Telegram-herald., 1890-07-03

strrction. The authorities exhibited him
at the last commencement exercises as
the most promising pupil they had ever
received and sent him to his home in
Grahamville, Sullivan county, \. Y,
for his vacation, delighted at the prog
ress he had made. at the exhibition the
little fellow placed his hands upon those
of his teacher, who said in the sign Ian
guage: what is your name? How old
are you?' etc. The child was then led
to the blackboard, where he wrote the
answers correctly. Letters were traced
in the palm of his hand by the teacher
and the pupil Immediately wrote them
on the board.
a package of cards, on which were
raised pictures of objects, was given to
"a man in the audience to make selec-
ton. a card with raised door key was
handed the boy. He moved his fingers
over tho card, and when led to the board
wrote the work key in very legible script,
and picked up from dozen objects on
the table the key itself and went
through the motions of unlocking a door.
aud a hand saw. About one hundred
words in raised letters of DR.. Moons
alphabet for the blind placed on cards
were given him. de recognized them
by touch. spelled them on his fingers and
then wrote them ON the board. Alpha
betical blocks with depressed letters
were given him and he combined them
int, 10 l., Na+o Il
spelled toe numerals from one to ten and
wrote them in figures. He has also been
taught scripture verses and sentences
from DR.. Peters Language Lessons On
the table In the cut viii be gsen the Oh
iects which he has learned to recognize
by touch and to describe in writing and
by signs. The board above the table
contains depressed letters and words
from which he was first taught to read.
His teacher, Professor c. W. Van Tassel,
also q deaf mute, is speaking to him by
forming the letters with his fingers.
The writing on the board TO the left was
done by the little unfortunate himself
When the boy came to the institution
last September he cried every night for
His kind matron, Miss Smith, would sit
by his bed until he cried himself TO sleep.
At last he took peculiar fancy to one
OF the other boys, SD their beds were
placed side by side, and after that he
seemed contonted. At first he was
placed in the charge Of a boy, who
looked after him during the day, for fear
I, l.. Tl,r4 l,.,.
4 ly did not like the restraint of an over
seer and was allowed 10 go ont alone
with the oth9r boys. He plays ball. after
a manner, with them and has never re-
ceived but two injuries that were in the
I least severe. He knows the signs for
all the dishes at the table. and once
shown what the sign Is he never forgets
/ it. He looks delicate. but Is perfectly
healthy, and hes 10 other bodily DO
formity than those mentioned above
He is about four feet 10 height. has dark
hair and is bright and active, but walks
with that careful. halting step peculiar
TO tne blind. When he meets a person
it is touching 10 see him feel all over his
face and clothing to gee if they are
strange
Benson has two brothers, "a and II
. years old respectively, aud q sister
: years Of age. None Il his family, rela-
tives or ancestors has suffered from deaf
ness or buudness HIS father and mo-
ther are both living. and were not re-
lated previous To marriage. OTrls wss
born blind and became deaf when 3 years
of age from spinal meningitis, which IL
weys destroys memory in young chil-
dron. As is the case with al deaf
mutes. his o-rans Of speech are perfect.
+ but never having hearl q sol-d that he
f can r@nemb Der he cannot ba made 70
initiate q speaker.