Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21
FROM THE BLIND WHO READ
Lives frightened by Mrs. ziegIer's
Magazine and Patriotism
Fostered.

One result of the publication of the Ma
tilda Ziegler magazine for the blind has
been the sending of many letters to the
publishers from the blind subscribers.
Letters have come from nearly every state
Of the union, written by persons Of all
conditions of life.
A blind clergyman writes, stating his
conviction that the broader his range Of
reading the wider his possibilities of work.
On the other hand, a young woman in re-
ligious fervor declares 1t her duty as a
recent convert to forego the magazine as
one Of the vanities of life to be renowned.
A rich western man asks to be allowed
to pay for his subscription, while south
ern woman says that in thirty years she
has had but two books TO read, part Of the
Bible and a history Of the United States.
From the west came three letters from
convicts confined in penitentiaries, signed
with their prison numbers. A letter from
a New England farm was accompanied by
| two cakes of homemade maple sugar as
/ sweet testimonial from a young woman.
/ The desire of the blind to be treated as
normal beings manifests itself repeatedly.
| I'VE have always longed for a periodical
| like those our seeing friends enjoy,
writes one. Another says, I'VE do not
want matter relative to our Affections, but
| material Of that kind and quality which
will take our thoughts away from our
| selfish tendencies and make us see life
Just as 1t is viewed by the seeing people
| Il am deprived of both sight and hear
ing" writes n woman from New Hamp-
sbire. mo one can read aloud to me. 1
am delighted to read something like the
magazines that seeing folks have. That is
what we want"
1T cannot but be a source Of gratihca-
ton to the slghtless to realize that they
are not excluded from the rapid march Of
progress which marks this century" writes
| Santiago A. Butler. THE libraries
which we now enjoy, the growing
interest which has developed in the ad-
vancement of the blind and now the pub
lication Of this magazine, which will NIL
| a long felt need, are not the least indica-
tions of the spirit Of progress which anil
mates and distinguishes the present era
To those who, like the blind, are in so
many ways dependent upon the kindness OF
others an opportunity to become the con-
! tributor of pleasure is doubly welcome.
The Joy of one who has for years heard
news from the outside world only as read
or repeated by patient friends, but now
finds himself able to entertain and in
struct others, cannot be overestimated by
those to whom reading aloud is daily
AFFAIR Of no special interest.
TT is indeed great privilege" says a
Vermont man. ito have stories and poems
to read to your sighted friends" And a
woman from Pennsylvania voices the same
sentiment, saying: 1.-THE reading Of the
publication to others of my family has
proved an interesting pleasure to them
also"
The poem, your Flag and My Flag and
How 1t Flies Today" with a cut of the
Stars and Stripes in raised lines, appeals
to many readers who had no previous de-
finite conception Of the flag.
1T looks quite natural to my mind s
eye," says one. for there see its beaut-
full colors shining out fair and bright as l
pass my fingers over the embossed stars
apd stripes. The verses below the flag are
pretty. too, and l think they help to in
crease the enthusiasm of every patriotic
breast at the sight of our national banner
that has been carried through so many
wars ever victorious. My earnest prayer
is that it may long wave in triumph over
a free land and a prosperous people,"