The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-13
A Blind Couple and How
They Manage to Live.
The Day of Rest Much Older
Than the Hebrew People.
How One Woman Celebrated Her
Golden Wedding--Making Gods.

IL Is rare indeed that one nenfs VI mus
hand and wife who are both blind, yec
there are such couples and OF MI anu
Mrs. Brinkman of South Kokomo, Ma,
Il may be said that the loss OF vision docs
not seem to seriously interfere with their
success in life or with their enjoyment Oh
Il. Both have been blind since they were
1--WE years old, and tbs said there ; 10
neater or better kept home In thelr Town
than their own. Mr.. Brinkman Is "a
mechanical wonder, and his wife Is an
accomplished eiocutionist, having Travelled
n number of seasons and was PLATFORM
fayorite. Mr. Brinkman Is an expert
niano timer and clock repairer Last
week the county commissioners employed
him to repair the big clock on the court
house tower that bafiled the. skill OF q
number of experts with good eyes, ana
after a few days work had 10 in good con-
dition. The clocks place in the tower Is
I5S feet above ground. The commissioners
were so we'll pleased with the blind man 5
Succe-s that they have employed him by
the year To keep the clock I'm repair. He
Is a sprinter, and has record OF walking
2l blocks in 10 minutes, On crowded
street, with no assistance except his cane
He also rides bicycle skilfully, though
he does not go long distances unless an
QUIET "noo" g ~ ~
Of him.
Mrs. Brinkman is an expert equestrienne
and before suffering stroke OF paralysis
she delighted in riding spirited morse
accompanied by an escort Their marriage
five years ago was the result OF an attach
ment formed fourteen years ago, when
they met at the State Institute Tor the
Blind, of which both are graduates. IL
nf az
sight, Three years ago Mrs. Brinkman
was stricken with total paralysis OF the
limbs. and since then has been entirely
HELPLESS unable to move hand or foot
The blind husband has tho sole care OF his
blind. helpless wife. This he.does In addi-
tion to keeping house, responding to
calls for piano tuning, clock lnendlng ana
attending to a confection and stationery
htore In the front of the house. All this
he does without assistance. He refuses
aid. and declines oil offers Of help from
relatives. While hundreds Of able bodied
men have depended on the county Tor sup
mort this plucky blind man has supported
himself and his blind, helpless wife with
out aid from any source.
The day OF rest was not instituted by
the Hebrews as Is supposed by many. 1t
Is we'll known among scholars OF ancient
lore that the pagan nations were observers
of the seventh day, which was essentially
ono Of rest. Hesiod speaks OF the seventh
day "as a holy day." Homer declares that
the seventh is the ''day on which all
things were perfected. The same is sup
posed to have been the fact in regard to
the northern nations of Europe, from
which we are Immediately descended. As
q matter of fact, the Hebrews did but
sanctify thing they already found In
vogue Not to quote more than one proof.
and that the most significant of all: The
earliest civilized'race possessing the coun-
try known rs Mesopotamia, the Chaldecs,
had attained to high degree Of civiliza-
tion before Abraham g days, and, therefore,
before there were any Hebrews, so-called.
According to recently produced evidence.
the Chaldeans observed day Of rest.
Each month had Sabbath, called Sab
batu, on the 7th, 14th, 2lst and 9th days.
besides fifth one on the 10Th. The con-
clusion to which one may come Is that
of rest was common throughout the
world, and, traceable, moro or less at any
rate. as far back as Noah.
One woman adopted very unique
method of observing the fiftieth anniver.
sary of her wedding and one that will in
all probability not be very generally fol-
lowed by her sisters VINO have lived q
half century in the bonds OF wedlock. A
few days ago occurred the golden wedding
OF Mrs. Katherine Cronan Of Crawfords-
willie. Ind. and she signalizcd the anniver-
isary by filing suit for divorce against
ried In England. The complaint was
drawn up by her lawyer in March, but
was, by her orders, withheld until the flt-
tieth anniversary of the wedding She
alleges that her husband imprisoned her
for two days In a dark closet without food
in an endeavor TO force her 10 decd him
an interest in her elegant farm It Is al
legged that ,Cronan decided the farm to his
wife several years ago Tor business rea-
sons. and when they no longer existed his
wife refused to let 90 the property.
1t has recently been discovered that
there is in Birmingham. Eng, factory
where idols arc made for heathen nations.
Many attempts have been made 10 obtain
admission To- the factory. but strict
watch is kept upon outsiders anxious TO
pry into the secret chambers wherc TIC
hcathen gous are made, and journalists,
especially. are prevented from entering
ii O works a few facts werc, however
CLEANED concerning this extraordinary
Industry. Idols of all kinds are turned
out, representing the gods OF all hcathcn
nntious, from Tokyo To Iimbuctoo. III,
export trade To hcathen countries is a
fairly large one, although more gods are
sent out 10 foregn dealers in curios in
the bnzaars of Cairo. Damascus, Colombo,
etc., for sale 70 unsuspoutiny travellers
anxious to take home some irementocs OF
sAeir stay abroad.
The price OF goods varies greatly. You
may get "A Birmingham made one i'm Q
London curiosity snOp for half,a crown oi
you may run up the pretty bill OF GO fOi
an especially ugly one, "stolon," accord
ing 10 the dealer. "by sailor during tho
Chinese war. In the Cairo bazaar, how
over, the price of first class god Of thi.
k.nd may run from g20 20 anything. A
traveller says that there was little difficulty
in de1Scting a god Of native make iron
one of Birmingham manufactures Tho
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