Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-04-02
Hearing Without Ears.

he understood IL Dy waving anu llltluS
his poor stumps of arms.
AS soon as we all were seated, fine
looking gentleman got up and said:
81 have been deaf for twenty years. l
have tried all manner of speaking trump
cts, which did me very little good, and
had made up my mind that. for the rest OF
my life. / must pever hear my children's
voice, never listen to the sound of sweet
music, but just lead a sad, silent life. One
day, was talking to friend with my
watch in my hand. and carelessly placed it
against my teeth. To my establishment, [
plainly heard the ticking of the watch,
though it was utterly silent when placed
at my ear. i began to make experiments.
I held piece Of bent metal to my teeth.
I tried a tuning fork. I remembered that
Beethoven, the great composer. who be-
came very deaf. held metallic rod be-
tween his teeth, the other end resting on
the sounding board of his piano, and by
this means he was able to hear the perfect
music which his brain had produced. /
tested various ways of hearing through
the teeth, and now, after many trials, I
have perfected this" and he held up what
looked exactly like a fan. s'This,'' he con-
tinued, ''is the audiphone. 1t is made Of
flexible, polished, carbonized rubber. Fine
silk cords, attached to the upper edge,
bend it over, and are fastened by wedge
in the handle. The tension is adjusted to
suit the sound, as an open glass is adjusted
to suit distance. The top edge Of the fan
rests on the upper teeth, and the sound
waves strike its surface; the vibrations
are conveyed by the teeth and the bones
of the face to the acoustic nerve commu-
nicating with the BRAIN"
1t was almost impossible to believe, but
the gentleman called up one of the deaf
mutes, and, standing just in front of him,
gave a tremendous shout, which made as
all fairly bounce on our chairs, but the
boy did not start. or move so much as an
eye lash. which showed very plainly that
he had heard nothing. Then Mr.. Rhodes.
for this is the name of the inventor Of the
audiphone, arranged the tension, and plac-
ed one in the boys hand, adjusted it to
his teeth. Then, "a. B. g." said Mr..
Rhodes, in an ordinary tone. At the sound
the boy started. his face flushed, and he
raised his hand with quick surprised mo-
ton. He heard for the first time en- has lafel
He did not know what the sounds meant,
because to deaf person, English speech
might as we'll be Greek; deaf PERSONS
mind is perfect blank as to the meanings
Of sound, though he may be able to talk
fast enough on his fingers. Then Mr..
Rhodes went behind the boy and said: GA,
B, CO. little louder, and his teacher made
the signs Of the letters. at the some time,
the boy gave skip of delight, making the
letters also.
Then lady played on the piano. and
the boy heard music for the first time! His
hand moved up and down with rhyth-
mic motion, as if keeping time to pleasant
sounds.
Then another boy was called, and the
same experiments were tried, the first boy
looking eagerly Oh, and talking as fast as
his fingers would go. to the rest of the
class. The second boy said in the sign
language, that he could hear livery loud
sounds.' Mr.. Rhodes shouted at him loud
enough to nearly crack his skull. but he
showed no sign Of hearing, so his ''very
loud sounds must have been like broad
side of cannons.
But with the audiphone to his teeth. he
heard everything. All the boys were tried
in turn, with nearly the same success, even
to the poor fellow without arms. The au-
diphone was held to his teeth, and such
flood of happiness came over his face, and
poured out of his eyes, that my own eyes
were blinded with tears. The rich tones
of a parlor organ, which a gentleman pres
emit played upon, seemed almost to trans
late him from earth to heaven. It was net
| music to him; it was sweet, melodious
sound, the revelation of sense which
gave him new and intense happiness.
And now one of the girls, pale. pretty
little thing, was called to the table. The
audiphone was placed to her teeth, and
Mr.. Rhodes made sound. I hope you
understand, that it was of no use for him
to ask question. because deaf person
has to begin like baby to understand the
meaning of sound; the deaf must be edu-
Gated as to what an articulate sound is to
tell them. It would be with them like
teaching baby to talk.
When the girl heard the sound, what a
study her face became! Waves of rosy
color passed over her cheeks, her eyes were
nplifted. her hand was raised, the forcing
er pointing to heaven.
But now, Mr.. Rhodes brought out q
number Of fiat boxes each holding an au-
diphone. He took them out and gave one
to each of the deaf mutes. Then a lady
present sang an echo song, very sweetly,
with the accompaniment of the piano.
What sight it was, as with audiphones
at their teeth, the class listened to this
mysterious sweetness, these harmonious
sounds! The pale. young girl stood mo-
tionless, rapt. absorbed, with parted lips.
and wide, uplifted eyes. A flood of light
flowed over her face; her capacity to I'M
derstand what such sound meant, seemed
greater than that of the others; one almost
would have thought that she was having a
glimpse of heaven. AS the sweet voice of
the singer rose higher, and higher the
young girls hand and arm were raised to
the utmost, the foreGnger pointing up
ward; but with the soft echo OF the song,
vering motion, and moved softly to and
fro, in perfect accord with the time. AS
the swelling tones were raised again, up
went her hand. but her eyes never chang
ed their uplifted, almost spiritual look.