The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-01-30
animals below the human being, where

1t IS even moro strongly marked anu
developed than in the blind man. 1t
is because of their phenomenal trust
fulness and the absolute necessity of
dependence upon others that deceit or
carclessncss, both resulting the same,
is, to them, the blackest crime in their
calendar of unbearable things. Ihave
found this feeling growing upon me
for years past. 1 could have forgiven
a liar or ono who had deceived me
before my sight had departed, but
since I became blind I have persuaded
myself that no crime is so great as a
lie that misleads me, giving me wrong
impression of things, of people and the
way I should 60. In other words,
those who are blind must place abso-
lutte confidence in others and expect,
in return, absolute certainty and un-
wavering truthfulness. tits as neces-
sary to him as is the compass by which
the mariner steers his course. How
long would it take the man at the helm
of vessel to decide that lying COM
pass should be thrown overheard?
Another remarkable popularity
which seems to be a necessity to a
blind man is his mathematical exact
ness in going from one point to another.
It is rarely that he launches out in the
expectation of arriving safely at any
place, without first taking his bear
ings and calculating the relations Of
other things to the object he desires
to reach. Did you ever close your
eyes and make the endeavor Of going
to any particular object Independently
and without regard to the position of
other things? If you have done SO,
you have found how impossible thing
it is unless accident aids in the ac-
complishment. J. find that I am
mechanical in all my ways and that
my course is generally by angles and
never by curves. The crossing Of my
room is a complete mathematical pro-
blem worthy more important event,
but it is absolutely necessary if safety
is assured. The explanation Of this
popularity is simple enough-it is an
absolute impossibility for blind man
to move either forwards or backwards
in a straight line. Just shut your
eyes and try. This is explained by
the fact that the right is always the
stronger side of man. I have tried,
times without number, to master the
tendency in all human beings to go to
the right when walking, but cannot
arrange any rule that will aid me in
this endeavor and I continue to bear
to the right saving only when I dis
countenance my own good judgment
and, seemingly, bear hard to the left
in order to walk the straight road.
Another peculiar and acquired fea-
ture in the blind is the development
of nervousness resulting in timorous-
ness in walking, among other things.
This development is noticeable in the
keen touch of blind man, which, of
course; is rendered possible because Of
the increase of sensibility in the
nerves at the ends of his fingers. In
fact, my own experience proves to me
a startling fact, which is that the
blind man does not exist whose nerv-
Gus system is like that Of other men.
An expressive and comprehensive term
of expression is that he is almost con-
stantly on "pins and needles. ;" The
nerves of blind man are finely and
keenly sensitive TO all surroundings.
As result Of this fact nervous dis
eases are more markedly observablein
the blind than in the other and more
fortunate part of humanity. Blind
men are, almost invariably, sufferers
from neuralgia and sciatica and that
horrible afliction, nervous prostra-
tion.
If you can find me blind man who
is not mechanical in all his movements
I will show you phenomenon. 1
admit that I am nothing if not mathe-
matical, although it is far from my
choice to be so. I find myself con-
staatly memorizing by peculiar
methods always connected with mathe-
matics. In writing 6ctional story
of any considerable length I am always
mathematical or I could not get
through it alone, nor with the assis-
tance of another without causing much
trouble and delay. [ am mathematical
in working my typewrites and | laugh
in my sleeves when hear people dis
credit my ability to work the machine
as rapidly and more correctly than
most t.typewriters. That I can 10 it is
beyond doubt, for I can, and give evil
dence of it every day, but it is the
easiest thing I do and it is purely
mathematical. Imeasufe the distance
of one key from another and all from
the right or left sides Of the keyboard,
and the result is certain unless care
lessly strike the letter upon the wrong
bank, which is my fault and not the
fault of the mathematical and unerr-
ing rule. Thank God for this ability,
and remember that He has been
mathematical in all His works, and
the heavens, the earth and His best
work, man, are all mathenlatically
constructed. I could prove my asser-