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116 Part 2 [11] Think!—what ecstatic joy The thrilling lip shall prove, When first its life-long seal shall burst ’Mid the pure realm of love; [12] What rapture for the ear, When its strong chain is riven, To drink its first, baptismal sound From the full choir of Heaven. Excerpts from Sayings of the Little Ones (1855) These two prose depictions of deaf children are a late effort of Sigourney ’s. In the first anecdote, she unrealistically depicts the deaf boy as unaware of an approaching storm, which any deaf person would see, smell, and feel, and as communicating with his little hearing sister by writing on a slate, an unlikely mode of communication between young siblings, considering how quickly children invent or pick up signs. In the second anecdote, however, the hearing child’s confusion of the word “sign” in its ordinary sense of a gesture or indication with the word’s sense as a lexeme in a signed language is still seen today. • A little boy in the Isle of Wight, was deprived by severe sickness of the powers of speech and hearing. There were no institutions for education of the deaf and dumb, to which he could have access. But he had the blessing of a loving and pious mother, who daily devoted some time to his instruction. She taught him to write, and early imbued his mind with deep reverence for that great and good Being, who could hear the thought that prayed silently in the heart of a speechless child. The simple faith that He was near, and would protect him, gave him sweet solace. Sigourney Main Pgs 1-162.indd 116 4/4/2013 12:35:32 PM Deaf Hartford 117 One summer’s day, a violent thunderstorm arose, and from cliff to cliff of that wild, romantic region, the peals fearfully reverberated. His sister was greatly alarmed, and at every vivid flash, threw her arms around him in terror. Knowing nothing of the uproar of the elements, he understood by her trembling, and tears, that she was greatly trouble, and running to get his little slate, wrote on it in a bold hand, and held it before her eyes, “God is everywhere.” Two children conversed about their Sunday-school lessons, adding their own remarks and emendations. “I think,” said one, “that Zacharias, the father of John, was deaf and dumb.” “No,” answered the other, “he was deprived of speech, for a time, because of unbelief. So, he called for a writing-table, and wrote the name that was to be given to his son. What makes you suppose he was deaf, also?” “Because he made signs,” was the quick rejoinder. Sigourney Main Pgs 1-162.indd 117 4/4/2013 12:35:32 PM ...

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