Wichita eagle., 1889-08-14
BLIND AND YET SEES.
a BOSTON MAN WHO WOULDN'T
RECOVER HIS SIGHT IF HE COULD.

hCSoSGh ITO OUT IT ne COOIO'
Marcus Josseiyn, an Itinerant Merchant,
and His Valise Wheels-Goes Where
He Likes and Avoids All DISTINCTIONS
Without a Guide
A stone blind man whose vision is perfect.
A man who lost bis eyesight thirty-ive years
ago, and wouldn't recover it if he could. A
man who says seeing is quite unnecessary and
hindrance to the full enjoyment of life. A
man who gets along in the world much better
and makes more money than many persons
with two good eyes.
Many of the readers of The Globe have
doubtless seen around the south and west
ends of Boston thick set, medium sized man,
apparently about 30 years of age, with oval
face, blonde mustache and genial expression,
walking along with confident step, carrying
a cane and dragging behind him black valise
On little wheels He keeps to the right Of
other pedestrians, turning out for all OBJ
stacles, picking his way easily through dense
crowds, and when be comes to a crossing,
picking up his valise and carrying it to the
other side, where he sets it-down and contin-
ues his course. at the first glance no one
would think he was totally blind, but if you
look sharply and notice the peculiar carriage
Of his head, and especially il you see the inces-
SAINT motion Of his restless eyeballs, you will
be convinced that the physical sense of sight
is wholly lacking.
This man is Marcus h Josselyrl- He lives
ct lS4 Eustis street in neat and tastefully
nod Narfr,a Iox-
morning he starts out with his valise to visit
his customers lie has his regular routes
and calls on each OF his 1000 patrons regu-
larly once month. His business, which has
grown to its present proportions as the result
Of twenty years hard and systematic work,
is the selling of needles, thread, tape, safety
pins, corset laces and ''such like'' articles so
dear and SO necessary to the feminine heart.
He derives a snug little income from his bust
ness.
WALKED AROUND THE COAL PILE.
Mr.. JOsselyn knows the streets of Boston as
well as any policeman, and can find his way
around the town as easily as any herdic
driver. lie can start from his home and 90
On foot by the most direct way 10 Charles
street, for instance, without making any in
quiries; or he can walk straight home from
Bowdoin square without asking anybody the
way. In the same manner he goes direct to
the houses Of his customers no matter where
they live.
Mr.. Josselyn was one day going along the
sidewalk, when he suddenly stopped, picked
up his valise, went out into the street. walked
eight or ten steps and then returned to the
sidewalk 20 resume his course. Some work
men were watching him, and ono of them,
more amazed than the rest, called out:
''Begorry, Sir, if yez blind, how did yez
know a pile OF coal was lynn On the side
walElp
Mr. Josselyn did not know anything about
the coal that INSTRUCTED the Sidewalk, nor
could he explain to his questioner how it was
that he was able to avoid it as well as if he
had seen it. On another occasion he was
standing in front Of building, when he sud-
denly stepped backward close against the
wall. The next moment huge mass of
snow fell down from the roof right upon the
spot where he had been standing The blind
man had not been warned by the rustling of
the snow On the roof, but in a very different
manner.
He was stopped one day on the street by
man who said
oCO 1O~Ci Sii AAIc Soy yOut S OuliI, Duu
I've been following you for an hour, and
watching You closely. If you were blind
you couldn't get along as you do, never run
ming against anybody or anything, walking
fast and always stopping at the right house
without hesitating. l don't believe you're
blind. It's true | never saw eyes Ike yours
except In blind man, out then that con-
tinual rolling Of the eyebais must be simply
a trick of yours Now you might as well be
frank and tell me all about it."
But Mr.. Josselyn very properly refused to
crafty the idle curiosity Of a stranger who
had insuted him, and so he merely assured
him that he was in reality as blind as bat
A reporter recently visited Mr.. Josselyn
at his homo, not to satisfy himself in regard
to his blindness, but to ask him how the world
really looked to a blind man and inquire what
sense it was, what subtle faculty,
what unerTing intuition, which supplied the
deficiency of physical sight
OTHERS SEE FOR HIM
"Oh, I'm not blind said Mr.. Josselyn,
cheerily, land / don't like to have it thought
that am. l see as well as nybody, but in a
different way. Not clairvoyantlv but actu-
ally, although not with my own eyas, for they
are sightless. Others see for me, and use
their vision. They are with me all the time
1T may not seem very probable or even
to you" said Mr. Josselyn in re-
ply TO the reporters inquiry, "but the only
1 can give is that my guides are
spirits. 1t is they who see for me and keep
me out Of danger. How they are able to do
Ii is as great mystery 10 me as to you. But
Of their actual existence have no more doubt
than OF my own. And how could l doubt,
with the thousand daily proofs of their pres
ence; In walking along the street or any
where else, if l should turn 10 the left TO
avoid an obstacle | feel pressure Oh nay
right shoulder just as distinct and real to me
as you feel the weight of my hand on your
arm,n continued Mr. Josselyn, as he touched /
the reporters arm. 1t is purely physical /
sensation, the same that | feel when touched |
by q mortal hand. The nerves are affected in
precisely the same way. II | ought to turn
10 the right, tie pressure is on my left shout
der. II it is necessary to stop and stand still, |
l feel the invisible barrier right in front Of |
ne, making ii impossible for me to go on |
until it is removed.
You may think it all hallucinetion that |
has no existence outside my brain, but it is a |
with a practical value upon
which l can always depend to lead me If I !
yield myself up TO ii. Sorue deys, when l /
am feeling dull or insensibie, / am not as
susceptible TO the warnings, and when de- |
pend upon nyself aloha, disregarding tha ex- /
ternal Influences, get into trouble"
Mr.. Josselyn, having lost his sight when !