The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-30

tented with his lot.
And he was blind!
IL.
1t was an evening party. From the
young people who were dancing furiously,
and the old folks who were engaged in
solemn whist, had withdrawn into a
cozy little room destined for purposes of
quiet conversation, and which, converse
ton being lost art, was naturally empty.
No, am wrong there was in it gen
tleman of thirty-fvc, or, by'r Lady, in
clining to two-score, who occupied one of
the two easy chairs. Into the other, be-
ing thus saved the embarrassment of
making choice, | fell, saying, with a
slight bow, "Allow me, sir, to take ref
uge in your neighborhood from the en-
tertainment"
"Why," - he said.
"Of course it is all very enchanting
and that sort of thing-the lights and
the dresses, and the flowers and the la
dies notably that delightful little blonde
you may have noticed" -
81 beg your pardon, but did not-in
fact, could not am blind"
Not till my companion had said this
did ] observe that his eyes had the fixity
of those that are not capable of sight, and
confused at my own lack of address apol-
ogized.
81 beg you to believe" l said, Shat l
am panied to have said what | did, but
really l had not noticed your mis-
fortune"
"Pray do not mention it," he replied;
"you would be wrong were you to think
for moment that your remark could
have caused me pain. am blind--that
is true, so far from lamenting my inlirm-
ity | have long been reconciled to it. In
deed, sir, were it not that you might con-
slider me mere maker of paradoxes, /
would avow to you that | am often
tempted to congratulate myself on being
blind"
This remarkable confession of faith so
surprised me that for moment | was
unable to find anything to say. My
companion perceived this, l fancy, for
he went on:
81 could wager that you do not believe
me. Perhaps you think ! am merely in
lest"
"Not at all; on the contrary, l am
quite convinced"
(Which means you are not convinced
at all, and that you find me decidedly
odd. The tone in which you speak proves
that to me infallibIy. 1t is one of the
first advantages of blindness, and by no
means the smallest, that we can read the
man by his voice as readily as you can
by the face"
"Well, then, since can not conceal it
from you, | must admit that were | in
your place might not accept your phi
losophy too willingly"
"Ah! Well, in return for your frank
ness, suppose ! convert you to it? 1t
makes you smile"
makes me smile! How do you
know"
81 did not see you smile. I foresaw
that you would"
Nothing, then, can be concealed from
you"
II don't 90 so far as to say that.
lose many things, but | do not regret il
on the whole; indeed, quite the con
trary. So often, you know, the loser
wins"
"You would not say so, perhaps, could
YOU see that little blonde"
"Well, suppose we begin our argu-
ment on that; one point is as good as an,
other. Women-angels of beauty-thc
delight of gazing forever, &C., &c, Like
YOU. know all the variations sung tc
the same old tune. But, candidly, dc
YOU think that this beauty, which gives
SO much pleasure to the eye, has not beer
the cause of rather more harm in the
world than good"
That depends how you look at it."
"NNere inclined might consider az
illusion to my point of view a pleasantly
but never mind that. For the blinc
, man, woman is what she should be 70
; the whole world Apart from the fac
that he can imagine every woman as fa
: as Helen, which is convenient and com
plimentary, he has no need to sacri
, flee, as you SO often must do, utility t.
; futiity. He will never fall in love will
: Greek profile, but fix his affec
e tions upon pure American heart
l will never wed face or figure
: but a woman. And as for the possib
consequences of matrimony, people VIII
\ have their eyesight and wits about then
| do not always fare 80 well as to make i
: worth two seeing eyes from which to hav
= the truth concealed"
i. "Very powerfully reasoned, faith, an
| II. la, lyn ,,b e Tho hiapt
: am willing to admit that his blindnes
: has its compensations. But take art"
GAS you say, take art. A fine pictur
is a thing to thank God for, but | believ
that at the present moment several exhi
q bitions are raging in our midst, as the
y say. Answer me candidly, how man
n square acres Of poor pictures you hay
v to endure before you come to somethln
n truly worth seeing. Is not the averag
v price of enjoyment thus made uncor
= sciously high? For my part, [ am COZ
. tint to miss the few good pictures, SCI
i ing that | have not to look at the man
r bad ones"
, "You are satirical."
I Truthful, you should say. Archite'
J. ture and sculpture also are most estim;
= bic arts, but when ! hear the comment
q of my intelligent fellow-citizens on-lt
v us say-the Tribune building and tn
r statues in Central Park, can you la
. your hand on your conscience and afiirl
= that am y material loser through IN
/ inability to enjoy like masterpiece
a. Mansard roofs, sham fronts, and statue
q in impossible coaks or on horses stun