The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-05-22
Laura Bridgman.

The Hartford Times copies the account
of Sophia III. Hutson. the deaf. dumb and
blind girl of Wilkesbarre, Pa. which re-
Gently appeared in that paper. and refer
ring to Miss Laura BridgInan. who was
spoken of in the same connection. says:
Miss Bridgman is now probably fifty
eight years old or more. She l. still with
the Bloomfield family. with whom She has
lived for perhaps the last thirty years. or
since her departure from the American
Asylum. The family have recently re-
moved from the house where she has lived
for so long time. TO a residence AT Bloom
field Center. near the Congregational
Church. twill probably take Laura some
time to become familiar with the TO herl
unknown premises but she learns with
surprising readiness when one reflects how
completely isolated She il from the world
of outward things. She could 20 about
the house and premises where She lived as
readily a most persons who have the full
use OF their senses, and she can also dis
tinguish instantly the different persons
with whom she is brought in contact.
Nearly half a century ago, when she was
at the asylum here. her powers OF dis
elimination in the latter respect were such
as TO astonish people who went To see her.
her. called 10 see hcrat the asylum. and had
their interview with her after they had
taken off and hung up their shawls. bon
nets, etc. Laura (who has always pos
sessed the sense of touch went TO each
one of them and felt of them.
After satisfying her curiosity in this
way, she went on with her usual work-for
she could knit and do a good many other
things. When the ladies rose 10 depart.
she went to the place where they had hung
up their things and taking down each
article separately. took il straight 10 its
proper owner. What fate is hers Here
she ha. lived for nearly sixty years life
all isolated from the world around her.
An interior world i hers. into which Moth
ing that we know of light-the physical
light of the sun--can ever enter. nor any
outward sound. Alike TO her. through all
the years. the silence Of mignight or the
more cheerful sounds of daily life. the notes
of the birds, the voices of winds and leaves
and falling waters, the power OF music.
the peal of thunder, the loving tones of
the human voice. Silent herself She dwells
in her own world of absolute silence. IT,
as some people might believe. there are for
her interior voices. she has no means Of
apprising her friends of her soul expert
tnces. we must accept the outward SEEM
ing that to her, and such a. She. the world
is "A world of darkness and of silence.
What. 10 a soul so imprisoned. must be the
final awakening into the life of
That deep dawn behind the tomb,
which the consultations of religion assure
to Us, and whose finer light in light" i'm
spires the lofticst strains of the poet? II
was the case of Just such nm alllction--thai
of an interesting daughter of Or. Coggs-
well, Of Hartford, who. unlike her sisters.
was "deaf. dumb. and blind that inter-
csted philanthropical people. nearly sixty
years ago, in the beneiicent educational
project of the American Asylum and il
was of her. and her death. that Mrs.
Sigourncy. rising TO the Imagination of
the final awakening aud release of that inn
prisoned soul, attuncd her harp to its finest
strain, In the poem beginning,
''Sisters, there's music here.'