The Nevada journal., 1852-05-29
From Chambsrs' Edinburg Journal.
BLIND WALTER,

wich may be reached both by railway
and steamer; and IL you were there
q few years ago, you might have re-
marked, near the steamboat pier, the
hero Of this narrative. Ee was then
= pale, slight youth of sixteen, good
looking, but with that peculiar expires
sion Of conference.-the resignation,
half anxiety--which belongs to the
blind. He was quite blind-stone
blind, and had been SO from his birth.
He had for about two years played
tho fidile daily at the corner of GER
tain street. Every morning he was
brought to his post by an old woman
with whom he lodged, or sometimes
by little girl, her gr ndchild, who
also brought his dinner at one o'clock,
and fetched him home to tea at six
He never asked for money; but at his
feet lay small basket, into which half.
pence poured pretty freely. There
was q quiet, uncomplaining manner
about him he was so neat and clean,
that in the neighborhood he was fa-
vorite, and all strangers admired him.
But what was curious and pleasant to
see was the respect shown him by all
sailors, watermen, and old collegemen.
Though he could not see, they always
touched their hats to him, when they
wished him good morning or good
evening. But then Blind Walter was
the son Of a Captain in the royal ma
w, who had left him without father
at SIX years old. He had had a mo-
ther, but she was what is rarely found
in this world, as dare say you all
know-a bad mother; and then it is
the worst thing that can fall TO the lot
Of child. She was not what the
world calls wicked, but she was so re-
ally. She neglected her blind boy (;
she let him pick up his education how
he could; and but for the kindness Of
an old musician, who took fancy to
him, and when his mother was out
fetched him 10 his house, he would
have known nothing.
The musician was poor. old Italian,
gentleman in habits and feelings /;
and he taught the boy toSpeak Italian,
to be tidy and clean, and to play the
violin. Walter became passionately
fond Of music, which, when his mother
made the discovery, rather warmed
her feelings towards her child. She
had him more neatly dressed than be-
fore, and took him wherever she went
~ a prodigy. Walter, who was an
intelligent and pleasing lad, was uni
versally liked. He was petted and ta-
ken notice Of, and soon acquired the
manners of the society to which he
was now introduced. The Importance
OF early training and education, which
perhaps just now may not be pleasing
to somc Of you, was demonstrated in
the case Of Blind Walter. When he
fell into other circumstances, he never
lost his graceful manners, his soft tone
of voice--the surest marks Of good
breeding and good company; and he
gained largely byit. But his fall was
sudden and unexpected. His mother,
the portionless daughter Of poor, proud
people Of good family, whom Waters
father had married for her beauty, died
deeply in debt; and the poor boy found
himself alone in the world, with noh-
ing but his violin, saved from the cred
itors with much difficulty. They had
been two years in Greenwich when
this happened; and the father having
been much liked by his crew--some
of whom were now in Greenwich
Hospital--these old pensioners held
council. They would have liked to
sond the boy, now their child, to sea,
but his blindness was serious draw
back; they then advised him to try
his fortune with the violin, and Walter,
who had no other friends-his father
having been an orphan, protected by
one now ad--followed their kind ad-
vice. His first days trial was won.
drous in its result: all the college
men came by quietly without saying a
word, and threw in their half pence
and Walter Arnott thanked God in
his heart, while he thought gratefully
of the poor Italian musician, some
time dead, who had been the instru-
ment of Providence in giving him the
means of earning his livelihood. He
took neat, clean, but cheap room in
the house Of an aged widow, with an
orphan grand-child. girl Of thirteen
years old; and after paying his way,
giving little presents to Alice, and
keeping himself in decent clothes and
clean linen put the rest in the Savings
Bank in the name of q clerk in the
Hospital, who regularly gave him two