Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-05
HEARING WITHOUT EARS.

excellent ana humane people 70 witness
the wonderful scene of number of deaf
persons from the Deaf and Dumb Insti-
tute, who were made to hear through
their teethi They all had been deaf
some from birth and some from infancy.
There were four pretty, pleasant-look-
ing girls, and six or eight bright boys.
One of the boys had lost both arms,
but the poor fellow had been taught the
sign-language by his loving, patient
teacher, and could show that he under
stood it by waving and lifting his poor
stumps of arms.
As soon as we all were seated. a fine
looking gentleman got up and said:
II have been deaf for twenty years.
have tried all manner of speaking
trumpets, which didme very little good,
and had made up my mind that, for
the rest of my life, l must never 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 a friend with my watch in my hand,
and carelessly placed it against my
teeth. To my astonishment, l plainly
heard the ticking of the watch, though
it was utterly silent when placed at my
ear. began TO make experiments. l
held a piece of bent metal to my teeth.
l tried a tuning-fork. l remember ed
that Beethoven, the great composer,
who became very deaf, held a metallic
rod between 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
g 1, H..
after many trials, l have perfected
this" and he held up what looked ex-
actly like fan. "This," he continued,
sis the audiphone. II is made of flex-
ible, polished, carbonized rubber. Fine
silk cords, attached to the upper edge,
bend it over, and are fastened by a
wedge in the handle. The tension is
| adjusted to suit the sound, as an opera
glass is adjusted to suit distance. The
| top edge of the fan rests upon the up
per 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 communicating
with the brain"
1t is 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 us all fairly bounce on our chairs,
but the boy did not start, or move so
much as 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, ar
ranged the tension, and placed one in
the boys hand, adjusting it to his teeth.
Then, "A, B, c." said Mr. Rhodes, in
an ordinary tone. At the sound the boy
started, his face flushed, and he raised
his hand with quick surprised motion.
He heard for the first time in his life! He
did not know what the sounds meant,
because to a deaf person English speech
might as well be Greek-a deaf per
sons 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: "a, B, c." little louder,
and his teacher made the signs of the
letters at the same time; the boy gave a
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 a
rhythmic motion, as if keeping time Ia
pleasant sounds.
Then another boy was called, and the
same experiments were tried, the first
boy looking eagerly on, 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 "very
loud sounds" Mr.. Rhodes shouted al
him enough to nearly crack his skull,
but he showed no sign of hearing, SC
his every loud" must have been like O
broadside of cannons.
But with the audiphone to his teeth
: he heard everything. All the boys were
tried in turn, with nearly the same sue.
cess, even to the poor fellow without
arms. The audiphOne was held to his
teeth, and such q flood of happiness
came over his face, and poured out Of
Z his eyes, that my own eyes were blinded
with tears. The rich tones Of a parlol
: organ, which a gentleman present
= played upon, seemed almost to trans
late him from earth to heaven. 1t wal
not music to him; it was q sweet
melodious sound, the revelation of ,
sense which gave him a new and in
tense happiness.
: And now one of the girls, pale
= pretty little thing, was called to tn,
table. The audiphOne was placed to he
teeth, and Mr., Rhodes made a sound.
hope you understand that it was Of NJ
use for him to ask question, becaus,
/ a deaf person has to begin like babl
- to understand the meaning of sound
> the deaf must be educated as to wha
I an articulate sound is to tell them /
: would be with them like teaching
! baby to talk.
' When the girl heard the sound
) what study her face becamel Wave
I of rosy color passed over her cheeks
9 her eyes were uplifted, her hand wa
' raised, the forefnger pointing t,
heaven.
s But now Mr.. Rhodes brought out
Y number of fiat boxes, each holding al
I audiphone. He took them out, ant
D gave one to each of the deaf mutes
z Then lady present sang an echo song
(, very sweetly, with the accompaniment
Q of the piano. What sight it was, as
) with audiphones at their teeth, thu
: class listened to this mysterious sweet
/, ness, these harmonious soundsl TIT
s pale young girl stood motionless, rapt
t absorbed, with parted lips and wide
uplifted eyes. A flood Of light flowed
!, over her face; her capacity to under
V stand what such sound meant seemed
greater than that of the others; ont
a almost would have thought that she wa
having glimpse Of heaven. As tn,
Il sweet voice of the singer rose higher
Q the young girls hand and arm wert
\ raised to the utmost the fOrefin0el