Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-09

eomradeship of a silent partner, fore
OF such a group Of intrepid fight
crs is Henry Ridgely, of Dover,
blind, and yet leading lawyer of
The State of Delaware, successful
farmer Of 400 acres of apple, peach
and grape, and heralded Democratic
nominee for the United States Sem
ate.
OF such is Mrs. Henry Ridgely, his
wife, who with eyes that help to see
FOR him, who with a will that fights
beside his, four-square to all obsta-
eles, is as dauntless and victorious
for him as he could be for himself.
Their interest is one, their battle is
one, their victory is one victory.
Mr.. Ridgely is president of the
corporation of the Farmers Bank,
Of Dover, which is the depository for
the State and county moneys; he is
q trustee of the University of Della
ware and chairman Of the Commit
tee on Instruction which chooses the
faculty. And he is the author Of the
only complete digest of the State of
Delaware's judicial reports.
"And," says Mrs. Ridgely with
pardonable pride, "you may discount
it because | am his wife, but ! be-
lieve he is the greatest lawyer in
the State-if not in the country"
With all his activity, which con-
stantly throws him into the arena
Of public life, Mr.. Ridgely has so
subordinated his blindness to his in
tense determination to meet all men
on equal tcJms, to receive no defer
ence because Of his physical handi-
cap, that, it is said, one half of the
men and women who meet him never
realize that he is blind.
Indeed, it might be said that
Henry Ridgely is not blind. He
walks the streets of his native town,
Dover, unassisted. He faces the
bench or jury in the open court
room with unfagging energy and
intelligence. He prepares his cases
and makes his digests with little
more assistance than any attorney
requires. He directs the business of
an immense and paying farm. He
reads, swims and dances.
IN the memory of one of his fell
10" attorneys, who has known
pehfy Rldgcly for the last fifteen
ears only four times during their
png acquaintance has Mr.. Ridgely
Mentioned his blindness.
henry Ridgcly, with affectionate
assistance from his wife, refuses to
,e"ember that he is blind; he fixes
us clients with eyes that are strik-
ms1y clear and ardent, so that they,
"ey know, forget his infirmity;
w meets legal opponents on the
same terms and usually wins-so
. ."a', to all intonts and purposes, the
O''ha man is not blind.
We can't see very we'll, Henry
sap ~ - is the quaint way his cousin,
ne'ry H. Johnson, also a lawyer of
Dover, and blind, puts it.
p,Ii ana one is forced to accept Mr..
m. "se'y on those terms. At the very
~Ys'' n he "can't see very we'll"
MI. ' was found bathing with his
n., IN the breakers at Rehoboth,
Ssn e'' his Dis summer home, the other
aS.,,, . The attractive frame cottage
F,on, ,'VhS IN the ocean from low bluff.
d's "' 'he porch the head and shoul-
m... VI Mr. Ridgely could be seen
Pss'ng PiIang the hcaving rollers. Mrs.
.'oy M'use'y played about in the surf
''0ser to shore.
wbo ' some moments the couple
,.s' "ao fadiatc a particularly charming
v,," w OF comradeship-left the
v'isr, sSsr, And Mrs. Ridgely, after
t,0.1sng some of the sea water
hand. and aer bathing frock, cupped her
"us %u, over We her mouth and called:
no. Mac! Gomez
md great collie bounded into view
J"p,, % up to them from a dec,ivitv
S'Nn the beach. N'''
vjta '"a IN hand, the lawyer and his
With, approached their home, and
N 'aln ts.,' few moments they appeared
I.,.''' i ae'r latticed porch. Two brill.
\ yellow canaries, freed Of
ln ase for the morning, circled
ealrping and stopping now