News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-08-10
A SILENT MERRYMAKING.
FESTIVITIES WHERE NOT WORD WAS
SPOKEN - DANCING TO MUSIC THAT
COULD NOT BE HRARD-A NOVEL Ex-
CURsIoN PARTY.
From the New York Herald. I


COULD NOT BE HRARD-A NOVEL Ex-
CURsIoN PARTY.
From the New York Herald
There were about forty couples danc-
ing on the upper deck of an excursion
barge, as it moved slowly up the Hud-
son in tow Of the steamer Vanderbilt.
The feet of the dancers kept perfect time
to the merry music of the orchestra, and
they moved easily and gracefully through
the figures of the lancers. Had chance
observer been told that not one of these
eighty young ladies and gentlemen
could hear single note of the music he
would probably have received the state
ment with incredulity, as he took an
other look at the smooth, gliding mo-
tions of the jewellers. Yet such was
the fact. The dancers were not only
deaf but dumb, for it was a picnic
party, made up OF these poor, doubly
afflicted ones. But there was nothing
to suggest affection in the manner of
the excursionists. On the contrary,
they were enjoying themselves hugely,
and seemed to feel all that Understandable
exhilaration which thrills true lovers of
the dance when the soft strains of
Strauss waltz comes floating downward
from the gallery of the Academy of
Music on the night of the "charity."
It was the sixth annual excursion OF
the Manhattan Literary Association, an
organization Of deaf mutes formed prin-
cipally of lady and gentlemen graduates
from the institutions for instructing
the deaf and dumb. Accompanied by
their friends, the party, about five hun
dred in all, started from Eighth street,
East River, at half-past eight in the
morning, steamed around the Battery,
to tie North River, and, after calling
at Eleventh street to take few more
on board, proceeded up the Hudson to
Mount Pleasant grove at Hastings.
WHAT SCIENCE HAS DONE.
The excursion was striking illustra-
ton of how much science has done to
alleviate the condition OF the deaf and
dumb. 1t was strange, indeed, to see
them dance with such precision merely
from watching with quick, trained eyes
the time beats of the orchestra leader
and the steps of those who could hear.
But still more marvellous was it to hear
the deaf speak. There were at least a
score of those present who had been
educated in the new art of lip reading
and who could carry on a conversation
in the usual way, having learned to read
and speak from watching the lips of
their teachers. A mustache on the part
of the person they spoke with was
puzzle for them sometimes, as it partly
conceais the movements of the mouth,
and the Herald reporter, who has
heavy mustache, found it a severe test
for some of the pupils. One charming
young lady, however, conversed with
great ease and fuenoy. She admitted
and here she blushed very deeply-that
she was accustomed to a mustache, 8
young gentleman, a very intimate friend,
possessing very soft and silky one.
Two things were noticeable about the
excursion party. When the music
ceased there was almost dead silence.
Now and then peal of hearty laughter
would be heard, showing that in that
sense the plcknickers were not dumb,
but there was little of the buzz and
chatter of conversation which one usu-
ally hears on festive occasions of the
sort. The few who conversed were, OF
course, very small minority. But
such confusing and rapid gesticula-
ton with the hands With the quick.
ness of lightning, and with bright, ex-
pressive eyes, the mutes conversing
with each other in the sign Ian
guage, and jokes and repartee went
round very much as they always do.
Another thing noticeable was when a
group of ladies and gentlemen was COM
posed of mutes and hearing people-for
there were several such on board. When
this CHANGED and conversation sprung
up an amusing sight followed. The
hearing persons not understanding the
sign language, another means of COM
munication was necessary. Quick as a
flash out would come note books and
pencils, and the whole party would take
to dashing off hasty notes to each
other. When the talk became animated
all hands would be seen writing furi-
ously in their note books.
When the barge reached Mount Pleas
ant and lunch baskets had been emptied,
little parties strolled off under the trees,
and it was very soon evident to one who
watched the pretty girls and their es-
corts that filtration and expressions of
endearment are about the same in the
sign language as in our spoken tongue.
Whether any of the Students pursued
their studies in lip reading was not as
certained.
The excursionists amused themselves
very much as others do-with boating,
fishing, swimming and SO on-and at
half-past four started to return, reach
ing the city again at nine o'clock.
The officers of the Manhattan Liter
airy Association are as follows: John
Wilkinson, president; G. L. Reynolds,
first vice president; S. P. Cornelius,
second vice-president; John Hogan,
secretary, and John P. Ijams. treasurer.
There are about ], 900 deaf mutes in New
York City, and about half that number
were at the excursion.
The SueZ Canal.
The Suez Canal which now has