Chapter 2

Isabella Green was a young woman who was completely blind and deaf, and she was brought before a number of eminent surgeons to see if anything could be done for her. Her sad condition had been produced by violent pain in the head. The only method of communicating with her was by tapping her hand, which signified no, and squeezing it, which signified yes. The surgeons concluded that her case was incurable, and in reply to her earnest inquiries she received the unwelcome tap. She immediately burst into tears, in all the bitterness of anguish. "What!" said she, "shall I never see the light of day, or hear a human voice? Must I remain shut up in darkness and silence as long as I live?" A friend who was present took up a Bible and placed it to her breast. She put her hands on it, and asked "Is this the Bible?" Her hand was squeezed in reply. She immediately clasped it in her hands, and held it to her bosom, and exclaimed, "This is the only comfort I have left. I shall never be able to look upon its blessed pages, but I can think of the promises I have learned from it." And she then began to repeat some of the promises--"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain thee;" "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee;" "My grace is sufficient for thee," &c. She dried her tears, and became peacefully submissive to the will of God.

COROT AND HIS PUPIL.

Corot the Artist had a deaf and dumb pupil. The young fellow was employed in copying one of his master's beautiful pencil drawings, when he even tried to imitate a stain of glue which was on the paper. Corot, when he saw it, smiled, and said, or at least wrote, "Très bien, mon ami; mais quand vous serez devant la nature; vous ne verrez pas de taches." "(Very well, my friend; but when you are before nature you will not see any stains.)"

M. Jean Baptist Corot, the great French landscape painter, died February 23rd, 1875, aged 79.

DUMB FOR TWO YEARS.

Two years ago, says the _Auburn Advertizer_, George Scott, one of a gang of desperadoes in New York City, committed a robbery, for which he ought to have received ten years in prison. When he was arrested he feigned to be deaf and dumb. Upon his trial he made much of his infirmity, and the result was that he succeeded in escaping with a sentence of two years. Being transferred from Sing Sing to Auburn prison, he still kept up appearances, by means of which he escaped from doing heavy work, but was assigned to duty in shoe shop No. 1 as waiter, being supposed to be fit for no more valuable service. He was sharp, ready and intelligent, and generally well behaved, though hot tempered. Keeper Bacon, under whom he was placed, had him always under strict surveillance, but never was led to suspect by anything in his conduct that he was not deaf and dumb. Indeed, he says that he once saw Scott, who always went in the shop by the name of "Dummy," so roused up and maddened by something that had occurred, that he thought he would go crazy, yet he gave no sign that he was otherwise in respect to hearing and speaking than he seemed. About two months ago Dummy's time was up, and he was discharged. To give him a start in life again, keeper Bacon hired him to do some gardening. Principal keeper Gallup did the same thing. He worked in this way for two or three weeks. While at his work children would talk to him and play round him, yet he was always apparently oblivious to their presence. But Dummy had a tongue and could use it, and his hearing was as keen as anybody's. One day he fell in with a fellow convict who had just been discharged from prison, and they went off up the street together, talking gaily. Captain Russell, foreman in one of the departments of the prison shoe shop, who was in the street, overheard their conversation; and on another occasion it happened that one of the keepers met Dummy at Louis Schuch's and talked with him for a long time.

THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE.

A fact without precedent has just happened at the Sorbonne. A young deaf mute, M. Dusuzeau, underwent recently with success the examinations for the degree of "Bachelor of Science." This distinguished pupil has answered by writing all the questions which have been put to him. This success, unexpected a few years ago, greatly honours the Imperial Institution in Paris, and is due to the high standard which its learned director, M. Vaisse, maintains in the studies, and to the devotedness of the censor, M. Valade Reoni, head master of the instruction, and who has been the affectionate master of M. Dusuzeau.

M. Dusuzeau was married on the third of March last, at the church of St. Germain, l'Auxerrois, Paris, to Miss Matilda Freeman, daughter of James B. Freeman, Esq., of Philadelphia, in the presence of a distinguished circle of friends. Miss Freeman stayed in England some months in 1882, and is therefore well known to many of our deaf and dumb friends.

LIKE THE COPY.

Florence B----, a little girl in the Deaf and Dumb Institution at Derby, was painting in water colours during her leisure hours. She had been told to be very careful with the card she was painting, and do it exactly the same as the copy, and to these instructions she strictly adhered. When the card was finished she took it to the head master, who at once noticed a black spot painted on a bright flower. On being told she had spoilt the card with doing this, she replied "But it's like the copy," and at once produced it, when it was found that by some means an ink spot had got on the copy.

"DRUNKEN BILLY."

A poor deaf and dumb man, who might be said to be entirely friendless in the world until the Institution of the Deaf and Dumb was formed at Derby, was continually in trouble, owing to his intemperate habits. "Drunken Billy," as he was called by some, had however a tender place in his heart, and we frequently visited him at his lodgings and assisted him in various ways. After a time Billy was persuaded to sign the temperance pledge, and began to attend the lectures and services for the adult deaf and dumb. For a time all went well, but one hot summer day one of his fellow workmen, who ought to have known better, knowing that Billy had signed the temperance pledge, offered him a shilling if he would drink a glass of ale he held in his hand. The temptation was too strong for Billy to resist, and having taken one, it was not easy for him to resist a second, and in the end poor Billy got taken up by the police. The head master of the Institution at Derby appeared, by request, to interpret the evidence, and it transpired that Billy had been sent to prison in the same month, June, each year, for the seven previous years. The magistrates however expressed their reluctance at sending Billy to prison, and asked him, through the interpreter, if he would try and keep sober, and if he would again sign the pledge; this he promised to do, and the magistrates on the bench not only dismissed the case, but each became subscribers of one guinea annually to the Deaf and Dumb Institution. Billy, true to his promise kept sober, and again attended the services for the deaf and dumb, and when nearly 70 years of age gave a brief lecture of his "Life's Experiences" to the deaf and dumb, which caused considerable amusement, especially his remarks about Derby fifty years ago. Billy was always thankful for the help rendered him by the Institution, and frequently said "If he might have his way he would be glad to die and get to heaven where he could hear." Poor Billy's life was a hard one, for death took a good wife and four little ones during the first ten years of his wedded life, and one by one the whole of his relations passed away. Billy has now done with temptation, and recently passed away to the majority, his last remarks bearing testimony to the value of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb.

RAPID BICYCLE TRAVELLING.

Yesterday week a young man named Sydney Cornwall, of Coventry, started at six o'clock in the morning for Salisbury (a distance of 128 miles) on a bicycle. On the morning following his friends received a letter from him, posted at Taunton, stating that he had reached that place and had yet fourteen miles to go that evening; and a subsequent letter on Wednesday morning informed them that he had arrived at his destination at six o'clock on Tuesday evening, having stopped the previous night at a hostelry some miles beyond Taunton. This young man is deaf and dumb, and his enquiries for the right road must have cost him some considerable time. The driving wheel of his machine is only forty inches in diameter.--_Bicycle News._

HEROIC CONDUCT OF A DEAF AND DUMB GIRL.

On Tuesday last an inquest was held by Mr. Michael Fullam, Coroner, at Aughaward, near Ballinale in this County, on the body of a respectable middle class farmer named James Prunty. It appears the deceased, a feeble old man of 76 years of age, went into an out-house occupied by his own bull for the purpose of cleaning it out, and while in the act of doing so, the bull broke its chain and turned on him. By the interposition of providence, his daughter, a deaf mute, happened to come that way, and looked into the bull-house, her attention having been attracted by seeing the door lying open; and there, at the instant her eyes rested on the interior, she saw her aged father tossed high in the air above the bull's head; when he fell on the ground the bull gored him with his horns, pawed him with his feet, and raged with fury. The daring girl--the poor deaf mute--did not hesitate for an instant, but with most surprising presence of mind rushed to the rescue. She caught up the old man's stick which she saw on the floor as she entered, and seizing the bull by a copper ring in his nose, she thrashed him soundly on the head. The struggle was terrific--it was one of life and death, both for herself and the old man who now lay helpless at her feet. The bull did not tamely submit to his chastisement, but directed his assault on the lone girl; he tore her from her ankle to her armpit, struck her on the breast, and dashed her against the wall: but still she clung with a death grasp to his nose, and belaboured him with the stick, until she finally conquered and forced the infuriated animal to yield to her command. She then threw away the stick, and changing the ring into her right hand, raised the disabled old man from the ground and carried him on her left arm outside the door, forced back the bull, and closed the door in his face. Such heroic conduct as this has seldom been manifested by the bravest of men, but it is almost beyond credence that the deaf mute who was examined before the jury through an interpreter could have performed such an extraordinary feat. Yet so it was, and the jurors one and all were thoroughly satisfied with the clear and intelligible description of the most minute particulars of the occurrence exhibited by this most wonderful girl. It is sad to say that after all her exertions, the poor old man died in an hour after his release from the bull-house. The jury handed to the coroner the following memorandum at the close of the proceedings:--

"We cannot separate without putting on record our entire admiration of the heroic conduct of Bridget Prunty (an orphan and deaf mute), who, at the risk of her life, relieved her aged father, James Prunty, from the furious assault of his own bull, (from the effects of which he died yesterday), by catching him by a ring in his nose, and while holding him back, carried the old man on her left arm out of the house in which he was attacked: and we urgently recommend her to the notice of those benevolent gentlemen who appreciate and reward such an act of noble daring for the preservation of human life."

"Given at Aughaward, 22nd Jan., 1878, BARTHOLOMEW QUINN, Foreman." (For self and fellows), "M. FULLAM, Coroner."

_Longford Journal._

We are glad to say that on hearing of the bravery of this little deaf and dumb girl, Mr. Harman, M.P., at once sent £5, and many other friends also shewed their appreciation of the girl's conduct in a practical way.

The following touching lines were composed by a _Deaf_ friend after seeing the account in the "Longford Journal":--

THE BRAVE DEAF MUTE.

The tale of bravery I tell, Will your attention hold, Though not performed on battle field, Nor by a warrior bold.

An Irish girl, to whom the Lord Nor speech nor hearing gave, Tho' but a poor deaf mute was she, Her heart was stout and brave.

Deaf, dumb, yes, poor and motherless, Friendless and obscure; Only her father left to her, And he was old and poor.

A farmer he, and owned a bull, That in a shed was chained, For it was savage, but one day Its liberty obtained.

The poor old man was unaware The bull had broke its chain, Until the beast upon him turned Ere he the door could gain.

The dumb girl neared the open shed, As she the threshold crossed; Oh! dreadful sight, her father high By savage bull was tossed.

She could not hear if help was nigh, She could not call for aid; So quick to rescue him she ran, Too brave to feel afraid.

One hand she slipped within a ring, That through its nose was placed; And with her father's stick upraised, The angry bull she faced.

Oh! then ensued a struggle, fit To fill her heart with dread; While at her feet her father lay, To all appearance dead.

Long and fierce the battle raged Between the bull and maid; Nor would she yield, tho' by its horns Her side was open laid.

Blow after blow upon its head, With heavy stick she rained, Until the savage beast was cowed, And she the victory gained.

And then the stick away she threw, (But held on as before,) Her father with one arm she raised, And slowly neared the door.

Then back into the shed she forced The bull, and slammed the door, While in her aching, bleeding arms, Her father's form she bore.

But, sad to say, her father dear, Whom thus to save she tried, Had been so injured by the bull, In one short hour he died.

An orphan now, alone and poor, Homeless, and deaf and dumb; Oh, who will help some christian friends, To make for her a home?

If you who read these simple lines, With speech and hearing blest, And have it in your power to aid And comfort the distressed,

Oh! think of this brave-hearted girl, And help her in her need;-- With voice and pen on her behalf For timely help I plead.

A VICTORY.

Peter Sims, a deaf and dumb boy, was walking past a large shop one day in winter, when he saw a beautiful pair of skates in the window. He had often wished for skates that he might skate upon the ice, and when he saw these he desired to have them. He looked; no one was watching; he thought, "I can take these skates easily, and no one will know."

Before he had been sent to school this boy had been a very bad boy; he had often stolen little articles, but now he was learning about God, and he knew that God had said "Thou shalt not steal." As he stood looking at the skates this commandment came into his mind, and there was a struggle in his heart. His old bad nature said, "Take the skates;" his conscience answered, "No, for it is wrong to steal." At last he made the signs, "steal, bad, not" (he was seen, though he did not know it), and went on without taking them. He had gained a great victory over the temptation of the devil, and the next time he was so tempted the fight was not so severe, as sin had less power over him.

THE QUEEN AND THE DEAF AND DUMB.

Not far from Osborne House, Isle of Wight, there lives a poor man in a small cottage, who a few years ago had a deaf and dumb daughter, who used to do a great deal of knitting for the Queen. Her Majesty frequently visited this woman, and used to talk to her on her fingers. The deaf and dumb woman is now dead, and during her illness the Queen visited her and talked to her for her comfort. Her Majesty apologised that she could not now talk so fast as when she was young.

EXAMPLE.

Vauncey, a little deaf and dumb boy, was admitted to the Institution, at Derby, and night and morning he would watch with keen interest the other boys kneeling at the bed-side, and spelling on their fingers their prayers. In a few days the little boy learnt the alphabet, and the head master on going upstairs to look round, was surprised to see him kneeling reverently by his bed-side, eyes closed, and spelling on his fingers the alphabet right through. A strange prayer, the reader will think; but not so to our Heavenly Father, who doubtless would accept it as the poor boy's best offering.

THE CONVERTED MUTE.

During a revival of religion in one of the New England villages, a son of the clergyman returned home for a brief visit. The lad was a deaf mute, and had spent his first term in the Deaf and Dumb Institution, just then commencing its history. His parents having no knowledge of the language of signs, and the boy being an imperfect writer, it was almost impossible to interchange with him any but the most familiar ideas. He, therefore, heard nothing of the revival. But before he had been at home many days, he began to manifest signs of anxiety, and at length wrote with much labour upon his slate, "Father, what must I do to be saved?" His father wrote in reply, "My son, you must repent of sin, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ." "How must I do this?" asked the boy again upon his slate. His father explained to him as well as he could, but the poor untaught boy could not understand. He became more than ever distressed; would leave the house in the morning for some retired place, and would be seen no more until his father went in search of him. One evening, at sunset, he was found upon the top of the hay, under the roof of the barn, on his knees, his hands uplifted and praying to God in the signs of the mutes. The distress of the parents was so intense, that they sent for one of the teachers of the Asylum, and then for another; but it seemed that the boy could not be guided to the Saviour of sinners. One afternoon the father was on his way to fulfil an engagement in a neighbouring town, and as he drove leisurely over the hills, the poor inquiring and helpless son was continually in his thoughts. In the midst of his supplications his heart became calm, and his long distracted spirit was serene in the one thought that God was able to do his own work. The speechless boy at length began to tell how he loved his Saviour, and that he first found peace on the very afternoon when the spirit of his father on the mountains was calmed and supported by the thought that what God had promised he was able to perform.

"NOTHING BAD."

On entering the school room one morning, one of the little deaf and dumb girls quickly turned over her slate, and colouring in the face. The teacher asked, "What have you been doing?" The girl signed, in reply, "Nothing bad, sir." On turning over the slate we found the girl had written "Drunkenness clothes a man with rags."

A SAD CASE.

T---- L---- lived near Derby. Hers was a sad case--deaf, dumb, and so nearly blind that she had to be led about; moreover, she suffered from extreme weakness in the legs, and was delicate on the chest. Her father being dead, it was difficult for her to obtain the necessaries of life, and it was thought the workhouse must be her future home. The case was brought under the notice of the Committee of the Deaf and Dumb Institution at Derby, who decided not to let her go into the workhouse without trying what could be done for her. Accordingly she came under their care, and gradually became stronger; but the difficulties in the way of her education, owing to her sight, were not easily overcome, in fact she had to be taught as one perfectly deaf, dumb, and blind. She however made good progress, and is now a good tempered, hard working girl, actually earning her own living. She can wash and scour and knit and sew quite as well as many persons blessed with the senses of sight and hearing. She frequently attends the meetings for the adult deaf and dumb, and always has something interesting to say, especially on religious subjects.

A DEAF AND DUMB CLERGYMAN.

Among those who were ordained deacons on Trinity Sunday last year by the Bishop of Winchester was Mr. R. A. Pearce, who is deaf and dumb, and who is to devote himself specially to Missionary work among the deaf mutes in the diocese of Winchester. The Rev. C. M. Owen, Secretary to the Mission, believes that this is the first instance of a deaf and dumb man being ordained in the Church of England.--_Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette_.

The Rev. R. A. Pearce has had the honour of being presented to the Queen. Mr. Pearce has visited the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb at Derby.

A DEAF MUTE'S BEAUTIFUL ANSWER.

The Rev. R. Stewart says: "I knew of a gentleman who went to a Deaf and Dumb Asylum to make known to the inmates the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. He asked questions by means of writing them on a blackboard. One day he wrote the question, 'What does God do with the sins of the people who believe in Him?' One of the lads wrote below the question, 'All our sins were written in God's book, but Jesus came and drew His bleeding hand across the pages where the sins of the people were entered who believe in Him; thus covering over with His own blood the transgressions of His people.' Was this poor deaf and dumb lad right? Yes, indeed, for 'The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from _all_ sin.'"

"I MUST HELP."

The following little incident will show how interested the deaf and dumb are in trying to help Institutions struggling to obtain monetary support in order to admit the numerous cases pressing for admission. A number of the pupils from the Institution at Derby were present at a meeting, when the head master was advocating its claims for support. At the close of the meeting a deaf and dumb young man came up and said, "I have been very pleased with what I saw the children do, they will soon be very clever. I hope the people will all help you; other people helped me to get a good education, now _I must help_ others who are deaf and dumb to go to school. I will try and collect £5 for you." True to his promise he did collect £5, and sent it saying, "Next year I must try and collect £10." A little time since he called at the Institution with the handsome sum of £10, which he had collected in pence from 371 persons. Several other deaf mutes have shown their interest by collecting £1 to £3 from time to time.

CANON FARRAR WITH THE DEAF AND DUMB.