The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-19
A BLIND JOURNALIST.
MARTIS CLLRB, BEREFT or sf"h''
CONTINUES ms PROFESSION.
But Under the Heavy strnin His Health
Has Given Way and HIS frien"s
Give Him n Benefit.

You would ask for time to consider your
answer II suddenly you were informed that
YOU must part with one of your senses. and
IL Is more than probable that after a
month OF consideration you would be
unable to decide which Of them YOU could
best do without. But there can be little
doubt that the one Of the five dearest TO
| every human being is the eyesight. The
| enjoyment resulting from the possession
OF the other senses IS undoubtedly pleasant,
! but the man who walks I'm the dark day
and night loses more of the beauties OF
| nature and those things which serve more
| to give him happiness and enjoyment than
| may be comprised in a combination OF all
| the other senses.
We are endowed at birth with certain
| gifts which vary in number and charac-
| ter, some having more than others, and
| all, apparently, using them throughout
| their lives 20 the best OF their endowed
abilities. The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher
once said that some men would do more
with jack-knife than others with a
whole chest of tools. This may apply 10
the child born without eyesight. 1t Is a
gift of whose value he is ignorant, and
up for its absence by an intenser keenness
Of the other senses. But the man who
has lived to middle age, in the full en-
joyment of all the gifts OF God, and IS
suddenly deprived OF his eyesight and
thrust into world Of darkness to grOpe
his way for the remainder Of his life,
dependent upon others for guidance and
helpless in many respects, must suffer the
greatest loss that human nature can en-
dUre. The beautiful pictures Of both ma
ture and art that have always cheered
his vision are taken out of his life. and
only the remembrance of loved scenes
and loved forms, the dear old homestead
and its dearer inmates the sloping sward,
the lowing herd the distant mountain,
the purling brook. the romping children,
and q thousand beauties of both nature
and art which once gladdened the eye,
remain. Many have declared that death
is preferable TO total blindness, and this
seems TO be the general belief. what the
suffering Of a blind man must be can only
be fully appreciated by those who, after
the enjoyment of this blessing for many
years, have suddenly been deprived Of IT,
And this is what Fate has thrust upon
one OF the best-known journalists In our
great country. Marvin r. Clark, now
called "the blind journalist" was born in
New York city and has resided there all
Of his life. For more than thirty years
he has been busily occupied on the press
Of New York and Brooklyn as reporter.
publisher, editor and correspondent. As
is well known. the life OF a journalist is
an unusually busy one. particularly that
Of man engaged upon a morning news
paper The work is trying 80 the nerves
and extremely taxing to the brain, and
most of it must be accomplished at night
and under the bright light OF the gas, so
trying 10 the eye.
After thirty years OF this hard work 1t
may not be considered remarkable that
Mr.. Clark while stu engaged ia the work
OF his profession, lost his sight through
overwork and became totally blind. This
happened five years ago. The blow was a
staggering one. and many men would have
succumbed to the terrible afiliction. Life
lest most Of its enjoyment by this de
privatou, and the greatest essential to his |
business vas taken from him. with little
hope Of its return. But his determination,
Lis pluck and his cheerfulness remained |
with him. With the aid Of "A typewriter,
which he had never touched before his |
blindness, and with which ne became i'm |
media.ey familiar. he continued his work. |
His knowledge Of men and the condition !
Of affairs was as keen as ever with the |
aid Of an assistant he continued his ac- |
90lSl1)A OF hhoMltaSN oi pif0tbt eN-'ftS, |
and at orce began writing what are called |
special articles for many papers, full Of |
ir terasting information, which have been |
printed and reprinted and read and re- |
read by millions of people in this country /
and Europe At one time during the past |
five years he was actively at work for |
thirteen Sunday papers in New York, and |
wrote weekly syndicate story FOR many |
papers in various States of the Union.
His readers never knew that ne was |
Blind until informed Of the fact, for there |
were no earmarks in his articles indlcat-
ing his sightlessness as there are no indi-
cations in the appearance Of his eyes that
his sight has gone forever. lie writes
and walks and talks and gazes at objects
with as much appearance Of the posses
sion of all his senses as any other man.
Yet he IS blind
one year ago, when almost overcome by |
work which he was compelled 10 do TO
sustain himself and others dependent upon
him, his friends insisted on coming TO his
aid, but, strong in the belief of his own
abilities to continue his work and reuc-
tant to accept the proffered aid Of his
liberal and kindhearted friends. he de-
cHncd thetr assistance, and. handicapped !
as he was more than ever 10y eXhaustlng |
nervous attacks. went on with his work
for a year longer. only 10 be Frustrated at
the end OF that time and compelled TO
give up the endeavor. Recently he has
accepted the situation forced upon him.
and willingly his friends have come 10 his. |
assistance 10 organize a committee OF
prominent men in all walks Of life who
have commenced the establishment Of a
fund which they have determined shan |
he adequate TO the purpose OF sustaining
him for the future. The committee is
headed by the Mayor OF New York city, |
a lifelong friend and earnest worker for
the blind journalist. followed By MI.
Oswald Ottendorfer. editor Of the Stats
Zeltung; Colonel John 4. Cockerin, ed
itor OF the Morning Advertiser and the
Advertiser. Mr.. John w. Kel-
Ter. editor Of The New York Recorder and
president OF the New York Press club;
Mr.. Joseph Howard, New Yorks popular
journalist; Congressman Amos j. Cum
mings. W. Bourke Cochran and John II.
Fellows: Controiler-eicct Ashbel p. i1tch,
William Il. Grace, 4. Oakley
Hail and Abram :. Hewitt, Nj. Onto
Huhach, president Of the German Press
club; Mr. Frederic Il. Cou4crt, Mr. Ma
than Straus, Colonel Robert G.. Ingersou,
Police superintendent Thomas Bynes.
Nh. Robert Hoe. Sir Silds ~ Giddiugs.
Mr.. Eugene Kelly. Mr.. Francis r. Thur
Der, and may judges, merchants and pro-
lessloual men. including eli h,y-hve mem |
bers OF the New York Press Club. and
large delegations from the German Press
Club, the Womens Press Club the Thir-
teen Club. including its thirteen officers.
and other associations Of New York,
Brooklyn and elsewhere throughout the
country.
In a.d OF their object benefit entertain
mcnt will be given on the evening OF |