The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-31
4AI ROrAANCEC OF TIE BUJINEJC> WORLD
 1 BGnd wamanw a Tephone nasnae a.as

tpon her, that death
 /be no worse. She
 Mo. sa.em is the cap
 county, the heart of
 3sperous section of the
 sie was well to do. Her
 |. the most. beautiful in the
 husband, T. A. Bruce, had
 ,Iusiness. She was social leader.
 Jas famed for her fine needlework, skin as A housewife, for her charm af manner and for her varied accom- plishments. But suddenly her sight failed. Specialists were consulted nurses attended her night and day, she was taken to St. Louis and other cities for treatment; once 1t was proposed that her eyeballs be removed. Then came darkness for all time She was blind; stone blind and nothing within human power could aid her.
 She was active and energetic and had been a great reader. When she came to contemplate what her afflictior meant, she was appafIed. She could think of nothing to occupy her time. She could no longer sew, and no longer read, no longer do the thousand and one little things that go to make up woman's daily work of homemaking. She could but sit and brood; she was shut in and all the world was dark. Kindly friends and neighbors did all that generous, sympathetic souls could do to divert her mind. They read to her they talked to her, they guided her steps when she went out to walk. But they could not lift the veil that shut out the light of day.
 Nosone but the blind can know the horrors of blindness.
 Mrs. Bruce was comparatively young when her sight failed her. She was less than 10. Had she not been a brave, resolute woman she would have given way to the depression that oppressed her in her many lonely hours. But she had courage of a high order. She de- termined she should not give way to breeding over her trouble. She won dered if there was not something she could do to keep her busy. She did not want to become burden to her friends. |. She knew that, however willing they were to aid her. it was necessary for her to aid herself. She began to study ways and means of making herself use ful. Night and day she applied her mlnu to this problem. Dozens of ideas came to her. She tried some of them, but they did not suffice. Once or twice she almost despaired, but she would not give up. She was sure there was something a blind woman could do that would make her a serviceable unit in this great work day world and help her forget her sad condition. At last she found a way ~ Salem is an old town, ultra conserva- tive. It has four banks and a fair num- Der of mercantile establishments. Long before the the iron mines of the neighborhood were worked for their ores. Most of the rich men of the town were rather set in their ways They were per fectly satisfied with the old town and the facilities that it had. They were rather resentful at innovations. They were com |. tent with things as they were and saw no necessity for change. They saw no need for Salem to take on city ways. They did business as their fathers did and their grandfathers did The idea that came to Mrs. Bruce was for the establishment of a telephone sys- tenn in Salem. She sent to St. Louis and Chicago for all the information obtain able as to the cost of installing a plant large enough for a town of Saem's size. | The literature that came to her in reply to her letters was read by her. When she thought she had all the information necessary she went out to consult the persons she deemed most likely as sub scribers. She got little encouragement. |