Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-02-27
OLD BLIXD RARrCH.

This letter is a tribute to the memory of
a friend. He was not great man, but he
filled his place in the world we'll. He was
an old Jewish money. changer here in Carlo.
lie was bind, but he saw keen with other
eyes; he had memory that never seemed
to lose fact once in It's grasp. He was
/ an arlthmetlcal 0enius-but why gener-
alz92 He was my friend | know his
story and here it is:
One day, several years ago, an acquaint.
ance rising young painter of Oriental
| Subjects, came TO me and said
! Look here old man want handsome,
patrlarchal, old grey beard for a mooe. |
can Just hit just the right man. You
know Carlo pretty we'll; can't you help me
out?"
! thought itover, but could not give any
assistance.
Then we'll leave it to chance? Come
alongr"
We sauntered down into the street of
OF the money-changers, where the small
Jewish bankers and money brokers swarm
II We tonnd him" exclaimed Becker
before we'd passed half-dozen shops.
He pointed to a little booth, hardly
measuring seven feet square There was
a plump faced young man at an old desk
working over some figures, and opposite
him upon a sbeepskin, which was spread
Oh the floor, sat an old man, oross-legged,
after the manner of the people In the
dim light Of the little shop lis white tur-
IAN and silvery beard seemed to stand in
against the shadows. His profile was
nobly cut. There was a certain suggestion
in his poise and attitude that betokened a
man Of superior character.
who is this old man ," ! asked some
body near by.
Blind Baruch -
Becker began to sketch him at once.
But ! stopped him. The Jews of the
Orient, as we'll as the Mahomodans, are
very shy and even suspicious about being
pictured Beckers purpose could hardly
go unnoticed in the crowded street So /
went up to the door and asked il they
would object having a picture of the shop
painted.
"Who is it?' Baruch asked the young
man.
"a Frank, he answered.
why do you paint this poor shop
There are many others more beautiful in
| the street, said the blind man to ne.
But your shop strikes my friend s
fancy "
So after he had found that we were not
Greeks and had made us promise that the
pictures would not be shown in Cairo, and
that my friend would take it with him
over the sea- he gave his consent.
| Becker secured a cOnvenint corner near
| by, where he could work in peace, and ]
lounged over the counter of Baruch' 5 shop,
Soon young Arab came up with some
bags of money. Baruch's clerk poured
/ them out on the desk and began to sort
them. There were all sorts of coins
| Spanish dollars, French francs, Mexican
dollars, English half-crowns, German
marks, and motley host of others that
did not recognize.
Baruch's clerk ran over the heap OF
coin, sorted it into piles, counted each pile
and made an entry Of the result in his
book. Then be began to go over these
entries aloud, at the same tins computing
the value of each in the coin of the coun.
try. As ne did this he glanced constantly
| towards old Baruch, who sat swaying back
and fore on his sheepskin, rolling and un'
rolling piece of paper in his fingures.
"Where are the old mans thoughts
wonderingP | thought as | watched
him. Yet on the very instant he shook
his head sharply and Grid out "No,
Jusourf you have made a mistake. 1t is
972 piastres and Is para. J."
The clerk looked over his figures again,
and true enough, discovered the error
Here was an old blind man that calculated
more accurately in his head, using his
memory as a notebook, than the active
young clerk with his figures and paper be
| fore him.
My establishment was greater when
Baruch gave the sum total of the whole
| transaction, score of varieties OF coin
and odd Numbers f each sort, turned iltc
one denomination in gold. Agar his
| figures disagreed witn those of the clerk,
whe again found himself in error.
A moment after there was a little tumult
in the street below. Two men came to-
ward US, wildly gesticulating and argu'
ing.
'Baruch will know" cried one; she
counted it up at the time.
"Baruch he said, as they stopped be-
| fore the shop, "how much silver did | get
| from Massonah four years ago, at the time
Of the war in Habash? You counted it:
you must know.
The blind man raised his head and be.
gan to 20 over list of the coins and
amounts, at first slowly, then so rapidly
that could scarcely follow him. He gave
the total, and the luestioner turned to the
other with a triumphant air.
80 you hear, Sheldon2 2,462 aim terra
/ dollars Of Maria Teresa Baruch says
so; there is no doubt of it. And down
the street they rushed without a word OF
/ thanks.
And so it went on without interruption
/ "Baruch came a voice from over the
way, so many piastres are how many
: guineas?' "Baruch, said a young man
who rushed into the shop, tell me if this
| is correct?" And be ratified off list Of
! figures and the sum total only stopping
to get Baruch's nod Of approval and on
again. Ii was Baruch here, and Baruch
there He was the calculating machine
/ for the whole street, and every one abided
by his results, never questioning his accu-
racy.
/ In pause of business J asked him
l How il it that at your age yoa can reckon
y in Won head more quickly and correctly