The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-08
SEES ONLY IN THE DARK.
Missouri Boy Whose Eyes Exceed Those
of the owl in Their Popularity.
T,y.

COLUMBIA, Mo, Sept "a Physicians in
Columbia much interested in the case Of Stan
ley Shaefer, years old, holives with his parents
Mr. and Mrs. +. G. Shaefer, in this city. The
child is afflicted with most remarkable optical
deformity. He well in total dark ness
a person with natural sight see in the light
of day. lie can walk into dark room and find
in moment pin any other tiny object. Night
is day for him. and day is night, for in the hours
of daylight he Is blind. His disposition and de
sires largely influenced by his optical deiorm-
ity AT night he is restless and full of life In
the daytime he s more inclined TO sleep
His parents have some difficulty in restraining
his desire To play and romp about during the hours
Of darkness II is difficult for them to find safe
amusement for him at midnight. All his little
playmates are in bed, and the boy can derive but
small pleasure in his loneliness But at times
he eyadcs his parents and takes lonely midnig hit
ramble He has been heard romping about the
neighburhuud Of his home in the middle of tine
darkest nights with only dog for companion.
Little Schaefer is a faithful student, and well
advanced in his books His teacher. however
is obliged to resort to unusual measures in in
structing him. OF course. a dark room is the
first essential in his reading lessons The teacher
draws down all the curtains in the room closes
the doors. and endeavors to make the room as
dark as possible. Then Stanley reads
During the daytime the child is often seen
in the vicinity Of his home usually with a com.
panion To guide him. Al such times the eyes Of
about like a blind person. and stumbles over over
the rough places unless guided by faithful
hand. When his friends greet him he knows
them only by their voices
When he concludes 10 read a while in the day
time, his proceedings are pecul lar. After Sc
from hook most remarkable contrivanCe.
II is almost as large as the child himself long,
fer carries the strange device to the place desired
puts it down wit the point upward, crawls
der it, and reads The design and purpose Of
the unique contrivance Is, of course. to exclude
VIA. on earth cart, is thu, funny lodging thing
other day, pointing to the device as il sat the
| porch Of the Shaefer residence.
We have no particular name for it," said Mrs,
| Shaefer. with a smile but will show you what
| is under it."
She walked across the porch and quickly raised
| ing his lessons.
The defornity Of his sight is useful to him
find things in the dark is very convenient for
his family. His father, who is a butcher, often
ds on 9hs for hs child in h eqs
to shut GU, all light, counts the pieces of meat
The light Of the sun is especially annoying
TO the child. and he is rather inclined to be low
spirited and unhappy on bright sunny days.
lievc him and he is much more animated The
light Of the sun is painful to him lie blnk4
and rubS his eyes. and gives other evidence OF
distress when in the sunlight. But not SO with
electric light. His eyes seem far better adapted
10 artificial illumination than TO natural light
At times he can see to some extent under cleo
trio light which fact greatly encourages his par
ents, who have never abandoned hope OF checting
n cure.
The child has been treated by many physi
clans and skilled uculsts, but u no avail Many
kinds Of glasses and sprCtacles ha vC been tried
but always with unfavorabe results The fact
that the eyes Of the patient since birth have been
III lhtlf present c9ndltloh makes the case all the
more difficult. He simply born with the
! s"uS" of sight. so far az light and darkness are
concerned. completely reversed. II a cure is
effected and his sight brought into normal con
dition, il will be one of the most remarkable scien
| tiic achievements Of recent years.