The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-01-09
Daily Chit-Chat
ny Ruth Cameron.
AN EXPERIMENT
IN SYMPATHY.

A letter friend once asked me to
recommend TO my readers that every
one of them go about for a day with
his ears stuffed with cotton in order
that he might understand the suffer
ings of the deaf. and learn sympathy
and patience with them.
| must confess that the suggestion
then seemed TO border on the gro
tesque and-to my present shame
did not pass IL on.
To-day ! feel quite differently. You
see, ! have just passed through a per
iod OF temporary deafness caused by
violent cold, and the suggestion
looks decidedly less grotesaue. For,
though ! have had considerable con
tact with deaf people all my life and
have had good reason TO know mental
~ all that they have to bear. | never
knew II In my heart until today.
II seems to me that deafness is one
of those miseries which for some rea-
son do not arouse their fair share OF
compassion. Blindness strikes a spark
Of sympathy from the heart of flint
No one would laugh OF be annoyed at
the groupings of a blind man but IL Is
common To see both irritation and
Amusement displayed AZ the mistakes
Of the deaf. Indeed the misunder-
standings OF deaf people are consid-
cred perfectly good copy for the joke
smith Imagine the blind mans or
rors being treated in this way,
No Sympathy for Sea Sickness.
Queer. Is II not. how capricious we
are about our sympathies There are
certain illnesses for which IL is not
possible 10 get any sympathy except
perhaps from those who love us very
dearly. for instance or a
cold In the head. Yet what could
make one more thoroughly miserable
than seasiCkncss or more utterly
wretched and al odds with the world
than a good old fashioned cold in the
head
OF course. deafness IL less appalling.
less tragic than blindness. but IL is
just a. dreary aud perhaps more lone
some and wish we might cultivate
more sympathy and understanding sor
the deaf The suggested experiment.
though no one would ever try II. would
help us much Nv enforced expert.
ment taught me that a great deal Of
the sense Of confusion and OF eft-out.
ness that the semi-deaf suffer could
be avoided Don't try 10 speak TO a
deaf person from another room. Get
I y.
by speaking his name Face him 90
hat he can see your lips Even nor
NAL people hear with their eyes more
than they realize. Place the voice
low and speak clearly and slowly in
stead % shoutinR-it r. much more
efficient and less dissEreeable
Please Read and Apply This.
One word more An ear doctor tells
mo that deafness can usually be pre-
vented " attended TO AZ tho begin.
ming 81 the trouble and that n can sci
dom b. cured once neglected. One OF
the most pathetic sights ] know Is a
Rirl 81 twelve Who will probably be
deaf for life because her parents well
On tool didn't have her ears attended
t0 at the fret symptom Of trouble
There are free dispensaries and doe.
tors who viii do charity work for
those who cannot afford 10 paw IL
you don't know where 70 20 ask your
minister 10 end q way for you DO
something a. tho very hrst aymptnm
.of earache 10 forerunuer Of trouble
not 20 b. merely soothed and forsot.
tenl. or deafness Don't LEI this mis-.
cradle. lonesome dreary and almost
alwaya unnecessary affection sadden
your life or the life o. anyone who
belongs 10 you