The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-11-12
A Deaf and, DumRs Thanksgiving.


She was born deaf but not dumb. Many
folks think that deaf-mutes are dumb
because of some defect in their throats,
but it is a queer mistake. Their. throats
are just as good as other peoples they
only do not talk, because, they meyer
learned how. s1goa 7gel y.ed aal3sUl .yf
Some Of them do learn to talk, how
ever, and the way in which they are
taught is very curious. sod ytata y. g..
But cannot stop to tell you about il
now, for I must tell you how Nettie and
Mamie spent Thanksgiving. ~ "'a"
The pupils IN our large institutions
for the deaf and dumb generally spend
the whole school year at school. There
are several reasons, why this is best
among others, D that it is difficult and
expensive getting so many to and from
school. So they have no holidays .ex-
cept Thanksgiving, Christmas and New
Years. sre ans. F.T.er ferg
Like true philosophers, however,
they make the most of what they have,
and I would like to see d company of
little folks get through with more
Thanksgiving dinner than they can.
No trouble with their throats then %
Nettie Stuart was a great pet at
home. Deaf and dumb children al
ways are, as you would soon find out if
you happened to spend the first week of
the school year in deaf and dumb in
stituti0n, and saw the tears and kisses
and candy with which their fathers and
mothers leave them! e 3i 81 '-s 81
All the love naturally falling to the
share OF the little girl was given her
when she was born. But when il slow
Iy dawned upon the poor father and
mother that something allied their baby
daughter, shat she was not just like
other babies, they loved and petted her
more fondly than ever.
Out of all reason" said the gruff
old captain uncle, who lived to see
the day when Nettie could wind him
(metaphorieally) around her little
finger.
At first, the neighbors shook their
heads and said she was an idiot. But
Netties mamma knew better than the
neighbors, and, indeed, it seemed
strange that any one could look into
that bright, merry little face, and think
her silly. But as she never spoke a
word, and would pay no attention when
any one spoke to her, not even when
candy was mentioned, it was plain some
thing was wrong. So her sorrowing
father and mother took her to a cele-
brated physician. But he could only
send them home with all the hope taken
out Of their hearts, and sharp pain
there instead, for he told them that
their little girl would never hear. So
Nettie had her own way more than ever,
and as time passed on she grew as
mischievous as a kitten. Nobody ever
corrected her for her pranks. Nobody
thought they could, SO she was not
afraid to do anything that came into
her head C7T XII
When she was eight years old she was
placed in school, where, among other
things, she learned to be more quiet
and orderly, but the mischief would
crop out, sometimes. She was now
eleven years Of age, and this was her
third year at school. Mamie Arthur.
her little friend Of seven, had been her
playmate at home, and was but Just
come to school, so she looked up to
Nettie, and would go into anything, if
the latter onlyled the way.
On this Thanksgiving morning the
two girls woke early, and found soft,
thick snow falling.
"Oh," sighed Nettie thinking in
signs, "if we could only have a sleigh
ride"
Then Mamie told her on her fingers
of a long ride she had with her papa,
last Thanksgiving, to carry a dinner to
a poor sick woman and her little chill
dren.
"The house was poor and cold, but
the children were hungry, and the ride
was splendid. [ didn't have to be at this
old school then," said Mamie in signs.
and curling her lip in contempt.
just then q bright thought. or bad
one, flashed through Nettie's head she
touched Mamie, and then drew the palm
of one hand rapidly across the other
palm and fingers, ending by slipping
the right hand under the left, as if i
we're hiding. By this she said as quickly
as you can say it: + e4..
Lets run away" ~
Where ?" said Mamie, by opening
both hands, with the palms turned up
ward, passing from side to side little
and looking about her.
ooh, anywhere" said Nettie uncon
edly, "there's no school, and I have
tfty cents to spend, and we can be back
in time for dinner" rse
1t would not do to slight Thanksgiv
ing-dinner, even for the fun of running
away. -. AAA 1,'
81 think we can get sleigh-ride
somehow said Nettie, who had beer
SO long used to having her wishes graft.
fed that nothing seemed impossible.
About 10 o'clock the little girls, in
ermine eapes aud mufs, Polish boots.
and jaunty white plush hats, were seer
slipping through the snow, behind 6
hedge Of spruce and fir trees. which
grew by the side of walk at the bach
OF the grounds. There was a gate a.
the end OF the walk hnt Il Was almars