
tureJ TO brave the misty atmosphere lraught
with catnrrh and influenza heard Inc
sound of fiddle outside my window. lbc
strnin was neluncholly attempt at Scotch
reel and tho ncongrtiiy OF the spectacle
conitIred up to my Imagination compared
with the actual scene before my eyes had
lust awakcd me TO the perception OF the ,
comic, when the music suddenly ccnsed ~
the middle OF the second stayc, and heard
the sound of fall aud faint ejaculation,
hnlf sigh, half groon, which Immediately .
followed, brought the to the door to sec what ,
was the matter.
Il was already getting dark, independently /
nf the fog, and could but dimly discern /
dusky mass lying by the garden gate, but J
could hear the plaintive means that proceed.
cd from il, and soon with the help OF Betty
whom had summoned to my assistance,
got the wretchcd bundle of humanity into n
chair in front Of the glowing kitchen fire.
A few spoonluls of diluted brandy soon
brought life and animation into n weather.
beaten face, and produced from liyid lips
the eager, almost savage request
"For Gods sake give me bit Of vitilcs"
"Whcn did you cat last"
"Not since yesterday morning. had
bit of bread yesterday morning"
"Oll " said Betty, "ain't that horrd, aud
he is blind Inan--as blind as stone /"
Giving the necessary directions, left
Betty TO manage her blind patient in her
own way, and in about an hour afterwards
went down to sec what improvements she
had effected.
The poor fellow, having satisfied the de-
Jnnnds of nature, aud supplied his own
wants, had Immediately begun to attend TO
those of his inseparabc companion-his |
cracked, patched, dilnpidatcd fiddle.
found him airing it tcnderly before the fire
theu, having borrowed cloth from Betty,
he employed himself in cleaning the crazy
instrinlent from the moist breath Of the fog,
mud from the contnninntions, it had picked
up through his fall. This accomplished le
began feeling it all over as cautiously as
surgeon does the body of paticui, in search
Of o fracture. Fortunately there was no
serious mischief done, and tho poor follow
laughed cheerlillly whcli he discovered that
the only friend lie had in the world had es-
capped unhurt
swell, my man." said |, 'how do you get
pn? Not hungry now, hope"
aBess Zee, cir, no! I'm Fighter nor trivet
now, sir hadu't had sch feed can't tell
zee when, sir. Pun very much ohlccgcd 10
you, sir, surely. war altogether done ny,
and that's fact"
"Well, then, perhaps you have no objection
20 return The favor we have done ior ly
telling me how you came to he Il blind id-
der, what you get 10y it, and how you man
nge to live, and all about it Z"
"Not n biz of Objection IL the wo.d, sir, Il
You likes to hear it, There aiu'l much iun ia /
what got TO tell though, cos htiu'. had
much luck in my time; but ii yui wish 10 .
hear it, of course yOu shall, and IIl h'9'n al
;he beginning I'm quito agreeable, sir
~ mint but youngish man, sir, though I
ihey do tell me That looks u reg'lar old file.
What might you suppose my ngr, sir Z"
"From iorty-eight to fifty
"Thore tits asn. Every body snys I'm iii-
;y, ,sncn I'm not forty yet was born in
1911, sir, in Swan Alley, not far from the
Artillery Ground. My father was n shoema-
ker--pcrhaps ought to say II cohhler, for
he didn't mike many shoes, aud good rea-
SON why: he was always mendm' on 'crD.-
When was very little 'nn, | reckllcct
partlk'lar they was a-mnkln the RcgentS
Canal, ms runs under tho City Road, and
psed TO get out ulore | was big enough TO
wear trowsors, and make mud.pes ont OF
inc clay MS wns turned up. This was the
t,sat fun ever knowed, that was; but didn't |
get the strap when my ihIher cntched mo [
ut it! ALI, knows what strap sauce is well |
enough lie wanted to teach me-cos !
was The biggest boy-to make waNendS,
and wanted to make mnd-pics and ma
ny's the ikin' got along o. that there canal
a.diggin.' ! never pass the bridge now
without thinkin' on il. Then, you know |,
could see-llad as good use Of my eyes MS
pnybody. LA, well, 'taint no use greyin!
"Alothcr died, and left four Of us, when !
was about five years old, and then VIC got
more strap and less viit!cs, can tell you.-
Father got savage, aud took TO drinkiu', and
we never dared to lIave bit o'ark, 'ccpt |
when he was out o doors. One night when |
no was gone to the public house, we was all |
n-playin' nnd larkiu' in the room, aud my
father oni o. fin pushed me right over the kit |
into the fire. fell with my face slap i'll the
middle of the hot Goals, and was so riglton-
ed that couldn't make no attempt to get out,
Cos my legs was up in the air against the XII.
My two brothers and sisters sung ont n good
'un and a woman MS lived up stairs, came
doYn md picked me out. ! was took off
10 the hospital, where ] laid for seven
months and almost died with brain fever
ThGp was sent home again stone blind, and |
ihlher gave me q hidn' for tnmblin' into the |
fire, as il HADN'T had punishment enough !
Ru, ! didn't care much for that hod I,
friends in the court, among the women aud |
;he gals, and got deal moro vitlcs and .
Kindness tllnn did niorc
When was old enough, was sent to tic |
Blind ASYLUM, where ] learned TO make !
hnskets and lnns. can make clothes bas- |
keis and hampers, md that sort of work. |
well enough but the trade is SO much cut
up by the shops that it amt worth doin'.- !
II makes basket for waslIermoman for
ihros shllins, ii cpsts mo half crown for
ihe willows 1t nin't much better with the |
inais-lle rope COSTS almost the money they .
fetch. left the Asylum when | was sin !
ieen, and lived along with another blind I
man, ag made hampers for The wine NOR
ehapis, tie had pretty good trade, aud | /
migh, hnye done well nionr with him n |
could hO' carried home tho goods, but II |
pmt no 60 for blind man to get nbou, the