The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-02-23
THE BLIND MANS STORY.
An Interesting Character Known to
Many Cantonians.

An Interesting Character Known to
Many Cantonians.
Lenore Sherwood Marble In the National Tribune.
A blind man came TO the house the
other day with stationery to sell. lie
was man of medium height and build,
with dark-br0wn hair and mustache
and eyes of the same ecolor-perfecteye
only the lie had gone out of them, and
they were not the windows of the soul.
His face wore the contented, peace
full look peculiar to the blind, and his
voice was kind and seemed to invite
conversation. His manner and bear
ing was that of o refined, intelligent
gentleman, and so he proved to be.
The first question asked, as to how long
he had been blind, met with such a
cheerful response, that one question led
to another, and this Is what he told:
mo, not always blind, but ever since
/ was five years old, when l was very Ill
and the light went out of my life for
ever. Sometimes / think j can see the
green grass, the trees and flowers, and
| have vision of light, but perhaps
after all it is only my imagination. |
was educated In blind asylum, such Il
beautiful place in all that beautiful
my fingers and to see with ears and all
o my other senses. No, am not afraid
to 80 alone in the street or to travel
from place TO place; my stick is my sole
cOmT anion, and then every one is so
kind to the blind. Perhaps that is why
we are said to have such happy, CON
tented expression, for kindness is the
fountain of all happiness.
"When ] walk along the street ] can
hear the people coming, and judge from
the sound how near they are to me,
and then l can feel their presence as
they brush past me. l can tell whether
1t is a man, woman or child, or young
or old person by their walk,
"The way locate a strange place is
from the depot, and count the streets
from there. No, 1t does not tax my
memory because ii ia all done uncon-
consciously; and then cannot see, and
my attention Is not attracted by the
objects around me. think that is why
The blind can remember SO well.
81 Judge of mans characteristics by
his conversation, the language en-
ployed, and by his voice, and l seldom
fail in my estimate Of him. | can also
tell persons ago by his voice, and
seldom fail 70 come within twOye Of
the exact age.
"What is my idea of color? l don't
know as l can tell you, but I'll try.
Yellow eugg SITS to me intense heat;
red makes me think Of something joy.
Gus or Of a loud noise; gray suggests
| bleak November winds; white, intense
| cold; blue, cool breezes, and black Is
what always have before me.
"And then, too, voices make me think
Of color. There is The brown voice
sweet aud low, and a little sad; there
| is the purple voice, sOnOrOus and full
the voice of the priest; then blue, voice
of child, joyous but with no expires.
sion. like the brown voice this hest
of all, because it was my mothers
voice. | sometimes think that her voice
became brown when her little boys eyes
were gone, The brown voice has suf-
fered but it is not embittersd; not so
with the intense yellow voice.
81 can tell flowers by their odOr and
form, and love the rose the best OF
all. Then, l can tell time with an or
dinary watch, and can do many things
With my fingers. learned to work IN
wood, but my health demanded outdoor
| exercise, and like to walk and come
in contact with people,
"Did you say you wanted the rough
paper or the linen? A dollar; here is
your change