Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-10-30
LOSS OF SIGHT.
How the Blind Feel About the
AfIIjctIOn.
Commercial Telegram J

Commercial Tecgram.)
The terrible accident by which Miss Dewey
lost her sight, having long been deprived of one
eye. calls to mind II similar case which came to
the knowledge of the reporter some years ago.
A young man by the name OF Byers was met at
the blind asylum In Columbus. lie and George
B. Lindsay, Of Pcrrysburg, were great friends
George had lost his eyes by an ''unloaded" pis
tol in the hands OF another while acting as cash
Ter in the private bank OF Colonel J. S. Norton at
Pcfrysburg. His sight disappeared gradually.
Byers had lost an eye when quite young, and
then, when just entering upon manhood, he
fell from iruit tree aud lost the other.
The reporter felt that The loss of sight under
such circumstances was calculated to make the
afliclion doubly severe and asked Byers II he
did not think that he felt the loss OF sight more
kecnly ,han the blind in general. He laughed,
as though surprised that any person could sup.
pose that the loss Of eyesight was felt to be a
great afiliciion by the blind. lie and Lindsay
tine latter subsequently II teacher IN the asylum
%d killed few yeas SSSs eE SenT To%n roN
upon the ubjcct OF blindness and the lelliugs Of
the blind respecting their loss of slgDf. They
were both naturally OF n hahppy disposition, al
ways cheerful and endeayoring 10 maze those
obout them enjoy lie. They We're both bright,
promising young men and had been deprived
OF sight just ut that period in life when such an
afiliclion would appear to be most terrible, iGld
vet nci iler seemed conscious that hc had really
suffered any great loss. Their apparent lack OF
all feeling that human happiness is, in any
great degree, dependent upon eyesight was very
surprising to the reporter and he can.never for
get their evident surprise that he should sup
pose that, at times at least, remembering what
they had seen and enjoyed, they should feel
gloomy and life itself become burden,
Byers said TO the reporter: mo, the loss of
sight docs not appear TO me 10 be great afic
tion but the most horrible thing that could oc
cur 10 any person, think, would be loss OF
hearing" OF course he had been deprived OF
his sight for few years-long enough TO be.
come accustomed 10 It and to learn to depend
largely upon the ear, that organ becoming so
delicately sensitive that the blind will remem-
Der persons by the voice just as readily as those
who can see will remember them by the coun-
tcnancc.
What a blessing It is that nature provides
against the loss OF happiness In connection with
the loss Of sight, by providing compensation for
the loss through other organs. What a consola'
tlon Il Is to the friends OF those who are thus
afflicted TO know that happiness has not only
not departed with the sight, but that II scarce
ly disturbed by the loss. II Is hard for those
who can see to realize the fact that the blind
do not feel their atiilction. and no person could
have talked with Byers and Lindsay lbrother OF
O. ID. Lindsay, OF this city, on the subject with
out being convinced that the Creator In His
wisdom, had shielded his children against real
izing any loss OF happiness because OF such af'
fiction.