The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-04-18
A BLIND EDITOR.
Hew He Manages to Get Along
Without. Sight.

Enterprise, is afflicted with blind
ness, but nevertheless preserves a
praiseworthy serenity of mind. and
attends to his editorial duties with
discrimination and industry. In
recent issue OF his paper he says:
Many times We have been soil
cited by numerous friends and lndl-
viduAls to tell how it is that we
manage to find our way about town
40 readily without assistance; and
many erroneous ideas are enter
tanned of us by most people IDEAS
J which do injustice to the blind
as a class. We cheerfully comply,
and to the best Of cur ability.
as well as in accordance with
our own eXper ence, give the
desired inform alton. FIRST, it is
mistake to suppose that we are ever
governed by instinct, as this gift he
longs only TO the brute creation.
The human family is endowed with
the power Of reason, and does not
need it; nor can it be acquired Dy
the loss of sight or any other faculty.
We know of no student or author Of
mental philosophy bold enough to
assert that instinct ever governed
reas enable being under any circams
stances; and our experience and the
experience of others similarly
sf1icted bear as out IN the state
ment. Then what is it that enables
US to leave our home and come down
town alone, q distance OF several
blocks, and find almost any house
or store at pleasure? Remember
that man is a reasonable creature,
and that q protracted application of
reason will sometimes work wonders
even with persons who can see. 1t is
the keenest application of reason
and the constant use of judgment,
rendered possible by the strictest
attention co what we hear and feel,
together with the memory trained
to retain the minutest things with
the utmost readiness. This can be
only acquired by the most patient
training and strong determination
to make the best Of bad and newt
able situation il 81 lite of the many
bumps and mshsps which attend
the beginning. Thus, in leaving our
door we note the lay of the land,
the direction of the wind if there be
any, which, if not blowing a gale,
will enable us TO keep the general
direction. By careful practice we
are able to feel the peculiar condi
ton of the atmosphere, and note
the difference in sound of footsteps
on the earth in the vicinity of q
building or any large body, which ia
quite noticeable. With a cane along
the edge Of the sidewalk we find
every notch, projection or irregular
i'y, which the memory must retain.
In walking along the street, We can
detect different sound or feeling
in the atmosphere in 'front.' of every
place of Business. This difference
IS probably due TO the fact hat no
two stores are built alike, or contain
the same class of goods. Hence, by
forming mental picture OF the city,
and making men al calculation Of
tie distance, we are enabled in some
measure, to overcome the Difficult
ties that beset US, and with but
small mistake now and then, man.
age to find out our objective points
with com parative ease. There
are many people, however, who seem
to entertain doubts about our
editorial work, noticeably among
our exchanges. In this, however,
we do just as any other ediior-get
our news by all the devious means
knoup to iNurpo Iicpo ond WI 70 mi, I,
our own hand what cannot be
clipped. Reading exchanges is the
only part of or editorial work that
we cannot do; but as the best lite
woman on earth does that for us
(but don't mention it to her, please,
it is done just as well.
Many things occur which, while |
amusing to US, are matter of wen
der to 0thers. One year ago, While |
riding on the Northwestern road |
between Cedar Rapids and Clinton,
when nearing a small station the |
whistle sounded, and the peculiar
TeVerherating, echoing sound told US
as plainly as though we had seen it |
that we were passing large body of |
water, and when We inquired |
how large it was, those with whom
we were converting wonderingIy |
asked: GLOW in the world DO you
know there is body of water |
there?" Many times when walking |
In the streets in the evening we |
have passed the dear ladies and |
heard them anXiously wonder "Why |
our folks would allow US to run
about alone after night"-forgetting |
at the same time the brightest mid~ |
day is as the blacklist Of midnight to |
us, and many times have we run up |
plump against more than one Of the |
gentle sex and trembled in our boots |
and blushed to our very tip-toes at |
the thought of having so nearly |
lady on the public street. |
We have always been received very |
graciously, however, and our mis-
haps have been but few-much of |
which we owe to the kindness Of |
everybody.
e.