The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-02-14
BLIND BUT MAKES
PATHETIC FIGHT
TO EARN LIVING
Aged Robert Robinson Stands
in Bitter Cold on Street
Selling Pencils
JUST TRUSTS TO THE
HONESTY OF PATRONS
Can't Bear to Think of Poor
house After Half Century
OF independence

II you are prosperous. don't read
this.
Robert Robinson stands at the in
tersection OF Clifford and Griswold-
SITS. a great part of the day. He may
be recognized by the pasteboard re-
ceptac!e which is hung about his
neck by a strap, and from which num-
erous pencils OF all colors bristle in
every direction. Fastened to IL Is a
little tin box. When you buy pencil,
you drop your money in the box, and
Mr.. Robinson says. Thank you" He
doesn't know how much you put IN;
il would be easy TO cheat him. He
doesn't know whether you take one
pencil or two. You might carry away
10 OF them for cent or two, and
he would not discover the fraud until
after you had gone away. For Mr..
Robinson is blind
The state has established institu-
tons which tr yto rob blindness OF
some OF It's horror But when a man
has lived independently until he is
about go he doesn't like to ask help
when calamity suddenly overtakes
him. Mr.. Robinson was brakeman
anu CONDUCTOR OH int
railroad between Detroit and Grand
Rapids for Is years. One summer,
five years ago, he asked for leave OF
absence. He saw a chance 10 have
a good time for a few weeks. lie
travelled about with merry go-round,
which gave him. as 1t were. yaca.
ton, for IL took him off his old route
and gave him a chance 10 see new
places ard new people.
Adrian was the last town that Mr..
Robinson saw. He was trying to start
his merry. go-round engine there one
morning. There was can OF gaso-
line which should have been kero-
sene. A fiash--and they picked him
mp and carried him to the hospital,
where the doctors said that he wouh
never see again.
When his face had healed, he came
10 Detroit. His savings were gone:
mis- chance OF employment had disap-
peared, Tor nobody wants blind
man. He felt himself too old 10 learn
any OF tie occupations which are sue
cessfhly taught in schools for the
blind Sc he became a seller OF pen.
ellis on Detroit streets. and for two
years has appeared, every day when
he weather will permit, at Clifford
and G.'iswold-sts., across from the
Telephone building He says he finds
il good place; the telephone girls
are good TO him, and the people who
pay thcil bills at the nearby office OF
he Detroit City Gas Co, are his Gus
toners. and number OF Y w. c. A.
women take notice OF him.
ITS better than WoodwaTd-ave, he
say, because there the people are
looking at the show windows, and
don't see me-
He has "A philosophy Of cheer.
Life is still good To me he says.
Lots OF people have told me that II
they were 20 20 blind. they would kill
themselves. But don't think God put
MS here 10 kill ourselves. I'm going
10 hang on JUST as long as ! possibly
can support myself. | don't want TO
go TO the poor house, and I manage
20 make enough 10 keep out. It's bad
enough 10 be all alone in the world.
but it's better than being showed about
in an institution. even though there's
plenty of company there"
The weather of the past two weeks
has been hard for Mr.. Robinson. He
has no overshoes-can't afford them
80 he has had TO do considerable
stamping TO keep his feet from freez
ing.
ITS good exercise" he says
But the zero temperatures have
driven him TO his room from time 10
time during the cold snap. There he
sits and does nothing, for there IS
nothing he can do. and he has no one
10 read TO him or talk TO him: and he
much prefers 10 be out in the open,
with his pencils IN summer he sells
flowers at the foot OF Woodward-ave.,
near the ferry dock, where he sits ON
camp chair and Is patroniZed by
sightseers.
Someone once gave him a dog be-
lieving that the terrier would be or
service In taking him about town. and
would be companion 70 him. Bur
Mr. Robinson had To give him away.
because rouming-houscs object TO dogs
lie gets about the streets with a cane
and is helped by policemen al the
crossings, and by other people when
there are no officers
'Everybody's willing 10 help me-
says Mr. Robinson.
He has no trouble with street cars
and wagons. for he can hear them.
But some day he fears he will be hit
by an automobile.