Dotty Dimple at Play | Page 2

so much care, and beginning to think "'Naplis" was a long way off.
But they arrived there at last, and found Mr. Parlin waiting for them at the depot. After they had all been refreshed by a nice dinner, and Flyaway had caught a nap, which took her about as long as it takes a fly to eat his breakfast, then Mr. Parlin suggested that they should visit the Blind Asylum.
"Is it where they make blinds?" asked Dotty.
"O, no," replied Mr. Parlin; "it is a school where blind children are taught."
"What is they when they is blind, uncle Eddard?"
"They don't see, my dear."
Flyaway shut her eyes, just to give herself an idea of their condition, and ran against Horace, who saved her from falling.
"I was velly blind, then, Hollis," said she, "and that's what is it."
"I don't see," queried Dotty,--"I don't see how people that can't see can see to read; so what's the use to go to school?"
"They read by the sense of feeling; the letters are raised," said Mr. Parlin. "But here we are at the Institute."
They were in the pleasantest part of the city, standing before some beautiful grounds which occupied an entire square, and were enclosed by an iron fence. In front of the building grew trees and shrubs, and on each side was a play-ground for the children.
"Why, that house has windows," cried Dotty. "I don't see what people want of windows when they can't see."
"Nor me needer," echoed Katie. "What um wants winners, can't see out of?"
They went up a flight of stone steps, and were met at the door by a blind waiting-girl, who ushered them into the visitors' parlor.
"Is she blind-eyed?" whispered Flyaway, gazing at her earnestly. "Her eyes isn't shut up; where is the see gone to?"
Mrs. Clifford sent up her card, and the superintendent, who knew her well, came down to meet her. He was also "blind-eyed," but the children did not suspect it. They were much interested in the specimens of bead-work which were to be seen In the show-cases. Mr. Parlin bought some flowers, baskets, and other toys, to carry home to Susy and Prudy. Horace said,--
"These beads are strung on wires, and it would be easy enough to do that with one's eyes shut; but it always did puzzle me to see how blind people can tell one color from another with the ends of their fingers."
The superintendent smiled.
"That would be strange indeed if it were true," said he; "but it is a mistake. The colors are put into separate boxes, and that is the way the children distinguish them."
"I suppose they are much happier for being busy," said Mr. Parlin. "It is a beautiful thing that they can be made useful."
"So it is," said the superintendent. "I am blind myself, and I know how necessary employment is to MY happiness."
The children looked up at the noble face of the speaker with surprise. Was he blind?
"Why does he wear glasses, then?" whispered Dotty. "Grandma wears 'em because she can see a little, and wants to see more."
The superintendent was amused. As he could not see, Dotty had unconsciously supposed his hearing must be rather dull; but, on the contrary, it was very quick, and he had caught every word.
"I suppose, my child," remarked he, playfully, "these spectacles of mine may be called the gravestones for my dead eyes."
Dotty did not understand this; but she was very sorry she had spoken so loud.
After looking at the show-cases as long as they liked, the visitors went across the hall into the little ones' school-room. This was a very pleasant place, furnished with nice desks; and at one end were book-cases containing "blind books" with raised letters. Horace soon discovered that the Old Testament was in six volumes, each volume as large as a family Bible.
In this cheerful room were twenty or thirty boys and girls. They looked very much like other children, only they did not appear to notice that any one was entering, and scarcely turned their heads as the door softly opened.
Dotty had a great many new thoughts. These unfortunate little ones were very neatly dressed, yet they had never seen themselves in the glass; and how did they know whether their hair was rough or smooth, or parted in the middle? How could they tell when they dropped grease-spots on those nice clothes?
"I don't see," thought Dotty, "how they know when to go to bed! O, dear! I should get up in the night and think 'twas morning; only I should s'pose 'twas night all the whole time, and not any stars either! When my father spoke to me, I should think it was my mother, and say, 'Yes'm.' And p'rhaps I should think Prudy was a beggar-man with a wig on. And never saw a flower