The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-10-28
KENTUCKY'S BLIND HUNTER.
The Wonderful Fcats OF a Man Who
Has Not Seen in Twenty Years.

The Wonderful Feats OF Man Who
Has Not Seen in Twenty Years.
Chicago Times-H crald.
A dispatch from Nicholasville, KY,
contains the following remark able
story:
Tom Johnson. who has been blind III
both.eyes for twenty years, has been
the talk OF the county for the past ten
days. Johnson is q fox hunter. He
keeps a pack Of hounds. Mag, one of
his favorite dogs, went mad. John
sons wife and children and d neighbor,
10 Harvey Brumtield, were out in the
yard when Mag came running through
the orchard fcaming at the mouth and
swapping right and left. 1t was q
genuine case OF hydrophobia.
The people in the yard frantically
rushed into the house, locked the
doors and told johnson Of the condi-
tion OF his favorite dog. In the mean
time Mag had dashed by the house and
started off in the direction of q neigh
boris. When johnson was told OF the
dogs hydrophobia he arose, and de-
spite the efforts Of his family and Mr..
Brumfeld, walked into the yard. Di-
rectly Mag came back and seemed to
be in q more violent state of madness
than before. Those in the house
called to johnson that the dog was
coming and piteously begged him to
return. The old blind man needed not
the appeals of his family, but stood
. like statue listening to the snarling
Of the dog. Mag spied him and came
straight to him.
"There she comes," yelled Brum
field, from inside of tho house. Still
the old man stood his ground. Within
ten feet of him Mag stopped, then
slowly approached him still swapping
and snarling. Right to the blind mans
feet came the dog, and as she was
about to seize his leg he reached down
and, with an instinct which seemed
superhuman, g1asped her about the
neck In vice-like grasp.
lhe dog struggled in vain to FREQ
herself, but Mr.. johnson started to
ward the woodshed, dragging her.
Brnmlield came and opened the door
OF the shod, and johnson approached
una hurled the dog inside. Brumtield
quickly closed the door, and Mag was
left to her rawlings till a shotgun was
procured and she was killed.
Ih1s feat of Mr.. Johnson's ia onlv
one OF many In his remarkable career,
lie ID nifty years old, and the story of h ia
deeds sounds more like fiction than fact
Twenty years ago he was a man oi
anluehce, but he lost his eyesight, and =,
having q large family, his fortune
. dwindled until to-day he has onlv a
house and few acres of land. All his
life he has been passionately fond of
fox hunting, and has always kept q
fine pack Of dogs. When he won't
blind it was thought his hunting days
were over, but such was not the case.
lie became even moro devoted to the
sport. Strange as it NAV seem. he
has never required guide to aid him
In riding over the cliffs of the Ken
tucky river In his chase. Mounted on
his old blind mule, this blind man may
be seon one or two nights every week
riding along dark and narrow path
of rugged cliff, while his dogs are
: searching for the trail of fox. After
the trail is found he stops, and all
night long listens to the baying of the
dogs as they follow the trail, moving
only when reynard leads the dogs to
more distant parts.
j. Typical fox hunter that he is, he
knows the "mouth Of his every dog.