We are indebted to a friend—who is requested to call again—for the following from
Philadelphia, Nov. 1862.
Dear Continental:
Did you ever study the language of signs?
I have—and a queer language it is. It is divided into two great families.
The first is of street signs.
The second of signs manual, optical, and otherwise by gesture sign-ificant.
An excellent illustration of this latter class was witnessed lately in a police court of this city. I give it as narrated to me by a friend.
A deaf mute, whose banged and battered face spoke for itself, lately appeared before a local magistrate to complain of the sufferings inflicted upon him by certain iniquitarians to ye court unknown.
'He's deaf and dumb as a nadder, your honor,' remarked the solemn policeman who introduced the silent man. 'But he kin tell his story bully.'