The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-13
or the Woman that didn't say a Word
aaliABd z. for Seven Years. 8ssa1i iAitY

| The Scalpet tells a droll story of girl
that held her tongue for seven years, yet was
perfectly able to talk we'll us the best. Washed
of the blood that always flows freely about the
ScalpeI, and which very often obscures clear
sight Of the thing laid bare by its edge, the story
| Mary, when fourteen years old, ran away from
a Canadian convent, and was found asking aims
in the western part of this State--not pleading
with piteous sentences, but mutely, in the natural
language Of signs. A benevolent individual had
Mary properly cared for, and ut length entered in
our excellent deaf and dumb asylum, where for
four years she remained, making all laudable inn
provcment in the branches there taught. The
Scalpel makes sale for It's next number by pro-
missing to furnish, at future day, the process
pursued in attempting to teach this interesting
creature the practice Of articulate language by
the teachers at the asylum. She left the asylum
when her term for remaining had expirsd, with
out having created suspicion that she was capa-
BILE Of uttering words or sentences, much less of
talking glibly, and as woman is expected to do.
Well, honorably graduated, she wished, of
course, 70 earn living To 90 i she went where ;r
erary Alsatia Of Cliff street, under the supervision
of tho generous and benevolent brothers Harper"
She obtained work at book folding, and worked
faithfully, we presume, for three years; for dur
ing all that time she said not word to anybody
Tired atlast, and wasnot to be found any
WIACA0 uAAtA uOAAo IWO yuNA0 uAt0& W0Aa
member Of the firm who is reputed the world over
alike for his enjoyment Of good joke and for his
benevOlence, received a call from yelled lady.
The lady announced herself as the Mary, and told
her story; how she had been very wicked wo-
man for two years, and why for the seven years
previous she had been very strange, dumb wo-
man, when she might have talked as well as any
body; how she feigned dumbness at first because
she found that mute appeals were more effective
than wordy, fearful ones; and then being taken to
the asylum, she felt committed, and very natural
Ily did not like to be inconsistent and talk when
everybody thought she couldn t talk. She would
like to 60 to work again in the folding-room, but
that wouldn't do. So MIR. Harper gave her TWEEN
ty dollars and some advice, which, if followed,
would have been worth mint of money to her;
and straightway, we may suppose, went up to
visit the asylum, of which Mr.. Harper is said to
be a director. Harper talked, probably, of ndf-
ferent things-of the modes of teaching abroad
of the possibility Of persons feigning to be deaf
and dumb. The topic is an interesting one, and
it doubtless draws out the statement from the su-
perintendent that sssuch thing would be impos-
sible; that there would be thousand opportuni-
ties for detection daily; that person fit for the
profession could be so hoaxed. " Then the direct
or makes his statement, and Mary is credited as
one who can talk as fast as any of us-unless we
are among our crones, and have very strong
dish of Young Hyson before us. @ ,
This is very curious, certainly, and worthy the
investigation of some of academies of sciences
If true, couIdn 7 special meeting be called-or
must we wait for the next annual report Z If not
true, why should the Scalpel say it?
I. [.Ns,o York Times.