The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-05
BLIND PosTMAN SCOTT.

For Twenty y-fve Years He Has Done
 His Work to the Satisfaction of All.
 A blind letter carrier, probably the
 only one in the world, is the claim to l fame brought forward by the little vil-
 lage os Bernardston, in the person of
 Arnold Scott. now past the allotted I threescore years and ten. For the past
 twenty-five years MT. Scott has been performing the duties of this office, al- 1 though he has not held the position of
 all that time. Other things, too, go to
 make the man still more remarkable in the eyes of his friends and to strangers, The fact that this man, who has not
 seen the light of day for more than half
 century, and has never had the ad-
 vantage of the training which supplies
 so many of the blind with a mental vi-
 sion, can do work ordinarily given only
 to men who have to stand test in the very qualifications which he lacks, causes the people ofBernardston to look on him with feeling akin to awe
 Just as he reached manhood's estate MT. Scott lost the sight of both eyes by the premature explosion of a cannon which he and lot of friends were using in a Fourth of July celebration. There is now only one other survivor of that summer nights party, a MT. Val kenburg of Fitchburg, who came to vis- it his old friend a few months ago, and as the two talked over old times they furnished a picture pathetic and touch ing.
 After the night of patriotic enthusi- asm which cost him his eyesight MT. Scott thought for several years that he would never be able to do anything to contribute to his own support again. His ambitions had been nipped in the bud, and to him life seemed to be burden But his naturally active disposi- ton soon changed this, and, being a man of unusual physical strength, he turned his attention to saving wood, literally as well as iguratively
 About twenty-eight years ago he moved to Bernardston, and the money which he had accumulated enabled his stepfa ther to build the large two-story house which is now the home of the blind letter carrier.
 With pardonable pride MT Scott says that for fourteen years he has done nearly all of his own cooking, cared for shaved himself and cut his own hair. He has been assisted in some degree by members of a family which occupies tenement in his house. but he is still able to perform most of these tasks himself, and, in fact, even at his advanced age, continues his wood saw ing when the opportunity offers,
 His mail carrying began in a small l way. Shortly after settling in Der nardston he began to carry the mail for a few families. The business grew, and | soon he was known to the village as a | regular letter carrier. His success is l due in part to the assistance which is l given to him by his patrons. for his l method devolves slight tasks on him. | Reaching a house on his route the aged | blows a shril blast on whistle If there are letters to be mailed the oc- , cupants do not demur against bringing l them out to him. Once he has been | given his letters at the post-of1ce he sorts them as they come, putting them | in bags which he has slung over his shoulders, and in pockets, of which he has more than the average man. Re turning, he again warns by his whistle those for whom he has letters, and is relieved Of them.
 Like others who have the same affliC- ton he is guided by sound, and also by the nature of the ground.-Boston Her aid.