National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-01-10

Vagarlcs Of Blind Man.
] am TO be introduced 10 remarkable
character, whom ] wish Charles Dick
ems had happened 10 fall in with. Let
this feeble pen recall what il may Of his
specialities. See, we near him, led now
by his daughter, (for he is blind, TO
sit for m hour in the cloistcrs, He IL
in convers ion with himself CONVERSE
ton inteisperscd with short scornful
laughs, upon the one master-subject Of
his thought have been forcwarned
m to his little popularity, at least, his
special peculiarly Of all, which il that
all his thoughts run perpctually upon
the devil. II IL concerning that fallen
angel that he holds those sarcastic
soliloqnies, talking, if not to him, nj any
rate of him. So for granted does he
take it, that the subject of his own
thoughts is also certainly and always the
subject of yours, that he never thinks it
necessary To go beyond pronouns, nor
to specify by any name the lost spirit
who is his perpetual theme. II is always
He" or Ellis" So | am prepared
when, upon my brothers accosting him
he plunges into the subject without ex-
planation or preface. At present he
seems in somewhat sympathetic vein.
They runs him down shocking,
shocking. everywhere. Why, there mint
4 murder or theft committed, but they
lays it all Mt his door ! suppose, sir,
he eggs EN- on that's IT. They runs
him down whore you came from, sir, !
suppose p
"Oh, yes but here's gentleman
wants to talk to YOU he has just come
from long way of. v
"Well, what sort of a character do
they give him down there? | dare say
they runs him there? Ahab served him
well, sir. Jeremiah used to run him
You clergymen all give him a very bad
character: but what would you do with
out him ? Your work would all be
gone -
At another time he would change over
from the position of apologist, and :" run
him." himself; partly on personal
grounds, partly as political econo-
mist
Shouldn't he blind, shouldn't he
lame. if it wasn't for him. Shouldn't
want prisons, Shouldn't have to keep all
these soldiers; see what lot he costs
us T.
He rather startled my sister one sultry
summer day, when she accosted him in
passing" Very hot Billy "Ah." he
rejoined, "but what must it be there e.
Billy's knowledge of the Bible was
something very marvellous. When he
did turn for awhile from his favorite
hero. the conversation was all of divers
Scripture characters, i'll II world of which
the old man seemed really to live This
was the more curious, inasmuch rs he
was blind. | suppose his intimate nc
quaintancc with them came, or was kept
up, in this way. He never missed either
morning or afternoon prayers at the
chapel. You might see him shutting
in, doubtless looking with special zest
to chapter which should introduce
" him. Ii he were " run in Il ser
mon, it seemed rather to excite his
championship for "him, but still there
evidently was fascination in the subject
which made it delight to hear chin"
"run' than not treated of at all. The
most remarkable thing was that Billy
knew perfectly, though blind, the pro
per lesson for every day, mathis and
even-song, in the Christian year And
more than this, he was determined that
the right lesson, and no other, should
be read Thus, one day, in full chapel,
M unhappy canon went to the lectern
and began to read. Forthwith, Billy
shufles over to him and pulls his sur
plice It's the wrong lesson, sir" The
poor man tried to go on, but Billy per-
severed, until there was nothing left but
to return to the desk and look where
upon the mentor was seen to he right.
She old man was also great critic on
sermons. Few things offended him
more than to have the proper subject Of
the day or season ignored.
" Mr. Moss came and preached here,
preached on Advent Sunday sermon
fit for Christmas. Quite wrong. Just
the same on the Epiphany. Why
couldn't he preach on the subject of the
day o.
He evidently disliked what has been
called stale bread. =
you'll soon have man here, sir, to
preach if / had as many guineas as
I've heard him preach old sermons, I'd
sit YOU down to the finest dinner you
ever ate in your life.
Enough of thee, Billy, May the hour
and the day arrive to thee when evil an
GELS and nights shadows shall together
flee from eyes and mind; and galaxy of
white, serious-eyed, sweet angels greet
thy recovered vision, The country
Purson.