The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-01-16
Vagaries of n Blind Man.


am to be introduced to q remarkable
character, whom / wish Charles DICK.
ems had happened to fall in with. Let
this feeble pen recall what it may OF MS
specialities. See, we near him, led now
by his daughter, (for he is blind, TO
sit for an hour in the cloisters. lie Is
in conversation with himself conVersa-
ton interspersed with short scornfui
| laughs, upon the one master-subJect OF
| his thought / have been forewarned
as to his little popularity, at least, his
special peculiarly of ALL which Is that
all his thoughts run perpetual y upon
| the devil. 1t is concerning that fallen
| angel that he holds those sarcastic
soliloquies, talking. if not to him. at any
rate of him. SO for granted does he
take it, that the subject of his own
thoughts is also certainly y and always the
subject of yours, that he never thinks 1t
necessary to go beyond pronouns. nor
to specify by any name the lost spirit
who is his perpetual theme. 1t 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 amt
a murder or theft committed, but they
! lays it all at his door, / suppose, sir,
he eggs 'em on, that's it. They runs
J him down where you came from, sir, L
! suppose ?"
7 ooh, yes! but here's a gentleman
7 wants TO talk to you; he has just come
t from long way off :"
2 "Well, what sort of character do
: they give him down there? | dare say
0 | they runs him there? hhab served him
/ | we'll, sir. jeremiah used to run him.
. You clergymen all give him a very bad
e character; but what weuld you do with
: out him? Your work would all be
a gone y
t At another time he would change ovel
e from the position of apologist, and run
n him., himself; partly on personal
d grounds, partly as a political econo.
l. mist.
n "Shouldn't be blind, shouldn't be
Lt1 lame, if it wasn't for him. Shouldn't
Il want prisons, shoulddt have to keep al
il these soldiers; see what n lot he costs
c us -
Il He rather startled my sister one sultry
Is summer day, when she accosted him il
7. passing" Very hot, Billyp' "AhW he
b reioined, "but what must it be there y
q Billy's knowledge of the Bible was
e something very marvellous. When he
l. lid turn for awhile from his favoritt
& hero, the conversation was all of divers
II Scripture characters, in a world OF which
the old man seemed really to live. This
l. was the more curious, inasmuch as h'
v was blind. / suppose his intimate nc
y luaintance with them came, or was KEEP
,e up, in this way. He never missed eithe
,s morning OF afternoon prayers at th'
S, chapel You might see him shufflins
S. in, doubtless looking with special zes
" 70 n chapter which should introduce
d chin" If "he" were "run" in n ser
l. mon, it seemed rather to excite hi
N championship for chin, but still ther
q evidently was afascination in the subiec
Is which made it a delight to hear him
le "r1n" than not treated of at all. Tn
Is most remarkable thing was that Bill
10 | knew perfectly, though blind, the pre-
per lesson for every day, mathis an
9ven-song, in the Christian year. An
more than this, he was determined ths
he right lesson, and no other, shoul
le be read. Thus, one day, in full chape
il IN unhappy canon went to the lecter
id md began to read. Forthwith, Bill
z. shuffies over to him and pulls his SUI
I'd olice. It's the wrong lesson, sir" Th
I'd poor man tried to go on, but Billy pc
AZ severed, until there was nothing left b,
on to return to the desk and look. where
&c, upon the mentor was seen to be right.
to The old man was also great critic q
M sermons. Few things offended hi
re more than to have the proper subject
of the day or season ignored.
re "Mr. Moss came and preached her
a preached on Advent Sunday sermC
lily ft for Christmas. Quite wrong. Ju
as the same on the Epiphany. WI
oe- couldn't he preach on the subject of Il
he day?"
q He evidently disliked what has be'
he called "stale bread"
you'll soon have a man here, sir,
ell preach if / had as many guineas
ur I've heard him preach old sermons, !
is sit you down to the finest dinner "
he ever ate in your life"
of Enough of thee, Billy! May the no
nd and the day arrive to thee when evil a
pie gels and nights shadows shall togeth
M flee from eyes and mind; and galaxy
ere white, serious-eyed, sweet angels gre
in thy recovered vision. 1.-The Count
no | PdrSOn.
sen