The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1879-06-13
ONE CONTENTED MAN.

And lie was blind
It was an evening party. From th'
young people who were dancing furiously
and the old folks who were engaged in
solemn wh;st,sI had withdrawn into
COW little room destined for purposes o.
quiet conversation, and which, converse
tion being lost art, vas natura y
empty.
No, am wrong; there was iu it a
gentleman of tbirty-fve, or, byr Lady,
incllniug two score, VINO occupied one OF
the two easy chairs. Into the other, be-
ing thus saved the embarrassment OF
making choice, l fell, saying, with q
slight bow, 'Allow me, sir, to take refuge
p II your ncighborhood from the entertain
ment.'' w
"Why,"--he said
"Of course it is all very enchanting,
and all that sort of thing-the lights and
the dresses and the flowers and the ladies,
notably that delightful little blonde you
may have noticed''-
A[ .1vgg-your pardon, but 7 did not
could not, in fact. am blind.
Not till my companion had said this
did | observe that his eyes had the hxity
Of those that are not capable of sight,
and confused at my own lack of address
] apologized.
u beg you to believe" said, "that J
am panied to have said what did, hut
eally had not noticed your misfor-
tune"
spray do not mentiou it, he replied !;
t'you would be wrong were you to think
for moment that your remark could
have caused me pain. am blind, that j
true, and so far from lamenting my in
frmity have long been reconciled to il.
Indeed, sir, were it not that you NIGH
consider me mere maker Of paradoxes,
would avow to you that | am Otter
tempted to congratulate myself on being
blind"
This remarkable confession of faith So |
surprised me that for a moment [ was .
unable to find anything to say. Ny com
panion perceived this, I fancy, for h
went on:
II could wager that you do not believ'
ME. Perhaps you think am merely IL
jtst7a
mot at all; on the contrary an
quite convinced"
(which means that you are not con-
vnced at all and that you find me decid
elly odd. The tone in which you speak
proves that to me infallibly. Il is one OF
thu first advantages Of Blindness, and By
vyesagss us- the smallest, that we can re-
the man BY his voice as readily as you
can 1y the face"
aWell, then, since cannot conceai y
fam YOU, [ must admit that were | IN
YOUR place might not accept your phil
osophy too willingly"
aAhl Well, in return for your frank
ness, suppose / convert you to it. II
makes you smile"
UMakes me smile How DO you
know ?"
II did not see you smile. toresa"
that you would.
"Nothing. then, can be concealed from
you ?" -,
lose many things, but do not regret +"
an tbe whole; indeed, quite to the cor,
trary. So often, you know the loser
wins" .,,
nyou would not say SO, perhaps, coul'
W, see that little blonde T.
aWelI, suppose we begin our argument
., that; one point is as good as another.
Women-angels Of beauty-the del1gh
of Gazing forever, &C., &c. Like yon' !
Enov ali the variations sung TO the same
IA tnne. But, candidly, do you suppose
Me4t This beauty, which gives 50 much
Measure to the eye, has not been the
c.nse Of rather more harm in the Worlo
than good y
~s sThat depends on how you look at i.
awere | inclined might consider an
;uosion to my point Of view pleasantly;
bnt never mind that. For the blind ma.
W, woman i what she should be for the :
VII @p world. Apart from the fact that
,,s's,5 - san imagine every women as fair as
Helen, II s.-., which is convenient and eomph-
= ns,s, eatarv, he has no reason te sacrifice, as
.o often must do, utility TO. futility L
In never fall in love with Greek pro
e. e. hnt 6x his affections upon pure
n'9' .;.an heart will never wed face
AA.st ssnre. but woman. And as for
:, assible consequence Of matrimony.
people who have their eyes.ght ana "a, nlss :
re FGer them do not always fare SO well as
r. make il worth two seeing eyes iron.
IL 41sn@5n lad