Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-05-09
nLrNp. Ynr snns.

could. A man who says seeing is quite
unnecessary and hindrance to the full
enjoyment Of life. A man who gets
y along In the world much better and
makes more money than many persons
with two good eyes.
Many readers of the Globe have doubt
less seen around the south and west ends
Of Boston n thick set, medium sized man,
RI apparently about 40 years of age, with
y oval face, blonde moustsche aud genial
expreoslon, walking along with confident
/ step, carrying q cane and dragging
Sbshind him black vslise on little wheels.
BE keeps to the right OF other pedes-
ftrians, tnrning out for all obstacles, pick
Ing his way easily through dense crowds,
and when he comes to q crossing, picking
N up his valise and carrying ii to the other
aside, where he sets it down and continues
stijs course. At the hrst glance no one
,eweuld think he was totally blind. but II
t6ou look sharply and notice the peculiar
Rearriage Of his head, and especially IL
ftyou see the incessant motion of his rest
l less eyebGlls, you will be convinced that
I the physical sense of sight is wholly
! lacking.
This man is Marcus Il. Josselyn. He
q lives at 49, Eustis street in neat and
Y tastefully furnished apartments. Every
weekday morning he starts out with his
valise to visit his customers. He has his
regular routes and calls on each of his
1900 patrons regularly once a month.
His business, which has grown 10 its
present proportions az the result of 20
yeays hard and systematic work, ia 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 snug little income
from his business.
WALKED AROUND THE COAL PILE.
Mr.. Josselyn knows the streets OF
Boston as well a5 any policeman, and eau
hnd bis way ar0und the town as easily
as any herdic driver. He can start from
bis home and go on foot by the most
direet way to Charles street, for instance,
without making any injuries; 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 bis customers, no matter where
they live.
Mr.. Josselyn was one day going along
the sidewalk, when he suddenly stopped,
picked mp his yalita, went out into the
street, walked eight or ten steps and
his course. Some workmen were watch
ing him, and one OF them, more amazed
than the rest, called out
"Begorry, sir, If yez blind, how did
yez know pile OF coal was lynn on the
sidewalk p
Mr.. Jogselyn did not know ANYTHING
0bout the coal that obHtructed the side.
walk, nor could he explain to his Dues
Homer how it was that he was able 70
avoid II as well az IL he had seen It, On
another occasion he was standing in front
OF building, when he suddenly stepped
backward close against the wall. The
next moment a huge mass OF snow fell
down from the roof right upon the spot
whare he had been standing. The blind
man had not been warned BY the rustling
OF the snow on the roof, INT in a very
different manner.
by a man who said
See here, sir, they say you're blind.
but I've been following you for an nour,
and watching You closely. Ii you were
bind you couldn't get along as you do,
nsyer running against anybody or any
thing, walking fast md always stopping
at the right house without hesitating. /
dent believe you're blind. It's true |
never saw eyes like yours except in a
'bifod man, but then that continual roll.
ing OF the eyeballs must be simply
triok 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 stranger
VINO mad insulted him, and so ne merely
assured him that he was in reality as
blind as bat.
reporter recently visited Mr.. JosseIyn
~ LIS home, not 20 satisfy himself in re-
gard 20 his blindness, but to ask him how
the world really looked to a blind man
and inquire what mysterious sense il
was, what subtle faculty, what unerring
intuition, which supplied the deficiency
Of physical sight.
OTHERS SEE FOR him.
"Oh, I'm not blind, said Mr.. Josselyn
,eaessily, "aEd 1 don't like to have il
thought Shat am. zee as well as any,
ibQdy, but in different way. Not clair
,v0yantly, but actually, although not with
agy own eyes, for they are sightless,
Others see for me, and use their vision.
They are with me all the time.
~ ut may not seem very probable OF
eEsp intelligible 10 you said MIR. JOS
seiyn IN reply to the reporters inaniry
bas the only explanation can give n
tpat my guides are spirits. Il il thew
who SEE for me and keep me out of dan
ger. How they are Rble to do it ia az
great . mystery TO me as to you. Bat OF
lheit actual existence I have no more
ccnbt than my own. And how could l
doubt, With the thousand daily proofs OF
shtr presenter In Walking along The
6lreet q anywhere else, il should turn
70 the left 70 avoid an obstacle, feel a
pressure on my right shouides Just az
a!ssinat and real to me as you feel the
weigh. Or my hand en- y5ur srmn con.
hnVed Ar, Josseiyn % he touohed the
'spofieT's arm 1t IS purely physical
SENSATION, the same that taGl whom
t5Gohed by mortal hand, The nerres
Gre az arled IN precisel = the same way. IL
ought 20 turn 20 the right, tbs pressure
y On my left shoulder Ii il is ngcssaarv
TO stop and stand Sill, / feel the inyistbi,
htriiar right in front OF ne, making IL
Impossible for me to so on until Il ia re.
mGysd.
Ill., fon nay think il all hsllucination
ihRt EAs no existent outside NY brain,
~ i ~ q hallueination with practical
VhlGe upon which can always depend to
lead ns Il yield myself up to IT, some
Gays. wien 1 an feeling dali or insensi-
BILE, am not az susceptible to tile warn
cags, aAd when | depend upop myself
alcle, disregerding The external in
licences, I get into Eronble.n
MI. Josseiyn, having lost his sight
when he wos only ) years old, has not a
very vivid recollection Of how external
objects look TO persons with sight. He
seYa he Remembers the appearance OF the
OttsiPii!er crawling along the gtcund,
and also bCw the water looked tgat WINS
ehuTne BY The wheels Of the tarryboSt.