A Millionaire's Blindness.

Hastings Standard, Volume V, Issue 1426, 17 January 1901, Page 3

A Millionaire's Blindness.

There is iD New York a millionaire who must bate his millions, since in getting them be lost his sight, and not all the gold in Ophir can bring it back, bhortly after the Civil War a young man named Rouss went from the ruined Kouth to New York to carve out a fortune. He had no capital, but he was possessed of a great stock of determination and an inborn genius for making money. He secured a place as a clerk, lived very frugally, and managed to save a few dollars. With these he bought a stock of pins and needles and tapes and other small articles, which he supplied to pedlars. His business grew until in the course of a few years, he had a large trade, and now he possesses millions of dollars. He was a charitable and considerate employer, but he never spared himself. Year after year he spent 12 hour.: a day at his desk and as by night be was fond of ga/.ing at the stars through a ttk-jcope hi; tyt-s had little reat. Gradually his b ■.■■■.j.u to fail, but never for a moment aid he contemplate retirement from work. He continued to pore over his becks and their columns of close figures until the continual strain on his eyes produced the inevitable result, and he is now totally blind. With characteristic determination, he refused to accept the verdict of specialists, who declared his case hopeless, and he offered a million dollars to anyone who could effect a cure. He discovered a poor man suffering from the same disease as himself; and on this man the oceulist experimented, Rouss himself sticking to his business. Bat the princely fortune has not brought a cure. The experiments have failed, and Mr Rouss has resigned himself to darkness for the rest of his life. The proxy upon whom the experiments l ware tittl has been well pensioned.