We had an interview with Laura Bridgeman at the noble Blind Asylum of Boston. Her first ques

tion was, “Have you seen Doctor?" Dr Howe, being her first link to social life, is, of course, to her the most interesting person in the world. A blind friend by her side, interpreted to us the hand-language of Laura, who has a pretty figure, is pale, with fair hair, neatly braided by herself, and small green shades which entirely cover the sockets once occupied by her blue eyes. Her features are animated, and her face full of sensibility. She replied sensibly to various questions; and when she was told that one of the ladies was from Scotland, she made several remarks about that country, and observed that she must have crossed three thousand miles of ocean to come to Boston. She suddenly, without apparent explanation, made her way from behind a little table, flew across the wide hall like a bird, and must have ascended the lofty staircase with as rapid and as sure a foot as the possession of all her senses could have bestowed, for she returned in a moment. She had gone to fetch her little merchandise of watch-guards woven by herself. We purchased and paid for them into her own delicate hand. One lady gave her a gold dollar. It was a new coin, so she had not had one before. She touched it with her tongue, carefully fingered the figures on the surface, then ran her nail round the notched edge, and said, on the hand of her friend," California." I paid her in five or six coins to make up one dollar. She fingered and

counted them till she was satisfied it was right, being acquainted with the feeling and the value of half and quarter dollars, of dimes, and shillings. One could not help feeling a little solicitude, lest, among the few ideas which can find access to her secluded mind, that which may tend to covetousness should furnish too large a share. We were told, however, that her mother is poor, and it is for her that she exercises her industry. She inquired with curiosity whether we had chosen blue or puce colour. When told that mine was to go to Scotland to be given to the physician from whom I had brought a book for Dr Howe, she expressed great delight, smiling very pleasantly.

We were told, but not in the institution, that Dr H. had been greatly annoyed, after an absence, to to find that a visitor had told her of the "Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world." He avoids imagery or anything like complex figures in his instructions, and she did not know what to make of this new figure. It must indeed be very difficult to tread in his steps as her instructor, yet one feels a strong sympathy with the kind friend who wished to lead her to a knowledge of the atonement.

We heard with a little surprise that the amiable wife of M. Gallaudet, the benefactor of the deaf, is herself a mute. So the animated, intellectual young man, whom we met in the New York Institution, never was sung to sleep by the voice of his mother. I was much more surprised to learn that upwards

of a hundred pupils of the Hartford Asylum are married, the greater part among themselves, though a few have partners who can hear and speak. The fear which we might naturally entertain with respect to their offspring, has been, by a gracious Providence, disappointed. "With a few exceptions, they are blessed with children enjoying all their faculties, which will be a great consolation to them in old age." The men are freemen, and have votes.

The reader may now be better prepared, as I am, to enter into the sentiment of the American poetess, when with her usual feeling and delicacy she describes

THE MARRIAGE OF THE DEAF AND DUMB.

"No word! no sound! But yet a solemn rite

Is consummated in yon festive hall.

Hearts are in treaty, and the soul doth take

That oath which, unabsolved, must stand till death,
With icy seal, doth stamp the scroll of life.
No word! no sound! But still a holy man,
With strong and graceful gesture, doth impose
The irrevocable vow, and with meek prayer
Present it to be registered in heaven.
Methinks the silence heavily doth brood

Upon the spirit. Say, thou flower-crown'd bride,
What means the sigh which from that ruby lip
Doth 'scape, as if to seek some element

Which angels breathe?

"Mute-mute-'tis passing strange-
Like necromancy all-and yet, 'tis well;
For the deep trust with which a maiden casts
Her all of earth, perchance her all of heaven,
Into a mortal's hand-the confidence
With which she turns in every thought to him---
Her more than brother, and next to her God,
Hath never yet been shadow'd forth in sound,
Or told in language.

Pass on in hope. For ye may build as firm

Your silent altar in each other's hearts,

And catch the sunshine through the clouds of time,
As cheerily as though the pomp of speech

Did herald forth the deed. And when you dwell
Where flowers fade not, and death no treasured link
Hath power to sever more, ye need not mourn
The ear sequestrate, and the tuneless tongue,
For there the eternal dialect of love

Is the free breath of every happy soul."

MRS L. H. SIGOURNEY.*

It is of great value to the subjects of instruction, that what they are taught of Christianity is in general sound and heartfelt; and very touching to observe that the prominent felicity of heaven dwelt on by the pupils in letters and compositions is, that their ears shall be there unstopped, and their tongues loosed.

* Poetical Works, p. 257.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE WIDOW.

"Yes, there are some who sorrow's vigils keep,
Unknown who languish, undistinguish'd weep."

THERE is poverty everywhere in the world. In the
United States there is enough of it, but it is emi-
grant poverty, or poverty among the depressed
coloured race.
One heard marvels about the com-
fortable condition of the native people. In one
small town in New England, a society of ladies, who
met for devotional purposes, agreed to form a fund
for the help of the poor. Having raised their means,
they began to look about for their objects, but they
were nowhere to be found, or only found in the per-
sons of one coloured family. After the humane
ladies had new-rigged all the children, and got them
roused and sent to school, they added various com-
forts in the way of furniture, then they sent one
man to repair the dripping roof, another to fill up
the boards in the broken floor, and their work was
done! They were obliged to turn the flow of their
contributions into the wide bed of the Home Mission,