The Washington herald., 1911-11-05

have tried to mislead me, but have
known It at the time. There, again,
feeling gives the alarm. I suppose every
man Is surrounded by an atmosphere of
his own. Men having eyes, think they
see. Perhaps it is only feeling after all
with those who have sight. as well az
with those who are blind"
Meanwhile" I said, your sense of
touch had become highly sensitive"
no; Il has not. I learned to read
raised letters, but reading in that way
is so slow and the books are so few in
number. and so costly besides, that !
gave II up long ago. / do not rely on
touch for anything, and my fingers are
as blunt and unsensitized as your own.
Singular as II may seem, have known
only a few persons who were blind. ]
have lived among people who could see,
and have followed their customs in all
that I do
When did you begin to make
speeches."
LAS a boy at the meetings OF the de-
batting club at walthaIl. My first public
address was delivered out OF doors and
concerned education. I talked away in
depressing doubt. not being enabled to
see my audience and not knowing
whether any one was getting up and
silently retreating into the woods. The
subject did not call for applause, even
II the speech had been worth 1t, and sc
I proceeded In silence. blazed away
however. and didn't break down. Since
then have stumped number of States
and talked to all kinds of audiences.
think my speeches out, and then get VI
and talk. Once spoke from O'CLOCK
In the afternoon until sundown. I didn'l
hear anybody get up and leave, and Sc
kept right on. I have often wondered
what the crowd looked like when I sal
down"
why the Blind Are Cheerful.
"a man deficient in sight," I remark
ed, must naturally do considerable
thinkinH?''
Undoubtedly. One who Is blind Is
necessarily much alone. but that does
not mean he is lonely. Whether q per-
son has eyes or not he can do a lot OF
intellectual loafing. As Junius observed,
one may indulge himself in thoughtless
meditation. Everybody. wastes time.
have wasted time. So have you. The
mind now and then likes to be a va
grant. Yet I am bound to say tha
the blind are compelled to be reflective
Perhaps that is the reason they are
usually cheerful as a class. There are
so many things they cannot do, and, un-
derstandIng their limitations, they be-
come reconciled to their situation"
How do you manage to travel alone
for long distances?"
TT is the easiest thing in the world
go each year to Oklahoma unaccom-
panied. Some one takes me to q street
car, here in Washington, or call q
| cab. Thus I get to the railway station
There. a red cap or porter, goes with
me to the ticket office and then to the
train. The train porter shows me to my
seat. know a train as well as I know
my own house, and can go to the dining
car as well as anybody. The next day
am in St Louis. If stay overnight
red cap takes me to the cab stand
A porter meets me at the hotel A
| bellboy shows me to a room. Next morn
ing. shave myself and pack my travel
ing bag. After breakfast, 1 go to the
train. In due time I am at home"
Has any one ever tried to rob your
IT never had a pistol put into my face
but before learned to distinguish 81
In gold from a 50-cent piece in silver, &
man attempted to cheat me out OF nin'