The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-08

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humble boarding house. Youmans soon made
friends By his sparkling conversation. the
geniality OF his nature and the charm OF his
manner Among his fellow boarders were
some young printers who becam Interested In
him and brought him books and newspapers.
which they would read to him. One OF tbs
printers with whom he thus contracted warm
friendship was Horace Greeley In 1912. at
another boarding house. he made the ac-
quaintance OF Walt whitman. who was then
editing q newspaper for which Edward wrote
occasional Saratoga correspondents. In later
years Youmans always maintained that
Whitman WAS an arrant humbug. and that his
"barbario yawp'' and obtrusive ilthiness
were assumed purely for pelf. after he had
found that decent writing would not pay his
bills. more useful acquaintance was Mr..
BENJAMIN Flanders. . sailmaker. who
was interested In Fourierism. and as
member OF the North American
Phalanx was associated with Horace
Greeley. william II. Claiming. and other
con spicuous reformers Of the time. We are
told that the persistent kindness OF Mr.. Elan.
ders through the long years OF helpless de-
pendence that followed had much to do with
Youmans's final recovery.
We are prepared to learn that necessity
brought about that development Of touch and
hearing that comes to all who lose sight. and
that the young mans memory. naturally re-
tentive. became still stronger. He was able.
II seems. to find his way about through
the less crowded streets. and sometimes
took great risks In venturinR about alone.
Once man who was carrying q
plank on his shoulder hit him with
It so Violently that his fall injured
him seriously. His narrowsst escape was
one evening. when. In going from Mr.. Flan-
derss house In Brooklyn to his home In New
York. he found himself at the VERY brink OF the
water wall below Fulton Ferry whan one step
more would have precipitated him into the
East River. or another noteworthy incident
the author OF this biography never heard until
after his subjects death. II appears that In
1912. as Youmans was picking his way along
one OF the river side streets. near the edge OF a
wharf. he heard 4 sudden splash In the water
and cries for helm Instantly seizing q large
chain that happened to be within reach. fast
ened at one end to post on the wharf he let
himself down into the water. got hold of the
drowning man. and kept him up until help
came. thus saving his life. 1t was like YOU
mans. Mr.. Fisks tells US. never to mention this
brave act
Not only was the blind mans memory In
yigorated by his need OF relying on It. but his
reasoning and sxpository powers ripensd and
expanded under the same harsh discipline.
His natural aptitude for explaining problems
abstruss In themselves or unfamiliar to his
hearers was developed until II came TO bs as
tonishing. When sitting silent and alone in
his room for hours together his mind vas al
ways busy; its activity Was spurrsd by his
necessities and definitely dirsetsd, By such
opportunities OF work as came to him When
he had heard scientific article or q chapter
In q scientific book read. no matter Whsthsr he
Intended to use 1t or not he would GO over the
entire statement or train Of reasoning. search
Ing out defects and fAllAcies. and pushing
the arguments to new conclusions. such
links As he laborlously thought out between
the unfamiliar and familiar. he would repeat
to his friends in talking over his faVorits
themes. and IL turned out that the lAborious
mastery OF what he learned gave YoumAns the
key to mastery exposition when that became
his task. As early. indead. as lS43 he began
to support himself BY miscellaneous literary
work. Writing for the press gave him prae-
tice In composition and brought him into
Journalistic relations which In after years
proved OF the first importance. It might
have been supposed that 10 the produo-
ton OF reviews. Dopularized citations from
technical works. &c. his blindness would
be an insupsrAbls obstacle. Aid from
friendly eyes and hands could Of course
be only occasionally secured. He had
to resign himself to spending weary weeks
over tasks that with sound syssight could have
been despatched In as many days HeinVeRtsd
kind OF writing maehin which held his pa
per hrmly and enabled his pen to follow
straight lines at proper distances apart Long
practice with this apparatus gave his hand
writing peculiar character which II retained
In later ysArs Mr. Fisks says that when he
first saw II. in 1858. Il seemed almost undsel-
phsrable; but that was far frombsing the ease.
and after he had grown used TO IT, he found 1t
but little less lsgibls than the most beautiful
ehirograDhy. We should add that even In this
early time. when YeumAns was struggling
under such disabilities 70 earn hVsli-
hood aud pursue his scientific studies.
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