Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-04-23

fore, realize the inconvenience and NOR
LITIGATION to which the myope is habitu
ally subjected and consequently, in con
formity with the common usage, few be
lieve in them. Take ten people with
normal sight, and you will find the ma
iority of them believe that the troubles
of myopia are, broadly speaking, either
imaginary or affected. Hence the short.
sighted are commonly credited with
weakness or impertinence that no amount
of explanation can clear away. A bad
name in such case is past remedy, be-
cause the offender is continually doing
things which, to the observation of the
inconsiderate and irrational-that is, to
the observation of the great majority
Justify his unenviable reputation. Moth
ing for instance, is so disgusting to amour
propre as being passed in the street with
out recognition /; and the unhappy per-
sistency with which short-sighted folks
offend in this particular constantly gains
them enemies. Insuch cases apology or
explanation seems utterl y useless, "Tell
me the man didn't see me p says the
aggrieved and cut one; Why, | saw
him look me steadily in the eye" What
answer can there be to this 1t is doubt
full whether a demonstration from the
lips of the ablest and most eloquent oc-
culist in the country, "proof strong as
holy writ" that recognition of face
was physically impossible to the myope
at the given distance, would be more con-
vincing than the most popular off.hand
explanation would be- The sbulk of
mankind insist, practically speaking, on
judging their fellow-beings by themselves,
and it is a whimsical fact, that thousands
will corroborate, that even the friends of
short-sighted people will often say, with
a playfulness blended with not a little
serious conviction, " Oh So-and-so can
see well enough when he likes" Here
the amiable desire to impute certain
sagacious discrimination unites with a
latent incredulousness about the intirmi-
ty itself, and not only does the myopean
injustice, but often inficts upon him
much harm. If his friends say he can
see when he pretends he can't, what shall
his enemies say AT first thought it
seems odd, but on reflection it becomes
perfectly natural, that character for
superciliousness thus wrongfully confer
red frequently, in the sequel, becomes ac-
tually merited. Finding his explana-
tions discredited and his condemnation
not to be averted, the aspersed unfortu-
nate takes refuge in a reality of which
he has unconsciously been affording
stimulation, and has the gain, if any there
be, as well as the name.
This is if the myope is of a sensitive
and slightly misanthropical turn. If,
however, he has a good digestion and
good temper he may boldly resolve no
longer to be the slave of circumstances.
He may determine no longer to be forced
into making enemies through no fault or
inclination of his own. Whereupon he
sets forth on the comprehensive and di-
verting plan of bowling affably to every
body he meets. To the establishment of
total strangers the short-sighted man
| greets them with gay and familiar rec
/ ognition, while they turn round and won
/ der whether Bedlam or drink is respon-
sible for the unauthorized salutation.-
An early result of this system is apt to
consist in a call from relative of some
| indignant female to learn why she has
been spoken to" in the street without
an introduction. Satisfied with an early
crop of similar misadventures, the un-
happy suffer resolves to take the most
sedulous pains to identify people before
saluting them /; ON which he soon hears
to his amazement that he is generally ac-
cused Of staring people out of counte-
nance, of wearing an habitually stern
and inquisitorial expression, and of other
rudenesses so far foreign to his nature as
! to be obviously traceable to his attempts
to avoid giving offence What wonder
if even good nature and good digestion
fail to devise new expedients, and the
victim relapses into modern short-sight-
ed Timon.-Round Table.
The velocipede has been introduced
into some of the penal institutions as a
substitute for a tread mill, in which there
is great similarity, the only difference
being that the prisoner has to take his
velocipede about, while the mill is sta
tionary.
Mayor Hall of New York has publish
ed timely and much needed warning.
In which he says: 81 beg to caution
strangers against New York circulars,
tickets, shares, chances and prospectives
In cooperative unions or gift enterprises,