The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-03-12

Through his hearing and hi,
speaking he does all his work. HI
never writes anything himself. He
did learn 70 use typewriter, bul
never liked II, and depends altogether
on dictation He can sign his name
but It IL not a triumph of legibility
Ears and tongue seem to be
enough for him Every morning Nil
wife reads the daily paper to him
and anything else that he needs. Hi
younger brother, Dixie Gore, Is his
private secretary and goes through,
ms correspondence as any ones sec
rotary would.
Even people who are not blind die
tate their replies just as Senator Gore
does. The difference is that he keeps
In his mind, always at his command.
hundred times as much exact in
formation as most seeing ersons
keep in their minds.
In his home town, Lawton. Scna-
tor Gore goes and comes without any
escort whatever. In Washington.
however. he has not begun to 20
about alone. There are wide, auto
mobile-infes,cd drivcways to Be eros
sed around the Capitol, whose en-
trance also are complicated medlcys
OF steps and archways, swinging
doors and preoccupicd pedestrians.
He has the subtle sense OF percep-
ton which is not uncommon in the
blind. Sometimes when he Is walk
ing along he will sense the nearness
Of steps, or wall, or some object.
In his home town the telephone
and telegraph poles are along the
edge Of the sidewalk. Often when
walking with his wife he will put out
his hand and touch one OF these poles
as unerringly as II he had eyes to see
them.
He says that il is something he
cannot explain and something that
be can neither control nor depend
upon
III ! should try TO feel the nearncss
OF objects" he says, Il could not do
it can't depend upon feeling it,
anyway. might walk off dozen
flights Of steps for once that would
know enough not to-"
II isn't to be wondered at the SEN
ator Gore Is not an enthusiast on the
subject Of outdoor life as It is ex-
pounded by the President, for in
stance, There is not much in it for
him, Yet he is great lover Of nature
as he feels II.
tie loves trees and flowers, especi-
ally the fragrant ones. with roses and
southern honeysuuckle in the lead.
Their place In Lawton has more trees
and shrubs than any other place in
town, though 1t Is what Mrs. Gore
calls "a little home"
And most Of the trees and shrubs
were set out by the Senator himself.
But his love for flowers and trees
does not include animals. He has no
use on earth for either dogs or cats.
In fact, aside from his friends and
family there is only one thing Of
really great interest to him, and that
is his work. He has plenty cut out
for him in the near future.
As he drew the short term, he will
be out of the Senate in two years
unless reelected in the meantime. So
next summer, although he has just
finished one campaign, he must go
10 work on another. Fortunately he
is perfectly we'll and strong, so the
prospect has no terrors for him.
It is because he has always crowded
his life with work that he has made
his blindness matter of such small
Importance, for it really seems that
to him. The handicap which looms
SO big to the outsider he simply does
not waste time talking about. Here
is little incident which shows how
completely he has effaced the con-
sciousness of it from his life.
His wife suffers with asthma in
Oklahoma, and year or two ago her
husand urged her to go away for the
winter so as to escape it. In talking
about it, he said to her:
"Ycur ill-health is the only mis-
fortune we have"
why said his wife, most people
would think your blindness was our
great misfortune"
"Oh, he said, Il never think Of that
Apparently he does not. He is too
busy thinking of work. Undoubtedly
the fact of his blindness made people
feel kindly toward him when he be-