The Forrest City times., 1890-07-26
FAMOUS BLIND MEN.
Vidal, the Wonderful French Sculptor,
 Anf Others.


 Vidal, tho blind sculptor, is one of the wonders of the French capital. He has been blind since his twenty first year. We can quite easily under stand how a blind farmer would culti- vate the ground with the plough, spade and hoe. How he would feel around the tender plants and gently loosen the dirt from their roots, or how the blind Birmingham (Ala.) miner tells with the sense of touch alone, the direction and to what depth to drill his holes be- fore putting in blast, but the work of Vidal stands out in bold relief, unique, wonderful and incomparable. To be sculptor it is generally sup posed that oiie must have the 'me- chanic's eye" and the artists taste and wrspicuity. The latter faculties Vidal has to an exceptional degree, even more acute, he believes, than if the form CT were not lost to him forever. By slowly passing his hand over an object he notes it's external proportions, and initiates them in clay in a manner which strikes the beholder dumb with surprise. A dog, horse, human face or anything alive or dead, he models with as much ease as any of the dozen of Parisian sculptors who still retain the faculty of sight.
 more medals than any other exhibitor of works in the Paris art exhibitions. Many of his works, made in the soli- tude of his perpetual midnight, are now on the shelves at the great Fix position, where t!le blind wonder con- tends in friendly rivalry with his less unfortunate brother artists. He never complains, is always genial and festive when among his friends, who always speak of and to him as though he could see, and we'll may they do so, for he is one of the best art critics in all paris.
 Rev.W. II. Milburn, known through out the civilized world as 'ethe blind preacher" and who is actively in the field at the present time, is one of the most remarkable men of the age. He was born in Philadelphia in 1923. He totally lost the sight of one eye when quite young, the other becoming badly impaired, from sympathy, so much so that it soon darkened forever. With spirit undaunted he studied and was ordained as a minister at the age of 20 and, it is claimed, travelled over 2o0,- 900 miles filling appointments in the Southern States. Within the last thirty years he has preached in nearly every State in the Union, and some European countries. He has been chaplain in the House of Representa- tives at Washington, besides filling many other important positions. As a writer he is known as the author of .sTen Years of Preachers Life,' "Riile, Axe and Saddlebags,' and "Pioneer Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley"
 Mir. Herrcshoff, the blind president of the Hcrreshoff Manufacturing Com pany of Bristol, +. l., seems as much out of his element in his present capac. ity as the blind sculptor. Aside from Edison, the Government has recognized him as being one of the greatest in. yentors of the times. Many of the torpedo boats and steam launches now used by this and all the civilized gov. ernments on the globe arc tho inven. ticns of this sightless genius. Hi, steam launches have made the highest speed with but few exceptions. and hi, torpedo-boats arc ranked among tn, most efficient in use. He works or his models in the quiet of the nighl shut up in the darkness of his room but this IS all the same to Hcrreshoif--- the brightest midday would be to him as black as the darkest midnight.