Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

258 poor little Pink, because he belongs to my ‘-on who is gone to sea. I was in hopes he would soon leave off quarrelling with the cat; but if he won’t be neighborly, I’ll send him out in the country to board. Sally, will you bring me one of the pies we baked this morn ing I I should like Miss Turnpenny to taste them.” The crabbed neighbor was helped abun dantly, and while she was eating the pie the friendly matron edged in many a kind word concerning little Peggy, whom she praised as a remarkably capable, industrious child. “I am glad you find her so,” replied Aunt Hetty ; “l should get precious little work out of her, if I didn’t keep a switch in sight.” “I manage children pretty much as the man did the donkey,” replied Mrs. Fairwea ther. “Not an inch would the poor beast stir for all his master’s thumping and beating. But a neighbor tied some fresh turnips to a stick, and fastened them so that they swung direetly before the donkey’s nose, and off he set at a brisk trot, in hopes of overtaking them.” Aunt Hetty, without observing how very closely the comparison applied to her own management of Peggy, said —“That will do very well for folks that have plenty of tur nips to spare.” “ For the matter of that,” answered Mrs. Fair weather, “whips cost something as well as turnips; and since one makes the donkey *tand still, and the other makes him trot, it is easy to decide which is most economical. But, neighbor Turnpenny, since you like my pies so well, pray take one home with you. 1 am afraid they will mould before we can eat them up.” Aunt Hetty had come in for a quarrel, and was astonished to find herself going out with a pie! “Well, neighbor Fairweather,” she said, “you are a neighbor. I lhank you a thousand times.” When she reached her own door, she hesitated for an instant, then turned back, pie in hand, to say, “Neighbor Fairweather, you needn’t trouble yourself about sending Pink away. It’s natural you -■hould like the little creature, seeing he be longs to your son. I’ll try to keep Tab in doors, and perhaps, after awhile they will -agree better.” “I hope they will,” replied the friendly matron. “We will try them awhile longer, and if they persist in quarrelling, I will send the dog into the country.” Pink, who lay sleeping in a chair, stretched himself and gaped. His kind mistress patted him on the head. “ Ah! you foolish little beast,” said she, “what’s the use of plaguing poor Tab?” “Well, I do say,” observed Sally, “you are a master woman for stopping a quarrel!” “ I learned a good lesson when I was a lit tlegirl,” rejoined Mrs. Fairweather. “One frosty morning I was looking out of the win dow into my father’s barn-yard, where stood many cows, oxen, and horses, waiting to drink. It was one of those cold, snapping mornings, when a slight thing irritates both man and beast, The cattle all stood very still and meek, till one of the cows attempted to turn round. In making the attempt, she happened to strike her next neighbor; where upon her neighbor kicked, ami the whole herd were soon kicking and goring each other with all fury. My mother laughed and said, ‘ See what comes of kicking while you are struck. Just so, I have seen one cross word set a whole family by the ears some frosty morning.’ Afterwards, if my brothers or sis tets were a little irritable, she would say, ‘Take care, children. Never give a kick for a blow, and you will save yourselves and others a deal of trouble.’ ” That same afternoon the sunshiny dame stepped into Aunt Hetty’s rooms, where she found Peggy serving as usual, with the eter nal switch on the table beside her. “I am obliged to go to Harlem on business,” she saie; “I feel ralher lonely without company, and I always likn to have a child with me. If you will oblige me by letting Peggy go, l will pay her fare in the omnibus.” “ She has her spelling-lesson to get before night,” replied Aunt Hetty. “I don’t ap prove of young folks going a-pleasuring, and neglecting their education.” “Neither do I,” rejoined her neighbor; “but I think there is a great deal of education which is not found in books. The fresh air will make Peggy grow stout and active. I pro phesy that she will do great credit to your bringing up.” The sugared words, and the remembrance of the sugared pie, touched a soft place in Miss Turnpenny’s heart, and she told the astonished Peggy that she might go and put on her best frock and bonnet.— The poor child began to think that this new neighbor w T as certainly one of those good fa ries she had read about in the picture-books. The excursion was enjoyed as only a city child can enjoy the country. The world seems such a pleasant place when the fetters are and nature folds the young heart lov- ©©33M&&E] &,!![&&[&¥ IS A8 & IMF IS, inglyon her bosom! A llock of live birds? and two living butterflies, put the little or phan in a perfect ecstacy. She ran and skip ped. One could see that she might be grace ful. if she were only free. She pointed to the fields, covered with dandelions, and said — “ See, how pretty! It looks as if the stars had come down to lie on the grass.” Ah ! our little stinted Peggy has poetry in her, though Aunt Hetty never found it out. Eve ry human soul has the germ of some flowers within, and they would open, if they could only find sunshine and free air to expand in. Mrs. Fairweather was a practical philoso pher in her own small way. She observed that Miss Turnpenny really liked a pleasant tune; and when winter came, she tried to persuade her that singing would be excellent for Peggy’s lungs, and perhaps keep her from going into a consumption. “My nephew, James Fairweather, keeps a singing-school,” said she, “and perhaps he will teach her gratis. You need not feel un der great obligation, for her voice will lead the whole school; and her ear is so quick, it will be no trouble at all to teach her. Per haps you would go with us sometimes, neigh bor Turnpenny 1 It is very pleasant to hear the children’s voices.” The cordage of Aunt Hetty’s mouth relax ed into a smile. She accepted the invitation, and she was so much pleased that she went every Sunday evening The simple tunes, and the sweet young voices, fell like dew on her dried-up heart, and greatly aided the ge nial influence of her neighbor’s example. — The rod silently disappeared from the table. If Peggy were disposed to be idle, it w 7 as on ly necessary to say, “When you have fin ished your work, you may go and ask wheth er Mrs. Fairweather wants any errands done.” Bless me! how the fingers flew! Aunt Hetty had learned to use turnips instead of the cudgel. When spring came, Mrs. Fairweather bu sied herself with planting roses and vines. Miss Turnpenny readily consented that Peg gy should help her, and even refused to take any pay from such a good neighbor. But she maintained her own opinion, that it was a mere waste of time to cultivate flowers.— The cheerful philosopher never disputed the point, but she w r ould sometimes say, “ I have no room to plant this rose-bush. Neighbor Turnpenny, would you be willing to let me plant it on your side of the yard ? It will take very little room, and will need no care.” At another time, she would say, “ Well, re ally my ground is too full. Here is a root of lady’s delight. How 7 bright and pert it looks: it seems a pity to throw it away. If you are willing, I will let Peggy plant it in what she calls her garden. It will grow of itself, with out any care, and scatter seeds that will come up and blossom in the chinks of the bricks. I love it. It is such a bright, good-natured little thing.” Thus, by degrees, the crabbed maiden found herself surrounded by flowers ; and she even declared of her own accord that they did look pretty. One day, when Mrs. Lane called upon Mrs. Fairweather, she found the old weed-grown yard bright and blooming; Tab, quite fat and sleek, w'as asleep in the sunshine, w 7 ith her paw on Pink’s neck ; and little Peggy w 7 as singing at her w r ork, as blithe as a bird. “How cheerful you look here,” said Mrs. Lane. “ And so you have really taken the house for another year. Pray, how do you manage to get on with the neighbor-in-law ?” “I find her a very kind, obliging neigh bor,” replied Mrs. Fairweather. “Well, this is a miracle!” exclaimed Mrs. Lane. “ Nobody but you could have under taken to thaw Aunt Hetty’s heart.” **That is probably the reason why it never w r as thawed,” rejoined her friend. “ I always told you that not having enough of sunshine was what ailed the world. Make people happy, and there will not be half the quar relling, or a tenth part of the wickedness, there is.” From this gospel of joy, preached and prac tised, nobody derived so much benefit as little Peggy. Her nature, which was fast growing crooked and knotty, under the malign influ ence of constraint and fear, straightened up, budded and blossomed in the genial atmos phere of cheerful kindness. Her affections and faculties were kept in such pleasant exercise, that constant light ness of heart made her almost handsome.— The young music-teacher thought her more than almost handsome; for her affectionate soul shone more beamingly on him than on others, and love makes all things beautiful. When the orphan removed to her pleasant little cottage on her wedding-day, she threw her arms around the blessed missionary of sunshine, and said, “Ah! thou dear good, aunt —it is thou who hast made my life Fair weather !” Cjomc (fformponienct. For the Southern Literary Gazette. LETTERS FROM CHEROKEE-NO. 2. Education of the Deaf and Dumb. The allusion to the Deaf Mute Asylum, at Cave Spring, in my last, has brought to mind some interesting facts in regard to the history of the instruction of this class of persons, not generally known, I presume. Though the earliest attempts to give Deaf Mutes a social position by education produced wonderful re sults, yet the improvements in the method of thaw education have been still more astonish ing. The embarrassments common to every new system, and particularly so in this, have been greatly overcome. Plans of great com plexity have been followed by arrangements of extreme simplicity; and now the impart ing of knowledge to a mute is considered, un like what it was some years ago, quite a mat ter of course. This class of persons, instead oi being regarded as quasi idiots, as former ly, are now taking their places in the busi ness and other associations of life; and, in deed, from a population not long since looked upon as useless, are now being formed a num ber as productive as those who speak and hear. Previous to the middle of the fifteenth century, an instructed deaf mute was un known. R. Agricola mentions an instance of a mute deaf from birth, who comprehend ed the writing of others, and who expressed his thoughts similarly. A Spanish Monk, Pedro de Ponce, who lived during the year 1500, was the first deaf mute instructor of whom history speaks. He taught two broth ers and a sister, of the Constable of Castile, and was succeeded by P. John Paul Bonet, another Spaniard, Secretary of the Consta ble, and whose younger brother, also a deaf mute, was instructed by him. Dr. John Wal lis, and Dr. Holder, of England, seem to have been the next in order of time, who pursued the systematic instruction of deaf mutes. In 1653, Wallis wrote and published a pamph let in Latin, explaining the mechanism of ar ticulate sounds; and, in 1669, Holder printed elements of speech, with an appendix con cerning persons deaf and dumb. Holder and Wallis both claimed to have taught a young man named Popham, born a deaf mute, to speak; and one Whaley was also instructed to articulate by Wallis. In 1648, John Bul wer published a book called the Deaf and Dumb Man’s Friend, which taught a system of gesticulation, manual alphabet, and move ment of the lips. Deaf mutes were also in structed by one Amman, a Swiss, in Amster dam, in 1700. But the great benefactor of the deaf mutes was the Abbe de l’Epee. He pursued this noble task not less from benevo lence than taste, and has united in his biogra phy the claims of charity with those of wis dom. He first suggested the practice of im parting to the deaf mute a system of signs, conforming to spoken language; and, though that system has been declared erroneous, his efforts and perseverance excited the first and most lasting interest in this enterprize. In 1760, he established a school for the instruc tion of deaf mutes, which swept away his private fortune ; which school was, in 1791, by Louis 16, made a national establishment: ‘l’lnstitut Royal des Lourds muets de Paris.’ This establishment was placed under one of the pupils of the founder, Sicard, who car ried out zealously the designs of de l’Epee. Sicard improved upon the system of his mas ter, and laid the foundation of that system, now generally pursued in Europe, of basing the instruction of deaf mutes on natural signs. In 1760, Thomas Braidwood established a similar institution at Edinburgh, beginning with a single pupil. In 1792, an Asylum was opened in London, in which the eminent Dr. Watson was the instructor. Some cu rious statistics are furnished in reference to the hearing ability of deaf mutes, by Itard, a physician of Paris. He states that one-fifth of this class of persons are totally deprive of hearing—that two-fifths distinguish sound from silence, but confound speech with other ! noises—and that the remaining two-fifth* hear more or less distinctly. It ia his belief that one-tenth of the whole deaf mute p opu . lation may, by cultivation, be restored to so ciety. One of the most astonishing examples at j that early day, 1792, of the perfection attain ed, is found in the biography of Miss Armit age, who died near Leeds, in 1842. shewa< | born a deaf rnute, but could understand whole | sentences by observing the lips of a speaker. J and could speak whole sentences so as to he understood. The proportion of deaf mutes to the population is, in Europe, from 1 in 1535 to 1 in 500, the latter in Switzerland. In the United States, of whites, 1 in 1964— 0 f blacks, 1 in 3134. So that there are over half a million of deaf and dumb persons in existence. The State of Georgia has but followed the example of some European States, in making these persons the pupils of the State. They are educated at the expense of government in Denmark, Belgium, and in some of the United States. There are fourteen or more schools in England and Ireland, sustained by contri bution. They exist in Russia, Brazil, Cal cutta, &c. Among the works giving most instruction j as to these facts, and the system of education pursued, are to be numbered Dogerandos’ comprehensive work, “de I’ Education des Sourds muets,” in two volumes, which the writer possesses, and which he has, with great interest, consulted; the publications of the Paris institution, “Ciiculaires de l’ln stitut Royal des Sourds muets de Paris.” and a “Vocabulary and elementary lessons for the deaf and dumb,” by Mr. Peet, of the N. York Institution. It is to the labors of the Paris institution, however, that the world is most indebted for researches tending to display the effects of the several plans adopted, and the general benefits of the results. The conductors of it have laboriously gathered facts and infor mation from every part of the world, and suc cessfully applied them in every form in which they can be of advantage to the deaf mutes, and enlighten the world as to their claims to education. We are confident that anew and useful system of instruction will be revealed, when Mr. Fannin, the enlightened head of the Georgia School, shall give his plan of signs to the world. It is based upon such natural and simple principles—it is so susceptible ot being grasped by the dullest intellect —but, at the same time, so full and complete in pur pose, that it cannot fail to excite, wherever exhibited, the profoundest sensations and most grateful commendation. We sincerely, for the honor of the State, for the cause 01 this beneficent institution, hope that the com ing Legislature of Georgia will not only pur sue with renewed vigor the system begun, but print, for the use of the State, the manu script of Mr. Fannin. We can assure the public that, with some knowledge of the mat ter, we have looked into the plan adopted b> him, and it is far superior to any ever befon found, and, in our judgment, perfect. The visitor will discover, in this school, much to please him. In schools of person blessed with hearing and speech, we often see, on the part of pupil and teacher, a h pt lessness which deprives them of any int^rc 1 whatever. It is not so here. r lhe g ract ness of the gestures, their admirable adapt- 1 tion to the expression of the thoughts, t nature and consequent simplicity, mak( position and movements of the glowing and vigorous narrative; while 1 intent contemplation of the scholars, t deep interest in the looks and actions 0 teacher, the attention with which they to ° the changes of the features, the the eyes, displays the wonders oi ’ho p