Evening star., 1898-09-17
FUN FOR THE BLIND
Plenty Amusements Both Indoor and Out
side.
Fond of Athletics, but Great al
Whist and Other
Games.


rioiu tue iFoncou ENeulng StanGdrU.
There is general idea prevalent in the
minds of the uninitiated that blind people
cannot get very much enjoyment out of
their lives, because, not being able % see
what they are about they are unable to
indulge freely in games OF either the ath-
letic or intellectual variety In order to get
proper idea of how sightless people can
amuse themselves, that individual who
thinks that the blind have no scope for en-
joyment must pay a visit to one of the in
stitutions for the blind. Here he will sse
for himself that the inmates far from
being limited in their games can ard do
play almost as many as those of their
brethren who are blessed with vision, and
that. in fact, it would be far easier TO
name the few amusements that they can
not indulge in than TO enumerate those
which they can. Thus, for instance blind
boys can play foot ball, and they play il
fairly well. Cycling, too, is very popular
among those who are fortunate enough to
possess machines. Some time back twenty
or thirty blind cyclists, most of them in
mates of the local blind institution, as
sembled outside the Swiss Cottage, and
went for run to Hatfield and back Of
course. they were led by man who could
see, so that in case of distractions such
as large stones or stationary vehicles they
should have proper warning; but had 1t not
been for the tact that these warnings were
given by word Of mouth, nobody who saw
the cyclists covering the ground at speed
OF quite twelve miles per hour could pos
sibly have guessed that they were abso-
lutely blind.
One would not think that leap-frog was
a game that was suitable for blind boys
for 1t is one which seems 20 absolutely need
the sense of sight for judging the dis
tances. Still. blind boys do play this game
and the only article In which 1t differs from
that played by other boys Is that instead
OF chalked line to jump from they have
STICK which they can feel with their feet.
Mhen the winter Is here. If the frost is
hard enough, they will skate, and siehtless
people can frequently do this quite as well
as those who can use their eyes. Indeed
there was some time ago an athletic meet
ing OF blind people held, in which the first
and second prizes for skatinga were taken
by two blind ladies. Snow-balffng too will
be played by the boys as soon as there is;
some snow fit to play with, and, although
they are not able to see they can throw
with wonderful accuracy.
VI indoor amusements there is no lack of
variety: Blind boys can box, and that
scientifically, though how they manage.
without sight, to guard a blow as they 90
IS mystery known only TO themselves. In
other branches of gymnastics they are
also expert especially at parallel and hori-
zohtal bar work We have seen a blind
Doy Dalance himself at arms length on the
parallel bars, and hold the balance as long
as ne pleased. Now, to any one who fs
anything OF a gymnast this feat is a toll
erably easy one: but it depends not so
much upon strength as upon sight LET
any one who doubts this try to hold what
IN gymnastic pariance is called a long arm
balance with his eyes shut. and he will fnG
That directly he cannot see the floor he be-
gins to lose his balance To do this feat
therefore, without being able to see IS
really a marvellous performance Chess
ana Its sister game. draughts, are played
great deal; so are dominoes: but his Is
hardly so wonderful when it is renero
bered that several first-class chess nlavers
BiackbuSn, for instance, can play chess
b!lndfolded. The boards used are Of a spe-
clal klrd, the black squares being raised
and the white sunken, while there is
slight difference in shape between the
black ard white pieces. These latter have
l!kewlse little projections on their bases
which fit into corresponding holes In the
square, this boing done to prevent the dis
arrangement of the board from a chance
knock
Girls. even those who can see have not
on account of the present system of their
education so much scope for amusement
as boys, and 1t is the same with blind girls
Still, they can play many different games
ana appear to enjoy themselves quite as
much as their seeing sisters. To see them
IN the summer playing at touch last" or
some game of a similar nature, one would
think that blindness was unknown to them:
and they can form with a piece of string
some most wonderfully intricate patterns at
the game called eats cradle" In addition
to this. they can amuse themselves by sew
ing and knitting, and can turn out soma
great deal of lettering on the part of see
Ing ladies' Then they can swing and use a
skipping rope, either double or single one
with an amount of freedom which Is not
to be eKcelled, and can run well, and even
play at ball. Chess and draughts of course
they play, though the former is not so pop
ular among them it is among the Toys
and they read, spin tops, play on the yio-
lin and organ, and even dance Besides
this, many blind girls, as well as boys are
good swimmers; but naturally this form of
athletics can only be indulged in during
the summer months. In conclusion, we
might mention a few of the amuser1ents
of grown-up blind people. They can ride
on horseback well as On bfcycles of
course. and swim and row, and we have
personally known two blind men who were
much better scullers than the average am
ateur oarsman. Putting the weights is an
other form of athletic amusement indulgcd
in by blind people. Parts in private theatre
Gals can also be undertaken by them. and,
in fact, if they wish, indulge in every form
of amusement that is tndulged in by their
younger fellnwsufferers. In a school
cards would not, of course be allowed but
we have heard of blind mamie is dead
now-who was a fine whist player He had
cards made with embossed pipes, so that
he could identify them by touch, and the
other three players called their cards as
they put them down on the table. In this
way he was enabled to play his hand and
he played it in d mastery manner that
would have been the joy OF Cavend!sh or
Hoyle had they been there to see.