The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-02-20
HEARINe WIFHoUT EAEs.

: - -
of the boys had lost both arms, but iile /
poor fellow had Been taught the sign !
language by his loving, patient teacher, !
and could show that he understood il by
waving and lifting his poor stumps OF
arms
As soon as we all were seated, q fine
looking gentleman got up and said;
Il have been deaf for twenty years. L
have tried all manner of speaking-trum-
pets, which did me very little good, and |
l had made up my mind that, for the
rest of my life, | must never hear my
children's voices, never listen 10 the
sound of sweet music, bat just lead u
sad, silent life. One day, was talking
to friend, with my watch in my hand,
and carelessly placed it against my teeth
To my astonishment, plainly heard the
ticking of the watch, though II was ut
terly silent when placed ut my ear 1
began to make experiments. l held 4
piece of bent metal 10 my teeth. / tried
q tuning-iork. / remembered that Bee
thoven, the great composer, who De
came very deaf, held a metallic rod be-
tween hls 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 vari-
Gus ways of hearing through the teeth,
and now, after many trials, l have per
fected this, " and lie held up what looked
exactly like fan. 'This,' he continued,
lis the audiphone. II is made of flexible,
polished, carboniZed rubber. Fine silk
cords, q ttached TO the upper edge
! bend it over, and are fastened by wedge
in the handle. The tension Is q Ijusted to
suit the sound, as an opera glass Is adjust
ed to suit the distance. The top edge OF
the fan rests upon the upper teeth,
| and The sound-wayCS strike It's surface /;
the vibrations are conveyed by the teeth
and the bones of the face to the acoustic
nerve communicating with the brain"
1t was almost impossible 10 believe,
but the gentleman called up one OF the
deaf mules, and, standing just ia front OF
him, gave a tremendous shout which
made US az! fairly bounce on our chairs,
| but the boy did not start, or move So
much Us an eyelash, 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 placed one in the boys
hand, adjusting it to his teeth. Then
"a, Is, CO. said Mr.. Rhodes in an ordin-
AIRY tone. AZ the sound, the boy started
his face flushed, and he raised his hand
with Il quick. surprised motion. lie
heard J0I' The first time liz has life! He
did not know what the sounds meant,
because to deaf person English speech
might as we'll be Greek y deaf persons
mind is a perfect blank as to the mean
ings of sound, though he may be able to
talk fast enough on his fingers. Then
Mr. Rhodes went behind the boy and
said: "A, 3, CT = liitle louder, and his
teacher made the signs of the letters, N
the same time-the boy gave Il skip o.
/ delight, making the letters also.
Then il lady played on the piano, ans
the boy heard music for the first time
His hand moved up and down with I
rhythmic motion, rs if keeping time /,
. pleasant sounds.
Then another boy was called, and tin
same experiments were tried, The frs
boy looking eagerly on and talking q
fast as his fingers would go to the rest 0
the class. The second boy said in tn
/ sign language that he could hear EVER,
loud sounds" Mr.. Rhodes shouted a
! him enough to nearly crack hi
skull, but he showed no sign Of hearing
so his very loud" must have been like
broadside Of cannons.
, But with the audiphone to his teeth
he heard everything. All the boys wer
tried in turn, with nearly the same SUE
: cess, even TO the poor fellow withou
arms. The audiphone was held To hi
D teeth, and such flood of happiness cam
i over his face, and poured out of his eye,
=. that my OWN eyes were blinded Wit
o tears. The rich tones Of parlor organ
e which gentleman present played upon
s seemed almost to translate him from cart
TO heaven. 1t was not music to him;
= was sweet melodious sound, the rev,
, lation of sense which gave him ne
q and intense happiness.
9 81. 7
~ little thing, was called to the tabl
=. The audiphone was placed to her teetl
q and MIR. Rhodes made a sound. | hoI
= you understand, that il was Of no use f,
him to ask question, because Il de-
person has to begin like baby, 10 III
Il dersland the meaning of sound; he de-
must be educated as to- what an artIcl
y late sound Is to tell them. 1t would
lie with them like teaching a baby to tall
When the girl heard the sound, what
study her face became, Waves of ro>
y color passed over her cheeks, her ey,
lie were uplifted, her han,E was raised, Il
II fore1inger pointing to heaven.
But now, Mr.. Rhodes brought out
d. number of flat boxes, each holding I
audiphone. He took them out. and ga
= one to each of the deaf mutes. Then
. lady present sang an echo song vel
D. sweetly, with the accompaniment of Il
: piano. What a sight it was,-as wi
audiphones at their teeth, the class listc
TO cd to this mysterious sweetness, the
r harmonious sounds! The pale, youi
lie girl stood motiOnless, rapt, a5sorbe
" with parted lips, and wide, uplIft,
as eyes. A flood of light flowed over h
face; her capacity to understand VIII
m such sound meant seemed greater thu
N that of the others; one almo
i would have thought III
~ she was having a glimpse of heave
q AS the sweet voice of the singer ro
: higher, higher the young girls hai
: and arm were raised TO the utmost, Il
Y forefinger pointing upward; but wi
ne the soft echo of the song, the hand flOi
d ed down with "A gentle, wavering N
m ton, and moved softly TO and fro, IN pt
at feet accord with the time As the swe
nj ing tones were raised again, mp went h
hand, but her eyes never changed the
uplifted, almost spiritual look, and h
. breath came quick and trembling. o
ie can any one measure the happiness I'll
Ut filled that child's soul, and SO transfers
y ed that small, pale face? That view
the first ineffable JOY of hearing is SON
rs thing never To be forgotten! The 9th
IL children were effected in different way
ur some waved their hands, some loott
IS eagerly delighted; the manned boy
H. eyes grew big and black, and bro
&c smile opened his mouth as if he we
lie laughing, but he made no audible SCUM
III After the song, Mr. Rhodes requisite
the company to sing Nearer, my &C
to Thee" We rose from our chairs. al
RI the beautiful hymn was sung, with I
IN full accompaniment of the organ | CO
all not describe the delight of the deaf gil
n, and boys, as the sweet solemn strai
no struck upon the precious audiphou
IN held close to their teeth. They way
IN their hands to and fro, their faces glo
GA ing; the Young girl, as before, looki
ieo upward, raising her arm with points
OF finger at the high notes, and lowering
IN gently at the low tones. Big tears sto
in tie eyes of many of the singers, n
an for one shall never forget the scene
he Mr.. Rhodes has sent an audiphone,
ar gift to the Princess of Wales, who
to very deaf These fans can be decorat
nd and painted, so as TO be very beautif
and lady using one would never
& supposed to be deaf. if she playful
an placed her fan against her teeth VIII
in she was cOnyersing-AuntF Fanny, in
Nicholas for February.
by -
ng Marcus P. Norton. a we'll known p
emf LAWYER of Troy hag after. q loDT 81