Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-01-07
ID ,he gi.at literary seotehmen OF other

OF the great literary Scoichmen OF other
days.
Much going aud coming between this
inn and central city places brought TO
my notice the fact that nearly every
pleasant summer night when the hush VI
evening had fallen upon the Town, a
marvellous singer OF the tendofcst
ballads OF Scotland came that way
stood for a quarter OF an hour or so IN
the quiet entrance to ST. Andrews
street; and at intervals TO the acrompau-
iment Of an accordion sang sweetly for
those who tarricd.
At chance glmpses OF the singer and
his regular evening audience noticed,
too, that the man never solicited aims.
lie stood quite still Ia the middle oil the
street, and now and then some one of
the crowd, in the pauses of his singing.
would step quietly up to him and place
coin within hts hand. These were
copper coins always, aud they nearly
always came from The pockets o. poor
people. Finally, the songs and the
scene touching my own heart, went
and placed coin in his hand, as others
had done before me.
Then for the ligt time ! saw that the
man was blind, saw, besides, such a
face as will haunt me all my lifetime
| canno, tell YOU what painter has put
most oil hopeful patience, exalted re-
signa,lon and sublime faith into any one
face upon canvas. llut here was a face
that instantly revealed them all. !
went back TO him. told him would
like to know him; asked him II cbuld
come 10 his home. OF II he could lIud
L. IL ls.s "a
more we had arranged for a meeting at
the little St. Andrews sire CT inn Tor the
morrow.
When he came his frs, words put Us
both as warmly IN touch as though our
hearts had been open 10 each other fora
lifetime.
II knew by your voice, he said sad.
ly, you saw through my sighlless.
ness. An We blind iolk are MAR cliiny
at scein' than we think. You make
rhymes. So do !. b" This deprecaiingly.
Cos knows my heart is sa,r L sing wi
pen, too"
So | knew he had already sung wi
his pen, and made him there and then
repea, his rhymes. Here was another
Burns IN lag and obScuriIy Surrey
tins is so. lLen went "lth thus blind
poet and singer, John Connell, To his
home No ~, Gibbs Entry second
ilat) Nicholson Street. Edinl ursli away
UP among the densely inhabited aynds
and closes Of old town, What was
therep lust so many children one could
scarcely count them or remember their
names; kindly-hced wife, loyal aud
true; hearhSlde MS barren OF the com
forts OF this life as the face of storm
beaten crag, but with ial,h, hope and
unialterng love enough within II to seed
for saving an entire race.
The story OF the man and his bitter
struggle Is a short one; because OF his vo
cation, his poverty his silent suffering.
He was mechanic once, with boundlCss
hopes ior education and advancement,
perhaps with dreams OF fame, The
blindness came. That the wifo and
BARNS might not starye, he must sing
upon the street. Then passing grand
lady heard him sing She sent Tor him
and gave him an audience. The old
hopes famed anew. To make her
husband presen,able the solt-hearted
wife gave all their savings and pledged
all their little belongings for clothing
and brave new accordion "rhe puir
body may find favor the fond wife
prayed. lie did-unul he told the
grand lady proudly OF his good wife and
BARNS. Then she bid him good day, and
her servant showed him the door,
John Connel has been singing for aims