Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-10-17
lITTlE HELEN KELLER.
Remarkable Intelligence Displayed by q
BLIND Deaf Mute.

Blind Deaf Mute.
Helen Keller has a wonderful mem.
DRY and seldom forgets what she has
once learned. anU she learns very
quickly She is a wonderfully bright
child, and her teacher, instead of urg-
ing her to study, is often Obliged to
Goa Helen away from some example
in Arithmetic, or other ask. lest the
little girl should ;njure her health by
working too hard at her lessons. But
her marvellous progress is not due TO
her Zine memory alone, but also TO her
great ]quIckness of perception and 20
her remarkable powers of thought.
To speak n little more clearly, Helen
understands with singular rapidity,
not only what is said 10 her, but even
the feelings and the state OF mind Of
those about her, and she thinks more
than most children of her age. The
Touch schoolmistress has done such
wonders for her little pupil that you
would scarcely believe how many
things Helen finds out as with cleo.
trio quickness, through her fingers.
She knows ia a moment whether her
companions are sad or frightened or
im~patient-in other words. she has
learned so well what movements peo
pie make under the influence Of differ
ent feelings that at times she seems to
read our thoughts.
Thus, wnen she was walking out
one day with her mother. a boy ex,
ploded a torpedo which frightened
Mrs. Keller. Helen asked at once,
"Nhat are you afraid Off" Some Of
you already know that sound ii. c.,
noise of all sorts is produced by the
vibrations Of the air striking against
our organs Of hcaring-that is 10 say,
the ears; and deaf people. even though
they al hear absolutely nothing, are
still conscious Of ll.esc vibrations
Thus. they can feel" loud music.
probably because il shakes the floor;
and llcicn's sense of feeling Is so won.
derfully acute that she no doubt learns
many things from these vibrations Of
the air which 10 us n lmpcrccpllOle.
The following anccdOtc illustrates
bpAu iiEG luINhiltas vi lpltll OllA AlEI
reasoning powers. The matrun of the
Perkins Institution for the Blind c \
hibited one day TO a number OF friendS
a glass lemon squeelcr Of a new pat
tern. Ii had never been used, and no
II present could guess for what pur
pose it was intended, Some one hand
ed it TO Helen, who spelled lemon
ade" on her fingers, and asked for a
drinking glass. When the glass was
brought, she placed the squeezer in
proper position for use. The little maid
was closely questioned as TO how she
found out a secret that had baiiied ali
the seeing" people present She tap
ped her forehead twice and spelled, Il
think"
| cannot forcbear telling you one
more anecdOte about her. which seems
10 me a very pathetic one She is IA
very good mimic, and loves TO initiate
the motions aud gestures Of those
about her, and she cau dose very clev
crly. On a certain Sunday night she
went TO church with a lady named
Mrs. Hopkins, having been cautioned
beforehand by her teacher that she
must sit very quiet during the church
service. 1t is very hard 10 sit perfect
ly still, however, when you cant hear
M word of what the minister Is say.
ing, and little Helen presently began
to talk TO Mrs. Hopkins, and ask what
was going on. Mrs, Hopkins told her,
and reminded her of Miss Sullivan's
injunction about keeping quiet She
immediately obeyed, and turning
her head in a listening attitude, she
said, 81 listen. st Nicholas.