The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-04-21
HIS EYES GOU0ED OUT.
n Pitifui Story of . blind Man Now Living
I'm New York.

A Pitifui Story of = Blind Man Now Living
I'm New York.
Gustaye Adluug is a blind man in
New York who sells lead pencils on
the street FOR a living. He is a we'll
known character and the story OF
how he lost his sight is most pitt.
full one At the age OF 10 he sailed
from Antwerp his native place, for
America as cabin boy. The cap
tain OF the vessel was named Sparks
and the two mates were Wilson and
Curtiss, men cruel and Ditiless almost
beyond belief. Beatings and whip
pings were freely administered.
Young GCstave Jared as badly as the
rest OF his elbows. He was beaten
within an inch of his life time and
again He was strung up and starved
and maltreated in every way that the
tyranny OF the mates could devise in
punishment for crimes, petty or i'm
aginary. So great had become the
terror OF the crew that three jumped
overheard. Gustave was one who
had planned 10 jump overheard
whenever another ship or land came
within sight He had given up hope
when the other tn ee leaped 10 their
watery grave, and resolved TO end his
misery in the same way The mate
saw Gustave trying his best 10 follow
the example OF the unfortunate sail
ors, and ordered two sailors 10 seize
MIN and put him in irons.
He st uggled feebly and then iaint-
ed. Intense pain awakened him,
and when he opened his eyes he saw
the mate bending ,ver him. The
mate held cutlass in his upliited
hand. Blood was dripping fro n the
blade and the great pain In Gustave's
left side was enough 10 convince the
cabin boy that the drunken mate had
struck him with the weapon and that
ii was his own blood that was drip
ping over him from that ugly blade.
mercy! Mercy" moaned the naif-
conscious Gustave. mercy, Throw
me overheard, anything; but have
mercy. Don't torture me"
Gustave staggered TO his feet and
the mate tried To seize him. "Come
here; I'll show you what mercy you'll
get" he cared.
Gustave, beside himself with ter.
Tor, tried u fly, but he was in such "a
pitiable condition that the mate
overlook him quickly.
'I'll show you what mercy you'll
get" he hissed as he called the two
sailors TO hold the fainting cabin boy.
Before even the sailors knew what
the mate was about TO do, he raised
his cutlass and with one wicked
thrust gouged one OF the bows eyes
out Quick as flash he gougcd out
the other.
There; now 90 run away from me
IL you want to-" laughed the fiendish
mate as he struck the boy with the
hilt OF his cutlass-
II lay days, not knowing whether
/ was dead or alive" said Gustave
the other day. II was burning with
fever, and the pain in my eyes was SO
been out OF my head ] had no one
TO see me and was kicked around
from one part OF the cabin TO an
other l heard that one OF the sail
ors who had held me when that tiend
was gouging out my eyes was so hor.
rihed at the sight that he went Iav-
ing crazy the next day. was almost
at the point OF death when we got
into san Francisco. l was taken oil
the vessel by the customs officers, and
when they heard OF the tortures 10
which the sailors bad been sub, ected
they put the mates and Capt Sparks
under arrest"
The men were tried and Wilson
was condemned 10 live years impris-
Onment, Curtiss to three, and Sparks
was acquitted. but afterward was
lost at sea. Nothing, however, could
give poor Gustave back his sight,
and In order TO support himself he
has been reduced u peddllDg pencils
and other small goods, which he long
did in san Francisco and for the last
few years in New York.