The sun., 1909-01-31

other employers will do the same.
Even where the typewriter doesn
enable blind man TO earn living 1t keeps
up one OF his lines OF communication
with the world
that a. long as can write my own let
tsrs retain just that much more Of my
Individuality.
There 10 never day that he doesn spend
At least an hour over his keyboard.
blind man in Brooklyn has q proht-
able coffee business. which he alone has
built up. He gets the orders blends the
coffee and delivers IT, Another 10 doing
we'll ss salesman In the stationery trade
and q third has found his place as agent
Of . law publisher.
Music is u special province of the blind
Many Of them are good performers. some
are excellent teachers and others are
trained as piano tuners. In Boston
blind men tune all the pianos Of the public
schools. There are piano tuners at the
New York association who will gladly
take care Of all the work they can get.
New York has been slow 10 recognize
the superior qualifications Of the blind
nasseur and masseuse, but the assocla-
tion expects to open up a large field OF
usefulness for them. The Japanese have
made una ssage almost exclusively an occu-
patton for the blind. Not long ago there
were about 900 mssseurs in Toxic and
more than 600 Of them were sightless.
1t is a considerable industry for the blind
In London too. where ut least three prom
mont physicians will employ no others
than graduates Of the Institute for Massage
by the Blind
The New York association already has
rooms fitted up In its building for persons
who wish 10 make appointments there
with its massage experts, or II will send
them to the homes Of any patients who
will engage them. and as rapidly as the
business inoreases II will train more men
and women ~ attend to Il.
INDUSTRIES FOR THE sIoHTLEss
All these occupations however are
desig gned for the minority, for the com
paratively few whose intelligence and
education ft them for the higher grades
Of employment. The great majority Of
the blind. like the great ma jority Of the
The established industries for blind men
are chair Gaming. broom and brush and
mattress making to which may be added
a limited amount OF carpentry and few
other trades In rather rare cases. There
10, for instance. a blind barber in Brook
lyn who shaves other blind men and some
who see, but the possibilities In this line
are obviously small. The objections TO
the unseeing barber are. to be sure imag-
mary rather than real. You would he as
safe In his hands as in any other BARRIERS.
but you wouldn't feel as safe. and unless
you were person with a rare enjoyment
Of novelty you would decline the adj
venture with alacrity.
The associations workshop for men is
housed In two lofts at IA, East Forty
second street. the upper floor for the
chair Gamers and the lower floor for the
broom makers. II is not an ideal shop from
any point OF view. but il IL the best they
can afford. Some day. when the associ-
atoms ship comes in. they will have more
room, more fresh air. n mattress making
departments and separate place for the
apprentices. and then they will work to
better advantage.
Even as II is the shop EMPLOYS about
thirty five men. Some Of whom earn part
Of living. others a complete living and
all OF whom are thus rescued from the
misery OF idleuees and helplessness. !
There are all grades. from the beginner
who will take week TO cane one chair to !
the swifthanded young men who will
sew ninety brooms in day.
THE HANDICAP.
Much as they all need the money they !
earn they need the work more. and they |
need their comrades almost as much as !
they need their work. The other day |
beginner in the chair factory went to the |
sobbhg like a child and |
ready to give up in despair. IL was his !
first day, and his blindness was 80 recent |
that he was still cropping in the dark.
He Is big man. a giant in physical ,
strength. and not a coward either. He |
was simply learning to be blind. The |
knew what TO do He had I
done It before and will do 1t again as long |
as he and blind men walk the world to- |
gether. A word Of cheer. a friendly hand !
on the shoulder. a story or two about
other men who had made good and the |
blind apprentice was back at his work
bench once more.
1t takes courage TO be blind. II you |
want to make an experiment close your |
eyes some day in a railroad train or in |
the subway and imagine what would |
happen II you could never open them |
again. Think Of the faces you would |
never see. Of the projects that would |
come to ruin. OF the disaster to your fam |
lily. OF the dangers at your journeys end. |
Just try II and in minute or two you will |
be overwhelmed with terror at this mere |
shadow Of what might be. When you
open your eyes it may be that never in |
all your life before has the light seemed SO
very precious to you.
Perhaps in this way you may realize
the state OF mindn which the blind recruit
goes to the workshop; but IL he sticks it
out courage will come and a certain
amount OF contentment.
Marshall" said the super n tendent
to blind broom bunoher. -how do you
like this gentlemsn's necktiei"
-Out O. sight came the answer with
broad grin. It's the stock joke.
Upstairs at another bench that same
day was q man in whose recent insub-
ordination there was at least touch OF
pathos. The boss had directed him TO
report for work on the lower floor, and
he had ignored the order. Again and
again word was sent to him to come be-
low, but he refused to bulge. or course
discipline had TO he maintained. and