The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-17
TRAVELS QUITE WIDELY
Archie Cannon, the Blind Man, Tells About
Himself.

An interesting character has been seen
upon our streets for some time past. He
is the blind man with his dog who leads
him around all over the city with no
other compaion. There is a great affi-
nifty between the two companions. The
dog is an extremely intelligent liver and
white pointer, and it Is he who earns the
living for both himself and his master
by his sagacity. The mans name is Ar
chic Cannon, and he has been blind for
about twelve years. He was railroad
engineer on the ST. Louis and Texas road
and when pulling a local freight from
Louisiana over into Texas wreck oc-
CURED while very near the state line, and
he was scalded in such d manner that
he lost both tyes..
He is known all over the west to the
travelling men and nearly every one else
as blind Tom" He explains this be-
cause the name of his dog is Tom, and
people naturally connect this with HIS
being blind His dog is an exception for
intelligence. or perhaps ii is close asso-
citation which has developed it in him.
He leads him safely everywhere. When
he stops his master plays an accordion,
which is about the only thing he carries
A coin thrown up will be caught by the
dog or picked up from the pavement by
eral unthoughtful or otherwise unfeel-
ing persons have fooled the Dog often
with beer checks and the like. This has
at times almost ruined him because he
would become tired of being fooled. A
person who would be mean enough TO DO
a trick of this kind after thinking for u
moment would do almost anything smaf
and mean.
The dog receives the very best care his
master can give him. He frankly says
that ne would willing rather go hungry
himself than have the dog do so. In cold
weather the dog wears a blanket and ev-
cry comfort which can be procured is his,
whatever be that Of his master.
The man has relatives living on Gal
weston island, southern Texas, and he is
now making his way in that direction.
He has been up to st. Pau, Minneapolis,
Duluth. West Superior, and all the north
ern cities this past surnmer, attended on
~ by his faithful dog. There is scarcely
a newspaper OF any size in any OF the
larger cities who have not at some time
or other told the story Of this man and
his dog.
The quick perception Of some blind peo-
pie is clearly and prettily shown by him.
An Eagle representative asked him one
or Two questions. and he quickly answer
Ell illSfll ana asked IL the QutSllpNST was
not A newspaper man. He quickly was
asked how ne knew, to which he answer
ed he could tell by the manner of ques-
tioning. He seemed TO be able 10 tell in
what direction and about how far away
his dog was. whether he would hear the
bell about his neck or not. Once when
the dog came to him with a nickle which
had been given 10 him by someone. he
placed the coin upon the dogs nose and
asked him several questions concerning
the denominati ton Of the coin, the dog
never moving a muscle. Finally he ask
FL II il was nickle and the dog imme-
diately tossed the coin into the air and
caught it in his mouth The dog has a
great many tricks which he faithfully
performs. and he seems 70 take delight in
doing them. Cannon. the blind man,
says that bird dogs are by far the finest
trick dogs OF any Of them. They are
more nervous. ana hence quicker than
others. He never speaks a cross word
TO his dog and the mutual affection be-
tween the two is very marked. Scarcely
q greater loss 10 anyone could be sls-
tanned than the loss OF the ewes. and
these cases Of blindness brought about
by accident are especially sad ones To