The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-09-18
From The Boston Transcript.
4 VISIT TO LAURA BRIDGMAN.

BO>InN. lSj3.
\ few DAYS since. pad a visit. hy invita-
tion, with friend. to the Blind Institution
at South Boston, where | had an opportunity
to see Laura Bird oman. Although much has
been written about this Interesting v"ung la
DIV. vet am inclined TO believe that her az
tua condition i not generally well under
stood The Blind Institution ha> long been
established. and Is now under the superiI-
tendcncc of Dr Howe a man whose intclli-
"rnrc and humanity admirably fit him for
III" situation. A. we rang the bell. a little
blind boy opened the door In answer to
the inquiry il DR. Howe was in. the little .cl-
low replied. Il will 90 and >~e " There was
a checrnlncS> and alacritv about hi> move
mentS that interested u. Ii WAS singular Ia
hear the boy say he would S,e if DR. Howe
was In. when We knew he could not >cr At
all. While we were standing on the steps.
we saw several small BOYS 10y the entrance
walk, picking up the smooth stones, handing
them to each other, each earnestly describing
the beauties of his own. Although ih"v aI-
p"arcd cheerful and happy. vet they awaken
ed IN US feelings OF sadness and sympathy
How strange that those who's" eyes are closed
upon Fl the hrau,itul objects of earth. AMI
VIII have the least reason To rci,ir,. should
rNhht arh"ernin">> and r"nt"ntm"nt which
we look IN vain Tor IN the 'wld"-awake world.
: lio" mite Il" We, VII" ENJOY the dressing "f
SIGHT value 1t; and how mad"Gnafr!y do w
i'a''~r '''e "'l'fl'"'i"h "l II III others
l'' ii""' was ''"' a' h"'''' hHt We were
A'"''i! ""i''" upon ny IN" liin'inal female,
, ''' h'F' II was l. clock anu 'he children
were '>>'''''''h@ Ill me chapel Tor Their Hh'y
= 'N'r''>'> IN music, We Were allowed I" Toe
4 present Several "i the pupils PLAYED TIA"
: "r-an ami piano IN turn "m'" til" other
/ l"lncd IN singing. III" music altogether wa
= performed with W"nI"rtnL precision and skill
: Il was '''''' ''''> 10 >'' ''' '"'"' 'ii>i'"t >"c
-
: ''> '''''-n Mn" prominence '''' ''I"l'''''>'''''
T. III F''' ''' U.S. " >i7''' .. A'''' me- az
: P''''"''o'' u s"'''''
n But by far the greatest object of Interest
Il t" Us was Laura BndGman. She was moi
n with The other chll'lren.a> She could not hca,
II nor take part in the MUSE, Your render
. may not all be aware thal Laura i blind
Il deaf and dumb, Sic can neither k,ar. 81.
:. nor >j"ri. had somehow formed an npin
' ion tl'at She was a little rirl. But lcarnc,
y that She was twrntv-;wo wears of ,alrho,,ol
: She APPEARED not over sixteen or rirh,ern.-
+ Her features ar, r,.,nlor. an oval i.,.c, with
re- very plra>inu expression Of cnurt,n2ncr.-
u. Her head i what nhr,nolnri>t, would cal
b. finely balanced: the moral AMI intellectual
prc.!oninatinr. Her ,lrmcanor was la,lv-Tk
,c and attractive One would not suppose >h
j. ever entertained tho1gh, o >alnc>.
Y from her appearance.
t. H., mol, g communicative. ;..u:.
e l;.,,. e..
=, ,,L... L,,,,,,,, l,;,,,, a.. -, r,-
,t , 10 t,;..I ,,.,,.i.,,'
IN Ill.,, ,,,,,.r, .,, .,, J.. .,.,;.,.- -,
al tlo lJ;,.d ,.,, l.,r,, l.. h,,.;,, I,,, an,
"a ,.,, I.,.r - o .,,.h n,,. ST.. ,.,n nI
ed learn hy the s.u<, nj, t,y.L S.ranrc A.
re ,,nr,rs sLo has boon ,,u.,b, r,, opI, +o co,
dc verse freely. but TO ,r,1t.. This has been :,
i'll conrI>hcd bv the sense of touch alone. IIo
in was the first idea communicated to her.
he we entered the room. she was in earnest co
h> vcr>a,ion with her blind companion. II
blind cirl could hear our annro,ch. but a
mt ra literally turned a deaf ear" IONS. VIII
ar viewing the two. We almost cp,ird tbc con,
aid tion Of tbr blind r;rI IN contrast with +,
arS nirht of ninht in whi.h poor Laura WA, {.
rt- comnaS>e, Janra ro,,lJ s,,.ak IN others
mo- the motion of her FINGERS. lik. IN. deaf, a
sis dumb. Spellinr ont every word But VIII
md she rouId s,,ak to others IN this WAY. ma q
,If bv similar motions could speak TO her. =, :
up- could not <.c the motion of their hands.
the spc,kinr 70 her. the motion of the finrrr> h
lrt ,o he made. ;,.>;L. ,t L.r Lu,J Sh,. ,,r
,.I then understand their pcan;p., ,u,.. e,
on- tb. MipJ rirI both cony.rs.d IN this y,,.
,.., ou tba d,..l let,r. I,ur, I,, ;.,.,,
o,o .,rooy..J tin with = sir, &c ,,,,.r Iala1
:,