The Portland daily press., 1897-08-25
SILENT FOR FIFTY YEARS.
Miss Guiiford Wouldn't Talk When She
Could, and Now She Couldn't IF She
Would.

Would.
(From the Philadelphia Inquirer.)
There is possibly no other woman in
the world like Miss Experience Guilford
of Blue Hill, Me. 1t is proverbial that a
woman's tongue never stops, but Miss
Guilford's case is an exception to this
rule, and for half a century she has held
her peace. Not one single word or audible
sound has this woman allowed to pass
her lips for period of fifty years.
The original reason for Miss Guilford's
speechlessness was anger because she
could not marry the man of her choice.
When she was 10 years old she fell in love
with William Simpson, the village school
master. They were to be married on
June IS, 1847. One of Miss Guilford's re-
jected suitors told tales about the school
master, and Miss Guilford's parent s
stopped the wedding. Miss Guilford
thereupon said. 81 swear 1 will not
speak word though live for fifty
years, unless I marry this man."
AoAAo RoHu AOI P4C0SCs 1IOA HdlO O1Oa
and she went to live with her married
brother. When he died she made her
home with her sister, and after the sis
ter's death she went to camp in the
woods and kept house for her brother,
with whom she is now living. All this
time she performed her share of the
household work and did not show any
regret for having made the VOW.
When the fifty years of silence expired,
short time ago, she was visited by a
| large number of relatives and friends,
VINO went to the camp for the purpose of
being present when she was at liberty
70 speak. Soon after the midday meal
Miss Guilford dressed herself in the gar
ments which she had not worn for half a
century. At two O'Clock she stood before
the people, smiled, and opened her mouth
to speak; but though she tried hard, and
got red in the face trying, size could not
utter sound. Her vocal muscles had be-
come atrophied from long disuse and re-
fused to work.
When Miss Guilford found that she
could not speak, she sent to Bangor for a
physician and took to her bed. The doc
tor gave no hope of recovery of speech,
but suggested that she be sent to Bos-
ton hospital for treatment As soon as
Miss Guilford gets strong enough to take
the journey she will make another effort
to regain her speech. Her father left
her good sum of money at his death,
which has been growing every year in a
savings bank, so that she is we'll able to
obtain the treatment she requires.
Although Miss Guilford never could be
induced to talk, she did not avoid society
and always attended the village dances
and parties. She would join in the gem
eral 1nerriment, and WAS never sensitive
over any illusions made concerning her
strange vow. None of the young men of
the village would ever think of asking
her question, and when her company
was desired in dance by any young man
he would simply walk up to her and lead
her on the floor, and she was always quite
favorite with the beaux
The only time she has been known to
show any indignation about her pecu-
liarity happened about year ago, when
a formal invitation was sent to her to
participate in proceedings Of the village
debating society. After this Miss Gull
ford secluded herself for over month,
but after that she was again seen in So
cial circles.
When Miss Guilford's mother was dy-
ing there was great excitement in the
town. Many persons felt sure that when
the mother died the daughter would
speak; but they were disappointed. The
end came, and the daughter IS grief was
deep, but it was silent
There are cases like this in institu-
tions for the insane. Pretended deafness
is common. A refusal to speak is unu-
sual. A celebrated case is that of Rose
Barneat and her husband Ralph, who
| lived in Terre Haute. They were low
ing couple. Both disagreed over trifle
one night. "When you come to me with
an apology I shall speak to you," she
said. when come to you with an
apology you will be older than you are
| now" said he.
These people lived together for thirty
years. They never interchanged q word
| directly. Communications that they in
| tended for each other were sent through
an intermediary. A guest at dinner was
| likely to hear something like this:
"That was what Martha was saying
to my son the other day, and told him
| that she should go right ahead and do as
she had figured out, but she told my
daughter that it would cost S25. So 1
| give my son q check for the amount,
and she is satisfied now. Isn't she, my
Stiles, Phelps and Armstrong, clog
dancers, celebrated in their day, travelled
together for twenty years, during fifteen
of which Stiles and Armstrong never ex-
changed word. Phelps was the recipient
of all necessary communications between
the two, and his life was made miserable.