ANECDOTES & INCIDENTS

 OF THE

 DEAF AND DUMB. 

 W. R. ROE, M. C. T. D. & D. , Head Master Midland Deaf and Dumb Institution, Derby, Author Of "Alice Gray: a True Story;" &c. 

 DERBY: FRANCIS CARTER, IRON GATE. 

 1886. 

PREFACE. 

The Deaf and Dumb cannot help themselves as others can. From the cradlethey are cut off from their fellow creatures. They can only cry, likethe dumb brute, to make their pains and wishes known. God only can knowthe bitterness of heart, the desolation of the deaf and dumb child ofthe poor, as it grows up in a world without speech or sound--a lifelongsilence! A mother's smile it may understand, but her soothing voicenever comforts or delights it. While others grow in love, and life, andintelligence, its heart is chilled and its mind enfeebled. Only undersuitable instruction, given at an early age, can the deaf mute becomeanything but a burden to others and to himself. 

The anecdotes in the following pages will doubtless be read withconsiderable curiosity, and it is hoped that the Midland Institution forthe Deaf and Dumb at Derby will receive some pecuniary assistance by thepublication of this little book. 

There are 1119 Deaf and Dumb in the Institution's district, whichcomprises six of the Midland Counties. 

The Institution is supported by voluntary contributions. 

 W. R. R. 

 _Midland Deaf and Dumb Institution, Friar Gate, Derby. _

 ANECDOTES

 OF THE

 DEAF AND DUMB. 

[Illustration]

ASK A BLESSING. 

A little boy was admitted as a pupil into the Institution for the Deafand Dumb at Derby. Previous to his admission he had given his parentsand friends a great deal of trouble, and fears were entertained that hewould be none the less troublesome to those in charge of him at theInstitution. Happily however, owing to the firmness and kindness of histeachers, he very soon yielded to the rules and became a good, obedientboy. At length the time came for the vacation, and, amongst others, thislittle fellow went home for his holiday. The dinner hour arrived, andsitting down with his parents, he looked up at his father and put hishands together. He wanted his father to ask a blessing. The father madethe boy understand he did not know what to say, then the poor littlefellow began to cry. At last he thought of a plan, he would ask theblessing himself; and so he spelt on his fingers the blessing he hadlearnt at the Institution, and got his friends to spell on their fingersafter him letter by letter and word by word, and thus overcame thedifficulty in which he was placed. 

DEAF AND DUMB CLERGYMEN. 

In America there are four deaf and dumb clergymen working in connectionwith the Church Missions to the Deaf and Dumb. There are also inconnection with the same mission eight lay readers, all of whom are deafand dumb. --_Deaf Mute World. _

HOW TO SAVE THE RATES. 

In a vast majority of cases where the deaf and dumb are allowed to growup uneducated and uncared for they become inmates of Workhouses orLunatic Asylums. Many years ago L---- K---- was taken from a workhousein Derbyshire where he had been for a number of years, and educated andapprenticed to a suitable trade; he is now a steady, industrious man, married, and himself a _ratepayer_. This is only one of many similarinstances that have come within our experience. In some other cases theyare struggling to support widowed mothers and sisters. 

FATAL ACCIDENT TO A DEAF AND DUMB BRIDE ON THE DAY OF MARRIAGE. 

The following is taken from the _Manchester Mercury and Harrop's GeneralAdvertiser_, June 10, 1800:--"On the 12th ult. , in the Island ofAnglesea, Mr. Henry Ceclar, a gentleman well known for his pedestrianfeats, to Miss Lucy Pencoch (the rich heiress of the late Mr. JohnHughes, Bawgyddanhall), a lady of much beauty, but entirely deaf anddumb. This circumstance drew together an amazing concourse of people towitness the ceremony, which, on the bride's part, was literallyperformed by proxy. A splendid entertainment was given on the occasionby the bridegroom; but a dreadful catastrophe closed the scene, for thebride, in coming down stairs, made a false step, and fell with so muchviolence against a chair that she immediately expired. "

M. BERTHIER. 

This gentleman, who is now senior professor in the Paris Institution forthe Deaf and Dumb, is described as a man of rare merit, probablysuperior in literary abilities and acquirements to any other deaf mutefrom birth that any country can produce. He is the author of severalworks that would do credit to a well-educated man whose knowledge oflanguage had been acquired through the ear. On a recent occasion of apublic exercise at the Institution he was decorated by the President ofthe Republic with the Cross of the Legion of Honour, the first time sucha distinction had ever been conferred on a deaf and dumb person. 

"HIS RIGHT NAME. "

In a letter received by the head master at the Deaf and Dumb Institutionat Derby, a lady writes about a little boy she had assisted in obtainingadmission into the Institution, and said that "During the little time(18 months) that William has been in the Institution he has improvedwonderfully. " She writes--"You know he used to be so wild, dirty, andcareless; he was always interfering with everybody, in fact he went inthe village by the name of Troublesome Dummy. All is changed; he is anice clean, well behaved boy, and people are beginning to call him byhis right name, William. We shall never forget what you have done forhim. "

[Illustration]

AN INGENIOUS BOY. 

We were lately shown a curiosity in the shape of a sewing machineentirely of wood. It was whittled out of ordinary pine with an ordinaryjack-knife by an ordinary boy--no, not an ordinary boy; it was thehandiwork of a deaf and dumb boy who resides at Massachusetts. A machinewas left at the house of the boy by an agent, and the lad, withconsiderable ingenuity, made a counterpart of the machine, and did itwholly with a jack-knife. 

"MIGHTY PROUD. "

At a meeting held in a country village in aid of the Deaf and DumbInstitution, Derby, a number of the pupils were present on the platform. One of the speakers called attention to a bright looking little fellow, and asked the audience if they knew him? and amidst general laughterspoke of the boy's earlier years, how he had seen him running aboutbarefooted and dirty, playing with the worst boys in the streets; butnow completely changed in his habits and character. He went on to relatea little incident he had himself observed a few weeks previous, when theboy was home from the Institution for his holiday. The little deaf anddumb boy was coming along the road, looking clean and bright, andcarrying a book in his hand, when four of his old gutter companions, allin dirt, and who ought to have been at school, saw him, and one of themshouted out, "Hello, here's owd dummy comin;" and all four went to meethim, and tried to make friends with him, but he thought they werescarcely clean enough for his company, and quietly passed on his waytowards home. The boys were surprised, and stared at each other for sometime; at last one of them said, "Oh, ain't he got mighty proud?"

[Illustration]

A DEAF AND DUMB SCULPTOR AT BRUSSELS. 

A deaf and dumb sculptor named Van Louy de Canter has recently obtainedtwo prizes, one a silver medal with a ribbon of Belgian colours, and asecond class award for his best work in marble; the other a bronzemedal; he has also an honourable certificate from the Belgian Exhibitionof 1880. It is encouraging to hear of his success, and to know that fromhis devotion to the art, he will persevere in the right way to be acredit to his country and to his numerous friends among the deaf anddumb. 

MONOGRAPH of the COLLEONBOLA & THYSANURA. 

BY SIR JOHN LUBBOCK, BART, M. P. , &C. 

This work is one of the many magnificent contributions to the literatureof natural history issued by the Royal Society. It treats of curiousanimals which the author considers as more nearly allied to the Insectathan to the Crustacea or Arachnidæ. It is magnificently illustrated with78 plates (31 being coloured), and the whole of the illustrations wereexecuted by a painstaking deaf and dumb artist, Mr. Hollick. It willmark an era in the study of those neglected, but intensely curiousanimals, and we doubt not will repay both author, and artist, and theSociety for the labour bestowed upon it. --_Daily Paper. _

THE COUNTESS OF ORKNEY. 

[Illustration]

The following curious anecdote is related of Mary, Countess of Orkney. She was deaf and dumb, and was married in 1753, by signs. She lived withher husband, who was also her first cousin, at his seat, Rostellan, onthe harbour of Cork. Shortly after the birth of her first child, thenurse, with considerable astonishment, saw the mother cautiouslyapproach the cradle in which the infant was sleeping, evidently full ofsome deep design. The Countess having perfectly assured herself that thechild really slept, took a large stone, which she had concealed underher shawl, and to the horror of the nurse--who, like all persons of thelower order in her country, indeed in most countries, was fullyimpressed with an idea of the peculiar cunning and malignity of"dumbies"--raised it with an intent to fling it down vehemently. Beforethe nurse could interpose the Countess had flung the stone--not, however, as the servant had apprehended at the child, but on the floor, where of course it made a great noise. The child immediately awoke, andcried. The Countess, who had looked with maternal eagerness to theresult of her experiment, fell on her knees in a transport of joy. Shehad discovered that her child possessed the sense which was wanting inherself. 

[Illustration]

EPITAPH. 

In St. Modwen's Churchyard at Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, thefollowing inscription has been copied from the tombstone of a deaf anddumb man:--

 This Stone Was raised by Subscription To the Memory of THOMAS STOKES, An eccentric and much-respected deaf and dumb man, Better known by the name of DUMB TOM, Who departed this life Feb. 25th, 1837, Aged 57 years. 

 "What man can pause, and charge the senseless dust With fraud, or subtlety, or aught unjust? How few can conscientiously declare Their acts have been as honourably fair? No gilded bait, no heart ensnaring meed, Could bribe poor Stokes to one dishonest deed: Firm in attachment, to his friends most true-- Though deaf and dumb he was excell'd by few. Go ye, by nature formed, without defect, And copy Tom, and gain as much respect. "

A HAPPY DEATH BED. 

Not long ago there died in the county Wexford, in Ireland, a deaf anddumb shoemaker named Henry Plunkett. He had for many years been a trueand sincere christian, and therefore when he came to die he was notafraid, but rejoiced at the thought of meeting his Saviour. During thelast few hours of his life on earth he suffered much pain; but he wasquite sensible, and made signs that if the house was piled up with goldhe would not take it all and live, for, he said, pointing his handupwards, "I wish to go up. " To the woman who attended him he signed, "Donot fret, not never; I am going to Jesus. " "The contrast between thewhite face--white as marble--and the long jet black hair and beard isstriking, " wrote the clergyman who sent this account, shortly after hisdeath. But beautiful as he looked in death, he looks far more beautifulin heaven, where he now is, clothed in the white robe of Christ'srighteousness, which he has provided for all who truly love and servehim. 

THE COMING MAYORALTY. 

The state coach for the Lord Mayor elect will be furnished by Mr. J. Offord, of Wells Street and Brook Street, who has also supplied thechariot for Mr. Sheriff Johnson. The coach for the new Lord Mayor isquite in harmony with modern ideas and taste. The side windows, insteadof being rounded off in the corners as formerly, are cut nearly square, to follow the outlines of the body. This novelty renders the body of thecarriage much lighter than usual, and more elegant in appearance. Another 'innovation' is the painting. It has hitherto been usual topaint the under part of the carriage white or drab, relieved by the samecolour as the body, but in the present case the whole vehicle has beenpainted a dark green, the family colour of the Lord Mayor elect, relieved by large lines of gold upon the body, and gold and red upon theunder carriage. The natural elegance of this arrangement of colouring isheightened by the beautiful heraldic paintings of the City arms andthose of the Fishmongers' and Spectacle Makers' Companies, of which Mr. Alderman Lusk is a member. These have been executed by Mr. D. T. Baker, the celebrated deaf and dumb artist. --_The Times_, 1883. 

THE DEAF AND DUMB IN TEXAS. 

Deaf and Dumb men have a poor chance in Texas. One of them went to afarmhouse, and, when asked what he wanted, put his hand in his pocket toget a pencil, and he was at once shot down by the farmer, who thoughthis visitor was feeling for a pistol. 

THE INDIANS AND DEAF AND DUMB. 

[Illustration]

We are quite sure the Indians were delighted by the reception tenderedthem by the children of the public schools and the inmates of theInstitutions for the Blind and Deaf and Dumb last Friday, in the Academyof Music, but their happiness was made complete, on Sunday evening, atthe La Pierre house, by a visit which they received from six of thepupils, all girls, of the Deaf and Dumb Institute, accompanied by thePrincipal, Mr. Foster, and one of the teachers. On their arrival at thehotel they were received by Mr. Welsh, the humane commissioner, andshown into a well furnished private parlour, when they were introduced, one by one, to General Smith and his Indians, whose faces plainly showedthe delight which their hearts felt. They at once singled out the twogirls who had taken part in the reception at the Academy, and bestowedupon them special marks of friendship. 

Tea being announced in a few minutes, the whole party proceeded to thedining room, where they were seated at well spread tables, three Indiansand one mute at each. Here the striking similarity between the signsused by the Indians of the West and our deaf mutes was plainlyobservable in the spirited conversation which ensued. The merry laughterwhich broke forth from these usually quiet stolid men was sufficient tomark their keen appreciation of what was said. One old chief, slightlyconfused, sought to excuse his awkwardness with the knife and fork toone of the young ladies, by stating that at home he never used them, but ate with his fingers. They exchanged signs for butter, coffee, milk, meat, bread, salt, sugar, knife, fork, &c. , which were remarkablysimilar. 

After tea the whole party assembled in the parlour, and then began ascene indescribable. The Indians, wild with delight, talked away to themutes, who, equally happy, seemed to catch and understand everythingthey said. They described their homes, their hunting expeditions, theirwives and children; how they lived and how they buried their dead. Oneof them gave a very graphic account of the great snowstorms whichfrequently occur among the mountains. One told about the wars he hadengaged in, and the number of scalps he had taken, and then asked theteacher if he had ever killed a man, and on receiving a reply in thenegative, seemed quite disgusted. Another, a great rider, said that withthem the horses had plenty of grass to eat, and were fat, but here, inthe city, they had none, and were consequently very poor. Another oldchief, a very fine looking man, stated that he had a large family ofchildren at home, and then asked the smallest of the girls if shewouldn't go home with him, promising to bring her back as soon as shehad taught his little boys and girls how to make signs like the mutes. 

These wild men seemed thoroughly at home in the presence of thechildren, their habitual restlessness and reserve disappeared; they hadmet for once white persons with whom they could converse without thetedious process of interpreting, and the conversation, as Mr. Welshexpressed it, went directly to their hearts. In parting with their youngvisitors, the Indians freely expressed the pleasure which their visithad afforded them, then sorrow at the separation, and promised to relateall that had occurred to their friends and kindred in the West. 

When it is remembered that all this and much more took place between adelegation of wild Indians and six mute girls attending the Institutionin our city, it certainly will be considered remarkable, and probablynever before in the history of civilization has such a meeting occurred. As a means of communication with the wild tribes roaming over ourwestern plains, the capacity of the sign-language of mutes can hardly beover estimated, and a few well-trained mute missionaries could, withoutdoubt, be made the instruments for accomplishing much good among thisdown-trodden despised race. --_New York Herald. _

[Illustration]

EXHIBITION, 1851. 

At the great Exhibition in 1851 there was exhibited a set of oak tablesand cabinet of Stanton oak, combined with glass and ormolu, etc. , madeand carved by three deaf and dumb persons; the castings by Marsh, ofDudley. 

A MATE FOR LAURA BRIDGMAN. 

[Illustration]

Hetty Hutson lives in the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a girlseventeen years old, who has been deaf and dumb and blind from birth. She is active in her nature, and has a remarkably intelligent mind. Through the one medium of gestures, as perceived by the touch, sheunderstands wonderfully well, and in turn makes herself understood. Shewill wipe dishes and put them away with scrupulous care and exactness;will go down the cellar alone at her mother's bidding and get apples;then, running up with astonishing rapidity, will give them to anyone sheis bid, and put her own into her pocket. At a motion from her father shewill go upstairs and get his best hat, deciding by touching hisbroadcloth suit which hat he wants. She knits and sews in a verycreditable style, and manifests a desire to learn to do other kinds ofwork. She is neat and orderly in her habits, and ever acts in a ladylikemanner, while in disposition she is cheerful as a sunbeam, and asplayful as a kitten. For about one year, at irregular intervals, a youngminister of the name of J. B. Howell, devoted one hour each week to herinstruction, and she made some advancement, novel as his method was; butin June last he went to Brazil as a missionary, since which time she hasbeen without instruction until recently. She is now receiving dailyinstruction by means of the manual alphabet. It is, however, to beregretted that her present teacher is an entire novice in the work shehas undertaken, but as she has large sympathy for her, and individualexperience as to the needs of her pupil, it seems safe to hope that shemay lay a substantial foundation, upon which some more accomplishedperson may build an education which will make this greatly afflictedbeing equal to Laura Bridgman, of world wide fame. 

A THOUGHT OF THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDERS. 

Among some of the islands of the South Sea the compound word for "hope"is beautifully expressive; it is "manaolona" or "swimmingthought"--"faith" floating and keeping its head aloft above water, whenall the waves and billows are going over it--a strikingly beautifuldefinition of "hope, " worthy to be set down along with the answer whicha deaf and dumb person wrote with his pencil, in reply to the question"What is your idea of forgiveness?" "It is the odour which flowers yieldwhen trampled on. "

DEAF, DUMB, BLIND, AND LAME. 

David Simons, of Boston, is deaf and dumb; he is also blind; likewise heis lame. Penniless he is, and houseless. Finally, he is black, which mayor may not be considered a misfortune. No, --finally he was run over by ateam and dreadfully bruised. Yet we suppose that John Simons stilldesires to live, for he consented to be carried to a hospital. --_DeafMute Advance. _

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. 

(From _The Graphic_, May, 1874. )

Messrs. Doulton and Co. , who have done so well with stoneware, dignifying the simplest material by giving even to the most ordinary andcheapest articles shapes of real beauty, exhibit in Room 9 a mostpraiseworthy set of examples (3719) of very remarkable art andcharacter, demonstrating principally possibilities of wall decoration. On the floor at the base of the division are some noble pieces ofgraphite stoneware contributed by Mr. Frank A. Butler, who is deaf anddumb. 

A YOUNG GENIUS. 

(From the Journal of the Society of Arts, May 1, 1874. )

Another artist who has made his mark on the ware by the originality ofhis forms is Frank A. Butler. He is quite deaf and almost dumb. He isone of many thus heavily afflicted who have passed through the school. He began his artistic life as a designer of stained glass, but hisinvention was not needed, nor, I dare say, discovered in the practice ofan art which is almost traditional. I introduced him to the new work, and in a few months he brought out many new thoughts from the silentseclusion of his mind. A bold originality of treatment, and the gift ofinvention, are characteristic of his work. He has struck out many newpaths. A certain massing together of floral forms, and ingenioustreatment of discs, dots, and interlacing lines indicate his hand. 

THE LITTLE DEMERARIAN. 

[Illustration]

A little coloured deaf and dumb girl in Demerara came to Mrs. H----'sschool, and wished to learn to read. It was thought impossible to teachher; the missionary's wife therefore shook her head, and made signs forher to go home. But she would take no denial; so Mrs. H---- sent toEngland for the "Deaf and Dumb Alphabet. " It was astonishing how quicklythe child was taught to read the New Testament, from which she learnedto know Jesus as her Saviour. One day she signed to her kind teacher, "Missie, me too happy. You would think when me walk out that there weretwo people in the road; but it is Jesus and me. He talk and me talk, andwe two so happy together. "

DRAUGHTS. 

Mr. James Wyllie (the Herd Laddie), the greatest living draught player, has been in Aberdeen for a whole week, playing in public against allcomers. He played altogether 98 games, of which he won 79, lost 3, and 6drawn. It is worthy of notice that three of the draws were secured byMr. Benjamin Price, a deaf mute, and a well known localplayer. --_Scotsman. _

THE UNWELCOME TAP. 

[Illustration]

Isabella Green was a young woman who was completely blind and deaf, andshe was brought before a number of eminent surgeons to see if anythingcould be done for her. Her sad condition had been produced by violentpain in the head. The only method of communicating with her was bytapping her hand, which signified no, and squeezing it, which signifiedyes. The surgeons concluded that her case was incurable, and in reply toher earnest inquiries she received the unwelcome tap. She immediatelyburst 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 Iremain shut up in darkness and silence as long as I live?" A friend whowas present took up a Bible and placed it to her breast. She put herhands on it, and asked "Is this the Bible?" Her hand was squeezed inreply. She immediately clasped it in her hands, and held it to herbosom, and exclaimed, "This is the only comfort I have left. I shallnever be able to look upon its blessed pages, but I can think of thepromises I have learned from it. " And she then began to repeat some ofthe 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 graceis sufficient for thee, " &c. She dried her tears, and became peacefullysubmissive to the will of God. 

COROT AND HIS PUPIL. 

Corot the Artist had a deaf and dumb pupil. The young fellow wasemployed in copying one of his master's beautiful pencil drawings, whenhe 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, monami; mais quand vous serez devant la nature; vous ne verrez pas detaches. " "(Very well, my friend; but when you are before nature you willnot see any stains. )"

M. Jean Baptist Corot, the great French landscape painter, died February23rd, 1875, aged 79. 

DUMB FOR TWO YEARS. 

Two years ago, says the _Auburn Advertizer_, George Scott, one of a gangof desperadoes in New York City, committed a robbery, for which he oughtto have received ten years in prison. When he was arrested he feigned tobe deaf and dumb. Upon his trial he made much of his infirmity, and theresult was that he succeeded in escaping with a sentence of two years. Being transferred from Sing Sing to Auburn prison, he still kept upappearances, by means of which he escaped from doing heavy work, but wasassigned to duty in shoe shop No. 1 as waiter, being supposed to be fitfor no more valuable service. He was sharp, ready and intelligent, andgenerally well behaved, though hot tempered. Keeper Bacon, under whomhe was placed, had him always under strict surveillance, but never wasled 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 bythe name of "Dummy, " so roused up and maddened by something that hadoccurred, that he thought he would go crazy, yet he gave no sign that hewas otherwise in respect to hearing and speaking than he seemed. Abouttwo months ago Dummy's time was up, and he was discharged. To give him astart in life again, keeper Bacon hired him to do some gardening. Principal keeper Gallup did the same thing. He worked in this way fortwo or three weeks. While at his work children would talk to him andplay round him, yet he was always apparently oblivious to theirpresence. But Dummy had a tongue and could use it, and his hearing wasas keen as anybody's. One day he fell in with a fellow convict who hadjust been discharged from prison, and they went off up the streettogether, talking gaily. Captain Russell, foreman in one of thedepartments of the prison shoe shop, who was in the street, overheardtheir conversation; and on another occasion it happened that one of thekeepers 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 deafmute, M. Dusuzeau, underwent recently with success the examinations forthe degree of "Bachelor of Science. " This distinguished pupil hasanswered by writing all the questions which have been put to him. Thissuccess, unexpected a few years ago, greatly honours the ImperialInstitution in Paris, and is due to the high standard which its learneddirector, M. Vaisse, maintains in the studies, and to the devotedness ofthe censor, M. Valade Reoni, head master of the instruction, and who hasbeen 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 JamesB. Freeman, Esq. , of Philadelphia, in the presence of a distinguishedcircle 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 beentold to be very careful with the card she was painting, and do itexactly the same as the copy, and to these instructions she strictlyadhered. When the card was finished she took it to the head master, whoat once noticed a black spot painted on a bright flower. On being toldshe had spoilt the card with doing this, she replied "But it's like thecopy, " and at once produced it, when it was found that by some means anink spot had got on the copy. 

"DRUNKEN BILLY. "

[Illustration]

A poor deaf and dumb man, who might be said to be entirely friendless inthe world until the Institution of the Deaf and Dumb was formed atDerby, was continually in trouble, owing to his intemperate habits. "Drunken Billy, " as he was called by some, had however a tender place inhis heart, and we frequently visited him at his lodgings and assistedhim in various ways. After a time Billy was persuaded to sign thetemperance pledge, and began to attend the lectures and services for theadult deaf and dumb. For a time all went well, but one hot summer dayone of his fellow workmen, who ought to have known better, knowing thatBilly had signed the temperance pledge, offered him a shilling if hewould drink a glass of ale he held in his hand. The temptation was toostrong for Billy to resist, and having taken one, it was not easy forhim to resist a second, and in the end poor Billy got taken up by thepolice. The head master of the Institution at Derby appeared, byrequest, to interpret the evidence, and it transpired that Billy hadbeen sent to prison in the same month, June, each year, for the sevenprevious years. The magistrates however expressed their reluctance atsending Billy to prison, and asked him, through the interpreter, if hewould try and keep sober, and if he would again sign the pledge; this hepromised to do, and the magistrates on the bench not only dismissed thecase, but each became subscribers of one guinea annually to the Deaf andDumb Institution. Billy, true to his promise kept sober, and againattended the services for the deaf and dumb, and when nearly 70 years ofage gave a brief lecture of his "Life's Experiences" to the deaf anddumb, which caused considerable amusement, especially his remarks aboutDerby fifty years ago. Billy was always thankful for the help renderedhim by the Institution, and frequently said "If he might have his way hewould be glad to die and get to heaven where he could hear. " PoorBilly's life was a hard one, for death took a good wife and four littleones during the first ten years of his wedded life, and one by one thewhole of his relations passed away. Billy has now done with temptation, and recently passed away to the majority, his last remarks bearingtestimony to the value of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. 

RAPID BICYCLE TRAVELLING. 

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

HEROIC CONDUCT OF A DEAF AND DUMB GIRL. 

[Illustration]

On Tuesday last an inquest was held by Mr. Michael Fullam, Coroner, atAughaward, near Ballinale in this County, on the body of a respectablemiddle class farmer named James Prunty. It appears the deceased, afeeble old man of 76 years of age, went into an out-house occupied byhis own bull for the purpose of cleaning it out, and while in the act ofdoing so, the bull broke its chain and turned on him. By theinterposition of providence, his daughter, a deaf mute, happened to comethat way, and looked into the bull-house, her attention having beenattracted by seeing the door lying open; and there, at the instant hereyes rested on the interior, she saw her aged father tossed high in theair above the bull's head; when he fell on the ground the bull gored himwith his horns, pawed him with his feet, and raged with fury. The daringgirl--the poor deaf mute--did not hesitate for an instant, but with mostsurprising presence of mind rushed to the rescue. She caught up the oldman's stick which she saw on the floor as she entered, and seizing thebull 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 forherself and the old man who now lay helpless at her feet. The bull didnot tamely submit to his chastisement, but directed his assault on thelone girl; he tore her from her ankle to her armpit, struck her on thebreast, and dashed her against the wall: but still she clung with adeath grasp to his nose, and belaboured him with the stick, until shefinally conquered and forced the infuriated animal to yield to hercommand. She then threw away the stick, and changing the ring into herright hand, raised the disabled old man from the ground and carried himon her left arm outside the door, forced back the bull, and closed thedoor in his face. Such heroic conduct as this has seldom been manifestedby the bravest of men, but it is almost beyond credence that the deafmute who was examined before the jury through an interpreter could haveperformed such an extraordinary feat. Yet so it was, and the jurors oneand all were thoroughly satisfied with the clear and intelligibledescription of the most minute particulars of the occurrence exhibitedby this most wonderful girl. It is sad to say that after all herexertions, the poor old man died in an hour after his release from thebull-house. The jury handed to the coroner the following memorandum atthe 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 deafand dumb girl, Mr. Harman, M. P. , at once sent £5, and many other friendsalso shewed their appreciation of the girl's conduct in a practical way. 

The following touching lines were composed by a _Deaf_ friend afterseeing 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 dayin winter, when he saw a beautiful pair of skates in the window. He hadoften wished for skates that he might skate upon the ice, and when hesaw these he desired to have them. He looked; no one was watching; hethought, "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; hehad often stolen little articles, but now he was learning about God, andhe knew that God had said "Thou shalt not steal. " As he stood looking atthe skates this commandment came into his mind, and there was a strugglein his heart. His old bad nature said, "Take the skates;" his conscienceanswered, "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 onwithout taking them. He had gained a great victory over the temptationof the devil, and the next time he was so tempted the fight was not sosevere, 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 asmall cottage, who a few years ago had a deaf and dumb daughter, whoused to do a great deal of knitting for the Queen. Her Majestyfrequently 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 Queenvisited her and talked to her for her comfort. Her Majesty apologisedthat 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, atDerby, and night and morning he would watch with keen interest the otherboys kneeling at the bed-side, and spelling on their fingers theirprayers. In a few days the little boy learnt the alphabet, and the headmaster on going upstairs to look round, was surprised to see himkneeling reverently by his bed-side, eyes closed, and spelling on hisfingers the alphabet right through. A strange prayer, the reader willthink; but not so to our Heavenly Father, who doubtless would accept itas the poor boy's best offering. 

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THE CONVERTED MUTE. 

During a revival of religion in one of the New England villages, a sonof the clergyman returned home for a brief visit. The lad was a deafmute, and had spent his first term in the Deaf and Dumb Institution, just then commencing its history. His parents having no knowledge of thelanguage of signs, and the boy being an imperfect writer, it was almostimpossible to interchange with him any but the most familiar ideas. He, therefore, heard nothing of the revival. But before he had been at homemany days, he began to manifest signs of anxiety, and at length wrotewith 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 believein the Lord Jesus Christ. " "How must I do this?" asked the boy againupon his slate. His father explained to him as well as he could, but thepoor untaught boy could not understand. He became more than everdistressed; 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. Oneevening, at sunset, he was found upon the top of the hay, under the roofof the barn, on his knees, his hands uplifted and praying to God in thesigns of the mutes. The distress of the parents was so intense, thatthey 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 ofsinners. One afternoon the father was on his way to fulfil an engagementin a neighbouring town, and as he drove leisurely over the hills, thepoor inquiring and helpless son was continually in his thoughts. In themidst of his supplications his heart became calm, and his longdistracted spirit was serene in the one thought that God was able to dohis own work. The speechless boy at length began to tell how he lovedhis Saviour, and that he first found peace on the very afternoon whenthe spirit of his father on the mountains was calmed and supported bythe 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 dumbgirls quickly turned over her slate, and colouring in the face. Theteacher asked, "What have you been doing?" The girl signed, in reply, "Nothing bad, sir. " On turning over the slate we found the girl hadwritten "Drunkenness clothes a man with rags. "

A SAD CASE. 

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T---- L---- lived near Derby. Hers was a sad case--deaf, dumb, and sonearly blind that she had to be led about; moreover, she suffered fromextreme weakness in the legs, and was delicate on the chest. Her fatherbeing 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 wasbrought under the notice of the Committee of the Deaf and DumbInstitution at Derby, who decided not to let her go into the workhousewithout trying what could be done for her. Accordingly she came undertheir care, and gradually became stronger; but the difficulties in theway of her education, owing to her sight, were not easily overcome, infact she had to be taught as one perfectly deaf, dumb, and blind. Shehowever made good progress, and is now a good tempered, hard workinggirl, actually earning her own living. She can wash and scour and knitand sew quite as well as many persons blessed with the senses of sightand hearing. She frequently attends the meetings for the adult deaf anddumb, and always has something interesting to say, especially onreligious subjects. 

A DEAF AND DUMB CLERGYMAN. 

Among those who were ordained deacons on Trinity Sunday last year by theBishop of Winchester was Mr. R. A. Pearce, who is deaf and dumb, and whois to devote himself specially to Missionary work among the deaf mutesin the diocese of Winchester. The Rev. C. M. Owen, Secretary to theMission, believes that this is the first instance of a deaf and dumb manbeing ordained in the Church of England. --_Irish EcclesiasticalGazette_. 

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

A DEAF MUTE'S BEAUTIFUL ANSWER. 

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

"I MUST HELP. "

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The following little incident will show how interested the deaf and dumbare in trying to help Institutions struggling to obtain monetary supportin order to admit the numerous cases pressing for admission. A number ofthe pupils from the Institution at Derby were present at a meeting, whenthe head master was advocating its claims for support. At the close ofthe meeting a deaf and dumb young man came up and said, "I have beenvery pleased with what I saw the children do, they will soon be veryclever. I hope the people will all help you; other people helped me toget a good education, now _I must help_ others who are deaf and dumb togo to school. I will try and collect £5 for you. " True to his promise hedid 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 handsomesum of £10, which he had collected in pence from 371 persons. Severalother deaf mutes have shown their interest by collecting £1 to £3 fromtime to time. 

CANON FARRAR WITH THE DEAF AND DUMB. 

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The _Washington Post_ gives an account of Canon Farrar's visit to thatcity. He was interviewed by one of their reporters as to what he thoughtof the place, and he replied that he was greatly pleased, but whatinterested him most was the Deaf Mute College. He was of opinion therewas nothing of its kind in the world. The Canon was conducted throughthe College by Dr. Gallaudet, the president, who explained to him thevarious arrangements, after which Mr. Olof Hanson, a Swede, who hasmastered English since the loss of his hearing, delivered orally thefollowing address:--Two and a half centuries ago the Pilgrim Fatherslaid the foundation of the nation. America may in a sense be called thechild of England--and a well-grown child, of which she need not beashamed. In visiting this country, therefore, you do not, we trust, feellike a stranger, but, as it were, among relatives and friends. Archdeacon Farrar is no stranger to us; his beautiful "Life of Christ"is a well-known volume in many a public and private American library, and there are few who have not read his noble eulogy on our departedhero, General Grant. As a friend then, we bid him welcome. Permit me nowto say a few words about the instruction of the deaf in this country. In1817 the first deaf mute school in America was founded at Hartford, Connecticut; there are now upwards of sixty schools for the deaf anddumb in the United States, and to day more than 7000 pupils receivinginstruction. The minds of the deaf are just like those of other people, and only need to be developed. Although the avenue of the ear isclosed, through the other senses information is imparted, and sight, being the most convenient, is chiefly made use of in instructing thedeaf; but to teach them persons of experience and intelligence arerequired, and to obtain such teachers money is necessary. Our Governmenthas wisely recognised this, and it accordingly makes liberal provisionfor educating the deaf, as well as the hearing, all our institutionsbeing supported mainly by the Government. It was long doubted that thedeaf could master the higher branches of study, and it has been reservedfor this college to see if they can. In this country we have the deaf asteachers, lawyers, chemists, artists, clergymen, editors, &c. Many takea most creditable rank among the hearing persons in their professions. Among the graduates of this college will be found some of the mostintelligent and best educated deaf mutes in the world. The college isthe only one of its kind in existence. Two young men from the old worldhave come all the way here to obtain an education which they could notget at home. They are cordially welcomed, and we hope many more willcome until the time arrives when they have a college of their own, wherethey may acquire the advantages of a high and liberal education. Mr. Francis Maginn, son of the Rev. C. A. Maginn, county Cork, was thenintroduced to Canon Farrar, and his address read by Dr. Gallaudet. "Asone of the two students from Europe just alluded to by my friend, I havethe pleasure of welcoming my distinguished countryman, ArchdeaconFarrar, to Washington. Having acquired the rudiments of my education inthe metropolis of Great Britain, where you from Sunday to Sunday expoundthe unsearchable riches of Christ, and being a native of Ireland, wheremy father ministers in the Church of Ireland, it is but natural I shouldexpress my deep gratification that you should have come amongst myAmerican brethren in affliction. I am sure, sir, that you have felt as Ihave done when coming to the great and prosperous United States, thatthe American people is one of which we may well be proud--a great andhighly civilised people, with whom we are connected by every tie ofblood, and every relation of business--they are a people who bear ourcivilisation, in many things improved, our language, literature, laws, and religion. In an educational point of view the nation is prominent, and her silent children have the advantages of spacious institutions, supported by her revenues. It is greatly to be regretted that ourbrethren in Great Britain enjoy none of these elaborate advantages ofintellectual culture. Whilst Mr. Foster's Act benefits thousands, andwhile $15, 000, 000 are annually voted for the masses, one third of themutes of right school age are being left uneducated. What that means, the English have no conception, or they would not be apathetic orunconcerned; no class when uneducated is more entirely cut off from allhuman intercourse than the deaf and dumb. " The Canon, in reply, expressed his thanks for the cordial reception given him, and concludedwith a short prayer, which was interpreted by Dr. Gallaudet, Presidentof the Deaf and Dumb College. 

DEAF AND DUMB SOLDIERS. 

During the Franco-German War, an army corps of 400 deaf and dumbFrances-Tireurs were led to battle against the Germans. --_ParisJournal. _

ROBERT S. LYONS. 

Robert S. Lyons went about Ireland last summer visiting the deaf anddumb, and talking to them about Jesus. He was then home for vacationfrom America, where he had gone to study, in order to fit himself to bea missionary to the deaf and dumb. We all hoped that he would haveentered on his duties as such this summer, and that many of his deafcountry men and women would have been helped by him on the way toheaven. But God has ordered it otherwise. He died at his father'sresidence, near Newtownstewart, after a long and painful illness, on theevening of Friday, the 5th of June last. 

Mr. Francis Maginn, who is also deaf and dumb, went with Robert Lyons toAmerica last autumn, and left his studies in the College that he mighttake care of him on the journey home, has written some reminiscences ofhis friend, of which the following is a part:--

 "It was my privilege to be his companion on his return to Washington, and to share the same rooms. He spent much time in Bible reading and prayer. He was attacked in February last with a serious illness, which he bore with wonderful patience. At one time his death was expected. We sat up one night watching for his last breath, but life was lengthened. 

 He seemed to improve for a while, and was able to go out for a drive in the President's carriage. Every comfort was his, supplied by the kind ladies of Dr. Gallaudet's family. Flowers, books, pictures; every delicacy possible constantly sent to tempt the appetite; but his strength scarcely increased. Prayers were daily offered on his behalf. Even a little girl prayed daily for him, and said, 'I know God will hear my prayers, and he will recover. ' But such was not the will of God. He was sent home, and given up to my care. The voyage was fine four days, when a gale arose which lasted five days, and tried his strength terribly. He seemed sinking, and said, 'I will not live to see my parents again. ' I said, 'You will, if you trust in God, and if it is His will. ' When we came to see lights of the Irish coast we felt joy and comfort. Arrived in Londonderry he had scarcely any strength to stand. When Newtownstewart was reached his relations and I knew each other by our troubled and anxious faces. "

His sister wrote that on the last two occasions that his mother talkedto him of his sufferings his reply each time was, "If we suffer with Him(Jesus), we shall reign with Him. " Again, he said he left himself in thehands of his Lord, to take him or leave him as He pleased. He breathedhis last in the arms of his brother John, on Friday, the 5th of June, at10. 30 p. M. The end was so peaceful that they could not tell when thelast breath was drawn. 

The funeral took place on Monday, the 8th, when the long procession ofvehicles, some forty or fifty in number, bore testimony to the love andrespect with which he was regarded in his own neighbourhood. Next afterthe chief mourners walked Samuel Carrigan and young M'Causland, two deafmutes who loved and honoured him. Many others would have been presentalso, had it been in their power, for Robert had the love and regard ofall the deaf and dumb who knew him. 

_Copy of a letter given to R. S. Lyons on leaving America, by Dr. Gallaudet, President of the College:--_

 National Deaf Mute College, Kendal Green, Near Washington. 

 MY DEAR ROBERT, --I want to give you more than a mere "good-bye" in words, as you take your leave of us. I want to tell you how much I have been pleased with your course here as a student, how gratified I have been to see your pleasantness in your work, and how thoroughly you have won my respect and esteem; and then want to add that your patience and cheerfulness under the heavy cross of extreme illness has made you seem a real hero. It is an added pleasure to think that this heroism is of that sort which those sons of men alone exhibit who are filled with the spirit of our good and glorious leader, Christ. I believe, dear Robert, that you have that spirit, truly and fully, and I am sure it will sustain you in all future work. As you go far away over the ocean to your home, to your loved ones, and to that work which God will give you to do, my prayers will follow you daily that God will give you health and strength to do His will, and, above all, that the "peace of God" which passeth knowledge may fill your soul. Wishing you every blessing that earth and heaven can bestow, --I am, yours in loving friendship, E. M. GALLAUDET. 

HELEN SILVIE. 

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Helen Silvie was a Scotch girl. She was born in the village of Dunblane, situated on the beautiful banks of the river Allan. 

She lost her hearing by fever when about five years of age, and twoyears after she was sent to the Edinburgh Institution for the Educationof the Deaf and Dumb. 

She was a very shy child, and would not speak any words after she becamedeaf, so she soon forgot how to do so, and when her education was begun, she was nearly like a child born deaf. 

For a time she was peevish and discontented; her mind was dark. But sosoon as she began to understand, it was as if light shone into her mind, and she became cheerful and happy like her companions. 

At first she did not seem very clever. But after two years she began toimprove fast, and soon was one of the best pupils in the Institution. She was very amiable and affectionate, and a great favourite with hercompanions. 

When she grew up she became an assistant in the school, she taught oneof the junior classes in the early part of the day, and instructed thegirls in sewing in the evenings. For some years she was thus usefullyemployed. But her brother wished her to go and live with him, and keephouse for him at Bannockburn, and she consented and left theInstitution. 

After a time Helen wished to return to the Institution. So she wrote aletter to a friend and asked her to find out if she would be allowed tobecome a teacher again. But the Superintendent of the Institution wasill, and no answer was sent to her letter. Then Helen thought she wouldgo herself to the Institution and see if they would employ her. It waswinter. She set out from Stirling in a steamer on the last day of theyear 1845, and arrived at Granton Pier at night. It was dark. Agentleman offered to conduct her up the pier, but he did not know theway. He should have turned to go towards the town, but he led herstraight on. They came to the edge of the pier, and in an instant bothwere plunged into the sea. They were soon picked up, and carried to thehotel. Helen soon seemed quite well, and she was sent on to theInstitution. She felt so happy at being again among her old friends thatshe did not soon go to bed. She thought herself much better than shewas. She caught a very bad cold. In a few days inflammation of the lungscame on. Her sufferings were very great, but, she bore them patiently;and on Sabbath morning, the 18th of January, 1846, her spirit took itsflight to her Saviour's bosom. 

Her pastor, who visited her on her death-bed, was much pleased to seehow fully she trusted in Jesus. He said of her after she died "I thinkof her as one of the spirits of the just made perfect. "

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A CAT ASSISTING A DEAF AND DUMB WOMAN. 

The chill wind was moaning, the rain falling drearily, and day darkeningrapidly, when a lady might have been seen walking along quickly throughEccles Street. She was thinking of home, with its bright warm fire, andhow soon she could get in out of the cold and wet. 

Suddenly she stopped, as a feeble cry arrested her footsteps, andlooking round, she perceived a cat crouched against some steps. Thestorm was beating on the poor harmless creature, and night coming on. 

The lady did not turn away and hurry on, as some selfish people wouldhave done, but pitied and called the poor cat. It looked so forlorn, andgave a frightened glance in her face. Gaining courage from what it sawthere, it trusted her, and jumped up, curled its tail over its back, andtrotted contentedly after her. The lady went on. When she looked backnow and then, there was pussy trotting steadily behind. 

Presently the lady knocked at a hall door, and when it was opened theypassed into a bright room, and pussy sat down to dry before a warm fire, where two other cats, sleek and well fed, kept her company. Well, ourpuss, whose name was "Gipsy, " very soon was lapping a saucer of warmmilk. After that she looked at the fire, and winked her eyes until shefell asleep. 

Sarah Darby, who is deaf and dumb, was at that time living in thishouse. Pussy became very fond of Sarah, and liked to sit in her lapbecause she was kind to it. Now Sarah did not think a cat could helpher, but she knew that God commands us to be kind to helpless creatures, and He always rewards us when we obey Him. 

You will wonder how a cat could help anyone, so I will tell you. Sometimes Sarah was alone in the house, and when a knock came to thehall door there was no one to tell her but puss, and puss did so. How?She jumped down off Sarah's lap, and looked up in her face every time aknock came, and after the door had been opened got on her lap again, andwaited for the next one. So this is how the cat helped the deaf and dumbwoman. 

THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY. 

At a meeting in aid of the deaf and dumb held in Dundee, at which LordPanmure presided, a number of deaf and dumb children were present andput through an examination. The question was put on the blackboard, "Whois the greatest living statesman of Great Britain?" One of the boysinstantly wrote, "The Earl of Shaftesbury. " The chairman patted the boyon the head, and asked, "Why do you think the Earl of Shaftesbury is thegreatest living statesman?" The boy answered, "Because he cares a greatdeal for the like of us deaf mutes. "

DEAF AND DUMB LADY'S IDEA OF MUSIC. 

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A lady who graduated from the Institution at New York some years ago, was questioned as to the capacity of the deaf to enjoy music; she wrote:"I think all deaf persons have an idea more or less vague of musicalsounds. It comes to all who cannot hear through the sense of touch. Thevibrations of the chords of a piano, when strongly played, aresufficient to produce real enjoyment by means of feeling to one who cantouch the case merely. The soft, tremulous notes, even convey animpression through the nerves, similar, I fancy, to that which othersobtain through the ear. But the real music for us comes through the eye. The rippling of waves, the tremulous vibration of leaf and blossom andtwig, all these sights make for us a harmony perhaps as perfect as themost finished orchestra. "

HALF A SCORE DEAF MUTES. 

On Tuesday evening last the Stamford Corn Exchange was crowded withpeople eager to see half a score little deaf mutes from the Institutionat Derby. The children--six boys and four girls--caused considerableamusement, and also pain to think they should be so afflicted. Theyoungsters can draw, read, and write in a way that is surprising, andsome of the faces were marked by unusual brightness andintelligence. --_Stamford Mercury_, Sep. 18th, 1884. 

A DUMB DOG. 

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A deaf and dumb lady living in a German city, had, as a companion, ayounger woman, who was also deaf and dumb. They lived in a small set ofrooms opening on the public corridor of the house. Somebody gave theelder lady a dog as a present. For some time, whenever anybody rang thebell at the door, the dog barked to call the attention of his mistress. The dog soon discovered, however, that neither the bell nor the barkingmade any impression on the women, and he took to the practice of merelypulling one of them by the dress with his teeth, in order to explainthat some one was at the door. Gradually the dog ceased to barkaltogether, and for more than seven years before his death he remainedas mute as his two companions. 

"CLEANSING FROM SIN. "

Matthew Jones, a poor deaf and dumb boy, once wrote the meaning of JesusChrist's blood washing away sin. Being asked if he was afraid God wouldpunish him for his sins, he wrote this answer, "No, for when God sees myname down in His book, and all the things I have done wrong, and allthat I have left undone, there will be a long account; but He won't beable to read it, because Jesus Christ's bleeding hand will have blottedall the account out, and He would see nothing on that page but theSaviour's blood, for I have asked Him to wash all my sins away. "

THE BIBLE AND THE DEAF AND DUMB. 

The following is taken from the British and Foreign Bible Society'sReport for 1885, being an extract from one of their agents in Belgiumnamed Gazan:--"For the last fourteen years Gazan has been in the habitof getting shaved by a barber who also keeps a drinking saloon. Thoughnot a member of a temperance society Gazan is an abstainer, and is nonethe less welcome, and he occasionally is able to sell to persons whofrequent the place. One day last year when the barber's shop was full, aman was there who had often prevented people buying, and when Gazan leftbegan to say all the harm he could of him. This he heard from thebarber's wife, who expressed great annoyance at it. Some time after ayoung man, deaf and dumb, called upon Gazan and gave him to understandhe wanted a Bible. With the aid of a pencil they carried on aconversation, in the course of which Gazan showed him several passagesmarked in the Bible. This was on a Sunday morning, and in the afternoonthe deaf and dumb young man came back to attend the service, for whichGazan lends his room; and he continued to come Sunday after Sunday, whenby signs and giving him passages to read he was interested in theservice. He was introduced to the deaf and dumb evangelist in Brussels, and having found work as a printer, is living there now, lodging at thehouse of M. Crispells, who holds the service at Louvain. On ChristmasDay he went to Louvain to see Gazan, and showed him a number of textswhich had been pointed out to him during his former visits, and showedremarkable familiarity with the Scriptures. This deaf and dumb young manis no other than the son of the man above referred to, who had spokenagainst him in the barber's shop. The conversion of his son has had aremarkable effect upon him; he is now quite a changed man, and does allhe can to assist Gazan and to induce people to buy his books. "

CORK TEMPERANCE EXHIBITION. 

The following were won by deaf mutes:--Both certificate and prize, E. Morgan, for painted album; A. Corkey, doll's dress; B. Henderson, same;J. Giveen, stitching; J. O'Sullivan, knitting; G. Seabury, laundry work. Also, prizes were won by J. Armstrong, handwriting; L. Corkey, texts inBible album; E. Phibbs, doll's suit; E. Gray, knitting. A Bible albummade by deaf mutes at Cork was much admired. Each page has a picturewith a great many texts written round it. 

GOOD INFLUENCE. 

[Illustration]

A few years since an aged man, who had long been a sincere and devotedchristian, was placed in the same ward in the Infirmary of N----with adeaf and dumb youth. The former received and enjoyed the visits of thechaplain, whilst the latter was considered inaccessible to instruction. An arrangement was at length made for the good old man to partake of thesacrament of the Lord's Supper, when he made, as it appeared to thechaplain and matron, the singular request that the young mute mightpartake of it with him. A secret was then divulged which had been knownonly to the two patients themselves. Having spent a long period of timetogether, the old man had improved the opportunity thus afforded toeffect intercourse with the youth by signs, and had been enabled, by theDivine blessing, to convey to him a knowledge of salvation through acrucified Redeemer. There appeared every reason to believe that thepoor fellow possessed an enlightened understanding and a renewed mind, and he was allowed to participate in the desired privilege. 

Shortly after this the old man died, and when the youth was madesensible of the event, his countenance brightened with joy; he waved hishand and pointed up to the sky to intimate that he was gone into heaven. After a time the mute followed his kind friend and instructor. When hefelt himself dying, he first put his fingers in his ears and took themout again, to show that his ears would be unstopped; he then put out histongue and pointed to heaven, to show that that would be unloosed. 

These facts were communicated to a friend by the matron of theInfirmary--herself an eminent christian, who has since died, and who didnot doubt that the youth had obtained a correct and experimentalknowledge of the gospel of salvation. 

A DEAF AND DUMB MAN IN THE REVISION COURT. 

On Thursday afternoon a singular scene was witnessed during theproceedings of the Revision Court, at Ashton-under-Lyne. A man namedJames Booth, of 3, Dog Dungeon, Hurst polling district, was objected toby the Conservatives, and Mr. Booth, their solicitor, announced that theman was deaf and dumb, but just able to utter a monosyllable now andthen. Mr. Chorlton, the Liberal solicitor: What can I do (laughter)? Mr. Booth first by writing asked what the man's name was, and then began totalk to him with his fingers, but being an indifferent chirologist hemade very poor progress. He had merely elicited that the man was theowner when Mr. Chorlton began to grow impatient, and inquired, Whydon't they both go to the Isle of Man for a week (laughter)? Nothingmore could be got out of the man except a "yes" or "no" after questionshad been patiently propounded by Mr. Booth in the dactyologic alphabet. At length the Barrister spied a rent book, and this was pounced upon andthe vote allowed very joyfully, to save further trouble. The dumb manthen spake, stuttering, and with great effort, I claim my expenses. Mr. Chorlton: He's got those words all right, at any rate (laughter. ) Mr. Booth: He can talk a little but hear nothing. Recourse was again had byMr. Booth to his digits, and he interpreted to the court that the manwas a hat body maker, and wanted 5s. 6d. The Barrister: I will allow 5s. The money was handed to the man, and he went away smiling. --_NewcastleJournal. _

JULIA BRACE. 

Julia Brace, a deaf, dumb, and blind woman, who died in August, 1884, inher seventy-eighth year, was well known all over America, at leastwherever attention has been paid to the education of deaf mutes. In theyear 1810, when about four years old, she lost her sight and hearingfrom malignant sickness. At that time there was no school for deafmutes. It was not until after she was turned nineteen years that sheentered school, and she remained there between twenty and twenty-fiveyears. During her long stay at the school her case always attractedparticularly interesting attention on the part of visitors. In many waysshe could render much service in the daily work of the Institution. Shecould even distinguish clothes belonging to different pupils, and wastherefore employed in sorting and putting them away. She had a good manycurious and amusing ways. For instance, when girl-pupils, dressing, tooktheir turns before the looking glass to comb up their hair, she alwaysinsisted on having her turn, and would stand there to comb hers like anyone else. But one thing was noticeable. She had a very clear notion ofher own rights, and would not allow any interference with them. Sometimes her idea of a personal right was rather out of a commoncourse, but she had no question about it, and probably could not see howany one should have. 

Her case is not to be compared with that of Laura Bridgman, whopossessed mental powers of a higher order. She had not got the benefitof early, assiduous, and special care that was given to the latter, andprobably she had a much less acute mental constitution at the outset ofher education. Her education began late, and at a time when very littlewas known of the proper way of education for a case like hers; and sheconsequently did not make much progress in language. However, it hasbeen found quite easy to communicate with her as to all the commonevents of her daily life. 

"AN AMUSING STORY. "

Here is an amusing story hailing from Munich. During the past year theprofessor of Aesthetics in the University, whose lectures areproverbially wearisome, delivered his lectures (as usual) to a scantyaudience. There were five students in all, who, week by week, melted andgrew "beautifully less, " until at last but one was left. This solitaryindividual, however, seemed to concentrate in his own person all thediligence, application, and punctuality of his frivolous fellows. At theconclusion of the last lecture of the course the professor approachedhim and praised him for these admirable qualities, and proceeded toinquire of him, "What is your name, my young friend?" No answer. "Whatcountry are you from?" Absolute silence. The matter was soon elucidated, for it was discovered that the patient and persevering disciple was apoor deaf mute, who had taken refuge from the severe cold of winter inthe warm lecture rooms of the University. 

[Illustration]

The following is extracted from "The Christian Leader":--At a Christmascompetition of blind readers which took place on Friday and Saturday, 21st and 22nd December, 1883, in the Mission Hall in Bath Street, Glasgow, was found a blind deaf mute among the blind hearingcompetitors. Educated when young in the Institution for the Deaf andDumb, he was able to do for himself until he lost his sight two or threeyears ago. He had then to make use of his fingers in reading as well asspeaking; and in spite of the formidable difficulties in the way of hislearning the embossed type, he made a most creditable appearance onSaturday and gained a special prize. The remark made by one of theexaminers when this man was reading will, we are sure, express thethought of all who peruse these lines--"How thankful to God we ought tobe for the use of our faculties, and especially for this preciousblessing of sight!" This blind deaf mute is Mr. Daniel Hunter Ardrossan, one of the members of the Ayrshire Deaf and Dumb Mission. 

A DEAF MUTE'S HEROISM. 

[Illustration]

About five o'clock on Sunday afternoon several gentlemen standing onVine Street Wharf witnessed an act which was highly commendable. ThomasHall, a lad of nine years, having strayed from his parents, was at playupon the wharf mentioned, when his foot slipped and he was precipitatedinto the strong tide of the Delaware. A deaf mute named Argus Cornish, an eccentric genius, who does odd jobs along the wharves, and who, anoutcast himself, seems to take pleasurable pride in protecting others, and has already saved several lives, although standing with his back tothe scene of accident, seemed, as his name implied, to have a hundredeyes. Without any hesitation he stripped off his coat and shoes, andplunging into the water, in a short time brought the boy safe to land. Argus' heroism should not be overlooked. --_American Paper. _

THE RIGHT HON. W. E. GLADSTONE AND THE DEAF AND DUMB. 

Mr. Gladstone, on being presented with the freedom of the WorshipfulCompany of Turners, gave an address from which the following is anabstract:--

I went a few days ago to examine the collection of works prepared atMessrs. Doulton's Pottery to be sent to the Exhibition at Philadelphia. Those works were delightful for the eye to behold. They were also highlysatisfactory on the distinct ground that the price of productionappeared to be so moderate; but, most of all were they delightful to me, because they were true products of the soil. There was a high faculty ofart as it seemed to me developed in the production of those works, andthat faculty of art had grown up in Lambeth. It was the Lambeth Schoolof Art from which Messrs. Doulton derived an abundant supply of workersto whom they could intrust the preparation of those admirable objects. Among the works I would mention one. It was a beautiful piece of workproduced by a youth who from his birth was both deaf and dumb. Now, consider what it is to be deaf and dumb; what a cutting off ofresources; what a stinting of the means of training and improvement; andthen consider, notwithstanding this, how it was through an inbornresolution in the centre of his being it was in the power of this lad tomake himself a producer of works that could command admiration on thescore of beauty, again showing how the energies, if rightly directed, can be forthcoming when required. 

A DEAF AND DUMB GIRL'S DREAM. 

(WRITTEN BY HERSELF. )

I had a dream on the 26th of January. I was going for rolls, and goingback I met Gracie, a friend of mine, and she and I spoke quite well--wewere not deaf and dumb. A poor boy, very ragged, carried a basket withsome coloured glasses and stones, very bright, and some curious musicalinstruments that I had never seen before. He walked behind us, and hecalled to Gracie, and she turned to him, and he said to her that hewanted her to buy many of them; that they were a penny each. We tookthem up and looked at them, and they were very curious. She chose abright red one for a brooch, and bought it for a penny. Then he said tome "Will you buy some?" But I did not want to be tempted to buy, and hetold me a great deal about its very beautiful sounds; that it was morebeautiful than all the others, and nothing could be more beautiful tohear in this world, and he showed me how to play on it, and we heardbeautiful sounds. So I changed my mind, and wanted it very much, becauseI could hear it. Then I saw a policeman come up to us because he heardthe beautiful music; and he laughed very much, and looked so very happy. I said to the poor boy, "Thank you very much for your showing me how toplay on it. " And he was very glad as he went away. Gracie went home, andI went home, carrying my glass organ with me. 

The above appears to us specially interesting; it is a curiouscircumstance that a deaf and dumb girl should seem to hear sound in hersleep. 

A DEAF AND DUMB COUNCILLOR. 

Kapotrine Moller, a Russian Councillor of State, son of General Moller, and nephew of the tutor to the Grand Dukes Nicholas and Michael, hasjust died at the age of eighty-three. He himself, his brother, andsister were all born deaf and dumb. He was educated in the Deaf and DumbInstitution in St. Petersburg, rapidly learnt to read, and showed suchability that he was first admitted into the Imperial Chancery andafterwards into the Council of State. 

DEAF AND DUMB BOY AND HIS MOTHER. 

Zachariah was a deaf and dumb boy, thirteen years of age, who was beingeducated in an Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, after an absence offour years he went home to see his mother. When he entered her house, incompany with his benefactor, she was sitting in a state of intoxication, which greatly affected him. He took his pencil, and thus attempted toshow her the evil and danger of such conduct, and gave her much goodadvice. After retiring with his friend, at whose house he went to lodge, his countenance became very sorrowful, and the tears trickled down hischeeks. His friend asked him the occasion of all this, when he wrote"that he was thinking if he got to heaven how sorry he should be not tofind his mother there. "

SPEED OF MANUAL SPELLING. 

[Illustration: The Manual Alphabet]

In reply to a question "What is the number of words a good hand speakercan make or say in one minute?" A deaf mute says, "Take the averagenumber of letters per word of the English language as five; this is thenumber decided upon by the Postal Telegraph department. The average ofthe Bible is about 4-1/8. "

A good hand speaker can go through the alphabet ten times in one minute. I have proved this by personally testing several deaf mutes. 

The pauses between words occupy the space of one letter each, so we mustdeduct one sixth of the whole thus:--

 Letters in alphabet 26 Number of times spelt 10 ___ Total letters per minute 260 Deduct about one sixth for pauses 45 ___ Average letters per minute 215÷5 --- Result 43 words per minute. 

PORTOBELLO SWIMMING CLUB. 

On the mornings of Wednesday and Thursday the deep-diving medal of thisclub was competed for by five members. The depth of water varied from 13to 18 feet. Mr. Robert Smith was very successful in recovering theplates from the bottom, bringing up six on the first and two on thesecond morning, with which number he secures first honours. The secondplace was taken by Mr. J. Wallace James. Mr. Smith, the medallist, isdeaf and dumb. --_Scotsman_, Aug. 29th. 

[Illustration]

"DEAR TAMMAS. "

A poor old deaf man resided in Fife; he was visited by his ministershortly after coming to his pulpit. The minister said he would oftencall and see him; but time went on, and he did not visit him again untiltwo years after, when, happening to go through the street where the deafman was living, he saw his wife at the door, and could therefore do noother than inquire for her husband. "Weel, Margaret, how is Tammas?""None the better o'you, " was the curt reply. "How, how, Margaret, "inquired the minister. "Oh, ye promised twa years syne tae ca' and prayonce a fortnight wi' him, and hae ne'er darkened the door sin' syne. ""Weel, weel, Margaret, don't be so short! I thought it was not so verynecessary to call and pray with Tammas, for he is so deaf ye ken hecanna hear me. " "But, sir, " said the woman, with a rising dignity ofmanner, "the Lord's no deaf!" And it is to be supposed the minister feltthe power of her reproach. 

ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY EXHIBITION FOR 1880. 

John S. Rennie Reid, a young Aberdeen lad, now resident in Edinburgh, who, though labouring under the great disability of being deaf and dumb, has for some years back been an enthusiastic art student, has succeededin procuring admission for three oil paintings, each of which gives goodindication of his deftness and skill in the delineation of nature, andthe ardour with which he has followed up his studies. "Hide and Seek"represents some children playing at that game in a hay field. "Largo, the Beach at Low Water" gives us a pretty coast scene, with figures onthe beach. "Baiting the Line" is a very effective study of a commonincident in fisher life. 

IN DERBY POLICE COURT. 

[Illustration: PUPIL AS TAKEN FROM THE POLICE COURT. ]

A few years since the Head Master of the Deaf and Dumb Institution atDerby was sent for, with a request that he would hasten to the policecourt to see what could be done with a little deaf and dumb boy. Thesketch is a faithful picture of the little fellow as he stood in thedock charged with stealing. The police, in giving their evidence, saidthat many complaints had been made of the boy's conduct. One ladycomplained of his illusing her dog, another a cat, and another killingher bird; others that he was always throwing stones or stealing, andthat he had actually tried to upset a railway train. It appeared thattwice previously the boy had been taken up by the police, but owing tohis tender age nothing could be done with him. The Mayor, addressing theHead Master of the Institution, said something must be done with theboy; unfortunately he was getting worse and worse; the case was a verysad one, the boy being deaf and dumb, but the public must be protected. The other magistrates present concurred with the Mayor's remarks, andafter consulting with Mr. Bailey, J. P. , Chairman of the Committee of theInstitution, who was on the bench at the time, the boy was sent directto the Institution, where food was given to him, after which hisphotograph was taken. The sketch given on the previous page is copiedfrom it. The boy settled down, but not without giving considerabletrouble; it was not to be expected that a boy, though so tender in yearsyet hardened in bad habits, should at once conform to the rules of theInstitution. The teachers were not, therefore, greatly surprised to findhim early one morning prowling in a quarter of the Institution to whichhe had no proper means of access. From time to time his teachers haddifficulties to contend with not easy to describe. There has, however, been a gradual improvement in the boy's life and character. The sketchgiven above is from a photograph taken when the boy had been in theInstitution one year. 

[Illustration: THE SAME PUPIL AFTER ONE YEAR'S TRAINING. ]

AN INTERVIEW WITH LAURA BRIDGMAN. 

[Illustration]

We presume most of our readers will have read of Laura Bridgman, who iswithout any perfect sense except that of touch. A correspondent of the"Christian Union" gives an interesting account of an afternoon spentwith her, from which we make the following abstract:--

If any one supposes that by reason of her deprivation she is queer orawkward in person or manners, he is altogether in error. There isnothing at all singular in her appearance. When I entered the parlour, amember of the family with whom she lives was playing on the piano, andclose behind her, on a low seat, there was a very slight, very erect, quiet, self-possessed looking person, who seemed to be listening to themusic, while her hands were busy over some crocheting or some similarwork. She would have been taken for a guest who was fashioning somepretty article whilst being entertained with music. The expression ofher face was bright and interested; and one watching her satisfied lookwould have been slow to believe that she did not hear. The green shadeover her eyes indicated that she was one of the blind. She had on abrown dress, a blue ribbon at the neck, a gold ring and chain, and awatch or locket in her belt--a neatly attired, genteel, lady-likeperson, looking about thirty-five (though her age is not far fromforty-four), with soft, brown hair, smooth and fine, a well shaped head, fair complexion, and handsome features. That was Laura. As soon as shelearned that she had a visitor who knew people in the town where hernearest kindred live, she came swiftly across the room, leaving her workon the centre table as she passed it, and grasped my hand, laughing withthe eagerness of a child. Then she sat down face to face with the ladywho has charge of her, and commenced an animated conversation, by themanual alphabet, easily understood by one who has practised it; but theslight-of-hand by which the fingers of the friendly hostess, manipulating on Laura's slender wrists, communicated with that livingconsciousness shut in there without one perfect sense except of tasteand touch, was something mysterious, inscrutable to my duller sense. Yetthat the communication was definite, quick, missive, so to speak, manifest enough, for Laura's face beamed, and she was all alert. Partlyby the letters and partly by signs she said a great deal to me. She"ought to be at home to be company for mother, " she said; and, once ortwice, she fashioned the word "Mamma" very distinctly with her lips. Sheasked if I knew a member of her family now dead, and said "that was along year after Carl died. " She seemed brimming over once with things totell me, and wanted me to know about her teaching some of the blindgirls to sew, which she takes great pride in, threading the needle, andmaking her pupils pick out their work if it is not done nicely. She is agood seamstress herself, does fancy work, and can run a sewing machine. Next, she caught hold of my hand and led me up two flights of stairs toher room to shew me her things; but the first movement was to take me tothe window, where she patted on the glass and signified that I shouldsee what a pleasant prospect there was from it. And there she, who hadnever seen or heard, waited by my side in great content while I lookedand listened. Yet her face was radiant, and she stood there as if sheboth saw and heard. I wish I could bring before all those who arediscontented with their lot, repining because God has withheld somethingfrom them or taken something away, the cheerful face of this lady, whohas so little, but who accepts it as though she had all, who has neverseen a human countenance or heard a human voice, who in the infiniteglory and beauty of this outward world has no part, shut in by herselfin that silent, dark, unchanging, awful loneliness. Next she showed mehow springy her bed was. Then she took off my shawl, and showed me allthe pretty things and conveniences she had in her room, opening everybox and drawer, and displaying the contents. Her jet chain she laidagainst her neck, her bows and collars and embroidered hand-kerchiefswere taken up one by one, and deftly replaced in their properreceptacles. Her writing materials, sewing implements, littlestatuettes, trinkets, large Bible--I had to see them all. Lastly shetook out a sheet of paper, pressed it down on a French writing-board, examined the point of the pencil, and wrote her autograph, "God is loveand truth. S. N. Bridgman. " And then from her needle-case and spool-boxproduced a cambric needle and fine cotton, and showed me how to thread aneedle, which was done by holding the eye against the tip of her tongue, the exquisite nicety of touch in it guiding her to pass the threadthrough. It was done in an instant, though it seemed impossible to do itat all, and then she presented me the threaded needle triumphantly, having secured it by slipping a knot. Going down to the parlour again, she told me how kind it was in Dr. Howe to fit her up such a prettyroom; and then I must go into the school room, whither she led me by thehand, and introduced me to several of her friends among the pupils, andwhen I took my departure she would have the teacher go with me to thedoor to tell me which car to take. 

A DEAF AND DUMB BOY'S DEVOTION. 

[Illustration]

Under the trees standing by the left bank of the Thames, and shelteredfrom its waters by a mound of earth, is an old but comfortableboathouse. A few roughly-hewn steps lead from the mound to the water'sedge, where some six or seven boats rock idly on the surface. Over thedoor of this tottering mansion hangs a wooden board, with the words"Timothy Gainsad" inscribed in large letters upon a black ground. A gushof light and warmth issuing from the door guides the weary traveller toa haven worthy of his choicest desires. Well can I remember the darkoutline of St. Paul's Cathedral, lifting its rounded dome in massivegrandeur to the skies, and the faint outline of the opposite bankshining dimly in the distance. I remember, when a lad of seven, a richand influential lady coming down from Yorkshire to spend the wintermonths in London. She brought with her a dumb boy attendant, whom shehad adopted and treated with the greatest kindness. One dark night shehired a boat, and rowed out upon the river. Scarcely was she lost in theriver mist ere the flood gates of heaven were opened, the rain came downin torrents, the waves dashed against our rude pier and threatened todislodge it, while now and then an occasional streak of lightning, accompanied by a clap of thunder, lit up the dark surface of the river. My friends had gone off in a boat in search of the lady, and I was alonein the room. Seated on a stool by the side of a blazing fire, I wasreading an interesting novel, when the door was violently pushed, andthe dumb attendant of the young lady rushed in, seized a life belt fromthe wall, and made for the door. I ran to intercept him; but guessing mypurpose, he raised the stool and brought it down with a crash upon myhead. I staggered back to the wall and fell, and he disappeared throughthe door. With a reeling head I tottered to the door, and looked outupon the river. "Great heavens!" I exclaimed, "he will be dashed topieces!" For there, revealed by a flash of lightning, was the dumb boy, standing on the rail of the bridge, preparing to plunge into the surgingwaters below. A short distance from the bridge was the boat occupied bythe terrified lady. It was fast sinking, and as he plunged from thebridge it sank. I saw him come to the surface, stunned and bleeding; Isaw him raise the life-belt in his hand, and throw it to his mistress. She caught it, and his face lit up with joy; then--he sank! His mistresswas saved, and some time after the dumb boy's lifeless body was washedto the shore, and laid in an honourable grave. Over it stands abeautiful angel of white marble, holding a scroll inscribed with thesewords:--"Here lies Gustavus Arisild, who died in the surging waters ofthe Thames to save his mistress. "

THE DEAF MUTE'S FAITH. 

One day a minister's servant brought a subscription book and laid it onhis study table, saying, "A dumb man brought it, sir. " On looking at thebook, a thought struck the minister that he should not let that dumbman out of his house without seeking his soul's good. He invited the manin, and after kneeling in prayer before the man, and putting asubscription into his hand, the following conversation took place inwriting. The minister wrote: "My dear friend, have you found the LordJesus Christ to be precious to your soul? Are you born again?" The dumbman answered, "Yes, I understand what is meant by 'born of the Spirit, 'it means a 'new creature' in Jesus. " The minister was not quitesatisfied with the answer, and therefore he asked, "When were you made a'new creature, ' and how?" He answered, "I was under the impression ofsin six years ago, but I prayed to God for Christ's sake to give me anew heart, and I felt joy and peace in my mind. I prayed O Lord, havemercy on me a poor sinner. I also read the Psalms of David. " In order tobring out distinctly whether he really arrived at scriptural peace, forhe feared that, after all, the dumb man's faith might turn out to beonly a vague and wavering confidence, the minister asked him again "IfGod were to call you away this night, would your sins be brought againstyou, and would you have to answer for them all?" He answered, "I trustin God for Christ's sake, because Jesus died for me. All those who trustin Jesus' precious blood are cleansed from all sin. He is mighty tosave. " The minister then asked, "Was it through the instruction you gotat the Deaf and Dumb Institution that these good impressions were madeupon your mind?" He answered, "My teacher used to teach the Bible to alldeaf and dumb pupils, but I did not feel any grace from God till I wasafraid to meet God for sins; then I looked to Christ by faith and gotpeace. " The minister then asked, "Will you write a sentence for me toread to poor sinners, from a dumb man that cannot speak?" He then wroteas follows--words which he meant to be used by the reader:--

 "O Lord, have mercy upon me a poor sinner!" "O Jesus, save me from death and hell!" "O Jesus, take me away to heaven and eternal bliss!" "O Jesus, take care of me every day!"

"Will you sign your name to all this?" then asked the minister. Heimmediately complied with the request. We only give the initials J----G----. 

DEAF, DUMB, AND BLIND. 

An examination of students who were deaf, dumb, and blind took place onWashington Heights. The principal, Dr. Isaac L. Peet, gave variousinteresting exhibitions of their skill and accomplishments. A blind, deaf, and dumb boy, about fourteen years old, who had had less than ayear's instruction, was given an order to count out twenty crayons andput them under a mat. The order was given by means of the sign language, transmitted by feeling the motion of the hands of the person whocommunicated with him. The order was correctly performed amid theapplause of the audience. A blind deaf mute also wrote several sentenceson a type-writer, and on another type-writer a deaf mute without handswrote by means of a stick inserted in his coat sleeve. 

ORDINATION OF DEAF MUTES IN PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. 

Nearly all the deaf mutes connected with the Protestant Episcopal Churchin this city assembled yesterday morning in the church of the Covenant, to witness the ordination into the priesthood of two deaf and dumb men. The ceremony had been long talked of among the deaf mutes, and as noneof this class of persons had ever before been ordained to this order inthe church in this country, there was a widespread desire among theEpiscopal community to be present at the ceremony. The church was wellfilled when the exercises began. Owing to the length of the services, the regular morning prayer was omitted, and after hymn 153 had beensung, Rev. Thomas Gallaudet, D. D. , Principal of the Deaf and DumbInstitution in New York, who was to preach the sermon, was introduced. Dr. Gallaudet prefaced his sermon by saying that when a deaf mute wasaddressed, the words were not spelled out, but that the ideas wererepresented by signs. Ideas about the intellect were conveyed by a signabout the head, those relating to the sensibility by a motion near theheart; in short, the sign language was as distinct and individual as theEnglish language. Rev. Mr. Chamberlain, of Iowa, stood up in the chancelas Dr. Gallaudet began his sermon, and interpreted the sermon to thedeaf mutes who sat in a body near the front of the chancel. Dr. Gallaudet sketched the progress of deaf mute education from theestablishment of the first school in Hartford by his father in 1817. Asillustrating the individuality of the sign language, he mentioned thatwhile he was in Brussels in August last he preached to a congregation ofabout twenty deaf mutes, English, French, Belgian, and his sign languagewas comprehended perfectly by all. "Sounds, " he said, "are only outwardsymbols of ideas, just as signs are. " At the conclusion of the sermon, Rev. Henry W. Syle and Rev. Arthur M. Mann were presented forordination, the former by Rev. Dr. Miller, and the latter by the Rev. Dr. Atwell, of Toledo. Sitting within the chancel, one at each end ofthe communion table, were Bishop Stevens and Bishop Bedwell, of Ohio, while nine other clergymen surrounded them. Among them the placidcountenance and venerable form of Rev. W. H. Syle, father of one of thecandidates, was especially noticeable. Bishop Stevens then read theexhortation, and it was interpreted by Dr. Gallaudet to the twocandidates, who stood in their robes at the chancel rail. Eagerly didthey watch the motions of the reverend gentleman as he conveyed to themthe words the Bishop was speaking. The Bishop then asked Mr. Syle thequestions laid down in the prayer book. As Dr. Gallaudet finishedinterpreting each question, Mr. Syle handed a slip of paper on which waswritten his answers, to Rev. Mr. Clere, of Phillipsburg, who read italoud. Rev. Mr. Mann then arose, and Bishop Bedwell stated that thequestions and answers would be interpreted. He asked the same questionsasked by Bishop Stevens, and Mr. Mann slowly communicated his answers, using only his right hand in replying. The ceremony of laying on ofhands was then performed, Bishop Stevens and several others laying theirhands on Mr. Syle's head, and Bishop Bedwell performing that office forMr. Mann. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was then administered tothe newly ordained priests, and they were welcomed within the chancelrail. A special invitation was given to the deaf mutes to communeimmediately after the clergy, and there were enough present to occupythe long chancel rail twice. The sacrament was then administered to thecongregation, and the audience was dismissed with the benediction byBishop Bedwell. On Saturday, the second biennial session of workersamong the deaf mutes in the Episcopal Church was begun in St. Stephen'sChurch. Rev. Dr. F. J. Clere, of Phillipsburg, was elected President, and Rev. Mr. Syle secretary and treasurer of the conference. An addressof Bishop Howe, and papers by Messrs. Clere and Syle were interpreted tothe conference by Dr. Gallaudet. --_Philadelphia Inquirer_, 15th Oct. , 1883. 

PICTURES BY DEAF AND DUMB ARTISTS IN THE ROYAL ACADEMY, 1876. 

 No. 1301. "Despatches. " T. Davidson. " 30. "Elter Water, Langdale. " C. E. Emerson. " 1235. "The late W. A. Langdale, Esq. " 1247. "Portrait of a Lady. " Mrs. North, deaf from girlhood. 

WHAITE'S WATER COLOUR EXHIBITION, MANCHESTER. 

"The Staff of Life, " by F. T. Tavarè, is a drawing worthy of Hunt forits literal truth. --_Manchester Courier. _

March 25th, 1876. 

FAIRLY DONE. 

A good story is told of ex-governor Magottin, of Kentucky, who is a goodtalker and likes to do most of the talking himself. Recently, in makingthe journey from Cincinnati to Lexington, he shared his seat in the carwith a bright-eyed, pleasant-faced gentleman. The Governor, after a fewcommon-place remarks, to which his companion smiled and nodded assent, branched into a description of the scenes that he had witnessed indifferent parts of the country, grew eloquent over the war, describedwith glowing speech the numerous horse races he had witnessed, talkedlearnedly of breeding, and told thrilling stories of his battles withthe Indians in the North-West. The hours slipped rapidly away, and whenthe train was nearing Lexington the two exchanged cards and parted witha cordial shake of hands. The Governor drove to an inn, and to a numberof friends he remarked that the ride had never seemed so short before. "Then you must have had pleasant company aboard. " "You are right. I meta gentleman of unusual intelligence. We conversed all the way over. Inever was brought in contact with a more agreeable man. " "Indeed! Whowas he?" asked his friends. "Wait a minute; I have his card, " and theGovernor felt in his pockets and produced the bit of pasteboard. "Hisname is King. " "Not Bob King?" shouted a dozen in one breath. "Yes, gentlemen; Robert King--that is the way the card reads, " was the proudreply. A roar of laughter followed. "Why, Governor, Bob King is as deafas a post; he was born deaf and dumb!"

A NOVEL SITUATION. 

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During the past year a gentleman had occasion to visit a certain city inNew England. He arrived at night, went directly to his accustomed hotel, and to bed, slept soundly throughout the night, and in the morningdiscovered his watch had stopped. When he opened the door of his roomanother gentleman was taking in his boots on the other side of thecorridor, and of him our friend asked if he could tell him what time itwas. To his surprise, the gentleman took no notice whatever of thequestion. He asked again, "Sir, will you be good enough to tell me whattime it is? My watch has stopped. " No answer. The gentleman, withoutlooking up, shut his door and disappeared. At that moment two othergentlemen came walking down the corridor, and Mr. X. Asked of them thesame question. The two gentlemen, without looking to the right or left, continued their walk without an answer or sign. "Well, " thought Mr. X, "this is very curious. " However, he went back to his room. Presently thebell rang for breakfast, and immediately a waiter entered the room, seized him by the arm, and began a series of gesticulations. Mr. X. Losthis temper, and burst forth with "What in the name of goodness is thematter?" when the waiter cried "Oh, " and vanished, laughing. Mr. X. Began to think something was very wrong, but went down to breakfast. When he entered the _salle a manger_, which commonly had a dozen ortwenty people at the tables, he found the hall filled with gentlemen inblack coats, all feeding gravely, and in silence. A waiter silentlybeckoned him to a place, and when he was seated he said to hisneighbour--"Sir, will you be kind enough to tell what all this isabout?" No answer. The person, like Charlotte in Werter, went on eatingbread and butter. Our friend began to feel decidedly queer, and gettingout of his seat, went to the nearest waiter and piteously besought him, for heaven's sake, to tell him what was the matter with the house. "Oh, "said the waiter, "don't you know? Why this is the Deaf and DumbConvention, which meets to-day at Hartford. "

THE DEAF AND DUMB BOTH HEARD AND SPOKE. 

Vincent Ogden was recently charged with begging, under the pretence ofbeing deaf and dumb, at Launceston. P. C. Barrett said that he saw theprisoner in the butcher's market. He was making signs, and pretending tobe deaf and dumb. He took him into custody, and after they arrived atthe police station asked him his name; he made no reply at first, butsubsequently said he was called William Ogden, that he was a native ofManchester, and had just come out of Bodmin Gaol. Committed for twomonths, with hard labour. 

ENTERTAINMENT BY DEAF AND DUMB. 

The inhabitants of Mansfield had some most enjoyable meetings on Mondaylast, when a number of the pupils from the Deaf and Dumb Institution atDerby gave some very interesting illustrations of blackboard sketching, including animals, birds, fishes, &c. In reply to the question asked byone of the audience, "What have you come to Mansfield for?" A littlegirl, amidst considerable laughter, wrote "To get money. " The gentlemanthen asked her what work she would like to do on leaving school? Thereply was "I would like to be a lady's servant. "--_Mansfield Paper_, 1885. 

LORD SEAFORTH. 

Lord Seaforth, who was born deaf and dumb, was to dine one day with LordMelville. Just before the time of the company's arrival, Lady Melvillesent into the drawing-room a lady of her acquaintance who could talkwith her fingers, that she might receive Lord Seaforth. Presently LordGuildford entered the room, and the lady, believing him to be LordSeaforth, began to spell on her fingers quickly. Lord Guildford did thesame, and they had been carrying on a conversation in this manner forabout ten minutes, when Lady Melville joined them. Her female friendsaid, "Well, I have been talking away to this dumb man. " "Dumb!"exclaimed Lord Guildford, "Bless me, I thought you were dumb. "

A "SUPPOSED" LUNATIC IN DERBY. 

[Illustration]

At the Borough Police Court this morning, a man, who said his name was"Jim, " but from whom no further information could be obtained, wascharged with being a wandering lunatic. Sergeant Parker said that, at aquarter-past one o'clock on Monday afternoon, his attention was calledto the prisoner, who was on the Midland Railway platform. He noticedthat the prisoner was wandering about in a strange manner. After makingenquiries, he had telegrams sent to Bath, the replies to which were tothe effect that the prisoner had been found wandering about the linethere greatly excited, that they did not consider he was right in hismind, and that they had given him written directions to enable him toobtain a ticket for Derby, which he succeeded in doing. He spoke to theman, and thought he wanted to go to London; but when the London traincame in he could not prevail upon him to take a ticket. He had £1 8s. Inhis possession, and also some tea, a razor, basket, and other articles;but no letters or anything from which they could find out his address. He took him to the police station, where the police surgeon examined himon Monday night, and pronounced him to be of unsound mind. The doctorpromised to call again this morning, but had not yet done so. The Benchremanded the man until the following morning, so that the police surgeonmight attend and give evidence. --_Derby Daily Telegraph. _

The alleged lunatic, --the deaf and dumb man, whose only name was Jim, and who had been charged with being a wandering lunatic, was againbrought up. Mr. W. R. Roe, head master of the Deaf and Dumb Institution, said that he had been sent for, and that he had been communicating withthe prisoner by means of signs, and found that he was deaf and dumb, andtotally uneducated, but certainly of _sound_ mind. The police surgeonagain appeared, and said he had examined the man, and had come to theconclusion that there was no indication of insanity about him. Theprisoner was discharged and handed over to Mr. Roe, who promised to takecare of him till something was heard from his friends. --_Derby DailyTelegraph. _

The man was kept at the Deaf and Dumb Institution for a few days, whenit was found that his friends were residing on the other side of Bath. It transpired that the man had been on a visit to some friends at Bathand could not make the authorities understand where he wanted to go, hence the error in sending him to Derby. --W. R. R. 

A CLEVER GYMNAST. 

Walter Stevens, a member of the British Mission to the Deaf and Dumb, last year won the first prize for "all round performances" at theGymnasium of the Young Men's Christian Association. The prize consistedof a very handsome gold and silver medals with silver buckle and strap. He was successful in 1883 and 1884 in winning second prizes, but thisyear he carried off in grand style the much-coveted first prize. Hisperformance on the horizontal bar was truly marvellous. 

[Illustration]

WILLIAM DE COURCY. 

This boy was educated at a Deaf and Dumb School. He was fond oflearning, and soon had many companions. One of the delights of his lifewas visiting the farmyard which was attached to the Institution. Williamhad been taught to be kind to dumb animals. He watched the little birdswith much interest, and liked to feed them. There was one bird whichcame daily to be fed which he used to call his own. He was eager forreligious instruction, and soon knew God made him, and that Jesus washis best friend, and that sin was displeasing to God. He loved Jesusmuch, and often signed about Him to his school fellows. After Williamhad been at school for some years he was taken seriously ill, and he wasasked if he were afraid to die? His reply was, "No, I know that God sentHis Son to save me. " Shortly before he died his school mates signed tohim that Jesus was kind. William smiled, and then signed in answer, "Yes, Jesus is kind, " and shortly after fell asleep, his happy spirittook its flight to that world where there are no deaf and dumb. 

A DEAF AND DUMB SCULPTOR. 

There has just been placed outside St. Saviour's Church, for the Deafand Dumb, Oxford Street, London, a statue of "The Good Shepherd, " whichhas been entirely modelled and carved by Mr. Joseph Gawen, a deaf mute, who was a pupil of the late Mr. Behnes, and an assistant of the late Mr. Foley, R. A. The statue is pronounced by competent judges to be anadmirable work of art. He also executed a marble bust of the wife of SirG. E. Hodgkinson. Some years ago he produced a splendid model incompetition for the Wellington Memorial. 

BUXTON. 

The Entertainments given on Tuesday in the Pavilion by Deaf and Dumbchildren from the Institution at Derby drew large audiences. Thechildren looked bright and happy, and their personal appearance was asufficient indication that they were taken good care of at theInstitution. Mr. Roe gave some interesting illustrations of teaching thedumb to speak on the oral system by placing the youngest girl on a chairand explaining how sounds were produced. Mr. Roe asked various questionsas to names and objects orally, to which answers were instantly given inthe same way. The Institution at Derby is an excellent one, and theCommittee of management deserve the warmest thanks for what has alreadybeen achieved, and we hope will be materially assisted in northDerbyshire by all christian people who have at heart the welfare of anafflicted class of society. --_Buxton Advertiser_, Sept. , 1884. 

[Illustration]

One of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools recently visited theInstitution for the Deaf and Dumb at Derby, and says the children wrotesome texts which pertinently answered some questions on religion whichwere given to them. In answer to the question "Who made the world?" alittle girl at once wrote on the blackboard "In the beginning Godcreated the heaven and earth. " The second question was "Who aresinners?" One of the boys wrote "All are sinners and have come short ofthe glory of God. " A little Irish girl was then asked "How do you hopeto be saved?" The child wrote "This is a faithful saying and worthy ofall acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners. " Inanswer to the question "What does the Bible say about the righteous?" alittle girl wrote "The righteous are as bold as a lion. " The lastquestion proposed was "How can you show your love to Jesus?" when one ofthe pupils at once wrote "He says if ye love me keep my commandments. "

HER LATEST AND BEST. 

A little girl was admitted to a Deaf and Dumb Institution, and in duecourse, before she had obtained a thorough knowledge of language, learned "Little Jack Horner. " Two nights afterwards, when the deaf anddumb pupils were kneeling at prayer, they were surprised to see thislittle girl kneel down and earnestly repeat "Little Jack Horner. " Itmight be said she was offering the latest and best thing she had. 

[Illustration]

THE LITTLE DEAF AND DUMB PREACHER. 

[Illustration]

In a small town in Germany lived a locksmith and his wife, to whom Godhad given one child, a girl, who rejoiced the hearts of her parents asshe grew up strong and happy. But the father longed for a son, and Godheard his prayer, and a boy was born to him. Now indeed there was joy inthe home; but their happiness was soon saddened, for the child was foundto be deaf and dumb. He was otherwise a beautiful boy, with large blueeyes. What could they do for him but pray?

"Ah, if only the Lord Jesus was here now, " spoke the father once, "howwould I seek Him, and bring our child to Him; how would I pray Him tolay His hand on our dear child, too, and give him hearing. "

"And I know He certainly would, " the mother answered. 

"But the Lord Jesus is with us, though we see Him not; let us entreatHim for our child. "

At length the boy was three years old. His eyes were full ofintelligence, and he seemed to understand everything around him. TheGod-fearing habits of his parents had a great influence over him. Atfamily prayer the mother held the little one on her lap, his handsclasped together, and when the father asked a blessing on their frugalmeal, the little child would also stand behind his stool, and wouldnever taste a morsel before it was asked. 

It was advised that the boy be placed under the care of a famousphysician in a neighbouring town. The father would leave untried nothingpossible for the welfare of his boy, and so very soon set out on hisjourney. The sun was already set when they reached their destination. 

Then the father took the boy's hand, and they went together to arelative's who lived in the town. But what a different home from thatwhich the boy had left: the relative did not believe in the Word of God, but only thought of pleasure and doing according to his own wisdom. Solong as the father was with him the child was content. He would not movefrom his side, and at night slept locked in his arms. But the fathercould not stay long; pressing business compelled his return home. Hisdeparture was very sorrowful for the child, and the father felt it noless. 

At length the dinner time came. All was prepared, and the familygathered round the table, and with a good appetite began the meal. Butthe dumb child sat not; he stood behind his chair and waited. The otherstold him to sit and eat, but he understood not. His lips werespeechless, but he made signs that they should pray. The peopleunderstood him, but would not show they did. Then the child ran to each, and, with a supplicating look, tried to clasp their hands together. Afeeling of shame came over them. They wished to quiet him, but darednot try. Should they pray? They had never done it, but the child waited. At length the wife stood up, then the husband, and then all the others, for they did not know what else to do, and the wife prayed, withtrembling voice, "Lord Jesus, come to our meal and bless it, and grantus Thy mercy. "

Thus did the dumb child become a holy messenger, and, though he wasspeechless, witness for God where He was entirely forgotten. 

But how was it with the child? Was his coming so far any use? Was hecured? No; the doctor could do nothing for him, and he remainsspeechless still. But later he attended a deaf and dumb institution, where he learnt reading, writing, and arithmetic, and many other usefulthings. Above all, he has learnt to know for himself the Lord Jesus, andto be resigned to the affliction God has laid upon him. He still lives, and is a God-fearing young man, and the joy of his old parents. He haslearnt the trade of bookbinding, and can well support himself. Speakingwith his sister of the old times, he said in the deaf and dumb language, smiling, "Ah, God has made me deaf and dumb that I should preach of theholy Jesus. "

A NAVAL CHEF D'EUVRE. 

[Illustration]

Gervase Murray, a deaf and dumb young man, the son of a poor widowliving at Balbriggan, has just completed a miniature merchant ship, which in mechanical structure, symmetrical build, and neatness offinish, is not probably surpassed by anything of the kind to be seen inIreland. It has been minutely inspected by competent judges, who assertthat its _tout ensemble_ a more perfect piece of ingenious workmanshipthey have never seen; nor could the most experienced ship carpenter domore justice to the various compartments, appendages, and riggings thanhas its mute architect, with but very indifferent apparatus--a penknife, a file, and a bradawl being the principal instruments employed in thework. It measures exactly six feet from the figure head to the helm, andis precisely the same extent in height from the top of the mainmast tothe keel, the width being of proportional dimensions. The materials areall of the best description, are tastefully polished or painted wherenecessary, and are so exactly fitted in every part as to baffle thedetection of any conspicuous fault whatever. It is fully manned with acrew of little wooden men, and officers in uniform, and completelyequipped with boats, capstan, blocks, hawsers, cables, davits, cat-heads, bars, bolts, buckets, chocks, compasses, and even three brasscannons; in short with everything that may be seen in a large ship. Shebears the significant name of "The Star of the Sea. " Had he been able toexhibit it, as he intended, at the late Dublin Exhibition, there is nodoubt that it would have attracted considerable attention, which perhapsmight have led to a substantial recognition of merit having been awardedto a poor dumb youth, the chief support of his widowed mother, as awell-deserved recompense for the patience and native talent displayed inthe construction of this tiny chef d'euvre of naval art, which must havegiven him an immense amount of trouble and anxiety during the two yearshe has been engaged in building it. --_Irish Journal. _

ALEXANDER FERGUSON, THE FAMOUS DEAF AND DUMB SWIMMER. 

[Illustration]

Alexander Ferguson, a dock mason of Dundee, (though now in employment atIrvine), has rescued forty-seven persons from drowning--one paper saysfifty-one--in the Tay, Forth, Clyde, Dee, Tyne, Mersey, Wear, Ayr, Irwell, Calder, Humber, and other rivers in England, Scotland, andIreland. He is thirty-nine years of age, and made his first rescue whenabout ten years old. We have before us accounts cut from the newspapersand other publications, from which we give the following particulars ofsome of the rescues and swimming feats:--

At Troon Dock. One Sunday a boy, who was playing with his companions atthe quay, missed his footing, and fell into the harbour. AlexanderFerguson, observing the occurrence, pulled him out in a very exhaustedcondition. A purse of £15 was presented to him. 

At Ayr Harbour. A boy named William M'Lean, aged 12 years, fell into thewater and was just disappearing when A. F. Leaped into the water andrescued him. 

At Androsan Harbour. A boy named Robert Bodman, aged 10 years. He wasrewarded with the sum of £16 by merchants and gentlemen. 

At Llanelly Harbour. A boy named Francis Cornwall, 10 years old. 

At Towey Dock. Richard Pearce, 11 years of age. 

In the Camperdown Dock, Dundee. Alexander Yule, 10 years of age. 

At King William Dock, Dundee. James Anderson, a bricklayer. 

At Devonport Dock. A girl named Victoria Napier, 10 years of age. 

At Dundee Pier. A boy named Alexander Robertson, 10 years old, for whichhe received the rescue medal of the Forth Swimming Club and HumaneSociety (1864. )

At Falmouth Dock. Sarah Armstrong, 11 years of age. 

At Lime Dock. Oliver Markham, 7 years old. 

At Maldon Dock. A girl named Jessie Brown, 12 years of age. 

At Camperdown Dock. Mr. Alexander Doig, merchant of Forfar. 

At Swanage Dock. A girl named Catherine Bruce, aged 14 years. 

At Portcawl Dock. A boy named Albert Jones. 

At Exmouth Dock. A girl named Alexandrina Nelson, 14 years old. 

At Victoria Dock. A boy named Charles Blair, 8 years of age. 

At Alexandra Dock. Richard Harrison, 8 years old. 

At Earl Grey's Dock, Dundee. Peter Band, 8 years of age. 

At Teignmouth Dock. Edgar Thorpe, 8 years of age. 

At Alnwick Dock. Cæsar Franklin, 10 years old. 

A brave man. The last official act of the late Mayor of Great Yarmouthwas to present the silver medal of the Humane Society to AlexanderFerguson, mason, of Dundee, for having saved the life of Charles Cullen, a private in the 55th Regiment, who fell overboard the steamer "Juno" onreturning to Inverness. Ferguson dived and saved him, but ran great riskof being drowned, Cullen having fallen under the paddle wheel, which wasin motion. 

Gallant rescue from drowning in the River Mersey, off Garston, nearLiverpool. On Thursday afternoon four young lads had an exceedinglynarrow escape from drowning in the ferry harbour; they were amusingthemselves with a boat, when they overbalanced and fell into the water;this was noticed by Alexander Ferguson, mason, who was standing on thejetty, and he, without divesting himself of any of his clothes, swam totheir rescue. Having succeeded in getting hold of three lads, he landedthem ashore, and then struck out for the other, who by this time hadalmost disappeared, his hands only being visible above the water. Ferguson landed him ashore also. After some time all the four were ableto walk home to Liverpool. A large crowd was on the jetty at the time, and great excitement prevailed. Ferguson deserves great credit for thecourage and presence of mind he displayed, and it is believed that butfor his efforts the lads would have been drowned. --_Liverpool Mercury_, 1872. 

GREAT SWIMMING FEATS. 

1. Fourteen miles down the river with the rapid ebb tide, from themiddle buoys opposite the Tay ferries to far buoy at the mouth of theriver Tay, in 5-1/2 hours (1859. )

2. Across the Frith of Clyde from Carrought, Ayrshire, to Ailsa Rock; 8miles in 3 hours, through strong currents. 

3. Across the Frith of Forth, from Buckhaven, in Fifeshire, to NorthBerwick; 18 miles in 7 hours (1862. )

4. Across the Bay of Leece, from the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse toBarrowhead; 10 miles in 4 hours. 

5. Across the mouth of Loch Ryan, from Ronmach, in Ayrshire, to KirkcolmPoint in Gallowayshire; 4 miles in 2 hours. 

6. From John O'Groat's House to Stoma; 8 miles in 2-1/2 hours, throughdangerous currents (1873. )

7. Across the strong-currented river to Cardell Point, on the east ofCantyre, from Penrioch, on the coast of Arran; 11 miles in 3-1/2 hours(1874. )

8. Across the Frith of Clyde from West Kilbride, in Ayrshire, to Grombe, on the east coast of Arran, a distance of 12-1/2 miles in 4-1/2 hours(1874. )

9. Across the Frith of the Clyde from Port Glasgow to Cardross; 9 milesin 2-1/2 hours (1874. )

In all these instances he was followed by persons in boats. 

We are informed that he has received presents for rescuing lives of thevalue of £300, besides twenty suits of clothes, and has also won manycups and other prizes in swimming and diving matches, and has alsoreceived several gold and silver medals. 

Alexander Ferguson has on several occasions been present at the servicesfor the adult deaf and dumb held at the Institution at Derby. 

[Illustration]

A DEAF MUTE'S GRATITUDE. 

[Illustration]

M. Felix Martin, an artist, deaf and dumb from his birth, has justexecuted a group representing the Abbé de L'Epèe teaching a deaf anddumb youth. He desires it to be placed in the Court of the Sourds etMuets Institution at Paris, to which he gives it in recognition of thedebt of gratitude which he and his deaf mute brethren in misfortune oweto the Abbé for their moral and intellectual emancipation. 

SIR WALTER SCOTT ON THE DEAF & DUMB. 

Sir Walter Scott in his novel "Peveril of the Peak, " uses the followinglanguage as to the deaf and dumb of his day:--"All knowledge is gainedby communication, either with the dead through books, or more pleasinglythrough the conversation of the living. The deaf and dumb above areexcluded from improvement, and surely their institution is not enviablethat we should imitate them. " Aristotle considered the deaf and dumb asincapable of acquiring knowledge; while St. Augustine insisted that theycould not be instructed in the holy faith of the Catholic Church. Couldthe worthies come back to this world they would be slightly amazed atthe practical refutation of their prophecies. 

UNEDUCATED. 

What would any of us be without education? By education, I mean notbook-learning only, but the training in good habits which is given inwell-ordered homes and schools. 

Can any one read the following true story of a deaf and dumb man withoutfeelings of the deepest pity for the poor fellow left untaught anduntrained, to wander at will over the wild though beautiful country ofhis birth. Was he happy? Read the story, and judge for yourselves. 

A few years since an artist visited Ireland to sketch the wild and rockyscenery for which parts of the coast are celebrated. One of the placeshe went to was so poor and uncivilized that there was no house betterthan a cabin to be found in the whole district. In a cabin, therefore, he took up his abode. 

One day he was busily engaged sketching some high cliffs, at the bottomof which the wild waves dashed in fury. His seat was in a position asperilous as it was grand. 

Presently he observed a creature approach, whose appearance at firstpuzzled him exceedingly. A nearer view showed him that it was a manclothed in a goatskin, but with the gait and manners of one whollyunused to civilized society. 

The artist thought that he was about to encounter an escaped lunatic, and, although no coward, he confessed to a feeling somewhat akin to fearpassing through him as he looked down at the depths below, andcalculated how small a push might launch him into eternity. Then heremembered something about the advantage of being civil to madmen, anddetermined to try and ward off his impending fate by a show ofcivility. Beckoning the poor creature to him, he commenced to talk tohim, to show him his drawings, and to offer him a share of his lunch. The man made no reply, but apparently assured by the artist's mannercame up close, sat down beside him, and was soon deeply absorbed indevouring his portion of the lunch and in admiring the pictures. Stillhe never spoke, only uttered some unintelligible sounds. 

The artist congratulated himself on the success of his experiments; but, nevertheless, he thought that on the whole "discretion was the betterpart of valour, " and after a little he got up and returned to hislodging, the man following him at a distance. 

On arriving at the cabin he related his adventure, when the peopleexclaimed, "Ah! it's only poor dummy!" and assured him the poor fellowwas perfectly harmless, but he was wholly untaught, had received notraining in a Deaf and Dumb Institution, and lived in this wildneglected manner. He was never asked to work, but roamed about at will, being fed by the neighbours, who would give bits to him as they would toa dog. 

The artist was greatly touched by what he heard, and continued to bekind to the poor deaf and dumb man, who, on his part, attached himselfto his patron in the most docile manner. Every morning he went to carrythe artist's drawing materials, waited on him during the day, and onlyseemed too delighted if he could perform any little service for him. Inreturn the artist could only reward him by kind looks and a share of hissandwiches. Once he offered him money, but it was received in such amanner that showed plainly he did not understand its value. And theneighbours said it was no use to give him money: _food_ was the onlything he seemed to care for. 

At last the time came for the artist to return home. When it dawned uponthe poor deaf mute he was about to lose his friend, he set up the mostpiteous wailing, and refused to be comforted, not even by the choicestmorsels of food. 

The artist, when relating it afterwards, said "that he was never moremoved in his life than to see this unfeigned sorrow, and to feel himselfunable (owing to the man not having been trained in a Deaf and DumbInstitution) to convey one single idea of suggestive consolation. "

TRADES OF THE DEAF & DUMB IN ENGLAND AND WALES. 

The following particulars showing the trades of the Deaf and Dumb aretaken from the last Government Census of 1883:--

 FEMALES:--

315 domestic servants, 12 teachers of the deaf and dumb, 74 charwomen, 158 washing and bathing service, 22 bookbinders, 21 cloth manufacturers, 146 manufacturers of silk and cotton goods, 62 making lace, carpets ortrimmings, 580 milliners and dressmakers, 75 tailoresses, 28 straw hatand bonnet makers, 99 seamstresses, 12 glove makers, 19 baby shoemakers, 6 brush makers, 15 paper bag makers, 9 workers of porcelain, &c. , &c. 

 MALES:--

24 artists (painters), 24 artists (engravers), 5 sculptors, 18 indoordomestic servants, 37 gardeners, 28 commercial clerks, 28 messengers, 47engaged in harbour and dock service, 37 farming on own account, 3 farmbailiffs, 463 agricultural labourers, 15 nurserymen, 13 grooms, 2veterinary surgeons, 2 gamekeepers, 40 bookbinders, 55 printers, 26lithographic printers, 26 engine fitters and machinists, 11 watch andclock makers, 41 bricklayers, 137 carpenters and joiners, 61 masons, 99painters and paperhangers, 75 cabinet makers, 21 French polishers, 22wood carvers, 12 carvers and gilders, 12 coach-makers, 15 wheelwrights, 43 saddlers, 42 shipwrights and carpenters ashore, 5 innkeepers, 1 maltster, 5 brewers, 17 butchers, 19 bakers, 4 confectioners, 44worsted stuff and cloth makers, 344 tailors, 507 shoemakers, 23 patternmakers, 10 hair dressers, 10 brush makers, 29 basket makers, 18 woodturners, 23 coopers, 71 coal miners, 22 brickmakers, 22 workers ofporcelain, 29 glass makers, 11 jewellers, 55 blacksmiths, 65 iron andsteel manufacturers, 14 tin plate workers, 360 general labourers, 11engine drivers, stokers, &c. , &c. 

There are in Great Britain and Ireland about 20, 000 deaf mutes. 

A WILL MADE BY PANTOMIME. 

The Supreme Court of Maine recently, after a six days trial, sustainedthe will of Horatio N. Foster, who was deaf and dumb, seventy-six yearsold, who could neither read, write, nor use the manual alphabet. Thewill, which was made by pantomime, devised 7000 dols. Only one similarcase it is said was ever tried in the United States, and that was inNorth Carolina. 

A BRAVE DEFENDER. 

After reaching our encampment (at Jenin in Palestine) our dragoman toldus that the people of the village were so quarrelsome and thievish thatit was never safe to stop a night there without an extra guard, and hehad engaged the brother of the sheik of the village to occupy thisresponsible post. This man was a great, tall, athletic-looking fellow, but a deaf mute. While we were taking our dinner he came into our tent, brandishing a revolver. He expressed to us by signs how safely we mightlie down and rest, because he (brave fellow as he was) by the aid ofthat revolver would protect us from all harm. Directly after ourwaiter--Dominicho--came in and informed us that the guard had borrowedthis revolver from our dragoman, Ali Solomon, but that he stood inmortal dread of the weapon he had flourished before us so heroically;that he refused to touch it till all the charges were withdrawn from it. With such a champion for our defender what cause could there be forfear?--_In Bible Lands. _

A DEAF AND DUMB LAWYER. 

Mr. Lowe, a gentleman who has been deaf and dumb from his infancy, will, we understand, be called to the Bar by the Society of the Middle Templeon Saturday next. He has had a good legal education, and is consideredvery clever as a conveyancer. --_Brighton Gazette_, Nov. , 1829. 

A DEAF AND DUMB MAN ON THE BIBLE. 

The following remarks on the Bible were written by a deaf and dumb youngman 26 years of age:--"The Bible is more valuable than all other booksin the world. It is divided into two parts, the one called the OldTestament and the other the New Testament. The former was written byinspired men, directed by the Spirit of God; the latter contains thenews of the Gospel, written by the witnessing disciples while Christ wason the earth. The Bible informs us of the guilt of sin, of thepunishment of the wicked, of the Saviour who died to save men fromdangerous destruction, of the way of forgiveness by Christ, of thecondescension of Him, of the mercy and love of Him, and of the happinesswhich Christ has promised to His disciples. 

The Bible teaches us how to do good to others, how to help them indistress, how to avoid temptation, how to love and obey God, how to prayto God to keep us out of dangerous things, and pray to God for ourparents, for their children, and for our other friends. 

The Bible is a very precious gift from heaven, and contains manyprecious truths, therefore we should reverence it. 

UNEDUCATED DEAF MUTE'S IGNORANCE OF GOD. 

[Illustration]

Vauncey Thompson wrote after having been under instruction in the Deafand Dumb School for six years:--"When I was at home, I knew one word, 'God, ' but I did not know what it meant, nor how the world was made, andmy mind was very hard and uncultivated, resembling the ground that isnot ploughed, and I was perfectly ignorant. I thought then that my mindwould open when I was a man: but I was mistaken, it would not haveopened if I had not come to school to be taught; I would have beenignorant and have known nothing that is proper, and no religion wouldhave come toward me. I must study my Bible till my life is departed, andI hope God will please never forsake me. "

DO THE DEAF & DUMB THINK THEMSELVES UNHAPPY?

Two deaf and dumb scholars of the late Abbé Siccard were asked--Do thedeaf and dumb think themselves unhappy? The following is the answer ofMassien:--"No; because we seldom lament that which we never possessed, or know we can never be in possession of; but should the deaf and dumbbecome blind, they would think themselves very unhappy, because sight isthe finest, the most useful, and the most agreeable of all the senses. Besides, we are amply indemnified for our misfortune by the signalfavour of expressing by gestures and by writing our ideas, our thoughts, and our feelings, and likewise by being able to read books andmanuscripts. "

The following is the answer of Clerc, the other pupil, to the samequestion:--"He who never had anything has never lost anything, and hewho never lost anything has nothing to regret; consequently, the deafand dumb who never heard or spoke, have never lost either hearing orspeech, therefore cannot lament either the one or the other. And he whohas nothing to lament cannot be unhappy; consequently the deaf and dumbare not unhappy. Besides, it is a great consolation for them to be ableto replace hearing by writing, and speech by signs. "

A DEAF MUTE'S IDEAS BEFORE INSTRUCTION. 

The following extract from the correspondence of a deaf and dumb pupilwith his teacher is a fair specimen of the natural condition of the deafand dumb before receiving instruction:--

"Before I came to school I thought that the stars were placed in thefirmament like grates of fire, and that the moon at night was like agreat furnace of fire; I did not know how the stars and moon and heavenswere made; but I supposed that the people, like us above the firmament, kindled the moon and stars; and I did not know whether the heavens wasmade by art or not. I thought the world little and round like a table, and was always intending to go to the end of it. "

OBSERVATIONS OF DEAF & DUMB CHILDREN. 

A gentleman called to see some little deaf and dumb girls who had beenpresent at a large meeting in aid of the Institution on the previousday, when the gentleman asked, "What did you think of the great meetingyesterday?" "I thought, " replied a little girl of ten summers, "peoplewould give great money for deaf and dumb school. " To another little girlthe question put was, "Did you observe any difference in the behaviourof the people present at the meeting?" "I saw some smile, and I believesome were fretting. " "What do you think was the reason that somefretted?" "I thought they fretted about the deaf and dumb and aboutGod. "

A DEAF & DUMB BOY'S REMARKABLE DREAM. 

[Illustration]

William Brennen, aged about fourteen and a-half years, having beenawakened from sleep, his first words were that he had been dreaming; andwhen he got into the school-room he commenced writing upon his slate asfollows, assuring his teachers that he described exactly as he thoughthe saw and heard in his dream, and from his character for truth therewas no doubt he did so:

I was dreaming about God; that he sent Jesus Christ, who came into theworld from heaven. He was present with twelve men; they saw Him, andwere frightened. He said, "Will you love God, and why?" They said, "Heis the creator of all things; He saved us from our sin; He was walkingon the water; He made them to live on the water and on the land. Hespoke unto them, whose names are Disciples. I saw them by dreaming. 

He said unto me, "Will you love God, and why?" I said unto Him, "BecauseHe made me in a happy state and holy; he brought me to heaven from thisworld. " His face was luminous and beautiful; he had a long beard, hishair was short and shining--I could not look at him. He wrote judgmentsof mankind--some were very good. When they died he took some to heaven, and some were sent to hell. His robe was very bright, like a cloud roundthe sun. 

I could hear more than all the people in the world. I was more obedientto God. There was not the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars. I sawAddington--(one of his friends who had died lately)--who was in heaven. He shook hands with me. He was more tall than you. 

I saw Adam and Eve: God made him by His word. He made him of the dust ofthe earth. He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. God said, "Thy name is Adam. " He took a rib of the man whilst he slept; he madewoman by taking the rib from a man. Her name was Eve. He made them in ahappy state and holy. He made a garden of Eden. He sent them to live inthe garden. God said, "Thou shalt not eat of the fruit of the tree ofknowledge. "

I saw God making the world and all things. First the world, firmament, sun, moon, stars, land and water. God made the water with His breath, Hegave it into the world. He made the sun, moon, stars very quickly withhis word. He made the sun of part of the earth, from the world, and themoon of a little part from the sun, and the stars of a very little partfrom the moon. He did not make anything with His hands, but by His word. 

I saw the world before the sun was made--it was all earth. He madeEurope, Africa--all! and with His breath He made the sea. (Here hisaction was remarkable. He drew on his slate the continent and islands, blew with his breath with scarce any motion of his lips, and showed thatthe waters instantaneously flowed through their channels, and the seaswere formed. ) God made the firmament by His word; it is like silk paper, it is all round the world: there is water over it and clouds under it, and the sun shines through it, and the moon, and the stars. (Here hedescribed by gestures the motions of the earth, the sun, and moon, andthat there were countless stars, larger much than the sun; that therewas no axle on which the world moved, nor anything to keep it up like acord, but that it was moved and upheld by the breath of the Almighty. )

There were many angels with him. 

He had not a loud voice, and his eyes see the sun before him and behindhim. 

He spoke very kindly to me; I saw many spirits in heaven; they wereworshipping God and obedient to God; they did not speak; they listenedto God and were obedient to Him; and God was often speaking to them; andthey loved Him. He was commanding them to look at evil and right thingsin the world, and they were very bright like clouds; thou couldst notsee them, because they were invisible. 

Angels are often in the world; they are always present with us, and inevery place, separating the people's hearts, good from bad. God tellsthem to separate the good from the bad; and they are always soaring withtheir wings. Their wings have not feathers; they are like the clouds. The angels are soaring always, and standing on the air and the clouds;they never are flapping with their wings; they are never tired, norsleepy, nor hungry, nor thirsty, nor eating, nor laughing, nor smiling;I saw some more crying a little, because the people have sin _fromthem_. They are very beautiful like the sun. God is more bright than anangel. They can walk on everything in heaven and in the world, and inhell they are not burned. God was sitting on the clouds, and on the air, and on the water. He is still, quiet; He never laughs. (His gestureshere were striking in an astonishing degree, and his whole mind seemedovercome, with a sense of the Divine greatness and glory. ) God was verykind to the angels, more than all the world. 

THE SCRIPTURES AND THE STATE OF THE DEAF AND DUMB. 

"Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointedto destruction. 

"Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor andneedy. "--Prov. Xxxi. 8, 9. 

"Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee whatthou shalt say. 

"And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who makeththe dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or the blind? have not I theLord?"--Exodus iv. 12, 11. 

"But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in partshall be done away. "--I Cor. Xiii. 10. 

"But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openethnot his mouth. "--Psalm xxxviii. 13. 

"All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it; the eye is notsatisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing. "--Ecclesiastes i. 8. 

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospelto every creature. "--Mark xvi. 15. 

"And how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, howbeautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, andbring glad tidings of good things. "--Romans x. 15. 

"And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyesof the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. "--Isaiahxxix. 18. 

"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deafshall be unstopped. 

"Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumbsing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in thedesert. "--Isaiah xxxv. 5, 6. 

"But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see; andthey that have not heard shall understand. "--Romans xv. 21. 

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that ChristJesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. "--ITimothy i. 15. 

"As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed witha devil. 

"And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake; and the multitudesmarvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. "--Matt. Ix. 32, 33. 

"Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent twoof his disciples, "And said unto him, Art thou he that should come or look we for another?

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those thingswhich ye do hear and see:

"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers arecleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor havethe gospel preached to them. 

"And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. "--Matt. Xi. 2-6. 

"Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb;and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake andsaw. "--Matt. Xii. 22, 23. 

"And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that werelame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesusfeet; and he healed them; insomuch that the multitude wondered, whenthey saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see; and they glorified the God of Israel. "--Matt. Xv. 30, 31. 

"And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought untothee my son, which hath a dumb spirit:

"And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him; and he foameth, andgnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away; and I spake to thy disciplesthat they should cast him out, and they could not. 

"He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall Ibe with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. 

"And they brought him unto him; and when he saw him, straightway thespirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 

"And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him?And he said, Of a child. 

"And often it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters todestroy him; but if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, andhelp us. 

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible tohim that believeth. 

"And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 

"When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked thefoul spirit, saying unto him, Thou deaf and dumb spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. 

"And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him; and hewas as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. 

"But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. "--Markix. 17-27. 

"And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in hisspeech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 

"And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into hisears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

"And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, be opened. 

"And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue wasloosed, and he spake plain. 

"And he charged them that they should tell no man; but the more hecharged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

"And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all thingswell; he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. "--Markvii. 32-37. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

The Tenth Census Report of the U. S. Of America for 1880 contains someinteresting statistics of the deaf and dumb, and apparently show aconsiderable increase as compared with the whole population. 

 1850. 1860. 1870. 1880. 

 Total population 23, 191, 876 31, 443, 321 38, 558, 371 50, 155, 783

 Deaf Mutes 9, 803 12, 821 16, 205 38, 878

 No. Of Deaf Mutes in each million of population 423 408 420 675

Out of 33, 878 there were 18, 567 males and 15, 311 females. The number ofnative deaf mutes was 30, 507, and foreign 3, 721. White, 30, 661;coloured, 3, 217, including 3 Chinese and 37 Indians. 

CAUSES OF DEAF-MUTISM. 

The intermarriage of blood-relations is doubtless one cause. In oneschool for the deaf and dumb 25 per cent. , in another 20 per cent. , andin others 15 per cent. Of the pupils are said to be the off-spring ofmarriages between blood-relations. 

Davy mentions the following case observed by Menière:--A married couple, being cousins, who enjoyed excellent health, had eight children, of whomfour were born deaf mutes, another was idiotic, another died when fiveyears of age, and two others suffered from absolute deafness, which onlymade its appearance later on. 

In the Institution at Derby there are three sisters, and also a youngersister at home, all born deaf and dumb, the parents being own cousins. On the other hand, there are at the same Institution several childrenhaving deaf and dumb brothers or sisters, where no relationship existsbetween the parents, notably one family, in which both parents arehealthy, and in which there are four deaf and dumb children. In the samecounty there are other cases of three, four, and even six in a family, yet there has been no relationship between the parents. In addition tothe born deaf, measles, bronchitis, typhus, scarletina, and otherdiseases are the causes of deafness, and consequently dumbness. 

Cases are known to have resulted from lightning, fright, boxing on theears, and where young children have been allowed to fall on the head, etc. 

Damp houses are said to be a cause of deafness. In Paris among eightchildren born in a family, five were born deaf, and these had all beenborn in a damp house. The family who had previously lived in the samehouse had three children, among whom were two born deaf and dumb. It issometimes said that certain unhealthy trades in which the parent orparents are engaged are responsible for some of these cases, but theonly complete statistics are those of Nassau, the results of which areas follows:--

 Among 27 Pipe-makers 3 deaf mute children, therefore 1 deaf mute to 9. 0 " 146 Stonemasons 4 " " " 36. 5 " 186 Brass-founders 5 " " " 37. 2 " 106 Potters 2 " " " 53. 0 " 590 Carpenters 8 " " " 73. 7 " 176 Earthenware-makers 2 " " " 88. 0 " 381 Sailors 3 " " " 127. 0 " 1, 716 Bricklayers 11 " " " 156. 0 " 1, 309 Smiths 7 " " " 187. 0 " 374 Vat-coopers 2 " " " 187. 0 " 1, 894 Tailors 10 " " " 189. 4 " 2, 911 Shoemakers 15 " " " 194. 0 " 1, 614 Joiners 8 " " " 201. 7 " 2, 006 Vinters 9 " " " 222. 8 " 514 Coopers 2 " " " 257. 0 " 1, 380 Bakers 5 " " " 276. 0 " 49, 201 Farmers 104 " " " 473. 1 " 18, 211 Labourers 24 " " " 758. 8

Meckel says that in the families of tradespeople, who are constantlyexposed to a damp unhealthy atmosphere or other injurious influences, deaf-mutism occurs most frequently. Moreover, Meckel has found thatdeaf-mutism is more frequently met with in flour-mills than elsewhere. Among 990 millers in Nassau, there were found eight deaf mutes, or onedeaf mute to 123. 7. 

[Illustration]

A DEAF AND DUMB BOY NOT AFRAID TO DIE. 

Bernard Grimshaw, a little deaf and dumb boy, lay seriously ill in thesick ward of an Institution, and was asked, "Would you be afraid todie?" "No! because Christ has taken away the sting of death, if webelieve in Him that He died for us; and we should not be afraid ofdeath, if we believe in Him that He died for us; and we should not beafraid of death because He has promised to give eternal life to allbelievers. "

"What do you consider the best thing you have been taught, since comingto the Deaf and Dumb Institution?" "I have learned about God and Hisbeloved Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible. That is best. "

A DEAF AND DUMB SEXTON ROBBED. 

George E. Fischer, the deaf and dumb sexton of the St. Mary's AvenueCongregational Church, put out the lights and started for his boardinghouse at 10 o'clock at night. He had gone but a short distance from thechurch when he was pounced upon by unknown persons, who approached frombehind and knocked him down. After striking him another blow the fellowwent through his pockets, taking every cent he had. Fischer is ahard-working man, but is in poor health, and will feel the lossheavily. --_Omaha World, May 24th, 1886. _

ACUTENESS OF EDUCATED DEAF MUTES. 

One evening the senior class of girls and boys in a School for the deafand dumb were invited to put any questions they wished to the Teacher;amongst others, the following (which show considerable acuteness andreflection) were proposed to him:--Who made God? Were there any angelsbefore the world was made? Before the world was made, how was Godeternal? Do you know, are there houses in the moon which people inhabit?Do you think the dwellers in the moon have got the sin as well asourselves? Will there be a new world when this is burnt up? How do youknow the scriptures to be the word of God? Do the angels know when thelast day will come?

A RUSSIAN DEAF AND DUMB YOUTH'S REPLY. 

A young Russian, of great talents, though deaf and dumb, who had been toa Deaf and Dumb Institution to be taught, with a view to become themaster of a similar Institution in Russia, was asked the differencebetween intelligence and discernment? He said "Intelligence is afaculty, by which we distinguish good and evil, what is useful and whathurtful. I think discernment is the faculty of distinguishing thegreater and less degrees of good and evil. "

[Illustration]

THE AGE OF DEAF MUTES. 

The question is frequently asked, "Is there a greater mortality amongthe deaf mutes than there is among the total population?"

The statistics so far published, on the whole, show a somewhat greatermortality among the deaf and dumb than that among the total population. 

It may, however, be stated that the deaf and dumb having to labour undergreater difficulties, generally succumb more easily in the struggle forexistence than their more favoured fellow-creatures. 

In Bavaria, in 1871, there were 4, 348 deaf mutes; 557 of these werebetween 31 and 40 years of age; 556 between 41 and 50; and 852 were 50years and upwards. In Prussia there were 23, 579; of these 3, 057 werebetween 31 and 40 years of age; 2, 540 between 41 and 50; and 3, 609 were50 years and upwards. In 1883, the North Midland Counties of England had705 deaf and dumb: 148 of these were under 5 years of age; 83 were 15years; 81 were 20 years; 227 were 25 years; 127 were 45 years; and 39were 65 years and upwards. 

DEAF MUTES IN THE TOWN AND COUNTRY. 

Wilhelmi tried to ascertain by means of his statistics in whatproportion deaf mutism occurred in towns and in the country, and foundthat it preponderated in the country. 

 --------------------------------+------------+-------------------- | Deaf Mutes. | Deaf Mutes among | | 10, 000 Inhabitants. --------------------------------+------------+-------------------- In Magdeburgh { In the Towns | 181 | 5. 2 { In the Country | 338 | 6. 7 In Erfurt { In the Towns | 81 | 5. 4 { In the Country | 186 | 8. 5 In Pomerania { In the Towns | 378 | 8. 3 { In the Country | 1259 | 12. 8 --------------------------------+------------+--------------------

COMPARATIVE NUMBERS OF THE SEXES OF DEAF MUTES. 

In all countries where statistics have been compiled, the number of maledeaf mutes exceeds that of the female. In 1871 there were in Prussia12, 736 male and 10, 843 female deaf mutes. In England and Wales in 1883there were 4, 408 male and 3, 280 female deaf mutes. In Staffordshire 264males and 217 females. In Leicestershire 64 males and 50 females. InLincolnshire 112 males and 93 females. In Nottinghamshire 96 males and75 females; and in Derbyshire 121 males and 88 females. 

PROBABLE NUMBERS OF THE DEAF & DUMB. 

There is an increasing desire on the part of the various Governments ofthe world to give information likely to be useful to the instructors ofthe deaf and dumb, but it has been proved beyond doubt that the Censusreturns in many cases are not altogether reliable, the numbers beingconsiderably understated. The following Table by Hartman, compiled fromthe various census returns, shows the per centage to the population:--

 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+------------- | Date of | Total | No. Of | Deaf Mutes | Statis- | Population. | Deaf | among 10, 000 | tics. | | Mutes. | Inhabitants. -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+------------- 1 Germany | 1877 | 39, 862, 133 | 38, 489 | 9. 66 2 France | 1872 | 36, 102, 921 | 22, 610 | 6. 26 3 Great Britain | | | | and Ireland | 1871 | 31, 631, 212 | 18, 152 | 5. 70 4 Italy | 1871 | 26, 413, 132 | 19, 385 | 7. 34 5 Austria | 1869 | 20, 394, 980 | 19, 701 | 9. 66 6 Hungary | 1870 | 15, 417, 327 | 20, 699 | 13. 43 7 Spain | 1860 | 15, 658, 531 | 10, 905 | 6. 96 8 Belgium | 1858 | 4, 529, 560 | 1, 989 | 4. 39 9 Netherlands | 1869 | 3, 575, 080 | 1, 119 | 3. 35 10 Sweden | 1870 | 4, 168, 525 | 4, 266 | 10. 23 11 Norway | 1865 | 1, 701, 756 | 1, 569 | 9. 22 12 Switzerland | 1870 | 2, 669, 147 | 6, 544 | 24. 52 13 Denmark | 1870 | 1, 864, 496 | 1, 156 | 6. 20 -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+-------------

 NON EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+------------- 1 United States of | | | | America | 1870 | 38, 558, 371 | 16, 205 | 4. 20 2 Argentine Republic | 1870 | 1, 743, 199 | 6, 626 | 38. 07 3 British Colonies | | | | in N. America | 1871 | 583, 535 | 470 | 8. 05 4 In the West Indies | 1871 | 905, 730 | 690 | 7. 62 5 In Africa | 1871 | 330, 460 | 529 | 16. 01 6 In Australia | 1871 | 305, 730 | 56 | 1. 83 -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+-------------

In Prussia (1875) the Census showed a population of 24, 604, 351, thenumber of the deaf and dumb being 24, 315, or 9. 9 to 10, 000 of thepopulation. In India there are, it is said, over 200, 000 deaf mutes. Thetotal number in the world is supposed to be over 700, 000. 

KING GEORGE IV. & THE DEAF & DUMB BOY. 

When King George IV. Visited Ireland a deaf and dumb boy determined tosend a letter to His Majesty. The following extracts taken from thischaracteristic letter will be interesting:

 "Wednesday, 4th July, 1821. 

 "My dear George, --I hope I will see you when you come here to see the deaf and dumb boys and girls; I am very sorry that you never did come here to see them. 

 "I will be very glad to see you, if you will come here often to see me. Did you ever see the deaf and dumb in London? You must write a letter to me soon. Would you like to see me at Claremont? I could not go to London, because there is too much money to pay to the captain of a ship for me. 

 "Do you know Grammar, Geography, Bible, Arithmetic, Astronomy, and Dictionary? I know them very little. I am very delighted that I am improving much. Perhaps I will be an assistant of the Deaf and Dumb School. Where were you born? Would you like to correspond with me? I would be very fond of you. You ought to write a long letter to me soon. What profession are you of? I never saw you; I am very, very anxious to see you indeed, and would like to see the King of England very much. 

 "Will you send us some deaf and dumb children, and give us money to pay for educating them. 

 "I am, your affectionate friend, "THOMAS COLLINS. "

The answer was as follows:--

 "To Thomas Collins, Deaf and Dumb Institution, Claremont, Glasnevin, near Dublin. 

 "Sir Benjamin Bloomfield is commanded by the King to present to Thomas Collins ten pounds for being a good boy. "

 "Phoenix Park, 3rd Sep. , 1821. "

With these ten pounds the boy was afterwards apprenticed to a printer. 

POOR SAM TRANTER. 

The lot of the _uneducated_ deaf and dumb in this world is a pitiableone, and their isolation is keenly felt. Often have we seen some of thisportion of suffering humanity unable to plead for themselves, or telltheir tale of woe or hardship. Such was the condition of poor SamTranter. Though Sam was never in a Deaf and Dumb Institution, his skilland plans for worldly prospects were extraordinary. In his boyhood hewas left friendless and uncared for, but persuaded a shoemaker to givehim work, at which poor Sam was fairly successful; owing, however, tothe man's ill treatment he had to leave, and, to save himself fromstarving, went in the workhouse. After a brief stay he again went forthto try his hand as a shoeblack, and after various attempts to shift forhimself, he began to master difficulties by wonderful energy andperseverance, and there is no doubt had the poor fellow been properlytaught in a Deaf and Dumb Institution, he would have risen in life. After a time Sam commenced selling cockles, mussels, and oysters. 

From a small beginning he increased, and in course of time he took ashop, and employed five women, at which he said he had made as much as£20 some weeks. Owing, however, to his lack of education, the poorfellow was continually robbed, and eventually got into trouble throughdebt, and was worried with summonses; hence his failure as a cockle andoyster merchant. He then took a stall, and afterwards a shop for thesale of gingerbread, &c. ; this was also doomed to failure. He then triedstreet-hawking with a barrow, to keep himself from the workhouse; butthis also failed, and his barrow was seized for debt. 

Poor Sam was again penniless, friendless, and homeless, which compelledhim once more to seek refuge in the Union, where he afterwards diedafter great suffering, at the age of 60 years. His remains were followedto the grave by a few deaf and dumb friends. Poor Sam might have saidwith David "Whilst I would do good evil is present with me. "

[Illustration]

FAITH COMETH BY HEARING. 

A deaf and dumb Lady said that the first time she went to church aftershe was impressed with the truths of christianity, she saw over thepulpit the words "Faith cometh by hearing, " which caused her greatunhappiness; for, she thought, that as she had no hearing she couldnever have faith. Shortly after, however, she saw this text in theBible, and observed that it was followed by "and hearing by the Word ofGod, " which gave her so much delight, as shewing her a way in which itwas possible for faith to come even to her, that she clasped the Bibleto her heart. 

MASSIEU. 

One of the best educated and most distinguished deaf mutes was Massieu, who gave the following remarkable replies to questions put to him byvarious friends:--

"What is hearing?" "Hearing, " said he, "is auricular sight. " Anotherparty asked him whether he made any distinction between a conqueror anda hero? "Arms and soldiers made a conqueror; courage of heart a hero. Julius Caesar was the hero of the Romans; Napoleon the hero of Europe, "was the answer he wrote on the blackboard, without hesitation. 

In reply to the following questions, he instantly wrote answers. "Whatis hope?" "Hope is the blossom of happiness. " "What is happiness?""Happiness is pleasure that ceaseth not; and misfortune is grief thatendeth not. " "What is the difference between hope and desire?" "Desireis a tree in leaf; hope is a tree in flower; and enjoyment is a tree infruit. " Another pupil standing by wrote, in reply to the same question, "Desire is the inclination of the heart; hope is a confidence of themind. " A stranger asked Massieu, "What difference do you think there isbetween God and nature?" His reply was "God is the first maker, theCreator of all things. The first beings all came out of His divinebreast; He has said to the first beings, ye shall make the second; tothe second ye shall make the third beings; His wills are laws; His lawsare nature. "

"What is time?" "A line that has two ends, a path that begins in thecradle and ends in the tomb. " "What is eternity?" "A day withoutyesterday or to-morrow, a line that has no end. " "What is God?" "Thenecessary being, the sun of eternity, the mechanist of nature, the eyeof justice, the watch-maker of the universe, the soul of the world. " Thedeceptive and acute question, "Does God reason?" was put to him, it issaid, by Sir James Macintosh, Massieu at once wrote, "Man reasonsbecause he doubts; he deliberates, he decides; God is omniscient; Heknows all things; He never doubts; He therefore never reasons. "

Lucien Buonaparte once asked Massieu, "What is laziness or idleness?""It is a disgust from useful occupation; a disinclination to doanything; from which result indigence, want of cleanliness and misery, disease of body and the contempt of others. " In writing this answer thegestures and looks of Massieu were in perfect accordance with the ideasthat might be supposed to exist with him and the words he was writing. When he had finished the last word he turned round, and then his wholeperson, with his countenance and his eyes, exhibited one of the justestpantomimic representations of laziness which it is possible to conceive. After he had a moment dwelt upon this personification, which his fancysuggested to him, he made an expressive transition to the looks andmanners of a person filled with that dread and abhorrence which the ideaof laziness should ever inspire. 

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GRACE ANNABLE. 

Grace Annable was deaf, dumb, and blind, and although her form andfeatures were well proportioned, she was a great sufferer fromconstitutional weakness; yet her temper was mild and affectionate. Strange to say, Grace was a capital nurse, and was much attached toseveral very young children, some being mere babies; in order toascertain whether they were crying, she would pass her hand mostcarefully over the mouth and eyes, and soothe their little distresseswith all the care and success of a talkative nurse. Grace was fond offruit, and would beat the pears and apples from the trees, and couldselect the best with as much judgment as if she had been possessed withthe sense of sight. 

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She frequently went in a field to gather wild flowers, to which she wasdirected by the pleasantness of their odour. Her sense of smelling wasremarkably exquisite, and appeared to be an additional guide to herfingers. Grace would feel and admire ornaments, etc. , and would neverbreak or injure the most brittle things even in a strange room. 

A gentleman once made several experiments with her in order to test forhimself her reported abilities, and expressed great surprise that onethus afflicted should be able to accomplish so much. Grace has, after apatient life, passed away into that land where deafness and dumbness isfor ever unknown. 

A DEAF AND DUMB BOY AND HIS BROTHER. 

Brownlow Harrison, a bright little boy who had spent a few years in theschool for the deaf and dumb, was watching with great earnestness forhis father, who was to fetch him home for the summer vacation. 

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Brownlow had made unusual progress during the last half-year; this hehimself knew, and made him intensely anxious that his younger brother, who was also deaf and dumb, should be admitted as a pupil in theInstitution. Brownlow himself at once wrote to the Committee asfollows:--"When I was at home I was ignorant, and I don't know aboutGod; but I am now taught about religion, and it is wonderful; I will betaught before I leave school. My dear brother cannot read, and he cannotunderstand; I wish he will come to school, for he don't know about Godand angels, and all things good or bad. I am afraid he will grow wickedif he is not taught. I will feel thankful to the gentlemen to send mydeaf brother to school. "

 FRANCIS CARTER, PRINTER, IRON GATE WORKS, DERBY. 

Transcriber's Note:

In the anecdote entitled "DEAF, DUMB, BLIND, AND LAME, " the character isnamed once as David and once as John in the original text. Thisdiscrepancy has not been changed. 

Punctuation and alternative spellings have been retained as they appearin the original text.