The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-02-02
TOTALLY BLIND, BUT
he BUILDS A HOUSE
Remarkable Feat Accomplished by Olney E.
Cunningham AStOnishes All Ills Nel6hbors
Think BE Has Sixth SenSe--Builder Puts
Up Frame With Every Line True and Level,
and Shingles and Paints Structure. """....

eight years old, Olney E. Cunning
ham, a carpenter, of Millbury, Mass,
has recently completed in every de-
tail a two-story addition to his house
which is said to be a marvel Of the
carpenters art.
Only through the persistence and
courage of a man who has suddenly
met the worst fate which can befall
a human being has this strange DEM
| onstration come about. The remark
| able power which he has developed,
! however, is the most surprising fea-
ture of the case, since It is now be-
lieved that it is through the so-called
| sixth sense that the carpenter has
been the means of establishing what
has so long been a theory.
While other blind men have accom-
plished feats which may approach
that performed by this carpenter, to
be suddenly stricken blind after near
ly a lifetime Of normal sight and then
to accomplish the feats which he per-
forms is one of the wonders of the
town of Millbury. For Cunningham
became totally blind only about five
years ago.
Is it possible that great tragedy,
such as the loss of sight, may develop
in a perNn a power of which he has
never suspected he possessed? This
is the query Of those who have OBJ
! served his movements carefully.
Olney E. Cunningham, the man
who builds houses by guesswork, has
for years been a resident Of the town
of Millbury. The family is one of the
| oldest in the town. At a very early
age Cunningham began to learn the
trade of carpenter. His father was
an expert mechanic, and the son
| seemed to inherit many of his quail
tiles.
AS soon as Cunningham, according
to his story, served his apprentice
ship, he began to work at his trade.
/ After several years he saved some
money and began to contract for
small jobs himself. He was success
full, and for the last fifteen years has
been fairly well known in the western
part Of the State as a builder.
About seven years ago Cunningham
began to lose his sight. His hearing
began to be affected slightly. Other
physical infirmities began to appear.
But ne most serious was the ap-
preaching loss of sight. The man was
in despair. After a lifetime Of activ-
ity and in the midst of important
! work which he had on hand to be
suddenly bereft of sight seemed a
bitter punishment.
Specialists were called in and for
months everything possible was done
to restore his sight. Finally all eff
forts were exhausted and Cunning
ham was told he was hopelessly blind.
His trouble was pronounced total
paralysis of the optic nerve.
For months the carpenter gave way
to his misfortune. He refused all
efforts to entice him from his home.
He sat and broodei over his awful
misfortune. Nothing seemed to cheer
him or take his mind off his trouble.
His hair, formerly only streaked with
| gray, became snow white. His shoul-
ders dropped and his health appeared
to fail daily. Friends and %acquaint-
ances united in predicting that his
life was slowly ebbing away from
grief.
But a little more than a. year ago
a change became apparent. The
builder began to take an interes in
affairs. He insisted upon walking
out daily. During last summer he
apparently ~regained his old spirits
and health. The surprise Of the
townspeople of Millbury, however,
knew no bounds when, a little more
than two months ago, Cunningham
! announced he was going . build an
addition to his house, a large, old
fashioned Colonial building and n
of the oldest in the town.
Against the protests Of his family
the blind man got out ladders and
tools and set to work. BY walking
repeatedly around the end Of his
house and laboriously climbing up
his ladder to the caves, he finally sue
ceeded in getting his measurements.
These were all marked with a heavy
pencil on a soft pine board, making
such an impression that the marks
were perceptible to his fingers. Then
with a saw and chisel he set to work
tearing out the wall preparatory to
beginning the extension to the ell.
By this time two-thirds of the citi-
zens Of the town were deeply inter-
ested in the project OF the blind man.
When the partition was torn away
! posts were driven into the ground
and Cunningham began to set the
lower beams of the ell. 1t was here
that the blind man first demonstrated
his wonderful new ability.
Blind, unable to distinguish day
light from pitchy darkness, Cunning
ham laid the first beam in place.
Merely by running his hands back and
forth the length Of this beam he put it
in place and secured it. The second
followed, and the third. A level was
put on these beams. Every one of
them lay perfectly in position and did
net vary a. degree from the horizontal.
AS amazing as this seemed, the
mystery d%eepened. The framework