The Washington times., 1913-01-31

HE man on the bee In the corner
of the room smiled happIly-the
soft smile of the blind. He
reached out a hand and groped
for that of the lawyer. who
was also. 1t seemed, prop
erty factor. 1 was beginning TO learn
something of the doughty little man.
and TO see how beloved he was by
all classes. The look on the blind
mans face was tribute beyond the
Rlfno Johnny. as they called old
Thornton. had always been blind His
wife a woman of strong maternal IN
stinct, had married him as, j might
say. q hen, adopts and mothers an
son, could see at birth; but before
he was ten years old. the long night
closed in upon an inherited weakness
of the eyes. The double calamity only
softened the woman's heart, while IL
hardened her mouth-corners.
For years Blind Johnny had sup
ported his family bv playing the nd
lie at festive parties. His earnings
were small. but his wife managed
somehow. To be truthful and exact.
SIZE did washing for the neighbors:
Johnny. being blind, only wondered
why she scrubbed his clothes SO
much. He was happy in his Ignorance
20 think that, blind as he was; he
AS the blind boy grew up, he, too.
learned to play the fiddle; so that
when old Johnny took TO his bed for
the last, long time. Blind Willie took
his place at the festive parties.
Before that there had been FIVE
years of success for the family. That
was when father and son were hired
as one and inseparable. Then II vas
a quaint and pathetic sight which
The watchmen saw of a cold. frosty
morning, when, wrapped up in their
knitted mufflers. their fiddles tucked
under linked arms, the blind led the
blind through the crooked streets OF
Glasgow.
They played together with the per
feet accord, mutual understanding.
and sympathy of the sensitive blind
often the dancers would pause to
gaze. not upon the sightless eyes.
the fiddles close. the side-flung sn,il-
ing faces and the twin-like sweep Of
fbe how-arms.
Blind Willie. the son. was out that
evening when Macmurtrie and paid
our visit The old man was lying pa
tiently awaiting his return. when he
would hear the gossip of that higher
world into which they were permitted
a hireling's glance. But never again
would Blind Johnny sweep his bow to
the patter of feet and the chatter of
voices. The old fiddle lay on the bed
beside him, the bow beside IL.
To me 1t was not so sad. II was the
beautiful in life. To think of these
three brave people hanging together
nv a fate which was common TO two
of them, and weighing upon the third I;
10 see that smiling face with the
blank. blue eyes: to watch the shy
hands reaching out for the beloved in
strument and drawing back ashamed
-of what? To hear that soft, sweet
faced woman defer to her blind. help
less lord and master. careful of every
word, and cheerful in his Drcs-
ence: and to think, last OF all, of the
son tapping his long stick through the
silent streets for the sake of the
diving father and the angelic mother
lit was beautiful
1t was easy to see that Macmurtrte
was a welcome visitor. The blind man
held the lawyers hand for minute,
stroking ii gently. and smiling with
ehildIike pleasure. There was that
ebosr Alexander Macmurtrie which
ssada comfort in his neighborhood.
fAef0 was cheer IN his voice and
eoYfnh air OF stability in his presence.