The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-09-17
FRIEND OF DEAF MUTES.
Interesting "reminiscences OF the
Rev. Thomas GaIlaudet.

Rev. DR.. Thomas Gallaudets death
will cause mourning around the world,
saws the New York Times. Thousands
of deaf mutes are scattered who loved
the rector of St AIMS church, in New
York. for the work he had done for
them.
DR.. Gallaudet followed in the foot
! steps of his father for whom he was
named. Like his father, he married
deaf mute, and gave up his life for
| the help of the unfortunates. Father
! and son were called to the labor of
love through the affections of others.
I Each was a minister of the Protestant
| Episcopal church The elder Gallau-
Diet, when a young man in Hartford,
Conn, pitied a little girl, Alice Cogs-
well, the daughter of neighbor, who
had lost her power of speech and hear
ing through scarlet fever. He man
aged to communicate with her through
system of signals with the fingers.
1t was not long before he taught the
little girl to read.
Alice's father, finding that there
were many others similarly afflicted,
Interested wealthy men of Hartford IN
a school for deaf mutes. DR. Gallaudet
was sent abroad, where it was said
that the foreigners best understood the
sign language He returned with
, Laurent Clerc a pupil of Secard. ana
! the celebrated institution at Hartford,
the first in America, was founded.
Other schools sprang up all over the
country.
DR.. Gallaudet, the son, after being
graduated from Trinity college, ac-
cepted the position of instructor in
what is now the New York Institute
| For the instruction of the Deaf and
| Dumb. At the same time he was
studying for the ministry. Soon after
| his ordination a minister told him of
! a young girl dying with consumption.
! She was deaf and dumb and could not
read. as she had never been instructed.
| The young clergyman went to her and
in a little while was able to make her
understand the sign language. In that
way he gave to her the consultations
of religion. She died shortly after,
having signaled: 81 leave content and
sure of my welcome"
DR.. Gallaudet was a frequent visitor
to the bar of the Fifth Avenue hotel,
in New York, on Sunday afternoons.
1t has been the custom of the pro
prietors for years to give up this room
TO the afflicted on Sunday. One week
day he heard some one laughing at the
antics of dummy" in the bar. He
walked in. wearing his clerical garb.
He made Il few swift movements on
his fingers. and the man left the place
with him. He was never seen again
in the bar except on Sunday after
Moons.
81 have heard and read many pa
thetic stories" said Senator Hoar to a
! Washington Star man. but none of
] them ever awoke so much bad sympa-
thy as one which Professor Gallaudet
related. The professor had favorite
pupil. a little deaf mute boy, who was
exceptionally bright, Mr.. Gallandet
asked him If he knew the story of
George Washington and the cherry
tree. With his nimble fingers the little
one said he did. and then he proceeded
to repeat it. The noiseless gesticula-
tions continued until the boy had in
formed the professor OF the elder
Washington's discovery of the mutt
lated tree and his quest for the mutt
lator when Georges father asked
him who hacked his fayOrite tree. sig
nailed the yoloeless child. George put
his hatchet in his left hand
"'Stop, interrupted the professor.
Where do you Get Jour authority for
saying he took the Ratchet in his left
hand|
why responded the boy. who
knew nothing of speech, he needed his
right hand to tell his father that he cut
the tree"