The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-04-13
THEBLIsD)z B. GIRL AND HER. MOTH

l. ~ = -s--s.-. -
f. Jhe following thrilling incident-the.
meeting Of a, mother and her child-is from s
the recent report by Dr. Howe. Principal :.
uEthc Perkin' Substitution forihe Blind at Z
Boston, .coacefHiHs sEaura Brilgeman, the
deaf, dumb sndbtipd girl, whose only
means Of communication with objects
arocn1 her IS by The touch, which is re-a
marEably acute. s q
t.Dnrine ihe last year, and six months !,
after she had left her home, her molhersi
came 10 visither, and the scene of their 3
ImeetingRas an interesting one.
The mother stood some time, gazing
with overfowiag eyes upon her unfnr.u-t@ 4
nate child, 'wiioss all unconscious other 4
presence, was playing about the room
Presently Laura ran against her, and at s
once began feeling of her hands,, cxamin-: !:
ling her dress, and trying, to 6al ontif she: {
EkneW<ker; but not succeeding here, she
tnrned5away, as fom5a stranger, and the4
Epoor woman could not conceal the .pangs s
Hshe felt tha.ller beloved child did:not know
1her. -s:.:s: -s.f.,.$ 8. ~
She then gave Laura..a string Of beads
which she used to wear at home, which
were recognised by the cbildat once, who,
with much joy, put them around her neck,@
and sought eagerly tosay She. understood
the string wasfrom herahome.
The mothernow tried TO 'caress her; but
poor Laura epelled her. preferringao do
with; her acquairltances. Ess5.s - ~ 4,
: Anotherarliclefrom home was.nawsgiv-
1enjher n1she beganto look much inter-,
, ested; she; examined the stranger much
tcloser, and gave me tn1md derstandthat she
came frontHanoyer: she even e1duref her
caresses, bqtRould leave herwithindifer-
ence at the Slightest signal The distress
ofthe mother was now painful to behold;
for allhnugh ghshe had feared that she should
not be recognized, the painful reality of
being treated with cold Indifference by
darling child wasto much for woman's ma
ture to- bear.
! ,4t--Aner a while. nn the mothers taking
hold on her again. a vague idea seemed,to.
fit across Laura's mind, that this could not
be stranger, she therefore felt of her
hands very eagerly, while her coun,enance
/, assumed an expression ofintehse interest
: she became very pale and lhenssnddeniys
red-hope seemed struggling with doubt
!, and anxiety, and never. were contending
emotions more strongly painted upon thes
human face. At that moment Of painful
, uncertainty, The mother drew her close to
her sitle, ahd kissed her-funtal,y y, .rIi1rn at
once the truth flashed upon the child, and
all mistrust and anxiety disappeared from
, her flushed face, as with an xpression of
| exceeding joy, she eagerly nestled in the
| bosom other parent, and yielded hefselfto
! her fond embraces. s.s.r
After this, the beads were all unheeded;
the playlhings which were offeredsto her
, were utterly diSresared; her" playmales,
for whom, bGtG moment before, she gladly
, left the'stranger, now vainly strove to pull
her from her mother: ard though she yiel-
ded her usual instantaneous obedience TO
, my signal TO follow me, it was evidently
with painful reluctance. She clung close
TO me, as if bewildered and fearful; and
when, aftersa moment. I.took her 70 her
mother, she sprang to her arms, andclung
to her with ;eagerjoy. =:
| had watched the whole scene within
, terSe interest, being desrous ot.:learning
from il all could OF the workings Of her
+ mind, but Inow Jeff them to indulge, un-
observed, those delicious feelings, which
those who have known mothers love
may conceive, but which cannot be ex- %
4 presed." Sa,. s5si4 zsy; 80 So
The subsequent parting between Laura
and her mother, showed alike thesaffection,
the intelligence, and: the resolution Of the
child, andttwas thus noticed at the time.
Laura accompanied her mother 10 the
door, clnging close to her all the way, un-
:ilthey arrived at The threshold, where she
paused and felt around to asceriainswho
was near her. Perceiviag the3matfpn, of
whom she is very fond, she grasfsa her
with one hand holding onSconvulsveIy to Z
her mother with the other, and thus she
stood for a moment,--,hcn she dropped
her mothers hand, d,-put her handkerchief
to her eyes, antEturning round clung sob.
bing to the ma.ron, while her mother de-
parted With emotions as deep as those of
her child."> g p.
IfPrentice tells of chap Who: in an
ecstacy Of overpowering excitement jump.
cd IN ctruck his.2fStS tnUethor ,p3 ov