News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-08-16
BLIND CITY PENSIONERS.
UESDREDS OF THEM CALLING FOR
THE STIPEND THEY CANNOT SEE.
Pathetic sights In the ONCE of the Depart
mont of Charities and COrrCCtiOn-NhRt
SupcrinIendent Blake Knows About His
Wards.


"AlI seats are reserved here, said
| Mr.. William Blake, Superintendent OF
the Outdoor Poor, at the Bureau of
Charities and Correction. The big room
was filled with quiet, clean, neatly
dressed men and women. Those whom
Mr.. Blake calls his Irregular customer"
were obliged to give place to people
more unfortunate than themselves, for
the seats were reserved for the destitute
blind.
Every year the Board of Estimate
and Appointments sets apart $50, 600 for
distribution among the sightless poor,
and this was the day for the payment OF
the money. All applicants must certify
under oath that they ere in need OF re-
! lief arc not inmates of a charitable in
stitution. and are totally blind. They
must also furnish testimonials of good
character. An oculist examines them to
satisfy himself that they are absolutely
sightless. As early as the first part OF
| April applications were made TO the
Commissioners. Each case was care
|
fully investigated.
Between 1920 in the morning and 3
| in the afternoon four hundred and twen-
tv blind persons passed before the
4tindow in front of Mr.. Blale's desk.
Most of them were accompanied by
friends. although few had made their
wav from distant parts of the city en-
tireIv alone. 1t is estimated that, in
cluding the blind and their guides, l, 100
peop1e visited the office. The entire
force of the bureau was pressed into
service, bringing seats and ice-water for
the benefciaries, forming them into
line and assisting them in many
ways.
Some of the applicants had received
their share of the app priation for many
wears. and were acquainted with Mr.
Blake and his assistants.
''I am really proud of these people,
said Mr.. Blake, arranging some little
cards on his desk. "You see how quiet
thev are? 1t would take half a dozen
officers to keep as many Of our regular
customers in order. Now We're all
ready; let them come"
Directed by the officers. the line be-
gan moving slowly up the winding
| steps at the Superintendent right. As
each applicant came before the desk he
or she handed in postal card, which
had been sent to give notice Of the fact
of payment on this day. In exchange,
each got an order for $38. Passing
| down the steps at the left of the Super
( intandcnt the applicant came before
/ CIV Paymastcr' Moor Falls, whose table
was loaded with piles of twenty, ten,
five. two and one dollar bills. Having
received their money, the blind moved
ont of the building.
"AIost of these people" said Mr..
Blake, ''lost their sight through acci-
dent or disease. Comparatively few
were blind at birth. We have a woman
about thirty years old whose eyes were
destroyed by an explosion of fireworks
twenty years ago. She is not here to-
dav. Once | asked her if she did not
feel worse than if she had always been
blind. ooh, no, SIR she said; If [ had
always been blind I should not know
how beautiful the wO.ld is and what my
friends faces look like. I remember
the trees, the sky and the water as
though I had seen them only yesterday.
How are you to-day, Mr.. Cutler?"
The question was addressed to a gen
teeI-looking man about forty-five years
Old. who stood before the desk.
'.Pretty well, thank you, Mr.. Blake, y
was the reply, ''but my wife is sick to
day"
"There is a case," said the Superin,
tendent, as the man went away. "He
is musician, with a wife also blind
but she is the neatcst housekeeper
ever saw. One day called to see hel
husband. He was out, and the wife was
cooking the dinner Everything about
their rooms was thoroughly clean. Hello
) Thomas.
''Heno, Mr.. Blake" said the man Al
the window. 'Tm glad to see you
sir"
"Curious talk for a blind man, ism
it ?" the Superintendent went on, "bu
they all use that phrase, In glad tc
see vou, or Il saw him Yesterday Here
is the only representative of his race Oh
our list"
The applicant referred to was China
man. who expressed his thanks i'll gool
= English as he received his card
: "Don't look to be tifty-six, does he
He is though. His name is John Ander
son and he sells cigars at No. 36 Parl
street. Most of the adult blind in thi
> city are engaged at some kind of wor
, or other Many are music teachers, an
> others peddlers or makers of brushe
and brooms. You see that old man an
woman at the foot of the stairs The
are husband and wife. Once they wer
in a church home for the blind, wher
every one has to toe the mark pIac
where they have State Prison discipline
! Won know Before that they were i
first rate circumstances. They are pee
ple of unusual refinement. Friends pa
their rent and see that they do not com
- to want. Here is the saddest case
know of. When this woman goes pas
I'll tell you something about her"
Care and grief had set their seal upo
II the face at the window, but it was
a. beautiful face notwithstanding. I'll
~. features were pervaded by a gentle an
is sad expression which was increased /
nc the closed eyes, the long Iashes of whic
, fell upon cheek like Parian marbl
,r With a low "Thank you. sir" she r
,, ceived her card and went on.
-, "That woman married Il brute" sa
~ Mr.. Blake Seven years ago she hf
-, dark brown eyes that bIazcd ike di
IS monds. Her husband deserted her al
,o went to live with another woman. 81
,s did not seek a divorce, but, over-po
,o cred by her crushing grief, actually we
" herself blind, and, as you see, receiv
public charity today 1t is poor 81
isfaction to know that the man wi
ce made so much misery is himself me
ar bundle of rags now
rs care attempts ever made to impose
as you - was asked.
nj .'Omcc IN awhil Some times o
ocuIists find that the applicants are Il