The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-05-22


distance the boy raised his head hast
lily. what are you doing that for?"
be asked, turning.
81 am thinking" said the doctor
"that l shall have to take you over
to my office and have a look at you.
Get yeur oYercoat, my boy,-proyided
Miss Hinton will permit"
by all means little boy" said
Miss Hinton, alphabetically, and
Richard went out to get his Overcoat.
"Mrs. Hamilton, l am convinced
your bright boys hearing is defective"
said the doctor, placing his glasses
astride his nose. "He is partially deaf
and perfectly unconscious that he hears
less than those around him. He has
been following just about one-half that
you say, Miss Hinton, and guessing at
the rest"
"But he hears me perfectly" said
Mrs. Hamilton.
Madam, your voice is peculiarly res
onant and distinct. You also enunclate
more slowly Than Miss Hinton.ZAnd
the difference in your estimates of the
| little fellows abilities lies in the fact
that he hears his mother perfectly and
his teacher imperfectly."
"Why-this shocks me-" said Miss
Hinton. 81 feel that I've been greatly
to blame. l should have discovered
this. Poor Richard-all his school life
he has been contending against my
seeming injustice as well as his own
| partial comprehension of his duties.
| No wonder he passed for backward and
inattentive. Strange that he should
| not have known of his deafness"
"Well, perhaps So" said the doctor
"but such cases are not unusual.
think that a large number Of the So
called dull and backward children are
the victims of some unrecognized phys
ical imperfection. l know of a girl
| who was thought backward, slow, fret
full and peevish-she was always COM
planning of headache, too. She turns
out to have been near-sighted and no
one suspected 1t. Fancy the nervous
strain that child has been under all her
school life, trying to see the black
board, for instance. If you will per-
NIT me, Mrs. Hamilton, l will take
Richard over to my Office and have a
look at his ears for my own satisfac-
ton; but advise you to take him to a
first-class specialist at once"
II will go with him." said Mrs. Ham
ilton, as Richard came in the door.
"Are you ready, Richard?" asked the
doctor, in a conversational tone. The
lad paid no attention, but walked on
TO his desk TO put his books away.
care you ready?" the doctor walked
toward Richard as he spoke.
No answer.
'Ready, Richard| at about three
feet.
Eyes, sir" and the lad, looking up
in quick response, smiled good-by
toward Miss Hinton, then Joined the
doctor and his mother, and the three
went out together.
The doctor was right. Richard was
found to be quite deaf, and vet from Sc
simple cause that a few weeks OF
treatment from a good aurist restored
his hearing to a normal condition
After that the boy quickly recovered
his cheerful, boyish spirit and fearless
bearing.
Indeed, within a few weeks he was
telling his father, whose dlspleasure
had been one of his hardest trials:
"And, father, it is just wonderful
how easy it all seems to me now. anC
how interesting school can be. / won
der why did not know what the trou
Bile was myself. can follow every
word Miss Hinton says now, and as
for the lecture on The Five Senses the
doctor gave the school yesterday,
followed him so closely believe
can almost repeat it for you. And
oh, mummy" with rub of his cheel
against his gentle mothers shoulder
'lt's so good not to be cropping in thu
dark, any more"
Now the pity of 1t is, there are chill
dren in our schools, everywhere, to
day, just as handicapped as Richard
was. How is 1t with you-or yours ?
George Madden Martin, in Youths
Companion.
Vanity's Penalty.
Tn yvnIl-Ennwn New York hoSfnIr,