DEAFNESS.
(To THE EDITOR or oat SPECTATOR...1 Sin,—The interesting correspondence about deafness which hes appeared lately in your columns originated with a sort of protest against a remark of mine concerning Walter Gmenway when pre- tending to he (lea and dumb: he was "suspiciously intelligent hi appearance, to my mind, for a mute." While regretting my inability to withdraw an obvious suggestion, not for a moment intended to be offensive, but merely to state what I am sorry to have to regard as fact, I should very much like it to be understood that the remark was never meant to apply to those merely " hard of hearing "—an entirely different close.
The kindly letter of "Yet Another Deaf Person" in the 'Spectator of December 8111 admirably expresses my own experience of the way most sleaf people bear their misfortune. Fifteen years ago I became interested in a little group of deaf (not mute) persons, gathered together at the Sheffield Church House, Sunday by Sunday, to enjoy a simple service made possible by the devotion, and also the inventive skill, of one of themselves—Mr. A. It. Werminski. This gentleman produced, forty years ago, an aural instrument by means of which deaf persons sitting at tables may, with the aid of tubes, follow the singing of hymns, the prayers, the reading of Scripture, and the brief address snaking up the service. My own sham is the giving of en address monthly. If I were devoting may whole time to the welfare of these most appreciative friends they could be no morn grateful. I think that characteristic of the deaf is frequently overlooked. At any rate, the gratitude I have met, and which is deservedly showered in more bounteous measure upon their real benefactor, Mr. Werminski, also the eagerness they habitually show to give newcomers a warm and kindly welcome, will ever remain an inspiration and delight to
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