The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-04-03

CORRESPONDENCE Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
FIRST OF APRIL IN STANTON AND AT THE IN
sTITuTIoN FOR THE DEAF, DUMB. AND
BLISD--CRIMINAL CASES IN THE CIRCUIT
CoURT-Two MORE APPLICANTS FOR ADMls-
SION IN TIE PESITEST1ARY.
STANTON, April 2, 1875.
In accordance with the immemorial GUS
tom which has set aside the LIST of April as
All.Fool's day, our streets were yesterday
covered with Leatly-ted.up bundles, many
of which were picked up by the unwarv,
much to the delight Of m>chievous urchins
who lurked behind the next cor
ner or peered out from behind some
neighboring door. Quite in contrast With
the customary mode OF Apri-foolng was the
one given by the principal Of the Deaf, Dumb
and Blind Institute to the pupils thereof
and q few invited guests. It is customary
at this institution on some night in every
week to assemble the boys and girls together
to allow them an opportunity Of couyer>lnS
with one another. On this occasion the ma
iority of them expected nothing more than
the enjoyment Of the usual privileges of the
evening, and great was their surprise and de-
ght when in the midst of one of their
dances door at the opposite end of the
room opened and in walked an Asiatic in
full color and costume, bringing with him
Il tine, large elephant. The delight Of the
pupils knew no bounds when little son of
the principal was placed astride of the
elephants neck and rode majestically out
of the room. The dancing was then re-
sumed, and from time to time during
the evening representations were given
of the "Giant," "Kukux," &C., all of
which were gotten up by few of The older
pupils. The great event Of the evening was
the "negro speech" delivered by one Of the
deaf and dumb pupils, which Was perfectly
inimtable, and brought forth bursts of ap.
pIause from the spectators. One Of the
strapgest sights to the uninitiated is to watch
the perfect manner 10 which these deaf and
dumb boys and girls 60 through with the
eyoutions of the "Old Virginia Reel -
without any music to guide their steps. 1t
does one good to see the glow of health on
their cheeks and the sparkle of pleasure in
their eyes, and you realize that life to them,
as to their more fortunate fellow. creatures, is
not without its .eDjoyments.
In the Circuit Court the jury in the case of
young HelmicK, charged with horse-stealing,
brought In verdict Of guilty and fixed b s
punishment at three years confinement IN
the penilentiary. This was his second trial,
the jury having Jailed TO agree at the nrst.
The defence set up for him was that OF
idiocy but the fact of his having stolen a
horse seems TO have been sufficient to satisfy
an Augusta jury Of bis sanity.
The case OF John Cats, charged with steal
Ins horse, in Rappahannock county, from
Mr.. - Robinson, and which he afterwards
traded to MIR. John Ruff, of this county, was
tired day before yesterday and argued yes
terday morning. The jury found him guilty
and fixed bis punishment at eleven years
confne ment in the penitentiary. 1t will be
remembered that he bad already at this term
been found guilty Of house-breaking and
sentenced to five years. Imprisonment in the
penitentiary.
The weather has been very pleasant for
several days past, and this morning it is warm
and gentle rain falling. MAX.