Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-01-16
Vagaries Of q Blind Man.

1 am to be introduced to remarkable,
character, whom I wish Charles Dick
ems had happened to fall in with. Let
this feeble pen recall what it may of his
specialities. See, we near him, led now
by his daughter, for he is blind, to
sit for an hour in the cloisters. He is
in conversation with himself conversa-l
tion interspersed with short scornful
laughs, upon the one master-subject of
his thought. I have been forewarned
as to his little peculiarity, at least, his
special peculiarly of all, which is that
all his thoughts run perpetually upon
the devil. 1t is concerning that fallen
angel that he holds those sarcastic
soiloquies, 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 and always the
subject of yours, that he never thinks it
necessary to go beyond pronouns. nor
to specify by any name 1he lost spirit
who is his perpetual thez1e. 1t is always
"He," or ellis" So L am prepared
when, upon my brothers accosting him
he plunges into the subject without ex-
planation or pret1ce. At present he
seems in somewhat sympathetic vein.
They runs him down shocking,
shocking, everywhere. Why, there amt
murder or a theft committed, but they
lays it all at his door. I suppose, sir,
he eggs 'em on, that's it. They runs
him down where you came from, sir, I
suppose
"Oh, yes! but here's gentleman
wants tq talk to you; he has just come
from long way of"
"Well, what sort of character do
they give him down there2 I dare say
they runs him therep Ahab served him
web, sir. Jeremiah used to run him.
You clergymen all give him very bad
character; but what would you do with
out himP Your work would all be
gone p
At another time he would change over
from the position of apologist, and "run
him." himself; partly on personal
grounds, partly as a political econo-
mist.
"Shouldn't be blind, shouldn't be
lame, if it wasn't for him. Shouldn't
want prisons, shouldn't have to keep all
these soldiers; see what a lot he costs
us p
He rather startled my sister one sultry
summer day, when she accosted him in
passing" Very hot, Billyp "Ahp he
rejoined, "but what must it be there p
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, in world of which
the old man seemed really to live. This
was the more curious, inasmuch as he
was blind. I suppose his intimate &C
quaintance with them came, or was kept
up, in this way. He never missed either
morning sr' afternoon prayers at the
chapel. You might see him shutting
in, doubtless looking with special zest
to a chapter which should introduce
chin" If "he" were "rrln" in SER
mon, it seemed rather to excite his
championship for "him," but still there
evidently was n fascination in the subject
which made it delight to hear "him"
"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,
an unhappy canon went to the lectern
and began to read. Forthwith, Billy
shuffles 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 be right.
The old man was also great critic on
sermons. Few things offended him
more than 10 have the proper subject of |
the day or season ignored.
"Mr. Moss came and preached here,
preached on Advent Sunday sermon
it for Christmas. Quite wrong. Just |
the same on the Epiphany. Why
couldn't he preach on the subject Of the |
day?"
He evidently disiked what has been |
called estate bread"
you'll soon have man here, sir, to
preach; if 1 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 a galaxy of |
white, serious-eyed, sweet angels greet
thy recovered vision. The Country
Doroo1