Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-09-02
sPoor" Laura Bridgman.

"POOr" Laura Bridgman.
A writer in the Christian Union thus
describes a visit to Laura BFidgman,
DR.. Howe's pupil, born blind, deaf and
dumb, at her home near the Institution
for the blind at South Boston:
eff any one suppeses that by reason |
of her deprivation she is queer or
awkward in person or manners aheais I
alto gether in error There is nothing.
at all singular in her appearance.
When | entered the parlor member
of the family with whom she lives was
playing on the piano, and close be
side her, on a low seat, there was a
very slight, very erect, quiet, self pos
sessed 10 eking girl, who seemed to be
listening to the music, while her hands
were busy over seme crocheting or
similar work. She would have been
taken for a guest who was nimbly FASH
ioning some pretty article while being
entertained with music. -
The expression of her face was
bright and interesting, and one swatchs
ing her satisfied look would have been
slow to believe that she did not hear
The green shade oyer her eyes indi-
Gated that she was one of the blind
| She had on brown dress, a blue rib
bon at the neck, a gold ring and chain
and a watch or locket in her belt-a
neatly attired, genteel, ladylike person,
looking about thirty five; though her
age is really not far from orty-four,
with soft, brown hair, smooth and fine
a well shaped head, fair complexion
and handsome features. That was
Laura. DIR. Howe spoke of her as
'comely and refined in form and atti-
tude, graceful in motion and positive
ly handsome in features and of her
| expressive face which, indeed, IN
sensib!lity and intelligence, is above
instead Of below the average AS
soon as the information was conveyed
to her that she had visitor from her
native State who knew people in the
town where her nearest kindred live,
she came swiftly across the room, leav-
ing her work on the centre table as
she passed it, and grasped my hand,
laughing with the eagerness of child.
Then she sat down face to face with
the lady who has charge of her, and
commenced an animated conversation,
by the manual alphabet, easily under
stood by one who has practiced it;
but the sleight- of hand by which the
finger of the friendly hostess, manipu
lating on Laura's slender wrists, com
municated with that living conscious
ness shut in there without one perfect
sense except to taste and touch, was
3 something mysterious, inscrutable, tG
/ my dRller sense. Yet that the commu-
nication was definite, quick, conclusive
for Lauras face beamed, and she was
e all alert. Partly by the letters anc
E partly signs she said great deal to mt
h She ought to be at home to be com
s pany for her MOTHER she said; anC
S once or twice she fashioned the wore
t mamma very distinctly with her lips
. With regard to this vocal expression
: DR.. Howe says: She has attained sucE
y It facility for talking in the manual al
n phabet that 1 regret that did not tr,
e also to teach her to speak by vocal or
t. gans or regular speech She asked if
Ie knew a member of her family nov
IS dead, and said, THAT was long year
;e after Carl died.
s. She seemed brimming over wit
to things to tell me, and wanted me +
~ know about her teaching some of th
blind girls to sew, which is part c
her daily employment in the schoc
7 near by, and which she takes grea
pride in, threading the needles an
making her pupils pick out their worl
if it is not done nicely. She is a goo,
3. seamstress herself, does fancy Wor
and can run sewing machine. Mex
se she caught hold of my hand and le
at me up two flights of stairs to her roe
Isee to show me her things, but the firs
les movement was to take me to the viii
it's dow, where she patted on the gla:
~. and signified that should see what
pleasant prospect there was from i
And there she, who had never seen G
is. heard, waited by my side.in great COZ
. tent while l looked and listened. tt
II sky was blue, with white clouds fioa
>! ing over it, and birds were singing.
was perfect April day, but she oou
get no consciousness of it except
the sottness OF the air. Yet her fa
md was radiant, and she stood there
though she both saw and heard
wish could bring before all tho
mn who are discontinued with their lc
W repining because God has witLie
something from them or taken som
thing away, the cheerful face of IL
girl who has so little, but who accel
> it as if she had it all; who has ne1
lin. seen a human countenance orAhearC
human voice; who in the ininity.
glory and beauty of this outwa
world has no part, shut in by hers
: in that silent, dark, unchanging, aw
md loneliness. Finally she took out
sheet of paper, pressed it down on b
go French writing board, examined t
- point of her pencil, and wrote
. autograph: God is love and truth.
nine N. Bridgman.' And then from |
ices needle case and spool box she pl
duced cambria needle, and fine C
ton, and showed me how she thread
- needle, which was done by hold
the eye against the tip of the tong
81 the equisite nicely of touch in l
tongue guiding her to pass the tr,
through. 1t was done in an insts
though it seemed impossible to dt
= all, and she presented me the threat
ng. needle triumphantly, having secure,
by slipping knot"