Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-06-16
BENEVOLENT BARoNET.
Deaf and Dumb Englishman Who
Spends Most Of His Time in
Charitable Work.

At the recent entertainment OF tn
St Saviour's Social club. all Of whose
members are deafmutes, the centra
figure was Sir Arthur Fairbairn, tn,
deaf and dumb baronet." as he Is
known all over England. says a Lon
don letter in the Detroit Free Press
Possessed Of an abundant fortune, Q
keen and cultivated intelligence. and
rare artistic tastes, Sir Arthur would
hardly have been deemed selfish man
had he devoted his means to getting
all the enjoyment possible out Of an
existence in which he is doomed to
play silent part. But his own az
Fiction has only stimulated him 10
devote his time and means to amel-
iorating the lot Of those who are SIM
ilarly stricken, and have in addition
the burden of poverty to contend with.
And that this work has brought hin,
happiness in far greater measure than
would have come to him had he SIM
ply used his wealth to minister to his
own pleasures no one who notes his
bright, animated countenance. his
sparkling eyes and, above all, his
CHEEKY smile. can doubt. In his phil
anthropic labor he is ably seconded
by his sister, Miss Constance Fair
BARN. who is also deaf and dumb.
To enumerate all the associations
for promoting the welfare of the deaf
with which Sir Arthur is connected
would require a long catalogue. The
various Offices he fills in them are no
sinecures. They entail vast amount
Of correspondence and much travelling.
Any invention, idea or suggestion
which promises increased educational
facilities or other advantages for those
who dwell in silence receives his
prompt attention and support IL good
for anything.
Though he cannot talk there are few
men in England who address" more
public meetings in various parts OF
the country, his audiences being like
himself all mutes. With his fingers
he can speak" as rapidly, and, judg-
ing by the effect on adopts in sAgn
language, quite as eloquently and per-
suasively as, many who have a wide
reputation for oratory. No important
meeting of the deaf is deemed complete
speech" from the baronet.
His home in Brighton reveals his
culture. Beautiful pic.
lures hang on the walls. The library
s well-stoclled with books. Many
ARE works of art and historic memen-
.oes adorn the various apartments.
Travel is one of his passions. He has
been all over Europe and has visited
he principal cities in the United
States. His collection of bric-a-brac
s largely the result of these perigriua-
ions. Some of the objects were dis
covered In slums in Paris, Christiania
,r New York. A lock Of the great
Napoleon's hair, finely framed and &C.
by three autograph docu- |
nents attesting its genuineness, was
Fought by Sir Arthur in a mean little |
,ack street in Paris for six louis. 1t |
tands near to an exquisite vase, n
lift from Emperor William l., who in
Iis old age Inundated the descendants
4 the man who wore that hair. This
uperb vase, with its artful Cupids up
Iolding a female form, was the kaiser's
resent to Sir Arthur's father, who
vas chairman Of the great Manchester
of 1856, and of the interna-
ional exhibition. ir London in 1862. |
mother large vase was the gift of the
bird Napoleon, as well as an exquisite
ca service, each piece marked with
he imperial cipher and crown.
Sir Arthur is now 81 years old. He
njoys vigorous health, which may be
ttributed to the fact that despite tho
reat amount Of hard work he does he
nds time to indulge his tastes as a
portsman with the rod and gun.
yelling is another form Of recreation
I which he is very fond.
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