River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-06-02
Laura Bridgmah.

The Hartford Times copies the ac-
count of Sophia Fl. Hutson, the deaf,
dumb, aid Blind girl, Of Wilkesbarre,
Penn, which recently appeated, and
referring to Miss Laura Bridgman, who
was spoken of in the same connection,
says; Miss Bridgman is now probably
tlfty-eight years old or more. She is
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 fami-
ly have recently removed from the
house where she has lived for SO long n
time, to residence at Bloomfield Cen
tire, near the Congregational Church.
It will probably take Laura some time
to become familiar with the Ito herr
unknown premises Tut she learns with
surprising readiness when ole reflects
how completely she is isolated from the
world of outward things. She could
go about the house and premises where
she lived as readily as most persons
who have the full use of their senses,
and she can also distinguish instantly
the different persons with whom she is
brought i'll contact. Nearly half cen
fury ago, when she was at the asylum
here, her powers Of discrimination In
this latter respect were stich us toaston-
ish people who went TO see her For
instance, party of ladies', strangers TO
her, called TO see her at the asylum, and
lad their interview with her after they
had taken off and hung up their shawls,
bounets, &c. Laura, (who has always
possessed 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
Tor she could knit, and do good many
other things. When the ladies rose to
depart. she weht to the place where
they had hung up their things, and,
taking down each article separately,
took it straight to its proper owner.
What fate is hers Here she has
lived for nearly sixty years life all
isolated from the world around her.
An interior world is hers, into which
nothing that we know of light--the
physical light of the sun-can ever en-
ter, nor any outward sound. Alike TO
her, through all the years, the silence
o. midnight or the cheerful sounds of
duly life, the notes of birds, the voices
OF winds and leaves and falling waters,
tie power of music, the peal of thunder,
tie loving tones of the human voice.
Silent herself, she dwells in her. own
warld of absolute silence. If, as some
people might believe, there are for her
Inferior voices, she has no means Of APP
prsing her friends of her soul expo
rimces. We must accept the outward
seeming that TO her, and such as she,
tn. world is world of darkness and o.
silence. What, to soul so imprison
ed must he the final awakening int
the life of
-" That deep dawn behind the tomb"
which the consultations OF religion assur
tous, and whose "fner light in light
inspires the loftiest strains of the poet
, TWAS the case of just such an afllictio
/ that of an interesting daughter of Di
, Cggswell, of Hartford, who, unlik
hT sisters. was deaf, dumb, an,
blind, that interested philanthropic
alpeople, nearly sixty years ago, in tin
bmefcient educational project of thu
American Asylum; and IL was of her
AID her death, that Mrs. Sigourney
rising to the imagination of the iina
awakening and release of that imprison
ed soul, attuned her harp To- its fines
strain, in the poem beginning,
i " Sisters there's music here