The Writings of Laura Bridgman, Part I [pp. 355-373]

368 The Writings of Laura Bridg'nan. [Ot
"I felt much grieved and tormented to glued on a mug and spoon, knife, fork, et.
leave my native town so suddenly. My for me to begin to feel on a single word
parents conducted me to the Insti. in pearl my finger. I could not know how to sp
street when I was not exactly [quite] 8 years one letter with my own fingers for some time
old, in Oct. I took a long ride in a chaise Dr. H. was my first instructor. Miss Dre
with them. I do not know whether we trav- was my first instructress in her ladyship.
eled in a stage or the cars, nor how [long] it loved them so dearly for a great many exc
took us to take our journey from my blessed lent reasons. It would lengthen my tie
home toward the ist Insti. I dreaded leav- very much indeed to describe all the reaso
ing home so much that it made me shed an in this first book, but I can only write a lit
abundance of tears from my eyes many long of them down. Dr. and Miss Drew set m
days. the time elapsed so very heavily a most excellent example. I felt so ve
and painfully that I did not know what to glad to receive education from them. I e
do with myself. I kept clinging on my joyed my new lesson much more than I c
dear parents, so as to not let them escape say. 1 never felt weary of studying, as
from me, but did not succeed in detaining was very difficult for me to understand su
them. I was removed from them; they at- simple and short words. [On the princip
ternted to avoid me as quickly as possible. of "Let courage rise with danger."] D
at the very moment that I lost them I burst made some signs that brought me up to u
in[to] bitterest tears. Miss J. Howe, one of derstanding naturally. he boxed [patted]
Dr.'s Sisters was with me then. She tried head meaning'right'; he knocked at r
to pacify and sooth me, but my poor heart elbow for'wrong.' He checked at n,e
was too full of sorrow and trouble. I was so his finger for' shame' or'folly' and wh
much more homesick to retrace my steps he was displeased in seeing any thing whi
home than I could bear in my power. I be- I had done wrong. He stroked my ha
lieve that I was drawn along toward my when he perceived how dirty and shabby
trunk, and I put my hands in for something looked; he patted my cheeks expressi
to taste of, which my Mother put in my [showing] me his love and affection. [The
trunk. I had a very sad and pleasant time signs were established, of course, by repe
with Miss J." tion, in about the same way that a dog
Laura's first lessons at the Irrstitute are a trained to obey his master's word or gestur
center of almost romantic interest tw the stu- When I committed a sin in his sight he us
dent of her history. Here for the first time to inflict a most severe punishment upon
was the attempt made to reach and to in- by putting me in a closet or shak[ing] x
struct one so bereft. The spirit of the par- gently. then it caused me to weep so sad
ties to the experiment was so rare-warm- he would always forgive me for the disobe
hearted and scientifically guided benevolence ence." "He procured a thing curious fr
an the fia resul was* so muc wha ha ws a typ cae I col_eiesi pc