The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-08-19
DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND.
The Story of Poor Mute and whit She was
Taught.

The Story ofn Poor Mute md whut She was
Taught.
A writer in the Christian Union thus
describes q visit to Laura Bridgman,
DIR. Howes pupil, born blind, deaf and
dumb, at her home near the institute for
the blind at South Boston. II any one
supposes that by reason of her depriva-
ton she is queer or awkward in person
or manners he is altogether in error
There is nothing at all singular in her
appearance. When 1 entered the parlor
member of the family with whom she
lives was playing on the piano, and close
beside her, on low seat, there was a
very slight, very erect, quiet, solf-pos-
sessed looking girl, who seemed to be
listening to the music, while her hands
were busy over some crocheting opsimi-
lar work. She would have been taken
for guest who was nimbly fashioning
some pretty article while being enter
tained with music. The expression of
her face was bright and interesting, and
one watching her satisfied look would
have been slow to believe that she did
not hear. Tue green shade over her
eyes indicated that she was one of the
blind. She had on brown dress,
blue ribbon ut the neck, 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 forty 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 attitude, graceful in
motion and positively handsome in fea-
tures," and of her expressive face"
which, indeed, in sonsibility and iutelli
gence, is above instead of below the av-
erage.
As soon as the information was con-
veyed 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, leaving
her work on the center table as she
passed it, and grasped my hand, laugh
ing with the cagerness 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 understood by one who
has practiced it; but the sleight-of hand
by which the fingers of the friendly
hostess, manipulating on Laura's slender
wrists, communicated with that living
consciousness in there without one per-
feet sense except to taste and touch, was
something mysterious, inscrutable, to
my duller sense. Yet that the communi-
cation was definite. quick, incisive, SO to
speak, was manifest enough, for Laura S
face beamed, and she was all alert.
Partly by the letters and partly by signs
she said a great deal to me- She "ought
to be ut home to be company for moth
er, she said; and once or twice she fash
ioned the word "mam-ma very dis
tinctly with her lips. With regard to
this vocal expression, DR.. Howe says:
"She has attained such facility for talk
ing in the manual alphabet that 1 regret
that did not try to teach her to speak
by vocal organs or regular speech. "
She asked if L knew member of her
family now dead, and said: "That was
a long year after Carl died." She seemed
brimming over with things to tell me,
and wanted me to know about her teach
ing some of the blind girls to sew, which
is a part of her daily employment in the
school near by, and which she takes
great pride in, threading the needles and
making her pupils pick out their work
if it is not done nicely. She is a good
seamstress herself, does fancy work, and
can run sewing machine.
Next, she caught hold of my hand
and led me up two flights of stairs tC
her room to show me her things, but
the first movement was to take me to
the window, where she patted on the
glass and significd that l should see
what a pleasant prospect there was from
it. And there she, who had never seen
or heard, waitedby my side in great con.
tent while / looked and listened. The
sky was blue, with white clouds floating
over it, and birds were singing. 1t was
a perfect April day, but she could ge,
no consciousness of it except in the
softness of the air. Yet her face was
radiant, and she stood there as though
she both saw and heard. wish L could
bring before all those who are discon
tented with their lot, repinmg because
God has withheld something from then
or taken something away, the cheerful
face of this girl who has so little, bu
accepts it as if she had all; who has never
seen a human countenance or heard &
human voice who III the infinite glory
and beauty of this outward world has nc
part, shut il by herself in that silent
dark, unchanging, awful loneliness
Finally she took out sheet of paper
pressed it down on her French writing
board, examined the point of her pencil
and wrote her autograph "God is love
and truth. l.. N. Bridgman." And
then from her needle-case and spool -bo,
she produced a cambria needle and fin,
cotton, and showed me how she thread
ed needle, which was done by holding
the eye against the tip of her tongue
the exquisite nicely of touch in he
tongue guiding her to pass the threat
through. 1t was done in an instant
though it seemed impossible to do it a
all, and then she presented me thu
threaded needle trilImnhantlY hayine