The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-04-28
BLIND AND YET SEES.
A BOSTON MAN WHO WOULDN'T
RECOVER HIS SIGHT II hE COULD.

Marcus Joseclyn. an Itinerant Merchant,
and His Nalise on Whcels-Goes Where
lie Like. and Avoids All Distractions
without Guide.
stone blind man whose vision Is perfect
\ man who lost his eyesight thirty-fiye years
ago aud wouldn't recover it il no could. A
man who says seeing is quite unnecessary and
a hindrance to tho full enjoyment Of life a
man who gets along in the world much better
and makes moro money than many persons
with two good eyes.
Many Of the readers Of Tho Globe have
doubtless seen around the south and west
ends Of Boston n thick set. medium sized man.
apparently about 80 years Of age, with oval
face. blonde mustache and genial expression.
walking along with osnflent step. carrying
q cane and dragging behind him black valtse
on little wheels Tie keeps % the right of
other pedestrians, turning out for all ob-
stacles, picking his way easily through dense
crowds, and when be comes 20 a crossing.
picking Up his yaiiso and carrying 10 20 the
other side where he sets 10 down and contiu.
lies his course. At tho first glance 40 ono
would think he was totally blind but II you
look sharply and notice the peculiar carriage
Of his head, and especially # you see the inces-
SAINT motion OF his restless oyeballs you viii
be convinced that tho physical sense OF sight
is wholly lacking.
This man is Marcus II. Josselyn. H. live,
az - Eustis street in neat and tastefulig
furnished apartments Every week day
morning be starts out with his vaiiso % visit
bis customers 10 has his regular route,
and calls on each of bis 1909 patfon. re-u
arly once n month. His business, which has
grown TO its present proportions as thGr%nlt
IF twenty years hard and systematic work
is the selling Of needles, thread tape, safety
pins. corset iaces and such like articles So
lear and 50 necessary 10 the feminine heart
tie derives u snug little income from hi, bust
uess.
WALKED AROUND TIE COAL PILE
Nlr Jossolyn knows tho streets of Bostona-
vol as any policeman, and can find bis way
around the town as easily as any herd.c
driver He can start from bis home and co
1n foot los the most direct was Go Charles
street. Tor instance, without making any u.
luires. or be can walk straight home from
Bowdoin square without asking anybody tue
way In the same manner he goes direct o.
the houses Of his customers, no matter where
obey I've.
Mr. Josselyn was one day going along tAe
sidewalk. when he suddenly stopped, picked
lp his yali>e, went out into tho street, walked
light or ten steps and then returned to the
sidewalk o. resume bis course Some work
men wero watching him. and ono OF them,
m0ro amazed than the rest. called out.
"Begorry, sir, il yez blind how did yez
know a pile of coal was lyin' on the side
HalkN
Mr. Josselyn did not know anything about
the coal that INSTRUCTED tho sidewalk, nor
could he explain 20 his questioner how it was
that be was able 20 avoid 10 as well as If bee
lad seen it, On another occasion he was
sanding in front of a building. when De sud
lcnly stepped backward close against the
vail The next moment a huge mass Of
now fe.i down from the roof ri -ht upon the
pot whore he had been standing. Tho blind
nan bad not been warned by tho rustling Of
,ao snow on tho root, but in very different
manner.
lie was stopped ono day on the street by
man who said:
"Ses here, sir, they say you're blind, but
I've been following you for am hour ani
watching You closely. II You We're blind
you couldn't get along as YOU DO, never run
ling again anybody or anything, walking
ast AMI always stopping at the right house
without hesiating | don't believe you're
blind lbs true never saw eyes like your,
Except in blind man. but then that con-
inual rolling OF the eyeballs must be simply
trick Of yours. Now YOU might as well boz
frank ami tell roe all about it"
Bot Mr. Jossolyu very properly refused 20
.ratlg the idlc curiosity Of a stranger who
lal nsultei him, and so no merely assured
aim that ho was in reality rs blind as bat
4 reporter recently visited Mr. Jossolyn
q his home, not 70 satisfy himself in regard
to his blindness but 70 ask him how the world
really looked toa blind man and inquire what
mysterious sense 10 was, what subtle faculty,
what unerrng intuition, which supplied the
deficiency OF physical sight
OTHERS SEE FOR HnL
"Oh. I'm not blind said Mr. JoSelyn,
cheerly, "und don't like 20 have il thought
that am. SEQ as well as anybody, but in a
different way Not clairvoyantly, but actu-
ally. although not with my own eyas, for they
are lghtless. Others SEQ for me and | Use
their vision. They are with mo all tho time.
1T may not seem very probable or even
Ineligible % you. said Mr. Josselyn ip De-
piy % tho reporters inquiry, "but tho only
explanation / can give is that my guides arc
spirits IL is they who SEQ for mo and keep
me out Of danger How they arc able 90 DO
lt is as great a mystery % me as TO you. But
Of thairactual existence l have no moro doubt
a. 90 4 rI no could flmfIf4f
with tho thousand daily proofs Of their pres
encei In walking along the street or any
where else II / should turn 50 tho left 10
avoid an obstacle feel pressure on nay
right shoulder just as distinct and real 10 mo
as YOU feel the weight OF my hand on your
arm. continued Mr. Josselyn, as he touched
the reporters arm 10 is a purely physical
sensation. the same that feel when touched
bya mortal hand. The nerves are affected ia
precisely tine same way. If ought 20 turn
b the right. the pressure Is on my left shout
der II 10 Is necessary 10 stop aud stand still,
feel the invisible barrier right in front OK
me. making it impossible for mo 10 80 Oh
until 10 Is removed
You may think it all a halluclnati0n that
has no existence outside my brain, but IL Is "a
nalucination with d practical value upon
which / can always depend 70 lead mo u
Yield myself up to IT, Some days, when
ann feeling duh or insensible, / am not as
susceptible 70 tho warnings, and when dc
pend upon myself alone, disrcgardiug the eS-
tsrual influences, get INTO trouble
Mr. Josselyn having lost bis sight when
he was only Q years old, has not a very vivid
recollection OF how external objects look o.
persons with sight. Hs says h8 remembers
! the appearance OF the caterpillar crawling
along tho ground. and also how tho water
looked that was churpel by tho wheels 81 the
ferryboat. OF color he has no clear c0nccp
lion. Besides being good business man Nr
Josseyn is a line musician, playing Tie piano
with exquisite feeling lle is what spirit
uallsts call "a sensitive" and perceiyes
great many things by a finer sense than that
/ Of bearing or seeing Mrs Josseiyn says Bee
can generally tell when be comes home ~
the evening whether any ono has called On
her during the day, and often who has called.
yes. aud before ges into the house
know your state. OF miud and how you are
feeling" be said
! A.. g.. t....,.. paefor, t,i.t.