The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-03-19

eral times assisted anna, ana started bIm again
again IN the world, with every prospect Of SIT
cess :; but still the demon OF gambling iurced hit
from ont of the path OF rcclitude, and he sun
deeper than ever his friends refused ngnin
assist him, and only offered an asylum 10 h
| wife on condition that she lived apart from III
husband This, in all his dstresses, she had n
! fused to do, nor was it until death had separate
| them for ever, that she sought refuge with he
| family. She now lives i'll small house nei
St Cloud, and her every hope is centered in h,
only child, boy, whose outward form md fac
strongly resemble those that made so deep n
! impression on her heart and her daily prayer
that heaven may warn him Of those danger
which wrecked his father in LIES unt ertainty.
LAURA BRIpGmAN. The following Interest
ing account Of llIiS young girl, who is cut OF
from all communication with the external wOrlc
except through the medium OF the touch, is OK
tracted from The Animal Report Ct the Trns,ee
of the New England Institution for the educa
ton of the Blind:
at may I've remembered, that III the report q
the last Board, particular mention was made q
a deaf dumo, and blind girl named Laura BriIg
man, the ii pupil, and promise was given of llIl
lher notice OF her case.
1t has been uscerIained beyond the POSSIBILITY
OF doubt that she cannot see IL ray of light can
not hear tho least sound, aud never exercise
her sense OF smell, il she has amy. Thus he
ulIUu QWeIlS III anu SlPSS as
as that ofu closed tomb AT midnight. or beau
tituI sights and sweet sounds and pleasant cd
ors, she has no conception; nevertheless, stt
feels as happy aud MS playful rs bird or {;
lamb; and The employment OF her intellectual
faculties. The requirement of new idea, gives
her vivid pleasure, which is plainly marked in
herexpressive features. She never seems to re
pine but has all the huoyancy and gaiety OF child
hood, she is fond OF fun and trolIc, and wheu
playing with the rest of the children, her shril
laugh sounds lOudCst in the group.
When left alone she seems very happy if she
has her knitting or ewing, and will busy her
self for hours. If she has no occupation, she
evidently amuses herselfby imaginary dialogues
Of recalling past Impressions; she counts will
her fingers, or spells out names Of things whcl
she has recently learned, in the manual alphabe
Of the deaf mutes. In this lonely self commun
ion she reasons reflects and argues; ii she spell
Il word wrong with the finger of her right hnnt
she instantly strikes it with her left, her teac
er does in sign of disapprobation if right, the
she pats herself upon the head, and looks pier
sCd. She sometimes purposcly spells wor
wrong with the left hand looks roguish for
moment laughs, and then with the right hun
strikes Me lett, as ifto correct it..
During the year she has attained great DE xter
;tGuiintltGs; ana Sic spells oht lie words anc
sentences which she knows so fast, and SO dett
", tl,nt only those accustomed to the language
can follow with the eye, the RAPID motion OF hel
fingers.
But wonderful us is the rapidity with which
she writes her thoughts upon the air, Still more
SO is the ease and accuracy with which she reads
the words thus written by another, grasIing their
hand in hers, and following every movement
of their fingers, as letter after letter conveys their
meaning 10 her mind. II is in tins way thar
she converses with her blind playmates, u moth
ing can more lorcibly show the power of mind
forcing matlers to lis purpose, Than Il meeting
between lhem.-For if great talent and skill
are necessary for two pantonmes to pant their
thoughts and feelings by the movements OF the
body, and the expression of the counlenance;
how much greater the difficulty when darkness
shroti;Is them both, and the one can hcal no
sound!
When Laura is walking through passage
way with her hands spread before her, she
knows instantly every one she meets, aud
passes ihcm with II sign of recognition; bat if it
be girl of her oNn aye, and especially one OF
her luvorites, there is instantly bright smile OF
inter twiuing of arnls--a grasp
ing Of hands--and swift tecgraphing npon the
tiny fingers, whose rapid evout'ons covey the
thoughts and feelings from The outpost ot one
mind TO those of the Other.--Th There ere QueS-
tons and arswers-exchungcs ofjoy and sorrow
there kIssings and partlngs, Just as between
little children with all their SENSES.
One such interview il bepCr reiItalinn OF
than foIios OF learned argument. II those PIN os-
ophers who consider man only the most per-
feet animal and attributes his superiority 10 his
senses. he correct, then n dog or n monkey
should have mental power qnadruplG that OF
poor Laura Bridgman, who has but one sense.
We would not be understood to say Iih' this
lid has the same amount of know ledge ttat
others of her age have; very fay from II; she Is
nine years Of age, and yet her knoWIeego OF
language is not greater tIIan common cl'ild OF
three years. There has been no difficulty IN
knowledge of incts-poSl'lve
&C.. but the ,cordS erPres-
size ofthem, which other children learn ny hear
ing, ms they learn To talk, must all be commu-
nicated to LAURA by circuItous and tedious
method In all the knowledge which is ncqn.
red by the perceptive faculties, she Is OF course
back ward; becnuse previous TO her coming here
faculties were probably less eXerris-
ed in one week. than those of common children
are in one hour.
What may he termed her moral nnture how.
ever, her sentiments and affections, her sense
Of propricty, Of right OF property, &c, isequal-