The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-07-25
Startling and True.

Startling and True.
DUMB MAN spEAKs-A DEAF MAN LISTENS TO
MusIC-TnE WILLIAMSON WONDER.
Mr.. EpITon ALLOW me to inform your read
ers of q strange event which has recently taken
: place near our village. On the night of the Sd
instant the gin of speech was suddenly bestowed
youth, twenty-three years of age.
rw69 JiSd tllrhjs life been known deaf mute
by all ofour-6fder citizens.
Your Oak Lawn readers will remember Mar.
Gus, deaf mute boy; slave of Col. L. E. Ware,
deceased, who was employed after the war by
Col. Wares son-in-law, MIR. Arnold as a hand
about the house and farm. His services were
quite valuable, as he was an active, obedicnt
intelligent boy. He frequently came over to
Williamson as q teamster, and thus became well
known in our community.
Eight years ago Mr. Arnold removed to Mis-
sssppi Just before his departure, Marcus
disappeared. No one knew whittier he had
gone. His mother tried in vain to get informa
tion of his whereabouts. No tidings of him
reached his friends ut home until the last day of
June, when his return to the house of his uncle,
Edward Jones, was as unexpected as his mystic
rious departure years before.
In the mean time he had learned to converse
in writing, that he found no trouble in COM
municating his history during his long absence
from home.
Nothing noteworthy occurred from Monday
to Thursday the 3rd instant. On that afternoon
'he became extremely nervous and restless
clearing dreadful loud noises, and seeming as
if his head wculd burst with pain" This con-
dition continued till after nightfall. lie then
tainted his extremities became cold and his
body was convulssd with violent paroxysms.-
After something more than an hour, these symp-
toms relaxed, and he broke his lifelong silence
by asking quite nudibly, but not very distinctly,
for q drink of water.
At intervals Of about fifteen minutes during
the night, he continued to speak, saying almost
anything he wished, but feeling fatigued after
every effort.
On the 4th, he spoke rs occasion required,
with increasing ease, freedom and clearness.
On Saturday the 9TH, with several other gen
ucmcn, visited him, and conversed with him
for about IN hour and half. lie had no diff
Guilty in hearing all said ; and we noticed
considerable Improvement in his articulation du
ring interview. At first, he declined trying to
pronounce the word ..Williamston,'' because ne
said he could not pronounce it right; but, at the
close of the interview, he inadvertently pro-
nounced il very well.
The extent Of his vocabulary, clearness Of his
articulation, the correctness Of his vowel sounds,
the accuracy Of his accentuation, and the gen.
eral propriety Of his language, were matters Of
great astonishment to us all.
Sunday afternoon, he heard his first music.
He attended service at the colored Methodist
Church, and the singing, which was right Wig
orous, overpowered him. He could not realize
the distinctions of the sounds but it all seemed
10 him like loud noise blown through
straight horn" After service, he heard n young
lady play some sacred pieces the reed -organ
and though lie enjoyed it u little, 1t still chad
no turn
On Monday. while listening to the piano, he
seemed greatly interested, and professed to en-
joy it very much but it seemed to me, as |
watched him, that he was more impressed with
the quick movements of the hammers than with
the tones Of the instrument.
For the statement in connection with his
strange attack on Thursday afternoon, | an in
debted to Marcus himself and his uncle, Ed
mond Jones, whose character for veracity is un-
usually fair in our community. AS TO the other
points in the above narrative there is no room
Tor doubt lie was deaf mute from his birth
till he left here eight years ago. lie seemed to
be in the same condition when he returned last
Monday week. lie can hear and speak now as
we'll as the majority of our people. How the
wonderful change was brought about, remains
to be explained.
With your permission, l will send you for
your next issue, his account of his history dur
ing his absence, which may throw some light
on the mysterious question.-REv. S. LANDER,
IN GrcenrWc Ncws
Tho fn11 ,ln