The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1875-06-05

rents, she WAS transferred To the Inslitu.
tion in the fall of 1887, when she was
eight years of ugc. For several DAYS
after her entering the Institution she
seemed much puzzled with the novelty OF
the objects by Which she was surrounded
and the doctor made 10 attcm ut TO instruct
her for two weeks, when she had become
pretty familiar with her new abode md
acquainted with its inmates. , ...
lie began her instruction in this way
lie took common spoon and kew, and
pasted upon each label upon which its
name was printed in raised letters. These
objects She felt very carefully, and was
not long i'll discovering the difference in
the two words. a blind child makes n
discovery of that kind in M instant,
owing to the scnsitivcncss of its touch.
Next, he placed before her two labels
with the same two names printed upon
them. She soon showed that she per
ccived the difference by putting the label
key upon the key, and the label spoon
upon the spoon. From that moment, the
success of this most interesting expert
lncnt was assured, and the doctor encuur-
aged her by patting her on the head.
Other objects were placed before her, and
she rapidly learned to place the right label
upon each. When her table was covered
with articles and labels lying in confu-
sion, she would sort them out, placing
upon every one of them its printed name.
The next step was an important nd
vance. Types we're given her consisting
OF certain required letters. At first the
typos wore arranged in proper order,
n-o-o-K, and ti.cn, after time, they were
thrown into confusion, and she was taught
to put them together again in the Same
order. This process was repeated until
she could form the name, in her movable
types, Of all the articles that could be
placed within her reach. Gratifying as
her progress was, il was still evident to
her fsatiHhi instructor that she did not us
yet comprehend the object which he had
i'll view. But, one day, while she was
setting up names in this manner, II change
came over her dcmcanor.
''Ilithcrto," says Doctor Howe, rhc
process had been mechanical, and the
success about MS great rs teaching very
Knowing dog variety of tricks. The
poor child had sat in mute amazcment,
and patiently initiated everything her
teacher did; but now the truth began TO
flash upon her; her intellect began to
work; she perceived that horc was way
by which she could herself mako up u
sign Of anything that was in her own
mind, and show it to another mind; and
Mt once her cOuntcnancc lighted up with
human expression. | could al
most fix upon the moment when this truth
dawncd upon her mind, and spread its
light to her countcnance."
Doctor Howe next procured for her Il
font OF metal types, with tic letters cast
upon one end, and board in which there
were square holes in which she could
place the types, so that the raised letters
alone would extend above the surface of
the wool. Upon handing hor 4 pencil or
a watch, SHE would Immediately set up
its name i'll type, so that the blind could
read it and III this way she was exercised
for several weeks, until her list of words
became considerable. She took grcat de-
light in this exercise, and learned far
more rapidly than when her performances
were purely mechanical.
Tho next step was 10 onablc her TO
communicate with others by means of her
fingers, using tho various deaf aud lumb
hIphnbcts Strange as it may sccm, she
learned very quickly TO represent the
different letters by the position of her
fingers; for she now had clear sense of
what the teacher was about. When she
had been year in the Institution, she
could converse with its inmates with con
siderable freedom. and was apparently
among the happicst of them all. She
never appeared to DC in low spirits, but
was full of fun and frulic, rompcd with
the rest of the children; alone, she seemed
more than content with her knitting or
sewing, and would umusc herself for
hours i'll that way. In the course Of time,
she learned To write, and the first use she
made OF this accomplishment vas To
write to her mother.
When she had been six months in the
Institution, her mother came to see her;
but Laura, though she rnn against her,
and felt Of her hands and dress, did not
recognize hcr-to her mothers great grief.
But after while, when her mother took
hold of her ngain, an idea seemed to
flash upon her mind; shc eagerly felt her
mothers hands; became pale md rel by
turns; and when her mother drew her
close 10 her side and kissed her fondly,
all doubt suddenly Disappeared from the
child's countcnancc; and, her eyes beam.
ing with joy, she yielded to her mothers
embraces.
One of her visitors, when she WAS
! twelve years of age, WAS Charles Dickens,
who WAS profoundly interested in her.
"licr face" lic says, "was radiant with
intelligence and pleasure. Her hair,
braided by her oyn hands, was bound
| about her head, whose intellectual capac-
ity aud development wcro beautifully on
pressed In its graceful outline and its
broad. open brOw; her dress, arranged by
herself, was pattern OF ncatncSs and
simplicity; tho work she had knitted lay
beside her; her writing.bouk was on the
desk she leaned upon. Like other
inmates of that house, she had u green
ribbon bound round her cyclids. 4 doll
she had dressed lay near upon the ground.
| took il up, and saw that she lnd made
II green iillct, such IA she wore herself,
and fastened it about its minute eyes. '
Ny hand she rejected ut once. as she
docs that Of nny man who IL stranger
to her. But sho retained my wilo's will,
evident pleasure, kissing her, and exam.
inGd her !;Gss with Il girls curiosity ontl
interest"
Thiriy.two years have passed since
tllcsc words were written, and I.aurs
Bridgmnn still lives in her fOrty.siStl
year, II living monument Ia the skill ant
| sublime perseverance, of her instructor unt