Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-09-06
HASA WONDERFUL TONGUE


Miss Fannie W, Tunlson OF sag Ha
Dor, L. l., is probably the most wonde
full cripple in the world Since tn dal
of her birth her hands, feet, legs, anc
arms.have been paralyzed, but, be rs
OF most ambitious nature and entirely
unwilling That she should be 'nly
useless burden to those aroup h II
she has by the most untiring and pa rs
taking efforts trained her ton ne 20
perform the duties usually accomplished
with the hands. Her case, according
10 the best medical authoriti 8, is with
out parallel in the world, and to
those who havs seen this young lady at
work it hardly seems possible that she
could do all that she claims.
Miss Tunison, who is about thirty
years old, is in Nd way de'ormsd; in
in fact, she is very good-looking
young lady, bright and intelligent and
an excellent conversati nalist. She
lives with her father and two cousins
in little fsherman's cottage, which
was built by her grandfather, seafar-
ing man and soldier Of the war OF
1912.
Every morning Miss Tunison, who
is an early riser, is lifte by her father
into her invalid's chat /, which has a
cleyerly constructed work table at
tached to it. In this chair she remains
throughout the da-, heldlu by strong
band, which ais up,,orts her body,
which is entirely powerless. In the
winter her char is placed by the front
window, 50 that she can see the people
passing along the sidewalk, while in
summer she is wheeled out OF doors
and taken around the village. Every
one in the place knows the young and
cheerful invalid.
From the time she is lifted into her |
chair in the morning until she retires |
at night she is never idle, as she is
in painting pretty bookmarks |
and blotters, embroidering doilies, mats
and tides, making attractive table |
GOV era, linen outline quilts or quilts of
craze, outline patchwork, All OF this
work is done with her tongue and /
u outh and without the slightest as
,istance, as she threads her needle, 4
Knots her thread and even uses pair
If scissors with her tongue. She will /
"a Ike needle out of her needle book By l
little lead weight which holds it
own AMI then places it standing upt
n her work. After the thread is
' ound of the regular length she cuts
off with her scissors, her tongue
axes up the thread and in some
TRANCE way il is passed through the
' ork, which she is holding, then
hrows the work over and holds it
Town by a weight and draws the
leedle through with her tongue. This
he will continue to do until her work
J done.
In dawing she uses wax crsyons or
oft lead pencils She is fond OF draw
ne flowers with cslored wax crayons
nd when it is taken into consideration
b at she has not the use of her hands
ut only Der tongue to do it With, she
rriyes at some striking results. La
ringing beads she is remarkably
exterous. She will place the needle
ter it is threaded upright in the
9th to hold it, and then with her
,ngue she will pick up some beads, "A
ne by one, and place them on the
eedle. When the needle is full she
i'll take it out of the cloth and let the | Of
Dads pass down on the thread and q
len put the needle in place again for al
ore. 10
She has metalaphone, on which "
10 loves to play occasionally to amuss a
,rself, and will often, when she has t,6
lends in tosee her, show them how IL
le uses il. She places the instrument 81
/ the table and, holding the mallet III
9r teeth, will manipulate it dexter. re
lsly with her tongue. ~ =,
Il "