Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-11

He's rosldsnB7a beyy IN White :. h1s VI
Bad siicitd, 70 saper and dsnee in the wekin'
And brosdor, and warmet che kipdled IN splsndOr,
nss sssPRsss % Rssst 81 cS T5S5 %S5Fs ss q, sds
Shut down to ihe rim the verld. 3L' s.i 1|
Is, #.HH.. H
IdiosJncrasles Of the BlInd-TheIr RE-
mnrhnble Power OF Calculation.
Those who hsve closely observed the con-
duct Of the blind must we imagine, have
been sometimes startled with the precise
knoWiedge they appear to possess Of what is
going on around them. It would seem as
though some new sense had stepped in to
supply the want Of 4he faculty which they
have lost OF have never possessed. We
know that this is not the case, and that the
Teady powers of perception and apprecia-
ton which sometimes astonish us are the
resultsy of that finished education of the
other senses, which is in a manner enforced
upon those who live in perpetual darkness.
We shall lot down few instances which
have come within our own observation and
knowledge and which, while interesting IN
themselves, will serve to illustrate the opera
tionnof what some writers, in alluding to
thissubjech have wrongly termed the sixth
sense. % @ g0
A poor, blind pensioneT, who travels Lon
don daily to call on his patrons for their con-
tributions, and whose rounds are not much
short Of a 100 miles per week, on being
ssked how be finds his way about tells us
that on starting from home he counts the
turhings and crossings however numerous
they may be- perhaps over five miles
route, until he arrives at the street or row of
buildings which he wants. L.it 10
He then sticks it," or counts the houses
BY their entrances with his stick, until he
comes to the right dwelling. This once
certified, is never forgotten; for, if he
should chance to miscount he would be
made sensible of his error by the different
shane of the bell. handle, the knocket the
ratings or some trifiipg popularity in the
doorstep, etc., which, though they might
esaape the observations of ordinary persons,
are Obvious enough to the blind. c1 Hh.
He knows his friends as they approach him
byi the sound of their football, and will not
allow them to pass him without giving him
the good day" He can always tell when
he is passing house or houses OF two,
three or four stories high, by the difference
in the sound of his own step, or ofthe touch
of his stick on the flags. He knows the
trees by their odor. A grocer's shop, a
ctemists shop, leather. cutters or butch
er's, is as palpable to him as milestone to
q traveller or light house to a sailor. II he
is tver put out of his reckoning, tits through
meeting friend and having gossip until
he forgets himself; in this case he has either
EJnkO DdCk VI kO ohShAhH
until he has recovered one OF his land
marks.
p This poor fellow has perambulated Lon
don alone for twenty years, in all weRthers,
with no other guide than his stick, yet is
never known to lose his way. If the reader
will compare these facts with his own ex-
perence in the dark or with the cases of
persons who lose themselves in London
tg, in neighborhoods with which they have
long been we'll acquainted, he will see sufi-
Gent cause TO marvel at the resources of the
blind. 6 RS.
A friend Of the writer, attending church
on a Sunday morning in a village where he
had arrived the night before, encountered q
blind man cropping at the principal door
which, for some cause, happened on that
day to be closed. Our friend took him by
the hand, and led him in at a side door. After
the service he led him out; but the blind man
was quite nonplussed, "Will you be so good
az to put me where you found me frst2
ne said and be was conducted back TO the
front door. Having certified himself of his
position by touch, he at once set on for hls
home, which was at three miles distance
our friend accompan wing part of the way.
When they had walked something more
than a mile along the road the blind man
stopped, "Will you have the kindness" he
said i.to put your hand behind that hurdle
in the hedge, and lift out my walking stick
always leave it there when go to church.
Now the man had been talking all the way
from the village, and he could not have been
counting his steps or his invisible land.
marks, and there appeared to be nothing
whatever in the level road which could have
indicated TO one stone blind the exact spot
on which he stood. AS our friend lifted out
the stout eudge, which certainly did moi
10 K at all like a church. going article, be
a=ked him how he could tell so precisely
where be was. "There is tree in the
hedge said the blind man, "aud that causes
a lul in the air, because it stops the current;
IalWays know when | come to the tree"
Not many, months back, traveller was
riding on one Of the bleak and stormy
nights for which the past year will long be
remembered, over dreary district of hill
down and dale, in Central Yorkshire. He
bad weary way to go, and his whole route
lay in the teeth of the wind and tempest
which threatened to sweep him from the
road. As he struggled op, the night grew
dark end the storm more furious. Not
relishiDg the idea of being belated on that
wild spot, he set spurs to his steed, and
trusting TO the animals instinct and sure
footedness, galloped through the darkness
toward his destination.
he had reason TO repent of his precipita
ton, for the horse diverged from the track
and became entangled in clump of gorse
and SnruD, anu ne ulmseu was thrown, Dul
fortunately, without any serious injury. HG
was able 70 mount again and recover tn,
path, and proceeded more cautiously, arriv
ing at the village inn where he intended h
put up about midnight. Here, on dismouut
ing, he discovered that he had lost his watch
which had been severed from the ribbon tina
served as guard, and had most likely falle
to the ground among the gorse where he ha
been thrown He grieved at the loss of
valuable time-piece, and bemoaned his mil
fortune with the landlord.
There was a poor blind man sitting in Il
bar, who immediately rose and volunteers
10 go in search Of the missing watch. II
case appeared hopeless TO the traveller, WI
could scarcely describe the spot where
misfortune had overtaken him, and WI
deemed the attempt to recover 1t on the pa
of ablind man as supremely ridiculous an
indeed, he binted as much. In spite of th
discouragement however, the blind mi
seized bis staff and set forth in the midst
the wind and the pouring rain. He kne
the district better than the traveller did.
He traversed the six miles OF the storm
heath and mountain, and, needless Of I
driving scud, commenced his search. Ha
Ing arrived at the spot he set his ear 10 {
ground, and groped through the gorse in
directions; the wind howled, and the lol
grass whistled around him, but amid the
wild and melancholy sounds he was able
1enoth IN identify the still small ticking