The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-18
LAURA BRiDGHAN.
some Facts Regarding this Remarkable
woman.

In Hanover. y H. on Dec 81, ls29 the
wife Of Daniel Bridgmau gave birth to a
delicate girl. who was destined 10 become one
Of the most interestin. persons OF tAls age.
Tho constitution Of the little girl was VciF
feeble. and sha vas subject 60 severe coBvul-
si0ns I'LL sho was a year and hall old For
q whilo her health improved wonderfully
and She began 10 show a fair degree OF intel
hgence. She had barely reached the age OF
years when she was stricken down with
SCARLET fever, and at the end Of i've weeks
she had lost both sight and hearing. For
five months she was kept IN bed M dark
encl room a year passed before She could
walk unsupported, and It was two years DO
fore she was strong enough 20 sit up all day
IL was not until she was { years of age that
her bodily health was restored but her SENSE
Of taste and smell bad died too Her living
brain refused 10 die but there was no means
OF communication with her except through
her sense of touch. As soon Us sho was able
10 walk she wandered about the room
feeling Of everything she could lay her
hands on, and through the guidance or her
mother even learned to sew, 20 Knit and 20
braid She was very afectlonate. but 10 was
not easy to communicate with her The ouly
way Of telling her TO 80 20 piaco was by a
push. and "a wish % draw near was indicated
by drawing movement 4 pat Oh tue head
meant approval. ON tAo back dlsapproval
She showed eagerness 20 learn, but the need
of language 10 restrain her became evident;
only her father had control over her wll.
She had lived this utn0t0nOus HE for eight
Years when DR.. ) O. Howe, director ~ the
Perkins Institute and Massachusetts, school
tor tho Blind, in South Boston. heard or her
He went 10 Hanover. saw tAe child and pre-
vailed upon the parents to Intrus, her u his
care In October ls57, she was taken ~ the
institution Dr. Howe commenced her in-
struction by taking common household artl
cies such as spoon. fork, knlle table, ctr.
and having the names printed Ia raised let
ters By feeling OF these sha learned that the
words differed from each other Is much Us
the articles they designated Then Size
learned u place tho labels on the things they
DESIGNATED Within thrae months alter the
BEGINNING Of these experiments she had
learned the manual alphabet as used by tue
deaf mures
Imagine the delight Laura Bridsman must
have felt when she found that she could com
nunicab With the world by the movements
If her fingers.
Her progress from no" on was mar felous.
and She was soon able 10 read books Tor the
blind and ~ write letters 20 her parents Sne
also learned the process Of addition ami sub
srraction IN small numbers, TO understand
the days OF the week ana u measure tim- NJ
accurately a. 20 Distinguish between half
and "a whole note Ia music Her sense oi
touch informs Ter when music ls being per
formed by ,he undulatiOns Of the air OF She
vibrations OF the door She Is quick 70 per
ceiye the opening Of d door or the approach
Of a person. and recognizes IN an instant bel
acausintanccs by touching their hands OF
their drcss. Laura BIidgman is now almost
20 years old and enjoys the best OF health
Her head il finely developed. Her light
brown hair is part,d il the middle and
combed very smoothly back the ends AL
braided in fine plaits and twisted around the
back Of her bead Her face Is small and
somewhat wrinkled, her mouth very small