The Washington herald., 1913-08-18
By FRANCES SHAFFER.

When a wee baby girl or boy first comes
into the world in Denmark. a brand
new. bronze. lucky penny" is passed
along from the nurse to the new-made'
father, and with 1t goes a postoffice
money order blank, with this strange
little pledge down in the corner:
''On the occasion of my child's birth
I give - to the needy blind. acknowl-
edging receipt of my child's lucky
penny" And up on the top is the pretty
explanation: "A gift from one who sees
the light for the first time to those who
will never see it,
Which almost tells all about the
'1ucky penny" almost. but not quite.
1t was last February that a big
hearted man, who lay in Danish hos
pital, threatened with the loss of his
sight, thought OUT the scheme which was
to result in making practically all the
little folk in Denmark contribute mite
much or little. as the parental spirit
might prompt-as n sort of thank offer
ing for the mighty heritage OF seeing
eyes.
And II goes, as the pledge indicates, to
those who are deprived of the wonderful
gift of vision.
Into the mind of this man-Einar
Holboel!, his name-came the first
thought of the Christmas stamp, which
was destined in time to spread to every
country with its silent appeal in behalf
of those upon whom the great white
plague has placed its devastating seal.
Those little stamps travelled so far and
so well that the man who inspired them
was minded to start another little ball
a-rollirg, this time to reach the blind
And he tells all about il in an inter-
esting letter to Jacob a. Riis. who car
ries the story Gl"ng.
.I'ity the Blind"
He says thct while he lay there with
bandaged eyes awaiting his fate one
way or the other. his thoughts turned
10 the multiplied thousands of blind in
the world whose sad stroke of fortune
cut them off from many avenues of pro-
ductive work, and he realized as never
before what a pitiabie. thorny path,
the sightless must travel.
And thinking of possible way by
which a fund might be raised 10 help
brush away some of the hardships these
afflicted folk must meet. 1t occurred 10
him that upon the happy occasion OF
birth il would be a fine thing for every
little mite of humanity in Denmark 10
contribute his little share.
irC. and the gift from the seeing to the
sishtless may cover lie cents Ur many,
many times that little Offering. II all
depends upon the length of the purse
strings and the depth of the fathers
gratitude for baby-eyes that can look
out upon the world and see what is
going on.
The lucky pennies started on their
mission last February. right after that
hospital dream, and when the one
month was over the wee Danish babies
had contributed 500 kroner to make
easier th, way Of the blind. a krone~ is
bit over a quarter OF our money,
though its purchasing power is prGc-
ticaily a dollar. so the lucky pennies. the
babies and their fathers did pretty good
work.
Seventy-fve thousanl little boys and
girls are ushered in life every year
in Denmark. so there is pronise of light
ahead for the blind who too often sit
in more than physical darkness and have
Little enough of the worlds good luck.
Hrcud Upon the Waters.
For that is the single word on one side
the bronze penny-"Lykke," it is in
Danish-and. perhaps, it is meant TO say
that the little one who casts his bread
upon the waters in generous. open
hearted fashion will be abundantly
blessed along his freer. more natural
way. At any rate, il would be queer
sort of hahy. born since the custom be-
gan. that would not want to preserve
that little reminder OF his share in bring
ing luck 10 the blind.
That Is its single mission. for though
l. .z..