Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-29
HOW A sIGHrLESs MAN IS MAKIgG
HIS FORTUNE.


Moses Schwartz, trunk manufacturer
of Brooklyn, is totally blind, yet he is pro.
prietor of several trunk stores, aud is a
prosperous business man, and does business
with many customers who do not detect
his misfortune. When he was boy, says
the New York San, he ruined his eyes by
putting match in pan of gunpowder,
and, although his sight was ruined for life,
and he was advised to spend his life in an
asylum for the blind, he resented such ex.
pressions of sympathy and said that he in.
tended to make his way in the world by
means of his remaining senses. He was
passing st. Pauls churchyard one day, and
being attracted by the noise made by the
"fakirs who stand by the iron fence to
sell their wares, he halted and opened a
conversation with one of them. 81 am
blind" he said, "and am not going to beg
or steal. think can stand here and earn
living as you do. Now, tell me where !
can buy stock.
The next day he was at the churchyard
fence with small lot of goods, and he at
once found that, though his sight was
gone, he could cry his wares with good
pair Of lungs, and make his fingers serve
him in asserting money and making change.
For years he remained familiar figure in
Broadway. He found that his sense OF
hearing became most acute, and he &C.
quired sensitive touch. Having me.
chanical turn, he began the manufacture OF
trunks in small way, and now he runs "a
factory. He has devised several things in
trunk making, and he AYERS that one pat
ented article now yielding a good income
to another was originated by him.
In walking the streets Mr.. Schwartz uses
no guide. He holds his head erect, and
carries cane with which he deity feels
his'way. His pace is slow, and he seems
to have no difficulty in getting along. His
firmness of manner and dignifed bearing
create space about him, and persons who
do not know his blindness lnstinctively
turn aside to let him pass If by chance
he strikes against anyone he politely begs
pardon, touches his hat, if the col
lision chances to be with lady,
and passes on. 1t is foolish" he
says, efor a blind man to have boy or
dog to lead him. 1t teaches him depend
ence, and, from what l can learn, men
who have guides do not get along as well
as / do"
care you never run over by vehicles ?"
81 have been once or twice l was
knocked down by a lady's phaeton in
Schermerhorn street once, because | mis-
calculated the distance of the vehicle on
account of the tar pavement, which dead
ened the sounds of the wheels. But /
have trick for saving myself when I'm
knocked down."
Whats that p
Il roll over and over just as fast as l
can, sideways, until I'm sure I'm cut of
danger of being crushed Then | Jump to
my feet, call out I'm all right, and go on
my way"
Few persons know that you are blind ?"
eyes, that's true. My present wife
with each other. l go into company as
much as can, and as l can talk and sing,
1 get along pretty well. l had, however,
to tell my wife of my infrmity on one &C.
casion before we were married, to excuse
my awkwardness in a dance. l bumped
against some of the others in the figure SO
often that they became angry, and had to
confess my blindness. go to the theater
very often, and nearly always have front
seat in the balcony. I'm fond Of the
music, and | like comedy very much.
How do you decide upon your stock of
leather goods ~
"By the sense of touch and the sense of
smell. 1 can tell you all the different
kinds of leather by sample-by the oily
feeling and smell. never was deceived
yet. In fact, 1 get along so well that some
of my rivals have started the story that I
am not blind-that l only pretend TO be. ="
English residents of Rome declare that
the health of that city during the past
winter has been excellent, and further say
that, with proper care, Rome now equals
in healthfulness any city in the world.
The deaths of English Protestants during
the winter were sixteen, and of these the
ages of seven were, respectively, 81, So, So,
IS, IS, 6S and 60 years. Two were due to
diphtheria, two of typhoid fever, and the
rest TO apoplexy, cancer, congestion of the
brain, disease of the heart, consumption
and pneumopia