Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-26
The ATmleSS Painter.

When the sense of sight is wanting, tht
hearing, the touch, the taste, the smell Wi
almost make il good. The blind learn quick
" to read with their fingers. and to rec
osulZe their friends as readily as thOS'
who can see. They will not only 90 abou
the house without i ffcu ty, but VIII otter
ind their way through the streets Of th'
town or city where they live. and ever
make long Journeys without assistance
There have been some who could ever
distinguish coIors bv the delicate sense o.
their touch The deaf and dumb learn
quick. y 10 converse by signs; the ey,
takes the place OF the ear, the hand tha
Of the tongue There Is no language NO
science winch they cannot learn, nor is
there any thought too abstruse TO be com
muuicated 10 ;hose who have been educ4-
ted IN the language OF signs. l have
known some who could aruculate well.
aud others who could play on any instru-
ment Of music without ever having heard
, sound, though their exercises were rather
dull music, of course, and practlced by
them rather as an accomplishment than
for pleasure or profit. remember . very
pleasant interview l had many years ago
with Laura Bridgeman. the deaf, dumb,
aud blind girl, aud by taking her hand.
how readily conyerSed with heT by the
manual alphabet, which she had learned
70 use. Seme two years ago, when IN the
British House of Commons, l saw Mr..
havanaugh, the Irish member. who has
neither hands nor feet nevertheless, he Is
an active member Of that body. and can
speak and vote as well as any of them.
He is sand also to be good writer. He
holds the pen in his mouth, and guides It
with the stUmps Of arms, without hands,
which nature has given him.
But one of the most extraordinary cases
Of triumph over physical difficulties l ever
knew, Is that Of the Antwerp painter.
He was born entirely destitute of arms,
aud vet he has learned to use his toes
more readily than most persons use their
fingers, He often passes my windows with
his coat sleeves tucked into MS pockets
on eaca side, aud walking 80 gracefully,
that stranger would not detect any de-
feet in him. He may be seen any day
at work in she picture-gallery at Antwerp
Il Is wonderful 10 notice how skll.tuily be
handles his tools His canvas rests upon
an easle, 50 arranged that he can raise or
lower it at pleasure By turning a crank.
h sits on an ordinary stool IN front of It.
without any support whatevr for his back
or limbs. lie taxes MS pallet and rest
ug-rod with one foot, with the other be
SEXES the brush, mixes his paint. and ap-
Plies 1t a freely, and precisely in the same
way, as hi. fellow artists, more favored by
nature, many Of whom he excels in the
beauty and finish of his paintings.
l called upon him the other day, IN COM
pany with Dr. B, an American friend
at his own house. He received Us very
kindly into his parlor, and showed us his
collection Of paintings, all Of which had
been executed by himself After this be
took u up into his. studio. Ever thing
was IN perfect order, l saw nothing that
indicated any peculiarity in his way of
doing things. There was on an easel a
beautiful portrait, yet unfinished, of a
young lady, which | recognized at once as
the likeness Of one l had seen. I ere
were other unfinished pictures, some of them
quite large, and embracing many figures,
which he was painting to order He says
HC A09 44tAt - W1n5 O400E7 d 1S CdH Iii.
We asked him for his card He Immediate
" put his loot into his pocket, and took out
his portemonnaie, opened it and took from
it small key, unlocked the drawer and
drew it out, and took blank card from
pack, and laying it upon the desk, sat down
before it, selected pen, dipped it into the
ink, and after erst trying it on his toe
nail, as one would on his thumb, he wrote
his name and address :: Charles Felu, Ar
% Tongue Alice, AnYers.