Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-24
nailr Afnnrbrt Sournal.
LAURA BaIDGENiS.

The Boston Traveller OF Thursday has
the following interesting statement con-
corning Miss Laura Bridgeman
.Iu a village in the mountains Of New
Hampshire the late DR.. Samuel G. Howe
found the subject of this sketch, than six
years old. blind. deaf. dumb, and nearly
destitute ofthe sense of taste, scarlet fever
having deprived her of these gifts. She
was thus excluded from all the beauties OF
God in nature. and seemed little better
than piece of marble chiseled in human
form. and that form containing Kicker
ing spark of an immortal soul. Her father
was q wellto-do farmer, and her mother
o woman of much intelligence, who lad
~ consented to place her little daughter
10 care of DR.. Howe. Accordingly She
was brought to Boston, and process OF
instruction Immediately commenced. She
was first taught to use her hands ana 10
acquire command OF her muscles ana
limbs, and afterward., by means Of pen
and pin, to distinguish two articles by ar
bitrary signs. Then from monosyllables
she learned all the letters OF the alphabet,
and how to arrange them to represent
objects. She soon acquired knowledge
OF numerals, punctuation, ETC., ana tneh
she gained the power oil expressing
thought, the names of things, etc. The
next process taught her was to recognize
the same signs in embossed types. She
worked with eagerness, thus rewardng
the watchful care of her devoted teacher.
Miss Bridgeman is now in her forty
sixth year, and between her home and the
Perkins Institution she has passed her
-. ~. ..>h Ill
full in form and motion, wears green bands
across her eyes. is very demons,rative,
and her face at times radiates with emo
ton. She dresses with great care-more
to please her friends than hcrsell-and
takes pride in showing her gold watch
and iother feminine ornamentations.
She is quite expert in crotcheting and
plain needle-work, and takes much
delight in assisting one OF the teach
er on the sewing department A few
days ago she was at work with perhaps
dozen Of the pupils. turning the hens of
napkins, and threading needles with her
fingers and teeth. She exhibited some OF
her hemming with as much pride rs a sol
der bearing trophy from battlefield.
4 lady, on the occasion referred to, made
purchase from. her Of a crochet mat, aud
with clear articulation Miss Brdgman re-
peated the word money twice. She can
utter intelligibly the name OF teacher.
and such words as baby, &c. She forms
words with a lead pencil. by the aid OF a
French writing broard. This latter article
has grooyed lines about al eight of an inch
deep, an inch or so apart, running trans
yersely across the pasteboard. She takes
her paper and presses it into the grooves.
thus making depressions which can be felt
by the pencil point, and when slightly
pressed leaves letter mark. In furnish
ing her autograph she writes above her
name scripture text. On being asked if
she realized the meaning of the quotation
The Lord Is my Shepherd she replied,
fully" On learning that her questoner
had been Sabbath-schooi teacher for
eighteen years, she clasped her hands with
delight and made an attempt, in rap'ur-
Gus manner, TO speak, giving forth a urd
like sound. Miss BridgmaD, after the
death of her father, was selfishly deprived
of the little property he left for herself
and her mother, and she continues
to earn little money by the use Of her
needle. She. however, possesses The
interest of bequest OF $4,000 irSn the
Loring fund. Yesterday this lady was
feeling acutely The death of the noble man
who brought out her imprisoned spirit
from chaos. She is living monument of
his devotion, patience, nope, waiting,
watching, and giving of eyes to the l. nd
and language to the dumb lips. The En-
peror Of Prussia sent DR.. Howe gold
medal Tor his marvellous achievement in
educating Laura BriGgman. The a!ten-
ton of the European world was fist
drawn TO Miss Bridgeman's most extraor-
binary case through Charles Dickens
y 5rs, in which very full account was
given, and a deserved eulogium passed
upon Dr. Howe