Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1893 — A BLIND SPORTSMAN. [ARTICLE]

A BLIND SPORTSMAN.

Remarkable Second Sight of a Connecticut Farmer. Many stories are told of the wonderful things done by persons who have lost the sense of sight, but it would be hard to find in the common walks of life a blind person who could successfully compete with William llill, a blind farmer of Hamburg, Conn., in the performance of strange acts, says the Boston Globe. Hill is about thirty-four years old, and with the exception of being blind, is in perpect physical condition. He lost his sight in a strange way when he was a boy of sixteen years. In company with a number of bis associates he was bathing in a mill pond. A thunderstorm came up suddenly. The bathers did not leave the water. A flash of lightning came and struck the water near Hill, who was partially paralyzed by the shock. His companions got him ashore and he recovered, but his eyesight was affected and in a few weeks he became totally blind. With the loss of the sense of sight his other senses became more acute, especially that of hearing, until it became possible for him to measure long distances by the sounds that he heard. He recognized his friends readily by the sound of their voices, and he could distinguish the cows and oxen about the farm by their lowing. When Hill was twenty-two years old his father died, and the work of carry-iog-,on*the -farm devolved upon Min. He directed the planting of the crops and ploughed the fields himself. *He developed a talent for woodworking and made many pieces of furniture that it would puzzle an accomplished workman with perfect eyes to duplicate, He built an ox cart and a sleigh equal to any ever tamed out by a professional wagonmaker. Even in his earliest boyhood Hill was very fond of outdoor sports. For a time after his sight was destroyed he was obliged to abandon the field, but he couldn’t long contain himself. Two years he stood it. Then one day he surprised his mother by saying that he proposed to go up the meadow brook and see if he couldn’t hook a few trout. His mother tried to dissuade him from doing it, but he was determined, and getting his tackle he started out. Mrs. Hill sent one of the farn hands, unknown to William, to watch him, for fear that he would become lost, or fall into the stream. Hill was gone three hours, and then returned with a string of fine trout. He was elated over his suocess, and from that time he has followed the sport as fearlessly and as successfully as he did when ahoy. He says that he feels as confident of himself in a locality with which he is familiar as he would if he could see all the objects about him. He seems to be guided by a sense to which he was a stranger before he became blind. In a strange locality he is influenced by the same sense, but realizes the necessity of being cautious. For some reason the domestic animals about the farm show a regard for the man that seems like sympathy. The sound of his voice brings them about him and when he goes into the field to yoke the oxen he calls the animals by name and they obediently take the place under the yoke assigned to them. He rides horseback when traveling a long distance. He never attempts to drive a horse to wagon unattended, for fear of a runaway. In the saddle he considers himself capable of govening the beast.

Perhaps the most wonderful thing Hill does is to shoot birds. In the season for quail and partridge shooting and duck hunting he is in the fields or meadows a good share of the time, and often alone. There are extensive hunting grounds on the farm, and with them he is very familiar. Partridge and quail are the birds that he hunts most successfully. These he always shoots on the wing, judging the distance and the direction in which they are flying by the sound they make. His aim seldom fails him and the game that falls uhder the gun is brought to him by a thoroughly trained retriever. He frequently brings home-from a day’s outing a'string of a dozen birds. When duck shooting he is accompanied by other hunters. This sport is a popular one in the marshes along the Connecticut River. The most favorable hour for shooting is at twilight, and on such occasions Hill is a valuable ad junct to a hunting party, for his acute hearing enables him to anuotmee the approach of a flock of ducks some seconds before they are sighted/ In shooting this kind of game he his guided by sound, as in-the shooting of quail and partridge. As an amateur checker player he has never met his match. This game is a popular one in the country districts of Connecticut, and in the country grocery stores a good many men can be found who are expert players. For miles around Hill’s home liis fume has spread, and frrquently he is challenged by some player who thinks that he is able to defeat him. He has the record of winning every game played during the past five years. He plays the game slowly, carefully feeling out the position of the men on the hoard with his fingers.